Picture Of The Day – Harlan’s History: Severe Storm Damage to the Boardwalk and Buildings

Picture Of The Day – Harlan’s History: Severe Storm Damage to the Boardwalk and Buildings

Severe Storm Damage to the Boardwalk and Buildings

Stone Harbor, N.J. — September 1944

A black-and-white photo of Stone Harbor’s beach following the 1944 hurricane, showing rows of wooden boardwalk supports left standing without planks. The surf is visible in the background, and tall poles that once supported lights or railings remain upright, giving a sense of the boardwalk’s former length and location.

In these dramatic photographs from 1944, we witness the extensive wreckage of Stone Harbor’s boardwalk and beachfront following one of the most destructive weather events in the borough’s history. On September 14, 1944, the Great Atlantic Hurricane swept across the South Jersey coast, leaving devastation in its wake.

A black-and-white photo of Stone Harbor’s beach following the 1944 hurricane, showing rows of wooden boardwalk supports left standing without planks. The surf is visible in the background, and tall poles that once supported lights or railings remain upright, giving a sense of the boardwalk’s former length and location.

The images show splintered boardwalk framing and debris scattered along the sand. As a result of this widespread destruction, borough officials—reflecting both public sentiment and financial constraints—made the difficult decision not to rebuild the wooden promenade. Originally constructed between 1914 and 1916, the boardwalk lasted only 28 years.

Visible in the background of the second image is the structure at 97th Street that originally opened in July 1916 as the New Stone Harbor Casino. Over the years, it was renamed the Ocean View Hotel, and eventually operated as a beachside boarding house. Though it survived the 1944 hurricane, it was ultimately destroyed in the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962.

These historic photos tell the story of just how difficult it was for structures to withstand the brutal coastal elements—pounding surf, fierce winds, and relentless tides—that tested the resilience of Stone Harbor’s oceanfront year after year.

Preserving these stories and images helps us remember the powerful forces that shaped our shoreline and community.