The old inlet was wholly within Little Egg Harbor township, and lay between Long Beach and Short, or Tucker's Beach, and in old times it was the only connecting link between the Atlantic ocean and the waters of Little Egg Harbor. It is probable that the first vessel that entered the old inlet was the ship Fortune, commanded by Captain Cornelius Jacobsen Mey, in the year 1614. After the breaking through of the new inlet, sand bars soon formed across the old inlet, destroying its former usefulness for the purposes of navigation, and at this date, (1879) the old inlet is entirely obliterated, the sand bars having increased until there is a solid beach where the old inlet once rolled its majestic waves; and in consequence of this accumulation of sand, Long Beach and Tucker's Beach are connected,forming one beach from the new inlet to Barnegat inlet, making a stretch of solid beach for a distance of twenty-one miles.

The new inlet, or as sometimes called Little Egg Harbor inlet, lies between Tucker's Beach and Little Beach. The new inlet is about two miles wide from beach to beach, and is the best inlet on the coast of New Jersey. Vessels drawing fifteen feet of water pass safely over its bar at high tide; and during adverse weather, the surface of the waters of Egg Harbor, near the new inlet, is thickly dotted with the sail-furled hulls of coasting vessels. When the storm-god has been mustering his forces, how many thousands of seamen have placed their hopes of safety for themselves and their vessels, in the security afforded by the excellent anchoring ground of Egg Harbor?

It is said that the new inlet broke through Tucker's Beach in the year 1800, during a violent northeast storm, and in the gloom of night. That portion of the beach where the new inlet now flows, was at the time of the inlet creating occurrence, thickly covered with red cedar trees, it being a kind of valley between two ridges of sand hills, affording an ingress for an unusually high sea. On this eventful night, the storm-troubled billows of the Atlantic rose higher and higher, tossing their snow-white caps, and roaring like ten thousand lions; they rolled with irresistible force on to the land, making the strand tremble as if shaken by an earthquake, and each receding wave bore a portion of the same into the sea; and again the waves flowed up the beach, approaching a little nearer the opposite shore, and after a few more repetitions of this kind, the last sand bank gave way, and the besieging billows, exulting like soldiers of a conquering army, took possession of the breach they made, and have ever since held the position.

The sea-coast of Little Egg Harbor has been the scene of innumerable shipwrecks. Many a gallant vessel of stalwart timbers has been stranded on the beach's sand-bars; many a rich cargo has sunk into the caves of the ocean or been borne on the crests of the waves to the beach's sloping side; many an inanimate sailor's form has the billows cast on the coast of Egg Harbor; many a vessel's despairing passengers and death-threatened crew have been rescued from watery graves by Egg Harbor's brave and humane "wreckers;" many valuable articles lie stored in the chambers of the ocean, but no one will ever be able to lift the screen that conceals those rich treasures.

A small portion of the point of Long Beach belongs to Egg Harbor, but the principal part of it lies in Ocean county.

Short or Tucker's Beach is within the limits of Little Egg Harbor township. It received the name of Tucker's Beach from Reuben Tucker, Sr., who purchased it in the year 1765. At an early date Tucker's Beach became a resort for health and pleasure seekers, and without doubt it is the oldest watering place on the coast of New Jersey. From the first settlement of Egg Harbor, people from Pennsylvania and the upper part of Burlington county were in the habit of visiting Egg Harbor for the purpose of gunning and fishing, and to get a view of the wondrous Atlantic Ocean, whose majestic waves roll with such force to the strand of Short Beach. As soon as Tucker had settled on the beach, his being the only habitation, naturally became a place of resort for visitors to the beach, and this was the beginning of the first watering place on the Jersey coast. Each year brought an increase of visitors, and beach parties were as common and as much enjoyed as they are at the present time. In those times there was a yearly meeting of Friends held at Tuckerton, and elderly, as well as young people, came from abroad to attend the meetings, the young people's minds being occupied with beach parties rather than the yearly meetings, and to such a pitch did the young ladies and gentlemen carry the beach parties, that in order to put a stop to their performances, the Friends were compelled to discontinue the yearly meeting at Tuckerton. But this did not put an end to beach parties, nor break up the only watering place on the Jersey shore. Past generations residents of the Jersey shore had a large number of relatives in the upper section of Burlington county. They and also many strangers were in the practice of visiting at the sea-shore - the gentlemen with the intention of chasing the wild red deer, or fishing or fowling, and the ladies with a social visit and a beach party in prospect. Little did the young Quaker gentlemen and young Quakeresses care for the severe reprimand that awaited them on their return home for the heinous offence they had committed against the discipline, by dancing in the ball-room on Tucker's Beach. In old times the people of Little Egg Harbor and the people of upper Burlington county inter-married to a remarkable degree, and no doubt but those beach parties were match-making concerns.

