Ocean City, New Jersey

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Ocean City highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Ocean City highlighted in Cape May County. Inset map: Cape May County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.

Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the 'Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 15,378 in the winter months. In the summer months, the town's population can (and often does) swell over 110,000.

Ocean City is known as a family seaside resort that has prohibited the sales of alcoholic beverages within its limits since the city's founding in 1879. Ocean City is a very popular vacation area in South Jersey. Ocean City has a reputation as a particularly family-friendly destination because alcohol is banned here. The Travel Channel rated Ocean City as the Best Family Beach of 2005[1].

Contents

[edit] Geography

Ocean City is located at 39°15′55″N, 74°35′38″W (39.265371, -74.593814)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.7 km² (11.1 mi²). 17.9 km² (6.9 mi²) of it is land and 10.8 km² (4.2 mi²) of it (37.58%) is water.

Ocean City Music Pier
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Ocean City Music Pier

Ocean City is a barrier island with bridge connections to Upper Township, Atlantic County, Somers Point, and Strathmere. The Eastern side of Ocean City borders the Atlantic Ocean, while the Western side faces the Great Egg Harbor.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 15,378 people, 7,464 households, and 4,008 families residing in the city. The population density was 858.0/km² (2,222.8/mi²). There were 20,298 housing units at an average density of 1,132.5/km² (2,934.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.57% White, 4.31% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.52% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.

There were 7,464 households out of which 16.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the city the population was spread out with 16.4% under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 25.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,158, and the median income for a family was $61,731. Males had a median income of $42,224 versus $31,282 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,217. About 4.3% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The City of Ocean City was incorporated on March 25, 1897. Since July 1, 1978, the City has operated under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.

The Mayor is the chief executive of the community who is chosen for a four-year term at the Municipal Election in May and serves part-time for a yearly salary. The Mayor does not preside over, nor have a vote on the Council. The Mayor has a veto power over ordinances, but vetoes can be overridden by a vote of two-thirds of the Council.

City Council is the legislative body. There are seven elected members. Four members represent individual wards and three are elected at large. Each of the Councilpersons serves a staggered four-year term.

The Mayor of Ocean City is Sal Perillo[2].

Members of the City Council are[3]:

  • At-large - Michael Allegretta
  • At-Large - Keith Hartzell
  • At-large - Scott Ping
  • First Ward - Jody Alessandrine
  • Second Ward - Gregory Johnson
  • Third Ward - Jack Thomas, Council President
  • Fourth Ward - Roy Wagner

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Ocean City is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District[4].

New Jersey's Second Congressional District, covering all of Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Salem County and portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Vineland). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Asselta (R) and in the Assembly by Nelson Albano (D, Vineland) and Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Cape May County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Daniel Beyel (term expires December 31, 2008), Freeholder Vice-Director Ralph E. Sheets, Jr. (2008), Ralph E. Bakley, Sr. (2007), Leonard C. Desiderio (2006) and Gerald M. Thornton (2007).

[edit] Education

The Ocean City School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are Ocean City Primary School (K-3), Ocean City Intermediate School (4-8) and Ocean City High School (9-12).

Students from Corbin City, a non-operating school district, attend the Ocean City schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship. Students from Upper Township attend Ocean City High School for grades 9-12, also as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

St. Augustine Regional School [1] is a K-8 coeducational Catholic school that serves approximately 150 students.

[edit] History

Known first as Peck’s Beach, a seven-mile stretch of sand dunes, meadows and cedar swamps was probably named for John Peck, a whaler who used the island as a staging spot for his whaling operation.

The island had served as a summer fishing camp for local Indians, a grazing land for cattle driven out from the mainland and an occasional hunting or picnic spot for mainland residents who would come out by boat. Original ownership of the land was by the Somers family.

Several individuals had made their home on the island, most notable of which was Parker Miller who had served as an agent for marine insurance companies. He and his family lived in a home at about what is now the southwest corner of Seventh Street and Asbury Avenue.

In 1879, four Methodist ministers, Ezra B. Lake, James Lake, S. Wesley Lake and William Burrell chose the island as a suitable spot to establish a Christian retreat and camp meeting on the order of Ocean Grove. They met under a tall cedar tree, which stands today at 6th Street and Asbury Avenue. Having chosen the name “Ocean City”, the founders incorporated the “Ocean City Association”, laid out street and lots for cottages, hotel and businesses. The Tabernacle was built between Wesley and Asbury Avenues and between 5th and 6th Streets. Camp Meetings were held by the following summer.

From these beginnings Ocean City has grown into the town as it exists today. The first bridge was built to the island in 1883, while the first railroad soon followed. The first school began in 1881. The boardwalk grew and was relocated several times. The ship Sindia joined other shipwrecks on the beach in 1901. A large fire in 1927 changed the town significantly.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] Famous residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ Best Family Beach of 2005, Travel Channel, March 2005
  2. ^ Office of the Mayor, accessed September 4, 2006
  3. ^ City Council Members, accessed September 4, 2006
  4. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 62, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Municipalities of Cape May County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Cape May Court House)
Boroughs Avalon | Cape May Point | Stone Harbor | West Cape May | West Wildwood | Wildwood Crest | Woodbine
Cities North Wildwood | Ocean City | Sea Isle City | Wildwood
Town Cape May
Townships Dennis Township | Lower Township | Middle Township | Upper Township
CDPs and
Communities		 Cape May Court House | Diamond Beach | Erma | Marmora | North Cape May | Strathmere | Rio Grande | Villas | Whitesboro-Burleigh
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