Toms River, New Jersey
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The Township of Toms River is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. On November 7, 2006, voters approved a change of the official name of Township of Dover (or, Dover Township) to the Township of Toms River, effective November 14, 2006.
As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 89,706. The 2004 population estimate is 94,320, making it the seventh most populous municipality in New Jersey. The Census Bureau further estimates that as of July 2005 the Toms River area had grown to over 97,000 residents, further establishing the community as one of the fastest-growing in the state. With an average of over 2,000 new residents per year, at the conclusion of the year 2006, the population will most likely be over 100,000.
Dover Beaches North (2000 Census population of 1,785), Dover Beaches South (1,594) and Toms River CDP (86,327) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Toms River Township.
The neighboring municipalities of Beachwood, Pine Beach, and South Toms River are part of the Toms River Regional Schools, which accepts students from those communities, but are not part of Toms River Township. Ortley Beach, Normandy Beach, and Ocean Beach are neighborhoods within Toms River Township.
In 2006, Toms River was ranked by Morgan Quitno as the fourteenth safest "city" in the United States, of 369 cities nationwide[1].
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 137.1 km² (52.9 mi²). 106.1 km² (41.0 mi²) of it is land and 31.0 km² (12.0 mi²) of it (22.59%) is water.
While most of Toms River is on the mainland, Dover Beaches North and South are situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 89,706 people, 33,510 households, and 24,428 families residing in the township. The population density was 845.4/km² (2,189.5/mi²). There were 41,116 housing units at an average density of 387.5/km² (1,003.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.57% White, 1.75% African American, 0.13% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.95% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.54% of the population.
There were 33,510 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $54,776, and the median income for a family was $62,561. Males had a median income of $47,390 versus $30,834 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,010. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] History
[edit] Founding and Early History
Much of the early history of the village of Toms River was obscured by conflicting stories and lack of direct sources. Generally, however, historians have come to a consensus that the village was founded in 1712 and named after Thomas Luker, a settler who arrived several decades earlier, married the daughter of a local Native American chief, and operated a ferry across what was then called Goose Creek. Over the next century, the Toms River became a center for shipbuilding, whaling, fishing, and iron and lumber production[2].
Toms River was located in the southern section of the Township of Shrewsbury that obtained a royal charter to secede in 1767 and form Dover Township. During the American Revolution, Toms River was home to a strategically important salt works that supplied colonial militias, as well as a base for privateer vessels that plundered British and Tory ships off the coast. In March of 1782, a group of British and loyalist soldiers attacked a blockhouse along the river that housed the colonial militia and captured Captain Joshua Huddy, who was later hanged at Sandy Hook. Also destroyed were the salt works and most of the houses in the village.[3] The incident greatly complicated the tense relationship between the British, loyalist, and colonial and was a factor in prolonging the peace negotiations that were then in progress in Paris until 1783. [2].
The settlement and the river were more spelled Tom's River in its early days, though its current spelling has been standard since the middle of the 19th century.
The village of Toms River is listed on both the national[4] and state[5] registers of historic places.
[edit] Mid 19th and 20th Centuries
In 1850, Toms River became the county seat of the newly created Ocean County when it was formed out of southern Monmouth County. During the second half of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th, many new towns were carved out of Dover Township, including Brick, Jackson, Lakewood and Berkeley. The Village of Toms River attempted twice — in 1914 and 1926 — to secede from Dover Township, but residents were unsuccessful. The part of Toms River on the south side of the river stretching down to Berkeley Township incorporated as South Toms River in 1927, but the core of the original village on the north side remains part of the wider township to this day[6].
[edit] Mid and Late 20th Century
In the last two decades of the twentieth century, the demographics of the township changed substantially, adding over 20,000 residents just in the 1990s. While the village is still the center of municipal and county government, the population of greater the population exploded in the decades after World War II, due in part to the completion of the Garden State Parkway. Whereas the village was the largest and most densely populated section of the township for over two centuries, the vast majority of residents now shop and work in other sections of the town.
