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Ocean Grove, New Jersey

Ocean Grove is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) that is part of Neptune Township, in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It had a population of 3,057 at the 2020 United States census. It is located on the Atlantic Ocean's Jersey Shore, between Asbury Park to the north and Bradley Beach to the south. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Ocean Grove is noted for its abundant examples of Victorian architecture and the Great Auditorium, acclaimed as "the state’s most wondrous wooden structure, soaring and sweeping, alive with the sound of music".

Ocean Grove was founded in 1869 as an outgrowth of the camp meeting movement in the United States, when a group of Methodist clergymen, led by William B. Osborn and Ellwood H. Stokes, formed the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association to develop and operate a summer camp meeting site on the New Jersey seashore. By the early 20th century, the popular Christian meeting ground became known as the "Queen of Religious Resorts." The community's land is still owned by the camp meeting association and leased to individual homeowners and businesses. Ocean Grove remains the longest-active camp meeting site in the United States.

History
In July, 1869, Reverend W. B. Osborn, Reverend Stokes, and other Methodist ministers camped at a shaded, well-drained spot on New Jersey's seashore and decided to establish a permanent Christian camp meeting community called "Ocean Grove." This followed a search of the Jersey Shore for a place not infested with mosquitoes. About twenty tents were pitched that summer. In 1870, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was incorporated and land was purchased. The property was laid out into 30 by lots and roadways. The lots were leased for 99 years with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association retaining ownership. Residents were expected to follow the strict Methodist social norms of the era which included prohibitions of alcohol, tobacco, cards, dancing, the reading of novels, and chewing gum. Nine wells were driven in 1870 to provide fresh water. The first was eventually named the "Beersheba" well, for an ancient well used by the Biblical patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. It is still in existence under a photogenic 1881 gazebo, though belatedly connected to the town water system in 1911.

Drawing from the major population centers of New York City and Philadelphia, Ocean Grove soon became a popular destination during the growth of the camp meeting movement in post-Civil War America. Tents and an open-air wooden shelter for speakers, were erected in the 1870s, for the trainloads of visitors arriving by the New York and Long Branch Railroad after 1875. In 1877 alone, 710,000 railroad tickets were sold for the Ocean Grove-Asbury Park train station.

A third, larger auditorium was built in 1880.

As Ocean Grove drew more and more visitors, the facilities were outgrown, and construction of the present Great Auditorium was completed in 1894. Originally designed to accommodate crowds of as many as 10,000 people, the subsequent installation of theater-style cushioned seating in many sections reduced seating capacity to 6,250. It remains Ocean Grove's most prominent structure and the centerpiece of its summer programs (see more about the Auditorium further down the page). By the early 20th century, said The New York Times in 1986, it was called the "Queen of Religious Resorts ... Visitors would travel miles to bask in the Victorian seaside splendor and to attend engaging, extroverted religious ceremonies. Millions of people, tourists and pilgrims both, made the trip to Ocean Grove every summer." The social disillusionment around 1920 following World War I had a profound effect on Ocean Grove and churchgoing in general. There was a decline in these activities and there was little in the way of new construction in the town after this time. One result was that Ocean Grove became a time capsule of late Victorian and early 20th century architecture.

Until Ocean Grove's municipal authority was folded into Neptune Township in 1981, it had its own set of unique laws, including one that made it illegal on Sundays to have horses, wagons, then cars on the streets of Ocean Grove. This had a significant effect on the development of a close-knit community. People looking to get away for the weekend typically avoided the Grove (the beach was closed on Sunday, too). That meant the visitors were likely to be coming for a week-long visit or more. Most came to attend programs sponsored by the Camp Meeting.

President Ulysses S. Grant visited Ocean Grove during his time in office and made his last public appearance in this town. Other presidents to speak on the grounds included: James Garfield, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Richard Nixon. Heavyweight boxing champions James J. Corbett and Max Baer and department store magnate F.W. Woolworth were among the celebrities of the day who vacationed in Ocean Grove.

In 1975, Ocean Grove was designated a State and National Historic District as a 19th-century planned urban community. It has the most extensive collection of Victorian and early-20th century architecture in the United States. The Historical Society of Ocean Grove maintains a museum and a restored c. 1884 cottage in addition to offering walking tours.

During the 1960s–1980s, the town declined along with much of the Jersey Shore, and was pejoratively called "Ocean Grave" due to the general air of decrepitude and the elderly population. But beginning in the 1990s, and through 2006, Ocean Grove experienced a dramatic increase in property values and a considerable revival in fortune, particularly with the restoration of older hotel structures, many of which had deteriorated into single-room occupancy ("SRO") quarters. As part of this resurgence, a number of sidewalk cafés and shops along Main Avenue (the main business thoroughfare) now cater to visitors and seasonal residents.

Plans were announced in 2006 for a major new hotel and condominium development on property which has been vacant since the 1970s, when the old North End Hotel – once Ocean Grove's largest – was damaged by fire and subsequently demolished in 1980. These plans have become controversial though, and in January 2008 the Planning Board of Neptune stated the North End Redevelopment Proposal was "inconsistent with the town's Master Plan". On April 13, 2019, the remaining structures on the North End were destroyed by fire leaving the whole area vacant land.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Ocean Grove had a total area of 0.428 mi2, including 0.372 mi2 of it is land and 0.056 mi2 of water (13.05%) is water.

Demographics

Because Ocean Grove is a summer resort community and many residences are unoccupied during the winter months, these statistics may not be representative of the population at all times of the year.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,342 people, 1,948 households, and 616 families in the CDP. The population density was 8979.9 /mi2. There were 3,132 housing units at an average density of 8415.6 /mi2. The racial makeup was 91.41% (3,055) White, 5.48% (183) Black or African American, 0.03% (1) Native American, 0.87% (29) Asian, 0.03% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (27) from other races, and 1.38% (46) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.34% (145) of the population.

Of the 1,948 households, 7.9% had children under the age of 18; 23.0% were married couples living together; 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 68.4% were non-families. Of all households, 57.2% were made up of individuals and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.64 and the average family size was 2.56.

8.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 38.9% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 83.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 80.6 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 4,256 people, 2,331 households, and 785 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 4,564.6 /km2. There were 3,156 housing units at an average density of 3,384.8 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.1% White, 4.0% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.0% Asian, <0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.6% of the population.

There were 2,331 households, out of which 10.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 23.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 66.3% were non-families. 56.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.67 and the average family size was 2.59.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 9.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.1 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,935, and the median income for a family was $58,583. Males had a median income of $38,389 versus $31,886 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $26,232. About 5.1% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.0% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Governance
The desire to develop a Christian seaside community for summer worship and relaxation led William B. Osborn (1832–1902), a leader of the camp meeting movement in mid-19th century America, to select the site of present-day Ocean Grove for its wooded, mosquito-free location. Ellwood H. Stokes (1815–1895), a Methodist minister from Philadelphia, and others joined to purchase a square mile of land fronting on the Atlantic Ocean. A state charter was issued to the newly formed Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association on March 3, 1870, granting the 26 trustees (13 ministers and 13 lay persons) the authority to purchase and hold one square mile of real estate comprising Ocean Grove (though Ocean Grove today is less than 0.5 square miles), and to construct and maintain all necessary works to supply the community with utilities and other municipal services, including law enforcement.

Later, efforts to establish a separate borough of Ocean Grove were attempted many times. Ocean Grove was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 5, 1920, from portions of Neptune Township, but the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals ruled the municipality unconstitutional on May 12, 1921, and the borough was dissolved as of June 16, 1921.

Although Ocean Grove reverted to being a part of Neptune Township with the court's decision of 1921, the Camp Meeting Association continued to exercise local ordinance enforcement powers until 1981, when a newspaper deliverer successfully sued to end the resort's blue law banning Sunday vehicular traffic and requiring it to disband its police force and "municipal" court. The Camp Meeting still owns all the land in town and leases it to homeowners and businesses for 99-year renewable terms. The Camp Meeting Association currently keeps its beach closed on Sunday mornings between 8:30 am and noon, and Ocean Grove is still "dry", that is, the sale of all alcoholic beverages is prohibited.

The Great Auditorium
The Great Auditorium was constructed in 1894 and is mostly unchanged except for the front end that was extended for the 1908 Hope-Jones organ. The wooden building rests on bridge-like steel trusses laid on stone foundations. Aside from the trusses. It features numerous "barn door" entrances with colored glass, dormers, and panels that open for ventilation. Originally, the Auditorium was claimed to hold an audience of almost 10,000. Many of smaller, wooden seats were replaced in later years with cushioned, theater-style seating reducing capacity to an audience of 6,250 persons.

