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The Tower Cottage, which still retains
its historical name, was built in l883.
It has a very unique and interesting
history of ownership.
In the late l800s, the look of the
community began to change from a farmed area, originally
inhabited by the Lenape Indians, to an active seaside community
and, soon, boasted the first ever,
seaside horse drawn trolley. The newly
built luxury Resort Hotel, incidentally
also located on Forman Avenue, offered
guests transportation from the hotel to
either the railroad station or the
riverfront.
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Frequently the trolley
would pass by The Tower Cottage on its way to
the beach. During
that time, it has been noted that Grover
Cleveland and Robert Louis Stevenson, among
other notables, took up summer residences in
Point Pleasant Beach. Legend claims that
Stevenson’s visits to Point Pleasant Beach
inspired him to write his classic novel
“Treasure Island”.
The famous Island is
reportedly modeled after Osbourne Island, a picturesque plot, on
the Manasquan River. The l880s also brought the railroad,
across The Manasquan River into Point Pleasant Beach aiding in
the rapid growth of this seaside community. The railroad
is still in existence and is a major means of transportation
between NYC and Point Pleasant Beach. The line ends at the
neighboring town of Bay Head.
Today the Manasquan Inlet
remains an exceptional natural attraction
as a waterway to the
Atlantic Ocean for boaters, sightseeing boats and fishing
enthusiasts.
The Tower Cottage was originally built on Sunset Lake, which is
now named Little Silver Lake; it is one of the first “grand
homes” built in Point Pleasant Beach. Throughout its
125-year history, this house was a private summer retreat for
those seeking the cool breezes and sandy white beaches away from
the hustle and bustle of the Philadelphia and Trenton, NJ city
limits. In recent years, the house had been used as a
guest house in the summer months as a refuge for its guests who
would visit from the growing populated cities of Northern, NJ.
One of the magnificent features of this house
was the tower
which housed a widow’s walk and
cupola high atop having breathtaking views of
the sunrise over the blue Atlantic Ocean.
Early in the twentieth century, as folklore has
been told, a horrific hurricane brought havoc to
the area and the tower was destroyed.
The Tower Cottage was purchased by my parents, Jack and Sally
Haddad, in l973
who lived a wonderful life in this home for over
35 years. My dad and I had a vision to re-build the tower
to its original grandeur one day. After my dad passed
away, my wife and I purchased the house from my mother with the
specific intent of restoring it to its 1883 majesty.
We
have been actively engaged in the restoration since purchasing
the property in 2005. The restoration process was an
adventure which took us on a road unto itself. The plan was to
restore this historical structure to its original grandeur, of
the period, and operate it as a luxury inn. Every effort
was meticulously made in the restoration process to duplicate
the exterior without destroying the original architecture.
Today, as a loving tribute to my parents, the vision has become
a reality and the tower, once again is majestically perched high
above the seascape for all to enjoy. |
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