Thompson’s Beach

Note to self: Consider investing in waders.

Thompson’s Beach, much like Seabreeze or Grassy Sound, was a tiny little-known town on the water. The road leading out to is was surrounded by marsh and was difficult to upkeep. Eventually the township decided maintaining a lone road that led to a handful of houses, many of which were summer homes, was not worth it. The houses were leveled; the docks, bulkhead, bits of foundations, and a single fireplace remain today. The road itself has obviously deteriorated since then. Sections of asphalt are left, but for the most part the road is mud, rock, and reeds.
I’m not exactly sure when the town was demolished, although a few people have said it was during the 90’s.


The road to the town.

The road that leads to Thompson’s Beach stops about 2/3 mile from the actual town. There’s a small parking lot with birdwatching stands on either side. A small iron gate prevents anyone from driving down the rest of the road. So from here we had to hoof it. We tried our best to avoid mud, but it was a lost cause. A surprising number of dead horseshoe crabs were scattered about the trail.
Finally reaching the shoreline, we noticed nearly all the bulkhead was still intact. Skeletons of docks were also present, as were bricks and concrete from the houses. With the exception of the fireplace, we couldn’t tell where exactly the houses were. We found half a tea cup and a bunch of rusty crab traps. Wires and pipes still stick out of the ground in places.


Dead horseshoe crabs.

Author: Stu

5 thoughts on “Thompson’s Beach

  1. I have a picture of the original cottage that this remaining fireplace actually belonged to in thompsons beach.please send me your email so I can send you the pic

  2. This fireplace is all that remains of the cottage owned by my Uncle Walt and Aunt Emma Earling of Millville NJ. I don’t know when he obtained if, in the late 40’s or early 50’s I think, but I understand he, and his son-in-law, Len Dewsnap and probably my Uncle Aaron Bailey ,married to Aunt Emma’s sister Bertha, built the fire place. I, and my family spent many happy hours along with my mother Jennie ,Aunt Emma and Aunt Bert’s other sister .. This cottage was always full of friends of Walt and Em’s. My children, both in their 50’s still often talk about all the good times they had with their cousins hunting king crabs and exploring the beach.going out fishing for Weakies, cleaning them and having them for dinner along with some local veggies.This was the good life until the Township in their infinite stupidity decided to close it down. Their souls should be burning in h–l for this act.

  3. Hi, i was just curious if you posted the before picture somewhere of the house with the fireplace?

  4. @Len, I would love to see a picture of the original house where the fireplace still stands! Thanks for sharing some info about the house and the happy memories that took place there!

  5. How did Thompson’s beach get its name??
    Did the Lenope Indians really gift it to princess snowflower and her husband, a (Thompson). So I have heard this story over the years….

Comments are closed.