Park System History & Book

The Monmouth County Park System began in 1960 when the Board of Chosen Freeholders acquired the first county park. The Monmouth County Park System started humbly enough, using 24 acres of surplus land leftover from construction of the Garden State Parkway to create Shark River Park. An immediate success, 5,971 visitors enjoyed the parks open space and picnic areas when it opened in 1961.

Today, Shark River Park, now totaling 996 acres, is still popular. On any given day, shrieks of delight can be heard coming from children at the playground while hikers take in the wonders of nature along the trails. Picnickers enjoy the shelter building while a sports program is held in an open field.

Thanks to the Park System, this scene can be found in locations throughout the county. Stretching over 18,506 acres, the Park System has 44 parks and golf courses of parks, forests, gardens, wetland/marine habitats, golf courses, historic sites, recreation areas and conservation properties. Each year approximately 5,000 recreation programs are offered through the Park System.

The Monmouth County Park System was the first Park & Recreation agency in the nation to receive accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) in 1994 and has been continuously accredited since.

See How We've Grown!

1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s 

Park System History Book

The Monmouth County Park System: The First Fifty Years
  

• Cover, Dedication, Contents & Acknowledgements
• Prologue
• The 1960s
• The 1970s
• The 1980s
• The 1990s
• The 2000s
• Parks 1-10 (Shark River Park, Holmdel Park & Longstreet Farm, Turkey Swamp Park, Howell Park Golf Course, Thompson Park, Baysholm Tract (now Conservation Area), Durand Tract, East Freehold Showgrounds, Tatum Park, and Shark River Golf Course)
• Parks 11-20 (Hartshorne Woods Park, Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook, Huber Woods Park, Hominy Hill Golf Course, Deep Cut Gardens, Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park, Clayton Park, Weltz Conservation Area, Pine Brook Golf Course and Historic Walnford)
• Parks 21-25 (Dorbrook Recreation Area, Bayshore Waterfront Park, Manasquan Reservoir, Henry Hudson Trail, and Monmouth Cove Marina)
• Parks 26-30 (Sunnyside Recreation Area, Charleston Springs Golf Course, Crosswicks Creek Greenway, Manasquan River Greenway, and Fisherman’s Cove Conservation Area)
• Parks 31-38 & Bibliography (Bel-Aire Golf Course, Wolf Hill Recreation Area, Big Brook Park, DeBois Creek Recreation Area, Union Transportation Trail, Perrineville Lake Park, Metedeconk River Greenway, and Yellow Brook Tract)