By Bill Gallo | For NJ.com

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John Clendining walks on his dock in front of his cabin along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. His cabin is in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because it is in wetlands.

LOWER ALLOWAYS CREEK TWP. — Chuck Liber stepped from the dock at Hancocks Bridge into a small jon boat and set off on a journey on Alloways Creek that he's taken hundreds of times since the time when he was a child.

After a nearly five-mile journey through the winding tributaries of the tidal waters and past the walls of the wild marsh reeds obscuring the outside world, Liber arrived at his destination, the small cabin his father built and which he inherited.

As the outboard engine was shut off, the only sounds were the wind rustling the phragmites on land, the water gently lapping against the shoreline and the sound of Liber's feet and those who walked with him on the wooden dock.

There's a sense of peace and security at this tiny lonely, spot amid the thousands of acres of marshland.

It's a tangible link to the past, but it's now threatened with being erased from the rural Salem County landscape.

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One of eight cabins used by local fisherman along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River in Lower Alloways Creek Township is in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

'The cabins are illegal'

Environmental regulators say the cabins were built illegally and say they violate a number of laws. Those who own them say the move to destroy them is an example of state overreach and want to work with the state to save them.

For generations small cabins have dotted the shores of the marshlands of the county. The ones that remain today — just eight — are used by their owners and the many hunters, fishermen and complete strangers who happened across them along the tidal waters of Alloways Creek, Hope Creek and their tributaries.

Four of those cabins, including Liber's, are on private land. Another four are on state-owned property that's part of the Mad Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area, property acquired by the state in the last two decades.

All of these cabins "were placed there illegally and without approval from the state," DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said, but according to cabin owners, many of the structures were there well before New Jersey bought the land.

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'The state will have them removed'

The DEP's Caryn Shinske said to the agency's Division Fish and Wildlife's knowledge, the four cabins on state land did not exist when the property was purchased.

"If the cabins existed prior to the DFW purchasing the land there's no documented record for them. ... since the cabins are illegal and DFW never gave permission for them to be on state land, the state will have them removed."

The DEP says it purchased three of the Mad Horse properties in 1985. The fourth cabin property was purchased in September 2001.

A deadline of Nov. 30 has been set for owners of cabins on state property to "remove any and all artifacts, furniture, furnishing, personal property, etc. from these sites."

The DEP said in a letter that despite an appeal by the owners' attorney, its position on the cabins has not changed and the department had started the process to contract for the demolition of the cabins which could come in December at the earliest.

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The view from the back deck of one of the eight cabins in Lower Alloways Creek Township used by local fishermen that are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

A tip to the hotline

The marshland where the cabins are located is vast. The Mad Horse Creek Wildlife Management Area covers some 9,300 acres and the adjacent privately-owned lands cover several thousand more acres.

For years — actually generations — the cabins now targeted by the state have existed and been used with no notice from environmental officials until this year, owners say.

But that all changed early this year when a complaint was called into a DEP hotline early this year brought them to the state's attention, officials said.

A "compliance evaluation" of the cabins took place in mid-March and owners were notified in June they were in violation of state codes for activities in the wetlands.

Liber says he was told he needed permits for his cabin, the dock and walkways around the structure which is named the "Half-Way House" because of its location on what's locally known as Half-Way Creek.

The Elsinboro resident was also cited for what he was told was "unpermitted discharge" to the surface waters, mostly water that was retrieved from the nearby creek, used for cleaning fish or washing hands or dishes and returned, he says.

Some point to the nearby Artificial Island nuclear generating complex and the access road which cuts across the marshland to it and ask how much stormwater runoff is produced by those compared to the tiny marsh cabins.

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Other cabin owners received notices similar to Liber's. Those owners say they want to work with the state to be in compliance with all rules.

"If you have a small, unique recreational getaway that when you were a 9-year-old boy you shared with your father until he died and now you continue to share it with your son and daughter, grandsons and granddaughters for a total of 63 years, it hurts when you find out that you may have to give everything up and walk away," said Liber who is now in his 70s.

Liber recently invited visitors to see his cabin. He showed off the pencil marks inside the door frame showing the height of his younger relatives and visitors over the years. Ascending to his rooftop widow's walk, the view made it obvious why this place holds such a special place in his heart and others lucky enough to have visited.

Liber says that the state once before appeared ready to evict the cabin owners. In the early 1970s, it posted signs on the cabins saying they were illegal, but never took any more action until this year.

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Chuck Liber looks at markings of the height of children that visited his cabin in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Eight cabins used by local fishermen are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Decades of history

There's a long history of cabins around Salem County's waterways, including in Lower Alloways Creek Township.

Mainly hunters, trappers, fishermen and crabbers who used the cabins through the last century depended on their harvests from the land and waters for their living. They were part of the rural landscape and culture.

At one time there were scores of them, including near the mouth of Hope Creek where today just two remain. Most of the cabins have vanished after being abandoned or were washed away by eroding shorelines. Some were rebuilt or even moved back —like Liber's — from the encroaching waters.

Liber recalls that his father bought their family's cabin in 1954. In 1958, he said, a large fire swept through the marshland and destroyed the building. In 1967 his father rebuilt and that building stands today.

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Chuck Liber stands in the sleeping area of his cabin in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Eight cabins used by local fishermen are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Each of the remaining cabins are unique. Most are built on pilings and average about 200 square feet and consist of a single large room. Some, like Liber's, have a kitchen, dining/living area sleeping area and even an outdoor sink to clean fish.

