Surf City, New Jersey
| Surf City, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
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| Coordinates: 39°39′44″N 74°10′07″W / 39.66222°N 74.16861°WCoordinates: 39°39′44″N 74°10′07″W / 39.66222°N 74.16861°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Ocean |
| Incorporated | September 19, 1894 as Long Beach City |
| Renamed | May 26, 1899 as Surf City |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Borough (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Leonard T. Connors, Jr. (R, 2011)[2] |
| • Administrator | Mary P. Madonna[3] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2) |
| • Land | 0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Elevation[4] | 7 ft (2 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,205 |
| • Density | 1,300/sq mi (500/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08008 |
| Area code(s) | 609 |
| FIPS code | 34-71640[5][6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885413[7] |
Surf City is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,205. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island.
What is now Surf City was originally formed as Long Beach City borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 19, 1894, from portions of Stafford Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was renamed Surf City by a resolution of the Borough Council as of May 26, 1899.[8]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Surf City is 57 miles (92 km) east-southeast of Philadelphia and 71 miles (114 km) south of New York City.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km2), of which, 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (21.74%) is water.
[edit] History
Home to the first big boarding hotel on the New Jersey coast, called the Mansion of Health. The area surrounding this hotel was called "Buzby's Place" in the 1830s and 1940s, after one of the owners of the Mansion of Health, Hudson Buzby. The Mansion of Health burned down in 1874, but some old-timers still call the cove at the foot of South First Street on the bay side "Mansion Cove."[9]
In 1875, the 20 or so permanent members of the area decided to call it Long Beach City, even though the area was still considered part of Stafford Township. But in 1894, Surf City became incorporated, changing its name to Surf City in 1899 after the United States Postal Service demanded a name change before the town could incorporate, preventing it from being confused with Long Branch in Monmouth County.[10]
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 76 |
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| 1940 | 129 | 69.7% | |
| 1950 | 291 | 125.6% | |
| 1960 | 419 | 44.0% | |
| 1970 | 1,129 | 169.5% | |
| 1980 | 1,571 | 39.1% | |
| 1990 | 1,375 | −12.5% | |
| 2000 | 1,442 | 4.9% | |
| 2010 | 1,205 | −16.4% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[11] | |||
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 1,442 people, 706 households, and 420 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,990.4 people per square mile (773.3/km²). There were 2,621 housing units at an average density of 3,617.9 per square mile (1,405.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.06% White, 0.14% African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.42% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.
There were 706 households out of which 13.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.61.
In the borough the population was spread out with 12.4% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 21.6% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 34.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53 years. For every 100 females there were 90.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $38,190, and the median income for a family was $50,268. Males had a median income of $40,625 versus $25,208 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,632. About 5.6% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.1% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Media
Surf City is served primarily by Philadelphia television stations, Atlantic City and Philadelphia based radio stations and two daily newspapers, The Press of Atlantic City and Asbury Park Press.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Surf City is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1]
The Mayor of Surf City Borough is Leonard T. Connors, Jr. (R, term ends December 31, 2011), who also is the state senator from the 9th Legislative District. Borough Council members are Council President Francis R. Hodgson, Sr. (R, 2011), Bettie Creevy (R, 2013), Peter M. Hartney, Jr. (R, 2013), William Hodgson (R, 2011), John Klose (R, 2012) and James B. Russell (R, 2012).[3][12]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Surf City is in the 3rd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.[13]
New Jersey's Third Congressional District is represented by Jon Runyan (R, Mount Laurel Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 9th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the General Assembly by DiAnne Gove (R, Long Beach Township) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor Township).[14] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[15] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[16]
Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at large in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Ocean County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari (Toms River, term ends December 31, 2011), Freeholder Deputy Director Gerry P. Little (Surf City, 2012), John C. Bartlett, Jr. (Pine Beach, 2012), John P. Kelly (Eagleswood Township, 2010) and James F. Lacey (Brick Township, 2013).[17][18]
[edit] Education
For grades K through 6, public school students attend the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, which serves students from Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom, and Surf City.[19] Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[20]) are Ethel Jacobsen School in Surf City with 127 students in grades Kindergarten - 2 and Long Beach Island Grade School in Ship Bottom with 123 students in grades 3 - 6.
For grades 7 through 12, public school students from the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District attend the Southern Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8) and Southern Regional High School (grades 9 - 12); Both schools are located in Manahawkin. These schools are part of the Southern Regional School District, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District, along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township and from the sending district of Ocean Township (Waretown).[21]
[edit] Organizations
The Surf City Yacht Club (SCYC) participates in weekly races against other yacht clubs throughout the Island, with many sailors and swimmers ranging in age dedicating their summers to the Yacht Club
The Surf City Beach Patrol (SCBP) won the Surf City Epic, Lavallette, Ortley Beach, Island Beach State Park, the Midway Beach, and "Islands" Tournaments in 2008, narrowly missing out on victories at Sandy Hook (2nd) and the Ship Bottom (2nd) "State Tournament" losing by only a combined 4.5 points. The SCBP squad were back-to-back LBIBPA Island Champions (2007 & 2008) for the first time in the last 25+ years. The high point of the season came during the IBSP tournament when SC man handled the field winning by 23 pts.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Surf City include:
- Gerry P. Little, served on the Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders since 2003, and was elected to the Surf City Borough Council in 1995, where he served for eight years.[22]
[edit] References
- ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 49.
- ^ 2011 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed August 4, 2011.
- ^ a b Borough of Surf City, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Surf City, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 205.
- ^ Lloyd, pgs. 31-33.
- ^ Lloyd, pg. 32.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 2, 2009. Accessed August 4, 2011.
- ^ 2011 Elected Officials of Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. p. 12. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- ^ 2010 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 65. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- ^ Legislative Roster 2012-2013 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2012.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2011.
- ^ 2011 Organization Comments by Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2011.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 212.
- ^ Data for the Long Beach Island School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 21, 2011.
- ^ Southern Regional High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 21, 2011. "Situated in Manahawkin, the Southern Regional School District draws from the constituent districts of Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Stafford Township, as well as the tuition sending district of Ocean Township (Waretown)."
- ^ Freeholder Gerry P. Little, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 16, 2007.
[edit] Sources
- Lloyd, John Bailey. "Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island." (1994) Down The Shore Publishing and The SandPaper, Inc.
[edit] External links
- Surf City Borough municipal information
- Surf City Beach Patrol Home Page
- Long Beach Island School District
- Long Beach Island School District's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Long Beach Island School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Southern Regional School District
- Long Beach Island Branch (Surf City) of Ocean County Library
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