Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Little Egg Harbor Township is a Township
in Ocean County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 20,065.
Little Egg Harbor Township was formed on February 13, 1740, as Egg Harbour Township from portions of Northampton Township (now Mount Holly Township
), while the area was still part of Burlington County
. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's original 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on February 21, 1798. While in Burlington County, portions of the township were taken to form Washington Township
(November 19, 1802) and Bass River Township
(March 30, 1864). Little Egg Harbor Township became part of Ocean County on March 30, 1891, after which further portions of the township were ceded to create Long Beach Township
(March 23, 1899) and Tuckerton
(February 18, 1901).
Mystic Island
(2000 Census population of 8,694) is a census-designated place
and unincorporated area in the southern part of the township. The borough of Tuckerton
, a separate municipality, is completely surrounded by the township. Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton share the same ZIP code.
, Little Egg Harbor took its name from the portion of a bay called Egg Harbor (known today as Little Egg Harbor
) by the Dutch
sailors because of the eggs found in nearby gull nests. The first known account of the town was made by Captain Cornelius Jacobsen May in 1614.
The first European to settle the township was Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg
, who likely arrived by 1693 when he does not appear on a census of the Swedes along the Delaware River
, where he had lived for nearly three decades. Though he was from Holstein
(now in Germany
), his first wife was a Finn and part of the Swedish
community. Falkenberg settled on an 800-acre tract of land that he had acquired from the Lenni Lenape
Indians in 1674, and a 1697 deed re-confirmed this earlier purchase. This tract included the two islands of Monhunk and Minnicunk later known as Wills Island and Osborn Island. Falkenberg was a linguist, fluent in the Lenape language, and was considered southern New Jersey's foremost language interpreter involving land transactions between the Indians and the European settlers, particularly the English Quakers.
In October 1778, the Little Egg Harbor Massacre
took place as Patrick Ferguson
was wreaking havoc on Colonial shipping in the Mullica River
. Kazimierz Pułaski and his newly raised forces were ordered to oppose his actions. Pulaski's Legion, along with three companies of light infantry, three troops of light horse, and one artillery detachment, came too late to be of great use against Ferguson's operations. But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto
, and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River.
They then set up camp on a farm. A deserter, Lt. Gustav Juliet, found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski's encampment; he mentioned that morale was fairly low, and security almost nonexistent, so that a surprise attack would be devastating. Ferguson promptly loaded 250 of his best men onto boats and rowed them, in the dark, some ten miles (16 km) to Osborne Island. He then marched them a further two miles (3 km) to the site of the infantry outpost, which comprised fifty men a short distance from the main encampment. At first light, Ferguson ordered the attack; only five of his quarry were taken alive. Pulaski eventually led his mounted troops up, causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats minus a few men that had fallen into the colonists' hands. A memorial on Radio Road commemorates the attack.
One of the first recorded ships of the township was a sloop belonging to Thomas Ridgway Sr. John Mathis Sr. also had a ship which his son, Daniel, sailed the West Indian routes. They made a profit from selling clams and oysters.
was called Hickory Island. The tower was used to communicate with an identical radio telegraph station in Eilvese
, Germany starting on 19 Jun 1914, less than two weeks before the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. The station continued to communicate with Eilvese until America entered World War I
on 6 April 1917. It is rumored that it was used to send the message to order the attack by a German U-boat
on the RMS Lusitania
. After President Wilson's Declaration of Neutrality, the President ordered the US Navy to take over the station on 9 Sep 1914 to assure the neutrality of messages sent to and from the station; however, the station continued to be operated by German nationals employed by HOMAG and continued to communicate only with the Eilvese radio station.
When America entered the war, all U.S. radio stations were seized and shut down by Executive Order. The remaining German personnel at Tuckerton immediately became war prisoners and were replaced by U.S. Navy personnel. The Navy used the Tuckerton Radio Station for transatlantic communications while the naval radio stations in New Brunswick, NJ and Sayville, NY were undergoing major transmitter and antenna upgrades. Tuckerton was used for fleet broadcasts after installations of 200 kilowatt transmitters at New Brunswick and Sayville were completed in June, 1918.
