Wildwood Crest, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Borough
|
||
Wildwood Crest arch
|
||
|
||
Location of Wildwood Crest in Cape May County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Cape May County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
|
||
Census Bureau map of Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
|
||
 Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Location in Cape May County, New Jersey
Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  New Jersey |
|
| County |  Cape May |
|
| Incorporated | April 6, 1910 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Walsh Act | |
| • Body | Board of Commissioners | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.48 sq mi (3.84 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.30 sq mi (3.36 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.18 sq mi (0.48 km2) 12.50% | |
| Area rank | 452nd of 565 in state 13th of 16 in county |
|
| Elevation | 3 ft (0.9 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 3,101 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
3,063 | |
| • Rank | 445th of 565 in state 8th of 16 in county |
|
| • Density | 2,388.6/sq mi (922.2/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 260th of 565 in state 2nd of 16 in county |
|
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
08260
|
|
| Area code(s) | 609 | |
| FIPS code | 3400981200 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885445 | |
Wildwood Crest is a small town, called a borough, located in Cape May County, New Jersey. It's part of a larger area that includes Ocean City and Philadelphia.
In 2020, about 3,101 people lived here. The town was officially created on April 6, 1910. It was first developed by Philip Baker as an extension of the nearby resort town of Wildwood. The name "Wildwood Crest" comes from Wildwood, which was named after the wild flowers in the area.
Wildwood Crest is a "dry town," meaning you can't buy alcohol here. This rule was decided by a vote in 1940. Other towns in Cape May County, like Cape May Point and Ocean City, also have similar rules. However, next-door Wildwood does allow alcohol sales.
In 2008, Wildwood Crest was named the second-best beach in New Jersey. It's one of only five towns in the state that offer free public access to beaches with lifeguards.
Contents
Exploring Wildwood Crest's History
The Unique "Doo Wop" Style
The motels in Wildwood Crest are famous for their special "Doo Wop" or Googie style. Together, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest have the largest collection of this mid-century "Doo Wop" resort architecture in the country.
The term "Doo Wop" was created in the early 1990s. It describes the cool, space-age building style popular in the 1950s and 1960s. After World War II, America was a very hopeful and excited place. This new style of architecture showed that spirit.
It used bright colors, modern angles, starbursts, boomerang shapes, plastic palm trees, and unique roof designs. "Doo Wop" celebrated the fun culture of the 1950s and 1960s. Many motels were built in this style during the 1950s when the economy was booming. The first motel with this look was the Ebb Tide Motel, built in 1957.
Some "Doo Wop" motels, like the Caribbean Motel, are even listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In recent years, some of these historic motels have been torn down to build new condominiums. Because of this, people are working hard to save the remaining "Doo Wop" buildings.
Wildwood Crest as a Vacation Spot
Wildwood Crest, along with its neighbors Wildwood, North Wildwood, and West Wildwood, forms "The Wildwoods" resort. This area is a popular vacation spot for people from New Jersey, Philadelphia, and New York City. Many visitors also come from New England and Canada because of the mild summer weather.
Unlike Wildwood and North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest is known for being quieter. Many visitors come here to find peaceful and undisturbed beach areas.
In recent years, many motels have been replaced by condominiums. Some restaurants, like The Captain's Table, have also been torn down for new buildings. These changes have made the area more of a weekend getaway for wealthier families, rather than a place for middle-class families to vacation all summer.
Geography and Nature
Wildwood Crest covers about 1.48 square miles (3.84 km2). Most of this is land, with a small part being water.
Part of the beach is closed off to protect special birds like the piping plover. These small birds need a safe place for their eggs away from people. There's a nature trail through the sand dunes where you can explore this protected area.
Wildwood Crest is next to Diamond Beach (part of Lower Township) to the south. To the north is the City of Wildwood, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 103 | — | |
| 1920 | 161 | 56.3% | |
| 1930 | 738 | 358.4% | |
| 1940 | 661 | −10.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,772 | 168.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,011 | 69.9% | |
| 1970 | 3,483 | 15.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,149 | 19.1% | |
| 1990 | 3,631 | −12.5% | |
| 2000 | 3,980 | 9.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,270 | −17.8% | |
| 2020 | 3,101 | −5.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 3,063 | −6.3% | |
| Population sources: 1900–2000 1900–1920 1900–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
|||
What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, the 2010 United States census counted 3,270 people living in Wildwood Crest. Most residents (about 93%) were White. About 1.7% were Black or African American, and 1% were Asian. About 5.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Wildwood Crest was 49.8 years old. About 16.6% of the population was under 18. About 26.4% were 65 years or older.
The average income for a household was about $46,111. For families, it was about $67,917.
Economy and Business
Wildwood Crest is part of a special program called an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). This program helps encourage businesses to grow and create jobs in the area. Because of this, shoppers can enjoy a lower sales tax rate of 3.3125% at certain stores. This is half of the regular state sales tax. Wildwood Crest joined this program in 2002, and it is set to continue until December 2023.
Parks and Fun Things to Do
Wildwood Crest has a beautiful area called Sunset Lake on the bay side. This lake used to be connected to the Atlantic Ocean by an inlet called Turtle Gut Inlet, but it was closed in 1922.