Toms River made international headlines in the 1990s with their little league baseball team, nicknamed "Beast from the East", which competed in the Little League World Series three times in five years, winning in 1998. Over 40,000 people lined Route 37 for a parade following their victory over Kashima, Japan.
In the mid-1990s, state and federal health and environmental agencies identified an increased incidence of leukemia in Toms River. Multiple investigations by state and federal environmental and health agencies indicated that the likely source of the increased cancer risk was contamination from Toms River Chemical Plant (then operated by Ciba-Geigy), which had been in operation since 1952. The area was designated an EPA Superfund site in 1983 after an underground plume of toxic chemicals was identified. The following year, a discharge pipe was shut down after sinkhole at the corner of Bay Avenue and Vaughn Avenue revealed that it had been leaking. The plant ceased operation in 1996.[7][8][9]
[edit] Toms River Township
"Toms River" at one time referred only to the village of Toms River, part of the vast Township of Dover that included several other distinct settlements. Even as the township shrank rapidly in the 19th century as the townships of Berkeley, Brick, Jackson and others were established, these other sections were not considered part of "Toms River." With the United States Postal Service's adoption of Toms River mailing addresses for Dover Township, coupled with demographic changes in the other sections, those inside and outside began referring to all of mainland Dover Township as Toms River. Today, this practice is common for most residents[6][10]. In the 1990 Census, the census-designated place called "Toms River" only included the downtown village area that included fewer than 8,000 residents in 1990. Due to complaints of confusion, the CDP was broadened to include all of mainland Dover Township to better reflect the more common usage for the area[2].
In recent years, confusion over the name of the township has become an issue for many residents. A movement organized around the Dover Township Name Change Committee[11], founded by Mayor Paul Brush and supported by the Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, collected signatures to put a name change question on the ballot in November of 2006. On Election Day, November 7, 2006, over 60%[12] of residents voted to approve changing the name from the Township of Dover to the Township of Toms River. The name was officially changed on November 14, 2006.[13]
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Since 2004, Toms River Township has operated under the Mayor-Council form of New Jersey municipal government.
The Mayor of Toms River is Paul C. Brush (term expires December 31, 2007). Council members are Carmine C. Inteso, Jr., (Councilman-At-Large, 2007), Michael J. Fiure (Councilman-At-Large, 2007), John "Sevas" Sevastakis (Councilman-At-Large, 2007), Maria Maruca (Councilwoman Ward 1, 2009), Brian S. Kubiel (Councilman Ward 2, 2009), Maurice "Mo" B. Hill (Councilman Ward 3, 2009) and Council President Gregory P. McGuckin (Councilman Ward 4, 2009).[14]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Toms River is in the Third Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 10th Legislative District.[15]
New Jersey's Third Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Ocean County, is represented by Jim Saxton (R, Mount Holly). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 10th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Andrew R. Ciesla (R, Brick) and in the Assembly by James W. Holzapfel (R, Brick) and David W. Wolfe (R, Brick). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Ocean County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ocean County's Freeholders are: John C. Bartlett Jr., John P. Kelly, James F. Lacey, Gerry P. Little and Joseph H. Vicari.
[edit] Education
Students in grades K through 12 attend the Toms River Regional Schools, a regional public school system (centered primarily in Toms River Township) which is the largest suburban school district in New Jersey, with a total student enrollment of about 19,000 students in 18 district schools. In addition to Toms River Township (14,919 students), the district incorporates the boroughs of Beachwood (2,202 students), Pine Beach (325 students) and South Toms River (830 students).
Toms River Regional Schools includes twelve elementary schools, three intermediate schools which are among the largest in the state, and three high schools, which are Toms River High School South, Toms River High School North, and Toms River High School East. In the district, there are approximately 6,200 student enrolled in high school (Grades 9-12), 4,400 students enrolled in intermediate school (Grades 6-8), and 8,500 students enrolled in elementary school (Grades K-5).
In addition, Ocean County's only Catholic High School, Monsignor Donovan High School, is located in Toms River.
