Barnegat Light, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barnegat Light is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 764. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island and is home to Barnegat Lighthouse.
Barnegat Light was formed as a Borough by the New Jersey Legislature on November 2, 1948, to replace Barnegat City borough, which in turn had been created on March 29, 1904, from portions of Long Beach Township.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Barnegat Light is located at (39.751960, -74.110745).GR1
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.2 km² (0.9 mi²). 1.9 km² (0.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (16.28%) is water.
[edit] History
[edit] Early history
The area surrounding the Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet were described by Henry Hudson, in 1609, as "...a great lake of water, as we could judge it to be ... The mouth of the lake hath many shoals, and the sea breaketh on them as it is cast out of the mouth of it." The name of the existing town was obtained from the Bay and Inlet, which were originally named in 1614 "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," by Dutch settlers, referring to the waterway's turbulent channel.[2]
On October 26, 1782, a Belgian cutter traveling southward became stranded near the inlet. The ship was noticed by Captain Andrew Steelman, whom recruited local men to unload the cargo. While at rest on the beach, the crews were attacked by Captain John Bacon, whom was affiliated with the Loyalists. Almost all of Steelman's men were murdered in what became known as the Barnegat Light Massacre.[3]
In 1795, the first permanent settler - Caleb Parker -- arrived to the Barnegat Inlet area. By the 19th century, the northern stretches of Long Beach Island were known among early settlers for the wildlife and subsequent hunting, as well as a tourist destination for vacationing farmers and campers. In 1814, portions of the lowlands and beaches were purchased by settlers Bart and Ruth Slaight, whom built a small house and later, in 1825, a larger home to accommodate boarders. The boardinghouse was later sold to Jacob Herring, which prompted the structure to become known as the Herring House. The building lodged many of the visiting hunters, whom primarily came from New York City and Philadelphia. Nearly a decade later, in 1834, Slaight sold five acres of land to the United States Federal Government under the stipulation that no stores or taverns may be built, nor could the lands be used for cattle.
The first lighthouse tower was built in 1835 to coincide with the increased economic dependence on the inlet. Whaling had been permitted in the area in 1678, timber was often freighted through from sawmills on the mainland, and Cranberry Inlet (opened in 1750 to provide a shortcut for cargo ships) had recently been closed.
[edit] Brownsville
In 1855, John M. Brown bought much of the land that makes up present-day Barnegat Light. This purchase included the acquisition of Herring House, which was thus renamed Ashley House. The first official name of the community thus became Brownsville. During this time, a house of refuge was built to provide an unmanned shelter for shipwreck victims. Despite several attempts at constructing jetties, the powerful tides caused considerable erosion of the beaches and threatened both Barnegat Lighthouse and later the Oceanic Hotel. The lighthouse collapsed into the sea in 1857 and a replacement lighthouse (already under construction in 1857) was completed in 1859.
The Brown family left the island after John Brown's son drowned at sea.[4] The Brown family's land was sold at auction in 1869, and in 1874, Ashley House was sold to Charles Martin. The United States Life-Saving Service built Station #17 in the area circa 1872. Around approximately 1875, the general store and post office were constructed near the intersection of 4th Street and Central Avenue. The general store was originally run by Lucrecia Buttersworth and provided limited supplies -- largely due to the difficulty with transporting merchandise to the shop. The general store was purchased by the Applegate family in 1919 -- the family of a lighthouse keeper whom was also a net fisherman.
[edit] Barnegat City
In 1881, the Barnegat City Improvement Company was formed by Benjamin Franklin Archer, prompting the name of the community to unofficially become Barnegat City. Adding "city" helped the new resort town capitalize on the success of Atlantic City.[5] The plan succeeded, as the city became a popular tourist destination -- primarily for vacationers from New York City, whom would travel by train to Toms River and then travel by boat to Barnegat City. The SS Hesse -- a ship chartered by the Pennsylvania Railroad -- began providing transport in to Barnegat City for passengers largely originating from New York City and Trenton. This ship was later replaced by the Connetquot. The Oceanic Hotel was built to meet the increasing lodging demands of the tourism industry, beginning construction in 1881 and completing construction in 1882. The hotel would later be relocated in response to encroaching waters, so-as to avoid a similar fate as the first Barengat Lighthouse.
