Great Egg Harbor River

The Great Egg Harbor River is one of the major rivers that flow through the Pinelands, an area of New Jersey that is largely pristine and undeveloped. The river rises in the suburbs southeast of Camden, near Berlin, and flows for 55 miles generally southeast, before entering Great Egg Harbor, which is located approximately 5 miles southwest of Atlantic City. The river is named for the large number of eggs that were once found in its waters by the Lenape people, who inhabited the area before the arrival of Europeans in the 18th century. During the American Revolutionary War, the river's estuary provided a safe haven for privateers. The presence of "bog iron" along the river led to the development of blast furnaces, as well as glass and brick factories, during the 19th century. Today, the river is known for its tea-colored "cedar water", which is created by the iron and tannin content of the fallen leaves that line its banks.