Cranberry Inlet (also known as New Inlet or Toms River Inlet) was a historical inlet connecting Barnegat Bay with the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey. It has been closed since 1812.
Geography
Cranberry Inlet separated Squan Beach from Island Beach, both of which today comprise the Barnegat Peninsula. The inlet was approximately located at the boundary between Ortley Beach and Seaside Heights, nearly opposite the mouth of the Toms River. In 1834, it was described as "Cranberry Inlet, formerly from the ocean to Barnegat bay, between Island beach and Squan beach."
History
The inlet is believed to have broken through the barrier island around 1750. It appears on Lewis Evans's map of 1755 and on Jeffrey's English map of the same year, where it is called "New Inlet." On Jeffrey's map, Toms River is labeled "Goose Creek" and Barnegat Bay is called "Flat Bay Sound."
In 1767, Cranberry Inlet was mentioned in the boundary description of the legislation creating Dover Township. It is also referenced in the act that set off Berkeley Township from Dover Township.
During the Revolutionary War, the inlet was strategically important, as it provided access for American privateers hunting British vessels bound in and out of New York. At its peak, the inlet was deep enough to accommodate loaded square-rigged vessels.
Cranberry Inlet closed around 1812, having gradually shoaled and filled in over several years. Its closure caused significant inconvenience to those engaged in the coasting trade along Barnegat Bay, as vessels from the upper part of the bay were forced to sail several miles out of their way to reach Barnegat Inlet to get to sea.
Attempts to Reopen
Around 1821, a man named Michael Ortley attempted to open a new inlet near the head of the bay. Despite considerable effort and expense, the inlet filled up overnight after completion. A second attempt was made on July 4, 1847, by a group of some two to three hundred men under the direction of Anthony Ivens, Jr., near the location of old Cranberry Inlet opposite Toms River. This effort also failed, as the new inlet filled up shortly after being opened.
Access to the upper part of Barnegat Bay was finally achieved in 1925 with the opening of the Point Pleasant Canal.
Etymology
The inlet's name derives from cranberry bogs in the area. Cranberries were an important resource for sailing ships, as sailors collected the preservable fruit to help prevent scurvy during long ocean voyages.
