Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

Before bearing a general's name, it was an anonymous coordinate on an Army mobilization map: Camp 13. Established in 1917 — one of 13 national cantonments created to mobilize forces for World War I — the post was officially designated Camp Dix on July 18, 1917. As steam engines rumbled into Wrightstown and hammers beat a frantic rhythm across the New Jersey countryside, the cantonment claimed an enduring identity.

Its namesake, Major General John Adams Dix (1798–1879), brought a distinguished lineage of public service to the installation. Dix served in the War of 1812, commanded Union troops in the Civil War and held office as Governor of New York. This battle-tested veteran once thundered from the Treasury Department that anyone desecrating the Stars and Stripes should be "shot on the spot."

Logistically, the camp represented a benchmark in rapid wartime engineering: within months, construction crews erected 1,665 facilities across 143 architectural variations, transforming open farmland into a self-contained cantonment equipped with comprehensive medical facilities, industrial bakeries, dedicated utilities and recreational theaters.

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Camp Dix: 95 Years of Army Heritage

A century after trains first offloaded eager recruits into Wrightstown's dust, the proving ground of Camp Dix has transformed into a strategic anchor of modern American defense. Today, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst stands as the only tri-service installation across the entire Department of War. Uniting the air mobility missions of McGuire, the expeditionary training heritage of Dix and the aviation technology proving grounds of Lakehurst, the sprawling mega-base supports a vibrant community of more than 42,000 active-duty personnel, civilian professionals and military families. It remains what it was born to be in 1917: an indispensable springboard projecting American strength across the globe.

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Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst

As of July 2024, the New Jersey population estimate is 9,500,851 - (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: New Jersey).

Today, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, or JB MDL, represents the Department of War’s only tri-service joint installation, consolidating operations across the United States Air Force, Army and Navy. As one of the largest and most strategically vital military complexes in the nation, JB MDL encompasses more than 42,000 acres and supports an installation population exceeding 42,000 active-duty service members, civilian employees and family members, serving as the Eastern Seaboard's premier multi-domain power-projection platform.

For more information, visit the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst About Us page.

1. Regional Connectivity & Strategic Location

Nestled strategically in the Mid-Atlantic corridor, JB MDL offers a unique blend of quiet rural living coupled with immediate access to major metropolitan centers, transport hubs and world-renowned coastal destinations:

• Metropolitan Access: Positioned roughly midway between the Delaware River Valley and the Atlantic coast, the base is approximately 45 miles east of Philadelphia and 75 miles south-southwest of New York City.
• The Jersey Shore Corridor: The Lakehurst enclave sits merely 20 to 30 minutes from coastal Ocean County waters, while the western side is less than an hour away. Iconic seaside destinations — including Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park and Long Beach Island — offer accessible weekend retreats, saltwater boating, deep-sea fishing, and miles of public beaches.
• Transportation Arteries: The installation connects smoothly to major transit corridors, including the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95), Interstate 295, Interstate 195, and Route 70/Route 68, enabling straightforward logistics and rapid travel throughout the Northeast megalopolis.

2. The "Garden State" Heritage & Agricultural Landscape

True to New Jersey’s moniker as the Garden State, JB MDL is enveloped by one of the most productive and historic agricultural greenbelts in the Mid-Atlantic:

• Burlington County Farmlands: Directly flanking the western gates of McGuire and Fort Dix, Burlington County stands as one of New Jersey’s top agricultural producers, characterized by preserved equestrian farms, expansive grain and hay acreage, nursery stock and pastoral open space that insulates the base from urban sprawl.
• Cranberry Bogs & Blueberry Barrens: Central and southern New Jersey represents the cradle of commercial blueberry cultivation (cultivated nearby in Whitesbog Historic Village) and ranks among the nation's leading producers of cranberries. The Pinelands ecosystem surrounding the base features active bogs and historic cranberry harvest operations that carpet the landscape in deep crimson each autumn.
• Farm-to-Table Culture & Farm Stands: Military families enjoy direct access to an abundance of roadside farm markets, U-pick orchards and community-supported agriculture programs offering world-renowned Jersey fresh produce — celebrated Jersey sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, peaches, strawberries, and crisp apples — along with local cider mills, honey apiaries and estate wineries throughout Burlington and Monmouth counties.

