1919 Map of Long Beach

About this map

The Long Beach Railroad runs the length of this coastal barrier island, connecting established seaside communities during a period of burgeoning shore development. Before the modern expansion of bridge networks, maritime activity centered on points like Manahawken Landing and Mill Creek Landing, which served as vital links between the mainland of Stafford and the island settlements. Life along the coast was anchored by the Life Saving Service, with stations such as L.S.S. Harvey Cedars and the L.S.S. Station Ships Bottom guarding the transition between the Atlantic Ocean and the intricate marshes of Manahawken Bay. The landscape is a mosaic of sedges and islands, including Cedar Bonnet and Sloop Sedge, illustrating the complex estuarine environment that shaped early settlement patterns in Ocean County.