Westfield Memorial Library presents Lost Amusement Parks of NJ Shore

(July 10, 2017) – On Wednesday, July 26 at 7:00 p.m. the Westfield Memorial Library will host a program on the Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore. The library is located at 550 East Broad Street.

Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore was written by historian Rick Geffken and George Severini. Mr. Geffken, who will give the presentation, will show rarely seen images from the Library of Congress, local historical societies, and private collections.

He will also show the sights and sounds of Highland Beach, Asbury Park, Long Branch, Bradley Beach, Pleasure Bay and others that made the Jersey Shore a famous vacation and recreational destination. The amusement parks of the past will come to life.

Mr. Geffken has written numerous articles on Monmouth County history for The Two River Times, The Howell Times, online Patch blogs and The Monmouth Connection newsletter of the Monmouth County Genealogy Society, of which he is also Publisher.

He has presented historical research topics at the New Jersey History and Historic Preservation, participated in symposia for the Navesink Maritime Historical Association, and has appeared on the New Jersey cable TV show, Family Historian.

The President and a Trustee of the Jersey Coast Heritage Museum at Sandlass House, Mr. Geffken retired from a career as a sales executive for Hewlett-Packard, where he spent most of his computer industry career.

A retired U.S. Army officer and Vietnam veteran, he holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from St. Peter's University, a secondary teaching certificate from Monmouth University, and a Master's Degree from Montclair State University.

The program is open to Westfield Memorial Library and MURAL cardholders. (MURAL cardholders belong to the 43 libraries that are part of the Middlesex Union Reciprocal Agreement Libraries. Visit www.wmlnj.org and click on the “About Us” tab to see if your library participates.) To register for the program, visit the library’s website at www.wmlnj.org, click on the Online Calendar, or call 908.789.4090 option 0.

Founded in 1879, the Westfield Memorial Library—the community’s destination for discovery and ideas—engages minds, entertains spirits and facilitates lifelong learning for people of all ages. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday; and closed on Sunday for the summer.

For more information call 908.789.4090, visit the library’s website at www.wmlnj.org, and sign up for the monthly e-newsletter “Library Loop,” or stop by the library at 550 East Broad Street for a copy of the award-winning quarterly newsletter “Take Note.”

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