Once it realized the depth of the creek would become more shallow, Burgess said, the shark turned around to head back into the sea. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. NJ.com reported that in 1916, deadly shark attacks terrorized Monmouth and Ocean counties, killing four swimmers. In July, 1916, the Jersey Shore was the scene of a series of shark attacks resulting in several deaths and injuries. Eager to learn more? It flared again with the gruesome tales of shark feeding frenzies in the Pacific during World War II. Doctors examining the body were convinced this was indeed a shark attack. Become a Member. Charles Broder, a 27-year-old Swiss bell captain at the Essex and Sussex Hotel in Spring Lake, becamethe second sharkfatality in the string of attacks that left four dead andone injured. Only one other similar episode has occurred, Mr. Burgess said, and that was off the coast of Egypt in 2010, when a single shark was believed to have attacked two people. Tickets are $10 per person at the door. The town of Matawan has always had an uneasy relationship with this legacy, torn between ignoring the tragedy or blatantly cashing in like Salem, Massachusetts does with its witch trial history. Cash rewards were offered for sharks. Its an important story, he said. Others said they didnt see him holding anything. Friends tried to bandage the wound, but Fisher would bleed to death later that day. They arent found on land, wandering the streets, lurking in city shadows, or even hiding under your bed. Related: Rescuing the SS Pendleton: The Coast Guards Greatest Rescue, Local shopkeeper Stanley Fisher joined the underwater search for poor Lester Stillwell. Our COMMUNITY History of Matawan Matawan Shark Attacks Paddleboarding at the 1916 Matawan shark attack site - YouTube Cottrells opinion would change on July 12,when while walking across a trolley bridge he spotted what he knew for a fact was a large shark swimming inland up the waterway. President Woodrow Wilson, a former New Jersey governor who was running for reelection that summer, convened an emergency meeting of his cabinet and dispatched a Coast Guard cutter to fish for the monsters.. And check in onFacebook,Tumblr, andTwitterto participate in the daily offerings of unsavory Halloween treats. Watch me float, fellas! Lester gloated to his friends, according to published accounts of the day. Others in the search party rushed to Stanley, and beat the shark from their boat. It's a sad story, and one that remains infamous over 100 years later.. Thats why people are drawn to it.. One them, an 11-year-old apprentice named Lester Stillwell, waded into the creek and had just shouted Hey fellas, watch me float! when his friends saw a dark form surge toward him. Advertisement Matawan Creek is a creek and partially a tidal inlet of Raritan Bay. SITE OF THE 1916 SHARK ATTACKS: MATAWAN CREEK, Matawan, New Jersey. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Fisher lived about two hours. Jeanette Walker, 61, a librarian at the Matawan-Aberdeen Public Library, called the commemoration overwhelming, because of the influx of visitors and phone calls to the library. What Is Man-Eater Matawan Mural In New Jersey? - Only In Your State Bridge where the shark was spotted in Matawan Creek, 1916 Matawan Shark Attack Monument - Matawan Memorial Park on Main Street, 1916 Matawan Shark Attack Monument - Dock Street, Site of a Matawan Creek shark attack in 1916, Grave of Lester Stillwell, killed by the shark in 1916, Michael Schleisser and the shark caught in Raritan Bay in 1916, The Philadelphia Inquirer report on the shark capture, Site of the New Jersey Shark Attacks of 1916. This water tower commemorates the invention of the transistor on this site in 1947. The last shark attacks in New Jersey were non-fatal incidents. After seeing their friend being pulled under and the water turning red, his friends sprinted into town screaming and townspeople ran to the Matawan Creek to try and find the boy. 6 min The shark mania that grips the country each summer began July 1, 1916, when a young stockbroker from Philadelphia headed into the surf at Beach Haven, N.J. Before then, there wasn't much. Check out the book Shark Attacks of the Jersey Shore: A History as well as its similar titles at arcadiapublishing.com! Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Other residents rushed him to a train, which brought him to the closest hospital, in Long Branch, N.J., where he died. I wanted her to see it, but she didnt think too much of it, Crawford recalled. Armed only with a broken oar, Schleisser was able to kill the shark and its body was towed back to a dock in South Amboy. Shockingly, in 1916, four shark attacks occurred on the same day! Thomas Cottrell, a retired captain, witnessed an enormous dark form moving with the tide toward the old Matawan docks. The 11-year-old died in 1916 after being attacked by what was believed to be a great white shark that also killed three other people. It's an interesting addition to the area and a warning of what could possibly happen in this innocent-looking creek. The original local articles about the attacks are available online. That railroad trestle lies on the boarder of Aberdeen and Matawan and is the property of NJ Transit. Matawan Man-Eater shark attack in New Jersey kicked off frenzy - The Fernicola will speak at 7 p.m.Thursdayat the Spring Lake Community House located at Madison and Third avenues. They aren't found on land, wandering the streets, lurking in city shadows, or even hiding under your bed. Finally, he broke the surface. Area resident Paul Cameron posted a photo of a pair of Bimini Bahamas sharks resembling those spotted near Navesink River docks. There are activities from July 9-17, including a wreath-laying on the graves of Stillwell and Fisher July 12 in Rose Hill Cemetery and the dedication of a monument at Memorial Park July 17. Bridge over the Matawan Creek where the shark was spotted (photograph by the author). No one believed it was actually a shark. Shark panic descended on most of the Eastern Seaboard. No purchase necessary. A version of this article appears in print on, A Century Later, Memories of Fatal Shark Attacks Linger in New Jersey, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/11/nyregion/a-century-later-memories-of-fatal-shark-attacks-linger-in-new-jersey.html. The Matawan Shark Attack: A Deadly Day in 1916 (Cameron's photo was taken off the Bimini Big Game Club dock in Bimini, Bahamas.). The Matawan Shark Attack: A Deadly Day in 1916, Shark Attacks of the Jersey Shore: A History, Rescuing the SS Pendleton: The Coast Guards Greatest Rescue. The shark mural is painted over the archway of a tunnel for the NJ Transit Train crossing over Matawan Creek seen from High St. In this week's special shark-themed episode, we look at a series of shark attacks that occurred along the Jersey Shore back in 1916. Suddenly, a huge fish rose, snatched Lesters arm and flung him up and down, then dragged him deeper into the creek. They found a perfect spot for a dip in Matawan Creek. 105 years ago today, a shark swam into the Matawan Creek and took the lives of an 11 and 24-year old, after having attacked two others over the previous 12 days. Click here Are sharks the most feared animal on the planet? Our second trip shooting some footage back in the matawan creek at the location of the 1916 Shark Attack in Matawan, NJ The 1916 episodes are noted by shark experts as rare instances in which a single shark appears to have killed multiple people, said George H. Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research and the International Shark Attack File. Unique destinations in the U.S. and Canada are our special obsession. Up the hill, Mr. Fishers grave is a short walk away. Before he could free the victims limb, the shark found Stanleys thigh. ", Visitor Tips and News About Shark Attack Monument. You never expect that kind of thing to happen here, said Kauffmann of the Matawan Historical Society. But in recent years, Mr. Nichols, a professor emeritus at Pennsylvania State University, said his family has received international attention because of the 1916 attacks. Vansant was an experienced swimmer but on his way back to shore onlookers notice a large triangular fin slowly following him. The doctor estimated that10 pounds of flesh been torn away. Lifeguard Alexander Ott rushed out to help Vansant out of the extremely shallow water and into medical care, but his injuries were too severe and he would bleed to death at the very hotel his family was staying in. Stanley Fisher, a tall, athletic, 24-year-old tailor, ran into the creek. The shark then attacked a 14-year-old boy in Cliffwood Beach, who survived. The would-be rescuers assumed that the boy must have drowned. New information, stories, and new photos the original photos used by the New York Times will be shown during the tour. The panic came slowly. Those fatal attacks were in Spring Lake and Matawan Creek -- about 10 miles from the sea, according to the Global Shark Attack file. 100 years later, shark attacks still echo - Asbury Park Press Matawan Creek Shark Attack Location Part 2 - YouTube The attack site is just on the other side of the tunnel. Man-Eater of Matawan Shark Attack Site by Drone - DronerTV Despite the panic, the residents of Matawan felt there was absolutely no reason to take any action. Read more Sarah Durn August 9, 2022 Want to see fewer ads? Of course, sharks are rarely dangerous to humans and tend . It is in New Jersey, not New York. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. Winner will be selected at random on 09/01/2023. Stanley Fisher: Shark Attack Hero of a Bygone Age.. POTUS landmarks, oddities. The Scots Presbyterians landed at Matawan Creek in the 17th Century and established a number of churches in the area, including communities at Wickatunk, Old Tennent, and Mount Pleasant (the present day First Presbyterian Church of Matawan). He alone would live. He knew that sharks dont swim in brackish water like Matawan Creek, but he remembered recent accounts of shark attacks in nearby Spring Lake. Shark Attack Commemoration Tour - Matawan Historical Society He was joined by 24-year-old Stanley Fisher and 20-year-old George Burlew. But he just missed crossing paths with a group of young workers from a basket factory who had been given the sweltering afternoon off for a swim. New Mexicos Stolen LandsAnd The Fight To Win Them Back, 5 Music History Books To Read If You Love Bobby Braddock, Protesting in America: 5 Rebellions in American History, Summer of 1996: 20 Things America Was Obsessing About 20 Years Ago, 9 Fascinating Facts About Womens Contributions Throughout History. But by the time lifeguards carried him ashore, a crowd including his parents watched as he bled out onto the sand. War on Sharks, a front-page headline in The Washington Postdeclared on July 15, 1916. Michael dove into the water, trying to pull Joseph to safety. Offer available only in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico). They said Fisher, an athlete, fought like a wild man, punching and kicking the dark beast in a cloud of blood and water. To recognize this event in Beach Haven's history, the New Jersey Maritime Museum and the Shark Research Institute have joined to present "12 Days of Terror," a shark awareness wine dinner at Buckalew's Restaurant -Tavern, 101 North Bay Ave. from 5 to 9 p.m.July 6. He seldom spoke of the incident, even as it became known around the globe. A shark sunk its teeth into Charles Vansant, the 25-year-old son of a Philadelphia businessman, out for an evening swim in the resort town of Beach Haven on July 1. During the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, the creek was made infamous due to the shark attacks on July 12, 1916, occurring 1.5 miles (2.5 km) from the ocean. according to the Global Shark Attack file. A giant portrait of a shark now stands roughly where the creek attacks occurred. A crowd gathered and a group of young men began to swim warily in the shallows, hoping to find a sign of the boys body. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. Most of the flesh had been torn off of Josephss leg, but miraculously the shark had failed to crush any bones or sever an artery. Site of the New Jersey Shark Attacks of 1916 - Atlas Obscura She remembered the shark grabbing him by the stomach, Crawford said. Philadelphia Inquirer report on the attacks (via Philadelphia Inquirer). While it's unclear if it's a permanent addition, the site of the shark attack is currently marked by a painted shark. A monument commemorating the discoverer of radio astronomy. Lester Stillwell, 11, son of a poor familly and suffering from epilepsy, was swimming with friends off the docks in the narrow brackish creek when he was pulled under and . Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. There have been sightings of sharks in the Navesink River and elsewhere along the Jersey Shore in past years. Within the hour, and less than a mile from the attack on Fisher, the shark would strike again, this time attacking 12-year-old Joseph Dunn, who was also swimming in the Matawan Creek with his brother Michael and friends. In July 2011, a fisherman wading in Egg Harbor (Atlantic County) was bitten in the boot. In honor of the heroism exhibited by many and the events that followed, the Matawan Historical Society will be hosting their annual Shark Attack Commemoration Tour that day. The fatal chompings later inspired the book and movie "Jaws." . Biologists had largely dismissed the first attacks as flukes, and in any case sharks were all but unknown in those brackish waters. He died minutes later. How can this be? In frustration, Cottrell literally ran through the streets warning passersby to avoid the water. In July 2011, a fisherman wading in Egg Harbor (Atlantic County) was bitten in the boot. There also were fatalities at Beach Haven July 1 and Spring Lake July 6. Matawan, New Jersey, located 30 miles north of Spring Lake, had undoubtedly heard about the attacks and the precautionary measures being taken by coastal New Jersey towns. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. clockThis article was published more than6 years ago. Around 2 pm that day, 11-year-old Lester Stillwell was swimming in the Matawan Creek with some friends near the Wyckoff dock when he was attacked by the shark.
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