Sunshine Park Nudist Colony

[TommyP]

This was in Mays Landing, supposedly on Route 559. Looking at maps, I think it's past Lake Lenape Park West.
According to a recent paywalled article in the Inquirer, there is still a dock and some cabins. Here's a free article to read:

Remembering Mays Landing’s Nudist Park - Shore Local Newsmagazine

By Mari D'Albora Dattolo Ninety years ago, Mays Landing made news in the New York Times with the opening of Sunshine Park. Located on a riverfront tract on Mays Landing-Somers Point Road, it became a weekend getaway for as many as 750 practicing nudist families. Men, women and children would...

shorelocalnews.com

Most of the land is now privately owned by a woman who wanted to put in an RV park.

 

[Boyd]

I just learned about that place a few months ago too. See this thread, there's a link to read/download the book from rutgers.

https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/1939-wpa-map-of-new-jersey.14405/#post-174294

"MAYS LANDING, 17.5 m (20 alt., 1,868 pop.), is the seat of Atlantic County. It is also the national capital of the nudists, who in 1937 designated the community as their headquarters. Along the bank of Great Egg Harbor River, 2 miles south of the village, a 5oo-acre tract known as SUNSHINE PARK has been developed by this sun-loving cult. The park provides freedom, a reasonable degree of isolation, and plenty of mosquitoes and greenhead flies. Reporters for tabloid newspapers beat a path to the park entrance each summer when the national convention of nudists is held, but the cult's requirement that visitors disrobe is an obstacle to complete coverage of nudist news. Local residents interested in the nudist movement but as yet unwilling to affiliate make observations from row-boats in Great Egg Harbor River."

 

[Boyd]

Looking at maps, I think it's past Lake Lenape Park West.

Based on the quote above, it must be way past Lake Lenape Park. This would be about "2 miles south of the village"

https://boydsmaps.com/#14.00/39.426148/-74.700990/pines1949/0.00/0.00

That would put it near Gravelly Run on the newer 24k Topo

https://boydsmaps.com/#16.00/39.426530/-74.702964/legacy24k/0.00/0.00

 

[tsqurd]

I believe it was right by Thompsontown on the topo

 

[teleflux]

Growing up in Mays Landing, this place was infamous even into the 90s.

Someone told me that jets from NAFEC would take very slow, wide turns when flying over Sunshine Park.

I always thought it was where the RV park is now, but I believe it's actually here:

boydsmaps.com

Another article with some photos:

Should We Resurrect The Old Mays Landing, NJ Nudist Resort?

Take a look at what was one described as America's leading nudist community that once called Mays Landing home.

catcountry1073.com

And some photos of ruins from the 2000s:

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[Boyd]

I always thought it was where the RV park is now, but I believe it's actually here:

boydsmaps.com

That's definitely it! If you rotate the map, it matches the blueprint in that catcountry1073 article perfectly.

https://boydsmaps.com/#17.00/39.417909/-74.710811/pines2020/-57.60/0.00

The LIDAR imagery shows where some of the old buildings were

https://boydsmaps.com/#17.00/39.417909/-74.710811/midatlidar/-57.60/0.00

 

[TommyP]

Thanks all! I was told it was "down Sunny Ave" but couldn't pinpoint.