Tucker's Beach, as a sea-side resort, continued to increase in interest until it became a noted watering place. After it passed out of Tucker's hands the house was enlarged, and for many years it was crowded with Philadelphians, and continued so until between thirty or forty years ago, when it was burned to the ground.

Years ago there was a breakwater constructed on Tucker's Beach, but it proved a failure, for the monarchial ocean seemed determined to hold absolute control of the coast, and in conformity to that ambitious determination swept the breakwater into the sea.

The Little Egg Harbor Lighthouse is on Tucker's Beach, and is situated near the entrance to Little Egg Harbor. "It was erected in 1848, abandoned and discontinued in 1859. It was re-established in 1867. It has an elevation of tower, painted red, of forty-four feet, and its light above the sea level is fifty feet. It is visible at a distance of twelve nautical miles.

It has the fourth order of lens, a fixed white light, varied by white flashes at intervals of one minute. Its arc of illumination is N.N.E. around by eastward to S.S.W. It is distant twenty and one-half miles from Barnegat Lighthouse, and twelve from Absecon Light house. It stands in latitude 39° 30' 19`; longitude 74° 17' 09`."

The above is taken from New Jersey Coast Atlas.

There is a "Life Saving Station" on Tucker's Beach, provided with a crew of several men and a life boat, life car, and everything else necessary for boarding shipwrecked vessels and rescuing crews and passengers.

After Reuben Tucker removed to his farm near Tuckerton, Joseph Horner must have been the next resident in Tucker's house, on Tucker's Beach, until the year 1815, when he built a house on Long Beach, and removed there. After Joseph Horner left Tucker's Beach, Thomas Cowperthwait, a son-in-law of Reuben Tucker, kept the house several years. In 1828 Rebecca Ragar was the mistress of the boarding house on Tucker's Beach, and then John Horner lived there several years, after which Stephen Willits kept it during boarding season, and while under his superintendence the house was burnt.

At this date (1879) there is a new boarding house on Tucker's Beach erected by Eben [Eber] Rider, the lighthouse keeper. There is a new boarding house erected on Little Beach, which formerly was a part of Tucker's Beach, it having been severed from Tucker's Beach by the breaking through of the new inlet.

Mullica, or as it is frequently called Little Egg Harbor river, separates Little Egg Harbor township from Atlantic county, and empties into Little Egg Harbor bay. In ancient writings this river is called Mullicas, Mullican and Mullica. It is impossible to say which of these designations is the original, or from whence the name originated. It may have been the Indian name for the river. I adhere to the name of Mullica, because I deem it the prettiest of the above designations. Near the mouth of this river are the celebrated gravelling oyster beds, the excellent qualities of which oysters, have been so long and widely known. If the money that has been made out of these oyster beds could be accurately computed, the immense sum would astonish even those who believe they possess a considerable knowledge of the oyster trade. The gravelling has been like a mine of gold to the oystermen of Little Egg Harbor, and still they hold out, and every year there are thousands of bushels of young oysters taken from these prolific beds and planted in the adjacent waters.

As early as the year 1720,there was a law passed for the preservation of oysters in the province of New Jersey, which reads thus:

WHEREAS, It is found by daily experience, that the oyster beds within this province are wasted and destroyed by strangers and others, at unseasonable times of the year, the preservation of which will tend to the great benefit of the poor people, and others inhabiting this province.

Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council, and General Assembly of this Province, And is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that no person or persons whatsoever, shall rake or gather up any oysters or shells, from and off any beds within the said province, from the tenth day of May, to the first day of September, yearly, and every year after the publication hereof.

2d. And be it further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that no person or persons whatsoever, not residing within this province, from and after the publication hereof, shall, directly or indirectly, rake or gather up any oysters as shell, within this province, and put them on board any canoe, periangue, flat scow, boat or other vessel whatsoever, not wholly belonging to, and owned by persons who live within the said province, under the penalty of seizing and forfeiting of all such canoes, periangues, flats, scows, boats or other vessels, or shall be found doing the same, together with all the oysters, shells, oyster rakes, tongs, tackle, furniture, and apparel thereto belonging.

For the enforcement of the above laws at the same time and by the same authority, there were appointed a certain number of officers for each of the seven seaboard counties of the province.

For Burlington county, whose oyster beds are in Little Egg Harbor, were appointed Richard Willits and Ruddick Townsend.

The second river in point of size is Wading river, which empties into Mullica river, below Swan bay, and is a part of the bounding line between old Little Egg Harbor and Washington township.

Bass river is the third river in importance, and is wholly within the limits of Egg Harbor township, as it existed before the formation of Bass river township. It has two branches, which unite above the lower bridge, and there increasing in width, it flows some distance and empties into Mullica river. In ancient writings this river was called "Rock river," on account of the immense quantities of that excellent fish which the first settlers found in its waters. At a later period it was named Bass river, another designation for a rock fish. This river has an appropriate name, for from time immemorial large shoals of rock and perch have congregated within its banks during the winter months, affording profitable employment for winter fishermen.

