Mystic Island, NJ is a small community located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey. The area was once called “Hickory Island” and was served by the Tuckerton Railroad and a two-lane street named “Shore Road”, later renamed “Radio Road”. With a population of 7,635, Mystic Island offers residents a rural feel and most own their homes.
The primary coordinate point for Mystic Island is latitude 39.5443 and longitude -74.3824 in Ocean County. As of 2022, 4.26 of Mystic Island, NJ residents were born outside the country (325 people), with 24.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (6.7k). Living in Mystic Island offers a great quality of life with a variety of amenities, such as beautiful beaches, great fishing and kayaking opportunities, and a peaceful atmosphere.
Mystic Island is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Little Egg Harbor Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey. As of 2022, there were 24.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (6.7k). The City of Mystic Island is located in Ocean County in the State of New Jersey.
Mystic Island is known for its beautiful beaches, great fishing and kayaking opportunities, and peaceful atmosphere. As of 2024, Mystic Island has a population of 7,492, and it belongs to Ocean County. The area is known for its beautiful beaches, great fishing and kayaking opportunities, and a peaceful atmosphere.
📹 There’s an abandoned fish factory on this N.J. island
A lonely and abandoned fish processing plant barely stands rusting and decaying on an island in Ocean County’s Great Bay.
Is Mystic a nice place to live?
Mystic, a densely populated suburb in New London County, Connecticut, is a highly sought-after residential area for its suburban ambience, high proportion of homeowners, and its reputation as a haven for retirees with a penchant for liberalism.
Is Mystic Island a good place to live?
Mystic Island is a rural community with a predominantly rural population. It is home to a significant number of retirees and a population that is generally conservative. Additionally, the community boasts above-average public schools.
What is the difference between egg harbor and little egg harbor?
Little Egg Harbor, originally part of Burlington County, was named after a bay called Egg Harbor by Dutch sailors due to the eggs found in nearby gull nests. Captain Cornelius Jacobsen May first recorded the town in 1614. The first European to settle the township was Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg, who likely arrived by 1693. Falkenberg settled on an 800-acre tract of land acquired from the Lenni Lenape Indians in 1674, which included the islands of Monhunk and Minnicunk, later known as Wills Island and Osborn Island.
Falkenberg was a linguist fluent in the Lenape language and was considered southern New Jersey’s foremost language interpreter involving land transactions between the Indians and European settlers, particularly the English Quakers. Thomas Ridgway Sr. and John Mathis Sr. owned ships that sailed West Indian routes, making a profit from selling clams and oysters.
What county is Mystic Island, New Jersey in?
Mystic Island, also known as Mystic Islands or Mystic, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Little Egg Harbor Township, Ocean County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 US Census, the CDP’s population was 8, 493. The development, originally planned as a resort community, began in the early 1960s with vacation bungalows. However, many original bungalows are being replaced with larger homes on pilings, similar to Long Beach Island. The area was once called “Hickory Island” and served by the Tuckerton Railroad and a two-lane street named “Shore Road”, later renamed “Radio Road” after the Tuckerton Wireless Tower.
What town is Mystic a part of?
Mystic, a village in Groton and Stonington, Connecticut, was a significant seaport with over 600 ships constructed over the course of 135 years, commencing in 1784. The village is not an independent municipality and can be reached via Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, which runs through the center of Mystic, or by telephone at 860-446-5995.
What is the zip code for Mystic Islands?
Mystic Islands, NJ is situated within Ocean County, United States, and has been assigned the ZIP Code 08087. The area is visible on the map and can be magnified by clicking the “Load Map” button. To resume the search by state, navigate back to the US ZIP Code.
What is the median household income in Mystic?
Mystic, CT, with a population of 4. 42k in 2022, experienced a 1. 45 increase in population from 4, 354 to 4, 417 between 2021 and 2022, and a 10. 2 increase in median household income from $115, 065 to $126, 854. The largest ethnic groups in Mystic are White (Non-Hispanic), Two+ (Non-Hispanic), Asian (Non-Hispanic), American Indian and Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic). None of the households in Mystic, CT reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language.
What county is Little Egg Harbor in?
Little Egg Harbor Township, located in Ocean County, New Jersey, is a vibrant community known for its picturesque landscapes, rich history, and local events. The town’s charm and hospitality are a welcome addition to its offerings. Originally part of Burlington County, the town was named after a bay called Egg Harbor, which was named after the eggs found in nearby gull nests. Captain Cornelius Jacobsen May made the first known account of the town in 1614.
Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg, the first European to settle the township, likely arrived by 1693. Falkenberg was from Holstein, now in Germany, but his first wife was a Finn and part of the Swedish community. A special meeting notice for Friday, September 27, 2024, is available at the Little Egg Harbor Community Center.
Why is Mystic famous?
Mystic, a significant Connecticut seaport, was built over 135 years starting in 1784 and is now home to the largest maritime museum in the United States. The village is located on the Mystic River, which flows into Fishers Island Sound, and is home to the Mystic River Bascule Bridge. The name “Mystic” is derived from the Pequot term “missi-tuk”, which describes a large river whose waters are driven into waves by tides or wind. The population was 4, 348 at the 2020 census.
Before the 17th century, the Pequot people lived in southeastern Connecticut, controlling a considerable amount of territory. The Five Nations of the Iroquois dominated the land linked by the Great Lakes and the Hudson River, allowing trading between the Iroquois and the Dutch. The Pequots were settled just distant enough to be secure from any danger.
The Pequot War, which occurred between 1636 and 1638, profoundly affected the Mystic area. In May 1637, captains John Underhill and John Mason led a mission through Narragansett land, striking the Pequot Indian settlement in Mystic, known as the Mystic massacre. On September 21, 1638, the colonists signed the Treaty of Hartford, officially ending the Pequot War.
Is Mystic in Connecticut or Rhode Island?
Mystic, a significant Connecticut seaport, was built over 135 years starting in 1784 and is now home to the largest maritime museum in the United States. The village is located on the Mystic River, which flows into Fishers Island Sound, and is home to the Mystic River Bascule Bridge. The name “Mystic” is derived from the Pequot term “missi-tuk”, which describes a large river whose waters are driven into waves by tides or wind. The population was 4, 348 at the 2020 census.
Before the 17th century, the Pequot people lived in southeastern Connecticut, controlling a considerable amount of territory. The Five Nations of the Iroquois dominated the land linked by the Great Lakes and the Hudson River, allowing trading between the Iroquois and the Dutch. The Pequots were settled just distant enough to be secure from any danger.
The Pequot War, which occurred between 1636 and 1638, profoundly affected the Mystic area. In May 1637, captains John Underhill and John Mason led a mission through Narragansett land, striking the Pequot Indian settlement in Mystic, known as the Mystic massacre. On September 21, 1638, the colonists signed the Treaty of Hartford, officially ending the Pequot War.
What are the demographics of Mystic Island?
The population of Mystic Island is predominantly white, with a demographic breakdown of 91% white, 4% black or African American, and 5% other. The population is 42% white and 4. 22% black or African American. The highest rate of high school graduation is among the Native American population, with a graduation rate of 100%. The highest rate of bachelor’s degrees is among the Asian population.
📹 New Jersey’s Disturbing Monolith Secrete (The Rise and Fall of Tuckerton Tower)
In Tuckerton, NJ, a massive cement monolith sits out of place, and upon closer inspection, out of time. You see, this gigantic block …
New Jersey is an underrated state. I don’t know why everyone jokes about them. I used to be a truck driver and been through there a few times. I was surprised how many beautiful areas they have. The roads and parking are a little tight but that’s typical along the east coast. (I suppose I can’t put my own gas too.) Thanks for sharing.
Learned most of this in our first grade history class in 1981 with Mrs. Gunther. Then again in second grade with Mrs. Caffereli. And from the old neighbors that were in the fire company. Fewer and fewer people remember it (and a lot of the other local history), especially as so many new people moved in from other areas.
When you compare this station with cell phones, just remember, the size of the cellular network, infrastructure included, is significantly larger than this station. They built a trans-Atlantic radio system that was two-way. This is far greater an achievement than a normal broadcast station. Great article, keep it up!
I lived next to the Block on Ensign Drive and worked in the old power house when it was Mystic Island Marina back in the late 70’s and through the 80’s. Tuckerton has a small museum with a piece of the tower and the steel ball it rested on. My adult children and siblings have been made aware of your story. Kudos and thank you for the memories. Ray K
New jersey was a major area for the development of radio-telegraphy (and radio in general). Further North, where Sandy Hook meets the mainland, there was a rather high hill where a lighthouse was built. But Guglielmo Marconi, looking for a location for a radio tower that would communicate with Europe and ships out at sea, built it on that hill.
