Little Beach is a barrier island along the coast of New Jersey just north of Brigantine Island. It is believed to be the last uninhabited barrier island left on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Most believe Little Beach is part of Brigantine but in actuality it is part of Galloway Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey.
The island is now part of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Access is permitted only to researchers, who must apply for a federal permit.
In the early 1900s, Little Beach was a community on the verge of becoming a major beach resort. Plans to build a bridge from the mainland were abandoned in 1929, forever isolating Little Beach. For that reason, some call it the “Lost Island of New Jersey.”
A few signs of a once-active community remain: ruins of a lifesaving station, poles for power lines, an outhouse, and a deteriorating dock stretching the width of the island.
Legend has it in the late 1600’s Captain William Kidd buried his treasure somewhere at the north end of Brigantine Island or on Little Beach.
Little Beach as seen from the tip of the north end of Brigantine
