Roller coasters, ferris wheels and family-friendly rides light up the landscape of the Jersey Shore from Sandy Hook Bay down to Cape May County. Investors first honed in on New Jersey’s shorelines for their entertainment venues more than a century ago, said Jim Futrell, director and historian of the National Amusement Park Historical Association. Families flocked to the parks for entertainment and cool air along the shore. But the epicenter of thrill-seeking in the Garden State wasn’t always along the coast. Dozens of amusement parks used to be found in more urban areas but eventually they cou…