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Sea Bright, New Jersey
Borough
View of Sea Bright from the Highlands – Sea Bright Bridge, with the Shrewsbury River in the foreground and the Atlantic Ocean in the background.
View of Sea Bright from the Highlands – Sea Bright Bridge, with the Shrewsbury River in the foreground and the Atlantic Ocean in the background.
Official seal of Sea Bright, New Jersey
Seal
Map of Sea Bright in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Map of Sea Bright in Monmouth County. Inset: Location of Monmouth County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Sea Bright, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Location in Monmouth County, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey is located in the United States
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Sea Bright, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Monmouth
Incorporated March 21, 1889
Government
 • Type Borough
 • Body Borough Council
Area
 • Total 1.29 sq mi (3.33 km2)
 • Land 0.72 sq mi (1.86 km2)
 • Water 0.57 sq mi (1.47 km2)  43.88%
Area rank 472nd of 565 in state
42nd of 53 in county
Elevation
3 ft (0.9 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 1,449
 • Estimate 
(2023)
1,425
 • Rank 513th of 565 in state
47th of 53 in county
 • Density 2,013.1/sq mi (777.3/km2)
 • Density rank 296th of 565 in state
35th of 53 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07760
Area code(s) 732
FIPS code 3402566240
GNIS feature ID 0885387

Sea Bright is a small town, called a borough, located on the beautiful Jersey Shore in Monmouth County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 1,449 people lived there. This was a small increase from 2010.

Sea Bright became a borough on March 21, 1889. This happened after people voted for it. The town was officially re-established in 1897. Later, in 1909, more land from Ocean Township was added to Sea Bright.

Some people think the name "Sea Bright" came from a suggestion by Martha Bayard Stevens. Others say it was named after a place in England called Sea Bright, but there is no proof of this place. In the past, the name was often spelled as one word, "Seabright." You can still see this in names like the United States Coast Guard's Station Seabright.

History of Sea Bright

In the early 1840s, Sea Bright was a simple fishing village. Fishermen lived in small shacks near the beach. The first hotel, Ocean House, opened in 1842. It offered fishing and swimming in the sea.

How Sea Bright Got Its Name

The area was first called "Nauvoo." This is a Native American word meaning "bright sea." Another idea is that the name comes from the Hebrew language. It might mean "pleasant place." This is the same name that Mormon leader Joseph Smith gave to Nauvoo, a town he started in Illinois. Smith is believed to have visited Monmouth County in 1840.

Bridges Connecting Sea Bright

The first bridge across the Shrewsbury River was built in 1870. It connected Sea Bright to Rumson. Over the years, several bridges have been built. The bridge built in 1950 is now being replaced. This new bridge is expected to be finished in 2025.

The new bridge will have wider shoulders. It will also have modern controls for the drawbridge part. There will be a ramp to Sea Bright Beach and improved crosswalks. A nearby Dunkin' Donuts was removed to make space for the new bridge.

The Sea Bright Skiff

The Sea Bright Skiff is a special type of boat. It was created on the Jersey Shore in the early 1800s. Fishermen used it to launch from the beach and fish in the ocean.

Geography and Beaches

Sea Bright is a narrow strip of land. It is located on a barrier peninsula. This land separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers. The town covers about 0.72 square miles of land.

Beaches and Clubs

Sea Bright has seven private beach clubs. These clubs are for members only. They can be expensive and often have long waiting lists. Some of these clubs include Ship Ahoy and Sands.

There is also a large public beach in the center of town. You need to buy a beach badge to enter this area. Lifeguards keep people safe here. The traditional surfing area, called the Anchorage, is free and public. However, it does not have lifeguards. There are also many public stairs to other unguarded beaches. These are great for fishing or sunbathing.

The Sea Bright Seawall

Seawall2 Sea Bright NJ
A Sea Bright–Monmouth Beach Seawall between the beach and Route 36 in Sea Bright

The Sea Bright–Monmouth Beach Seawall runs along the entire length of the town. This wall helps protect the town from ocean storms and erosion.

Nearby Towns

Sea Bright shares borders with several other towns in Monmouth County. These include Highlands, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach, and Rumson.

Population of Sea Bright

Historical population
Census Pop.
1900 1,198
1910 1,220 1.8%
1920 856 −29.8%
1930 899 5.0%
1940 779 −13.3%
1950 999 28.2%
1960 1,138 13.9%
1970 1,339 17.7%
1980 1,812 35.3%
1990 1,693 −6.6%
2000 1,818 7.4%
2010 1,412 −22.3%
2020 1,449 2.6%
2023 (est.) 1,425 0.9%
Population sources: 1900–1920
1900–1910 1910–1930
1940–2000 2000
2010 2020

In 2010, Sea Bright had 1,412 people living there. Most residents, about 94.5%, were White. About 5.5% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

The average age of people in Sea Bright was 46.7 years old. About 11.3% of the population was under 18. Many adults, about 38.8%, were between 45 and 64 years old.

Parks and Recreation

In 2015, Sea Bright started charging a daily fee for Anchorage Beach. This beach used to be free and popular with surfers. Lifeguards were also added to this area.

Education in Sea Bright

Students in Sea Bright attend public schools from kindergarten to eighth grade. They are part of the Oceanport School District. This district has two schools.

Elementary and Middle Schools

  • Wolf Hill Elementary School teaches students from pre-kindergarten to 4th grade.
  • Maple Place Middle School teaches students in grades 5 through 8.

High School Education

For high school, students go to Shore Regional High School. This school is located in West Long Branch. It also serves students from Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, and West Long Branch. Sea Bright has one seat on the high school's board of education.

Students can also choose to attend schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District. These schools offer special career training programs.

