Please note: These are low resolution samples and can not acccurately portray the detail on the prints.

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REMEMBERING LBI...The way we were

Hi, and welcome, I expect to be adding more to this page.
I hope to share some of my memories of LBI from long ago. I was born with bay mud between my toes and pine needles in my hair and my first visit to LBI was in 1938 (before just about anyone reading this was born!) and most weekends and vacations as I was growing up were spent at West Creek, where I was born, my dad at the time was a bayman and worked on an oyster barge as engineer, they lived on Joe Cox's farm and he and my grandad had gill nets across the creeks for fish, they clammed, and captured terrapins, and anything else the bay provided, most of which were sold in Moorestown, NJ.

I met my wife when she was working at Nanni's Pizza in Beach Haven and after we got married we continued to visit the homestead in West Creek until we sold it in 1998. Our sons grew up loving the woods and the water.

How did they turn the trains around on LBI?
1920
1933
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I remember the railroad bridge just to the north of the causeway bridge. I used to wonder how the turned the trains around without a turntable. I now know that that used a wye at Beach Haven. I would imagine the train heading south would stop at the station and discharge its passengers then back into the southern leg of the wye and exit the northern leg and head on north. They could also do the opposite and swing up the nothern leg and back into the station. The top of the wye is now the end of 5th Street. I don't know where they turned on the northern end of the island. So far my best guess is that they used the wye at the end of the causeway but that would mean they had to back one way or the other on the northern leg, but that doesn't seem to make sense. If anyone knows, I would like to hear from you.
The Evolution of the Causeway
causeway
It's hard to believe but in 1918 they charged a toll (I wonder how much?) for that old nail popping drawbridge, and now it is free


LBI PRINTS FOR SALE

I have aerial views of the entire NJ coast beginning with 1920, then 1933, 1944 and 1962, which were stitched together to create some awesome views of the old days, listed below are the views I have of LBI

If you choose to buy any of my prints, I think you will be as amazed as I was at the detail of the views. Several LBI businesses have some on display. I have two default styles, one is on Supreme gloss paper which is 11"x17", and photo paper which gives a bit more detail, and is done on a widebed printer. I list those at 12"x18" but they can be any size and customized any way you like. It is possible to create a set for the entire island, and if you are interested please contact me.
Please use contact us if you have a problem, or need custom prints such as zooms or different sized prints


LBI TOWNS
MAINLAND TOWNS
1962 Only

Barnegat Light

Beach Haven Park

West Creek

High Bar Harbor

Haven Beach

Parkertown

Loveladies

The Dunes

Tuckerton

Harvey Cedars

Beach Haven Terrace

Mystic Island

North Beach

Beach Haven Gardens

Surf City

Spray Beach

Ship Bottom

North Beach Haven

Brant Beach

Beach Haven

Beach Haven Crest

Holgate

Brighton Beach

Tuckers Island

Peahala Park

Beach Haven Boardwalk
Tucker's Island 1920
1 x 4 feet
Barnegat Lighthouse 1944
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Beach Haven once had a nice boardwalk with several shops and a fishing pier complete with a bait shop.
It was totally destroyed in the hurricane of 1944.

Supreme Gloss Paper 11x17"
$15

Photo Quality 12x18"
$25

Tucker's Island is available in the standard 12x 18" print, but since it is so long and narrow, most of the print is taken up by black "ocean" but for anyone seriously interested, I also offer it in 12x48" which shows much more detail..

Photo Quality 12x48"
$70
This unique view was taken on Oct 29, 1944 by a blimp just after the huricane.
Banegat Lighthouse 8x10"
$10
Matted for an 11x14 frame
$20