By: Reilly P Sharp Curator Barnegat Light Museum
Looking into the BLHS archives this week, we find ourselves right in the heart of the old Barnegat City boat harbor that once occupied a now-lost peninsula. In the photo, circa 1920, part of the former harbor can be seen from the deck of a sailboat moored at one of the piers that extended from the bulkhead, which ran roughly east-west from West 6th Street.
The Barnegat City harbor was the hub of fishing and sailing at the inlet.
The yacht in the photo was the well-known Aileen, belonging to Mr. Whetstone, who lived two doors down from Mr. Haddock on E. 4th St. and were often seen together in town and on each other's yachts tooling around the bay on lazy summer days.
Also, the Bailey & Archer horse cart once ran down the harbor bulkhead and took guests over to the Oceanic or Sunset hotels.
Although the photograph does not show its full extent, the harbor comprised over a dozen tiny cottages that fishermen and their families lived in along the length of it. In the photo, the porched cottage on the left belonged to Walter "Peachy" Perrine's extended family, while the simpler cottage on the far right housed Peachy and his wife and daughter. Elsewhere on the harbor stood the Barnegat Light Hunting Club, several large boatbuilding garages, and Haddock's boathouse. Myers' pound fishing boats were moored in the harbor.
Beginning in the 1920's, fishing began to expand down the bayside. Independent Dock was born on 18th Street. As it grew, the harbor peninsula shrank.
Erosion ate away at the bayside just as much as the oceanside.
The steamboat pier washed away.
The water's edge lapped at the foundations of the Sunset Hotel and other large houses on the bay.
The harbor lost the western most cottages, then more, and more.
The harbor began to fall into disrepair, too, as locals fought a losing battle against the tides and the better facilities down at 18th St. Come the early 1930s, many had relocated.
The bulkhead fell apart, allowing further erosion.
The Coast Guard had now built its new boathouse where Mr. Haddock's used to be.
By World War II, virtually all traces of the old harbor were gone. A new bulkhead and covered dock were built on the western end of the shrinking peninsula, but this, too, would go soon enough, replaced by piers that survive as the Lighthouse Marina, surrounded by water covering the lost land.
In the end, the bay reclaimed 500 feet of land at 6th St. It also took much of the old Barnegat City bayside near the inlet back to where it stands today.
There are a few remnants of the old harbor town-within-the-town. Peachy's porched cottage now sits over on W. 9th St. And Dick Myers' old shed remains at the Lighthouse Marina.
Special thanks to Frednia Brodbeck for sharing an extraordinary collection of photos taken by her great aunt Katherine Perrine, Peachy's sister, a truly remarkable lady.
Our Mission:
The Barnegat Light Historical Society is a non-profit corporation organized under the laws of New Jersey whose purposes are exclusively charitable and educational.
Our main objective is to keep the history of Barnegat Light alive and available to the public through the preservation of local artifacts and pictures in the 106 year old restored schoolhouse museum, and through various programs and events promoting our museum, our society, and the long history of the town. We reach out to members, the community and vacationers through the daily access to the museum in the spring, summer and fall months, fundraisers and various celebratory events.
Barnegat Light Museum, home of the Lens, operated by the all-volunteer Barnegat Light Historical Society. Located in the town's one room schoolhouse, circa 1903, at 5th St and Central Avenue in Barnegat Light. Open weekends June and September. Daily July-August. Always 10am-4pm.
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