Transportation

Main Roads

2021-09-08 15 53 56 View south along New Jersey State Route 36 (Ocean Avenue) from the pedestrian overpass at the entrance to Sandy Hook in Sea Bright, Monmouth County, New Jersey
NJ Route 36 South in Sea Bright

New Jersey Route 36 is the main road through Sea Bright. It connects the town to Monmouth Beach in the south. To the north, it crosses the Shrewsbury River to Highlands. This crossing is done via the Highlands–Sea Bright Bridge. This bridge was built between 2008 and 2011.

CR 520 drawbridge Sea Bright (1)
The Shrewsbury River Bridge carrying CR 520 into Sea Bright from Rumson, which is in the process of being replaced

Sea Bright can also be reached from Rumson to the west. You can get there by taking Rumson Road (County Route 520). This road crosses the Shrewsbury River Bridge, which is also being replaced.

Public Transit

NJ Transit offers local bus service. The 838 route connects Sea Bright to Red Bank.

Climate and Weather

Sea Bright has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and mild winters. The average temperature is above 32°F (0°C) all year.

Summer Weather

Most summer days have some humidity. A cool afternoon sea breeze often blows. Sometimes, it can get very hot and humid. The highest temperature recorded was 99.8°F (37.7°C) in August 2001. The wettest month is usually July, when thunderstorms are common.

Winter Weather

In winter, the average coldest temperature is about 5.3°F (-14.8°C). The coldest ever was -3.6°F (-19.8°C) in January 1985. Strong winds can make it feel even colder. Sea Bright usually gets 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) of snow each winter. February is often the snowiest month.

Climate data for Sea Bright, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1981–2019
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 70.4
(21.3)
77.9
(25.5)
82.0
(27.8)
89.0
(31.7)
94.6
(34.8)
96.0
(35.6)
99.6
(37.6)
99.8
(37.7)
96.6
(35.9)
92.6
(33.7)
78.1
(25.6)
74.4
(23.6)
99.8
(37.7)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 39.5
(4.2)
42.1
(5.6)
48.7
(9.3)
58.1
(14.5)
67.8
(19.9)
77.3
(25.2)
82.4
(28.0)
81.5
(27.5)
75.4
(24.1)
64.6
(18.1)
54.7
(12.6)
44.7
(7.1)
61.5
(16.4)
Daily mean °F (°C) 32.6
(0.3)
34.8
(1.6)
41.0
(5.0)
50.3
(10.2)
60.0
(15.6)
69.6
(20.9)
75.0
(23.9)
74.2
(23.4)
67.8
(19.9)
56.7
(13.7)
47.6
(8.7)
38.0
(3.3)
54.1
(12.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 25.6
(−3.6)
27.5
(−2.5)
33.2
(0.7)
42.4
(5.8)
52.1
(11.2)
61.8
(16.6)
67.6
(19.8)
66.9
(19.4)
60.2
(15.7)
48.8
(9.3)
40.4
(4.7)
31.2
(−0.4)
46.6
(8.1)
Record low °F (°C) −3.6
(−19.8)
2.2
(−16.6)
7.7
(−13.5)
18.7
(−7.4)
38.8
(3.8)
46.6
(8.1)
50.6
(10.3)
47.3
(8.5)
41.0
(5.0)
29.2
(−1.6)
16.7
(−8.5)
0.1
(−17.7)
−3.6
(−19.8)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.51
(89)
2.86
(73)
3.82
(97)
4.13
(105)
3.85
(98)
3.76
(96)
4.65
(118)
4.43
(113)
3.64
(92)
3.88
(99)
3.66
(93)
3.91
(99)
46.10
(1,171)
Average relative humidity (%) 65.5 62.0 61.3 62.8 67.0 70.5 70.6 71.3 71.9 69.4 67.6 65.6 67.1
Average dew point °F (°C) 22.3
(−5.4)
23.1
(−4.9)
28.7
(−1.8)
38.1
(3.4)
49.0
(9.4)
59.6
(15.3)
64.8
(18.2)
64.3
(17.9)
58.4
(14.7)
46.8
(8.2)
37.4
(3.0)
27.5
(−2.5)
43.4
(6.3)
Source: PRISM
Climate data for Sandy Hook Buoy, 8 NW Sea Bright, NJ (Ocean Water Temperature)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °F (°C) 37
(3)
36
(2)
40
(4)
46
(8)
55
(13)
62
(17)
69
(21)
72
(22)
68
(20)
59
(15)
51
(11)
43
(6)
53
(12)
Source: NOAA

Ecology and Nature

Sea Bright's natural plant life would mostly be Northern Cordgrass. This type of grass grows in coastal Prairie areas. The area is in plant hardiness zone 7b. This means it has a mild climate for plants. New leaves usually appear around March 23. Fall colors are brightest in early November.

Famous People from Sea Bright

See also (related category): People from Sea Bright, New Jersey

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Sea Bright. Here are a few:

  • Fred Alexander (1880–1969), a top tennis player in the early 1900s.
  • James Waddell Alexander II (1888–1971), a famous mathematician and professor at Princeton University.
  • Linda Chorney (born 1960), a singer-songwriter and award-winning filmmaker.
  • Tal Farlow (1921–1998), a well-known jazz guitarist.
  • Lindley Miller Garrison (1864–1932), who served as the United States Secretary of War for President Woodrow Wilson.
  • Jerry Gaskill (born 1957), the drummer for the rock band King's X.
  • Mildred Mottahedeh (1908–2000), a collector of ceramics and a successful businessperson.
  • Melissa Stark (born 1973), a television personality and sportscaster for the NFL Network.
  • Martha Bayard Stevens (1831–1899), a kind person who helped others. She is believed to have suggested the name for the borough.
  • Juan Trippe (1899–1981), the founder of Pan Am, a major airline.

See also

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