The Ashley House was sold to John Warner Kinsey in 1882, whom renamed the building as the eponymous Kinsey Hotel. Kinsey would later move to nearby Harvey Cedars, abandoning the hotel. A new hotel, the Sans Souci, was built in 1883 with the intention of attracting winter sportsmen. A fourth hotel, The Social, opened to boarders in 1884. Between 1884 and 1886, a direct railroad connection was completed to increase the city's tourism capabilities. The first train reached Barnegat City on June 28, 1886. A large keeper's house was completed in 1889 by the Federal Lighthouse Bureau to house the three keepers and their families. In 1899, Benjamin Archer sold the Sans Souci, which was subsequently renamed the Sunset Hotel. During the Spanish-American War, the United States Life-Saving Service kept watch for enemy ships and a signal house was constructed offshore; but the signal house was complete shortly after the peace was declared.
Barnegat City became of part of Long Beach Township after the township's establishment in 1899. Five years later, in 1904, the city declared itself an independent borough. At this time, much of the northern area of Long Beach Island was undeveloped, causing citizens to feel separated from the rest of the township's communities.
In 1914, the Oceanic Hotel closed and the Sunset Hotel was purchased by John Barber. Also in the same year, an automobile bridge was opened further south, improving access between the island and the mainland. In 1920, Ketzel's Bar was opened on West 7th Street by Paul Ketzel. This location provided rooms to local fisherman and was the prominent location in the city for nighttime entertainment. The bar was later purchased by "Ma" Kubel, resulting in the new name Kubel's Bar -- a restaurant which continues to exist today. The bar began serving meals in a dining room addition and was known for its local parties featuring Norwegian dancing.
Also in 1920, a severe winter storm destroyed most of the Oceanic Hotel as well as a large portion of the beaches -- eroding the shore up to the base of the lighthouse and prompting the abandonment and removal of the keeper's house by the Federal Lighthouse Bureau. The destruction of the hotel and continued erosion of the beaches caused the resort to become less popular -- ultimately resulting in the discontinuation of train service to the city between 1923 and 1926. Barnegat City returned to its relatively secluded environment that it had experienced in its earlier days.
The city's fishery economy improved beginning with a fishery opened by Captain Dick Myers in 1920, whom the next year purchased 33 acres between West 7th Street and the bay. In 1927, several Scandinavian fisherman united to form the Independent Fishery. During this period, Gillnetting declined in popularity, but it would later gain a comeback in the 1950s. Also in the 1950s, dragger fishing was ended and tile fishing began.
A series of disasters in the area occurred during the 1930s, beginning with the destruction of the Sunset Hotel by fire in June 1932. The next year, the Airship USS Akron crashed in the sea near Barnegat Light. Two years later, in 1935, the railroad bridge located to the south washed out, resulting in the complete discontinuation of railroad service to all of Long Beach Island.
[edit] Barnegat Light
In 1948, Barnegat City was renamed as Barnegat Light. The motivations for this renaming were both to honor the legacy of the lighthouse (which was decommissioned four years earlier) and also to disambiguate itself from nearby Barnegat Township.[6] In 1950, the post office moved from the Applegate general store's location to a new location on 18th Street. The building it replaced had itself been a general store and a gas station, both owned by Jens Jensen in 1920; whom had given it to John Englesen in 1940 as a trade for a house on 19th Street. The post office remained at this location until its current location on 10th Street was opened. The site of the first post office, at the general store on 4th Street, remains today as the Inlet Deli.
The construction of the existing jetty in the 1990s added a significant amount of land to the town, much of which was designated as parkland and now includes a bird sanctuary. The jetty has provided stabilization to the shoreline along the inlet, but requires frequent dredging. In addition to the lighthouse, the town continues to maintain a United States Coast Guard station, reflecting the continued presence of the former United States Life-Saving Service. In line with the town's history, its most prominent industries continue to be tourism and fishing.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 144 |
|
|
| 1940 | 225 | 56.3% | |
| 1950 | 227 | 0.9% | |
| 1960 | 287 | 26.4% | |
| 1970 | 554 | 93.0% | |
| 1980 | 619 | 11.7% | |
| 1990 | 675 | 9.0% | |
| 2000 | 764 | 13.2% | |
| Est. 2005 | 822 | [7] | 7.6% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 764 people, 371 households, and 230 families residing in the borough. The population density was 409.7/km² (1,056.8/mi²). There were 1,207 housing units at an average density of 647.3/km² (1,669.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.30% White, 0.52% African American, 0.26% Asian, 0.26% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population.
