Double Trouble State Park

Watershed that supplies Barnegat linked to State Park In Ocean County

Double Trouble State Park offers an outstanding example of the Pine Barrens ecosystem and a window into the Pine Barrens history. The park provides the protection and interpretation of over 8000 acres of significant natural, cultural, and recreational resources representative of the Pinelands National Reserve.

Its location and resource base afford an opportunity to introduce visitors to The Jersey Shore's natural and cultural heritage. Both the natural environment, consisting of a high quality Pinelands watershed, and an extremely well preserved historic village associated with New Jersey cranberry agriculture and Atlantic White Cedar logging and milling industries are available to visitors at Double Trouble State Park.

There are conflicting stories about the naming of Double Trouble. Most of the common legends centered around the dam on Cedar Creek. The earliest story attributes the name to Thomas Potter who coined the words "Double Trouble" after spring rains washed out the dam two times in one season.

A more colorful legend involves local muskrats that persisted in gnawing at the dam, which caused frequent leaks. Such leaks gave rise to the alarm "Here's trouble", upon which workmen would rush to repair the leak. One day two breaks were discovered and one worker overheard the shout "Here's double trouble". Whatever the origin of the name, most sources suggest that the unusual title was born with the start of the cranberry industry.

Double Trouble Village was typical of company towns built in the Pine Barrens. These isolated communities were entirely self-sufficient and totally dependent on the success of the particular industry. The restored sawmill and cranberry packing house contain nearly intact equipment. Those two buildings were the focus of life and work in the village, which also includes a late 19th century one room schoolhouse, general store, bunk house, cook house, shower house, maintenance shop, pickers' cottages and the foreman's house. The restored sawmill and cranberry packing house are open during guided village tours, while the remaining buildings have been adaptively reused or are not restored and are closed.

The village was purchase by the State of New Jersey in 1964 to help protect the Cedar Creek watershed. The Double Trouble Historic District was placed on the State Register of Historic Places in 1977 and on the National Register in 1978.

The Cedar Creek watershed lies mostly in Berkeley and Lacey Townships and drains an area of 54.3 square miles and drains into Barnegat Bay, and is part of the Barnegat Bay Watershed Management Area.

This move in condition colonial, near Double Trouble State Park has 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, new eat in kitchen, dining room, living room with fireplace and a family room. Large master suite has walk in closet and full bath. Entertain on multi decked back yard with heated in ground pool. Walking distance to all schools and easy access to Garden State Parkway. Minutes to Barnegat Bay and Long Beach Island.

Karl Hess, Barnegat
Your Agent on the Jersey Shore