| Turtle Gut Inlet | |
|---|---|
 Location of Turtle Gut Inlet on 1777 map | |
  Turtle Gut Inlet | |
| Coordinates | 38°57′34″N74°51′09″W / 38.95944°N 74.85250°W Coordinates: 38°57′34″N74°51′09″W / 38.95944°N 74.85250°W |
| Type | Inlet |
Turtle Gut Inlet was an inlet located in what is now Wildwood Crest, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. [1]
Turtle Gut Inlet separated Five Mile Beach from Two Mile Beach, both of which are now connected. The inlet was approximately located at the site of Diamond Beach in Lower Township, which is partially on Two Mile Beach and partially on land reclaimed as a result of the closure of Turtle Gut Inlet.
Turtle Gut Inlet is labeled as Turtle Inlet on a 1706 map by John Thornton, [2] and as Turtle Gutt on a map published in 1749 by Lewis Evans. [3]
In June 1776, the naval Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet was fought in the inlet and in the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. This was the only battle of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in Cape May County.
Turtle Gut Inlet was described in 1834 as,
Turtle Gut Inlet, Lower t-ship, Cape May co., between Five Mile and Two Mile Beach. [4]
Turtle Gut Inlet was described in 1878, viz.,
Turtle Gut Inlet is a small channel connecting Richardson and Grassy Sounds with the ocean. It has three feet of water on its bar. [5]
The closing of Turtle Gut Inlet in 1922 has made Two Mile Beach continuous with Five Mile Beach. [1] Sunset Lake is a remnant of Turtle Gut Inlet.
Cape May County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Much of the county is located on the Cape May Peninsula, bounded by the Delaware Bay to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south and east. Adjacent to the Atlantic coastline are five barrier islands that have been built up as seaside resorts. A consistently popular summer destination with 30 miles (48 km) of beaches, Cape May County attracts vacationers from New Jersey and surrounding states, with the summer population exceeding 750,000. Tourism generates annual revenues of about $6.6 billion as of 2018, making it the county's single largest industry, with leisure and hospitality being Cape May's largest employment category. Its county seat is the Cape May Court House section of Middle Township.
North Wildwood is a city located on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 4,041, reflecting a decline of 894 (-18.1%) from the 4,935 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 82 (-1.6%) from the 5,017 counted in the 1990 Census. North Wildwood is home to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse.
Wildwood is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area and is a popular summer resort destination along the Jersey Shore. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's year-round population was 5,325, reflecting a decline of 111 (-2.0%) from the 5,436 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 952 (+21.2%) from the 4,484 counted in the 1990 Census. With visitors, the population can swell to 250,000 during the summer months. Wildwood was the first city in New Jersey to have a female mayor, Doris W. Bradway, who was ousted in a 1938 recall election.
Wildwood Crest is a borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 3,270, reflecting a decline of 710 (−17.8%) from the 3,980 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 349 (+9.6%) from the 3,631 counted in the 1990 Census.
The Jersey Shore is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about 141 miles (227 km) of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Point in the south. The region includes Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, and Cape May counties, which are in the central and southern parts of the state. Located in the center of the Northeast Megalopolis, the northern half of the shore region is part of the New York metropolitan area, while the southern half of the shore region is part of the Delaware Valley. The Jersey Shore hosts the highest concentration of oceanside boardwalks in the United States.
Seven Mile Island or Seven Mile Beach is the name of a barrier island on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is divided between the boroughs of Avalon to the north, from 6th to 80th Streets, and Stone Harbor to the south, from 80th Street to Hereford Inlet.
Ocean Drive is a series of local roads in southern New Jersey, connecting Atlantic City to Cape May along barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of several roads and includes all five toll bridges owned by the Cape May County Bridge Commission.
Corson Inlet is a narrow strait on the southern coast of New Jersey in the United States.
The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet was an important, early naval victory for the Continental Navy and the future "Father of the American Navy", Captain John Barry. It was the first privateer battle of the American Revolutionary War. The battle resulted in the first American casualty of the war in New Jersey, Lieutenant Richard Wickes, brother of Captain Lambert Wickes. It was the only Revolutionary War battle fought in Cape May County.
Nancy was an American sailing vessel, noted in sources as either a brig or a brigantine, that was chartered to transport war supplies during the American Revolutionary War. After learning that independence had been declared, her captain, according to his daughter, raised the first American flag in a foreign port. Evading British capture, she was later intentionally destroyed with a huge blast on June 29, 1776, during the Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet near Cape May, New Jersey.
Peters Beach or Peter Beach is a former barrier island located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. It is now a part of Brigantine Island.
Wardell's Beach is the historic name of a barrier spit located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It takes its name from Eliakim Wardell, an early owner, and his descendants. Since the 19th century it has been joined physically to Sandy Hook, and contains the boroughs of Monmouth Beach and Sea Bright.
Squan Beach is the historic name of a barrier spit located on the Jersey Shore of the Atlantic Ocean in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Since the closing of Cranberry Inlet around 1812, it has been joined physically to Island Beach, and is a major component of the Barnegat Peninsula.
Pecks Beach or Peck's Beach is a barrier island located on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, New Jersey.
Five Mile Beach or Holly Beach is the name of a barrier island on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County. The popular resort area collectively known as The Wildwoods are on Five Mile Beach and adjacent islands.
Two Mile Beach is a barrier island on the Jersey Shore in Cape May County, since 1922 connected to Five Mile Beach.
Brigantine Inlet is an inlet connecting Little Bay with the Atlantic Ocean in Atlantic County, New Jersey.
Townsends Inlet is an inlet connecting Townsend Sound with the Atlantic Ocean in Cape May County, New Jersey.
Hereford Inlet is an inlet in Cape May County, New Jersey.
Cape May Inlet is an inlet in southeastern Cape May County, New Jersey.