Sea Bright, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Sea Bright, New Jersey
settlement_type = Borough
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Sea Bright in Monmouth County


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Monmouth
government_footnotes =
government_type = Borough (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Maria Fernandes
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.9
area_land_km2 = 1.7
area_water_km2 = 1.3
area_total_sq_mi = 1.1
area_land_sq_mi = 0.6
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 1818
population_density_km2 = 1099.2
population_density_sq_mi = 2846.9

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 6
elevation_ft = 20
latd = 40 |latm = 22 |lats = 13 |latNS = N
longd = 73 |longm = 58 |longs = 24 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 07760
area_code = 732
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-66240GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882567GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Sea Bright is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,818.

Sea Bright was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township), based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was reincorporated on March 10, 1897."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 185.]

History

While Sea Bright's formal history starts in 1869, there was, in the early 1840s, a small cluster of wooden shacks nestled among the tall grass-topped sand dunes of the barrier beach. This was the fishing village of Nauvoo. Long an enigma to local historians and often misinterpreted as a Native American word, the origin of "Nauvoo" is Sephardic Hebrew. It is clearly the same word that Mormon leader Joseph Smith gave to the Illinois town he founded in 1839. Meaning literally "beautiful of pleasant place," New Jersey's Nauvoo might well have been named by Smith as he visited Monmouth County in 1839. In an event, moved by Mormon influence, Nauvoo was the name chosen by local fisherman for their tiny settlement on the Jersey Shore.

One of the earliest accounts of the barrier beach, published a dozen years before Sea Bright's existence, describes a steamboat journey from New York to the Ocean House, a low rambling wooden structure situated on the beach opposite the mouth of the Navesink River. Built in 1842, this first hotel on the sandy strip offered "excellent fishing, fine sea bathing and capital accommodations" for three hundred patrons. At the Ocean House one "found a number of beach carriages", as they are called, awaiting the arrival of the boat from New York City to take passengers to Long Branch.

Geography

Sea Bright is located at coor dms|40|22|13|N|73|58|24|W|city (40.370314, -73.973471)GR|1. It is also the eastern most town in New Jersey.

Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs, five in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, The Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club, and two south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater. In addition, there is a large public, municipal beach in the center of town which charges a fee, but includes free parking and is protected by lifeguards. This beach is also close to restaurants and shops. The traditional surfing beach area, called the Anchorage, is free and public, but unguarded. In addition, there are numerous public access stairs to other unguarded beaches for fishing, recreation and suntanning.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.9 km²), of which, 0.6 square miles (1.7 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (43.36%) is water.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=899
1940=779
1950=999
1960=1138
1970=1339
1980=1812
1990=1693
2000=1818
estimate= 1799
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US3466330&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3466330&_street=&_county=sea+bright&_cityTown=sea+bright&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Sea Bright borough] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 7, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,818 people, 1,003 households, and 402 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,846.9 people per square mile (1,096.8/km²). There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of 1,882.3/sq mi (725.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.39% White, 1.76% African American, 2.26% Asian, 0.88% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.51% of the population.

There were 1,003 households out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.9% were non-families. 45.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.51.

In the borough the population was spread out with 11.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 109.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $65,563, and the median income for a family was $72,031. Males had a median income of $60,417 versus $41,100 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $45,066. About 5.3% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Sea Bright 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."2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 58.]

The Mayor of Sea Bright Borough is currently Maria Fernandes, however, her election in November 2007 by 3 votes was contested in litigation pending in the Superior Court of New Jersey. Members of the Sea Bright Borough Council are Council President Dina Long, Peggy Bills, William "Jack" Keeler, Brian P. Kelly, Susana Markson and Thomas Scriven. [ [http://www.sea-bright.com/government.asp Borough Government] , Borough of Sea Bright. Accessed April 2, 2008.]

Federal, state and county representation

Sea Bright is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 64. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

Public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Oceanport School District as part of a sending/receiving relationship. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412120 Oceanport School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 14, 2008.] ) are [http://www.oceanport.k12.nj.us/wolfhill.htm Wolf Hill Elementary School] , with 361 students in Kindergarten through 4th grade; and [http://www.oceanport.k12.nj.us/mapleplace.htm Maple Place Middle School] , with 312 students in grades 5 - 8.

For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend Shore Regional High School, a regional high school that serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, Oceanport and West Long Branch. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/25/4760/25-4760-000.html Shore Regional High School 2007 School Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 14, 2008. "Shore Regional High School is a comprehensive secondary school that proudly serves the communities of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright, and West Long Branch."] The high school is part of the Shore Regional High School District.

Transportation

The Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge, a 1,240-foot drawbridge built in 1932, connects Highlands in the west to Sea Brigh in the east, across the Shrewsbury River. The eastern terminus is at the entrance to Sandy Hook. The span is part of Route 36. Between 2008-2011 it will be replaced with a fixed span instead of a drawbridge. It will rise 65 feet instead of the original span's 35 feet. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Highlands Bridge work under way |url=http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1215750956298080.xml&coll=1 |quote=The 76-year-old drawbridge carries Route 36 over the Shrewsbury River between Highlands and Sea Bright. Drivers have only two choices when they pull out of Sandy Hook -- they can turn south on Route 36 and drive along the Shore through Sea Bright or head north and cross the bridge. |work=Star-Ledger |date=July 11, 2008 |accessdate=2008-07-28 ] [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Demolition starts on Highlands-Sea Bright bridge |url=http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080715/NEWS01/807150382/0/NEWS |quote=About 12:35 p.m. Monday, as planned, J.H. Reid Construction Co. of South Plainfield began demolishing portions of the 75-year-old drawbridge to make way for its replacement — a 65-foot-high, fixed-span bridge. |work=Asbury Park Press |date=July 15, 2008 |accessdate=2008-07-28 ]

Sea Bright can be accessed from Rumson to the west via Rumson Road/County Route 520 via the Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Sea Bright include:
*John J. McCook (1845-1911), Civil War officer, prominent New York attorney, railroad executive
*Fred Alexander (1880-1969), top-ranked tennis player in the early 20th century. [ [http://www.tennisfame.com/famer.aspx?pgID=867&hof_id=40 Frederik Beasley Alexander] , International Tennis Hall of Fame. Accessed November 24, 2007.]
*Juan Trippe (1899-1981), U.S. airline entrepreneur and founder of Pan Am. [ [http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=F7071EF73B5D0C778CDDAD0894D9484D81 "JUAN TRIPPE, 81, DIES; U.S. AVIATION PIONEER"] , "The New York Times", April 4, 1981. Accessed February 17, 2008.]
*Brian Wenning, professional skateboarder,Fact|date=May 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.sea-bright.com Sea Bright Borough website]
* [http://www.oceanport.k12.nj.us/ Oceanport School District]
*NJReportCard|25|3830|0|Oceanport School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412120 Oceanport School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://64.106.243.180/shoreregional/ Shore Regional High School]
* [http://ahherald.com Atlantic Herald - NJ's 1st Official Electronic Newspaper]

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