34 Gordon Hesse • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 JERSEY SHORELANDMARKS by Gordon Hesse Shifting Sands that are asnearly asany earthly lifecanbe.” eternal continents foruntoldthousands ofyears…is tohave knowledge ofthings ofshore birds that haveflight swept linesofthe upanddownthe surf to feelthe breath ofamistmovingover saltmarsh,towatch agreat the “To ofthe tides, standatthe edge ofthe sea,tosensethe ebb andflow — Rachel Carson,Under the— Rachel SeaWind tation along the Barnegat Baywetlands. tation along the Barnegat Opposite Page:Autumnoffers majesticviews of thesubtlechangesinvege- giving asenseoftheexpanseduneandpath. Station No.112tothesouthandpark’s naturaldunesystemtothenorth, Below: This180-degree panoramashowstheformerForkedRiverLifeSaving Left: Adiversity of plantsbloominspringat Island Beach StatePark. Island Beach-PasttoPresent

jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 35 - - Gordon Hesse Gordon continued on page 36 Because the off salt spray the ocean est by stunting new growth. When soil conditions are stable on the bar rier can grow island, tree seedlings in the behind hollows moist protected the dunes. Some trees are twisted and bent by the of nature and seem forces been wrought ratherto have than grown. These forests provide shade, food, food, shade, provide These forests wildlife. and shelter for water, is deflected upward by the dunes, it can prune trees in the maritime for This seascape’s system of dunes is This seascape’s Island Beach has been called

held together by grasses, shrubs, and along with maritime Today, forests. it can transportits winds and waves, reveries and evoke of a realm of ages. ’s Paradise,” a “Rustic Museum and “A Beach,” “Forgotten It offers an Piece Of Oceanfront.” idyllic expanse of trails through black hearty pitch pine, red cedar, cherry, red maple, American holly white cedars. trees, and Atlantic Gordon Hesse Gordon It was formed from the sea and The white sands of Island Beach’s transformed from a peninsula to an breached theisland as tempests beach barrier gushing into the bay; days the sands returned,and decades later, creating, once again, a peninsula. thosedunes are like in an immense hourglass that in not time mark hours, but in centuries.Grain by as a living grain it moves of sand, thing, forming and reforming. It goes on still at Island Beach.

36 Jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 JERSEY guarded beaches and bathhouses, but guarded beachesandbathhouses, attentiononthe visitors focus their park’s mostofthe pointed outthat in my visitstoIslandBeach.He seen me atourofplacesIhadnever Herecentlyoffered Use program. andLand Coastal inthe experience Protection since1992 special with ofEnvironmental Department and hunter. the Hehasbeenwith asanavid angler local background his with fit He seemsaperfect Studies. inEnvironmental degree a Stockton with College graduate Island BeachState Park, isaRichard resideinbrackishestuaries. that aspeciesofturtles back terrapins, diamond- estimated two thousand blinds. IslandBeachishometoan tobird nestsandpaths osprey with sitefor an excellent birdwatching birds.Thepark is marine and other ishometobluecrabs,herons, that reedsandamuddyestuary lined with domain,andyou areaguest. their skimmers, andnestingosprey. Thisis falcons,black likes ofperegrine the refreshing. Thesaltyairswirls with and moment,strengthening sify the smell, and touch inten- Sight, hearing, bushes,and beachheather. bayberry the ocean beach.Many boaters anchor inthebay, wadeashore, andwalktothe ocean. The Fisherman’s Walkway provides aboardwalk that crosses from the bay through thedunesto Ray Bukowski, managerRay of the The bay sideofIslandBeachis The dunesharborbeachplum, LANDMARKS SHORE LANDMARKS ISLAND BEACH,continuedfrompage35 Nature andInterpretive Centers. There are aboutthirtynestingpairs of osprey inthepark. This man-madeneststandforospreys (onthe right) canbeseenfrom theblindlocatednear Island Beach extends nearly tenmiles Island Beachextends Seaside Park andBerkeley Township, by north States. Borderedonthe United largest inthe and oneofthe Jersey beachinNew veloped barrier largestbeach. Thepark unde- isthe Beach State Park Jersey’s asNew best the park. Healsopointedoutthat the research projectsbeingconductedat to Bukowski, arenow fifteen there and unique ecosystems.According park’s missthe naturalbeauty they Asbury ParkAsbury Press hadratedIsland

