Ocean City, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Ocean City is a city
in Cape May County
, New Jersey
, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701. In summer months, with an influx of tourists and second homeowners, there are estimated to be 115,000 to 130,000 within the city's borders.
Ocean City originated as a borough
by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on May 3, 1884, from portions of Upper Township
, based on results from a referendum on April 30, 1884, and was reincorporated as a borough on March 31, 1890. Ocean City was incorporated as a city, its current government form, on March 25, 1897.
Known as a family-oriented seaside resort, Ocean City has prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages within its limits since its founding in 1879. Ocean City has miles of guarded beaches, a 2.5-mile boardwalk
, and a quaint downtown shopping and dining district.
The Travel Channel
rated Ocean City as the Best Family Beach of 2005. It was ranked the third best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. In the 2009 Top 10 Beaches Contest, Ocean City ranked first.
From early June through Labor Day, Ocean City requires individuals age 12 and up to purchase a beach tag
to access its beaches. For the 2010 season, access tags were on offer as follows: One-day pass: $5.00; Weeklong pass: $10.00; Seasonal pass: $25.00 (if purchased before Memorial Day, seasonal tags are $15.00.)
September 10, 1879, four Methodist ministers, Ezra B. Lake, James Lake, S. Wesley Lake and William Burrell chose the island as a suitable spot to establish a Christian
retreat and camp meeting on the order of Ocean Grove
. They met under a tall cedar tree, which stands today in the lobby of the Ocean City Tabernacle. Having chosen the name “Ocean City”, the founders incorporated the “Ocean City Association”, laid out street and lots for cottages, hotel and businesses. The Ocean City Tabernacle was built between Wesley and Asbury Avenues and between 5th and 6th Streets. Camp meetings were held by the following summer. As a result of its religious origins, the sale or public drinking of alcoholic beverages in Ocean City is prohibited.
From these beginnings Ocean City has grown into the city as it exists today. The first bridge was built to the island in 1883, while the first railroad soon followed. The first school began in 1881. The boardwalk
grew and was relocated several times. The ship Sindia joined other shipwrecks on the beach on December 15, 1901, on its way to New York City from Kobe
, Japan
, but has since sunk below the sand. A failed salvage attempt was launched in the 1970s, but none have been tried since. It was assumed by treasure hunters that after sailing back from Asia large amounts of treasure and plunder from the Boxer Rebellion
had been on board, although both crew and captain said otherwise. A large fire in 1927 changed the town significantly.
s in the world. It is 2½ miles long and runs north from 23rd Street to St. James Place. The boardwalk is marked with mile markers for people who are exercising.
The boardwalk was first built in 1880 from the Second Street wharf
to Fourth Street and West Avenue. In 1885, plans to extend the boardwalk along the entire beach were made as the city's first amusement house, a pavilion on the beach at 11th street called "The Excursion" opened. A second amusement park, the "I.G. Adams pavilion", at Ninth Street and the boardwalk, opened soon after but was destroyed by fire in 1893. Following a second catastrophic fire in 1927, the boardwalk and its businesses were rebuilt 300 feet (91.4 m) closer to the ocean on concrete pilings. Where the buildings and boardwalk once stood, parking was created for automobiles, which were gaining in popularity at the time. The Ocean City Music Pier opened one year later.
In 1965, the Wonderland Amusement Park opened on the boardwalk at 6th street, which is still open to this day and known as "Gillian's Wonderland Pier". Another amusement park, Playland's Castaway Cove, is also located nearby.
In 2007 controversy emerged about the city's proposed use of ipê
, a type of wood, to redeck parts of the boardwalk. Environmental activists immediately launched a campaign to stop the city's use of the wood, but Mayor Sal Perillo stood by the plan.
Bicycle and Surrey riding is permitted on the boardwalk at designated hours.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 11.1 square miles (28.7 km²), of which 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²) is land and 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²) (37.58%) is water.