After the war, the Tuckerton Wireless Station was included in German war reparations paid to America. Shortly afterwards, it was sold to RCA
which operated it until 1948 as a backup to their famous Radio Central facility in Rocky Point
, New York
. In 1921, RCA installed two massive Alexanderson alternator
s, which were removed in 1948. For transatlantic communications, The radio station operated under the call sign
s WCI and WGG. For coastal communications, after World War I, the station operated under the callsign WSC. The 820 feet (250 m) steel tower, anchored by three large concrete blocks, was taken down on December 27, 1955. The three huge anchor blocks still exist today, in a backyard on North Ensign Drive and in the middle of South Ensign Drive and Staysail Drive. Many smaller anchor blocks providing foundations for smaller towers visible in this photo, that supported the umbrella antenna
are still visible in the lagoons. Remains of the large tower can be seen in scraps at the Giffordtown Museum.
were built and marketed as vacation properties, most notably Mystic Island
, Holly Lake Harbor, as well as Atlantis; the latter of which a "research home" was constructed to test hundreds of components and finishing materials for possible inclusion in model homes. Most of the population were seasonal residents from either New York
, Philadelphia
, or other parts of New Jersey. Several developments were constructed in the decades following around the Mystic Islands area, mostly consisting of townhomes, duplex, and small single-family homes meant to act as either vacation homes or year-round residence. In 1979, Pinelands Regional High School
opened in the growing township, serving students from Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, Bass River, and Eagleswood; those students formerly went to Southern Regional High School
in Manahawkin
.
It wasn't until the 2000s when the population of the township boomed. The town was one of the fastest-growing in Ocean County, next to Barnegat
. The formerly sparsely-developed Radio Road, Mathistown Road, and Center Street were the sites of several new housing developments, shopping centers, and offices. While 75 percent of the growth came from new retirement communities, the former resort town dubbed "Little Treasure on the Bay" saw an influx of year-round residents and families, having become more of a suburb
.
Little Egg Harbor Township made national headlines after the November 3, 2004, Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School Bombing
when a fighter jet on a training mission from the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard
, based at Andrews Air Force Base
in Maryland
, shot seven bullets into the Intermediate School's roof, and many others into the parking lot. The plane had been on a training mission at the Warren Grove Gunnery Range, a 2400 acres (10 km²) area about 3½ miles from the school. The coverage was featured on many popular network stations. The school was repaired during the New Jersey Teachers' Convention. Only a few custodians were in the school, and nobody was injured.
On the morning of August 28, 2011, Hurricane Irene
made its second U.S. landfall in the Little Egg Inlet
, making Little Egg Harbor the first town in New Jersey to be touched by the hurricane, which was the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. However, the township as well as surrounding areas had very little damage compared to other areas of the state; damage was limited mostly to flooded streets as well as downed trees and wires.
, the township has a total area of 73.2 square miles (189.6 km²), of which, 49.1 square miles (127.2 km²) of it is land and 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²) of it (32.90%) is water.
Also, Little Egg Harbor completely surrounds Tuckerton
.
of 2000, there were 15,945 people, 6,179 households, and 4,442 families residing in the township. The population density
was 324.7 people per square mile (125.4/km²). There were 7,931 housing units at an average density of 161.5 per square mile (62.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.22% White, 0.79% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population.
There were 6,179 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $45,628, and the median income for a family was $51,580. Males had a median income of $39,668 versus $29,576 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $20,619. About 4.1% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The Township Committee consists of five members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. Annually, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor, and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving one-year terms.
, the members of the Township Committee are
Mayor
Ray Gormley (R, term ends December 31, 2011)
Deputy Mayor
John Kehm, Jr. (R, 2011)
Arthur Midgley (R, 2012)
Eugene "Gene" Kobryn (R, 2013) and
http://www.leht.com/people/peoplenuttall.phpEd Nuttall) (R, 2012).
Little Egg Harbor is in the
. In the 2008 Presidential Election
, Republican John McCain
received 56.5% of the vote, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
, who received around 42%. In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election
, Republican Chris Christie received 63% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine
, who received around 29%.
. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
.) are
George J. Mitchell Elementary School for pre-K through second grade (1,015 students) and Frog Pond Elementary School for grades 3 to 6 (823 students).