The principal creek of Egg Harbor is Tuckerton creek, or as the Indians called it, "Pohatcong." In some of the old writings it is called by its Indian appellation, and in others Andrew's Mill creek, Jacob Andrew's Mill creek, and Shourd's Mill creek; all of those designations have become obsolete, and for many years it has been called Tuckerton creek.

Tuckerton creek flows into Tuckerton bay, and is the most useful creek in the township; the mill pond is at the head of the creek.

Osborn's creek flows through a large scope of salt marsh and empties into Little Egg Harbor bay. It received its name from the Osborn family, along whose domains it passes in its course to the bay; it was formerly called Great creek.

Belangee's creek is named from Evi Belangee, who in very early times built a fulling mill at its head. In some old documents it is called Evi's creek, and in others Belangee's creek, and now it is mostly called Mathistown creek. It flows through the marsh and empties into Mullica river.

Job's creek empties into Bass river, and was named for Job Mathis, 2d, along and through whose property it had its course.

Willits' Thoroughfare flows through a marsh in the settlement of Down Shore, forming a communication between Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton bays.

It is uncertain when the ship building business commenced in Egg Harbor. The first recorded account of a vessel being owned in the township, was in the year 1724, at which date Thomas Ridgway, Sr., bequeathed his son John a sloop. John Ridgway followed the sea for some time, and appears to have made considerable money by the business to which he devoted himself. Undoubtedly by the means of this little craft, John Ridgway assisted in laying the foundation for the immense future which was afterwards accumulated by his son, Jacob Ridgway, the millionaire of Philadelphia.

At an early date, John Mathis, Sr., owned a vessel commanded by his son Daniel, who followed the West India trade, carrying lumber for his father from Egg Harbor to the West India Islands, and on his return bringing produce from those Islands. There is a great probability that John Mathis had the vessel built which his son Daniel sailed.

It is said the first large vessel built in Tuckerton, was the brig Loranier, owned in the Shourds family, and built sometime after the revolutionary war. The Loranier was commanded by Captain Hammond, who married Mary, daughter of Joseph Shourds, Sr. The brig Loranier was destined for foreign voyages.

About the time of the building of the Loranier, the brig Argo was built at Bass river. She was built at Micajah Mathis, Sr.'s landing, on what is now called the "Francis French farm," and for many years this was a noted shipyard. The Argo was commanded by Captain John Sowers, a son-in-law of Captain John Leak, Sr., of Bass river. Soon after the building of the Argo, Micajah Mathis built at the same place a large sloop called the Hope, of Bass river. She was designed for the purpose of carrying lumber from Egg Harbor to New York city, and was commanded by Barzilla Mathis, son of the owner of the vessel. After Micajah's death, his sons Job and Barzilla were the proprietors of the Hope. All of these old-time crafts entered the Atlantic ocean by way of the old inlet, the new inlet then being a thing of the future.

Ever since the construction of the brig Loranier, ship building has been on the increase in Egg Habor. The principal ship yards are at Tuckerton, where there were, a few years ago, four or five large vessels all on the stocks at one time. Ebenezer Tucker had a number of vessels built, and Timothy Pharo, a still greater number, and his sons greatly exceeded him in that line of business. The most extensive ship owners of the township have been the Pharos and Jarvis H. Bartlett, and there are also many others of the inhabitants of the place who own vessel property. The Captain usually owns a share of the vessel which he commands.

The large number of vessels which are owned in Egg Harbor require a considerable number of men for their management, so that many of the inhabitants of the place are seamen. All of them who are prudent make a comfortable living, and many of them accumulate property thereby. A lad who goes on board of one of these vessels, if he is active and attentive to his business, may soon become a competent sailor, and at no distant day rise to be a money-making captain. There are many instances of this kind among the seamen of Egg Harbor. Those who are not so fortunate as to attain to a captaincy, usually get good wages for the part they perform.

A few years ago it is said that Tuckerton had sailing under its Custom House papers over a hundred schooners and sloops, many of them schooners of the first class. The white sails and broad hulls of the vessels, in which Egg Harbormen are owners, are seen in almost every part of the seaboard of the United States. Solomon Rockhill was for a long time the principal shipwright of Tuckerton.

There has been considerable ship building done at Bass river, the principal ship owners being the Mathis, Cranmers, Adams, Frenchs, Lovelands, Allens and others. The principal ship yards at Bass river were on the Francis French place and the Caleb Cranmer place.

At various times there have been vessels built at Bridgeport, on Wading river. The ship timber of Egg Harbor has been exhausted and vessel building has ceased to be a business in the place.