Stone Harbor, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stone Harbor, New Jersey
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Borough
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Bayside Harbor sunset
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| Motto(s):
"The Seashore at its Best"
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Location of Stone Harbor in Cape May County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Cape May County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Stone Harbor, New Jersey
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 Stone Harbor, New Jersey
Location in Cape May County, New Jersey
Stone Harbor, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Stone Harbor, 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 |  Cape May |
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| Incorporated | April 28, 1914 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough | |
| • Body | Borough Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.19 sq mi (5.68 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.42 sq mi (3.68 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.77 sq mi (2.01 km2) 35.34% | |
| Area rank | 394th of 565 in state 11th of 16 in county |
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| Elevation | 7 ft (2 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 796 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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791 | |
| • Rank | 541st of 565 in state 14th of 16 in county |
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| • Density | 560.7/sq mi (216.5/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 435th of 565 in state 11th of 16 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08247
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| Area code(s) | 609 Exchanges: 368, 967 | |
| FIPS code | 3400971010 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885410 | |
Stone Harbor is a small town, called a borough, located in Cape May County, New Jersey. It is part of the South Jersey area and sits on the southern part of Seven Mile Island. Its neighbor to the north is Avalon.
Stone Harbor is a popular resort town. Many people visit its beautiful beaches, enjoy sailing, and explore its shops and restaurants. It attracts lots of vacationers, especially from the Mid-Atlantic states and from Quebec, Canada.
In 2020, about 796 people lived in Stone Harbor year-round. However, during the summer, the population grows to more than 20,000 people! Many of the summer visitors are quite wealthy.
The New York Times once described Stone Harbor as a place with "gleaming McMansions and elegant shops." In 2017, it was one of the most expensive places to buy a home in New Jersey.
Contents
History of Stone Harbor
Development of Stone Harbor started in the late 1800s. It became a beach resort thanks to the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad line. Wealthy people from Philadelphia were especially interested in buying second homes here.
Stone Harbor officially became a borough on April 3, 1914. This happened after people voted on it on April 28, 1914. It was formed from parts of Middle Township. Later, in 1941, it also gained a small part of Avalon. The town is thought to be named after an English sea captain named Stone. He supposedly found shelter from a storm in the area.
Where is Stone Harbor Located?
According to the United States Census Bureau, Stone Harbor covers about 2.19 square miles (5.68 square kilometers). About 1.42 square miles (3.68 square kilometers) of this is land, and 0.77 square miles (2.01 square kilometers) is water. This means a large part of the borough is water!
One place name found within Stone Harbor is Seven Mile Beach. Stone Harbor shares borders with Avalon Borough, Middle Township, North Wildwood City, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 159 | — | |
| 1930 | 363 | 128.3% | |
| 1940 | 383 | 5.5% | |
| 1950 | 670 | 74.9% | |
| 1960 | 834 | 24.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,089 | 30.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,187 | 9.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,025 | −13.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,128 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 866 | −23.2% | |
| 2020 | 796 | −8.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 791 | −8.7% | |
| Population sources: 1920–2000 1920 1920–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, there were 866 people living in Stone Harbor. Most residents (97.11%) were White. About 1.62% were Black or African American. A small number (3.35%) were Hispanic or Latino.
The average household had about 1.96 people. The average family had about 2.54 people. Many households (37.4%) were made up of people living alone. A large portion (41.6%) of the population was 65 years old or older.
Education in Stone Harbor
The Stone Harbor School District is where public school students from kindergarten through eighth grade go to school. In the 2018–19 school year, the district had one school with 99 students. There were 11 teachers, meaning about 9 students for every teacher.
Since 2011, students in grades K–4 from both Stone Harbor and Avalon attend school in Stone Harbor. Students in grades 5–8 from both towns go to school in Avalon.
For high school, students attend Middle Township High School. This school is in Cape May Court House. Students from Stone Harbor, Avalon, Dennis Township, and Woodbine all go there.
Students can also choose to attend Cape May County Technical High School. This school offers both regular and job-training programs. It is free for students who live in Cape May County.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden runs Bishop McHugh Regional School. This is a Catholic school for grades K–8. It is located in Ocean View.
The Cape May County Library also has a branch in Stone Harbor. It is called the Stone Harbor Library.
Getting Around Stone Harbor
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As of 2010, Stone Harbor had about 24.11 miles of roads. Most of these roads (21.38 miles) are kept up by the town itself. The county maintains the rest (2.73 miles).
There are no major highways like Interstates or U.S. Routes that go directly through Stone Harbor. The most important roads are smaller county routes. These include County Route 619, which is part of Ocean Drive. Also, County Route 657 connects Stone Harbor to the mainland. It links up with the Garden State Parkway and U.S. Route 9.
For public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus routes. The 315 bus goes to and from Philadelphia three times a day. The 319 bus goes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
Fun Things to See and Do
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One important landmark in Stone Harbor is its Water Tower pumping station. It was built in 1924 and is the oldest town building still in use. The tower is 133 feet (41 meters) tall. You can see it from almost anywhere on the island! It holds 500,000 gallons (1,892,706 liters) of water. This water comes from four deep wells.
In 2005, a famous artist named Peter Max had a plan to decorate the water tower. He wanted to cover it with a huge mural made from his paintings. This art would have been glued to the tower for a few months. It was meant to help raise money for The Wetlands Institute and other charities.
Other cool places to visit in Stone Harbor include The Wetlands Institute. This place teaches you about wetlands and the animals that live there. There's also the Stone Harbor Bird Sanctuary, a safe place for birds. You can also learn about the town's past at the Stone Harbor Museum.
The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have a convent called Villa Maria by the Sea. It opened in 1937. The beach in front of the Villa is known as Nun's Beach. It's a popular spot for surfing.
In 2008, Stone Harbor's oceanfront was named the tenth-best beach in New Jersey. This was part of a contest by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.
Weather and Climate
Stone Harbor has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, somewhat humid summers. Winters are cool, and it rains throughout the year. In summer, a cool sea breeze often blows in the afternoon. Sometimes, it can get very hot and humid.
In winter, it can get very cold and windy. The average snowfall from November to April is about 12 to 18 inches (30 to 46 cm). February is usually the snowiest month. The ocean water temperature near Stone Harbor ranges from about 37°F (3°C) in winter to 74°F (23°C) in summer.
Notable People from Stone Harbor
Many interesting people have lived in or been connected to Stone Harbor:
- Joseph Hergesheimer (1880–1954), a writer known for his novels about wealthy life.
- Owen Murphy (1893–1965), a songwriter, film maker, and writer for radio, film, and theater.
- Clarence Charles Newcomer (1923–2005), a United States federal judge.
- Taylor Swift (born 1989), the famous singer, spent her summers here until she was 14. She called Stone Harbor a "pretty magical place to grow up."
- Donald Voorhees (1903–1989), a composer and conductor. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on The Bell Telephone Hour.
See also
In Spanish: Stone Harbor para niños
