Sea Bright, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Sea Bright is a borough
in Monmouth County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,412.
Sea Bright was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township
, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was reincorporated on March 10, 1897.
. This was the fishing village of Nauvoo. Long an enigma to local historians and often misinterpreted as a Native American
word, the origin of "Nauvoo
" is Sephardic
Hebrew
. It is clearly the same word that Mormon
leader Joseph Smith gave to the Illinois
town he founded in 1839. Meaning literally "beautiful of pleasant place," New Jersey's Nauvoo might well have been named by Smith, as he visited Monmouth County in 1839. In any event, moved by Mormon influence, Nauvoo was the name chosen by local fisherman for their tiny settlement on the Jersey Shore
.
One of the earliest accounts of the barrier beach, published a dozen years before Sea Bright's existence, describes a steamboat journey from New York to the Ocean House, a low rambling wooden structure situated on the beach opposite the mouth of the Navesink River
. Built in 1842, this first hotel on the sandy strip offered "excellent fishing, fine sea bathing and capital accommodations" for three hundred patrons. Around this time the Sea Bright Skiff was developed in the Northern Jersey Shore. At the Ocean House one "found a number of beach carriages", as they are called, awaiting the arrival of the boat from New York City
to take passengers to Long Branch
.
Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs. Five are in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, The Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club; and two are south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater. In addition, there is a large public, municipal beach in the center of town which charges a fee, but includes free parking and is protected by lifeguards. This beach is also close to restaurants and shops. The traditional surfing beach area, called the Anchorage, is free and public, but unguarded. In addition, there are numerous public access stairs to other unguarded beaches for fishing, recreation and suntanning.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), or 43.36%, is water.
of 2000, there were 1,818 people, 1,003 households, and 402 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,846.9 people per square mile (1,096.8/km2). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 1,882.3 per square mile (725.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.39% White, 1.76% African American, 2.26% Asian, 0.88% from other races
, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.51% of the population.
There were 1,003 households out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples
living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.9% were non-families. 45.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.51.
In the borough the population was spread out with 11.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $65,563, and the median income for a family was $72,031. Males had a median income of $60,417 versus $41,100 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $45,066. About 5.3% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor
of Sea Bright is Maria D. Fernandes. Members of the Sea Bright Borough Council are Republican Council President William "Jack" Keeler (term ends December 31, 2012), Democrat Dina Long (2012), Republican Brian P. Kelly (2013), Republican Peggy Bills (2013), Republican James LoBiondo III (2011) and Republican C. Read Murphy (2011).
Sea Bright is in the
as part of a sending/receiving relationship
. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Wolf Hill Elementary School, with 378 students in Kindergarten through 4th grade; and Maple Place Middle School, with 325 students in grades 5 - 8.
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend Shore Regional High School
, a regional high school that serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach
, Sea Bright, Oceanport
and West Long Branch
. The high school is part of the Shore Regional High School District. Additionally, Sea Bright high school students have the opportunity to attend schools within the Monmouth County Vocational School District
, including the five "career academies."
built in 1932, connects Highlands
in the west to Sea Bright in the east, across the Shrewsbury River
. The eastern terminus is at the entrance to Sandy Hook
. The span is part of Route 36. Between 2008-2011 it was replaced with a fixed span instead of a drawbridge. It rises 65 feet (19.8 m) instead of the original span's 35 feet (10.7 m).
Sea Bright can be accessed from Rumson
to the west via Rumson Road/County Route 520
over the Shrewsbury River Bridge.
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....
in Monmouth County
Monmouth County, New Jersey
Monmouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 630,380, up from 615,301 at the 2000 census. Its county seat is Freehold Borough. The most populous municipality is Middletown Township with...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,412.
Sea Bright was formed as a borough 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 March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township
Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 27,291.Oakhurst and Wanamassa Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was reincorporated on March 10, 1897.
History
While Sea Bright's formal history starts in 1869, there was, in the early 1840s, a small cluster of wooden shacks nestled among the tall grass-topped sand dunes of the barrier beachBarrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
. This was the fishing village of Nauvoo. Long an enigma to local historians and often misinterpreted as a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
word, the origin of "Nauvoo
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
" is Sephardic
Sephardi Jews
Sephardi Jews is a general term referring to the descendants of the Jews who lived in the Iberian Peninsula before their expulsion in the Spanish Inquisition. It can also refer to those who use a Sephardic style of liturgy or would otherwise define themselves in terms of the Jewish customs and...
Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
. It is clearly the same word that Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
leader Joseph Smith gave to the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
town he founded in 1839. Meaning literally "beautiful of pleasant place," New Jersey's Nauvoo might well have been named by Smith, as he visited Monmouth County in 1839. In any event, moved by Mormon influence, Nauvoo was the name chosen by local fisherman for their tiny settlement on the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore is a term used to refer to both the Atlantic coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the adjacent resort and residential communities. . The New Jersey State Department of Tourism considers the Shore Region, Greater Atlantic City, and the Southern Shore to be distinct, each having...
.
One of the earliest accounts of the barrier beach, published a dozen years before Sea Bright's existence, describes a steamboat journey from New York to the Ocean House, a low rambling wooden structure situated on the beach opposite the mouth of the Navesink River
Navesink River
The Navesink River is an estuary, approximately 8 mi long in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. It is surrounded by the communities of Middletown, Red Bank, Fair Haven and Rumson....
. Built in 1842, this first hotel on the sandy strip offered "excellent fishing, fine sea bathing and capital accommodations" for three hundred patrons. Around this time the Sea Bright Skiff was developed in the Northern Jersey Shore. At the Ocean House one "found a number of beach carriages", as they are called, awaiting the arrival of the boat from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to take passengers to Long Branch
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
.
