Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Entering Ocean County at Little Egg Harbor Township while traveling northbound on the Garden State Parkway
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Location of Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Ocean County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
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Census Bureau map of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
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 Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Location in Ocean County, New Jersey
Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County |  Ocean |
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| European discovery | 1614 | |
| Founded | February 13, 1740 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Township | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 72.97 sq mi (188.99 km2) | |
| • Land | 47.35 sq mi (122.63 km2) | |
| • Water | 25.62 sq mi (66.36 km2) 35.11% | |
| Area rank | 13th of 565 in state 4th of 33 in county |
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| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 20,784 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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21,483 | |
| • Rank | 132nd of 565 in state 10th of 33 in county |
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| • Density | 439.0/sq mi (169.5/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 450th of 565 in state 29th of 33 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08087
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| Area code(s) | 609 | |
| FIPS code | 3402940560 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882067 | |
Little Egg Harbor Township is a township located on the Jersey Shore. It is in Ocean County, in the state of New Jersey. This township is the southernmost town in both Ocean County and the New York metropolitan area.
In 2020, the township had a population of 20,784 people. This was the highest number of people ever counted in the area. The population has been growing steadily over the years.
Contents
History
How Little Egg Harbor Began
Little Egg Harbor was first part of Burlington County. Its name comes from a part of a bay called Egg Harbor. Dutch sailors gave it this name because they found many eggs in nearby gull nests. The first mention of the town was by Captain Cornelius Jacobsen May in 1614.
The first European to settle here was Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg. He probably arrived by 1693. Falkenberg bought about 800 acres of land from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans in 1674. He was very good at languages and could speak Lenape. This made him an important interpreter for land deals between the Native Americans and European settlers.
During the American Revolutionary War, a difficult event happened in October 1778. It is known as the Little Egg Harbor Massacre. British Major Patrick Ferguson was causing trouble for Colonial ships. Kazimierz Pułaski and his soldiers were sent to stop him.
Pulaski's group arrived too late to fully stop Ferguson's actions. However, they did prevent Ferguson from attacking iron works and privateer ships. Pulaski's soldiers then set up camp on a farm. A soldier who left Pulaski's side told Ferguson about the camp. He said the soldiers were not very alert, making a surprise attack possible.
Ferguson took 250 of his best men and traveled about 10 miles by boat in the dark. They then marched 2 miles to where 50 of Pulaski's soldiers were stationed. At dawn, Ferguson ordered an attack. Only five of Pulaski's men were captured alive. Pulaski soon led his mounted troops to the scene, causing Ferguson to retreat. A memorial on Radio Road remembers this event.
Little Egg Harbor Township was officially formed on February 13, 1740. It was called Egg Harbour Township at first. It became one of New Jersey's official townships on February 21, 1798. Over time, parts of the township were used to create other towns. These included Washington Township (1802) and Bass River Township (1864). Little Egg Harbor Township became part of Ocean County in 1891. Later, parts were also used to form Long Beach Township (1899) and Tuckerton (1901).
The Tuckerton Wireless Tower
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The Tuckerton Wireless Tower was built in 1912. It was very tall, about 825 feet high. A German company built it when the area now called Mystic Island was known as Hickory Island. The tower was used to send radio messages to a similar station in Germany. This communication started on June 19, 1914.
It is said that this tower might have been used to send a message ordering a German U-boat attack on the RMS Lusitania. After America decided to stay neutral in World War I, the U.S. Navy took control of the station in 1914. This was to make sure that messages sent from the station were neutral. However, German workers still ran the station and only communicated with Germany.
When America joined the war in 1917, all U.S. radio stations were taken over by the government. The German workers at Tuckerton became war prisoners. U.S. Navy personnel took their place. The Navy used the Tuckerton Radio Station for sending messages across the Atlantic Ocean.
After the war, the Tuckerton Wireless Station became part of Germany's war payments to America. It was then sold to RCA, a famous radio company. RCA used it until 1948 as a backup station. The tall steel tower was taken down on December 27, 1955. Today, you can still see three large concrete anchor blocks that held the tower. They are in backyards and in the middle of some streets. Smaller anchor blocks are also visible in the lagoons. Some parts of the tower can be seen at the Giffordtown Museum.
Recent History
Little Egg Harbor Township was mostly rural and undeveloped for a long time. Major building projects only began in the late 1950s. During this time, many waterfront bungalows were built on lagoons. These were sold as vacation homes in areas like Mystic Islands, Holly Lake Harbor, and Atlantis. Many people who lived here were seasonal visitors from New York, Philadelphia, or other parts of New Jersey.
In 1979, Pinelands Regional High School opened in the township. It served students from Little Egg Harbor and nearby towns. Before this, those students went to a different high school.
By the 2000s, Little Egg Harbor Township was one of the fastest-growing areas in Ocean County. Many new housing developments, shopping centers, and offices were built. While much of this growth was for retirement communities, more families also moved in. The town, once called "Little Treasure on the Bay," became more of a year-round community.
On November 3, 2004, a fighter jet on a training mission accidentally fired rounds into the roof of the Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School. Some rounds also hit the parking lot. Only a few custodians were in the school at the time, and no one was hurt. The plane was on a training mission at a nearby gunnery range. The school was repaired, and the Air Force paid for the damages.
