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Jersey Shore Town Turns Into A Tent City For The Summer

OCEAN GROVE, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – A unique tradition in one Jersey shore town is turning the area into one giant tent city for the summer.

Jennifer Green Grigg and her family are separated from their neighbors only by a canvas. No walls, no secrets. Welcome to tent city in Ocean Grove; a Jersey shore tradition since 1869.

"You have to be close with your neighbors because we have a thing called tent talk. Ten o'clock everyone has to talk quietly to respect your neighbors," Grigg explains.

Over 100 tents still exist since the community was originally founded after the Civil War by Methodist ministers. Most tenters have spent every summer of their lives in the unique vacation spot.

"We inherited it from our grandparents from the 1940s," vacationer Carol Bicknell told CBS2's Meg Baker.

Tenters have electricity and running water, just no privacy. "You can hear your neighbors… if they sneeze we say god bless you!" Marilyn Gill added.

There is a 10-year waiting list to become a tenter and it costs on average $6,000 to 8,000 to rent a tent for the summer. One other requirement includes contributing to the Methodist camp meeting society.

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