You can visit the Sunset Lake and Turtle Gut Park. There's also a memorial there that remembers the Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet. This battle happened on June 29, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. It was the only battle of the war fought in Cape May County.
Schools and Learning
Students in Wildwood Crest attend public schools run by the Wildwood Crest School District. Younger students, from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, go to Crest Memorial School. In the 2019–20 school year, there were 275 students and 34 teachers at this school.
For high school, students from Wildwood Crest go to Wildwood High School in Wildwood. This is part of a special arrangement with the Wildwood Public School District. Students from North Wildwood also attend Wildwood High School.
Students can also choose to go to Cape May County Technical High School. This school offers both regular and job-focused programs for students from all over the county. For students with special needs, there's the Cape May County Special Services School District.
There's also a private Catholic school, Wildwood Catholic Academy, in North Wildwood. The Cape May County Library also has a branch in Wildwood Crest.
Getting Around Wildwood Crest
_at_Rambler_Road_in_Wildwood_Crest,_Cape_May_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Roads and Driving
Wildwood Crest has about 31.88 miles of roads. Most of these are managed by the town itself. County Route 621 (Pacific Avenue/New Jersey Avenue) runs through the borough.
If you're visiting the beach area between mid-May and mid-September, you'll need to pay for parking at parking meters.
Buses and Trolleys
NJ Transit provides bus service from Wildwood Crest to Philadelphia. There are also seasonal buses to Philadelphia and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
During the summer, The Great American Trolley Company runs trolley service in Wildwood Crest. You can take a trolley from Wildwood Crest to the boardwalk in Wildwood every evening. They also offer trolley service to the Irish Fall Festival in North Wildwood when it's happening.
Famous Places
- Crest Fishing Pier
- Sunset Lake
Climate and Weather
Wildwood Crest has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, somewhat humid summers and cool winters. It rains throughout the year.
In summer, there's often a cool afternoon sea breeze. However, it can sometimes 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. February is usually the snowiest month.
| Climate data for Wildwood Crest Beach, NJ (1981–2010 Averages) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 41.9 (5.5) |
43.7 (6.5) |
50.4 (10.2) |
59.4 (15.2) |
68.7 (20.4) |
77.9 (25.5) |
82.9 (28.3) |
81.7 (27.6) |
76.2 (24.6) |
66.2 (19.0) |
56.2 (13.4) |
46.6 (8.1) |
62.7 (17.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 34.9 (1.6) |
36.7 (2.6) |
43.1 (6.2) |
52.2 (11.2) |
61.3 (16.3) |
70.7 (21.5) |
75.9 (24.4) |
74.9 (23.8) |
68.9 (20.5) |
58.3 (14.6) |
48.8 (9.3) |
39.5 (4.2) |
55.5 (13.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.9 (−2.3) |
29.7 (−1.3) |
35.8 (2.1) |
44.9 (7.2) |
53.8 (12.1) |
63.6 (17.6) |
68.9 (20.5) |
68.1 (20.1) |
61.6 (16.4) |
50.4 (10.2) |
41.3 (5.2) |
32.4 (0.2) |
48.3 (9.1) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.36 (85) |
2.82 (72) |
4.16 (106) |
3.63 (92) |
3.60 (91) |
3.19 (81) |
3.79 (96) |
4.10 (104) |
3.29 (84) |
3.61 (92) |
3.25 (83) |
3.62 (92) |
42.42 (1,077) |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 66.9 | 66.2 | 64.4 | 63.0 | 67.1 | 71.7 | 70.7 | 73.3 | 70.2 | 68.8 | 68.0 | 67.4 | 68.2 |
| Average dew point °F (°C) | 25.0 (−3.9) |
26.5 (−3.1) |
31.9 (−0.1) |
40.0 (4.4) |
50.3 (10.2) |
61.1 (16.2) |
65.7 (18.7) |
65.8 (18.8) |
58.8 (14.9) |
48.1 (8.9) |
38.7 (3.7) |
29.6 (−1.3) |
45.2 (7.3) |
| Source: PRISM | |||||||||||||
| Climate data for North Cape May, NJ Ocean Water Temperature (7 W Wildwood Crest) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 37 (3) |
37 (3) |
42 (6) |
50 (10) |
59 (15) |
68 (20) |
73 (23) |
74 (23) |
72 (22) |
61 (16) |
52 (11) |
42 (6) |
56 (13) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Nature and Plants
The natural plants in Wildwood Crest would mostly be Northern Cordgrass. This type of plant grows in Coastal Prairie areas.
Famous People from Wildwood Crest
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Wildwood Crest:
- J. Thompson Baker (1847–1919): One of the first people to develop Wildwood and Wildwood Crest. He was also a politician.
- Aliki Brandenberg (born 1929): A famous author who writes books for children. She was born in Wildwood Crest.
- Joe Maloy (born 1985): A professional athlete who competes in triathlons.
- Bill Osborn (born c. 1966): A football scout and commentator who played in different football leagues.
- Bernie Parent (born 1945): A very famous hockey goalie who helped the Philadelphia Flyers win two Stanley Cups.
- Frank Vogel (born 1973): A well-known basketball coach for the Phoenix Suns.
Images for kids
-
Fire Station
-
"Shore is Beautiful"
See also
In Spanish: Wildwood Crest para niños