Gordon Hesse suspend sand, and the prevailing prevailing suspend sand, andthe beach rents. Thewaves hittingthe waves andcur bined actionsofthe com- natural processcausedbythe a resultoflittoraltransport, is the coast Jersey New onthe and inlets islands sistent movement ofbarrier worked Thisper itswaysouthward. have would Inlet gradually Barnegat andbass. fish, weak bayside landbluefish, anglers shallows, Barnegat cobia. Alongthe falsealbacore,and common drum, less andthe blackfish, kingfish, fish, blue- fluke, seekingstripers, anglers seaattractsocean The bountyofthe inMay andOctober.best observed birdsare can bespotted. Migrating warblers and cerulean myrtle to-find harder- andthe herons, kingfishers, Bay.Barnegat blue Glossyibises,great blindoverlooking bird observation Pond Trail leadstoanenclosed that Tidal vation deck.Thereisalsothe chair-accessible andobser boardwalk near Parking Area7provides awheel- path. mile bridle park hasasix- andthe April, through fromOctober available by reservation photography. is Horsebackriding and and canoeing,birdwatching, hiking,biking,kayaking fishing, surf Inlet. to Barnegat Without human intervention, humanintervention, Without The Fishermen’s Walkway trail parkPopular are activitiesatthe - - - -

Gordon Hesse

jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 37 continued on page 38 One such taleOne such is noteworthy for Kidd Alas, recent research shows The shoreline south of the Mana- was opened in uct of fertileuct of imaginations. detail.its dramatic to the According County historianlate Ocean Pauline at in her book 300 Years Miller, the, Kidd and Island Beach crew of report were his sloop San Antonio - the captured ed to have British brig out of Liverpool in JanuaryStarlight After transferring the valuables 1697. reportedlyto his sloop, Kidd gave the the crew and passengers option of joining the crew pirate or walking the plank. The crew Kidd, but joined the chose a watery passengers grave. theThe night after, celebrated pirates their success on the beach with cap- and three Kidd others, tured liquor. in a longboat slipped away however, with treasure and buried it on a small island. They their rejoined shipmates, never able to return.but were This have which may treasure of legend, originated with who wanted a vendor to increase rentals and of rowboats has never been found. shovels, was in the Indian Ocean at the time of the date and did aforementioned “turnnot pirate” until April of 1697. returnHe did not to the seas off the region until April Mid-Atlantic just weeks through June of 1699, he was caught and later triedbefore in England. and hanged and Ephemeral Colonial Activities Inlets Inlet as Squan squan became known Beach and the land near the mid- point was occasionally separated after strong storms by a series of less permanent inlets. These breaches occur on thewould north end of Island Beach, cutting it off from the rest of the . They a confusing set given of names— were including the Old Inlet, New Inlet, and Cranberry- Inlet—and approxi themate locations. Over succeeding Island Beach hundred years, four was referred to as Nine-Mile Island, the Phipps Estate, as Island and now Park. Beach State and closed again by nature sixty 1750 - The whalers lived on theThe whalers lived island in February and March during the migration season. They would out to therow whales offshore, harpoon them, bring them to the beach, cut them up, and boil the oil. A single blubber for whale could produce from forty to ninety barrels of oil. When the demand was high, as during the British of blockade in the War wagons loaded ox-drawn 1812, thewith make ten-day oil would trip through the New Jersey Pine Barrens bringing to Philadelphia, in as much as $60,000. did this How barrier island remain in such a natural state Dutch explorer Cornelius May Island Beach was occupied by a documents show The earliest There are tales of pirates landing “…we came to…Ilands, which was in was which to…Ilands, came “…we of that ten leagues. The mouth length [BarnegatLake of water Inlet] hath on sea breaketh shoalds and the many of mouth it is cast out of the as them a veryit… This is good Land to fall Land to see.” and a pleasant with, christened the inlet “Barendegat” or That same Inlet” in 1614. “Breakers a map was that published cor year, into, streams emptying rectly showed into its currentwhat evolved name, . - and whal as 1640, whalers as early ing became an important industry after granted licenses were in 1684. after centuries of human activity? Part of the comes from trac- answer ing its ownership. grant that the conveyed land by the and to Lord Berkeley of York Duke The CarteretSir George in 1664. to theland was conveyed Board of Proprietors of the of Province James By 1756, East Jersey in 1683. acquired Alexander (Lord Stirling) thetheupon land death father, of his Island hence the name Lord Stirling’s owners, These early days. in its early absen- with of land, were tracts large tee landlords. Legends Pirate on Island Beach but they be may Service Park what National Historian calls “Fakelore”—the prod- Bill Bolger ~~~~ ~~~~ Beginning about seven thousand that sagas suggest theNorse first English explorer Henry Hudson’s For the native Lenni Lenapes, Island For the native is part Park Island Beach State years ago, predecessors of the ago, years Lenni AmericansLenape tribe of Native by dugout canoe to thistraveled land turtles,for shellfish, and fish, as well as to collect berries, nuts, and dried They left the for food winter. behind primitive fishing including stone gear net and spearheads. weights, sinkers, sailed have visitors may trans-Atlantic 1000 close to its shores around A.D. during their North American expedi- Giovanni tions. Florentine adventurer undoubtedly passed da Verrazzano by on La Dauphine as he explored the coast of North America from the in 1524. Carolinas to Newfoundland log described its shores aboard the as Moon on September 2, 1609 Halve History Beach Abounds On Island Beach provided fishing, provided clamming, Beach hunting, and fruit-gathering grounds. whalers, pirates, for a refuge It was squatters, and sportsmen.smugglers, three Life It has been the location for a steel magnate’s Saving Stations, a resort,ambitious vision for and the top-secrettests site of missile during with its pristine II. Today, War World Island and vegetation, dunes, wildlife, recreation, educational provides Beach programs, and a myriad of activities nature lovers. for

