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Remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck have washed up on a New Jersey beach

The Lawrence N. McKenzie sank along a notorious stretch of the coast of New Jersey in 1890. The whole crew survived.

Pieces of the Lawrence N. Mckenzie, a 98-foot schooner that sank off the coast of New Jersey in 1890, were discovered on the shore of Island Beach State Park.
Pieces of the Lawrence N. Mckenzie, a 98-foot schooner that sank off the coast of New Jersey in 1890, were discovered on the shore of Island Beach State Park.Read moreCourtesy of NJ State Parks

Remnants of a 136-year-old shipwreck have been discovered at Island Beach State Park in Ocean County. Large, wooden chunks of the Lawrence N. McKenzie, a 19th-century schooner that sank in the Atlantic Ocean on March 21, 1890, surfaced on the shoreline following weeks of beach erosion caused by persistent high winds and rough surf, according to a statement from State Park officials.

“Beach erosion during the winter months is common at Island Beach State Park and is part of a natural, cyclical process,” the statement said. “Most beaches recover from the erosion during the calmer summer months — but for now, this winter’s erosion has revealed a glimpse into the park’s maritime history.”

The 98-foot McKenzie was hauling oranges from Puerto Rico to New York City when it encountered a thick fog near Barnegat, New Jersey. According to a report that Captain Lawrence McKenzie filed with the insurance company, there was six feet of water in the vessel’s hold when members of the Cedar Creek U.S. Life Saving Service rescued the eight-person crew.

Barnegat’s coastline is notorious for its constantly shifting shoals and channels. The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that between 1705 and the introduction of the steamship, there were 40 shipwrecks each year off the coast of Barnegat, earning the coast of New Jersey the nickname “the graveyard of the Atlantic.”

Island Beach State Park officials are currently monitoring the area. They reminded visitors to respect the park’s historic artifacts. Touching or removing any part of such objects is prohibited and subject to summonses issued by the New Jersey State Park Police.