Public school students in grades 7 - 12 attend the schools of the Pinelands Regional School District
, which serves students from Bass River Township
, Eagleswood Township
, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough
. The district includes Pinelands Regional Junior High School (899 students in grades 7-9 as of 2010) and Pinelands Regional High School
(931 students in grades 10-12).
. Major routes, County Route 539
and Route 9, are major arteries in the town. New Jersey Transit
provides bus service to Atlantic City
on the 559 route.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 20,065.
Little Egg Harbor Township was formed on February 13, 1740, as Egg Harbour Township from portions of Northampton Township (now Mount Holly Township
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
), while the area was still part of Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's original 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on February 21, 1798. While in Burlington County, portions of the township were taken to form Washington Township
Washington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey
Washington Township is a Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 621....
(November 19, 1802) and Bass River Township
Bass River Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,510 people, 548 households, and 409 families residing in the township. The population density was 19.9 people per square mile . There were 602 housing units at an average density of 7.9 per square mile...
(March 30, 1864). Little Egg Harbor Township became part of Ocean County on March 30, 1891, after which further portions of the township were ceded to create Long Beach Township
Long Beach Township, New Jersey
Long Beach Township is a Walsh Act Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 3,051....
(March 23, 1899) and Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
(February 18, 1901).
Mystic Island
Mystic Island, New Jersey
Mystic Island is a large, mostly-waterfront development originally planned as a resort community within Little Egg Harbor Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey...
(2000 Census population of 8,694) is a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
and unincorporated area in the southern part of the township. The borough of Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
, a separate municipality, is completely surrounded by the township. Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton share the same ZIP code.
Founding
Originally part of Burlington CountyBurlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, Little Egg Harbor took its name from the portion of a bay called Egg Harbor (known today as Little Egg Harbor
Little Egg Harbor
Little Egg Harbor is a brackish bay along the coast of southeast New Jersey. It was originally called Egg Harbor by the Dutch sailors because of the eggs found in nearby gull nests.The bay is part of the Intracoastal Waterway.-External links:...
) by the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
sailors because of the eggs found in nearby gull nests. The first known account of the town was made by Captain Cornelius Jacobsen May in 1614.
The first European to settle the township was Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg
Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg
Hendrick Jacobs Falkenberg , also known as Hendrick Jacobs or Henry Jacobs, was an early American settler along the Delaware River, and was considered to be the foremost language interpreter for the purchase of Indian lands in southern New Jersey...
, who likely arrived by 1693 when he does not appear on a census of the Swedes along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, where he had lived for nearly three decades. Though he was from Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
(now in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
), his first wife was a Finn and part of the Swedish
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
community. Falkenberg settled on an 800-acre tract of land that he had acquired from the Lenni Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
Indians in 1674, and a 1697 deed re-confirmed this earlier purchase. This tract included the two islands of Monhunk and Minnicunk later known as Wills Island and Osborn Island. Falkenberg was a linguist, fluent in the Lenape language, and was considered southern New Jersey's foremost language interpreter involving land transactions between the Indians and the European settlers, particularly the English Quakers.
In October 1778, the Little Egg Harbor Massacre
Little Egg Harbor massacre
The Little Egg Harbor massacre took place on October 15, 1778, place in New Jersey, USA, during the American Revolution. The massacre took place about one week after the Battle of Chestnut Neck, a British raid aimed at suppressing privateers who used the area as a base to harass and seize British...
took place as Patrick Ferguson
Patrick Ferguson
Major Patrick Ferguson was a Scottish officer in the British Army, early advocate of light infantry and designer of the Ferguson rifle. He is best known for his service in the 1780 military campaign of Charles Cornwallis, in which he aggressively recruited Loyalists and harshly treated Patriot...
was wreaking havoc on Colonial shipping in the Mullica River
Mullica River
The Mullica River is a river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the Little Egg Harbor River.The river provides one of the principal drainages into the Atlantic Ocean of the extensive Pinelands...
. Kazimierz Pułaski and his newly raised forces were ordered to oppose his actions. Pulaski's Legion, along with three companies of light infantry, three troops of light horse, and one artillery detachment, came too late to be of great use against Ferguson's operations. But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto
Batsto Village, New Jersey
Batsto Village is a New Jersey Historic site located in Wharton State Forest in the south central Pine Barrens, and a part of the Pinelands National Reserve. It is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places, and is administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental...