of the New Jersey Coastal Heritage the which marks historicalTrail, and, miles coastal habitats the along 127 coastline, Atlantic of New Jersey’s and more than miles of shoreline 83 along the RaritanBays. Delaware and south-flowing current carries the deposits it furthersand and along the Once a structure coast. was built, such as Barnegat Lighthouse in 1859, to combat the forced were engineers The constructionnatural processes. of stone jetties, in 1940, completed helped capture the shifting sand and march south.stop the island’s 38 Jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 JERSEY mainland would cattle move their onthe farmers century, although nineteenth beginningofthe until the Early Inhabitants to 1874. added nearly halfamilefrom 1839 tipofIslandBeach southern ple, the greatly.- Forexam vary lines, surveys shore- shifting tothe Due inpart straightened outinlarge measure. were century, these nineteenth of the for beginning many years, butbythe island swindles tieduplandonthe in1812.storm ofsalesand Aseries Jersey’s coast. colonialNew battles were fought off navalor Freehold.Seventy-seven inTomstioned off River, Tuckerton, proceedswere auc- successful, the bigger, were slower ships.Whenthey non orswivel gunscouldovertake pistols,pikes, andasmallcan- with armed crews Whaleboats carrying faint. often was pirate andprivateers on enemy ships.Thelinebetween toprey governor bythe authorized privateers, shoreline inlets—became and shallows, tidalrips, shifting the with as smugglers—familiar Revolution American the role during estimatedtobe1,500was wide. feet Inlet and Mantoloking.Cranberry day SeasidePark modern between located conjecture,itwas current years later. Basedonoldmapsand surfboat totheoceanforlaunching. This undatedphoto of whatwasmostlikelya pre-1915 lifesavingdrill shows acrew movinga Island Beachremaineduninhabited sealedbya was Inlet Cranberry playedThis inlet animportant LANDMARKS SHORE LANDMARKS ISLAND BEACH,continuedfrompage37 tobetreacherous. Inlet Barnegat Pointarea between Pleasantand Life SavingServices 1924.ry, probablyafter centu- twentieth beginningofthe the down at wood. Thishotel torn was mahogany, Spanishcedar, andhard- loadsof hadlosttheir vessels that lumberfrom wrecked builtwith was Joseph. TheReedHotel for sportsmen rebuiltin1876 was turn, byhisson, purchased byAbnerReed,andit,in hadbeen hotel (ofunknown origin) two hotels. Tavern and Inlet), (nearBarnegat landincludedhomes,Cook’sthe fall.Eventually duck huntinginthe summerand and crabbinginthe clamming, came for sailing,fishing, bay. coastoralongthe the Guests forguests towatch shipscomingup andalookout towertennis court for about twenty rooms,andincludeda and agardenpatch.Thehousehad a chicken house,duckpen,icehouse, bay. for livestock, Itincludedabarn island,butclosertothe center ofthe became known, locatednearthe was Hotel, asit TheHaring ate afarm. andtreestocre- clear native brush Around 1815, beganto Haring A. island. dwellings beganonthe summers. the during onseagrass tograze there them boatsandleave bay onflat across the Early mariners considered the consideredthe Early mariners old another Records show that early 1800s,In the long-term

