The present feels a little overwhelming and, while I think we should all look forward to a brighter future, I find comfort in the past. I’ve always been a fan of old photos and today I’ve found a few fantastic shots of the Jersey Shore. There were dozens from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s, but I wanted to focus on a New Jersey that we might be able to remember – one we have fond memories of. So, these Garden State photos are from the 1950s-1980s, with the exception of the first – a reader request.

Vintage images of New Jersey lighthouses weren't easy to come by but several readers were interested in the subject. I found this photo of Barnegat Lighthouse in 1925! It's still just as recognizable.
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The shore along Ocean Grove has changed quite a bit since 1950.
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The early 1950s in Atlantic City. Can you read all the signs? They advertise high diving horses and Memorial Weekend shows - Milton Berle and Dinah Shore.
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Just a few years later. Atlantic City in 1957.
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Young love. This beautiful boardwalk shot of biking in Ocean City was snapped in 1959. Something about it makes me smile.
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A perfectly '60s shot of the Rio Motel in Wildwood.
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Neon lights at the Sting Ray Motel in Ocean City, 1965. It's now the Beach Club Hotel.
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The Atlantic City Boardwalk in 1975. The first legal casino in New Jersey, Resorts, opened 3 years later.
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Who remembers the pier in Long Branch? First it had Leon's Amusements and then came the Haunted Mansion.
John Margolies/Wikipedia
Asbury Park in the 1970s.
John Margolies/Wikipedia
A closer shot of the iconic carousel, which was relocated to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 1990.
John Margolies/Wikipedia
The Jet Star Roller Coaster At Casino Pier, Seaside Heights in 1978.
John Margolies/Wikipedia
Beach Bazaar across from the boardwalk in Cape May, 1970s.
John Margolies/Wikipedia
What a cheerful shot of Morey's Piers in Wildwood circa 1986!
Barbara Alper via Getty Images

Do you have a favorite photo? Share your Jersey Shore memories (and photos) with us in the comments.

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