Sandy Hook, a peninsula on the northern Atlantic coast, is a magnificent ocean beach and the most visited site in Monmouth County. For generations, residents and visitors have enjoyed the area's fascinating varieties of flora and fauna. The buildings that gave Sandy Hook its historic appeal, including Fort Hancock and the Army Ordnance Proving Ground, are in the midst of a prime recreation area. They also house several educational and scientific organizations. Above all, Fort Hancock has a history that captivates public imagination. For most of the first half of the twentieth century, it was one of the most heavily armed fortifications in America. In Sandy Hook, Randall Gabrielan illuminates the many facets of this intriguing place and provides an in-depth look at its compelling role in coastal defense. In over 225 photographs combined with an insightful narrative, Gabrielan makes the big guns resound, distinguishing the histories of a proving ground and a fort defending New York Harbor. Randall Gabrielan is the author of over 20 local and regional history books in the Images of America series, including such bestsellers as Middletown, Red Bank, and Rumson. He is an active Monmouth County historian and is a participant in the preservation of New Jersey history.