Midterm | DNY: Coastal NYC

Midterm Project

Local History

Fully established in 1913, the borough of Seaside Heights has been a popular vacation spot for New Jerseyans and tourists from elsewhere alike for over 100 years. Seaside Heights is a borough of Toms River township, which is located in Ocean County, New Jersey. The modern day amusements and boardwalk that we associate with Seaside Heights began as the brainchild of land developers that saw the potential to turn Seaside into a vacation hub for the citizens of Philadelphia, the closest major city at the time (VisitNJShore.com). Construction of the boardwalk began in 1915 with the first amusement: a Dupont Avenue Carousel (DiscoverSeasideHeights.com). At the time, the boardwalk was only a few blocks long, and not much of a spectacle.

But soon following the construction of the carousel, exponential development followed. What is currently known as the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge that connects Seaside Heights to the mainland was constructed, allowing even more travel to the region. This way, tourists from nearby areas could avoid a lengthy train ride and instead, opt for the toll bridge. Soon enough, vacation homes began to fill the borough, as well, and hotels adorned the coastline. For families seeking to establish a vacation residence in Seaside, “Summer homes that sit on lots that once sold for $100 now cost an average of $400,000,” (VisitNJShore.com) The developers’ vision was duly fulfilled.

Despite all of the progress that has made Seaside Heights into the vacation and amusement hub that it is today, the region is no stranger to hardship. Due to its position on the coastline, Seaside has fallen victim to numerous natural disasters throughout the decades. The most recent and notable one of those disasters is Hurricane Sandy, which devastated the region in 2012. The hurricane was elevated to superstorm status as it “caused $70.2 billion worth of damage, left 8.5 million people without power, destroyed 650,000 homes, and was responsible for the deaths of at least 72 Americans,” (Peer 2). In Seaside, the storm ripped up the boardwalk, destroyed property, displaced residents from their homes, and caused endless suffering. This was further exacerbated by a ten-alarm fire only five months after the hurricane hit, which destroyed much of the progress made in the rebuilding effort after Sandy. Firefighters had to tear up the newly built boardwalk in order to halt the spread into neighboring Seaside Park. The combination of these two events was detrimental to the community, with “authorities in [Seaside Heights and Seaside Park saying] Thursday night that more than 50 businesses had been wrecked,” (Parry 10).

Similarly, in 1955, another fire ravaged the boardwalk, in which the original Dupont Avenue Carousel was lost to the flames. But New Jerseyans are resilient, and even after a history of disaster, the boardwalk is largely repaired today. Obvious changes are evident compared to what it was pre-Sandy, like the absence of Funtown Pier with its iconic rides and attractions. But in its place, new structures have been built, like restaurants and arcades. That is the overall spirit of the people of Seaside Heights. Residents and vacationers alike hold so much pride in the boardwalk and its amusements, so efforts to ensure its survival are always taken.

Seaside Heights was also the setting for the popular MTV reality show Jersey Shore, which aired from 2009-2012. Due to the show, tourism to the region surged. In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the cast of the show hosted a special on MTV to raise money for the rebuilding effort. Popular cast member Snooki is quoted to have said, "Sandy destroyed Seaside -- our second home. It's devastating to see our boardwalk and favorite spots ruined,” (International Business Times 5). The popularity of the show can be credited with accelerating the rebuilding effort and securing Seaside’s place in history.

Through disaster and prosperity, the Seaside Heights boardwalk and community is a place that many call home, whether it be for just the summer or all year round. The community’s resilience to disaster and ambition to ensure the success of their town is one of the hallmark qualities of Seaside. Time will only tell what nature has in store for the beach, but no matter what it may be, the people of New Jersey will be there to support it.

In the Belly of the Atlantic

I had been watching the news all week. I knew the storm was coming. But why was I still in disbelief? Meteorologists have been wrong before, sure. But are they ever really wrong about a hurricane turned superstorm? I don’t think so. These questions raced around my mind as I tried to make sense of my situation.

For the past few hours, I watched the clouds grow darker and darker, as the town cleared out and grew silent. For the past few days, lines outside the supermarkets grew exponentially long, and the people of Seaside Heights grew exponentially impatient. Nerves about the impending storm mixed with the general insensitivity of New Jersey residents did not make for a cheerful situation. Of course, I can’t drive on my own, so waiting at home for my mom to return with supplies was even more nerve wracking. The town had advised us to evacuate, but when it’s just my mom and I, there’s really no place to go. We were lucky enough that her friend from work let us stay with them further inland, across the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge and into the township of Toms River. On the mainland, separated from the beach, the community feels so different. Local businesses that have been tried and trusted by the residents turn into chain restaurants with crabby people behind the counter. But as long as this place will keep us alive while Superstorm Sandy passes, I’ll deal with it.

We’re sequestered inside the house when we start to see the first droplets of rain. Here we go, I think, and the storm comes rolling in. The sky is stained with blobs of gray, with each consecutive cloud becoming darker than the last. As the light disappears, the wind picks up. Gusts of wind rattle the house, and we lose power. I guess that stocking up on supplies was worth it, after all.

The sky is so dark at this point that I do not know if it is day or night anymore. I feel tired, but that could just be the emotional exhaustion of enduring this hurricane. My mother can’t sleep at all. Since there’s no power, she fears that first responders won’t be able to reach us in the event of an emergency. I try not to think about that. It’ll only make me panic.

As the first day comes to a close, I try to sleep to the sound of wind, so much wind, howling all around me.