The Auditorium has been called, "the state's most wondrous wooden structure, soaring and sweeping, alive with the sound of music". Its superb acoustics, resulting from its barrel-vaulted wooden ceiling, have been widely acclaimed; famed conductor Leonard Bernstein once compared it to Carnegie Hall. In the days before electronic amplification, this allowed a preacher to be heard throughout the vast space. The building features a lighting system advanced for its time: arching rows of bulbs hanging from the varnished wood ceiling paneling. Also novel is a painted representation of a waving American flag (c. 1916 and rebuilt) covered with light bulbs that flash in an undulating manner. Illuminated signs, possibly the very oldest surviving examples of that type (1894), proclaim "Holiness to the Lord" and "So be ye holy", a reflection of the emphasis at camp meetings. The illuminated Memorial Cross was placed on the Auditorium's front facade at the end of World War II in 1946.

The hall is surrounded by 114 tents, which are occupied from May to September, as has been the case since 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. They are in such demand that there is a waiting list of some ten years for summer rentals.

Organ
The Auditorium's pipe organ is the 17th largest in the world. Installed in 1908 by the organ builder Robert Hope-Jones, its components have been rebuilt and expanded several times, especially since resident organist Gordon Turk and curator John Shaw (who died on July 24, 2019) took their posts in 1974 and 1975, respectively. Additions made in the 21st century include a 14-rank echo division in 2008, in an effort to broaden the resources necessary to play repertoire of many styles and periods, and to restore those stops unique to the instrument as Hope-Jones conceived it. In the 2010s, the organ continues to be further enlarged and revoiced, with additions underwritten by donors. As of July, 2018, the organ has five manuals, 202 ranks, and 12,200 total pipes. About 75 percent of the original Hope-Jones pipework remains extant, according to John Shaw.

Prominent organists to have played the Ocean Grove Auditorium organ include Edwin H. Lemare, Pietro Yon, and Frederick Swann. Celebrated organist Virgil Fox gave his last solo concert in the building in 1980. Turk and guest concert organists play free recitals on most Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons in July and August.

A popular organ piece, often played in the early years of the organ, was "The Storm", which featured the stops of the organ for thunder, lightning, rain, and birds singing. An article in The New York Times from 1909 reports on the annoyance of some nearby residents at the frequent repetition of the performances of the piece.

Performances and other events
The Great Auditorium has over the years featured famed hymn writer Fanny Crosby, band leader John Philip Sousa, and tenor Enrico Caruso. More recently, singers Tony Bennett, Mel Tormé, Kenny Rogers, and Ray Charles performed there. Other concerts filling the summer schedule included the acclaimed Summer Stars chamber music programs, which bring some of the finest classical musicians from Philadelphia and New York each Thursday night in July and early August. Saturday nights featured popular entertainment, including appearances by Johnny Mathis, Ronan Tynan, Linda Eder, the Beach Boys, comedian Bill Cosby, and Christian rock stars such as Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, Nichole Nordeman, Hillsong United l, and Sonic Flood. In 2017, the CMA announced it would be cutting back on secular concerts in the Auditorium and they have since been stopped altogether in favor of Christian programming, with the exception of Classical and Patriotic performances.

Since 1980, the Auditorium has hosted an annual memorial service for New Jersey law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. The service includes a full Honor Guard, bagpipe procession, and singing by state high school choirs (Princeton High School and both West Windsor-Plainsboro High School choirs have performed in the past). Police, soldiers, National Guardsmen, executive-level officials, and the governor typically attend.

The Auditorium is also used during the month of June for high school graduation ceremonies.

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association
The OGCMA was established in 1869 and incorporated in 1870. Its mission is to "provide opportunities for spiritual birth, growth, and renewal in a Christian seaside setting."

Tent City
From May to September of each year, 114 tents are erected around the Great Auditorium. These tents form "Tent City," a tradition of the Camp Meeting Association that dates back to 1869. Each tent is connected to a shed containing a kitchen and bathroom; the sheds are also used to store the tents during the winter. Tents are in such demand that there is a waiting list of over ten years for summer rentals. Rent runs from $4,000 to $6,000 per summer. All prospective tent inhabitants are interviewed. Subletting of tents is not allowed; dogs, cats, and barbecuing are also prohibited. Tent inhabitants do not have to be Methodist, but they do have to support the association's spiritual missions.

Programs
The Camp Meeting offers traditional and contemporary worship programs throughout the summer. Sunday worship services are held in the Great Auditorium. These services have featured preachers such as Billy Graham, Norman Vincent Peale, Robert H. Schuller, Billy Sunday, Ralph W. Sockman, David H. C. Read, Frank Thewlis, Tony Campolo, James A. Forbes, D. James Kennedy, Charles Stanley, William Jennings Bryan, Booker T. Washington, and Rodney "Gipsy" Smith.

The music is led by a volunteer choir, along with professional soloists such as Ronald Naldi. Gordon Turk accompanies at the Hope-Jones organ. Jason Tramm is the musical director. Lewis A. Daniels Sr. (1927–2012), was director of music from 1966 to 2004. Since 1955, the annual Choir Festival held in July has gathered thousands of church choir singers, predominantly from the northeastern U.S., to sing "to the glory of God". In 1986, New York television station WNET featured the Choir Festival on its Summerfare program. The Choir Festival is also a regular feature on the Sacred Classics radio broadcast.

The Camp Meeting also offers a contemporary worship service, "Pavilion Praise," in the beach's Boardwalk Pavilion each Sunday morning. A Bible Hour is held each weekday morning in the Bishop Janes Tabernacle, built in 1877, adjacent to the Great Auditorium.

"Bridgefest," an annual two-day event, brings contemporary Christian music to young people and their families. The event is promoted by New York–area radio station "Bridge FM" (WRDR-FM).

Hurricane Sandy
In 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused extensive damage in Ocean Grove. Over half of the town's boardwalk was destroyed, and the town's fishing pier was significantly damaged. Ocean Grove was denied Federal Emergency Management Agency funding because the Camp Meeting Association is a nonprofit organization. While nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive FEMA funding, Ocean Grove was denied funding because the boardwalk was classified as being used solely for recreational purposes. The town formed a group called "Together" to address storm recovery. The group includes the Camp Meeting Association, the chamber of commerce, the homeowners association, the beautification committee, the historic society, the fishing club, and Ocean Grove United, a gay and lesbian group.

Hurricane repairs are estimated to cost $3.5 million. The "Together" campaign raised $1.5 million, including $750,000 for the boardwalk, $100,000 for the roof of the Great Auditorium, and $500,000 for architectural and structural repairs to Thornley Chapel. The Camp Meeting Association has appealed FEMA's funding rejection three times. Federal officials also denied the Camp Meeting Association's request for funding in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

In 2013, members of the gay-rights group Ocean Grove United and the OGCMA joined up to co-sponsor an event aimed at raising funds to rebuild Ocean Grove's hurricane-damaged boardwalk.

The third appeal by OGCMA to FEMA, supported by some NJ politicians, was accepted. As MaryAnn Spoto elucidated on NJ.com in 2014: "The storm destroyed about a third of Ocean Grove's nearly half-mile of boardwalk.... FEMA's $2.3 million to Ocean Grove includes $1.13 million for that project as well as money for three other recovery projects."

Gay relations
From the late 1990s through 2000s, Ocean Grove saw the opening of a large number of gay-owned restaurants, hotels, and stores. According to The New York Times, Ocean Grove's gay and Methodist populations coexisted peacefully until a 2007 controversy over whether gay couples could conduct civil unions at the Camp Meeting Association's Boardwalk Pavilion. Previously, the Association sought to realize income from its structures by renting them as wedding venues. There were no religious restrictions placed on the ceremonies. Also according to the Times, "Ocean Grove has long been considered a community that embraced gay residents." In 2007, a representative of Garden State Equality, an LGBT rights advocacy organization, said: "I'm hearing from gay people all over the country who thought Ocean Grove was the leading light for gay tolerance and that's not the case anymore."

In 2012, Christian actor Kirk Cameron gave a lecture in Ocean Grove on the subject of strengthening marriage. Cameron's lecture sparked a protest by gay rights activists. After Cameron's speech, a lunch was arranged between members of the Camp Meeting Association and members of the gay community. Camp Meeting Association President Dale Whilden said, "This is an opportunity to show that we respect them." Democratic congressman Frank Pallone attended the event. Steven Goldstein of Garden State Equality, noted: "We may not agree on everything, but we are, today, starting to see each other as human beings."