Thanks Ryan. Glad to see you read the comments and found my idea interesting. I lived on Lake Michigan Drive in Mystic from December 2000 till the day before Sandy in 2012. Dead end street and it was always quiet there, even in the summer. I do miss it but I’m not taking my chances again with another hurricane. I live inland now, western Atlantic County
One of the first places I went after my 6 tours in Iraq was the Jersey shore. I rented a small quite little beach house for a 4 day stay over a weekend. Mostly I used a motorized bike I built to tool around. Shortly after that I went to Lake Charles. For some reasons the author here is right. Nothing speaks for old world grass roots America like both places particularly the Jersey Shore.
What a BEAUTIFUL story….told both from a tech perspective and from an emotional point of view! Things that one would never have known if it was not for your website being present when I was wondering…. “What the h3ll am I gonna watch at 5:55am on a Sunday morning?” LOL! I’m recovering from spine surgery (my 5th) and it would be a horrible recovery if it was not for YouTube creators like you! Thank you sir.
My great grandfather was the head of US Customs in Jacksonville, Florida, when World War I broke out. At the port of Jacksonville, he struck the first blow to Germany once war was declared by seizing all the German ships that were docked there. He was very proud of this fact, and it is pretty dang cool.
I love this website and especially appreciate your articles in/about places in NJ. Always extra interesting indeed! What people don’t know about the 3rd state is a LOT. So much history and o many great places to live, work, visit and go to school in New Jersey. And home to some of the prettiest beaches and shore towns on any coast. Thank you Ryan, Aunt Barbara adores you!
I used to design antenna towers. AM towers are unique because the tower is the antenna and thier length is related to the frequency they operate on. Obviously they had some tuning coils for the antenna length. The antenna is electrically isolated and has an insulator at the base. This foundation was raised so high maybe for electrical safety and prevent people from contacting the tower. The guy wires had electrical insulators. You can kind of see them in the photos. This was a great history lesson that really deserves a much deeper dive into the engineering background. By today’s standards the foundions are way overbuilt because they did not have all of the engineering research we have today and the computers.
There were large numbers of German immigrants living in New Jersey at the time. German companies owned a lot of businesses and had considerable influence in the politics of the state. When the US joined the allied side during WWI New Jersey was vitally important to the war effort. New Jersey was the location of major industries that produced all kinds of war materiel. New Jersey also contained large numbers of shipping ports and ports of embarkation. One million of the 4 million US troops sent to Europe during WWI passed through Camp Merit, this was just one of several transit camps located in New Jersey. When the US became directly involved in 1917 someone asked Gen. John Pershing how long the war would last, he replied, “Heaven, Hell or Hoboken, by Christmas”. Hoboken, NJ was a major embarkation point. Many of the shipping lines and piers in Hoboken were owned by German companies. For reasons of national security almost all of these German businesses were seized by the US government. Many of the owners were thrown in prison or chased off. After the war very few of the businesses were returned to their German owners, most being sold off to satisfy war reparations. Some of the original owners received some minor compensation, usually pennies on the dollar.
My wife who is from Gloucester County had never heard of this. She had family in Egg Harbor and no one ever mentioned the concrete blocks. I had the displeasure of living there for four years after I left the Navy. It’s government disgusted me along with the high taxes and I convinced her come with me to North Carolina where my employer, AT&T had an opening. There are some sights I’d like to see there. My ancestor David De Marests home from 1678, The French Burial Ground. Woodbury was founded by another ancestor Pierre Cresson. Unfortunately I hold New Jersey’s government in extreme contempt and will not go there.
We had one of those anchors on an angle, but still in the canal 10 ft from our bank of our yard, it was in our backyard, but in the water!!! I remember it was the size of a small garage, it was shaped like a house, and it had a huge eyelet in the top of it. Our boat would barely fit between our Canal bank and that thing. It was so out of place it sat on an angle, and we were the only one on our Canal that had this thing in the water. It was my uncle’s house!!! I grew up in Little Egg Harbor. Thank you so much for airing this I’ve heard so little about those Tower anchors, my uncle told me it was for an antenna for World War II, but that’s all I knew.
I lived in Rugby UK where there used to be 12 820ft towers that dominated the skyline for miles. They used to have red lights in them and were beautiful to see. They were pulled down in 2007 sadly. A rumoured casualty of the internet. Us older folks remember knowing we were almost home when travelling from London the moment this towers which loomed over the darkened countryside appears 5 minutes before pulling into the station.
I learned about this tower way back in the late 1980’s and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I was able to learn all about it on the internet. The tower’s base is on display outside the Tuckerton Historical Society in Little Egg Harbor NJ. Being a long time resident of NJ, I’ve not yet visited these two landmarks but intend to make it a day trip one day.
