Legend of Shark River

This is stop #15 on the Belmar Treasure Trail, one of the original interpretive signs in our Treasure Trail. The Treasure Trail series of education signs was developed by the Belmar Environmental Commission in partnership with the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium, New Jersey Sea Grant and the Department of Environmental Protection. Read the sign to learn some of the legends behind how Shark River got its name. This is also a good place to mention the residential area you will see across the street. This part of town, historically known as Rhode Island Point, was annexed to Belmar in 1927. Different from the rest of Belmar, this section of town was a seasonal resort with summer bungalows and tents. Centuries before, it was a favorite summer Indian colony for the Lenni Lenape Indians, who frequented the area for summer camps and called the inlet and river “Nolletquesset.”