Ocean City is a barrier island with bridge connections to Marmora (Upper Township)
by the 34th Street (Roosevelt Boulevard) Bridge, Egg Harbor Township by the Ocean City-Longport Bridge, Somers Point
by the 9th Street Bridge (NJ 52), and Strathmere (Upper Township)
by the Corson's Inlet Bridge. The eastern side of Ocean City borders the Atlantic Ocean
of 2000, there were 15,378 people, 7,464 households, and 4,008 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,222.8 people per square mile (858.0/km2). There were 20,298 housing units at an average density of 2,934.0 per square mile (1,132.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.57% White, 4.31% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 7,464 households out of which 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the city, the population was spread out with 16.4% under age 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,158, and the median income for a family was $61,731. Males had a median income of $42,224 versus $31,282 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $33,217. About 4.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
system of municipal government.
The mayor, the chief executive of the community, is chosen for a four-year term at the municipal election in May and serves part-time for a yearly salary. The mayor neither presides over, nor has a vote on the council. The mayor has veto power over ordinances, but such vetoes can be overridden by a vote of two-thirds of the Council.
City council is the legislative body and has seven members. Four members represent individual wards and three are elected at large. Each council person serves a staggered four-year term.
, the mayor is Jay Gillian. Members of the city council are Council President Michael Allegretto (at-large), Council Vice president Karen Bergman (Second Ward), Keith Hartzell (at-large), Tony Wilson (Third Ward), John Kemenosh (First Ward), Scott Ping (at-large) and Roy Wagner (Fourth Ward).
serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Ocean City Primary School (K-3; 309 students),
Ocean City Intermediate School (4-8; 454 students) and
Ocean City High School
(9-12; 1,345 students).
Students from Corbin City
, Sea Isle City
and Upper Township
attend Ocean City High School for grades 9-12, as part of sending/receiving relationship
s.
St. Augustine Regional School a K-8 coeducation
al Catholic school
closed in June 2008.
play at Carey Stadium
.
Noted current and former residents of Ocean City include:
City (New Jersey)
A City in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701. In summer months, with an influx of tourists and second homeowners, there are estimated to be 115,000 to 130,000 within the city's borders.
Ocean City originated as a borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on May 3, 1884, from portions of Upper Township
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...
, based on results from a referendum on April 30, 1884, and was reincorporated as a borough on March 31, 1890. Ocean City was incorporated as a city, its current government form, on March 25, 1897.
Known as a family-oriented seaside resort, Ocean City has prohibited the sale of alcoholic beverages within its limits since its founding in 1879. Ocean City has miles of guarded beaches, a 2.5-mile boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
, and a quaint downtown shopping and dining district.
The Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
rated Ocean City as the Best Family Beach of 2005. It was ranked the third best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium. In the 2009 Top 10 Beaches Contest, Ocean City ranked first.
From early June through Labor Day, Ocean City requires individuals age 12 and up to purchase a beach tag
Beach tag
A beach tag is an admission pass that must be purchased at many of the beaches along the New Jersey Shore. The system restricts summer beach access to residents and paying visitors. Visitors and residents in communities with the beach tag system typically pay a fee for a daily, weekly or seasonal...
to access its beaches. For the 2010 season, access tags were on offer as follows: One-day pass: $5.00; Weeklong pass: $10.00; Seasonal pass: $25.00 (if purchased before Memorial Day, seasonal tags are $15.00.)
History
Known first as Peck's Beach, a seven-mile stretch of sand dunes, meadows and cedar swamps, was probably named for John Peck, a whaler who used the island as a staging spot for his whaling operation. The island had served as a summer fishing camp for local Native Americans, a grazing land for cattle driven out from the mainland and an occasional hunting or picnic spot for mainland residents who would come out by boat. Original ownership of the land was by the Somers family. Several individuals had made their home on the island, most notable of which was Parker Miller who had served as an agent for marine insurance companies. He and his family lived in a home at about what is now the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Asbury Avenue.September 10, 1879, four Methodist ministers, Ezra B. Lake, James Lake, S. Wesley Lake and William Burrell chose the island as a suitable spot to establish a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
retreat and camp meeting on the order of Ocean Grove
Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Ocean Grove is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Neptune Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. It had a population of 3,342 at the 2010 census. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean Jersey Shore, between Asbury Park to the north and Bradley Beach to the south...
