Did You Know? A Look at Lacey's History

This feature looks at five facts of Lacey’s history provided by “Forging Ahead: The 125th Anniversary of Lacey Township,” a book developed by the local historical society and stored at the library.

1. In the 1930s, cornfields located behind Eno’s Hotel were cleared to create an airfield, which was 2,000 feet long. The hangar was made of cinder blocks. Residents were able to take 3-minute rides to see their home from the sky.

2. During World War II, the Navy’s surveillance blimps practiced landing at the airfield.

3. After the airport closed, the Ocean County Mosquito Commission used the area in the 50s and 60s to store and fuel planes with DDT.

4. After an intensive cleanup of the land, the county purchased it for a park.

5. Once JCP&L started construction of its nuclear power plant on South Branch and Oyster Creek, Lacey’s villages were transformed into a sizeable town.