Sea Bright, New Jersey

History

Settlement in the area of Sea Bright began in the early 1840s, with a fishing community of simple shacks near the beach dunes that was called "Nauvoo". While many local historians had interpreted the name as a Native American word, the origin of "Nauvoo" is Sephardic Hebrew, from the same word that Mormon leader Joseph Smith gave to the Illinois town he founded in 1839. Meaning literally "beautiful or pleasant place," New Jersey's Nauvoo might well have been named by Smith, as he visited Monmouth County in 1840.

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. Around this time the Sea Bright Skiff was developed in the Northern Jersey Shore. 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

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.287 square miles (3.333 km²), including 0.730 square miles (1.890 km²) of land and 0.557 square miles (1.443 km²) of water (43.30%).

Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs, of which five are in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club; and two are south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater, all of which charge thousands of dollars for membership and have waiting lists of several years for prospective members. 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, with entry limited to those who have purchased a beach badge. 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.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names within Sea Bright include Low Moor, Navesink Beach and Normandie.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Highlands, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach and Rumson. Sea Bright is located on the barrier peninsula that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 1,412 people, 792 households, and 324.7 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,935.5 per square mile (747.3/km²). The borough contained 1,211 housing units at an average density of 1,659.9 per square mile (640.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.55% (1,335) White, 0.78% (11) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.27% (32) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (21) from other races, and 0.92% (13) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.52% (78) of the population.

Out of a total of 792 households, 12.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.1% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.0% were non-families. 48.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.78 and the average family size was 2.54.

In the borough, 11.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 38.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 106.7 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 107.3 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $74,236 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,921) and the median family income was $102,679 (+/- $37,943). Males had a median income of $84,412 (+/- $45,724) versus $72,898 (+/- $10,443) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $82,535 (+/- $20,263). About 3.5% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census 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 per square mile (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.

Parks and recreation

As of the summer of 2015, the borough added lifeguards and began charging visitors a daily admission at Anchorage Beach, an area that has been widely used by surfers, eliminating one of the limited number of free oceanfront beaches in the state.

Local government

Sea Bright 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 Sea Bright, 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 Sea Bright is Independent Dina Long, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Sea Bright Borough Council are Council President William J. "Jack" Keeler (R, 2018), Peggy R. Bills (R, 2016), Brian P. Kelly (R, 2016), John M. Lamia Jr. (R, 2017), Marc A. Leckstein (D, 2018) and Charles H. Rooney, III (D, 2017).

In 2014, the Borough Council selected John M. Lamia Jr. to fill the term of C. Read Murphy following his resignation.

Federal, state and county representation

Sea Bright is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Sea Bright had been in the 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 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 1,095 registered voters in Sea Bright, of which 248 (22.6%) were registered as Democrats, 305 (27.9%) were registered as Republicans and 541 (49.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.7% of the vote (379 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.1% (270 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (8 votes), among the 659 ballots cast by the borough's 1,181 registered voters (2 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 55.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 53.6% of the vote (483 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.2% (389 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (15 votes), among the 901 ballots cast by the borough's 1,220 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.9% of the vote (519 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 43.0% (399 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (16 votes), among the 928 ballots cast by the borough's 1,282 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.4.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 84.1% of the vote (348 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 14.7% (61 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (5 votes), among the 418 ballots cast by the borough's 1,068 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.2% of the vote (406 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.8% (164 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.5% (34 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (6 votes), among the 613 ballots cast by the borough's 1,148 registered voters, yielding a 53.4% turnout.

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade are educated as part of the Oceanport School District after the former Sea Bright Board of Education was eliminated by the New Jersey Department of Education in 2009 as a non-operating district. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 629 students and 56.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Wolf Hill Elementary School with 340 students in pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and Maple Place Middle School with 288 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, Oceanport 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 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.

Sea Bright high school students in public school also have the opportunity to attend the schools of the Monmouth County Vocational School District, including the five career academies.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 6.37 miles (10.25 km) of roadways, of which 2.71 miles (4.36 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.08 miles (0.13 km) by Monmouth County and 3.58 miles (5.76 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The new Highlands – Sea Bright Bridge, a fixed span which was built between 2008 and 2011 to replace a 1,240-foot (380 m) drawbridge built in 1932, connects Highlands in the west to Sea Bright in the east, across the Shrewsbury River. The eastern terminus is at the entrance to Sandy Hook. The span is part of Route 36. It rises 65 feet (20 m) instead of the original span's 35 feet (11 m). Route 36 traverses the most of the coastline through Sea Bright to the north and south; in addition to connecting to Highlands on the north, it heads south to Monmouth Beach and Long Branch.

Sea Bright can also be accessed from Rumson to the west via Rumson Road (County Route 520) over the Shrewsbury River Bridge.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides local bus service between Sea Bright and Red Bank on the 835 route.

Notable people

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