In 2013, the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBT rights advocacy group, included Ocean Grove in its Municipal Equality Index, a study that scores 291 American cities based on their inclusivity of LGBT people. Ocean Grove scored 77 out of 100, representing the second highest score for cities located in New Jersey.

In July 2022 the CMA unveiled the design for the new fishing pier, which had been destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, in the form of a cross. Some members of the LGBTQ+ and secular community were upset that neighborhood input was not sought before the plans were finalized and that the donors were not informed of the design ahead of time. They reached out to local and state officials hoping to delay the start of construction until the matter could be fully reviewed.

Civil union controversy
In 2007, two lesbian couples asked to have their civil union ceremonies at the OGCMA's Boardwalk Pavilion. According to The New York Times, "the couples' requests were rejected, and they complained to the state's Division on Civil Rights, which began a discrimination investigation." The complaint stated that Scott Rasmussen, on behalf of the OGCMA, informed the couple it would not permit them to use the OGCMA's facilities for a civil union. In 2008, the New Jersey Division of Civil Rights found that there was probable cause to credit one of the two couples' complaints, but rejected the other.

In an attempt to halt the state's investigation, the OGCMA filed a federal suit. In the suit, the OGCMA wrote that it would be "thrust into government compelled expressive association with those who promote same-sex 'civil unions'" if it is forced to allow them at its facilities, and "such forced association would severely compromise the Association's desire to communicate to the general public a message consistent with its religious views on marriage and family." The OGCMA's motion was dismissed.

Complicating the dispute over civil unions was the fact that Ocean Grove's boardwalk and beachfront were held in a 1908 ruling to be exempt from property tax because they "had been dedicated years ago by the association as a public highway." The Boardwalk Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status in 2007 because the state ruled that it no longer met the requirements as a place open to all members of the public. From 1989 until the Pavilion lost its tax-exempt status, the OGCMA had received $500,000 in annual tax breaks through the state's Green Acres program. The boardwalk and beach remain tax-exempt.

On January 12, 2012, Administrative Law Judge Solomon Metzger ruled that the Camp Meeting had violated the state's law against discrimination. The OGCMA discontinued use of the pavilion for weddings for the general public after the controversy started. While the Association reports that it no longer offers any of its property to the general public as wedding venues, they have a process in place that grants use on an exception basis, provided the couple meets additional criteria.

Roads and highways
Interstate 195 provides highway access to Ocean Grove from the New Jersey Turnpike, Philadelphia, and points west. The nearby Garden State Parkway connects Ocean Grove with points north and south, such as New York City and Atlantic City.

Public transportation
Frequent rail passenger service to New York City is provided by NJ Transit on the North Jersey Coast Line from the nearby Asbury Park station. New Jersey Transit offers service between Ocean Grove and Philadelphia on the 317 route and local bus service on the 830 route. Additionally, Academy Bus has regular service to area shore towns and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

The nearest airport having scheduled commercial airline service is Newark Liberty International Airport, 45 mi north, while Monmouth Executive Airport for general aviation airplanes is just 6 mi away.

Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ocean Grove has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above 32.0 F, at least four months with an average temperature at or above 50.0 F, at least one month with an average temperature at or above 71.6 F and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days are slightly humid with a cooling afternoon sea breeze in Ocean Grove, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values above 103 F. Since 1981, the highest air temperature was 100.3 F on August 9, 2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was 77.4 F on August 13, 2016. The average wettest month is July which correlates with the peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was 5.56 in on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is 3.8 F. Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was -5.7 F on January 22, 1984. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below -6 F. The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is 18 to 24 in, and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Ocean Grove would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak (104) with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest (25). The plant hardiness zone is 7a with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 3.8 F. The average date of first spring leaf-out is March 24 and fall color typically peaks in early-November.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Ocean Grove include:
 * Mary Porter Beegle (c. 1881–1966), dancer, theater professional and college administrator
 * Perdita Buchan (born 1940), author
 * Thomas Chisholm (1866–1960), Christian songwriter who wrote Great Is Thy Faithfulness
 * Fanny Crosby (1820–1915), composer of over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs
 * Michelle Davidson (born 1970), English Channel swimmer and U.S. Master Swimmer All-American
 * Tali Esen Morgan (1858–1941), longtime music director at Ocean Grove
 * Shep Pettibone (born 1959), record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, who was most prolific in the 1980s
 * Haydn Proctor (1903–1996), member of the New Jersey Senate
 * Scott Rasmussen (born 1956), co-founder of ESPN and political analyst
 * George A. Sheehan (1918–1993), cardiologist and running advocate
 * Southside Johnny (born 1948 as John Lyon), singer songwriter
 * David Spelman (born 1966), curator and music producer
 * Richard R. Stout (1912–1986), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1952 to 1974
 * Ronald R. Thomas (1949–2023), writer, educator, and 13th president of the University of Puget Sound
 * Gordon Turk (born 1949), organist and artist-in-residence of Ocean Grove's Great Auditorium since 1974

title: Ocean Grove, New Jersey


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Oceanport, New Jersey

Oceanport is a borough situated in the Jersey Shore region, within Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,150, an increase of 318 (+5.5%) from the 2010 census count of 5,832,  which in turn reflected an increase of 25 (+0.4%) from the 5,807 counted in the 2000 census.

Oceanport was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1920, from portions of Eatontown Township (now Eatontown), based on the results of a referendum held on May 11, 1920.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Oceanport as its 4th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, borough had a total area of 3.80 square miles (9.83 km2), including 3.17 square miles (8.22 km2) of land and 0.62 square miles (1.61 km2) of water (16.39%).

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Little Silver and Shrewsbury to the northwest, Long Branch to the east, Eatontown to the southwest and West Long Branch to the southeast. It shares water borders to the northeast with Monmouth Beach and Rumson and forms a peninsula, jutting into the Shrewsbury River.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names within the borough include Elkwood Park, Fort Monmouth, Gooseneck Point, Port-au-peck and Sands Point.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 5,832 people, 2,227 households, and 1,597 families in the borough. The population density was 1,833.7 per square mile (708.0/km2). There were 2,390 housing units at an average density of 751.5 per square mile (290.2/km2). The racial makeup was 93.36% (5,445) White, 3.00% (175) Black or African American, 0.05% (3) Native American, 1.59% (93) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.67% (39) from other races, and 1.32% (77) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.05% (236) of the population.

Of the 2,227 households, 31.8% had children under the age of 18; 59.7% were married couples living together; 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.3% were non-families. Of all households, 24.6% were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.12.

23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $89,208 (with a margin of error of +/− $18,245) and the median family income was $108,958 (+/− $21,795). Males had a median income of $60,038 (+/− $12,383) versus $49,415 (+/− $5,095) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $52,252 (+/− $9,172). About 3.1% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 5,807 people, 2,043 households, and 1,554 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,802.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,114 housing units at an average density of 656.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.71% White, 1.96% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.

There were 2,043 households, out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $71,458, and the median income for a family was $85,038. Males had a median income of $57,955 versus $39,718 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,356. About 1.8% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Sports
Monmouth Park, a thoroughbred horse race track, is home to the annual Haskell Invitational Handicap. The choice to put the track in this small community in 1946 was made because of its prime location at the shore and its accessibility for New Yorkers and North Jersey folk who make up the majority of the track crowd. The Haskell Invitational Stakes, which next to the Triple Crown is horse racing's biggest event, takes place each year in August. In October 2007, Oceanport's Monmouth Park hosted the Breeders' Cup, attracting nearly 70,000 fans over the two days of the event. In June 2018, the Monmouth Park Sports Book by William Hill sportsbook opened and Monmouth Park became the first location in New Jersey to offer sports betting. Monmouth Park had pushed to legalize sports betting, which was legalized by the United States Supreme Court in the case Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Telephone service
The community is served by area codes 732 and 848 for landlines, Oceanport is served by the 222, 389, 229, 544 and 542 exchanges in Area Code 732. Mobile service is through area codes 732/848 and area code 908.

Local government
Oceanport is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Oceanport is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Oceanport Borough is Independent John F. "Jay" Coffey, II, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023; he had won the 2015 election as a write-in candidate. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Richard A. Gallo Jr. (R, 2023), William Deerin (R, 2024), Bryan Keeshen (R, 2023), Michael O'Brien (R, 2024), Keith Salnick (R, 2025) and Thomas J. Tvrdik (I, 2025).

In January 2020, the borough council selected Bryan Keeshen from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Robert F. Proto until he resigned after the November 2019 general election.