. They met under a tall cedar tree, which stands today in the lobby of the Ocean City Tabernacle. Having chosen the name “Ocean City”, the founders incorporated the “Ocean City Association”, laid out street and lots for cottages, hotel and businesses. The Ocean City Tabernacle was built between Wesley and Asbury Avenues and between 5th and 6th Streets. Camp meetings were held by the following summer. As a result of its religious origins, the sale or public drinking of alcoholic beverages in Ocean City is prohibited.
From these beginnings Ocean City has grown into the city as it exists today. The first bridge was built to the island in 1883, while the first railroad soon followed. The first school began in 1881. The boardwalk
Boardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
grew and was relocated several times. The ship Sindia joined other shipwrecks on the beach on December 15, 1901, on its way to New York City from Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but has since sunk below the sand. A failed salvage attempt was launched in the 1970s, but none have been tried since. It was assumed by treasure hunters that after sailing back from Asia large amounts of treasure and plunder from the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
had been on board, although both crew and captain said otherwise. A large fire in 1927 changed the town significantly.
Boardwalk
The Ocean City boardwalk is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the resort. It is also one of the most well-known boardwalkBoardwalk
A boardwalk, in the conventional sense, is a wooden walkway for pedestrians and sometimes vehicles, often found along beaches, but they are also common as paths through wetlands, coastal dunes, and other sensitive environments....
s in the world. It is 2½ miles long and runs north from 23rd Street to St. James Place. The boardwalk is marked with mile markers for people who are exercising.
The boardwalk was first built in 1880 from the Second Street wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
to Fourth Street and West Avenue. In 1885, plans to extend the boardwalk along the entire beach were made as the city's first amusement house, a pavilion on the beach at 11th street called "The Excursion" opened. A second amusement park, the "I.G. Adams pavilion", at Ninth Street and the boardwalk, opened soon after but was destroyed by fire in 1893. Following a second catastrophic fire in 1927, the boardwalk and its businesses were rebuilt 300 feet (91.4 m) closer to the ocean on concrete pilings. Where the buildings and boardwalk once stood, parking was created for automobiles, which were gaining in popularity at the time. The Ocean City Music Pier opened one year later.
In 1965, the Wonderland Amusement Park opened on the boardwalk at 6th street, which is still open to this day and known as "Gillian's Wonderland Pier". Another amusement park, Playland's Castaway Cove, is also located nearby.
In 2007 controversy emerged about the city's proposed use of ipê
Tabebuia
Tabebuia is a neotropical genus of about 100 species in the tribe Tecomeae of the family Bignoniaceae. The species range from northern Mexico and southern Florida south to northern Argentina, including the Caribbean islands of Hispaniola and Cuba...
, a type of wood, to redeck parts of the boardwalk. Environmental activists immediately launched a campaign to stop the city's use of the wood, but Mayor Sal Perillo stood by the plan.
Bicycle and Surrey riding is permitted on the boardwalk at designated hours.
Geography
Ocean City is located at 39.265371°N 74.593814°W (39.265371, -74.593814).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 11.1 square miles (28.7 km²), of which 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²) is land and 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²) (37.58%) is water.
Ocean City is a barrier island with bridge connections to Marmora (Upper Township)
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...
by the 34th Street (Roosevelt Boulevard) Bridge, Egg Harbor Township by the Ocean City-Longport Bridge, Somers Point
Somers Point, New Jersey
Somers Point is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 10,795.The City of Somers Point is in the eastern part of Atlantic County, southwest of Atlantic City.-History:...
by the 9th Street Bridge (NJ 52), and Strathmere (Upper Township)
Strathmere, New Jersey
Strathmere is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Upper Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 175....
by the Corson's Inlet Bridge. The eastern side of Ocean City borders the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,378 people, 7,464 households, and 4,008 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,222.8 people per square mile (858.0/km2). There were 20,298 housing units at an average density of 2,934.0 per square mile (1,132.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.57% White, 4.31% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 7,464 households out of which 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.71.
In the city, the population was spread out with 16.4% under age 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $44,158, and the median income for a family was $61,731. Males had a median income of $42,224 versus $31,282 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $33,217. About 4.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
The City of Ocean City was incorporated on March 25, 1897. Since July 1, 1978, the City has operated under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Mayor-Council government.This form of government provides for election of a mayor and five, seven, or nine council members...
system of municipal government.
