Loveladies

Loveladies — From Empty Dunes to Summer Colony

In 1920, Loveladies was barely a name on a map — the aerial shows an almost completely undeveloped stretch of northern LBI, natural dunes intact and the beach wide and untouched. By 1933, a handful of summer cottages had appeared but the community was still sparse. The 1944 view shows the Great Atlantic Hurricane's impact on the dune system — sections of the frontal dune were stripped down, and overwash fans crossed the island at its lowest points. By 1962, Loveladies had developed into a summer community, but the Ash Wednesday Storm — three consecutive high tides over 65 hours — overwhelmed it, flooding homes and dramatically eroding the oceanfront. The four aerials tell the full story of LBI's transformation from empty strand to developed barrier.