From the thunder of National Guard rifle practice squads to the applause of FDR's presidential campaign kickoff, Sea Girt sparkles with a dynamic history that belies its mystique as a quiet seaside resort. In the place that was once called the Summer Capital of New Jersey, a governor's parade could send a parachutist through the window and a beachside stroll could lead to an encounter with Woodrow Wilson or Frank Hague. Joe Bilby's thorough chronicle of this square mile of history is as joyous as a Jersey farmer plunging into the surf on Salt Water Day.

In the New Jersey shore community of Sea Girt, where Commodore Robert Stockton’s oceanfront mansion had a porch as long as a ship’s deck from which he surveyed the waters, a lighthouse was built in 1896. Sea Girt Lighthouse illuminated a dark space, providing a crucial guiding light to passing ships. The station would become a lighthouse of distinction and innovation. In 1920, it was the first land-based lighthouse with a radio beacon transmitter, enabling ships to navigate through fog. During World War II, the Coast Guard extinguished the light, stood watch in the tower, and patrolled the beaches. No matter the mission, the lighthouse met every challenge. In 1956, the town acquired the decommissioned lighthouse, making it the library and recreation center. By 1981, however, the building needed extensive repairs and was at risk of being sold. Concerned residents formed the Sea Girt Lighthouse Citizens Committee to “save our lighthouse.” And they did, restoring it, preserving its history, and keeping it busy with community events.

The Jersey Shore lighthouse that stands in Sea Girt has been a guiding beacon for seafarers since the end of the nineteenth century. A revolutionary lens, designed by Frenchman Augustin-Jean Fresnel, captured the flickering flame of a burning wick and projected a unique flash that could be seen for fifteen miles. The genius of Fresnel's design, on full display at the lighthouse, impresses as much now as it did in the days of sail. Many colorful characters were put in command here, including a Civil War soldier, a pioneering woman, an inventor and, for one day, the twenty-year-old daughter of a keeper. Sea Girt Lighthouse played an important role in defending the coast during World War II, when U.S. Coast Guard troops stood watch in the tower and patrolled the beaches. After its decommissioning, the lighthouse served for over two decades as the town library and recreation center, but by 1981, it was at risk of being closed and sold. That's when a group of community members--the Sea Girt Lighthouse Citizens Committee--successfully fought to save and preserve the shore landmark. Today, the lighthouse is the community beacon, alive with activity and attracting visitors who flock from around the country and the world to experience its history.