Red Bank, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Red Bank, New Jersey
Borough
Aerial view of Red Bank in May 2007
Seal
Location of Red Bank in Monmouth County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Monmouth County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Red Bank, New Jersey <mapframe text="Interactive map of Red Bank, New Jersey" zoom="8" width="250" height="250"> { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q1010539" } </mapframe>
Red Bank, New Jersey Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey Show map of Monmouth County, New Jersey Red Bank, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Red Bank, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Monmouth
Incorporated	March 17, 1870 (as town)
Reincorporated	March 10, 1908 (as borough)
Change to Faulkner Act (council–manager)	July 1, 2023
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (council–manager)
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	2.16 sq mi (5.58 km2)
• Land	1.75 sq mi (4.52 km2)
• Water	0.41 sq mi (1.06 km2)  18.98%
Area rank	397th of 565 in state 28th of 53 in county
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,936
• Estimate  (2023)	12,779
• Rank	197th of 565 in state 16th of 53 in county
• Density	7,408.9/sq mi (2,860.6/km2)
• Density rank	63rd of 565 in state 4th of 53 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07701–07704, 07709
Area code(s)	732 and 848
FIPS code	3402562430
GNIS feature ID	0885366

Red Bank is a fun and lively borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It was officially formed in 1908. This community sits right on the Navesink River, which was once the main way to travel to the ocean. Red Bank is part of the New York metropolitan area. Many people who live here travel to New York City for work. In 2020, about 12,936 people lived in Red Bank. It's known for its red soil along the Navesink River, which is how it got its name!

Downtown Red Bank is a busy place with many local shops and famous stores like Urban Outfitters and Tiffany & Co.. Throughout the year, Red Bank hosts many exciting events. These include a Beer, Wine & Food Festival, a big sidewalk sale, a farmers' market, an indie film festival, and a fun Halloween parade. There's also a special holiday town lighting event.

Discovering Red Bank's Past

Red Bank has a long and interesting history. Thousands of years ago, Lenape Native Americans lived here. They spoke the Algonquian language. They called the area between the Navesink River and the Shrewsbury River Navarumsunk. These Native Americans traded with European settlers from England and the Dutch Republic in the mid-1600s.

The name "Red Bank" was first used in 1736. English settlers started living here in the 1600s. Red Bank became a center for building ships. Its population grew quickly after 1809. This was when regular passenger ships started traveling to Manhattan.

By 1844, Red Bank was a busy place for business and making things. They focused on textiles (cloth), tanning (making leather), and furs. These goods were sold in Manhattan. Around 1845, the Navesink River was made deeper. This allowed steamboats to carry people who traveled to work in Manhattan. Red Bank continued to grow when the Raritan and Delaware Bay Railroad built a railway in town in 1860.

In the 20th century, Red Bank was an important cultural and economic center. However, it faced challenges during an economic downturn in 1987. To help the town recover, the Red Bank RiverCenter was created around 1991. This group helps manage and improve the downtown area. They have added better signs, sidewalks, and lighting. They also improved parking lots with landscaping. These efforts helped Red Bank become a lively place again.

Exploring Red Bank's Location

Downtown Red Bank

Red Bank covers about 2.16 square miles (5.58 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with some water. It is located on the southern bank of the Navesink River. This is in the northern part of Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Red Bank is about 24 miles (39 km) south of Manhattan. If you travel by water along the Navesink River, it's about 25 nautical miles (46 km) to Manhattan.

Red Bank shares borders with several other towns in Monmouth County. These include Fair Haven, Little Silver, Middletown, Shrewsbury, and Tinton Falls.

Red Bank's Weather

Red Bank has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

People of Red Bank

In 2010, Red Bank had 12,206 people living there. The population was made up of different groups. About 63% were White, 12% were Black or African American, and 18% were from other races. About 34% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Red Bank's Economy

New office building construction on West Front Street

Red Bank has many different types of businesses. These include entertainment, shops, and medical services. You can find both large national stores and smaller local businesses.

Main Business Areas

Red Bank has four main business areas:

• Downtown Red Bank: This is the oldest and largest business area. It's mainly along Broad Street. You can find all kinds of shops, restaurants, and entertainment here. Sometimes, Broad Street is closed for outdoor dining.
• Shrewsbury Avenue: This area serves the west side of town. It has many local shops and restaurants.
• Newman Springs Road: This area is along Newman Springs Road. It has car dealerships and gas stations.
• Train Station Area: This area is being redeveloped. It used to be an industrial area. Now it has restaurants and shops.