The mayor, the chief executive of the community, is chosen for a four-year term at the municipal election in May and serves part-time for a yearly salary. The mayor neither presides over, nor has a vote on the council. The mayor has veto power over ordinances, but such vetoes can be overridden by a vote of two-thirds of the Council.
City council is the legislative body and has seven members. Four members represent individual wards and three are elected at large. Each council person serves a staggered four-year term.
, the mayor is Jay Gillian. Members of the city council are Council President Michael Allegretto (at-large), Council Vice president Karen Bergman (Second Ward), Keith Hartzell (at-large), Tony Wilson (Third Ward), John Kemenosh (First Ward), Scott Ping (at-large) and Roy Wagner (Fourth Ward).
Federal, state and county representation
Ocean City is in the 2nd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.Education
The Ocean City School DistrictOcean City School District
The Ocean City School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States....
serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Ocean City Primary School (K-3; 309 students),
Ocean City Intermediate School (4-8; 454 students) and
Ocean City High School
Ocean City High School
Ocean City High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ocean City School District...
(9-12; 1,345 students).
Students from Corbin City
Corbin City, New Jersey
Corbin City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 492.Corbin City was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Weymouth Township....
, Sea Isle City
Sea Isle City, New Jersey
Sea Isle City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,114. Visitors raise the population to as much as 40,000 during the peak summer season from Memorial Day...
and Upper Township
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...
attend Ocean City High School for grades 9-12, as part of sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
s.
St. Augustine Regional School a K-8 coeducation
Coeducation
Mixed-sex education, also known as coeducation or co-education, is the integrated education of male and female persons in the same institution. It is the opposite of single-sex education...
al Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
closed in June 2008.
Sports
Ocean City Nor'easters of the USL Premier Development LeagueUSL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
play at Carey Stadium
Carey Stadium
Carey Stadium is an open-air stadium located in Ocean City, New Jersey. The stadium is primarily used by the Ocean City School District for Ocean City High School's football, soccer, and lacrosse teams. Carey Stadium is also known for the home field for the USL Premier Development League club Ocean...
.
Media
Media publications in Ocean City include its two newspapers, The Gazette and The Sentinel, in addition to its two other weekly prints, The Sandpaper and The Sure Guide. The city also has a lifestyle magazine known as Ocean City Magazine.Noted residents
- David AkersDavid AkersDavid Roy Akers is a left footed American football placekicker for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Atlanta Falcons in 1997. He played college football at Louisville....
(born 1974), kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles, owns a house on the beach at the south end of the island. - A. R. Ammons (1926–2001), author and poet, winner of the National Book AwardNational Book AwardThe National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
. - Maurice CatarcioMaurice CatarcioMaurice A. Catarcio spent his early life in New Jersey, before entering the U.S. Navy. He later worked as a professional wrestler competing in the then World Wide Wrestling Federation from 1957 to 1960, under the ring-name The Matador. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1991, he became...
(1929–2005), former professional wrestler with the World Wrestling FederationWorld Wrestling EntertainmentWorld Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
and record holder in The Guinness Book of World Records. - Bobby ClarkeBobby ClarkeRobert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
(born 1949), played 15 seasons with the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and led them to two Stanley Cups and was awarded the Hart Trophy as league MVP three times. - Pat CrocePat CrocePasquale "Pat" Croce is an American entrepreneur, sports team executive and owner, author, and TV personality....
(born 1954), former owner of the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, owns a summer home in the Gardens section of the city. - Walter DiemerWalter DiemerWalter E. Diemer was an accountant and inventor of bubble gum.Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Diemer was working as an accountant at Fleer in 1926 when the company president sought to cut costs by making their own gum base...
(1904–98), the inventor of bubble gum, owned a summer home at 21st Street and Wesley Avenue. - Josiah E. DuBois, JrJosiah E. DuBois, JrJosiah E. DuBois, Jr., was a Treasury Department official who played a major role in exposing State Department obstruction of efforts to provide American visa to Jews trying to escape Nazi Europe....
(1913–83), Treasury Department official who played a major role in exposing State Department obstruction of efforts to provide American visa to Jews trying to escape Nazi Europe, summered in the home his father built, the DuBois estate, on Battersea Road in the Gardens. Despite efforts to preserve the home, it was demolished in May 2011 to make for subdivision of the property. - Stephen DunnStephen DunnStephen Dunn is an American poet. Dunn has written fifteen collections of poetry. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his 2001 collection, Different Hours and has received an Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Dunn completed his B.A. in English at...