I think we got to personal worldwide wireless communication in our pockets very quickly. Especially when you consider the process of miniaturization that had to take place. Transistors are required to significantly miniaturize electronics and the first working point-contact transistor wasn’t built until 1947 in Bell Labs. Back in 1912 the physics required to even understand how a transistor would work was still being ironed out.
This is awesome. I haven’t even watched this article but I grew up in Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton New Jersey. We lived in houses that had canals behind them. Guess what was right smack in the canal, right in my yard? This giant concrete, house shaped block the size of a garage, with a giant eyelet in the center of it! We used to play on the thing, I was told it was an anchor for one of the towers for World War II, I was only seven or eight years old, and you could barely fit a boat between our Canal Edge and that thing it was right in our backyard! we were the only one that had one in our backyard. Now don’t get it twisted, this thing was in the water, in the canal, but I remember on low tide, I could see the bottom around it. Those were good days it was 1982 I think. Thank you for this article I have to watch it, I haven’t seen it yet!!!
I was on a job where we demolished a bank vault. We did not use explosives to do it. It was built very solid. They took rebar and put it down every web in the blocks and filled them all with concrete. Which is not how you normally build a block wall. We were having trouble tearing it down with just chipping guns so the next day we brought a robot on the job. It leveled the vault in about an hour. A construction robot for those that do not know is a mobile platform with a remote controlled arm on it. It is like a jeep with an industrial robot arm on it. That arm had a big hydraulic breaking ram attached to it.
You should do a article on tue Marconi wireless station that was in Somerset, NJ too. Parts of the concrete tower bases are there still. The RCA property was converted into housing developments in the early 80s but it was an important station where Marcomi, Tesla, Einstein and others had a group photo taken
Are the dollar figures you’re quoting for salaries and total cost in 1910s dollars or modern dollars? The weekly salary range you quoted would allow a person to retire in a year or so. Most jobs back then paid in the double digits per week, maybe $25-50 (even that salary range is more than most people earned). At the rates you quoted, a worker could buy a new car every week and still have enough to live a VERY lavish lifestyle.
….And yet, at around the same time that the military was sending censors to the Tuckerton tower, the State Department was passing on coded messages through diplomatic pouches, which we then sent by land telegram to their destinations. One of them was a coded telegram by a Mr. Zimmermann, who was the German diplomatic minister, and was sent to the newest leader of Mexico (they were in the middle of a civil war at the time). When the British cracked the German code, we were able to decode this message, and in it, the German government was offering to help Mexico regain the U.S. states of Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, in exchange for entering the war on the side of the Axis powers. This was the final outrage that resulted in us declaring war on Germany.
Pre wwi German nearly became the official language of the United States of America. Whenever I hear pre wwi history I consider that huge difference of opinion. I have been to the Marconi towers and station in Northern California. They have preserved the station as a working museum. Much of the equipment is intact. There are volunteers who are able to transmit and receive ham radio transmissions. Ham radio is frequently used on the west coast for sailors crossing the pacific. The volunteers have a wealth of information to share individually as well as archived documents regarding the Marconi station. It’s also a beautiful drive. It’s a nice place for a picnic too.
Was wondering what frequencies the tower’s receivers were tuned to receive. During my time in the Air Force, we worked with VLF receiving equipment. VLF was used for submarine communication as the ocean and the ionosphere formed a natural “wave guide” for frequencies in this AM range thus eliminating skip or line of sight type transmission. My parents retired in Tuckerton in the late seventies and we often used the blocks to determine our position when flounder fishing in great bay.
I think he might have a point about Marshland being needed for the ground but I think it has to do with the fact that the signal would bounce off of the water not sure if it’s the fact that the water has surface tension so it makes it good surface to bounce off of but if you go to Seattle the TV stations in the 50s as well as am transmitters in the 30s were on like Vashon Island so that it would be able to bounce off of all of that salt water I’m sure that’s probably Marshland in New Jersey off the coast of New Jersey too it being a very tall antenna it would also help to have the signal bounce the ocean as well
Further north on Barnegat Bay there was/is an array or poles used for some kind on ship to shore radio. I used to tell gullible kids that this was where they grew telephone poles. It is at the mouth of the Toms river and you can see it from the Rt 37 seaside bridge but iirc only access parts ofvit from Bayville side.
excellent article. I’ve seen the smaller blocks from boats. I actually never saw the larger blocks as I don’t go there by car very often. I’ll have to take a detour at some point to see them.. I can picture my girlfriend “Why are we going this way?” Me: “I want to see a couple of huge concrete blocks” Thanks!