There were 371 households out of which 15.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.60.
In the borough the population was spread out with 14.4% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 17.4% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 34.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55 years. For every 100 females there were 103.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $52,361, and the median income for a family was $66,406. Males had a median income of $52,917 versus $45,000 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,599. About 2.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Barnegat Light is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey Government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a six-member Borough Council. The Mayor is directly chosen by the electorate for a four-year term. Members of the Borough Council serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
The Mayor of Barnegat Light is Kirk O. Larson Sr.
Members of the Borough Council are:[9]
- Council President Michael W. Spark - Water and Sewer
- Harry P. Howard - Public Works
- Frank F. Mikuletzky - Docks & Harbors
- James E. Morrison - Public Service
- Dorothy Reynolds - Beaches & Parks
- George M. Warr - Finance
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Barnegat Light is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th Legislative District.[10]
New Jersey's Third Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Ocean County, is represented by Jim Saxton (R, Mount Holly). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 9th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard T. Connors (R, Forked River) and in the Assembly by Christopher J. Connors (R, Forked River) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Forked River). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Ocean County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ocean County's Freeholders are: John C. Bartlett Jr., John P. Kelly, James F. Lacey, Gerry P. Little and Joseph H. Vicari.
[edit] Education
In 1903, the city's first and only school was built -- consisting a single room. The one-room school would later be closed in 1951.
For grades K through 6, students attend the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, which serves students from Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom and Surf City. Schools in the district are Ethel Jacobsen School in Surf City which has 117 students in grades Kindergarten - 2 and Long Beach Island Grade School in Ship Bottom which has 181 students in grades 3 - 6.
For grades 7 through 12, students attend the Southern Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Southern Regional High School (grades 9 - 12). These schools are part of the Southern Regional School District, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships. Both schools are in Manahawkin.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 194.
- ^ Lloyd, John Bailey. "Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island." p. 42. 1994 Down The Shore Publishing and The SandPaper, Inc.
- ^ Karch, Mary. "Under the Lighthouse - Memories of Barnegat City" p. 16. 2004 Down The Shore Publishing
- ^ Karch, Mary. "Under the Lighthouse - Memories of Barnegat City" p. 6. 2004 Down The Shore Publishing
- ^ Lloyd, John Bailey. "Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island." pgs. 41, 47. 1994 Down The Shore Publishing and The SandPaper, Inc.
- ^ Barnegat Light History. Retrieved on February 12, 2007.
- ^ Census data for Barnegat Light borough, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Barnegat Light Borough Council. Retrieved on March 19, 2007.
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 54, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Barnegat Light website
- Barnegat Light Fire Company website
- Long Beach Island School District
- Southern Regional School District
- Photos by Sandra Anton
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
 |
State of New Jersey Trenton (capital) |
|---|---|
| Regions |
Central Jersey | Delaware Valley | Jersey Shore | Meadowlands | North Jersey | Pine Barrens | Shore Region | Skylands Region | South Jersey | New York metro area | Tri‑State Region |
| Cities |
Atlantic City | Bayonne | Camden | Cherry Hill | Clifton | East Orange | Edison | Elizabeth | Hackensack | Hoboken | Jersey City | Linden | Long Branch | New Brunswick | Newark | Passaic | Paterson | Perth Amboy | Plainfield | Princeton | Toms River | Trenton | Union City | Vineland |
| Counties |
Atlantic | Bergen | Burlington | Camden | Cape May | Cumberland | Essex | Gloucester | Hudson | Hunterdon | Mercer | Middlesex | Monmouth | Morris | Ocean | Passaic | Salem | Somerset | Sussex | Union | Warren |
