This paper traces the historical significance of the railroad station in Belmar, New Jersey, a one-square-mile borough on the Jersey Shore. Beginning with the area's earliest European exploration and Native American inhabitants, the paper documents Belmar's successive name changes, its development as a summer resort, and the role the railroad station played as a social and commercial hub. The paper also highlights Belmar's remarkable contributions to American history — including Guglielmo Marconi's wireless telegraph headquarters and the 1946 Project Diana moon-bounce experiment — before making the case that the Belmar Railroad Station merits designation as a protected historic structure.
The historic site of Belmar has for many years been a favored summer vacationing spot, complete with historic landmarks and legendary tales of fishermen and man-eating sharks. It is also a site that has witnessed many significant chapters in American history. One of the architectural structures still standing is the railroad station, believed to have been built in the late 1800s.
The purpose of this work is to research and evaluate the historical value of the Belmar Railroad Station — specifically its significance to the development of the New Jersey shoreline, its impact on the social fabric of the Jersey Coast, and the basis for designating the station as a protected historic structure.
Some historians credit the East India Company ship Half Moon as the first vessel to carry Europeans into the inlet of Shark River, while others dispute whether Henry Hudson deserves sole credit for discovery of the area. Upon Hudson's claim of the region for the Dutch, and prior to the beginning of English rule, King Charles II issued a charter to the Duke of New York. The tract known as New Jersey was subsequently granted to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. The King also ordered Richard Nichols to seize New Amsterdam for the British in 1665 (Roper, 1978). As Roper notes, "The original record is in Albany."
The coat of arms for Belmar is rich with symbolism. A brig in full sail represents the maritime character of the municipality. Dolphins are symbolic of love, diligence, and swiftness. The shield is supported by a pine and cedar branch to denote that Belmar relies on its natural beauties for strength and vigor. The motto "Duty and Service" sets the standard for all municipal actions, and the crest — a swan — has long been recognized as a symbol of royal beauty (Roper, 1978).
Historical reference in written form is somewhat scarce when first researching the train station in Belmar, New Jersey, situated between Asbury Park and Manasquan along the Jersey Coast. Belmar is a town of many names, having carried four names since its formation nearly two centuries ago. The town covers exactly one square mile — a deceptively small area that has been a tourist destination since the earliest written historical records.
The oceanfront area is situated on the peninsula of New Jersey, just across from the island that is home to Atlantic City. The town was initially named "The Pleasant Beach Association," which was actually a front for the Ku Klux Klan (Roper, 1978). The name soon changed to "Ocean Beach," and in 1872 a group of twenty-five investors incorporated the borough in 1873, developing the property as a summer resort. By 1889, the community voted to rename the town "City of Elco," but that name lasted less than a month before "Belmar" was chosen. The town was reincorporated under that name in 1890. Belmar is a French word meaning "Beautiful Sea."
The original inhabitants of this shoreline area were the Lenni Lenape Algonquian Indians. The Lenni Lenape lived in "loosely-knit family groups in the greater Delaware area. Clans managed decisions on marriage and descent, leaving the people to their individual governance" (Salmon, date unknown).
In 1881, four gentlemen were cultivating the square mile now known as Belmar. The Ocean Beach Association subsequently purchased the land and, leveraging its natural assets and developing skills, built a tourist attraction that drew the well-to-do to the shoreline community. Bungalows appeared almost overnight along the shore, hotels and pavilions sprang up, boats were rented out, and restaurants and shops opened their doors as sailboats danced on the water. Belmar quickly became a favored resort. The heritage of music and street bands is woven indelibly into the cultural identity of the borough.
The Jersey Shore is home to the boardwalk, offering something for everyone — from fishing and swimming to Victorian walking tours, sandcastle contests, waterfront promenades, chowder festivals, and band concerts. Paddleboat cruises run along the shoreline, and Belmar hosts the annual New Jersey Seafood Festival each summer, drawing families and college-aged visitors alike. Belmar's beaches are wide, and the borough is also one of the main charter-fishing hubs in the region, situated on Shark River. The borough of Belmar was originally part of what was known as Shrewsbury Township, formed in 1693 by an act of the Provincial Assembly (Roper, 1978).
The value of historic structures in this environment is significant in terms of investment. The pleasure and charm of the tiny town of Belmar is only the icing on the proverbial cake compared to the wealth of history underlying it.
Every historical structure in New Jersey is worthy of preservation, in part because of the extraordinary number of American "firsts" associated with the state:
The list of firsts for the State of New Jersey is extensive, as are the impacts that individual historic structures such as the Belmar Railroad Station had on the development of the one-square-mile borough.
A defining chapter in Belmar's claim to fame was the arrival of Italian inventor Marchese (Marquis) Guglielmo Marconi in 1913. According to historian Alyce H. Salmon:
"Following his transoceanic wireless radio successes, Marconi selected a marshy site near the Shark River backwaters to erect his 1914 American Wireless Telegraph Company headquarters. Although designated 'Belmar Station,' the installation was established in Wall Township. Marconi designed a 'farm' of various-size towers topped with antennae, which were secured to the ground by guy wires attached to large cement block foundations. A brick hotel for Marconi's unmarried employees provided them with a gourmet restaurant and vegetable gardens. Marconi's experiment flourished in this virtually self-contained wireless area."
"1888 fire destroys original station; horse-drawn fire truck era"
"Station description, Shark River bridge, and farmers market use"
"Case for historic designation and preservation investment"
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