May 20, 18«
Record and Guide.
SUFPLFMENT
A Visit to Atlantic Highlands.
A SUMMER AND WINTER RESORT WITHIN FIFTY FIVE MINUTES' SAIL OP
NEW YORK CITY—LANDS THAT HAVE SOLD AT FROM 2U TO .500 TIMES
THEIB VALDB IN THE LAST TWELVE YEARS—HOW LARGE PROFITS AEE
TO BE MADE IN NEARBY SUMMER HESORTS. WHILE NEW YORKERS ARK
RACKING THEIR BRAINS FOR SMALL PROFITS IN THE METROPOLIS-
HIGHLAND PARK DESCRIBED—A SUBURBAN RESORT WHERE THE AS¬
SESSED VALUATION HAS INCREASED THIRTY-FOLD SINCE 18S0—POI.NTS
OF INTEREST TO SUMMER COTTAGE-OWNEElS AND INVESTORS,
.Atlantic Eighlands, N. J., May 15, ISflS.
I bays just spent one of tbe pJ eas an test days of niy life at one of the
most delifehlful suburban resorts near the great metropolis. For a number
of years past 1 have made .n'ourneys to Seabright, Lona; Brancb, Spiing Lake
and Other resorts aiong the Atlantic coa^t, and, like many others, have
often wondered vrhat sort of a place was this Atlantic Highlands, vrhere
everyone landed on the steamer to change for pnints further south on the
^oaat. I had observed, on many an rccasion, the beauties cf Ihetcenery at
he Highlands, and ofkn wondered why it was that New Yorkers did not
p M. Ifc is to these boats that tbe success of this place is ao largely due.
What a comfort it is on a hot summer's day, when the thermometer bas
langed from 85 to'd5 degrees in the shade, and tbe humidity has been
equally bieh, to recline on one of the camp chairs on the decks of the Mon¬
mouth and get cooled off in flye mirutes by the breezes of the bay and
ocean. I have pictured to myself the difference between a journey bome
in the cars and on tbe boat. In the former case it is a question of hanging
on to straps in a crowded train, either surface or elevated, in a hot and
stuffy atmosphere, arriving bome exhaustei, whi'e in the latter case it is
a sail in a delicious, beallh-re-itoring breeze past the Staten Island shore,
the Narrows and Ihe Lower Bay, arriving home bright acd fresh, wilh a
cbarce fi~i' an ocean bath and a hearty appetite for supper. When sucb a
p;ace as tbis can be reached from Wall street almost as quietly as the upper
wards of New York City, no one can doubt between which alternative
numbers of people will make their choice in the future.
THE JOURNEY BY TRAIN.
While the pleasantest and quickest route ia by water, there is also a
route by rail, from the foot of Liberty street, via tbe Jersey Cenlral road,
in about seventy-five mirutes, by summer time. These trains leave about
hourly, from 4 A m, to 6.15 p, m,, returning from 6.30 a m. to 6.IS p m.
Storm Scene from Atlantic Highlands.
take advaatage of auch a place for residence purposes, as it was considerably
nearer to the city than several pnpular resorts further aoulh, and pos¬
sessed much prettier scenery, taking land and water views combined.
And now that I have come here to examiue into the character of Atlan¬
tic Highlands, and at the same time enjoy the ocean breezes, my curiosity
has as last been satisfied, I find that I have long been mistaken iu assum¬
ing that New Yorkers have not appreciated tbis delightful place, and
most particularly its quick and easy accessibility to tbe business districts
of the metropolis. On the co,- trary, I learn, for the first time, that some
very prominent and well-known New Yorkers havo bought ground and
built their cottages at this place. Most of the-e live herewith their fami¬
lies during four or five months of the year, going to town daily, while a
numt)er have made it their all-year-round homes, going to busine-s and re¬
turning each day, just as tbe residents of Orange and other Jersey places
go to town and return daily.
Besides this, a large summer population gathers here during tbe three
warm months of the year, and this has resulted in the erection of fine ho¬
tels, the business of which increases each season as tho advantages of the
place become more widely knoivn. It has been truly said that the best ad¬
vertisement (or a summer or winter resort is the commendatioo of our
friends, and it is tbis sort of commendation whieh appears to have given
Atlantic Highlands its increasing popularity.
POPULARITY DUE TU ACCESSIBILITY.
In reviewing the conditious which surround this place, I have come to
the conclusion that the main cause for its success, as a place of summer
homes and a summer resort, is its quick and pleasant accessibility to New
Yora. The landing pier at Atlantic Highlands is reacbed in fif ly-five min¬
utes from Rector street. New York, by the fast boats of tbe Jersey Central
Rii'road. These boate, for comfort and dispatch, are not surpassed in tbe
couLlry, The "Monmouth," "tJandy Hook" and "St. Johns" are, in
fact, known all over tbe Esst as speedy boats. They run from I'ier 8, North
River, foot of Rector street, to Atlantic Highlands, almost hourly from
4 30 A. M. till 5,30 p. M., returning almost hourly from 6, [,5 a, m. till 7.30
They should not be used except in casea where a boat has been missed, or
excepting where time can be saved by using them, as the water route is by
far the most preferable. This remark holds good, of course, for the warm
months only.
SOME FINK VIEWS.
On arriving here, the visitor fiuds himself in front of a beauli'ul pano¬
rama of water and land. A writer, in describing it, says: " If the views
from Atlantic Highlands were to be had from some point on the English or
Europeancoast,'Baedecker'would devote a page of description to it. It
might be exaggeration to say that thia green hill by the sea is unique, but
it seems as if it must be. This bold headland has the peculiarity that it is
not directly in the path of the ocean's billows, Some six miles further
south, a long, sandy peninsula, ending in Sandy Hook, about opposite
Atlantic Highlands, makes out from the main. It is about two-and-a-balf
mites across 3andy Hook Bay from Atlantic Highlands to thia peninsula.
Property, tnerefore, ia not exposed to the ravages of the severe storms
which sometimes break over the coast and have wrought so much
damage on the beaches. The peninsula also series an important purpose
in the grand prospect from iitlautic Highlar ds. It forms a most picturesque
middle ground in the panorama. Oae realizes this when emerging from
the woody shadei of Bay View avenue upon Point Lookout, when the view
bursts upon the beholder in all its grandeur. On this point a Block House
Fort was erected duriug the war of 1812. At the foot of the bluff tbe
waves are ever breaking ; yachts, clamming sloops and other small craft
are spreading th ir white wings to the breeze or riding lazily at anchor in
the Horseshoe or in Ppermaceti Cove (so called because a whale was cap¬
tured there in l*i68), on the peninsula side. To the east, a bold projeelicn
of the Highlands meeting in perspective the low line of the beach closes the
view. To the northea-rt, across the bey, lies the Sandy Hook peninsula,
whose gray dunes are aireaked and studded by lines and clumps of stunteii,
wind-iwiited trees, with their dark-green foliage, among which can be
seen near the piint tbe light-houses, the life-3»ving station, the granite
fort and the tower from which vessels are signalled to New Tork. A