In a special meeting held in August 2015, the borough council selected Stuart Briskey from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Council President Robert Lynch until his resignation from office the previous month. Briskey served on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

In March 2015, councilmember Jerry Bertekap resigned from office, leaving a vacancy in the term expiring December 2015. The borough council selected John Patti the following month to fill Bertekap's vacant seat.

In November 2013, Christopher Paglia was selected by the borough council from among three candidates offered by the Republican committee and appointed to fill the vacant seat of William Johnson, who had resigned to take a position with Monmouth County.

Oceanport is a participating municipality in an initiative to study regionalization of their municipal police force with one or more municipalities. The borough received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs in the amount of $40,950 along with the Boroughs of Fair Haven, Little Silver, Shrewsbury and Rumson to hire professional consultants to conduct the study on their behalf. A report delivered in July 2008 recommended that Fair Haven, Little Silver and Rumson should consider a network of shared police services, with consideration of inclusion of Oceanport and Shrewsbury deferred to a second phase.

Federal, state and county representation
Oceanport is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,331 registered voters in Oceanport, of which 990 (22.9%) were registered as Democrats, 1,219 (28.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,122 (49.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.
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In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 59.2% (1,997 votes) of the vote, ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 37.0% (1249 votes) among the total 3,375 ballots cast. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 59.8% of the vote (1,836 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.1% (1,200 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (32 votes), among the 3,087 ballots cast by the borough's 4,379 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.9% of the vote (1,982 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.4% (1,408 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (40 votes), among the 3,481 ballots cast by the borough's 4,475 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.5% of the vote (2,078 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.3% (1,316 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (28 votes), among the 3,433 ballots cast by the borough's 4,317 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.2% of the vote (1,455 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.3% (452 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (29 votes), among the 1,966 ballots cast by the borough's 4,336 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.9% of the vote (1,615 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.2% (641 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.5% (159 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (17 votes), among the 2,450 ballots cast by the borough's 4,401 registered voters, yielding a 55.7% turnout.

Education
Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in public school are educated by the Oceanport School District. The district also includes students from Sea Bright, a non-operating district that was subject to a mandatory merger with Oceanport in 2009. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 562 students and 65.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Wolf Hill Elementary School with 310 students in pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and Maple Place Middle School with 248 students in grades 5–8.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Shore Regional High School, a regional high school that also serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright and West Long Branch. The high school is located in West Long Branch and is part of the Shore Regional High School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 613 students and 55.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats assigned to Oceanport.

Roads and highways
, Oceanport had a total of 31.26 mi of roadways, of which 25.47 mi were maintained by the borough, 5.46 mi by Monmouth County and 0.33 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 71 brushes the edge of Oceanport, while County Route 537 passes directly through the borough.

Public transportation
NJ Transit has a limited-service stop at the Monmouth Park station for Monmouth Park Racetrack, offering seasonal service from May through October. Service is available on the North Jersey Coast Line south to Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head or north to points such as Belmar, Long Branch, Newark, Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.

NJ Transit local bus service is provided on the 831 route.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Oceanport include:
 * Charles W. Billings (1866–1928), politician who served until his death as Oceanport's first mayor and competitive shooter who was a member of the 1912 Summer Olympics American trapshooting team that won the gold medal in team clay pigeons
 * Phil Bredesen (born 1943), Governor of Tennessee
 * George Conway (c. 1878–1939), horse trainer who trained War Admiral, winner of the Triple Crown in 1937
 * John D'Amico Jr. (born 1941), former Oceanport councilmember who served as a county freeholder and state senator
 * Brad Faxon (born 1961), professional golfer
 * Harry Flaherty (born 1989), professional football tight end who has played for the New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys
 * S. Thomas Gagliano (1931–2019), politician who served on the Oceanport borough council and in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1989
 * Lewis G. Hansen (1891–1965), member of the New Jersey General Assembly who was the Democratic nominee who lost the 1946 gubernatorial election
 * Charles J. O'Byrne (born 1959), top aide to former Governor of New York David Paterson
 * Reverdy C. Ransom (1861–1959), Christian socialist, civil rights activist, and leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who was ordained and served as the 48th A.M.E. bishop.
 * Charles Rembar (1915–2000), lawyer best known for his First Amendment litigation
 * Kevin Smith (born 1970), filmmaker, lived in Oceanport in the 1990s

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Oceanport, New Jersey


text:
Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador

The flag of Newfoundland and Labrador was introduced in 1980 and was designed by Newfoundland artist Christopher Pratt. The flag design was approved by the House of Assembly of the province of Newfoundland, Canada, on May 28, 1980. It was flown for the first time on Discovery Day, June 24, 1980. The name of the province was changed to Newfoundland and Labrador by an amendment to the constitution of Canada in December 2001 at the request of the provincial legislature.

Symbolism
The design was chosen due to its broad symbolism. The blue (pantone 2955C) represents the waters of the sea, lakes and rivers; the white represents snow and ice; the red (pantone 200C) represents human effort, and the yellow gold (pantone 137C) symbolizes the confidence the people of Newfoundland and Labrador have in themselves and for the future.

The flag design is that of etchings on Beothuk and Innu decorative pendants worn hung from a cord around the neck. Pratt viewed these at the Provincial Museum. With the blue, red and white colours applied, the design has an intentional overall resemblance to the Union Jack, as a reminder of historic connections with the British Isles. The two red (pantone 200C) triangles represent the two areas of the province, Labrador the continental region and Newfoundland the insular region. The gold (pantone 137C) arrow, according to Pratt, points towards a "brighter future"; the arrow becomes a sword, honouring the sacrifices of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians in military service when the flag is displayed as a vertical banner. The red triangles and the gold arrow form a trident, symbolizing the province's association with the fisheries and other resources of and under the sea.

Newfoundland ensigns
The Red Ensign was officially endorsed by King Charles II in 1674; this authorisation recognised it as the ensign of English merchant shipping. Later, during the Victorian era, the flag—with colonial badge—formed the basis as the Colony of Newfoundland's civil ensign. Old oil paintings show red ensigns flying from the topmasts of Grand Banks schooners. While 19th century photographs show red ensigns flown at Moravian mission stations and Hudson's Bay Company trading posts along the Labrador Coast.

In 1904, the British Parliament designated a civil ensign specifically for Newfoundland. The Red and Blue Ensigns with the Great Seal of Newfoundland in the fly were the colony's (later dominion)'s official flags from 1904 until 1931, after which the Union Jack was adopted as Newfoundland's official national flag and the ensigns reserved for shipping and marine identification—the Red Ensign to be flown by merchant shipping while the blue was flown by governmental ships. Neither ensign was immediately formally adopted by the General Assembly of Newfoundland, which sat at the Colonial Building in St. John's, when Newfoundland became a Dominion of the British Empire in 1907. It was not until the Newfoundland National Flag Act of 1931 that the Newfoundland parliament officially adopted the Union Jack as the national flag of Newfoundland and re-affirmed the red and blue ensigns as official flags for marine identification. Between 1907 and 1931, however, the red ensign gained wide enough use, both at sea and on land by civilians and government alike, that it was considered to be the national flag.

The badge in the ensigns consists of Mercury, the god of commerce and merchandise, presenting to Britannia a fisherman who, in a kneeling attitude, is offering the harvest of all the sea. Above the device in a scroll are the Latin words 'Terra Nova', and below the motto Hæc Tibi Dona Fero or "These gifts I bring thee." The seal was redesigned by Adelaine Lane, niece of Governor Sir Cavendish Boyle.

Union Flag
The old flag of Newfoundland was the Union Flag. It was legally adopted in 1931 and used as Newfoundland's national flag until confederation with Canada in 1949. It was then readapted as the official provincial flag in 1949 and used officially until 1980. The Newfoundland and Labrador branches of the Royal Canadian Legion to this day display the Union Flag along with the current Newfoundland and Labrador provincial and national (Canada maple leaf) flags.

Newfoundland Tricolour
The flag which has become known as the "Newfoundland Tricolour", the "Pink, White and Green" (sic) began as the unofficial flag of an aid and benefit organization, the Newfoundland Fishermen's Star of the Sea Association, which was established in St. John's in 1871 by the Catholic Church. The official banner of the association was a green background with a white star and a pink cross in it. These colours gave rise to the green (at the hoist) white (in the centre) and pink (on the fly) tricolour flag which was more easily manufactured than the official banner. The flag has the proportions 1:2 with each vertical section occupying one-third of the flag length.