, and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River.
They then set up camp on a farm. A deserter, Lt. Gustav Juliet, found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski's encampment; he mentioned that morale was fairly low, and security almost nonexistent, so that a surprise attack would be devastating. Ferguson promptly loaded 250 of his best men onto boats and rowed them, in the dark, some ten miles (16 km) to Osborne Island. He then marched them a further two miles (3 km) to the site of the infantry outpost, which comprised fifty men a short distance from the main encampment. At first light, Ferguson ordered the attack; only five of his quarry were taken alive. Pulaski eventually led his mounted troops up, causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats minus a few men that had fallen into the colonists' hands. A memorial on Radio Road commemorates the attack.
One of the first recorded ships of the township was a sloop belonging to Thomas Ridgway Sr. John Mathis Sr. also had a ship which his son, Daniel, sailed the West Indian routes. They made a profit from selling clams and oysters.
Tuckerton Wireless Tower
The 825 foot Tuckerton Wireless Tower (39.5585°N 74.3706°W) was built in 1912 by the German "Hochfrequenzmaschin Aktiengesellschaft Fuer Drahtlose Telegraphie" company (The High Frequency Machine Corporation for Wireless Telegraphy, often referred to as HOMAG) when the present-day Mystic IslandMystic Island, New Jersey
Mystic Island is a large, mostly-waterfront development originally planned as a resort community within Little Egg Harbor Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey...
was called Hickory Island. The tower was used to communicate with an identical radio telegraph station in Eilvese
Eilvese transmitter
Eilvese transmitter was a facility of Transradio AG for intercontinental VLF transmission of telegrams at Eilvese, Germany. It went into service in 1913 and used machine transmitters...
, Germany starting on 19 Jun 1914, less than two weeks before the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand. The station continued to communicate with Eilvese until America entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
on 6 April 1917. It is rumored that it was used to send the message to order the attack by a German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
on the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
. After President Wilson's Declaration of Neutrality, the President ordered the US Navy to take over the station on 9 Sep 1914 to assure the neutrality of messages sent to and from the station; however, the station continued to be operated by German nationals employed by HOMAG and continued to communicate only with the Eilvese radio station.
When America entered the war, all U.S. radio stations were seized and shut down by Executive Order. The remaining German personnel at Tuckerton immediately became war prisoners and were replaced by U.S. Navy personnel. The Navy used the Tuckerton Radio Station for transatlantic communications while the naval radio stations in New Brunswick, NJ and Sayville, NY were undergoing major transmitter and antenna upgrades. Tuckerton was used for fleet broadcasts after installations of 200 kilowatt transmitters at New Brunswick and Sayville were completed in June, 1918.
After the war, the Tuckerton Wireless Station was included in German war reparations paid to America. Shortly afterwards, it was sold to RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
which operated it until 1948 as a backup to their famous Radio Central facility in Rocky Point
Rocky Point, New York
Rocky Point is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 10,185.Rocky Point is a community in the town of Brookhaven.-Geography:...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1921, RCA installed two massive Alexanderson alternator
Alexanderson alternator
An Alexanderson alternator is a rotating machine invented by Ernst Alexanderson in 1904 for the generation of high frequency alternating current up to 100 kHz, for use as a radio transmitter...
s, which were removed in 1948. For transatlantic communications, The radio station operated under the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
s WCI and WGG. For coastal communications, after World War I, the station operated under the callsign WSC. The 820 feet (250 m) steel tower, anchored by three large concrete blocks, was taken down on December 27, 1955. The three huge anchor blocks still exist today, in a backyard on North Ensign Drive and in the middle of South Ensign Drive and Staysail Drive. Many smaller anchor blocks providing foundations for smaller towers visible in this photo, that supported the umbrella antenna
Umbrella antenna
An umbrella antenna is a top-loaded electrically lengthened monopole antenna, consisting in most cases of a mast fed against ground, to which six or more wires are connected at the top, sloping downwards...
are still visible in the lagoons. Remains of the large tower can be seen in scraps at the Giffordtown Museum.