Island Beach State Park Interpretive Center exhibit Gordon Hesse Island BeachStation No. 110, Cedar became operationalonIsland Beach: coast.Threestations Jersey New the milesalong three located aboutevery weresaving established, stations saved life countlesslives. Forty-one U.S. Lifemen ofthe Saving Service andboatrooms.The kitchens, offices, out towers, messrooms, washrooms, look weresaving builtwith stations In1898,renewed. full-featured life were lossofmany lives, efforts the in1870 aviciousstorm after caused life saving network,ress onthe but six-man crew. couldaccommodate a that structure Life Saving Station No. 14, alarger replacedbyIslandBeach Station was sporadic.In1849,was Phillips the enacted,butfunding was Service Shore. Jersey in 1927 andremainsaniconofthe in 1857 to172 retired Itwas feet. destroyedwas bywaves andrebuilt in 1834. highlight Thisfifty-foot fromIslandBeach, inlet across the built, was Lighthouse Barnegat first alone, 125 shipsfoundered. The Inlet Point PleasantandBarnegat known as“PhillipsStation No. 14.” Itbecame to useinrescueefforts. equipment for surfmen crude with barn aone-story Island Beachwas shelterbuilton beaches. Thefirst alongthe sheltersfor survivors crude U.S. begantobuild Government the Jersey.shores ofNew About1830, hundred vessels wrecked alongthe two 27 andmorethan fierce, was waves. Thewinterof1826-in the andbreakup aground, shore, run winds couldventure toocloseto A vessel facingunfavorable strong munities, and the history of Barnegat Bay.munities, andthehistoryofBarnegat exhibits onduneformation,nativeplantcom- Interpretive Center, whichhousesavarietyof Saving StationNo.112.It is adjacenttothe what wasonceknownasForkedRiverLife The park’s Nature Center(right)islocatedin The CivilWar overshadowed prog- In 1848, U.S. Life the Saving From 1830 to 1837, between -

jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 39 Courtesy of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Physics Applied University Hopkins Johns The of Courtesy continued on page 40 Pearl S. Buck, 1938 Nobel Prize- Nobel 1938 S. Buck, Pearl the New Jersey as 1920, As early War theAt of World outbreak a legal entity until 1965. until entity legal a was a notable author, winning guest in the Beach at Island summered who Best known partlater the of 1930s. Earth book, The Good her , she for stayed the at Cedar decommissioned Station. Saving Creek Life Departmentof Conservation and that Development had suggested as a stateIsland Beach be acquired This call was renewedpark. in 1937 when the New Jersey Planning State Board proposed that Island Beach Front Park.” become an “Ocean Although primarily recre- seen as a theation destination, men- proposal tioned conservation of its natural bathing,beaches. It recommended and camping, boating, picnicking, fishing as as main attractions for A as 30,000 visitors a year. many for recreation center was envisioned dancing, shuffletennis, archery, - A board- board, and outdoor bowling. seaplanes were for walk and a ramp also proposed. II War Secret World Top Experiments under II, access to Island Beach fell the control of the Second Defense Command and was restricted due to that fears enemy it might be a site for The Pine Barren’s Mystery, Mystery, The Pine Barren’s In 1928, Freeman wed New York Freeman wed In 1928, of 1929 crash The stock market be. things “Leave sand dunes. the trample Don’t flowers. the pick Don’t osprey.” annoy the Don’t and Freeman, his wife, In 1933, to theto also He Pittsburgh. of city thefunded the for Institute Phipps and Prevention Treatment Study, of at the of Tuberculosis University as the as well first- inpa the in thetient facility for men- U.S. tally ill that was part care of an acute hospital in 1912. elementary and writer school teacher Augusta the Hueill Seaman, popular author of more than forty children’s mysterySeveral books. of her later are set at Island Beach. Theyworks include The Curious Affair of Sabra, The Stars Shoals, and The Case of the at Heron Calico Crab. He died in vision. Phipps’ squelched and the estate remained largely 1930, short occupied for unchanged, peri- ods by anglers and hunters with passes. Freeman was a naturalist with sensitivity to the delicacy of the land- scape. His admonition to leaseholders conditions thatand guests had four reverberate today: Joseph Tilton, a retired Coast Guard captain, created the Borough of Island Beach. It continued to exist as The “Flying Stovepipe” fires away from the Island Beach launcher. Fashioned from the exhaust the exhaust Fashioned from the Island Beach launcher. away from The “Flying Stovepipe” fires diameter missile attained a supersonic speed of pipe of a Thunderbolt fighter plane, this six-inch on June 13, 1945. 1,200 miles-per-hour The shore beaches became Phipps, Jr. Henry W. In 1926, best known Phipps is perhaps During this time, surfboats were Cedar Creek Station About 1975, more accessible in 1881 when the more accessible in 1881 Railroad extendedPennsylvania its a tres- and over River line to Toms The firsttle to Seaside Park. bridge to connect Island Beach via Seaside Heights to the mainland to the west was in October 1914. completed business partner of (1839-1930), steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and purchased a real estate investor, most of Island Beach. Phipps, an in Florida real estate investor early - in Palm Beach and Miami, had envi seashore resortsioned an exclusive He and had elaborate plans drawn. Freeman as hired Francis Parkman the of his ocean estate foreman and as thebuilt what became known Ocean House, the House, and Bay the Freeman House. Freeman man- Barnegat Phipps’ and Beach aged Bay which also administered Company, one hundred land leases. nearly the for today Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley gift an 1893 Pennsylvania, Park, Elegant Resort Envisioned developed for rescue operations. They rescue operations. developed for designed much like ultimately were boats, but larger lifeguard present day This became the standard and heavier. all launchings throughboat used for the surfuntil 1915. rescues for the end of the nineteenthToward phased out ships were sailing century, of steamships, and the needin favor the servicefor saving life declined. was demolished. The two 111 No. been given remaining stationshave a new purpose: one has become the and Nature Park Island Beach State withInterpretive exhibits Center, the history of Island Beach; the other, located close to the entrance, is park used as a maintenance building. Creek Station No. 111, and Forked and Forked 111, No. Station Creek These last two 112. No. Station River a site directly stations for named were across the staffed and bay fall from the reach stations,to spring. horse To rigs hay broad-wheeled teams pulled around the dunes. 40 Jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 JERSEY The SedgeIsland Marine ConservationZoneis1,600 acres ofhighlyproductive tidalmarshes, creeks, ponds,andopenwater. ramp. the onlytofallbacknear sands offeet, - thou climbed vertically ramjet erratic launchsite;another back toward the around,andheaded wave, turned a seaward, struck 250yards flew launch guidance systems.Thefirst er rockets, andignitionearly fuelmixes, boost- with experimented tion building.)Theteamofexperts park administra- locationofthe the Station No. 111. (Today, siteis that CedarCreekLife Saving former of the ty-foot launcherwere locatedsouth laws offlight. to defythe appeared fly—it small totheoretically abodytoobigandwings with Project”—because, like abumblebee “Bumblebee Nicknamedthe attacks. a weapon tocounterkamikazesuicide U.S. Navy,the lookingfor whichwas guidedmissiledefense systemfor craft ananti-air todevelop effort a rushed were sentin inMaryland Laboratory Hopkins University’s AppliedPhysics entists andtechniciansfromJohns sci- of IslandBeach.Ateamthirty dunes builtonthe launch padwas U-boats. German of spies andsaboteurs landingoff The concrete launchpadandthir The concrete In 1944, missile atop-secret LANDMARKS SHORE LANDMARKS - - ISLAND BEACH,continuedfrompage39 Japan. with war Hiroshima andNagasaki, endedthe droppingofatombombson the project, secret By August, another launchsite. six milesaway fromthe morethan it crashedintowaters 1,200 to1,500 milesperhourbefore speedof hour) whenitreachedthe speedofsound(767the milesper surpassed supersonicramjet first shack isvisibleamongstthedunes. through amaritimeforest andheartyvegetationsculptedbythestrong, salty winds.Asolitary Inlet.Ithasnoroads, tipofIsland Beach overlooksBarnegat onlynarrowThe southern trails The post-war development of the ofthe development The post-war On June13, 1945, world’s the hunters who had constructed simple hunters whohadconstructed and dozensoffishermen reportedly Phippsin1926,by Henry were there Shacks Sportsmen’s milesaway. twenty-five in mid-flight aTalosthat missilecouldhitadrone technology hadbeensowell developed early 1950s, Bythe Mexico. New this to WhiteSandsProving Groundsin moved was missileprogram fledgling When Island Beach was purchased When IslandBeachwas

