|
A Brief History of Brigantine Beach, NJ:
The first
recorded evaluation of Brigantine was in the logbook of the mate on Henry
Hudson’s Ship in 1608. He wrote “This
is a very good land to fall in with – a pleasant land to see.”
But they never landed on
Brigantine
Island
.
The
Lenni-Lenape tribe, who summered and fished here, called it Wattamoonica
which meant “playground.” In
1610 the first whalers and fishing boats appeared offshore.
Some time later pirates including the likes of Captain Kidd were
reported to have visited the
Island
and legend has it that treasure is buried here.
Brigantine
Island
attracted whalemen and privateers, pirates and patriots, and many shipwrecks.
It was
during the latter part of the 1800’s that the resort really took hold.
During those years boarding houses sprang up and a train ran from the
mainland directly into Brigantine. Part
of that old line still exists as part of the Brigantine Wildlife refuge.
A popular
past-time for Atlantic City Tourists in the 1890’s was to ride a trolley car
through Brigantine. By 1895 over
100,000 people had come over by boat to ride the trolley through Brigantine.
Like any
place with a long history, Brigantine has seen good times and bad.
It boomed in the late 19th century and declined in the early
1900’s. Lack of transportation
to the
Island
, storms, fire and floods were the enemies.
In 1917, Mayor Al Smith wrote, “Brigantine had a full fledged city
charter and a history running 150 years, but it was one of the quaintest
municipalities on the
Atlantic
Coast
. It was a city of 54 residents,
30 homes, no policemen, no school house, no street lights, no public water
supply, no stores, and no means of communication with the outside world except
a small mail boat which made daily round trips to
Atlantic City
except in stormy weather.”
Then in
1922 a group of
Atlantic City
businessmen realizing the tremendous possibilities of
Brigantine
Beach
and organized the Island Development Co. who set out to build a complete
community. In less than 5 years,
they built the first bridge to
Atlantic City
, Route 30, and started a bus service. Artesian
wells and pumping plants brought fresh water to the streets newly laid out and
paved from
12th Street North
to
40th Street South
; ocean to bay.
The City
Hall, the school, the Brigantine Hotel, one mile of real boardwalk and a
recreation pier out over the ocean was built at
14th Street
. The golf course was established
and property was offered for free to any religious group, which brought
St Thomas
Church
. By 1925 the Police, Fire and
Public Works Department and the Beach Patrol were all established and
equipped. The Brigantine Beach
Chamber of Commerce and the Republican Club were started in 1926.
By 1927 there were 60 children in the school and the PTA was
established.
The
“Great Depression” showed growth but since the 1950’s, the
Island
has enjoyed a steady growth with minor setbacks.
There was some over development in the late 1980’s, but since the
announcement Casinos in
Atlantic City
and a general rediscovery of Brigantine and its proximity to
Atlantic City
, it has enjoyed a new growth and has continued to change and prosper.
It is anticipated that Brigantine will enjoy this renewed prosperity
for years to come!
Brigantine Beach – New Jersey’s Fastest Growing Seashore Resort
|