It exists in Canadian heraldry; its colours are present in the flag of the St. John's Fire Department and in the municipal flag of Paradise, Newfoundland and Labrador. It also appears on the crests or escutcheons of some armorial bearings portrayed in the Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. The first but unofficial flag of the Colony of Newfoundland (Island and Labrador) was the Red (at the hoist), White (centre) and Green (on the fly) tricolour of the Newfoundland Natives' Society (NNS) which was established in St. John's in 1840 with subsequent branches in other locations. The Newfoundland Natives' Society was established to help native-born and other long-time residents of Newfoundland in dealings with colonial government officials, big business owners who were not always residents and the many newcomers to the colony who considered themselves to be much higher in social standing than the locals even though the vast majority of locals were of the same British Isles ancestry as the new arrivals. The red-white-green tricolour served as the unofficial national flag of Newfoundland from the mid to late 1800s. It fell into disuse after the Society stopped functioning in 1866. Responsible Government was established in 1855 and with it the need for the NNS waned. The NNS had campaigned for the introduction of Responsible Government.

Origins
The origins of the "Pink, White and Green" were obscure but recent scholarship has determined it was first used in the late 1870s or early 1880s by an aid and benefit organization, the Newfoundland Fishermen's the Star of the Sea Association, which was established by the Roman Catholic Church in 1871. Polaris (the north star) was extremely important in navigation and is known as the Star of the Sea. Also in the Catholic Church, Mary, the mother of Jesus, is known as the "Star of the Sea" (in Latin "Stella Maris"). The flag became more widely used shortly thereafter, by other Catholic groups in St. John's and the surrounding area. Given that, it was likely based on the similar flag of Ireland (then also unofficial). It is also said that the current Republic of Ireland flag is actually based on the "Pink, White and Green" tricolour but the Irish tricolour was in use long before 1871. Newspaper reports indicate a "native flag" was displayed in public ceremonies alongside the Union Jack when the Prince of Wales visited St. John's in 1860, but that was the Native Flag of "Red, White and Green" rather than the "Pink, White and Green" (sic) since the Star of the Sea Association did not exist until 1871.

The green-white-pink tricolour flag was dismissed as a potential official flag when the British Parliament legislated a civil ensign for Newfoundland in 1904, which was a Red Ensign defaced with the Great Seal of Newfoundland. The great seal was used rather than the shield from the coat of arms since the coat of arms had been forgotten and its use was only reinstated after the First World War for use on war graves in Europe. The coat of arms has been in use since.

During the provincial flag debates of the 1970s an edition of the Roman Catholic archdiocese's newsletter "The Monitor" revived the idea that the flag is symbolic of a tradition between local ethnically-English Protestants (represented by the pink) and ethnically-Irish Catholics (represented by the green). The vert was said to represent the flag of Brian Boru, the rose symbolized the Rose of England and the argent represented the peace between them, and the Cross of Saint Andrew. The claim that pink was representative of English Newfoundlanders was first made by R.C.Bishop Michael F Howley in his 1902 poem "The Flag of Newfoundland". While the colour pink or rose is not directly representative of England or English Newfoundlanders it can evoke an image of a rose which is the floral emblem of England, although it is not a pink rose but the red and white Tudor rose. The Newfoundland Natives' Society, which was claimed in the legend as being a Protestant society which used a pink flag, actually contained Catholics as well as Protestants, including a Catholic president (Dr Edward Kielly) at the supposed time of the inception of the "Pink, White and Green". Pink (rose) has never been used in any known fashion to represent England, its people or any of the Protestant denominations.

In another version of the legend, originating around 1900, it was claimed that the green represented newly arriving Irish settlers to Newfoundland and pink was again taken from the Natives' Society flag, but this time the Natives' Society was said to be a Roman Catholic group representing Catholics already living in Newfoundland. Protestants were not included at all. The latest interpretation of the supposed symbolism of the "Pink, White and Green" seems to have arisen in the 1970s during provincial flag debates in Newfoundland as an effort to gain Protestant support for an Irish-based flag - Protestants representing 60% of the province's population - but it is unlikely to be a factual account of history. The flag gained a sentimental resurgence in the 1990s/2000s both as a political statement and on products aimed at the tourism industry.

Flag of the Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador
The flag of the Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador is based on the French tricolour and Acadian flag, with three unequal panels of blue, white, and red. Two yellow sails are set on the line between the white and red panels. The sail on top is charged with a black spruce twig as seen on the Labrador flag. The black (bog) spruce is Newfoundland and Labrador's official provincial tree. The bottom sail is charged with a pitcher plant, the official provincial flower of Newfoundland and Labrador. These emblems are outlined in black.

The sails represent early Basque, Breton, and French fishermen that came to the area in the early 1500s. At the same time, they are symbols of action and progress. The yellow is taken from the star of the Acadian flag. The black spruce and pitcher plant are official symbols of Newfoundland and Labrador. The black spruce twig on the flag of the Fédération des Francophones de Terre-Neuve et du Labrador is an emblem of Labrador and is also found on the Labrador flag. The flag's colours of red, white, blue and yellow are also found in the provincial flag of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Labrador flag
The Labrador Flag was created by a small group led by Member of the House of Assembly for Labrador South Mike Martin in 1974. Martin et al did so as an act of political mischief aimed at Premier Joey Smallwood and his Liberal government's perceived indifference to Labrador and the provincial government's refusal to use anything other than the Union Jack as the provincial flag. The Labrador flag gave, at least, that part of the province its own distinctive flag. As Martin is from Cartwright, the town now proclaims itself the "Birthplace of the Labrador Flag". The flag was presented to Labrador community councils, and to the Labrador members of the House of Assembly, in April 1974 and is six years older than provincial flag of Newfoundland and Labrador which was introduced in 1980 by the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Brian Peckford.

Nunatsiavut flag
The self-governing Inuit region of Nunatsiavut has its own flag: The flag of Nunatsiavut is the flag adopted by the Labrador Inuit Association to represent the Inuit of Labrador and their new Land Claims Settlement Area called Nunatsiavut. The flag features the traditional Inuit Inukshuk coloured white, blue, and green echoing the flag of Labrador.

title: Flag of Newfoundland and Labrador


text:
Port Monmouth, New Jersey

Port Monmouth is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) within Middletown Township, situated on the Raritan Bayshore of northern Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 3,745, a decrease of 73 (−1.9%) from the 2010 census count of 3,818, which in turn had reflected an increase of 76 (+2.0%) from the 3,742 counted at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Port Monmouth had a total area of 1.343 square miles (3.477 km2), including 1.302 square miles (3.371 km2) of land and 0.041 square miles (0.106 km2) of water (3.04%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,818 people, 1,368 households, and 997 families in the CDP. The population density was 2933.4 /sqmi. There were 1,441 housing units at an average density of 1107.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 92.95% (3,549) White, 2.15% (82) Black or African American, 0.21% (8) Native American, 1.99% (76) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (57) from other races, and 1.20% (46) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.91% (302) of the population.

Of the 1,368 households, 34.6% had children under the age of 18; 56.0% were married couples living together; 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.1% were non-families. Of all households, 22.4% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.29.

24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.7 males.

2000 census
At the 2000 census there were 3,742 people, 1,289 households, and 964 families living in the CDP. The population density was 2,833.1 PD/sqmi. There were 1,358 housing units at an average density of 1,028.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 95.70% White, 1.28% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 1.15% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.95% of the population.

Of the 1,289 households 38.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.2% were non-families. 21.1% of households were one person and 11.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.39. 99% of the population in Port Monmouth.

The age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 32.3% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.

The median household income was $53,864 and the median family income was $63,375. Males had a median income of $45,565 versus $30,244 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $21,369. About 8.6% of families and 10.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation
NJ Transit offers bus service to Newark on the 61 route and local bus service on the 817 route.

Emergency services
Port Monmouth is served by the Port Monmouth Fire Company #1 and Port Monmouth First Aid Squad which are both located in the CDP.

In media
Port Monmouth was featured in a 1990 episode of Saturday Night Live during a Weekend Update sketch featuring Al Franken covering a cocaine deal in Port Monmouth, NJ. The tugboats Ocean Prince and Newport can be seen in the footage suggesting it was actually filmed locally in New York City for the show as Port Monmouth and neighboring Belford Harbor are home to fishing vessels - which is noted by Al during the sketch. At the time of filming those tugboats were under the Amerada Hess Corporation which had a storage facility and pier in Red Hook, Brooklyn.

Notable people
People who were born in, are residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Port Monmouth include:
 * Mike Largey (born 1960), former professional basketball player who played power forward for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Premier League from 1984 to 1987.

title: Port Monmouth, New Jersey


text:
Red Bank, New Jersey

Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York metropolitan area and is a commuter town of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,936, an increase of 730 (+6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 12,206,  which in turn reflected an increase of 362 (+3.1%) from the 11,844 counted in the 2000 census. In the 2020 census, Red Bank was the fourth-most densely populated municipality in Monmouth County.

