Interlaken, New Jersey

History

The area that is now Interlaken was purchased in 1667 by Gavin Drummond from the Lenape Native Americans. It was later part of Ocean Township, which had seceded from Shrewsbury Township in 1849 and included at the time present-day Eatontown, Neptune Township, Neptune City, Avon-by-the-Sea, Bradley Beach, Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Deal, Long Branch, West Long Branch, Loch Arbour, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright and Oceanport, along with Interlaken itself.

Dr. Francis Weld, a Boston physician, bought a 364-acre (1.47 km²) tract and named it Interlaken Farm, after Interlaken, a peninsula in Switzerland situated between two lakes, that they had just visited, which was similar to the borough's location between two sections of Deal Lake. Weld established the Interlaken Land Company in 1890 to turn his farm into a residential community with avenues named after English lakes and cross streets named after the islands in the Hebrides in the Irish Sea. While the initial effort did not succeed, the Stormfelz-Lovely-Neville Company was hired in 1905 to continue the building project, and the community began its growth.

Interlaken was formed as a borough on March 11, 1922, based on the results of a referendum held on May 3, 1922. The first Mayor and Council of Interlaken were seated on June 26, 1922.

Interlaken remains entirely residential, as was originally intended by its developers.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.383 square miles (0.993 km²), including 0.330 square miles (0.856 km²) of land and 0.053 square miles (0.138 km²) of water (13.85%).

The borough borders the Monmouth County community of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Loch Arbour and Ocean Township.

Deal Lake covers 158 acres (64 ha) and is overseen by the Deal Lake Commission, which was established in 1974. Seven municipalities border the lake, accounting for 27 miles (43 km) of shoreline, also including Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Deal, Loch Arbour, Neptune Township and Ocean Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 820 people, 361 households, and 237.2 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,482.3 per square mile (958.4/km²). The borough contained 393 housing units at an average density of 1,189.7 per square mile (459.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.41% (807) White, 0.00% (0) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.49% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.37% (3) from other races, and 0.73% (6) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.71% (14) of the population.

Out of a total of 361 households, 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.7% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the borough, 14.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 14.5% from 25 to 44, 39.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.3 years. For every 100 females the census counted 90.3 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $116,000 (with a margin of error of +/- $16,207) and the median family income was $137,500 (+/- $17,077). Males had a median income of $116,250 (+/- $10,733) versus $60,833 (+/- $21,986) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $72,484 (+/- $11,388). About 2.7% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 900 people, 386 households, and 260 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,556.2 people per square mile (992.8/km²). There were 397 housing units at an average density of 1,127.6 per square mile (438.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.67% White, 0.22% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.11% of the population.

There were 386 households out of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the borough the population was spread out with 17.9% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $82,842, and the median income for a family was $104,618. Males had a median income of $81,203 versus $59,063 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,307. About 1.5% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Interlaken is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, 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 consists of 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 Interlaken, the most common system used in the state, 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.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Interlaken is Republican Michael Nohilly, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Robert L. White (R, 2018), John Rush Butler (R, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Mervin Franks (R, 2018), John Gunn (R, 2017), William Handerhan (D, 2016) and Mindy Horowitz (R, 2017).

In September 2016, the Borough Council selected John Rush Butler to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Keith Miller until his resignation earlier that month; Butler will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Interlaken is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 11th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jennifer Beck (R, Red Bank) and in the General Assembly by Joann Downey (D, Freehold Township) and Eric Houghtaling (D, Neptune Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. As of 2014, Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township; term ends December 31, 2014), Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr. (R, Spring Lake; 2014), Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City; 2016), John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township; 2015) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township; 2016). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk M. Claire French (Wall Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (Farmingdale) and Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (Middletown Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 749 registered voters in Interlaken, of which 183 (24.4%) were registered as Democrats, 371 (49.5%) were registered as Republicans and 195 (26.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 61.5% of the vote (362 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 38.0% (224 votes), and other candidates with 0.5% (3 votes), among the 595 ballots cast by the borough's 781 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 76.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 59.6% of the vote (379 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.9% (235 votes) and other candidates with 1.9% (12 votes), among the 636 ballots cast by the borough's 766 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 59.0% of the vote (372 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.8% (245 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (8 votes), among the 631 ballots cast by the borough's 776 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.3.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.4% of the vote (383 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.4% (119 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (6 votes), among the 523 ballots cast by the borough's 774 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 67.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.5% of the vote (360 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.5% (150 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.9% (45 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (3 votes), among the 567 ballots cast by the borough's 760 registered voters, yielding a 74.6% turnout.

Education

Interlaken is a non-operating school district. Students from Interlaken attend the schools of the West Long Branch Public Schools for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade as part of a sending/receiving relationship in which students attend on a tuition basis. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 565 students and 61.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Betty McElmon Elementary School with 241 students in pre-Kindergarten through third grade and Frank Antonides School with 338 students in fourth through eighth grades.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Shore Regional High School, a regional high school located in West Long Branch that also serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright and West Long Branch. The high school is part of the Shore Regional High School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 630 students and 58.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 6.77 miles (10.90 km) of roadways, of which 5.84 miles (9.40 km) were maintained by the municipality and 0.93 miles (1.50 km) by Monmouth County.

No major roads pass through the borough. Route 18, Route 35, Route 66 and Route 71 are accessible in its neighboring communities. The Garden State Parkway is also not too far away.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Interlaken include: