The Epic History of Osborn Island
Ancient Origins & Early Settlement
1200 — The Lenni-Lenape settle in the Pine Barrens, establishing a settlement near the Tuckerton Shell Mound on Great Bay Boulevard.
1674 — Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg purchases 800 acres from the Lenni-Lenape, including the island they called “Monhunk” (later Osborn Island).
1715 — Richard Osborn, Sr. purchases Monhunk Island and clears the land for farming.
1778 — During the Revolutionary War, British forces land on the island and march inland. Though forty-five patriots are lost, General Kazimierz Pułaski stops the British from raiding the critical Batsto iron works.
1798 — Little Egg Harbor Township incorporates, taking its name from the Dutch “Egg Harbor” for the abundance of bird nests found nearby.
The Era of the Wireless Tower
1912 — A German corporation builds the massive 680-foot steel Tuckerton Wireless Tower on Hickory Island.
1917 — During WWI, the U.S. Navy seizes the station for transatlantic communication.
1948 — RCA buys the station, adding a second antenna and fourteen 305-foot towers.
1954 — The Garden State Parkway opens, connecting the shore to the rest of New Jersey.
1955 — RCA demolishes the main tower. Today, the massive concrete anchor blocks are still visible in backyards on North Ensign, South Ensign, and Storysail Drives.
Development & Modern Growth
1959 — Lagoon Parks, Inc. purchases the area for $55,000 to develop the “Mystic Islands” resort community. Osborn Island is named “Oceanview” and briefly features a 9-hole golf course and an amusement park.
1981 — Little Egg Harbor Township is annexed to Ocean County.
1984 — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service establishes the Edwin B. Forsythe Wildlife Refuge to protect tidal wetlands.
1989 — The Osborn Island Residents Association (OIRA) is officially organized.
Preservation & Resilience
1991 — 169 acres of saltwater marsh on the island are acquired for permanent protection by the NJ Natural Lands Trust.
2010 — Ocean County Natural Lands Trust purchases the 45-acre maritime forest on Radio Road for $3.5 million.
2012 — The community survives Superstorm Sandy. That same year, the Radio Road bridge is rebuilt for $6.7 million.
2018–2019 — The township completes a major dredging project in the island’s lagoons.
2024 — OIRA celebrates its 35th Anniversary.
Sources
“Mystic Island, New Jersey Facts for Kids.” Kiddle Encyclopedia, 2024.
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“Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2007.
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Annual Report. New Jersey Natural Lands Trust, 1991.
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“Little Egg Harbor Applies for $600,000 in Reimbursement for Green Acres.” The Press of Atlantic City.
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Nee, Daniel. “Radio Road Bridge to Be Replaced.” Patch, 2012.
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Faughnan, Stephanie. “Little Egg Moves to Next Round of Dredging.” Jersey Shore Online, 2021.
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