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Tuckers Island New Jersey
Harbour Lights #276
New Jersey’s shore was prime real estate, even back in the eighteenth century. So who could resist the beautiful beaches and gorgeous views from Sea Haven Beach? Reuben Tucker couldn’t, so he bought the land on the south end of Long Beach Island in 1765, never knowing what would come of his investment.
The beautiful Sea Haven (or Short) Beach was re-named Tucker’s Beach after its new owner. You can imagine Reuben’s surprise when the sea encroached, severing his beach from the mainland! When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Tucker built a large home and rented it out to fishermen and hunters who benefited from the island’s eight miles of captive wildlife. Tucker had created New Jersey’s very first resort, offering “healthy” salt air and seaside tranquility.
Officials established a lighthouse on Tucker’s Island in 1849 to accommodate shipping traffic that seemed to increase by the day. The sentinel was aptly named for the island it stood upon, Tucker’s Island, while some called it Little Egg Lighthouse after the nearby harbor. Of course, many locals still thought of the beach as Sea Haven, so she went by that as well.
The first lighthouse was a small brick, one-story structure. Thirty years later, that beacon was replaced with a charming Victorian, two-story sentinel with an integrated tower. Similar in design to the Hereford Inlet station, this wooden beacon held a fourth order Fresnel lens that was visible for 12 miles.
Also residing on Tucker’s Island was a Coast Guard Station, several cottages, hotels, a school and other buildings. It seemed as though Tucker had hit the jackpot! But Mother Nature wouldn’t cooperate. Vicious storms carved huge chunks out of the island, while gentle lapping waves would slowly chip away at the island’s acres. By 1877, Tucker’s Island was a mere mile in length.
What was once a great investment became Tucker’s folly. The sea took back the island, gobbling up hotels and cottages one by one. Finally, the keepers had to abandon the lighthouse in August of 1927, after less than fifty years of service. Gigantic waves from a Northeaster undermined the front portion of the structure. A great grandson of one of the first keepers spent the night in the lighthouse on her final night in October 1927. The next morning, he stood with camera in hand to witness the beacon’s demise. With each incoming wave, he was forced to step back as the beach disappeared beneath him. He photographed Tucker’s Island Lighthouse tumbling into the sea.
By 1940, all of the remaining buildings on the island were claimed by the sea. At this point, the only residents were birds, who found small spots of land on which to rest. Twelve years later all traces of the island were gone. Surprisingly, the island re-emerged during the summer of 1990, revealing a five-acre sandbar. History teaches valuable lessons, so it would behoove developers to leave this particular sand bar alone.
Preservationists have re-created Tucker’s Island Lighthouse to serve as the centerpiece of an exhibit containing artifacts and photos of life on Tucker’s Island. The Harbour Lights rendition of Tucker’s Island features the re-built sentinel as it appears now, safely ensconced in Tuckerton Seaport.
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HL# |
Name |
MSRP |
Introduced |
Retired |
Edition |
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276 |
Tuckers Island NJ |
$75 |
Jun 02 |
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6,500 |
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