(born 1939), poet. - Frank J. EspositoFrank J. EspositoFrank John Esposito is an American historian, educator, and university administrator. He is the Distinguished Service Professor of History at Kean University in Union, New Jersey...
(born 1941), historian who was named by independent candidate Christopher DaggettChristopher DaggettChristopher Jarvis "Chris" Daggett is a former regional administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection...
as his ticket's candidate for Lieutenant Governor of New JerseyLieutenant Governor of New JerseyThe Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is a position that has existed since January 2010, following conjoint election with the Governor of New Jersey. The position was created as the result of a Constitutional amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution passed by the voters on November 8, 2005...
in 2009. - Stephanie GaitleyStephanie GaitleyStephanie Gaitley is the head women's basketball coach at Fordham University. She had previously served as a head coach at Monmouth University and Long Island University. During her six seasons at LIU, she posted a 95-82 record. In 2007, she guided LIU to a school record 24 wins, and the top...
, head women's basketball coach at Monmouth UniversityMonmouth UniversityMonmouth University is a private university located in West Long Branch, New Jersey, United States.Founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College, it became Monmouth College in 1956, and later Monmouth University in 1995 after receiving its charter....
. - Andrew Golota (born 1968), boxer.
- Grace KellyGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
(1929–82), Academy Award-winning actress, and Princess of MonacoMonacoMonaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, was a summer resident of Ocean City. - Kurt LoderKurt LoderKurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
(born 1945), former editor of Rolling StoneRolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine and anchor for MTV News, graduated from Ocean City High SchoolOcean City High SchoolOcean City High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Ocean City, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Ocean City School District...
in 1963. - Ed RendellEd RendellEdward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
(born 1944), former Governor of Pennsylvania, owns a summer home. - Todd RundgrenTodd RundgrenTodd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
(born 1948), musician who spent summers in Ocean City as a child and lived in the town as an adolescent, but left for WildwoodWildwoodWildwood is woodland which has developed naturally; particularly where it and a suitable climate have developed together.Wildwood may also refer to:-Place names:Municipalities*Wildwood, Alberta, Canada*Wildwood, Florida, USA*Wildwood, Georgia, USA...
to launch his musical career. His mother is now a full time resident of Ocean City. - James StewartJames Stewart (actor)James Maitland Stewart was an American film and stage actor, known for his distinctive voice and his everyman persona. Over the course of his career, he starred in many films widely considered classics and was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning one in competition and receiving one Lifetime...
(1908–97), actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, spent summers at his family's vacation home during his childhoodChildhoodChildhood is the age span ranging from birth to adolescence. In developmental psychology, childhood is divided up into the developmental stages of toddlerhood , early childhood , middle childhood , and adolescence .- Age ranges of childhood :The term childhood is non-specific and can imply a...
. - Gay TaleseGay TaleseGay Talese is an American author. He wrote for The New York Times in the early 1960s and helped to define literary journalism...
(born 1932), author grew up in the "ItalianItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
" section of the city. He still vacations there with his wife. - Walter TroutWalter TroutWalter Trout is an American blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.-Biography:Trout's career began on the Jersey coast scene of the late 1960s and early 1970s. He then decided to relocate to Los Angeles where he became a sideman for Percy Mayfield and Deacon Jones...
(born 1951), blues musician. - The Wrigley Family, founders of the Wrigley Gum Company, once owned a summer home in the Gardens.
- Jay Wright (born 1961), coach of the Villanova UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
Men's Basketball team has a beach residence in Ocean City.
External links
- Ocean City website
- Ocean City Chamber of Commerce
- Ocean City Tourism Commission
- Ocean City on VisitNJShore - Guide to the Jersey Shore
- Ocean City School District
- Data for the Ocean City School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- The Ocean City POPS
- A View From Macaroni Street - The Italian-American Experience in Ocean City, New Jersey
- The Boardwalk Benches of Ocean City, NJ
- The Sindia
- The Ocean City Gazette
- The SandPaper
- Around Our Town with Cathy Finnegan