Stone Harbor, New Jersey

History

Development began in the late 19th century as a beach resort along the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad line. The community was marketed to wealthy residents of Philadelphia seeking a resort destination for a second home.

Stone Harbor was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1914, from portions of Middle Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 28, 1914. The borough gained a portion of Avalon on December 27, 1941. The borough is said to be made name for an English sea captain named Stone who sought shelter from a storm in the area.

In 2015, a contract was awarded to dredge adjacent bodies of water. In early 2016, during the dewatering stage of the operation, a total of three geotubes discharged a small quantity of sediment containing several contaminants. Dredging was halted pending development of a plan to prevent future such spills.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.962 square miles (5.081 km²), including 1.398 square miles (3.620 km²) of land and 0.564 square miles (1.461 km²) of water (28.76%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Seven Mile Beach.

Stone Harbor borders Avalon Borough, Middle Township, North Wildwood City and the Atlantic Ocean.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 866 people, 441 households, and 255.8 families residing in the borough. The population density was 619.6 per square mile (239.2/km²). The borough contained 3,247 housing units at an average density of 2,323.3 per square mile (897.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.11% (841) White, 1.62% (14) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.12% (1) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.69% (6) from other races, and 0.46% (4) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.35% (29) of the population.

Out of a total of 441 households, 10.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.0% were non-families. 37.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.54.

In the borough, 10.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 11.8% from 25 to 44, 31.4% from 45 to 64, and 41.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 60.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 89.9 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 84.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,286 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,969) and the median family income was $92,083 (+/- $19,643). Males had a median income of $55,417 (+/- $23,166) versus $70,208 (+/- $15,479) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $60,057 (+/- $10,700). About 2.8% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,128 people, 596 households, and 330 families residing in the borough. The population density was 796.1 people per square mile (306.7/km²). There were 3,428 housing units at an average density of 2,419.4 per square mile (932.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.76% White, 0.80% African American, 0.18% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population.

There were 596 households out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 44.5% were non-families. 40.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 24.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.89 and the average family size was 2.50.

In the borough the population was spread out with 12.3% under the age of 18, 3.0% from 18 to 24, 14.4% from 25 to 44, 31.6% from 45 to 64, and 38.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 58 years. For every 100 females there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,471, and the median income for a family was $67,250. Males had a median income of $52,500 versus $35,000 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,427. About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Stone Harbor 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 Stone Harbor, 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 Stone Harbor Borough is Republican Suzanne M. Walters, whose term of office ends December 31, 2016. Members of the Stone Harbor Borough Council are Council President Karen M. Lane (R, 2017), Albert J. Carusi (R, 2016), Judith Davies-Dunhour (R, 2018), Joan T. Kramar (R, 2018), Barry D. Mastrangelo (R, 2016) and Joselyn O. Rich (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Stone Harbor is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). 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 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Director and another to serve as Vice-Director. As of 2015, Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton (Middle Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2015), Kristine Gabor (Upper Township, 2017), E. Marie Hayes (Ocean City, 2016), and Will Morey (Wildwood Crest, 2017). The county's constitutional officers are Sheriff Gary Schafer (Middle Township, 2017), Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard (Ocean City, 2017), and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti (Ocean City, 2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 778 registered voters in Stone Harbor, of which 62 (8.0%) were registered as Democrats, 588 (75.6%) were registered as Republicans and 128 (16.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.8% of the vote (411 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.1% (216 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (7 votes), among the 640 ballots cast by the borough's 782 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 81.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 62.7% of the vote (416 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 36.1% (240 votes), with 664 ballots cast among the borough's 801 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 69.6% of the vote (519 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 29.1% (217 votes), with 746 ballots cast among the borough's 920 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 82.7% of the vote (324 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 15.8% (62 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (6 votes), among the 405 ballots cast by the borough's 742 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.9% of the vote (349 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.5% (172 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.4% (25 votes), with 564 ballots cast among the borough's 808 registered voters, yielding a 69.8% turnout.

Education

The Stone Harbor School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 78 students and 12.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 6.24:1.

Starting with the 2011-12 school year, in an agreement with the Avalon School District, public school students in grades K-4 from both communities attend school in Stone Harbor while all students in grades 5-8 attend school in Avalon.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Middle Township High School in Cape May Court House, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Middle Township Public Schools, together with students from Avalon, Dennis Township and Woodbine. As of the 2013-14 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 807 students and 67.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 24.11 miles (38.80 km) of roadways, of which 21.38 miles (34.41 km) were maintained by the municipality and 2.73 miles (4.39 km) by Cape May County.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers the 315 inter-city bus route that runs through the town three times a day and shuttles people to and from Philadelphia, and the 319 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Points of interest

The Stone Harbor Water Tower pumping station, built in 1924, is the oldest municipal structure still in use in Stone Harbor. The tower, 133 feet (41 m) high, can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. It holds 500,000 US gallons (1,900,000 l; 420,000 imp gal) of water and is supplied by four individual fresh water wells 890 feet (270 m) deep that tap the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer. In 2005, artist Peter Max developed a plan to cover the water tower with a mural made up of digital version of his paintings and artworks that covered 30 by 170 feet (9.1 by 51.8 m) that would be glued to the tower from June through September, with facsimiles of the art sold through Ocean Galleries as a fundraiser to benefit The Wetlands Institute and other charities.

Stone Harbor attractions include The Wetlands Institute, the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary and the Stone Harbor Museum. The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, maintain the Villa Maria by the Sea convent, which opened in June 1937. The beach fronting the Villa is called Nun's Beach and is a well known surfing spot.

It was ranked the tenth-best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 Top 10 Beaches Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.

Notable people

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