Red Bank was formed as a town on March 17, 1870, from parts of Shrewsbury Township. On February 14, 1879, Red Bank became Shrewsbury City, part of Shrewsbury Township; this lasted until May 15, 1879, when Red Bank regained its independence. On March 10, 1908, Red Bank was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature and was set off from Shrewsbury Township. The borough was named for the red soil along the Navesink River.

Downtown Red Bank is notable for its many local and well-known businesses including Garmany, Urban Outfitters, and Tiffany & Co. on and around Broad Street. Many annual events happen throughout the year, including the International Beer, Wine & Food Festival, a long-running sidewalk sale, a farmers' market, an indie film festival, the Red Bank Guinness Oyster Festival, a Halloween parade, and a holiday town lighting.

History
Red Bank has been occupied by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. The area of modern-day Red Bank was the territory of the Algonquian-speaking Lenape Native Americans, also called the Delaware by the English. The Lenape lived in the area between the Navesink River and the Shrewsbury River in an area they called Navarumsunk. The Native Americans traded freely with European settlers from England and the Dutch Republic in the mid-17th century, who purchased land in the area.

Originally part of "Shrewsbury Towne", Red Bank was named in 1736, when Thomas Morford sold Joseph French "a lot of over three acres on the west side of the highway that goes to the red bank". English colonists settled Red Bank beginning in the 17th century and it became a center for shipbuilding. Its population grew rapidly after 1809, when regularly scheduled passenger ships were established to serve the route to Manhattan.

By 1844, Red Bank had become a commercial and manufacturing center, focused on textiles, tanning, furs, and other goods for sale in Manhattan. With the dredging of the Navesink River about 1845, Red Bank became a port from which steamboats transported commuters to work in Manhattan. Red Bank grew in size as a result, and because the Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad constructed a railway in the town in 1860.

In the 20th century, Red Bank was a strong cultural, economic, and political center in Monmouth County until it was hindered by the economic recession that began in 1987. During this time, its economy, based largely on retail commerce, was in decline, due to a real estate scandal. Local pundits and urban planners referred to the town as "Dead Bank".

Beginning in approximately 1991, under the New Jersey Development and Redevelopment Law, the borough authorized the creation of the Red Bank RiverCenter to manage redevelopment in what was designated as a special improvement district. RiverCenter retains authority over the management and redevelopment of a defined central business district, which includes Broad Street from the post office to Marine Park and from Maple Avenue to one block east of Broad Street. A number of urban redevelopment projects have taken place, including improved signage, distinctive and pedestrian-friendly sidewalks and lighting, a coherent design plan for Main Street and other major thoroughfares, and improving the condition of parking lots with landscaping.

The district as originally proposed was larger, to include the commercial areas west of Maple Avenue, including the antique buildings, The Galleria, and Shrewsbury Avenue. But some property owners in this area opposed paying the special assessment. Plans for the larger district advanced but opposition became more rigorous. The proposed district was amended to exclude opponents, and the district that was adopted stops at Maple Avenue.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had an area of 2.16 square miles (5.58 km2), including 1.75 square miles (4.52 km2) of land and 0.41 square miles (1.06 km2) of water (18.98%).

Red Bank is on the southern bank of the Navesink River in northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. It is about 24 mi due south of the tip of Manhattan and about 25 nmi to the tip of Manhattan if traveling by water along the Navesink River and through Raritan Bay.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names partially or completely within the borough include Newmans Corner.

Red Bank is bordered by the Monmouth County municipalities of Fair Haven, Little Silver, Middletown Township, Shrewsbury and Tinton Falls.

Climate
Red Bank has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 12,206 people, 4,929 households, and 2,469 families in the borough. The population density was 7,019.1 per square mile (2,710.1/km2). There were 5,381 housing units at an average density of 3,094.4 per square mile (1,194.8/km2). The racial makeup was 63.20% (7,714) White, 12.42% (1,516) Black or African American, 0.97% (118) Native American, 1.85% (226) Asian, 0.11% (13) Pacific Islander, 18.56% (2,265) from other races, and 2.90% (354) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.39% (4,198) of the population.

Of the 4,929 households, 23.1% had children under the age of 18; 32.8% were married couples living together; 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 49.9% were non-families. Of all households, 40.1% were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.29.

20.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 103.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 103.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $59,118 (with a margin of error of $9,139) and the median family income was $79,922 (+/− $12,117). Males had a median income of $51,053 (+/− $6,351) versus $47,368 (+/− $9,445) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,424 (+/− $3,310). About 13.1% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under 18 and 9.7% of those 65 or older.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 11,844 people, 5,201 households, and 2,501 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,639.1 PD/sqmi. There were 5,450 housing units at an average density of 3,055.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 68.19% White, 20.05% African American, 0.35% Native American, 2.19% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 6.73% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.11% of the population.

There were 5,201 households, of which 18.0% had children under age 18 living with them, 32.2% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.9% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who 65 or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 17.5% under 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

The median income for a household was $47,282, and the median income for a family was $63,333. Males had a median income of $45,922 versus $34,231 for females. The per capita income was $26,265. About 6.3% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under 18 and 10.6% of those 65 or older.

Economy
Red Bank has an eclectic mix of businesses, including companies in entertainment, retail, professional, medical, and hospitality sectors, including major national and luxury retailers.

Business districts
Red Bank has four main business districts throughout the town. The largest is the historic commercial center of Downtown Red Bank, which mainly runs along Broad Street, although other major connected commercial streets include Monmouth Street, Front Street, and White Street, all of which make up the Broad Street Historic District. Downtown includes a mixed variety of businesses, restaurants, and entertainment, ranging from high end retailers and fine dining to cheap eats and food. A section of Broad Street is closed off every year to allow for outdoor dining.

The second largest commercial corridor is Shrewsbury Avenue, with most of the businesses being located between Front Street and Drs. James Parker Boulevard, and primarily serves the West Side of the town with many neighborhood-oriented retail and restaurants.

The third commercial corridor is Newman Springs Road (County Route 520), which is a highway commercial district bordered with Shrewsbury and Tinton Falls, consisting of several car dealerships, auto body shops, and gas stations with large building footprints and parking lots.

The fourth commercial district is the train station area, which is actively being redeveloped as a mixed used walkable transit-oriented community after being the primary industrial area of the borough, and includes various restaurants and shops, as well as redeveloped industrial buildings such as the Galleria. While each commercial area is distinct from one another, Monmouth and Front Streets' development will connect Downtown with Shrewsbury Avenue through the train station area.

Jobs
As of 2019, Red Bank has 11,325 jobs in a variety of sectors, such as retail, healthcare, construction, food services, arts and entertainment, hospitality, etc. As of 2022, the largest employer is Riverview Medical Center with 1,450 employees. The largest employers following the hospital include Super Foodtown, Colliers Engineering & Design, Arrow Limousine Worldwide, Oceanfirst Financial Corp., Torcon, Seals Eastern Inc., Molly Pitcher Inn, Giordano, Halleran, & Ciesla; and Red Bank Catholic High School. Most jobs tend to be located along the four commercial corridors, particularly around downtown and the train station.

Of the 6,133 employed population of Red Bank, only about 12% both live and work within the borough. Of Red Bank residents, 83% work in New Jersey, with 47% in Monmouth County, 14% in New York City, and 9% in Middlesex County, with neighboring municipalities being the most common work destinations. Of non-resident workers of Red Bank, 95% live in New Jersey, with 61% living in Monmouth County, 11% in Ocean County, and 7.5% in Middlesex County, with most coming from neighboring communities. Overall, 757 people work and live in Red Bank, 10,568 non-residents commute into Red Bank, and 5,376 resident commute out of Red Bank.

Arts and culture
Red Bank is a noted social and commercial destination, filled with boutiques, designer clothing and home stores, parks, and restaurants with special events scheduled throughout the year

Since the 1950s, Red Bank has held the Annual Red Bank Sidewalk Sale. The 58th Annual Sidewalk Sale was held from July 27 to July 29, 2012, and was seen in "The Sidewalk Stash", the November 11, 2012 episode of the reality TV series Comic Book Men.

The town is considered a center of artistic activity, and is home to the Monmouth County Arts Council, as well as several art and photography galleries.

Many venues in Red Bank have live performances, plays, and movie showings, including Count Basie Theatre, named for Count Basie, who was born in Red Bank, Basie Center Cinemas, and the Two River Theater.