Later history
While the township was formed in the 1700s, Little Egg Harbor remained predominantly rural and undeveloped well into the late 20th century. It wasn't until the late 1950s until any major development was started. During this time, the construction of manufactured waterfront bungalows on lagoonsCanal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
were built and marketed as vacation properties, most notably Mystic Island
Mystic Island, New Jersey
Mystic Island is a large, mostly-waterfront development originally planned as a resort community within Little Egg Harbor Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey...
, Holly Lake Harbor, as well as Atlantis; the latter of which a "research home" was constructed to test hundreds of components and finishing materials for possible inclusion in model homes. Most of the population were seasonal residents from either New York
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, or other parts of New Jersey. Several developments were constructed in the decades following around the Mystic Islands area, mostly consisting of townhomes, duplex, and small single-family homes meant to act as either vacation homes or year-round residence. In 1979, Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School is a three-year regional public high school that serves students from four communities in tenth through twelfth grade from Ocean County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Pinelands Regional School District, which serves students from Bass River Township,...
opened in the growing township, serving students from Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton, Bass River, and Eagleswood; those students formerly went to Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School is a regional public high school in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 9 - 12 and operating as part of the Southern Regional School District. The school is located on of wooded land, upon which future projects are to be completed...
in Manahawkin
Manahawkin, New Jersey
Manahawkin is a census-designated place and unincorporated area contained within Stafford Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Manahawkin translates to 'land of good corn' although this has been disputed by recent scholars claiming that it translate to “fertile land sloping into...
.
It wasn't until the 2000s when the population of the township boomed. The town was one of the fastest-growing in Ocean County, next to Barnegat
Barnegat Township, New Jersey
-History:Barnegat gets its name from nearby Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet. The inlet was originally "Barendegat," or "Inlet of the Breakers," and was named by Dutch settlers in 1614 for the waterway's turbulent channel.-Demographics:...
. The formerly sparsely-developed Radio Road, Mathistown Road, and Center Street were the sites of several new housing developments, shopping centers, and offices. While 75 percent of the growth came from new retirement communities, the former resort town dubbed "Little Treasure on the Bay" saw an influx of year-round residents and families, having become more of a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
.
Little Egg Harbor Township made national headlines after the November 3, 2004, Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School Bombing
Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School Bombing
The strafing of the Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School was an incident in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, United States, in which a military aircraft on a training mission fired dozens of cannon rounds while well outside the training range, several of which struck the then-named Little...
when a fighter jet on a training mission from the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard
Air National Guard
The Air National Guard , often referred to as the Air Guard, is the air force militia organized by each of the fifty U.S. states, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia of the United States. Established under Title 10 and...
, based at Andrews Air Force Base
Andrews Air Force Base
Joint Base Andrews is a United States military facility located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force 11th Wing, Air Force District of Washington ....
in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, shot seven bullets into the Intermediate School's roof, and many others into the parking lot. The plane had been on a training mission at the Warren Grove Gunnery Range, a 2400 acres (10 km²) area about 3½ miles from the school. The coverage was featured on many popular network stations. The school was repaired during the New Jersey Teachers' Convention. Only a few custodians were in the school, and nobody was injured.
On the morning of August 28, 2011, Hurricane Irene
Hurricane Irene (2011)
Hurricane Irene was a large and powerful Atlantic hurricane that left extensive flood and wind damage along its path through the Caribbean, the United States East Coast and as far north as Atlantic Canada in 2011...
made its second U.S. landfall in the Little Egg Inlet
Little Egg Inlet
Little Egg Inlet is an inlet connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the Great Bay along the southeastern coast of New Jersey. Little Egg Inlet forms a maritime border separating Little Egg Harbor Township in southern Ocean County and Galloway Township in northeastern Atlantic County.Hurricane Irene made...
, making Little Egg Harbor the first town in New Jersey to be touched by the hurricane, which was the first hurricane to make landfall in the state since 1903. However, the township as well as surrounding areas had very little damage compared to other areas of the state; damage was limited mostly to flooded streets as well as downed trees and wires.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 73.2 square miles (189.6 km²), of which, 49.1 square miles (127.2 km²) of it is land and 24.1 square miles (62.4 km²) of it (32.90%) is water.
