page_title: Barnegat Light, New Jersey
section_title: Barnegat City
hierarchical_section_title: Barnegat Light, New Jersey / History / Barnegat City
caption_attribution_description: Barnegat Lighthouse in Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
context_page_description: Barnegat Light is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 574, reflecting a decline of 190 from the 764 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 89 from the 675 counted in the 1990 Census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island and is home to Barnegat Lighthouse.
  Barnegat Light was formed as a borough by the New Jersey Legislature on November 2, 1948, to replace Barnegat City borough, which in turn had been created on March 29, 1904, from portions of Long Beach Township.
context_section_description: In 1881, the Barnegat City Improvement Company was formed by Benjamin Franklin Archer, prompting the name of the community to unofficially become Barnegat City. Adding "city" helped the new resort town capitalize on the success of Atlantic City. The plan succeeded, as the city became a popular tourist destination—primarily for vacationers from New York City, who would travel by train to Toms River and then travel by boat to Barnegat City. The SS Hesse, a ship chartered by the Pennsylvania Railroad, began providing transport into Barnegat City for passengers largely originating from New York City and Trenton. This ship was later replaced by the Connetquot.  The Oceanic Hotel was built to meet the increasing lodging demands of the tourism industry, beginning construction in 1881 and completing construction in 1882. The hotel would later be relocated in response to encroaching waters, so as to avoid a similar fate as the first Barnegat Lighthouse.
  The Ashley House was sold to John Warner Kinsey in 1882, who renamed the building as the eponymous Kinsey Hotel. Kinsey would later move to nearby Harvey Cedars, abandoning the hotel. A new hotel, the Sans Souci, was built in 1883 with the intention of attracting winter sportsmen. A fourth hotel, The Social, opened to boarders in 1884. Between 1884 and 1886, a direct railroad connection was completed to increase the city's tourism capabilities. The first train reached Barnegat City on June 28, 1886. A large keeper's house was completed in 1889 by the Federal Lighthouse Bureau to house the three keepers and their families. In 1899, Benjamin Archer sold the Sans Souci, which was subsequently renamed the Sunset Hotel. During the Spanish–American War, the United States Life-Saving Service kept watch for enemy ships and a signal house was constructed offshore; but the signal house was complete shortly after the peace was declared.
  Barnegat City became part of Long Beach Township after the township's establishment in 1899. In 1904, the city declared itself an independent borough. At this time, much of the northern area of Long Beach Island was undeveloped, causing citizens to feel separated from the rest of the township's communities.
  In 1914, the Oceanic Hotel closed and the Sunset Hotel was purchased by John Barber. That same year, an automobile bridge was opened further south, improving access between the island and the mainland. In 1920, Ketzel's Bar was opened on West 7th Street by Paul Ketzel. This location provided rooms to local fisherman and was the prominent location in the city for nighttime entertainment. The bar was later purchased by "Ma" Kubel, resulting in the new name Kubel's Bar, a restaurant which continues to exist today. The bar began serving meals in a dining room addition and was known for its local parties featuring Norwegian dancing.
  A severe winter storm in 1920 destroyed most of the Oceanic Hotel as well as a large portion of the beaches, eroding the shore up to the base of the lighthouse and prompting the abandonment and removal of the keeper's house by the United States Lighthouse Service. The destruction of the hotel and continued erosion of the beaches caused the resort to become less popular, ultimately resulting in the discontinuation of train service to the city between 1923 and 1926. Barnegat City returned to its relatively secluded environment that it had experienced in its earlier days.
  The city's fishery economy improved beginning with a fishery opened by Captain Dick Myers in 1920, whom the next year purchased 33 acres (130,000 m²) between West 7th Street and the bay. In 1927, several Scandinavian fisherman united to form the Independent Fishery. During this period, gillnetting declined in popularity, but it would later gain a comeback in the 1950s. Also in the 1950s, dragger fishing was ended and tilefishing began.
  The Scandinavian fisherman founded the Independent Dock, which is now known as Viking Village and, today, provides a combined shopping and industrial establishment with both handcrafted goods and fresh seafood. Catches typically consist
caption: Barnegat Lighthouse
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