The Count Basie Theatre has hosted performers such as Kevin Smith, Ariana Grande, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, The Beach Boys, David Sedaris, Tracy Morgan, Bob Newhart, Foreigner, Andy Williams, Brian Setzer, and B.B. King. On April 30, 2005, the Two River Theater Company opened a large performance space, the Two River Theater, which has hosted performers like Hasan Minhaj. Bruce Springsteen filmed his 2005 VH-1 Storytellers special at the theater. Basie Center Cinemas (formerly known as The Marion Huber Theater), also operated by the Two River Theater Company, is a small black box theater that seats about 100.

Broad Street is one of the borough's central streets and is known for its lavish Christmas decorations during the holiday season. The street is closed to traffic for a free concert sponsored by Holiday Express, after which the lights are all lit again. Up to 7,000 people attend the shows annually.

Red Bank hosts the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival in partnership with the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Society. "First Night", a New Year's Eve arts and entertainment festival, is a Red Bank event designed to provide an alternative to alcohol-related events.

Each year from 1960 through 2011, a fireworks display was launched from the Navesink River close to Red Bank on July 3, the eve of Independence Day. "KaBoomFest" was held in Marine Park, where local bands and vendors formed a major gathering. In 2010, it attracted as many as 150,000 spectators at its 51st annual event.

Musical groups from Red Bank include alternative rock band Young Rising Sons.

Sports
In 1998, the Red Bank Armory was converted to an ice rink. It is home to the youth hockey team Red Bank Generals.

The George Sheehan Classic began in 1981 as the Asbury Park 10K Classic and quickly became one of the nation's major road running events. The race moved to Red Bank in 1994 and was renamed in honor of George A. Sheehan, the prominent author, philosopher and area physician. Runner's World magazine named the Classic one of the Top 100 Road Races, and The New York Times named it the Best Memorial Race in New Jersey. The 2012 running, shortened to a 5K race, attracted nearly 1,300 participants.

In January 2018, FC Monmouth announced that Red Bank's Count Basie Park would be the home stadium for the team's inaugural season. The team's owners selected the park based on Red Bank's central location in the county both geographically and in terms of the local economy, along with the fact that the stadium will be easily accessible by car and by public transportation via NJ Transit rail and bus.

Parks and recreation
Red Bank has eight parks, with one new park being planned as of 2023. The largest is Count Basie Park, which includes baseball fields, basketball courts, playground, track, a small trail along Mohawk Pond, and restrooms. Eastside Park, the only park located east of Broad Street, consists of a playground, soccer field, softball field, basketball court, tennis courts, benches, picnic tables, walking paths, lawn, and restrooms. Along the Navesink River, there are three parks: Marine Park, which consists of a playground, benches, boat basin, picnic tables, lawn, and restrooms; Riverside Gardens Park, which has picnic tables, benches, boardwalk, lawn, and restrooms; and Maple Cove Park, which includes a lawn and kayak launch. Bellhaven Nature Area sits along the Swimming River, which includes a turtle access point, playground, picnic table, benches, and lawn. Two small streetside parks exist in the town, including Johnny Jazz Park, which has a trail, benches, and lawn; and Veterans Park, which includes a World War II cannon, flagpole, and lawn.

There are plans to build a new large park called Sunset Avenue Park along the Swimming River on a former landfill site in the southwestern part of the borough. The park is to include wooded trails, sledding hills, a lawn, playground, boardwalk, picnic pavilion, plaza, a living wall, skatepark, kayak launch, and two parking lots. There is also a plan to completely redo Marine Park, finalized in 2019. The final concept plan includes an entry plaza with a water feature, a memorial plaza, restrooms, lawns, natural playground, event lawn/seasonal ice rink, pier, food truck space, pavilion, kayak launch, marina, sculptured waterfront plaza, shade structures, a riverboat attraction, a waterfront walkway, a parking lot, storm water management, and pump stations.

While Red Bank has 4 mi of waterfront, only a small portion of it is publicly accessible. The only waterfront walkways that currently exist are those found in Marine Park, Riverside Gardens Park, Maple Cove, as well as the privately owned walkways at the Molly Pitcher Inn and Oyster Point Hotel, and at condominiums. Red Bank has the long term plan of connecting the entire waterfront via one large publicly accessible waterfront walkway. The two main priorities are connecting the waterfronts between Marine Park and Riverside Gardens Park; as well as connecting Bellhaven Nature Area with the future Sunset Avenue Park. The borough also is in the works of making the waterfront property owned by Riverfront Medical Center into a publicly accessible waterfront.

Other recreational facilities within Red Bank include a YMCA, Red Bank Public Library, Boys & Girls Club of Monmouth County, boat & yacht clubs, and the Red Bank senior center. There are several buildings on the state and national historic register, including the T. Thomas Fortune House, the Anthony Reckless Estate, the Robert White House, Carlton Theatre, Monmouth Boat Club, Red Bank Passenger Station, Monmouth Boat Club, North Shrewsbury Ice Boat & Yacht Club, River Street School, and Shrewsbury Township Hall. The borough also has designations for the Broad Street Historic District and the Washington Street Historic District.

Boating, sculling, sailing, and fishing are popular outdoor activities in and near Red Bank; in the winter, ice boats sail on the Navesink when it freezes over, as it did in 2009. The Monmouth Boat Club, Marine Park, and the slips of the Molly Pitcher Inn provide access to the Navesink and, from there, Sandy Hook and the Gateway National Recreation Area, the Jersey Shore and the Atlantic Ocean.

Local government
Since July 1, 2023, Red Bank has been governed under the Faulkner Act (council–manager) form of government; the borough form has been used since the borough's incorporation in 1908, and all members then serving in office under the old form had their terms end in June 2023. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and a six-member borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve four-year terms of office (after the initial election). In the May 2023 municipal election, a mayor and council were elected under the new form, with council members randomly assigned so that four serve two-year teams and two serve four-year terms. The Council voted in July 2023 to move elections to November, so four council seats will be up for election in November 2025, with the mayor and the other two council seats up for vote in November 2027, with that cycle continuing in odd-numbered years; the change to November elections meant that the council members elected in 2023 had their term-end month shifted from June to December.

, the mayor of Red Bank is William J. Portman, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Kristina Bonatakis (term ending 2025), David Cassidy (2025), Nancy Facey-Blackwood (2027), Ben Forest (2025), Laura Jannone (2025) and Kate Triggiano (2027), all of whom were elected together on the "Red Bank's Ready" slate at the May 2023 election.

Federal, state, and county representation
Red Bank is in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were 6,217 registered voters in Red Bank, of whom 2,118 (34.1%) were registered Democrats, 1,185 (19.1%) were registered Republicans and 2,906 (46.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. Eight voters were registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.2% of the vote (2,730), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 35.2% (1,523), and other candidates with 1.6% (70), among the 4,359 ballots cast by the borough's 6,440 registered voters (36 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama received 63.2% of the vote (3,129), ahead of Republican John McCain with 34.0% (1,682) and other candidates with 0.9% (47), among the 4,948 ballots cast by the borough's 6,669 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 58.1% of the vote (2,849), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 40.4% (1,984) and other candidates with 0.6% (42), among the 4,905 ballots cast by the borough's 6,856 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 71.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 56.4% of the vote (1,527), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 41.2% (1,116), and other candidates with 2.4% (65), among the 2,772 ballots cast by the borough's 6,510 registered voters (64 were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 46.0% of the vote (1,460), ahead of Christie with 45.9% (1,457), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (200) and other candidates with 0.8% (24), among the 3,176 ballots cast by the borough's 6,332 registered voters, a 50.2% turnout.

Education
The Red Bank Borough Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 1,434 students and 110 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Red Bank Primary School, with 644 students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, and Red Bank Middle School, with 648 students in fourth through eighth grades.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Red Bank Regional High School, which also serves students from Little Silver and Shrewsbury Borough, along with students in the district's academy programs from other communities who are eligible to attend on a tuition basis. Students from other Monmouth County municipalities are eligible to attend the high school for its performing arts program, with admission on a competitive basis. The borough has five elected representatives on the nine-member board of education. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,208 students and 119.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.1:1.

Red Bank Charter School is a public school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade that operates under a New Jersey Department of Education charter and accepts students and receives its funding from a portion of property taxes, like a typical public school. It does not charge tuition and operates independently of the public school system, with a separate school board. Students are selected to enroll in the charter school based on an annual lottery, which is open to all Red Bank residents of school age.

Other schools in Red Bank include Red Bank Catholic High School and St. James Elementary School, Catholic schools affiliated with Saint James parish and under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.