Gordon Hesse Gordon Hesse structures from which to fish, clam, crab, and hunt throughout the year. They were often constructed of little more than driftwood and tarpaper; access was by beach buggies, with Ford Model As the preferred vehicle. When foreman Freeman man- aged the properties, he established strict rules for the private camps and required owners to sign lease agree- ments for $25. a year. During World War II, when the military were present on Island Beach, the leases were suspended. After the war, caretaker Freeman complained that servicemen had bro- ken into twenty-seven of the dwell- ings. The leases resumed after the war. In 1952, there were eighty-three leased properties. Then the rents for the shacks went up. By 1953, the leases were $325. a year, forcing Photo by Mike Mano courtesy of the Air Support Squadron thirty-three of the remaining lease- The Ocean House was built for Henry Phipps in the late 1920s. After the state purchased the land holders to give up their properties. By in 1953, it became known as the Governor’s Ocean House (or by locals as the Governor’s Mansion) 1994, the leases were $1,200. a year. and is used as an official retreat. Today, only eight shacks remain. Some of the remaining shacks have within three years after the death The basic shack accommodations the comforts provided by solar panels of the leaseholder or leasehold- could be as simple as a kerosene and propane tanks. (See page __ for er’s spouse. It is now operated by heater or potbellied stove, water an intimate portrait of one of these now the New Jersey Department of from a cistern or shallow well, and iconic shacks.) Environmental Protection, Division batteries or generators for electricity. of Parks and Forestry State Park Island Beach State Park Created Service. The State of New Jersey purchased After the 1953 purchase, Governor the 2,694-acre Phipps estate on July Alfred Driscoll lauded the land as 1, 1953 from Phipps’ heirs for $2.75 a “jewel.” He said “There’s nothing million. The state wanted to preserve quite like it in the United States of the natural beauty of the island and America.” He hoped many people provide recreational facilities for would visit to “catch the inspiration swimmers, hikers, anglers, and other of wind and wave, of dune, tree, and outdoor enthusiasts. The park offi- flower…and come away strengthened cially opened in 1959. and refreshed.” After the State purchase, a paved With as many as one million vis- road was built. Phipps’ beach- itors each year, it appears his hopes front home officially became the have come true. u Governor’s Ocean House when Robert Meyner was governor. It has been visited by such dignitaries as Lady Bird Johnson (wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson), the daughter of Gordon Hesse is the author of “All Soviet leader Alexei Kosygin, presi- Summer Long – Tales and Lore of dential candidates Hubert Humphrey Lifeguarding on the Atlantic,” “Children and Walter Mondale, and Vice Of The Sky – The Odyssey of Álvar Nuñez President Joe Biden. Cabeza de Vaca,” and “Cuban Blues – A Memoir.” His new coffee table book, “Island In the 1960s, state park officials Beach State Park,” is being published by decided to return the land to its Jersey Shore Publications in 2015. Please

Gordon Hesse Gordon uninhabited state and required that refer to page __ for more information. camps with life-leases be vacated 41 Island Beach State Park When You Go

Surfing, coastal cooking, a begin- dive each year. Proof of current div- ner’s surf fishing clinic, and birding ing certification is required. kayak tours are in the mix for a fee. Four-wheel drive vehicles are per- The Sedge Islands along Island mitted onto the beach with a permit. Beach became New Jersey’s first Island Beach State Park requires Marine Conservation Zone. They visitors to “Carry In/Carry Out” their include about 1,600 acres of tidal garbage. marshes, creeks, ponds, and open Detailed information about per- water. Special kayak tours provide a mits and facilities is available at: deeper understanding of this unique www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/ ecosystem. parks/island.html. Gordon Hesse Gordon For most programs, participants Summer Activities and Programs are encouraged to bring sunscreen, Nature and Interpretive Centers Swimming, snorkeling, surfing, drinking water, and bug spray. The Nature Center (the former and sunbathing draw the most sum- Forked River Life Saving Station No. mer visitors. Two well-outfitted bath- Cautions and Restrictions 112) is located seven miles from the houses, showers, concessions, and From May to October, Island Beach park’s entrance. It contains several lifeguards on the beach provide safe- has mosquitoes, greenhead flies, tanks of live creatures and a science ty, comfort, and convenient services and ticks. Insect repellent is advised laboratory. The smaller building is The Park’s Nature Educators offer during these times of year. Poison ivy the Interpretive Center. Between a wide range of daily and frequent abounds, so the careful hiker will fol- them, five themes are depicted: geol- experiential programs for children low established trails. ogy of island and dune formation, and adults to discover this unique Swimming is prohibited when life- park flora, park fauna, tools used on barrier island ecosystem; emphasis is guards are not present and flotation the island in earlier times, and the on purposeful fun. devices are not allowed in bathing political history of the island. Offerings include age-appropriate areas. Portions of the ocean beach Georgian Court University was hands-on activities, stories, crafts, at the extreme southern end of the integral to preserving four hundred and hike tours to direct children’s designated bathing area have been specimens of plants found on Island natural curiosity about the animals set aside for windsurfing and surfing. Beach. Other highlights of the displays and plant life. Programs also cover Scuba diving and underwater fish- include a 1929 Model A Ford convert- how Barnegat Bay was once a com- ing are permitted along 2.5 miles of ed into a beach buggy and a sneakbox, mercial hub for market gunners, ocean beach just north of Barnegat a low-sided boat with a spoon-shaped baymen, and salt hay farmers. Daily Inlet. Scuba divers must register at bottom designed for duck hunters. programs are free. the park office just prior to their first The Interpretive Center is open on

Above: For a quiet space free from crowds, Island Beach offers miles of serenity on empty beaches for fishing, reading, and relaxing.

