Ninety-two 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 stayed in cabins, enjoying natural sunbathing, swimming, tennis, the sauna, whirlpool and miniature golf. Most people gathered in the evenings before the mosquitoes started biting to play volleyball. Older members watched from the sidelines or played bocce and shuffleboard.
Although the park was for families, it also attracted showgirls from Atlantic City who were looking for full-body tans. Crowds were drawn by the $14-per-couple weekend rate.
The famous nudist park was co-founded in the 1930s during the heyday of the naturalist movement by Dr. Ilsley Boone, referred to as “Uncle Danny,” a minister and geologist. He published the first American nudist magazine, The Nudist, which later became Sunshine & Health. The magazine was published by his Sunshine Publishing Co.
The park was purchased in the early 1960s by psychologist Oliver York for $120,000. In its last years, the property drew the interest of a casino owner who offered $2 million. However, a sale did not materialize. Eventually, neighbors became critical of Sunshine Park and urged township officials to crack down on the facility, citing health violations from overwhelmed sanitary systems. A judge eventually ordered the park closed in 1983. Ultimately, the property was left to be reclaimed by nature.