3. Local Environment & Recreational Opportunities

Surrounded by protected pine forests and expansive agricultural acreage, JB MDL provides exceptional year-round outdoor and family recreation:

• The New Jersey Pinelands & State Forests: Directly bordering the 1.1-million-acre New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, the base is surrounded by pristine wilderness:
  • Brendan T. Byrne State Forest & Wharton State Forest: Offer hundreds of miles of multi-use trails for hiking, trail running, mountain biking, horseback riding and primitive camping.
  • Paddling & Kayaking: The nearby cedar-water waterways — including the Rancocas Creek, Mullica River and Batsto River — are renowned for scenic flatwater canoeing and kayaking.
  • On-Base & Local Lakes: Facilities like Lake Clementine, Pine Run Reservoir and Mirror Lake offer designated spots for freshwater fishing, paddleboarding and family picnicking.
• Coastal & Water Sports: With the Barnegat Bay and Atlantic Ocean minutes to the east, personnel enjoy world-class sailing, surfing, crabbing, jet skiing and coastal fishing charters.
• Parks, Golf, and Family Attractions: The region hosts numerous public golf courses, working farm orchards and major family destinations such as Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor in neighboring Jackson Township.

4. Deep Historical Heritage & Revolutionary War Crossroads

The region surrounding JB MDL holds profound significance in both early American foundation and modern military development. Known officially as the "Crossroads of the American Revolution," central New Jersey witnessed more military engagements and troop movements during the War for Independence than almost any other state:

• The Crossroads of the American Revolution:
  • The "Ten Crucial Days" & Washington's Crossing: Located less than 45 minutes west along the Delaware River, this historic corridor preserves the fateful turning point of the war. On Christmas night 1776, General George Washington led the Continental Army across the ice-choked Delaware River, landing at Johnson's Ferry before marching through sleet and snow to achieve decisive surprise victories at the First and Second Battles of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton. Today, Washington Crossing State Park, the Trenton Battle Monument and Princeton Battlefield State Park commemorate these defining triumphs.
  • Battle of Monmouth (Monmouth Battlefield State Park): Situated just north in Freehold/Manalapan, this sprawling preserved battlefield marks the site of the June 28, 1778 clash — one of the largest infantry and artillery engagements of the entire Revolutionary War. Here, Washington’s forces proved the efficacy of their Valley Forge winter drilling against General Sir Henry Clinton's British regulars in blistering summer heat, an engagement that also cemented the heroic folk legend of "Molly Pitcher."
  • Battle of Iron Works Hill (Mount Holly): Fought in December 1776 just south of the base footprint, this strategic diversionary action by colonial militia successfully pinned down thousands of Hessian and British troops, drawing critical enemy reinforcements away from Trenton and paving the way for Washington's Christmas triumph.
  • Historic Colonial & Revolutionary Towns: The communities encircling JB MDL preserve centuries-old living history:
    • Burlington City: Colonial capital of West Jersey, featuring 17th- and 18th-century architecture, the historic Rev. Colin Campbell house and deep Quaker heritage along the Delaware riverfront.
    • Mount Holly: Home to the historic Burlington County Prison Museum (designed by Robert Mills), the 1759 Brainerd Schoolhouse, and the Red Lion Inn corridor.
    • Bordentown: A historic revolutionary redoubt, former home of Patriot pamphleteer Thomas Paine, and later the riverside exile estate ("Point Breeze") of Joseph Bonaparte, former King of Spain and brother to Napoleon.
    • Crosswicks & Allentown: Picturesque historic villages featuring intact 18th-century Friends meeting houses — including the Crosswicks Friends Meetinghouse, which still bears a British cannonball lodged in its exterior brick wall from a 1778 skirmish.
• Naval Aviation & Airship History: Lakehurst holds a monumental place in global aviation history as the birthplace of rigid airship aviation in the United States and the site of the historic 1937 Hindenburg incident. The historic Hangar One, a National Historic Landmark, still dominates the eastern horizon.
• Century-Long Ground & Air Defense Legacy: Established during World War I in 1917, Fort Dix has mobilized and trained millions of American soldiers across every major conflict of the 20th and 21st centuries, while McGuire Air Force Base traces its airlift lineage back to World War II defense.

Base Directories

McGuire: 609-754-1110 or DSN 312-650-1110

Dix 609-562-1011 or DSN 312-562-1011

Lakehurst: 732-323-2011 or DSN 312-624-2011