Bayside Center

     Sunday, May 14, 2023: After seeing East Point Lighthouse earlier in the day, I spent the afternoon seeing a different side of life near the Delaware Bay in Cumberland County, New Jersey: The Bayshore Center at Bivalve, 2800 High Street, Port Norris (856-785-2060). Unlike the lonely existence of a lighthouse keeper, living in the Bivalve section of Port Norris was very active—at least during the latter part of the 19th century and for most of the first half of the 20th century! To look at it currently, it looked remote, but when I visited the museum at the Bayshore Center, I learned a lot more about life around here, especially for those who worked in the oyster industry. At one time Bivalve was the “oyster capital of the world,” and in the museum, one of the rooms displayed the equipment people used to keep the oyster industry going. Other areas of the museum covered boat navigation, the conversion of the oyster boats from sails to being motorized after World War II, and about the natural life in the area. In addition, other exhibit areas had exhibits about African-Americans working in Bivalve (Many of whom got convinced to move here from the Chesapeake Bay area.), and about everyday life during the heyday of Bivalve. I also watched few videos that covered similar subjects to the ones shown in the museum. At the end of the day, I learned more about the oyster industry and about the lives of those who worked and lived in this area.