Little Silver, New Jersey

History

Prior to the settlement of Europeans, the area that is now Little Silver was inhabited by the Navesink Native Americans.

There are several tales of how Little Silver received its name. In one, brothers Joseph and Peter Parker, who settled in this area in 1667 and owned land bounded by Parker's Creek on the south and Little Silver Creek on the north, named their holdings "Little Silver" after their father's (George Parker) estate in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The original Parker Homestead, dating to 1725 and one of the state's oldest, was acquired by the borough and is undergoing renovation.

Other explanations for the derivation of the name are the payment to Native Americans for purchase of the land and the placid appearance of the water.

The borough's earliest European residents were primarily farmers, fishermen and merchants.

Early families and businesses include:

John T. Lovett owned a nursery that once covered almost half the borough, supplying large catalog houses such as Sears Roebuck, Macy's and Newberry's. In 1878 he circulated a petition to the community recommending that the name be revised and on July 30, 1879, the Post Office name was changed from "Parkersville" to "Little Silver".

The borough has had a varied history as a resort, agricultural area and fishing town. Today, the municipality is primarily residential with a range of housing types, from ranches and capes.

Little Silver separated from Shrewsbury Township in 1923. Since then, farms and nurseries have been replaced by housing. Over the years, New York City and North Jersey commuters have made Little Silver their home, traveling by rail or auto to their jobs. The Little Silver Train Station on Sycamore Avenue was designed by the noted American architect Henry Hobson Richardson and built in 1890. It reopened after renovations in 2003.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 3.315 square miles (8.586 km²), including 2.708 square miles (7.013 km²) of land and 0.607 square miles (1.573 km²) of water (18.32%).

The original farms and nurseries have almost all been replaced by housing today. Little Silver's location on the Shrewsbury River makes it a popular destination for boaters and water sports enthusiasts, with a public boat ramp at the Dominick F. Santelle Park off Riverview Avenue. Approximately 8% of the homes are directly on the Shrewsbury River and another third of homes are on streams that connect to it.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Fair Haven, Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Red Bank, Rumson and Shrewsbury Borough.

Little Silver Point is an unincorporated community located within Little Silver.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 5,950 people, 2,146 households, and 1,689 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,197.3 per square mile (848.4/km²). The borough contained 2,278 housing units at an average density of 841.3 per square mile (324.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.42% (5,737) White, 0.29% (17) Black or African American, 0.10% (6) Native American, 1.75% (104) Asian, 0.13% (8) Pacific Islander, 0.17% (10) from other races, and 1.14% (68) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.01% (179) of the population.

Out of a total of 2,146 households, 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the borough, 27.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 92.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 85.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $144,299 (with a margin of error of +/- $23,666) and the median family income was $167,659 (+/- $28,090). Males had a median income of $126,556 (+/- $27,434) versus $71,667 (+/- $13,832) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $66,069 (+/- $8,285). About 1.7% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 6,170 people, 2,232 households, and 1,810 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,226.2 people per square mile (860.0/km²). There were 2,288 housing units at an average density of 825.5 per square mile (318.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.15% White, 0.31% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.51% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.19% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.31% of the population.

There were 2,232 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.5% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 16.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough the population was spread out with 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $94,094, and the median income for a family was $104,033. Males had a median income of $90,941 versus $45,938 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,798. About 0.4% of families and 0.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Little Silver 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 Little Silver, 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 Little Silver is Republican Robert C. Neff Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2015. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Daniel J. O'Hern Jr. (D, 2017), Donald S. Galante (R, 2016), David E. Gilmour (R, 2018), Dane S. Mihlon (R, 2017), Glenn Talavera (R, 2018) and Corinne Thygeson (R, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term).

In March 2016, the Borough Council selected Corinne Thygeson from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Stuart W. Van Winkle that became vacant upon his resignation; Thygeson will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a candidate to fill the balance of the term.

In January 2015, the Borough Council selected Glenn Talavera to fill the vacant seat xpiring December 2015 of Richard J. "Rick" Scott, who resigned from office as work obligations will have him out of the borough.

In September 2011, following the death of mayor Suzanne Castleman in July 2011, Robert Neff was appointed to fill the vacant mayoral seat, while Donald Galante, a former member of the Borough Council, was appointed to fill Neff's vacant council seat.

Little Silver is a participating municipality in an initiative to study regionalizing 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, Oceanport, 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

Little Silver is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Little Silver had been in the 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Little Silver had been part of the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R). 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 13th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph M. Kyrillos (R, Middletown Township) and in the General Assembly by Amy Handlin (R, Middletown Township) and Declan O'Scanlon (R, Little Silver). 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 4,677 registered voters in Little Silver, of which 1,065 (22.8%) were registered as Democrats, 1,486 (31.8%) were registered as Republicans and 2,124 (45.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 61.4% of the vote (2,186 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.8% (1,344 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (29 votes), among the 3,574 ballots cast by the borough's 4,903 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.7% of the vote (2,155 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.0% (1,625 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (41 votes), among the 3,867 ballots cast by the borough's 4,879 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.1% of the vote (2,310 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 39.1% (1,501 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (19 votes), among the 3,842 ballots cast by the borough's 4,752 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.3% of the vote (1,639 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.0% (530 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (36 votes), among the 2,230 ballots cast by the borough's 4,837 registered voters (25 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.5% of the vote (1,865 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.9% (715 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (163 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (12 votes), among the 2,761 ballots cast by the borough's 4,752 registered voters, yielding a 58.1% turnout.

Education

The Little Silver School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 844 students and 71.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Point Road School (grades PreK-4; 460 students) and Markham Place School (5-8; 385).

For ninth through twelfth grades, students attend Red Bank Regional High School, which serves students from the boroughs of Little Silver, Red Bank and Shrewsbury, 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 two elected representatives on the nine-member Board of Education. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,233 students and 111.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 32.41 miles (52.16 km) of roadways, of which 25.68 miles (41.33 km) were maintained by the municipality and 6.73 miles (10.83 km) by Monmouth County.

Both Route 35 and CR 520 clip the very western corner of the borough. The closest limited access road is the Garden State Parkway via CR 520 in Middletown Township.

Public transportation

The Little Silver train station is served by trains on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. The station is one of the few on the electrified portion of the line without raised platforms. The station is located between two grade crossings. When trains stop at the station, they block the roadway at one crossing or the other for entire duration of the stop, causing traffic backups.

The train station, constructed in 1875 by the New York and Long Branch Railroad, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

From the Raritan Bayshore SeaStreak catamarans travel to Pier 11 at Wall Street and East 34th Street Ferry Landing in Manhattan. NY Waterway ferries travel to Paulus Hook Ferry Terminal in Jersey City, Battery Park City Ferry Terminal and West Midtown Ferry Terminal in Manhattan.

Notable people

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