Beach Haven, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Beach Haven is a Borough
in Ocean County
, New Jersey
in the United States. The borough is located on Long Beach Island
(LBI) and borders the Atlantic Ocean
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,170.
Beach Haven was incorporated as a Borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on November 11, 1890, from portions of Eagleswood Township
, based on the results of a referendum held five days earlier.
It was ranked the ninth best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.
in the early 1980s, encompasses the most intact buildings at the core of the resort.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) (57.76%) is water.
, by Peter Benchley. There is also a water park, Thundering Surf, and numerous miniature golf facilities. Veteran's Bicentennial Park, in the heart of Beach Haven, hosts many summer concerts, flea markets and parades, and an open park area for general recreation. As the island is only a few blocks wide, the beach and the bay are readily accessible from anywhere in Beach Haven. Pavilions can be found at Fifth and Pearl Streets. Beach badges are required and can be purchased at Borough Hall or the Centre Street badge booth.
of 2000, there were 1,278 people, 586 households, and 346 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 1,301.8 people per square mile (503.5/km2). There were 2,555 housing units at an average density of 2,602.6 per square mile (1,006.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.83% White, 0.08% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.69% of the population.
There were 586 households out of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% were married couples
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 17.1% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,355, and the median income for a family was $68,036. Males had a median income of $39,444 versus $29,688 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $30,267. About 1.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
form of government. Members are elected on an at-large
basis in non-partisan elections, with one member chosen as mayor and another as council president. Beach Haven had previously been governed under the Walsh Act
, by a three-member Board of Commissioners, one of whom was selected to serve as Mayor, under a system in place since 1946.
, members of the Beach Haven Borough Council are Mayor
Charles Maschal, Council President Robert Keeler, Nancy T. Davis, Edward Kohlmeir and James White.
based on the results of the 2010 Census.
. Beach Haven Elementary School, the district's lone school, served 76 students as of the 2008-09 school year.
For grades 7 through 12, public school students attend the Southern Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Southern Regional High School
(grades 9 - 12). These schools are both located in Manahawkin and are part of the Southern Regional School District
, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township
, as well as the sending district of Ocean Township
.
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 Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
, 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...
in the United States. The borough is located on Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island is a barrier island and summer colony along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States...
(LBI) and 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...
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,170.
Beach Haven was incorporated 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 November 11, 1890, from portions of Eagleswood Township
Eagleswood Township, New Jersey
Eagleswood Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 1,603....
, based on the results of a referendum held five days earlier.
It was ranked the ninth best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.
History
Beach Haven, known on LBI as the "Queen City," is a late 19th century beach-front resort originally established in 1873 to house wealthy summer residents from Philadelphia. Although some of the major structures, including several hotels and a boardwalk, were lost to storms in the 1940s, a large portion of the town retains its Victorian and Edwardian character. The Beach Haven Historic District listed in the New Jersey and the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in the early 1980s, encompasses the most intact buildings at the core of the resort.
Geography
Beach Haven is located at 39.561296°N 74.240424°W (39.561296, -74.240424)., in southern Long Beach IslandAccording 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 2.3 square miles (6 km²), of which 1 square miles (2.6 km²) is land and 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) (57.76%) is water.
Attractions
Beach Haven is home to multiple attractions, including the only amusement park on the island: Fantasy Island,, off-Broadway quality professional equity theatre: Surflight Theatre, cabaret-style sing-for-your dessert entertainment: Showplace Ice Cream Parlour, Bay Village Shopping Center, Long Beach Island Museum and many distinctive shops and restaurants, including Tucker's Restaurant, noted in Philadelphia Magazine as the number one restaurant on Long Beach Island. It is here, at the east end of Engleside Avenue that the first shark attack took place in the summer of 1916. The following series of attacks along the Jersey Shore became the basis for the book JawsJaws (novel)
Jaws is a 1974 novel by Peter Benchley. It tells the story of a great white shark that preys upon a small resort town, and the voyage of three men to kill it....
, by Peter Benchley. There is also a water park, Thundering Surf, and numerous miniature golf facilities. Veteran's Bicentennial Park, in the heart of Beach Haven, hosts many summer concerts, flea markets and parades, and an open park area for general recreation. As the island is only a few blocks wide, the beach and the bay are readily accessible from anywhere in Beach Haven. Pavilions can be found at Fifth and Pearl Streets. Beach badges are required and can be purchased at Borough Hall or the Centre Street badge booth.
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 1,278 people, 586 households, and 346 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 1,301.8 people per square mile (503.5/km2). There were 2,555 housing units at an average density of 2,602.6 per square mile (1,006.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.83% White, 0.08% African American, 0.55% Asian, 0.08% 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 0.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.69% of the population.
There were 586 households out of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.4% 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, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.8% were non-families. 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 17.1% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,355, and the median income for a family was $68,036. Males had a median income of $39,444 versus $29,688 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 $30,267. About 1.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Starting in 2010, Beach Haven is governed by a five-member Borough Council under a Faulkner Act (Council-Manager)Faulkner Act (Council-Manager)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Council-Manager government.The council consists of 5, 7, or 9 members elected by the public...
form of government. Members are elected on an at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
basis in non-partisan elections, with one member chosen as mayor and another as council president. Beach Haven had previously been governed under the Walsh Act
Walsh Act (New Jersey)
The Walsh Act is legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits municipalities to adopt a non-partisan commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey Woodrow Wilson on April 25, 1911. The commissions in Walsh Act municipalities are composed of either...
, by a three-member Board of Commissioners, one of whom was selected to serve as Mayor, under a system in place since 1946.
, members of the Beach Haven Borough Council are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Charles Maschal, Council President Robert Keeler, Nancy T. Davis, Edward Kohlmeir and James White.
Federal, state and county representation
Beach Haven is in the 3rd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district. The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment CommissionNew Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...
based on the results of the 2010 Census.
Education
For grades PreK through 6, public school students are served by the Beach Haven School DistrictBeach Haven School District
The Beach Haven School District is a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade from Beach Haven, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States....
. Beach Haven Elementary School, the district's lone school, served 76 students as of the 2008-09 school year.
For grades 7 through 12, public school students attend the Southern Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School is a regional public high school in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 9 - 12 and operating as part of the Southern Regional School District. The school is located on of wooded land, upon which future projects are to be completed...
(grades 9 - 12). These schools are both located in Manahawkin and are part of the Southern Regional School District
Southern Regional School District
The Southern Regional School District is a regional public school district in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 7–12...
, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township
Stafford Township, New Jersey
-Transportation:Stafford is served by a few major roads. CR 539 passes through in the western part. U.S. Route 9 passes north-south through the center of the township and Route 72 is the main artery that passes from the northwest to the southeast...
, as well as the sending district of Ocean Township
Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,450 people, 2,446 households, and 1,743 families residing in the township. The population density was 310.1 people per square mile . There were 2,981 housing units at an average density of 143.3 per square mile...
.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Beach Haven include:- Doc CramerDoc CramerRoger Maxwell Cramer [Doc] was an American center fielder and left-handed batter in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams from 1929 to 1948.-Career:...
(1905–90), center fielderCenter fielderA center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
who played for four American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
teams from 1929 to 1948. - Michael Wymbs (b. 1988), one of five alleged drug dealers arrested in Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
drug sting labeled "Operation Ivy League" in December 2010. SalutatorianSalutatorianSalutatorian is an academic title given, in the United States and Canada, to the second highest graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average and number of credits taken, but...
of Southern Regional High SchoolSouthern Regional High SchoolSouthern Regional High School is a regional public high school in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 9 - 12 and operating as part of the Southern Regional School District. The school is located on of wooded land, upon which future projects are to be completed...
Class of 2007.
External links
- Beach Haven Borough
- Beach Haven Elementary School
- Data for the Beach Haven Elementary School, 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...
- Southern Regional School District
- Coastal Monitoring and Live Web Cam
- NJ documentary - Chowderfest in Beach Haven