For a
lot of New Jerseyeans crossing the Delaware Bridge is old hat. Most people work on that side of the bridge,
but heading for the Christiana Mall, a Blue Rocks game, or any one of a dozen
recreational reasons is not unheard of.
By quick glance it seems the last exit before crossing the bridge into
Delaware is Pennsville, but in fact there is a small unincorporated community nestled
on the very edge of Salem County—the last town in New Jersey before crossing
into Delaware.
Deep waters run still. Wait, that’s not right, is it?
Deepwater, New Jersey has
quite a claim to fame being the last
sign of New Jersey before plunging into the Delaware. Being in Deepwater is the closest you can get
to Delaware as it sits right on the tip of the big, fat belly of the
state. Unfortunately sales tax is still
required. Despite being a small town
with a population not even breaking 400 by the last U.S. Census report there’s
a lot of character to Deepwater. Chances
are you know someone who has either lived there at one point, or worked there,
most likely at DuPont’s Jersey side facility.
Who turned off the
lights?
Like
many coastal towns Deepwater had a lighthouse.
Actually, it had two. Both of
these lighthouse were completed in 1876.
They stood where the Delaware Bridge currently stands. Unlike most lighthouses in Southern New
Jersey these two didn’t make the preservation list. Despite years of faithful service both
lighthouses were decommissioned and demolished.
The
first of the two lighthouses, known as the Front Range stood in Deepwater to
the north of the Salem Canal. Both
ranges were controlled by a lighthouse keeper until becoming automated in
1937. The front range lasted longer than
the rear range lighthouse as the latter was torn down not long after being
automated. DuPont Chemical Company
bought up the land in surrounding the front range after its being
decommissioned in 1952. In its place is
the DuPont factory. The rear range was
torn down to make way for the Delaware Bridge.
Don’t I know you from
somewhere?
Sadly,
this part of New Jersey history has been lost for good. Despite a couple photos and some scant
information on file at the New Jersey Historical Society little is known about
the lighthouses of Deepwater, New Jersey. However, if you wish, and have the time to
take the field trip, head on out to Pennsville near Fort Mott to check out the
Finns Point Rear Range Lighthouse. Now
on the national register of historic places, thanks to an enthusiastic Save the
Lighthouse committee during the ‘70s, this structure is identical to that of
the Deepwater rear range lighthouse which is no longer there. The Finns Point front range lighthouse has
been demolished, but parts of it can still be seen, namely the oil house and
some shingles from the original roof.
Some history is better than none at all I suppose.
Great post. My wife grew up in Pennsville Township, and her family still resides there. We were up earlier this summer when I did the Philadelphia Comic Con selling my wares, and my grandmother-in-law told me all manner of stories about the area, since she knows I love history. Keep up the great work man.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post Jake! Hope you did well at Comic Con!
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