On August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene caused some impact in the area. Then, on October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused widespread damage and flooding. About 4,000 homes were damaged, especially in the Mystic Island area. One year after Hurricane Sandy, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie visited the township. He celebrated the reopening of the damaged Community Center and the town's recovery efforts.
Geography
Little Egg Harbor Township covers about 72.97 square miles (188.99 square kilometers). About 47.35 square miles (122.63 square kilometers) is land, and 25.62 square miles (66.36 square kilometers) is water.
Mystic Island is a community within the township. In 2010, it had a population of 8,493 people.
Other communities and places in the township include Atlantis, Edge Cove, Giffordtown, Jessies Point, Nugentown, Parkertown, Storm Island, Tucker Beach, and West Tuckerton.
The township shares borders with several other towns in Ocean County. These include Barnegat Township, Beach Haven, Eagleswood Township, Long Beach Township, and Stafford Township. It also borders Galloway Township in Atlantic County. In Burlington County, it borders Bass River Township and Woodland Township. Little Egg Harbor completely surrounds the town of Tuckerton. Both Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton share the same ZIP code.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1800 | 1,160 | — | |
| 1810 | 913 | −21.3% | |
| 1820 | 1,102 | 20.7% | |
| 1830 | 1,491 | 35.3% | |
| 1840 | 1,875 | 25.8% | |
| 1850 | 2,020 | 7.7% | |
| 1860 | 2,375 | 17.6% | |
| 1870 | 1,779 | −25.1% | |
| 1880 | 1,881 | 5.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,771 | −5.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,856 | * | 4.8% |
| 1910 | 388 | * | −79.1% |
| 1920 | 410 | 5.7% | |
| 1930 | 547 | 33.4% | |
| 1940 | 577 | 5.5% | |
| 1950 | 644 | 11.6% | |
| 1960 | 847 | 31.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,972 | 250.9% | |
| 1980 | 8,483 | 185.4% | |
| 1990 | 13,333 | 57.2% | |
| 2000 | 15,945 | 19.6% | |
| 2010 | 20,065 | 25.8% | |
| 2020 | 20,784 | 3.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 21,483 | 7.1% | |
| Population sources: 1800–1890 1850–2000 1800–1920 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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In 2010, the township had 20,065 people living in 8,060 households. About 25.5% of households had children under 18. Most households (55.5%) were married couples.
The population was mostly White (94.19%). There were also Black or African American, Native American, and Asian residents. About 5.22% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of residents was 45.4 years old. About 20.4% of the population was under 18.
Education
Students in Little Egg Harbor Township attend public schools based on their grade level.
Elementary Schools
Students from pre-kindergarten to sixth grade go to schools in the Little Egg Harbor Township School District. Students from Bass River Township also attend these schools. This arrangement started in the 2020–21 school year.
As of 2021–22, the district had three schools and 1,672 students. The schools are:
- Robert C. Wood Sr. Early Childhood Center (pre-kindergarten)
- George J. Mitchell Elementary School (kindergarten through third grade)
- Frog Pond Elementary School (grades 4 to 6)
Middle and High Schools
Public school students in seventh through twelfth grade attend schools in the Pinelands Regional School District. This district also serves students from Bass River Township, Eagleswood Township, and Tuckerton Borough.
The schools in this district are:
- Pinelands Regional Junior High School (grades 7–8)
- Pinelands Regional High School (grades 9–12)
The school board for the high school district has nine members. Six of these members are from Little Egg Harbor Township.
Catholic School
St. Mary Academy is a K–8 school near Manahawkin. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. From 1997 to 2019, it was called All Saints Regional Catholic School. It was managed by five churches, including St. Theresa Church in Little Egg Harbor Township. In 2019, St. Mary Church took full control and changed the school's name.
Transportation
Roads and Highways
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As of 2010, Little Egg Harbor Township had about 128.34 miles of roads. The local government maintains most of these roads. Ocean County, the New Jersey Department of Transportation, and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority maintain the rest.
The Garden State Parkway goes through the township. It connects Bass River Township in the south to Eagleswood Township in the north. Exit 58 on the Parkway leads to County Route 539. This route serves Tuckerton and Trenton. Route 9 and County Route 539 are important roads in the township.
Public Transportation
NJ Transit offers bus service between the township and Atlantic City. This service is on the 559 bus route.
Ocean Ride also provides local bus service. The OC6 route connects Little Egg Harbor to Stafford Township.
Notable People
People who have lived in or are connected to Little Egg Harbor Township include:
- Gaten Matarazzo (born 2002), an actor known for the Netflix series Stranger Things.
- Lily McBeth (1934–2014), a transgender substitute teacher who gained national attention.
- James Moody (around 1744–1809), a soldier who fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he moved to Canada.
- Brian E. Rumpf (born 1964), a member of the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003. He also served as the mayor of Little Egg Harbor Township from 2000 to 2003.
Images for kids
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Entering Ocean County at Little Egg Harbor Township while traveling northbound on the Garden State Parkway
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Seal of Little Egg Harbor Township
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Location of Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County
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Census Bureau map of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
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The Giffordtown Schoolhouse, which operated until 1951, now part of the Tuckerton Historical Society
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Plaque commemorating the Little Egg Harbor massacre monument
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A concrete footing for the former Tuckerton Wireless Tower, located in the center of South Ensign Drive
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The northbound Garden State Parkway at the exit for Little Egg Harbor Township
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Little Egg Harbor para niños
