Ocean Lakes Family Campground was built by Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson along with their five daughters, starting in 1970. On July 2, 1971, Ocean Lakes opened with 30 campsites and one bathhouse. Nelson Jackson was 50 years old at the time. Today, Ocean Lakes features 859 campsites and 2,572 annual lease sites on 310 oceanfront acres with nearly one mile of beachfront, five bathhouses, and more than 700 employees (teammates) in the height of the camping season. It is the largest campground on the east coast and one of the largest in the United States.