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Berkeley Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Berkeley
Island Beach State Park
Motto(s): 
"From the shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the serenity of the Pine Barrens"
Map of Berkeley Township in Ocean County. Inset: Location of Ocean County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Map of Berkeley Township in Ocean County. Inset: Location of Ocean County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Berkeley Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Berkeley Township, New Jersey
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Ocean
Incorporated March 31, 1875
Named for John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton
Government
 • Type Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
 • Body Township Council
Area
 • Total 54.25 sq mi (140.51 km2)
 • Land 42.72 sq mi (110.64 km2)
 • Water 11.53 sq mi (29.87 km2)  21.26%
Area rank 31st of 565 in state
6th of 33 in county
Elevation
36 ft (11 m)
Population
 • Total 41,255
 • Estimate 
(2019)
42,036
 • Rank 49th of 566 in state
6th of 33 in county
 • Density 962.5/sq mi (371.6/km2)
 • Density rank 388th of 566 in state
20th of 33 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
08721
Area codes 732 exchanges: 237, 269, 606
FIPS code 3402905305
GNIS feature ID 0882073
Website

Berkeley Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to 41,255, reflecting an increase of 1,264 (+3.2%) from the 39,991 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,672 (+7.2%) from the 37,319 counted in the 1990 Census. the highest recorded in any decennial census.

Berkeley Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1875, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township). Sections of the township were taken to form Seaside Park (March 3, 1898), Seaside Heights (February 6, 1913), Beachwood (March 22, 1917), Ocean Gate (February 28, 1918) Pine Beach (February 26, 1925), South Toms River (March 28, 1927) and Island Beach (June 23, 1933, reabsorbed into Berkeley Township in 1965). The township was named for John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, one of the founders of the Province of New Jersey.

The township's section of Bayville received 21 inches (530 mm) of snow in the January 2022 North American blizzard, the most of any place in the state.

Resort community of Pinewald

Army officer Lt. Edward Farrow began buying up woodland in the 1880s with the idea of building a retirement community for former Army and Navy officers. Farrow built a railroad station, shops and even a resort hotel called The Pines with the idea of attracting people. But only 11 people ever built houses in what Farrow called "Barnegat Park," and eventually he went bankrupt.

In the 1920s, Benjamin W. Sangor purchased the area, intending to create a resort town catering to wealthy urban vacationers. Between 1928 and 1929, about 8,000 lots were sold in Pinewald, a "new-type, residential, recreational city-of-the sea-and-pines." It was to contain a golf course, recreation facilities, and estate homes.

The developers immediately began construction of the Pinewald pavilion and pier at the end of Butler Avenue. The Royal Pines Hotel, a $1.175 million investment facing Crystal Lake, was built on the site of an earlier hotel dating back to the days of Barnegat Park. It was the focal point of the new community. The hotel was also used as an asylum, then later a nursing home now known as the Crystal Lake Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

The hotel was constructed by Russian architect W. Oltar-Jevsky in the early 1920s. Al Capone may have frequented its halls, perhaps even venturing beneath the lake in tunnels especially designed for smuggling alcohol during Prohibition. One newspaper article interviewed an unidentified man who claimed that "in the early 1930s the then Royal Pines Hotel was frequented by society's elite who, for $1.90 a drink, consumed prohibition liquor under the watchful eye of men who had guns strapped under their coats." In 1929, during the Great Depression, the resort community went bankrupt.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 55.999 square miles (145.036 km2), including 42.864 square miles (111.017 km2) of land and 13.135 square miles (34.019 km2) of water (23.46%).

The township is located in the central part of Ocean County along the Atlantic Ocean and Barnegat Bay, which is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Approximately 72% of the township's land area is within the federally designated New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve and 38% is within the State's Pineland Area, which is within the Pinelands National Reserve. Toms River Township forms the northern border of the township, Cedar Creek and Lacey Township form the southern border. The barrier island, on which South Seaside Park and Island Beach State Park are situated, is the township's eastern boundary.

Holiday City-Berkeley (2010 Census population of 12,831), Holiday City South (3,689 as of 2010), Holiday Heights (2,099) and Silver Ridge (1,133) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places located within Berkeley Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located wholly or partially within the township include Barnegat Park, Barnegat Pier, Bayville, Benders Corners, Berkeley Heights, Crossley, Double Trouble, Dover Forge, Glen Cove, Glenside Park, Good Luck Point, Holly Park, Manitou Park, Pelican Island, Pinewald, River Bank, Silver Ridge Park, Silver Ridge Park West, South Seaside Park, Stony Hill, Union Village and Zebs Bridge.

