Little Egg Harbor Lighthouse was first built on Tucker’s Island in 1848. The beacon was small and the light wasn’t powerful, so sailors complained. By 1859, the original lighthouse was abandoned. The light was shut off for the Civil War.

The Tucker’s Island Lighthouse opened after the Civil War ended. Sailors could see the light 12 miles out to sea. The people of Tucker’s Island liked their lighthouse. It worked for almost 60 years. During that time, Tucker’s Island became a popular tourist spot. Wealthy people from New York City and Philadelphia came to spend the summer.

In the early 1900s, Tucker’s Island began to lose popularity. There was no train service to Tucker’s Island, so the rich went elsewhere. In 1927 a bad storm hit the island. Hotels and businesses closed. By then Tucker’s Island became a ghost town. The lighthouse closed as well because it became unsafe after the storm. It tilted and leaned and fell into the ocean. Soon the ocean swallowed the entire town.

A replica of Tucker’s Island and the lighthouse is on display at the Tuckerton Seaport.

Next: Miah Maull Shoal