100 years from now hopefully someone will be doing a article on old cell phone towers. Those things are such an eye sore set against scenic backgrounds across the whole world. They’re like the herpes of planet, just when you think you’re somewhere unique and untouched by the modern world you see one of these monstrosities poking out of the trees
I would visit my brother in Mystic island. All those anchors are in the canals behind peoples homes. People would climb them and jump into the water. Crazy seeing this stuff in the middle of the street or in peoples yards. Its just too much concrete to remove, so they’re letting Mother Nature break it down.
“Germany, West Africa” is not the same as “German West Africa.” You would think that there would be at least one read-through before starting recording of these episodes, and a review of pronunciations before publication. For those of you playing along at home: The tower (see WP) was located about the east edge of Radio Rd in line with the center line of the building at 05:22, the former location of the power station, the smoke stack of which still exists behind the building. The locations of the four structures are as follows: Former tower: Edge of Radio Rd, 39° 33′ 31″ N, 74° 22′ 14″ W W anchorage: Center of Staysail Dr, 39° 33′ 32″ N, 74° 22′ 22″ W NE anchorage: Rear yard/waterfront on N Ensign Dr, 39° 33′ 35″ N, 74° 22′ 22″ W SE anchorage: Center of S Ensign Dr, 39° 33′ 25″ N, 74° 22′ 12″ W The anchorages are in a triangle about 1011′ on a side, with the tower formerly located at its center, assuming they built it correctly. The SE and W anchorages are still visible on Streetview and have the slapdash finish of, say, WWII U-boat bunkers. The white steel base of the tower is visible in the front yard of the Tuckerton Historical Society Museum at 35 Lietz Blvd, Little Egg Harbor, NJ (see WP). The folks on Staysail and S Ensign must be sick and tired of driving around their very own historical artifacts (but not sick and tired enough to pay to have them jackhammered to smithereens
Illustrative example of compliment: I don’t know if I have ever seen a you tube article littered with so many errors, typos, mispronunciations and narration not matching the copy. I knew I was in for a trainwreck when I heard him say President Wilson received a message from the Kaiser in 1941. Seriously, that part was like a sentence from a page in Mad Libs. The bumbershoot salesman received hula lapdance from Archimedes’ mother in law in the year 2525 (if you tube is still alive) If anyone is interested in doing quality content, hit me up.
I think the question I would like to ask here is why Tuckerton New Jersey? Why was tuckerton New Jersey singled out to build this communication Tower by Germany? South Jersey and actually all of New Jersey on the east coast of the state has water the farther south you go the more remote. Back in 1911 there were very few people living in that part of New Jersey it was basically the equivalent to fishermen with big stretches of land in between families there be little communities much like Farmers there be a farming community but Farmers don’t live on top of each other. There be little fishing villages and then there be big stretches of land whether it be absolutely nothing. Sounds like there was a little subterfuge and spy action going on by Germany.
I mean lets be real here… Of course we had the tech for the mass public to use this tech to have cell phones at least 25 years before it became readily available. So listening to history about this stuff today doesn’t surprise me. Most of my family settled in Tuckerton, NJ and Mystic Island from Germany from the 1850s on my father’s side to the late 1930’s on my mom’s side. Heard stories about this project too that correlate what this guy is saying. But this project was pretty hush hush back then and even on the brink of war, we were still relaying messages back and forth to Germany. Very interesting if you ask me and ahead of its time…
Kaiser Wilhelm to President Wilson in 1941? Really? Highly unlikely to the point of absolute certainty that the date is off by a few decades. Wilhelm fled Germany in 1918 and never returned. Wilson died in 1924. I had hoped the rest of the “facts” in this article would be more accurate. Both as various comments reveal, it lacks rigor. It’s not a “broadcast” tower, the open photo is NOT of the base, it was not in Tuckerton itself – and at that point, I stopped listing. Maybe someone with a better sense of historic fidelity will do more accurate report.
You adore NJ??? Wow no offense but stop drinking the water. I was Born in NJ just 20 miles SW of Manhattan and just across the Arthur Kill from Staten Island . I moved to PA in the mid 80s because it was going downhill so fast! All the Toxic waste, Explosions, a ban on fishing the arthur kill due to contamination. My grandfather used to crab in that river today eating a crab from it might make you glow like a fuel rod in the Simpsons. No offense but I am a native of NJ and not proud of it. Some bizarre laws like BB guns you need a Firearms permit to have one in NJ or risk a felony firearms charge with a possible 5 Years in Rahway. Cross the Delaware and that same toy is just that a TOY . Yeah NJ has a lot of history like singer sewing manufacturing that’s where my grandfather worked and Crabed off sunken barges behind the plant .