Jobs in Red Bank

In 2019, Red Bank had over 11,000 jobs. These jobs are in many different areas. Some of these include retail, healthcare, and food services. The largest employer is Riverview Medical Center, with 1,450 employees. Other big employers include Super Foodtown and Oceanfirst Financial Corp.. Most jobs are in the main business areas.

Only about 12% of Red Bank residents also work in Red Bank. Many people travel to Red Bank for work. Most of these workers live in Monmouth County.

Arts and Culture in Red Bank

The Count Basie Theatre, named for Count Basie, who was born in Red Bank

Red Bank is a popular place for fun and shopping. It has many unique shops, parks, and restaurants. Special events happen all year long.

Since the 1950s, Red Bank has hosted the Annual Red Bank Sidewalk Sale. The town is also a center for art. It has the Monmouth County Arts Council and many art galleries.

Many places in Red Bank offer live shows, plays, and movies. These include the Count Basie Theatre, named after jazz musician Count Basie, who was born in Red Bank. There's also Basie Center Cinemas and the Two River Theater. Famous performers like Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi have played at the Count Basie Theatre.

Broad Street is famous for its beautiful Christmas decorations. The street closes for a free concert by Holiday Express. After the concert, all the holiday lights are turned on. Up to 7,000 people come to see this event every year.

Red Bank also hosts the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival. "First Night" is a New Year's Eve festival. It offers arts and entertainment without alcohol.

From 1960 to 2011, a fireworks show was held on the Navesink River on July 3rd. This was the night before Independence Day. This event, called "KaBoomFest," brought together local bands and vendors. In 2010, about 150,000 people watched the fireworks.

Sports and Recreation

In 1998, the Red Bank Armory was turned into an ice rink. It is now home to the Red Bank Generals youth hockey team.

The George Sheehan Classic is a famous running event. It started in 1981. In 1994, the race moved to Red Bank. It was named after George A. Sheehan, a doctor and author. Runner's World magazine called it one of the Top 100 Road Races.

In 2018, FC Monmouth announced that Count Basie Park would be their home stadium. This soccer team chose Red Bank because it's easy to reach by car and public transport.

Parks and Fun Things to Do

Red Bank has eight parks, with a new one being planned.

• Count Basie Park: This is the largest park. It has baseball fields, basketball courts, and a playground. There's also a track and a small trail.
• Eastside Park: This park has a playground, soccer field, and tennis courts. It's great for picnics and walks.
• Waterfront Parks: Along the Navesink River, you'll find Marine Park, Riverside Gardens Park, and Maple Cove Park. These parks offer playgrounds, picnic areas, and places to launch kayaks.
• Bellhaven Nature Area: This park is by the Swimming River. It has a playground and picnic tables.
• Streetside Parks: Johnny Jazz Park and Veterans Park are smaller parks. Veterans Park has a World War II cannon.

There are plans to build a new large park called Sunset Avenue Park. It will have wooded trails, sledding hills, a skatepark, and a kayak launch. There are also plans to improve Marine Park.

Red Bank has about 4 miles (6.4 km) of waterfront. Only a small part of it is open to the public. The town hopes to connect the entire waterfront with a public walkway in the future.

Other fun places in Red Bank include a YMCA, the Red Bank Public Library, and a Boys & Girls Club. There are also many historic buildings.

Boating, sculling, sailing, and fishing are popular activities on the Navesink River. In winter, when the river freezes, ice boats appear!

Learning in Red Bank

The Red Bank Borough Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. There are two schools in the district:

• Red Bank Primary School (Pre-K to 3rd grade)
• Red Bank Middle School (4th to 8th grade)

For high school, students attend Red Bank Regional High School. This school also serves students from Little Silver and Shrewsbury Borough. The high school also has special academy programs for students from other towns.

Red Bank Charter School is a public school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It operates independently and students are chosen by a lottery.

Other schools in Red Bank include Red Bank Catholic High School and St. James Elementary School. These are Catholic schools.

Getting Around Red Bank

Roads and Highways

Route 35 in Red Bank

Red Bank has many miles of roads. Route 35 runs north and south through the town. CR 520 also passes through a small part of Red Bank. The Garden State Parkway is only about 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Red Bank.

Public Transportation

Red Bank is connected by rail to other urban centers

You can catch NJ Transit trains at the Red Bank station. These trains offer service on the North Jersey Coast Line. You can travel to places like Hoboken Terminal and Penn Station in New York City.

Bus service is also available in Red Bank. Academy Bus offers express service to New York City. Veolia Transport runs local bus routes for NJ Transit.

Famous People from Red Bank

Many interesting people have connections to Red Bank. Some were born here, and others lived here. Here are a few:

Images for kids

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  Whenever the conditions are right, ice boats appear on the Navesink.

See also

In Spanish: Red Bank (Nueva Jersey) para niños