With no electric, some of the cabin owners use solar power for light. Others bring out generators on their visits to power lights and fans. Other have used propane for cooking and lighting.

None of the cabins are accessible by land, only by boat. The fact they are so sturdy and have endured so many years in the wind-swept meadow is a testament to their builders' and caretakers' skills.

The creeks and their smaller tributaries that wind through the meadow are the highways used to get to them. Unless a person travels the waters for hunting or pleasure where they are located they may not even know the cabins exist.

Liber fondly recalls family gatherings, dinners and the launch of hunting parties from his cabin which he shares with friends. Because of its distance from civilization, the skies are especially dark at night providing clear viewing of stars and even meteor showers, he says.

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An IOU from March 1998 hangs inside the kitchen cabinet in the cabin of Chuck Liber and Bob Spence in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Eight cabins used by local fishermen are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

None of the cabins are ever locked.

They are open for anyone's use. During storms boaters and hunters have sought refuge in them. Other times those on the water just stop to rest and relax. With little exception, visitors respect the property as if it were their own.

Log books in the cabins record hundreds of visitors' names and expressions of thanks for the opportunity to stop by. The notes range from boaters and hunters to marine police, cabin owners say.

One of Liber's neighbors even stopped by once to borrow some Old Bay from Liber's spice closet.

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Visitors are asked to sign a log book at John Clendining's cabin that is built along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. His cabin is in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because it is in wetlands.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

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SEE MORE PHOTOS

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One of eight cabins used by local fisherman along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River in Lower Alloways Creek Township is in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Raised on the water

John Clendining of Richwood built his cabin on land his family has owned for decades. Most of the wood used is white pine from his own farm.

"Everybody who's been by these cabins has stopped at least once," Clendining said. "One family stopped four or five times last summer."

He recalled that once when trapping during the winter he slipped into the freezing creek and sought refuge in Liber's cabin, which he happened to be near, to dry off.

"I can't figure out who it's (the cabins' existence) bothering," he said. To lose his cabin "would make me sick," Clendining said."

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John Clendining travels along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River to visit cabins in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Eight cabins are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because it is in wetlands.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Butch Bradbury said his family cabin has been existence since the 1950s or '60s and despite that, it's now slated for demolition because it sits on state-owned property.

The first indication there was an issue was around the July 4 holiday when a family member went to the Bradbury cabin to find a notice from the state DEP posted on the property warning "Access and Entry Prohibited." It said that "This building and all structures attached to it are illegally on state property" and anyone found there could face legal action for trespassing.

Recently the family sent aerial photos, Lower Alloways Creek tax records and land leases it had with previous owner showing the cabin existed prior to when the state purchased the land, but to no avail.

The family says that it's willing to work with the state in determining a solution that address its concerns yet allow the cabin to be maintained and in use.

"I was raised on the water and boated all of my life. The cabin is a great place to spend quality time with the family. I enjoyed sharing these boating, fishing, crabbing, hunting and watching wildlife experiences with my children and now my grandchildren," Bradbury said.

"The cabin can be used winter, summer, spring and fall and we have loved it. It is a safe place to raise the family and teach them to respect the earth and practice being good citizens of the land. They understand that the land should be respected and the outdoor resources should be preserved for recreational experiences which includes experiencing Salem County's heritage."

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A sign explaining the rules hangs on the wall in the cabin of Chuck Liber in Lower Alloways Creek Township, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Eight cabins used by local fishermen are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

The cabin owners say they have reached out to various state officials all the way up to the lieutenant governor's office and the response has been the same — it's the DEP's decision on what to do with the cabins.

While the owners of the cabins on private land must sort through compliance issues they've been cited for, the most urgent situation appears to be with those cabins on state land.

Around Salem County there has been a rallying of support of the cabin owners. Many who know the owners or have visited the structures are among those showing their support.

"The demolition of the cabins or imposition of environmental permitting regulations, is considered to be an onerous, unnecessary burden with regard to prevalent environmental conditions," the Salem County Board of Chosen Freeholders said in a resolution in support of keeping the cabins because of their "local historic importance."

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A view from the kitchen in one of the eight cabins in Lower Alloways Creek Township used by local fishermen that are in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

Of the four cabins on private land, the DEP said, one is actually a houseboat which the owner has agreed to move and the owner of a second cabin has agreed to demolish the structure.

That will leave just two of the eight cabin owners — Liber and Clendining — to attempt to comply with state rules and save their cabins and a piece of history.

Despite the efforts, the DEP says it's moving ahead to demolish the other four cabins, which they referred to as "shacks" in their solicitation for demolition bids sent out last week.

The DEP also told the owners of those cabins to "schedule a time to come to Trenton and go through the box" of items state workers took from the buildings when they visited earlier this year.

In their battle with the state, the cabin owners have hired Princeton attorney Stuart J. Lieberman to represent them.

Lieberman says the DEP may have failed to follow the law if it didn't take an inventory of the buildings on the property it bought. He requested the state put any demolition plans on hold and hinted if it doesn't there could be legal action.

"This is local culture and it is significant, unique, cherished and important. Preserving these cabins keep this rich tradition alive," Lieberman says.

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One of eight cabins used by local fisherman along the waterways between Hancocks Bridge and the Delaware River in Lower Alloways Creek Township is in danger of being demolished by the New Jersey Department of Environmental protection because they are in wetlands, Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017.

Tim Hawk | For NJ.com

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Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.