The township borders the Ocean County communities of Barnegat Light, Beachwood, Island Heights, Lacey Township, Manchester Township, Ocean Township, Pine Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, South Toms River and Toms River Township; The township completely surrounds the borough of Ocean Gate.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 683
1890 786 15.1%
1900 694 −11.7%
1910 597 −14.0%
1920 576 −3.5%
1930 811 40.8%
1940 1,127 39.0%
1950 1,550 37.5%
1960 4,272 175.6%
1970 7,918 85.3%
1980 23,151 192.4%
1990 37,319 61.2%
2000 39,991 7.2%
2010 41,255 3.2%
2019 (est.) 42,036 1.9%
Population sources: 1880-2000
1880-1920 1880-1890
1890-1910 1910-1930
1930-1990 2000 2010
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 41,255 people, 20,349 households, and 11,538 families residing in the township. The population density was 962.5 per square mile (371.6/km2). There were 23,818 housing units at an average density of 555.7 per square mile (214.6/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 94.85% (39,129) White, 1.75% (723) Black or African American, 0.11% (46) Native American, 1.13% (466) Asian, 0.01% (5) Pacific Islander, 1.13% (465) from other races, and 1.02% (421) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.92% (2,028) of the population.

There were 20,349 households out of which 12.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. 39.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 30.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.63.

In the township, the population was spread out with 11.9% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 15.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 43.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 61.1 years. For every 100 females there were 81.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 78.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $43,049 (with a margin of error of +/- $1,988) and the median family income was $58,230 (+/- $2,406). Males had a median income of $54,959 (+/- $3,373) versus $40,935 (+/- $2,531) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,168 (+/- $1,017). About 5.2% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 39,991 people, 19,828 households, and 12,174 families residing in the township. The population density was 932.3 people per square mile (359.9/km2). There were 22,288 housing units at an average density of 519.6 per square mile (200.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 1.30% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.33% of the population.

There were 19,828 households, out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 29.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.99 and the average family size was 2.52.

In the township the population was spread out, with 11.4% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 14.7% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 52.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 66 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $32,134, and the median income for a family was $40,208. Males had a median income of $41,643 versus $28,640 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,198. About 3.4% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

2020-07-11 14 04 41 View north along New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) at Exit 77 (Berkeley) in Berkeley Township, Ocean County, New Jersey
The northbound Garden State Parkway in Berkeley Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 266.02 miles (428.12 km) of roadways, of which 220.88 miles (355.47 km) were maintained by the municipality, 36.64 miles (58.97 km) by The Ocean County Road Dept., 6.27 miles (10.09 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 2.23 miles (3.59 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Garden State Parkway is the primary access route, with two exits, exit 77 and exit 80 serving the township. U.S. Route 9 runs through the eastern-middle part of the municipality while Route 35 passes through briefly and ends at the park road for Island Beach State Park. A small section of Route 37 also passes through Berkeley Township, near its junction with Route 35.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers local bus service between the township and Atlantic City on the 559 route.

Ocean Ride service is provided on routes OC1, OC2, OC7 and OC8.

Education

The Berkeley Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,479 students and 201.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Bayville Elementary School with 499 students in grades PreK-4, H. & M. Potter Elementary School with 629 students in grades PreK-4, Clara B. Worth Elementary School with 663 students in grades PreK-4 and Berkeley Township Elementary School with 574 students in grades 5-6.

Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Central Regional School District, which serves students from the municipalities of Berkeley Township, Island Heights, Ocean Gate, Seaside Heights and Seaside Park. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Central Regional Middle School with 842 students in grades 7 and 8 and Central Regional High School with 1,568 students in grades 9 - 12. The high school district's board of education is comprised of nine members, who are directly elected by the residents of the constituent municipalities to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year. Seats on the high school district's board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with Berkeley Township allocated five of the board's nine seats.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Berkeley Township, New Jersey

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

  • Tom DeBlass (born 1982), practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial artist signed with ONE Championship.
  • Jazmyn Foberg (born 2000), artistic gymnast who was the 2014 US Junior National All-Around and Uneven Bars Champion.
  • Al Leiter (born 1965), former MLB pitcher who played for both the New York Mets and New York Yankees.
  • Phil Longo (born 1968), American football coach who is offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team.
  • Megan McCafferty (born 1973), author best known for her series of books about Jessica Darling, a witty teenage heroine.
  • Herbert Irving Preston (1876-1928), private serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Boxer Rebellion who received the Medal of Honor for bravery.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Berkeley (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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