Brigantine, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brigantine, New Jersey
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City
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View of Brigantine from Ocean Casino Resort
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| Motto(s):
"An island you'll love for life!"
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Location of Brigantine in Atlantic County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Atlantic County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Brigantine, New Jersey
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 Brigantine, New Jersey
Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey
Brigantine, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Brigantine, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County | Atlantic | |
| European discovery | September 2, 1608 | |
| Incorporated | June 14, 1890 | |
| Named for | Wrecks of brigantines | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (council–manager) | |
| • Body | City Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 10.86 sq mi (28.14 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.52 sq mi (16.89 km2) | |
| • Water | 4.34 sq mi (11.24 km2) 39.98% | |
| Area rank | 203rd of 565 in state 11th of 23 in county |
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| Elevation | 0 ft (0 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,716 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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7,602 | |
| • Rank | 302nd of 565 in state 11th of 23 in county |
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| • Density | 1,183.1/sq mi (456.8/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 363rd of 565 in state 10th of 23 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08203
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| Area code(s) | 609 exchanges: 264, 266 | |
| FIPS code | 3400107810 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885171 | |
| Website | ||
Brigantine is a city located in Atlantic County, New Jersey. It's often called The Island by locals. In 2020, about 7,716 people lived there. Brigantine is part of the larger Atlantic City area.
The city of Brigantine has had a few different names over the years. It was first officially formed as Brigantine Beach Borough in 1890. Later, it became the City of Brigantine City, then the City of East Atlantic City. Finally, in 1924, it was named the City of Brigantine. The name "Brigantine" comes from the many shipwrecks of a type of sailing ship called a brigantine that happened in the area long ago.
Brigantine is known as a great place to live. New Jersey Monthly magazine once ranked it among the best places in New Jersey. NJ.com also listed it as one of the top Jersey Shore towns in 2021.
Contents
Exploring Brigantine's Location
Brigantine is an island city. It covers about 10.86 square miles (28.14 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but a good part is also water. The city is located on Brigantine Island itself.
The only way to drive to and from Brigantine is by using New Jersey Route 87. This road is also known as Brigantine Boulevard. The Justice Vincent S. Haneman Memorial Bridge is the only bridge connecting the island to the mainland. The first bridge built in 1924 was destroyed by a big hurricane in 1944. The current bridge was built in 1972.
Brigantine shares its borders with two other places in Atlantic County: Atlantic City and Galloway Township.
Brigantine's Population Story
Brigantine's population has changed quite a bit over the years. In 1900, only 99 people lived there. The population grew steadily, reaching over 12,500 people in 2000. However, since then, the number of residents has decreased. In 2020, the population was 7,716.
Fun Places to Visit in Brigantine
Brigantine has several interesting spots:
- Brigantine Lighthouse – This lighthouse was built in 1926 to help attract people to the island. It wasn't quite tall enough or close enough to the ocean to be a working lighthouse. Over the years, it has been used as a police station, a museum, and a gift shop. It's a well-known symbol of the city.
- Marine Mammal Stranding Center – This special center opened in 1978. It's the only place in New Jersey that helps marine animals like whales, dolphins, seals, and sea turtles that get stranded. They rescue and help these animals get better so they can return to the ocean. They have helped over 3,900 animals!
- Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge – A part of this important wildlife refuge is on the northern end of Brigantine Island. It's a safe home for many birds, including endangered ones. You might spot an American bald eagle, a peregrine falcon, or a piping plover here.
- The Brigantine Hotel – This historic hotel is still standing on the Atlantic coast. In the 1940s, it was one of the first hotels in the area to welcome people of all races. An African American businesswoman named Sarah Spencer Washington owned it and created the area's first integrated beach. Today, it's known as Legacy Vacation Resorts Brigantine Beach.
Learning in Brigantine
Students in Brigantine attend schools run by the Brigantine Public Schools district. This district has one school that teaches students from pre-kindergarten all the way through eighth grade. In the 2022-2023 school year, there were about 392 students.
For high school, students from Brigantine go to Atlantic City High School in nearby Atlantic City. They attend this school along with students from Longport, Margate City, and Ventnor City. This is part of a "sending/receiving relationship" where one school district sends its students to another district for higher grades.
Students can also choose to attend special schools like the Atlantic County Institute of Technology or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts. These schools offer different types of learning experiences.
Getting Around Brigantine
Brigantine has many miles of roads. Most of these roads are taken care of by the city itself. Some are maintained by Atlantic County, and a small part by the state of New Jersey.
The Brigantine Bridge is the main road bridge that connects Brigantine Island to the mainland. It was built in 1972 and is officially called the Justice Vincent S. Haneman Memorial Bridge. It carries New Jersey Route 87.
If you need public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus service. You can take the 501 bus route to travel to and from Atlantic City.
Brigantine's Weather and Nature
Brigantine has a type of weather called a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, somewhat humid summers and cool winters. It rains throughout the year. In summer, a cool ocean breeze often blows, but sometimes it can get very hot and humid. In winter, it can get very cold and windy.
The average amount of snow in winter is about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 centimeters). February is usually the snowiest month. The ocean water temperature near Brigantine ranges from about 35°F (2°C) in February to 73°F (23°C) in August.
Brigantine's natural plant life would mostly be Cordgrass and Coastal Prairie. This shows the kind of plants that naturally grow in this coastal area.
Famous People from Brigantine
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Brigantine:
- Ray Birdwhistell (1918–1994), an expert who studied body language.
- Dan Borislow (1961–2014), an inventor and business owner.
- Mark A. Brown (born 1961), a leader in the gaming industry.
- Angelo Coia (1938–2013), a football player for NFL teams like the Chicago Bears.
- Vincent S. Haneman (1902–1978), a judge who also served as Brigantine's mayor for eight years.
- Amy Kennedy (born 1978), an educator and advocate for mental health.
- Brett Kennedy (born 1994), a baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres.
- Patrick J. Kennedy (born 1967), a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Brittany Lee Lewis (born 1990), a professor and former Miss Delaware and Miss Black America.
- Guy Marks (1923–1987), an actor, comedian, and singer.
- Harry Olivieri (1916–2006), who helped create the famous Philly cheesesteak.
- Carol Plum-Ucci (born 1957), a writer of books for young adults.
- John Rosenbaum (1934–2003), a California artist and teacher.
- Katherine Shindle (born 1977), an actress and singer who was Miss America 1998.
- Slappy White (1921–1995), a comedian and actor.
Images for kids
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View of Brigantine from Ocean Casino Resort
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Brigantine Seal
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Location of Brigantine in Atlantic County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Atlantic County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Brigantine, New Jersey
See also
In Spanish: Brigantine para niños