Left: The park has two beach houses and guarded beaches for swimming. In the sum- mer, entrance to the park is limited by park- ing spaces. Early arrival Gordon Hesse Gordon Jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 FALL/HOLIDAY • Jersey shore is recommended. 42 weekends beginning in June and daily environment is done using nets, during the summer from June until microscopes, field guides, and more. early September. Whether it’s seining near an eel grass bed to observe the importance

of submerged aquatic vegetation, Hesse Gordon or learning how to clean and cook An estimated 2,000 turtles and terrapins, like this seafood, the activities provide first- Northern Diamondback, make Island Beach their home. hand insight to the wise use of New Jersey’s natural resources, to their Conserve Wildlife Foundation importance, and to the Division’s Conserve Wildlife Foundation’s role in their management. partnership with Island Beach State The Annual Governor’s Surf Park enhances visitors’ experiences Fishing Tournament, sponsored by and connects more people to the the Division of Fish and Wildlife, outdoors. They are a non-profit­ was held this year on May 18 and organization dedicated to protecting drew 560 anglers. More information New Jersey’s endangered and threat- Gordon Hesse Gordon ened wildlife through research, The Interpretive Center has numerous displays, is available at www.njfishandwildlife. including a large model of the Reed Farm, tools com/gsft.htm. education, conservation, manage- of the baymen, and four hundred varieties of ment, and citizen engagement. plants found on Island Beach. Friends of Island Beach State Park For more information, visit N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife The Friends of Island Beach State www.conservewildlifenj.org. The N.J. Division of Fish and Park is a non-profit, all volunteer Wildlife sponsors Sedge Island organization with the mission of New Jersey Beach Buggy Natural Resource Education Center enhancing the interpretive, educa- Association Workshops. The workshops explore tional, recreational, and research The New Jersey Beach Buggy both the natural and cultural history programs and events at Island Beach Association (NJBBA) is dedicated to of the Barnegat Bay area with hands- State Park and encouraging protec- the preservation of the park’s natural on methods including marsh walks, tion of the barrier island’s ecosystem. beach resources. Since 1954, it has kayak tours, and conventional fish- For more information, visit promoted beach access for all beach ing, crabbing, and clamming tech- www.thefriendsofislandbeach.org. users. The NJBBA not only builds pro- niques. Investigation of the marine tective fences and plants dune grasses to protect the beaches, it also works with community leaders and other groups to keep them open for all types of uses. The NJBBA also sponsors or assists charitable programs throughout

the year. On National Hunting and shorejersey • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 Fishing Day, special needs children are invited to spend a day on the beach learning about fishing and nature. The Association is also active with youth fishing programs. The NJBBA Youth Fishing Tournament is held in September for ages sixteen years and under. They also sponsor Veteran Fishing Days each year where members take groups of disabled vets out for a day of fishing, lunch, and fun. More information is available at www.njbba.org.

Many other organizations, too long

Gordon Hesse Gordon to list here, are involved in sharing Most of the beach buggies at Island Beach have had a long life. This 1930 Model A Ford was the mission of preserving the natural donated by the DeSaules Family and is still running. Its frame was lengthened to carry large u pieces of driftwood, which they used to build their shack. It is now the “mascot” of New Jersey beauty of Island Beach. Beach Buggy Association and was on display at this year’s Beach Plum Festival. —Gordon Hesse 43 Island Beach State Park

The Hartshornes at Island Beach

Early Days at the Iconic “Judge’s Shack” Gordon Hesse Gordon Representing buildings that evolved with function and activities, the Judge’s Shack depicts a style once commonplace, but now disappearing. he allure of Island Beach’s stark suspended fishnet ceiling holding a the bedroom sides were painted red. Tbeauty and rustic living caught the variety of large seashells. They were Son John’s grade school wood proj- Hartshorne family early on. Family hooked by the experience, and in ect, a fish weathervane, capped the records give a peak back in time to a ensuing years, with warm memories shack’s gable to give its profile flair. budding romance with this unique of that time, Mr. Hartshorne kept The beach itself provided decora- beach. looking for a suitable shack for his tions and furnishings. They found For them, it began Fourth of July growing family. cork fishnet floats, large cable spools, weekend, 1924, when Ellen and In November 1942, the Hart- heavy boat hatches, and wartime Richard Hartshorne, a young attorney, shornes purchased a small, thirty- K-rations. Spools became outdoor traveled down the shore from New year-old shack for $200. Lease No. 65 tables and chairs; driftwood became Brunswick a few years after they mar- was located near the northern-most boardwalks to hasten trips to the ried and stayed at the historic Reed life saving station. Its bare walls were beach and privy. Boarding House on Island Beach. covered with pasted calendars and Because of gas restrictions during The couple spent their days sailing newspapers. Features included a cast World War II, trips from the fami- up and down Barnegat Bay, canoeing, iron sink, a freestanding heating/ ly’s home in East Orange were made swimming, sunbathing, reading, and cooking stove, a table, a pair of green by taking the train from Newark to walking “way down the beach out rocking chairs, and cots in two small Seaside Heights. Leaseholders had to of sight of any living soul.” Evenings bedrooms. Tools were kept in a low, obey “wartime dim-out rules” and were spent sitting on the beach. hinged-lid bench. It had minimal were not allowed to drive at night Apparently this was their first time electricity and no running water. with lights. Coast Guardsmen on visiting. On the drive home, not un- Mrs. Hartshorne, employing her horseback patrolled the beach day like their counterparts ninety years degree in Interior Decoration from and night. The tradition of skinny- later, they encountered “awful traffic.” the New York School of Fine and dipping was timed in between these An invitation from a Toms River Applied Art, and her fourteen-year patrols. dentist to his shack years later pro- old daughter, Penelope, an aspiring Daughter Penny, as she was known vided the Hartshornes and some of architect, covered the walls with to friends, recalled with enchant- their four children the new expe- white fibre board, hung patriotic red, ment the rare treat in the autumn to rience of traveling by beach buggy. white, and blue striped curtains, and see the bayshore cedar trees covered They were charmed by Dr. Loveman’s added blue bench cushions. Living with migrating monarch butterflies

Jersey shore • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 FALL/HOLIDAY • Jersey shore gable-roofed driftwood shack with its room doors were painted blue, and “blinking” their orange wings in 44 unison. These experiences were too rich for the Hartshornes not to share with others. They kept a record of their guests on printed cards that came inside Nabisco Shredded Wheat boxes. After the war, New Jersey State Park development plans included opening a public bathing facility on the north- ern half of Island Beach. Richard Hartshorne, now a county judge, received permission to move his shack south amidst the dunes. A stone and Gordon Hesse Gordon

gravel road was extended three hun- The shack’s porch faces southwest, providing views of the ocean to the left, the Forked River Life dred yards off the main road to the Saving Station No. 112 and Barnegat Light in front, and the tops of sails on Barnegat Bay above new site. In June 1952, the shack was the dunes to the right. jacked up, put on a flatbed truck, and State Parkway” to the west. portraits and featured on the cover of transported six miles south from its Life at the shack included gather- the L.L. Bean catalog and in Hallmark original location. It was placed on a ing beach plums for jam and picking calendars. It has been visited by more cement block pier foundation, and quarts of blueberries. Tender clams, than one hundred guests, including the screened-in porch was extended taken right from the beach, and fish the son of Emperor Hirohito’s young- four more feet. A twenty-two-foot caught in the surf were added to the est daughter. Among longstanding well was sunk and a hand pump menus. Sometimes meals turned guests are Hector Griswold, a family affixed. Although the shack had wall into festive occasions, with the men friend, and Bill Bolger, a National outlets from its old location, it no dressed in white dinner jackets and Park Service Historian. They speak longer had electric service. bathing trunks, the ladies in long glowingly of their fond memories of Once settled in, from the southerly- dresses. their times with the Hartshorne fam- facing porch with screens on three There were misfortunes: the shack ily and their support for preservation sides, the habitants beheld a vista was broken into many times. Vandals of this shoreline heritage structure with the ocean on the east; dunes, took items large and small, some of that has survived the tempests of at the Forked River Life Saving Station sentimental value, and left bullet least one hundred years. u No. 112, and Barnegat Light to the holes and broken glass. south; and “the masts and sails of The Judge’s Shack has become a bay sailors, and after dark, a greenish romantic icon of a simpler time. It glow on the horizon from the Garden has been the backdrop for wedding Judge Richard Hartshorne, outdoorsman and noted jurist, was born in 1888 in Newark. He sculled on the Princeton University varsity rowing team and graduated from

Columbia Law School in 1912. He was a shorejersey • FALL/HOLIDAY 2014 U.S. Naval Reserve Lieutenant during World War I and an Essex County court judge from 1931-1951. During World War II, while in his 50s, he commuted ten miles from his home by bike to the courthouse to cut down on the use of his car and save rubber and gasoline, which were being rationed. A Republican, he was nominated in 1951 by Democratic President Harry Truman, against bitter opposition, to become a feder- al judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. He served until 1975. His diversions included fishing, crabbing, sailing, dancing with figure skates, ice sail- ing, skiing, and playing tennis all year long. His daughter noted that his exuberance was Gordon Hesse Gordon even heard at his cellar ping-pong table. The interior of the shack reflects the rustic, yet vibrant times of when it was in regular use. The walls literally “talk” of simpler times. This view is from the porch entrance facing the two He died in 1975. bedroom doors. On the right is the food preparation area. —Gordon Hesse 45