Barnegat Park, located in today’s Berkeley Township, was envisioned in 1887 as a retirement development for military officers. A planned community of 300 acres was laid out and 4,000 more set aside as a hunting reserve. It would have a train station, stores, churches and an electric train running to the bay, where a steam launch would take people to Island Beach or Barnegat Light. A hotel was planned by 1889 that would house 200 guests.