It all began innocuously enough, as a means for a group of young friends united in large measure by their rather unique profession to spend an entire day together playing miniature golf and drinking, in no particular order.

Three things have been a part of John Sodaski’s life for as long as he can remember: the Philadelphia Eagles, the Villanova Wildcats and the summers in Avalon.

Today, it’s as recognizable as anything around Stone Harbor. That’s probably because it was just about 50 years ago that the official emblem of Stone Harbor was designed and adopted.

Much has changed here at Seven Mile Beach since brothers Fred and Steve Sylvester opened a restaurant to accompany their seafood market in 1978. Forty years later, residents and visitors continue to find good food and fun at Sylvester’s Fish Market and Restaurant.

Beach-tag inspectors are commonplace along the Jersey coast today. But back in 1972 they were in uncharted waters in Avalon, where beach fees were being collected for the first time. This is a photo of Avalon’s first beach-tag inspectors pictured along with Mayor Edgar V.H. Bell in May 1972. Can you help us identify anyone in this photo?