Also, Little Egg Harbor completely surrounds Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 15,945 people, 6,179 households, and 4,442 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 324.7 people per square mile (125.4/km²). There were 7,931 housing units at an average density of 161.5 per square mile (62.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.22% White, 0.79% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.26% of the population.
There were 6,179 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $45,628, and the median income for a family was $51,580. Males had a median income of $39,668 versus $29,576 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $20,619. About 4.1% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Little Egg Harbor operates under the TownshipTownship (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
form of New Jersey municipal government. The Township Committee consists of five members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. Annually, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor, and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving one-year terms.
, the members of the Township Committee are
Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Ray Gormley (R, term ends December 31, 2011)
Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
John Kehm, Jr. (R, 2011)
Arthur Midgley (R, 2012)
Eugene "Gene" Kobryn (R, 2013) and
http://www.leht.com/people/peoplenuttall.phpEd Nuttall) (R, 2012).
Federal, state and county representation
Little Egg Harbor Township is in the 3rd Congressional district.Little Egg Harbor is in the
Politics
On the national and state levels, Little Egg Harbor Township leans strongly towards the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. In the 2008 Presidential Election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
received 56.5% of the vote, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, who received around 42%. In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election
New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009
The New Jersey gubernatorial election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009. Democratic Governor Jon Corzine was running for a second term and was being challenged by Republican Chris Christie, Independent Christopher Daggett and nine others, in addition to several write-in candidates...
, Republican Chris Christie received 63% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
, who received around 29%.
Education
Students in public school for grades pre-K through 6 attend the schools of the Little Egg Harbor Township School DistrictLittle Egg Harbor Township School District
The Little Egg Harbor Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade from Little Egg Harbor Township School, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States....
. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
.) are
George J. Mitchell Elementary School for pre-K through second grade (1,015 students) and Frog Pond Elementary School for grades 3 to 6 (823 students).
Public school students in grades 7 - 12 attend the schools of the Pinelands Regional School District
Pinelands Regional School District
Pinelands Regional School District is a regional school district in Ocean County, New Jersey, serving students from Bass River Township, Eagleswood Township, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough....
, which serves students from Bass River Township
Bass River Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,510 people, 548 households, and 409 families residing in the township. The population density was 19.9 people per square mile . There were 602 housing units at an average density of 7.9 per square mile...
, Eagleswood Township
Eagleswood Township, New Jersey
Eagleswood Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 1,603....
, Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton Borough
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
. The district includes Pinelands Regional Junior High School (899 students in grades 7-9 as of 2010) and Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School is a three-year regional public high school that serves students from four communities in tenth through twelfth grade from Ocean County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Pinelands Regional School District, which serves students from Bass River Township,...
(931 students in grades 10-12).
Transportation
Little Egg Harbor is located off of Exit 58 on the Garden State ParkwayGarden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
. Major routes, County Route 539
County Route 539 (New Jersey)
County Route 539, abbreviated CR 539, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Main Street in Tuckerton to U.S. Route 130 in Cranbury Township. However, signage on CR 539 suggests that it crosses U.S...
and Route 9, are major arteries in the town. New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
provides bus service to Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
on the 559 route.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Little Egg harbor Township include:- Lily McBethLily McBethLily B. McBeth is an American transgender teacher from Tuckerton, New Jersey. She was born William B. McBeth and as part of her transition underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2005. Her actions were hailed as a model of tolerance and acceptance of transgender Americans. She has three grown...
(born 1934), transgender substitute teacher at the town's local schools who made national news after she underwent a sex-change operation. - Brian E. RumpfBrian E. RumpfBrian E. Rumpf is an American Republican politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003, where he represents the 9th legislative district.-Biography:He was born in Somerville, New Jersey on May 11, 1964....
(born 1964), has served in the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
since 2003, and has served on the Little Egg Harbor Township Committee, serving as the township's mayor from 2000 - 2003.
External links
- Little Egg Harbor Township website
- Little Egg Harbor Township School District
- Data for the Little Egg Harbor Township School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Pinelands Regional School District
- Little Egg Harbor Branch of Ocean County Library
- Sunset Over the Salt Meadows
- Pinelands-Pine Barrens photo galleries of native flora fauna and landscapes