I begin to lose track of time after that. Since the hurricane never ceases, and with no technology to keep me updated, I get lost in the terror of the storm. My mother’s panic has rubbed off on me, especially when I see the sandbags protecting the foundation of the house become waterlogged and threatened by the wind. Will we ever escape this? Surely this storm cannot continue forever; there must be a way out. Just as Sandy has drained the population of electricity, my mental fortitude becomes drained as well.

Finally, after three sleep cycles, the weather stops. With utmost caution, I open the front door. Water, water everywhere. Water covers our front steps and meets us at the base of the entryway. The streets are so flooded with murky, sandy water that I cannot see the lines that used to direct traffic. Roads have no function in the aftermath of hurricanes, though. Cars can’t operate under these conditions. If we need relief, it will be arriving by boat. Mother Nature is ruthless, I thought. How could she turn her back on us like this?

It took another few days for the water to subside. My mother and I were still living with her friend. Under normal conditions, this would be a great opportunity for us to get acquainted. But the storm leaves no room for that. Instead, we are adjusting sandbags, shoveling sand away from our walkways, and wading to the surrounding houses to make sure that everyone is okay. But most importantly, we are desperate for electricity.

One day, while my mother is across the street checking on an elderly couple, I decide that I need to escape. The water has seeped away from the street and back towards the grass. Even though the streets are still sandy, they are clear enough for me to see a way out of Toms River. If I don’t get out of this house, I think I will become a figment of my own imagination. I leave a note on the table, “Headed to the boardwalk. Be back in an hour,” and I am off on my bicycle, across the bridge, and back to where my home is.

As I make my way towards Seaside Heights, the familiar carousel horse that welcomes me into town has blown away from its perch. Where I once saw houses, there is rubble. It is a complete ghost town.

I keep my eye out for fallen wires as I carefully maneuver my way through the borough. Splinters of wood shoot out of the ground where houses once overlooked the beach. The absence of cars is what stands out to me the most. Mother Nature has reclaimed her land. All that I can hear is the sound of the waves and seagulls. Oh, the seagulls. I’m sure they wish people were around now. Without us, who will they steal food from?

I continue on my bike towards the boardwalk. As I get closer and closer, I can see the level of destruction becoming more extreme. My stomach forms into a knot as I start to expect the worst. Surely we can rebuild, I think. It’ll take a lot of time and money, but it can be done. Surely. It has to be. Seaside will come back from this.

I finally reach Casino Pier, or, should I say, what remains of it. The boardwalk has been eaten by the waves. Chunks of the wood are missing as the raging ocean took a bite out of the rides and games that I hold so close to my heart. And what a hungry beast it is; the boardwalk is completely devastated, with sand regurgitated onto the buildings and what wood remains. I stand with my bicycle, speechless. As I was taking shelter inland, this abomination was occurring right at my doorstep. How could this happen?

I take a further look at the devastation in front of me. The hurricane completely ripped off a section of the pier, taking the Star Jet roller coaster with it. I walk as far onto the wood as the boardwalk will let me. The saltwater stings my eyes as I stand before the gravesite of what was previously Seaside Heights’ premier attraction. Completely detached from the pier, the steel coaster is an eerie landmark in the Atlantic Ocean. Just as I had to evacuate to a new home, the Star Jet has evacuated, as well. Someone has to fish that roller coaster out of the Atlantic before it has a chance to digest it, steel beams and all.

Works Cited

“Boardwalk History.” Seaside Heights Boardwalk History, Discover Seaside Heights, 8 Nov. 2012, www.discoverseasideheights.com/history/boardwalk-history.

International Business Times. “Cast Of ‘Jersey Shore’ Will Have A Special On MTV To Help Raise Money For Seaside Heights After Hurricane Sandy Destroyed The Town.” International Business Times, 5 Nov. 2012. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bwh&AN=401717.20121105&site=ehost-live.

Parry, Wayne. “In Seaside, N.J., Fire Is a Second Blow to Beach Community Still Reeling from Hurricane Sandy.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 13 Sept. 2013, www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-seaside-nj-fire-is-a-second-blow-to-beach-community-still-reeling-from-hurricane-sandy/2013/09/13/c9a7749e-1cb6-11e3a628-7e6dde8f89d_story.html.

Peer, Andrea. “2012 Hurricane Sandy: Facts, FAQs, and How to Help.” World Vision, World Vision, 19 Aug. 2019, www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/2012-hurricane-sandy-facts.

VisitNJShore. “History of Seaside Heights- Learn More about the Determined History.” VisitNJShore, Visit NJ Shore, 19 Mar. 2021, www.visitnjshore.com/seaside-heights/history/.

https://seasideheights.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/seaside-heights-1909.jpg

https://thebplot.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/jerseyshore-pg-35-nsp.jpg

https://seasideheights.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/new-bridge-at-seaside-heights-nj.jpg

https://seasideheights.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/danceland-carousel-and-pier-seasiide-heights-nj.jpg

https://seasideheights.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/amusements-seaside-hheights-nj-june-1955.png

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/habshaer/nj/nj1200/nj1299/photos/038154pv.jpg

https://seasideheights.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/thomas-mathis-bridge-1960s.jpg

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/mrg/09700/09706v.jpg

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/mrg/09700/09753v.jpg

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/mrg/09800/09813v.jpg

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/mrg/09800/09818v.jpg

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/pnp/mrg/09600/09685v.jpg