Filled with firsthand accounts and historical images, this handsome book commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Monmouth County Park System. After the construction of the Garden State Parkway in the 1950s provided easy access to New Jersey’s shore towns, the park system was established in order to protect natural and scenic resources, as well as to provide recreational opportunities for the increasing number of residents. Today, this central New Jersey county is a nationally recognized leader in parks and recreation, having preserved more than 15,000 acres of open space, including some of the region’s most significant natural areas and historic sites. By taking an in-depth look at one county’s efforts to preserve open space and provide superior recreation opportunities for all, this volume elevates the relationship of parks and preservation to the quality of life in our nation.