Roads and highways
, the borough had 29.86 mi of roadways, of which 23.09 mi were maintained by the municipality, 5.25 mi by Monmouth County and 1.52 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 35 runs north-south through the borough while CR 520 passes through briefly in the southeastern area. Red Bank is also 2 mi east of Interchange 109 of the Garden State Parkway.

Public transportation
NJ Transit passenger trains are available at the Red Bank station. Commuter service is provided on the North Jersey Coast Line, offering express and local service. Diesel service operates from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Head, New Jersey. Electric service operates from Penn Station to Long Branch, New Jersey, where the electrified portion of the line ends. Mid-line stations include Newark Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport Station, and Secaucus Junction.

Bus service through Red Bank is provided by Academy Bus (express to New York City) and Veolia Transport, running routes under contract to NJ Transit. Local bus service is provided on the 831, 832, 834 and 838 routes.

Health care
Riverview Medical Center is a 476-bed acute care community hospital founded in 1928 as Red Bank Hospital.

In media
Several tunes composed and/or made famous by Count Basie name-check the town in their title, including "Red Bank Boogie" and "The Kid from Red Bank". Basie was born and grew up in Red Bank, starting his musician's career there. A bronze bust of him was commissioned to mark what would have been his 100th birthday in 2004, and placed in the plaza outside the Red Bank train station.

In his 1942 essay "Memoirs of a Drudge", humorist James Thurber recalls being sent to Red Bank by his newspaper's city editor on a tip that "Violets [are] growing in the snow over in Red Bank". Putting in a telephone call to that town's Chief of Police in advance, Thurber is told by a desk sergeant, "Ain't no violence over here."

Some of the films of Kevin Smith, who lived in Red Bank while working as an up-and-coming director, are partially set there, including Chasing Amy, Dogma, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Smith's comic book store, Jay and Silent Bob's Secret Stash, the setting of the AMC reality television series Comic Book Men, is also in Red Bank, at 65 Broad Street. Smith and View Askew Productions also host the annual Vulgarthon film marathon in various theaters around Red Bank.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Red Bank include: ( (B) denotes that the person was born there.)

 * Mimi Alford (born 1943), woman who served as an intern in the White House press office from 1962 to 1963, during which time she had an affair with President John F. Kennedy described in her 2012 book Once Upon a Secret
 * Chester Apy (1932–2021), politician who represented District 5B in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1970 and again from 1972 to 1974 (B)
 * Michael Arnone (born 1932), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1989 to 2004, representing New Jersey's 12th legislative district, after serving as Red Bank's mayor in 1979 and 1980
 * Daniel V. Asay (1847–1930), iceboat racer
 * James Avati (1912–2005), illustrator and paperback cover artist
 * Frances Blaisdell (1912–2009), award-winning, pioneering flutist and educator first female soloist with the New York Philharmonic
 * Sebastian Bach (born 1968), former lead singer of hard rock band Skid Row
 * Count Basie (1904–1984), jazz pianist and bandleader The Neal Hefti tune featured in The Atomic Mr. Basie album, "The Kid from Red Bank," refers to him.
 * Virginia Bauer (born 1956), advocate for families of the victims of the September 11 terror attacks who is a commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
 * Jennifer Beck (born 1967), politician who represents New Jersey's 12th legislative district in the New Jersey Senate, and served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2008
 * Clint Black (born 1962), country music singer-songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist and occasional actor
 * Dave Bry (1970–2017), writer, music journalist and editor at Vibe, Spin and XXL
 * Pete Capella (born 1977), actor and voice actor best known for his voice role as Silver the Hedgehog in the Sonic the Hedgehog games
 * William J. Chiego (born 1943), museum curator who has been director of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio since 1991
 * Edmund S. Crelin Jr. (1923–2004), professor emeritus of anatomy at Yale University
 * Sean Dawkins (born 1971), wide receiver who played for the Indianapolis Colts, New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars
 * David DeFazio (born 1983), American ice dancer who represents Switzerland in international competition
 * Peter Dobson (born 1964), actor who had a cameo as Elvis Presley in Forrest Gump
 * Sigmund Eisner (1859–1925), clothing manufacturer and president of the Sigmund Eisner Company
 * Sigmund Eisner (1920–2012), scholar of medieval literature who was an expert on Geoffrey Chaucer
 * Abram Isaac Elkus (1867–1947), lawyer who served as U.S. ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
 * Brian Fallon (born 1980), guitarist, songwriter, singer and bandleader of The Gaslight Anthem
 * John Farinacci (born 2001), ice hockey forward for the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League
 * Harry Flaherty (born 1961), linebacker who played for the Dallas Cowboys (B)
 * Timothy Thomas Fortune (1856–1928), orator, civil rights leader, journalist and founder of The New York Age, editor and publisher; his Red Bank home, Maple Hill, is on the National Register of Historic Places
 * Josh Heald (born 1977), screenwriter, director, and producer best known for his work on Cobra Kai and Hot Tub Time Machine (B)
 * Eddie Jones (1929-1997), longtime bass player for Count Basie
 * Jake Kalish (born 1991), professional baseball pitcher (B)
 * Blair Kamin, Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic (B)
 * Mike Largey (born 1960), professional basketball player who played power forward for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Premier League from 1984 to 1987
 * Joseph A. Laroski (born 1971), lawyer, who is a nominee to serve as a United States judge of the United States Court of International Trade (B)
 * Marilyn Levy (1922–2014), photographic chemist and inventor based at Fort Monmouth
 * Chris Lieto (born 1972), international triathlete who finished second at the Ironman Hawaii 2009
 * Phil Longo (born 1968), football coach who is offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team (B)
 * Pamela Malhotra (born 1952), won India's highest award for women after starting an animal sanctuary
 * Tom Malloy (born 1974), film actor, writer and producer (B)
 * Danielle Marcano (born 1997), professional soccer forward, who plays in the Turkish Women's Football Super League for Fomget Gençlik ve Spor and represents Puerto Rico internationally (B)
 * Leo Massa (1929–2009), cross-country skier who competed in the men's 30 kilometre event at the 1960 Winter Olympics
 * John Joseph McDermott (born 1963), priest of the Catholic Church who was appointed as bishop for the Diocese of Burlington in 2024 (B)
 * Eric McCoo (born 1980), former NFL running back (B)
 * Sarah Mergenthaler (born 1979), member of the 2008 US Olympic Sailing Team who competed in the women's 470 (B)
 * Christian Miele (born 1981), politician who has been a member of the Maryland House of Delegates since 2015
 * Daniel J. O'Hern (1930–2009), former associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court who served as councilman and mayor of Red Bank
 * Michael J. Panter (born 1969), politician who represented New Jersey's 12th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2004 to 2008
 * Haley Peters (born 1992), professional women's basketball forward with the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association
 * Frederik Pohl (1919–2013), science fiction author
 * Elise Primavera (born 1955), children's author and illustrator
 * Donny Pritzlaff (born 1979), freestyle wrestler who represented the United States in international competition, winning bronze medals at the 2006 World Wrestling Championships and the 2007 FILA Wrestling World Cup
 * Bob Rommel (born 1962), politician who has served in the Florida House of Representatives from the 106th district since 2016
 * Phoebe Ryan (born 1990), singer and songwriter
 * David Sancious (born 1953), early member of the E Street Band
 * Natalie Schafer (1900–1991), actress who played Mrs. Thurston Howell III on the TV series Gilligan's Island
 * Eddie August Schneider (1911–1940), pilot who set airspeed records
 * Michael A. Sheehan (1955–2018), author, government official and military officer (B)
 * Sheridan Shook (died 1899), businessman and tax collector (B)
 * Garrett Sickels (born 1994), outside linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Rams (B)
 * Kevin Smith (born 1970), film director who has shot films in Red Bank (B)
 * Abigail Spanberger (born 1979), federal law enforcement agent, former CIA operations officer and U.S. representative from Virginia's 7th congressional district
 * Snuffy Stirnweiss (1918–1958), second baseman who played for the New York Yankees
 * Frankie Tagliaferri (born 1999), professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for the North Carolina Courage in the National Women's Soccer League (B)
 * Edmund Wilson (1895–1972), literary critic (B)
 * David Wojnarowicz (1954–1992), painter, photographer, writer, filmmaker, performance artist and AIDS activist
 * Alexander Woollcott (1887–1943), writer and critic born at the nearby North American Phalanx utopian community
 * Dave Wyndorf (born 1956), songwriter, guitarist, singer and Monster Magnet bandleader
 * Christopher Young (born 1958), composer and orchestrator of film and television scores (B)

title: Red Bank, New Jersey