Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey
Census-designated place
Intersection of Shore Concourse and Sweetbriar Street in Cliffwood Beach
Map of Cliffwood Beach in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey.
Hand drawn map of Cliffwood Beach, by Matt Furmato
Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey Show map of Monmouth County, New Jersey Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Monmouth
Township	Aberdeen
Area
• Total	0.96 sq mi (2.49 km²)
• Land	0.91 sq mi (2.35 km²)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.14 km²) 5.42%
Elevation	59 ft (18 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	3,036
• Density	3,350.99/sq mi (1,293.76/km²)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07735
Area code(s)	732/848
FIPS code	34-13630
GNIS feature ID	02389331

Cliffwood Beach is a small community in New Jersey. It is located within Aberdeen Township in Monmouth County. It is also known as a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's an area that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering population data. In 2020, about 3,036 people lived here.

History of Cliffwood Beach
Geography and Location
- Surrounding Areas
- Local Landmarks
Education
Population Information
- 2010 Census Details
Transportation
Images for kids
See also

History of Cliffwood Beach

Cliffwood Beach has an interesting past, especially as a popular resort town.

Early Beginnings

The area that is now Cliffwood Beach was once part of Matawan Township. This township was created on February 23, 1857. The beach part of Matawan Township was later renamed Cliffwood Beach.

In 1860, a man named Henry Clark bought Cliffwood Beach. He hoped to turn it into a fun resort community. His idea didn't work out at first.

The Resort Era

In 1923, two people named Morrisey and Walker tried again. They planned to create a resort community with summer bungalows. These were small homes for people to rent during their vacations. This was a popular idea along the Jersey Shore in the 1920s.

Morrisey and Walker's real estate office was special. It looked like a pirate ship! This was a nod to the old stories of Captain Kidd and his hidden treasure. There's even a place called Treasure Lake in Cliffwood Beach.

In 1924, a one-mile long boardwalk was built along the beach. Two years later, in 1926, the Country Club Casino opened. It overlooked Treasure Lake. Also in 1926, the Cat 'n Fiddle restaurant opened. It had a Merry-Go-Round and an arcade for games.

Famous Swimmers and Hurricanes

In 1928, construction began on a large saltwater swimming pool. It was finished in 1929 and became a famous attraction. Even Olympic medalists like George Kojak and Johnny Weissmuller swam there. Weissmuller later became famous for playing "Tarzan" in movies!

Cliffwood Beach was a very popular resort until the 1950s. People enjoyed the boardwalk, the saltwater pool, and dining at The Cat 'n Fiddle. But then, a series of strong hurricanes hit in 1954. These storms were Hurricane Carol, Hurricane Edna, and Hurricane Hazel. They destroyed the beachfront facilities.

In 1955, Hurricane Diane finished off what was left of the fun attractions. Only the saltwater pool survived the storms. However, it was later filled in.

Modern Improvements

After the storms, Cliffwood Beach received help from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. This program, called Green Acres, started in 1961. It helped the township build a park near the waterfront. The park has been updated over the years. Its tennis courts are now an in-line skating arena. The playground and basketball courts have also been improved.

In 2017, the township opened Veterans Park on the beachfront. This park is very kid-friendly! It has:

A pirate-ship themed spray park
Two pirate-themed playgrounds for different age groups
A picnic area with shade
A field for little league, softball, and soccer
A place to launch kayaks and other small boats
A gazebo and a monument for war veterans

In 2018, the Aberdeen Sea Walk was completed. This is a half-mile trail along the old seawall. It has fishing spots, outlooks, benches, and another gazebo. It also has lights and security cameras. A wooden boardwalk path connects the gazebo to the beach. This project finally linked Beach Drive and Lakeshore Drive, making a fully connected path for people to enjoy.

Geography and Location

Cliffwood Beach covers about 0.96 square miles (2.49 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Surrounding Areas

Cliffwood Beach is located north of New Jersey Route 35. It borders Keyport to the east and Laurence Harbor to the west. The community faces Raritan Bay, which includes part of Keyport Harbor. Matawan Creek separates Cliffwood Beach from Keyport.

A small part of Cliffwood Beach is actually in Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County. The two counties are separated by Whale Creek.

Local Landmarks

Cliffwood Beach is home to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post Number 4745. This building is used as a community hall. It's also a place where people can vote during elections.

Next to the VFW Post is Veterans of Foreign Wars Park (VFW Park). This park has Alvin Ross Memorial Field. The field has two softball diamonds and is used for local children's and adults' softball and soccer leagues. The Aberdeen Township Public Service Facility is also in Cliffwood Beach. It handles maintenance and recycling for the township.

Education

Students in Cliffwood Beach attend schools in the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District.

Cliffwood Beach is also home to the Yeshiva Gedolah of Cliffwood. This is a special school for advanced Talmudic studies. It helps young scholars learn about Talmudic texts, Jewish law, ethics, and the Bible.

Population Information

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1990	3,543	—
2000	3,538	−0.1%
2010	3,194	−9.7%
2020	3,036	−4.9%
Population sources: 1990-2010 2000 2010 2020

The population of Cliffwood Beach has changed over the years.

In 1990, there were 3,543 people.
In 2000, the population was 3,538.
By 2010, it was 3,194 people.
In the most recent census in 2020, the population was 3,036 people.

2010 Census Details

According to the 2010 census, there were 3,194 people living in Cliffwood Beach. There were 1,127 households, and 854 of these were families.

The community was made up of different groups of people:

About 75.8% were White.
About 13.7% were Black or African American.
About 3.2% were Asian.
About 4.3% were from other races.
About 2.9% were from two or more races.
About 14.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average household had about 2.82 people. The average family had about 3.21 people. About 23.2% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 38.4 years.

Transportation

Cliffwood Beach has local bus service provided by New Jersey Transit on the 817 route. New Jersey Route 35 runs along the area. It acts as a dividing line between Cliffwood Beach and Cliffwood.