Ocean County College, a two-year college with four-year options in cooperation with other NJ colleges and universities, is also located on Hooper Avenue in Toms River.
[edit] Community
- New Jersey's largest non-teaching hospital, Community Medical Center, is located in Toms River.
- The Poland Spring Arena at the Ritacco Center, a public arena connected to Toms River High School North, is used for major concert events and small local events throughout the year to raise money for the school district.
- Toms River Fest, is held every summer in Toms River, bringing many people from in and out of the area to this large carnival. The festival includes acts by world renowned music artists.
- Toms River has many shopping malls including Ocean County Mall (the only enclosed mall in Ocean County), and Seacourt Pavilion, located across Bay Avenue from the Ocean County Mall.
- The 1979 movie, The Amityville Horror, was filmed in Toms River, rather than Amityville on Long Island. Local police and ambulance workers played extras. The Toms River Volunteer Fire Company Number One was used to provide the "rain" during one of the exterior scenes. If you look closely, you can see that it is sunny and not "raining" in the background, the next street over.
- Toms River gained some notoriety in 1984 when local businessman Robert O. Marshall was charged with (and later convicted of) the contract killing of his wife, Maria. The case attracted the attention of true crime author Joe McGinniss, whose bestselling book on the Marshall case, Blind Faith, was published in 1989. Blind Faith was adapted into an Emmy-nominated 1990 TV miniseries starring Robert Urich and Joanna Kerns.
- Several municipalities have Toms River mailing addresses, including Berkeley Township, South Toms River and Manchester Township.
[edit] Noted residents
- Darian Barnes: Fullback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.
- Mike Bucci: Professional wrestler employed by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)
- Al Leiter: Major League Baseball player
- Piper Perabo: Star of the movies Coyote Ugly and Cheaper by the Dozen
[edit] References
- ^ Morgan Quitno 12th Annual Safest (and Most Dangerous) Cities: Top and Bottom 25 Cities Overall, accessed June 4, 2006
- ^ a b c Ocean County Library: Dover Township Community Profile, accessed August 4, 2006
- ^ Three Dramatic Scenes in the Closing Hours of the Revolutionary Struggle, Gen. W. H. Stryker, presentation at Doylestown Meeting, January 21, 1885. Provides a comprehensive account of the incident at Toms River in 1782 and its aftermath.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places: Multiple Property Submission List, accessed August 7, 2006
- ^ New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places, Ocean County (NJDEP - Historic Preservation Office), accessed August 7, 2006
- ^ a b Ocean County Historical Society: History of Dover Township, accessed August 3, 2006
- ^ US Environmental Protection Agency. (December 14th, 2004). CIBA-GEIGY CORP. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2005
- ^ New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, Hazardous Site Health Evaluation Program, Division of Epidemiology, Environmental and Occupational Health, & US Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). (Sep. 1997). Childhood Cancer Incidence Health Consultation: A Review and Analysis of Cancer Registry Data, 1979-1995 for Dover Township (Ocean County), New Jersey
- ^ NJDHSS, ATSDR. (Dec. 2001). Case-control Study of Childhood Cancers in Dover Township (Ocean County), New Jersey. Volume 1: Summary of the Final Technical Report PDF 134KB. See also: Dover Township Childhood Cancer Investigation. Retrieved Jan. 31, 2005.
- ^ Ocean County: About Toms River, accessed August 3, 2006
- ^ Toms River Now: Support the Dover Township name change, accessed August 2, 2006
- ^ Dover Township Election Results, accessed November 11, 2006
- ^ APP.COM - Dover is over; it's Toms River Township, accessed November 8, 2006
- ^ Dover Township Township Officials, accessed August 5, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 61, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Toms River Township web site
- Toms River Regional Schools
- Toms River Regional Schools's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics Data for the Toms River Regional Schools
- Dover Township: A Brief History - from the Asbury Park Press.
- Town finally adopts its unofficial name - from Yahoo! News
- Toms River Online - local web portal
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