Family on the Half-Shell
Toms River, New Jersey
This somewhat bizarre sculpture by local artist Brian Hanlon is officially titled "Welcome to Ocean County." Built for a half-million dollars contributed by an Ocean County real estate developer -- who praised its "grandeur and magnitude" -- it was unveiled on August 14, 2014.
A mid-20th century beach family of five (bronze Dad is eight feet tall) stands on a Jersey Shore boardwalk, inside a giant scallop shell, with a Ferris wheel in the background.
The sculpted waves on the granite base symbolize Ocean County residents rising above the flood waters of 2012's Superstorm Sandy, and the inscription on the base praises their "indomitable spirit."
The entire sculpture weighs nearly 30 tons, so even another superstorm won't wash it away.