Geography
Sea Bright is located at 40.370314°N 73.973471°W (40.370314, -73.973471). It is the easternmost town in New Jersey.Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs. Five are in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, The Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club; and two are south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater. In addition, there is a large public, municipal beach in the center of town which charges a fee, but includes free parking and is protected by lifeguards. This beach is also close to restaurants and shops. The traditional surfing beach area, called the Anchorage, is free and public, but unguarded. In addition, there are numerous public access stairs to other unguarded beaches for fishing, recreation and suntanning.
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 borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), of which 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²), or 43.36%, is water.
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 1,818 people, 1,003 households, and 402 families residing in the borough. 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 2,846.9 people per square mile (1,096.8/km2). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 1,882.3 per square mile (725.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.39% White, 1.76% African American, 2.26% Asian, 0.88% 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 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.51% of the population.
There were 1,003 households out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% 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, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.9% were non-families. 45.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.51.
In the borough the population was spread out with 11.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $65,563, and the median income for a family was $72,031. Males had a median income of $60,417 versus $41,100 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 borough was $45,066. About 5.3% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Sea Bright is governed under the BoroughBorough (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....
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Sea Bright is Maria D. Fernandes. Members of the Sea Bright Borough Council are Republican Council President William "Jack" Keeler (term ends December 31, 2012), Democrat Dina Long (2012), Republican Brian P. Kelly (2013), Republican Peggy Bills (2013), Republican James LoBiondo III (2011) and Republican C. Read Murphy (2011).
Federal, state and county representation
Sea Bright is in the 6th Congressional district.Sea Bright is in the
Education
Public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Oceanport School DistrictOceanport School District
The Oceanport School District is a community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through eighth grade from Oceanport, in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States...
as part of a 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...
. 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
Wolf Hill Elementary School, with 378 students in Kindergarten through 4th grade; and Maple Place Middle School, with 325 students in grades 5 - 8.
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend Shore Regional High School
Shore Regional High School
Shore Regional High School is a regional public high school and school district serving students from four communities in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The high school serves students from the constituent municipalities of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch, where the school...
, a regional high school that serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach
Monmouth Beach, New Jersey
Monmouth Beach is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 3,279....
, Sea Bright, Oceanport
Oceanport, New Jersey
Oceanport is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,832.Oceanport was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1920, from portions of Eatontown Township , based on the results of a...
and West Long Branch
West Long Branch, New Jersey
West Long Branch is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,097. It is the home of Monmouth University....
. The high school is part of the Shore Regional High School District. Additionally, Sea Bright high school students have the opportunity to attend schools within the Monmouth County Vocational School District
Monmouth County Vocational School District
The Monmouth County Vocational School District is a vocational public school district in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, serving the need to provide area students with relevant skills to implement technology and to develop as lifelong learners.As of the 2007-08 school year, the...
, including the five "career academies."
Transportation
The Highlands – Sea Bright Bridge, a 1240 feet (378 m) drawbridgeDrawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
built in 1932, connects Highlands
Highlands, New Jersey
Highlands is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,005. It is the home town of film maker, director, and comic book writer Kevin Smith. The eastern part of the town is built on a high bluff that overlooks Sandy...
in the west to Sea Bright in the east, across the Shrewsbury River
Shrewsbury River
The Shrewsbury River is a short stream and navigable estuary, approximately 8 mi long, in central New Jersey in the United States....
. The eastern terminus is at the entrance to Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook
Sandy Hook is a barrier spit along the Atlantic coast of New JerseySandy Hook may also refer to:-Places:United States* Sandy Hook , a village in the town of Newtown, Connecticut* Sandy Hook, Kentucky, a city in Elliott County...
. The span is part of Route 36. Between 2008-2011 it was replaced with a fixed span instead of a drawbridge. It rises 65 feet (19.8 m) instead of the original span's 35 feet (10.7 m).
Sea Bright can be accessed from Rumson
Rumson, New Jersey
Rumson is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,122.Rumson was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1907, from portions of Shrewsbury Township, based on the results of a...
to the west via Rumson Road/County Route 520
County Route 520 (New Jersey)
County Route 520 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. County Route 520 is a major road across Monmouth County connecting the county's central towns to the Jersey Shore at Sea Bright.-Route description:...
over the Shrewsbury River Bridge.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Sea Bright include:- Fred AlexanderFred AlexanderFrederick Beasley Alexander was a top-ranked tennis player in the early 20th century....
(1880–1969), top-ranked tennis player in the early 20th century. - Tal FarlowTal FarlowTalmage Holt Farlow was an American jazz guitarist. Nicknamed the "Octopus", Farlow's extremely large hands spread over the fretboard as if they were tentacles. He is considered one of the all-time great jazz guitarists. Michael G...
(1921–98), jazz guitarist. - John J. McCookJohn James McCook (lawyer)John James McCook was an American corporate attorney, business director, and soldier, serving as a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He was the youngest member of the famed "Fighting McCooks", a prominent Ohio military family which contributed fifteen members to the war...
(1845–1911), Civil War officer, prominent New York attorney, railroad executive - Juan TrippeJuan TrippeJuan Terry Trippe was an American airline entrepreneur and pioneer, and the founder of Pan American World Airways, one of the world's most prominent airlines of the twentieth century.-Early years:...
(1899–1981), USUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
airlineAirlineAn airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
entrepreneurEntrepreneurAn entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and founder of Pan AmPan American World AirwaysPan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
.
External links
- Borough of Sea Bright official website
- Sea Bright Library
- Oceanport School District
- Oceanport 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...
- Shore Regional High School