Brielle's Manasquan River island provided inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, but the town was relatively isolated until 1919. When the Manasquan inlet was created, it transformed the town into the preeminent hub for recreational fishing and a booming resort destination.
The earliest European settlers first harvested salt at Union Landing, and, later, resort developers found it reminiscent of their favorite Dutch seaside town and gave it its current moniker. From its Native American origins to the dubious rum-running of the Prohibition era, the town has a rich and colorful history. Raymond F. Shea weaves a rich tapestry of facts, anecdotes and charming stories that displays the story of a town that exchanged its fledgling, farm-town status for a reputation as one of America's civic gems.