A recent Internet poll declared New Jersey is the most disliked state in the nation; last year Ocean County was named the most dangerous place in the country to live. Is this negative view of the state something new brought on by TV shows like “The Sopranos” and “Jersey Shore,” or do its roots go back almost 200 years?

One possibility is that the negative image began with a northeast gale in February 1846. This was a time before the formation of the volunteer lifesaving service.