Lakewood Township, New Jersey

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Lakewood, New Jersey
Map of Lakewood Township in Ocean County
Map of Lakewood Township in Ocean County
Coordinates: 40°4′58″N 74°12′34″W / 40.08278, -74.20944
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Ocean
Incorporated March 23, 1892
Government
 - Type Township (New Jersey)
 - Mayor Ray Coles (2008)
 - Manager Frank Edwards
Area
 - Total 25.1 sq mi (65.0 km²)
 - Land 24.8 sq mi (64.3 km²)
 - Water 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km²)
Elevation [1] 52 ft (16 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 69,606
 - Density 2,431.8/sq mi (938.9/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08701
Area code(s) 732
FIPS code 34-38550[3]
GNIS feature ID 0882076[4]
Website: http://twp.lakewood.nj.us

Lakewood Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 60,352.

Lakewood was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1892, from portions of Brick Township. Portions of Howell Township in Monmouth County were annexed to Lakewood Township in 1929.[5]

Lakewood is one of the hubs of Orthodox Judaism and is home to one of the largest yeshivas in the world. The large Orthodox population, comprising nearly half of the township's population, wields considerable political clout in Lakewood Township, commanding a bloc of about 10,000 votes.[6]

Lakewood CDP (2000 Census population of 36,065), Leisure Village (1,785) and Leisure Village East (1,594) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Lakewood Township.

Contents

[edit] History

Lakewood was known as one of the New York City region's winter resorts at the turn of the 1900's. This was due to a pocket of climate that was 3 to 5 degrees warmer than the City. Its Lake Carasaljo and surrounding pine trees made for a picturesque holiday. The Rockefeller family had an estate which has been turned into Ocean County Park. The Jay Gould Estate is now Georgian Court College.[7] Parts of The Amityville Horror were filmed there.[8]

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 25.1 square miles (65.1 km²), of which, 24.8 square miles (64.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km²) of it (1.19%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1930 7,869
—
1940 8,502 8.0%
1950 10,809 27.1%
1960 16,020 48.2%
1970 25,233 57.5%
1980 38,464 52.4%
1990 45,048 17.1%
2000 60,352 34.0%
Est. 2006 69,606 [2] 15.3%
Population 1930 - 1990.[9]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,431.8 people per square mile (938.8/km²). There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of 854.8/sq mi (330.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.77% White, 12.05% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.80% of the population. There were 19,876 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.64.

In the township the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $43,806. Males had a median income of $38,967 versus $26,645 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,700. About 15.7% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Lakewood's Township Committee is a five-member committee elected in staggered three-year terms. The township committee exercises all legislative power of the township, except in matters of health, which are done at the Board of Health. In addition, the Committee appoints members to many boards, commissions, and committees. Each member of the township committee serves as a liaison to different divisions, departments, and committees.

The mayor, elected from among the members of the committee, presides at meetings and performs other such duties as the Township Committee may prescribe. The mayor has the power to appoint subcommittees with the consent of the committee. When authorized, he or she executes documents on behalf of the township, makes proclamations concerning holidays and events of interest, and exercises ceremonial power of the Township and other powers conferred upon him by law.

The members of the Lakewood Township Committee are Mayor Ray Coles (D, term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor Meir Lichtenstein (D, 2009), Charles Cunliffe (D, 2008), Menashe Miller (R, 2009) and State Senator Robert Singer (R, 2010).[10][11]

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, incumbent Township Committee members Democrat Meir Lichtenstein and Republican Menashe Miller easily won reelection to office in a field of five candidates.[12]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Lakewood Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th Legislative District.[13]

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Mercer County, Monmouth County and Ocean County, is represented by Christopher Smith (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 30th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the Assembly by Ronald S. Dancer (R, New Egypt) and Joseph R. Malone (R, Bordentown).[14] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[15]

Ocean County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at large in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms. As of 2008, Ocean County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari (Toms River Township, term ends December 31, 2008), Freeholder Deputy Director John C. Bartlett, Jr. (Pine Beach, 2009), John P. Kelly (Eagleswood Township, 2010), James F. Lacey (Brick Township, 2010) and Gerry P. Little (Surf City, 2009).[16]

[edit] Education

The Lakewood School District is broken up into three different stages of schooling. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[17]) are four Elementary Schools — Ella G. Clarke School, with 996 students; Clifton Avenue School, with 708 students; Oak Street School, with 945 students; and Spruce Street School, with 638 students - Lakewood Middle School, which has 761 students in grades 7 and 8, and Lakewood High School, with an enrollment of 1,314 students in grades 9-12.

Georgian Court University is a private, Roman Catholic university located on the shores of Lake Carasaljo. Founded in 1908 by the Sisters of Mercy as a women's college, the school's strong emphasis on education for women continues, with women making up 88% of the student population in Fall 2006.

There are many Yeshivas and Jewish day schools catering to the Orthodox Jewish community, with thousands of children enrolled. Beth Medrash Govoha, the largest Yeshiva (Rabbinical Academy) in North America, is also located in Lakewood. In addition, there are at least two Christian schools in Lakewood - the non-denominational Calvary Academy [1], and the Roman Catholic affiliated Holy Family School. The former serves grades K-12, while the latter serves youth from pre-school through 8th grade.

[edit] Transportation

Lakewood Airport is a public-use airport located 3 miles (5 km) southeast of the township's central business district. The airport is publicly owned.[18]

[edit] Attractions

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Lakewood, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Census data for Lakewood township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 30, 2007.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 203.
  6. ^ U.S. gets another Orthodox mayor, Chicago Jewish Community Online, July 11, 2006. Accessed April 13, 2007. "Orthodox Jews make up nearly half of the village's 70,000 residents, and they often vote as a bloc, with a council of leaders determining whom they should support."
  7. ^ History of Lakewood, accessed October 19, 2006.
  8. ^ The Amityville Horror, Dread Central. Accessed October 19, 2006.
  9. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  10. ^ Lakewood Township Committee, Lakewood Township. Accessed March 27, 2008.
  11. ^ 2007 Elected Officials of Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. p. 5. Accessed March 27, 2008.
  12. ^ Lichtenstein, Miller return to Lakewood's committee, Asbury Park Press, November 8, 2006.
  13. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  14. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  15. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  16. ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed March 27, 2008.
  17. ^ Data for the Lakewood School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 27, 2008.
  18. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for N12 (Form 5010 PDF), effective December 20, 2007.
  19. ^ "The Beleaguered Man", Time (magazine), April 4, 1955. Accessed March 27, 2008. "For the best part of two years (1951-53) he made his home at the Maryknoll Junior Seminary in Lakewood, N.J.. often going down to Washington to buttonhole State Department men and Congressmen and urge them not to support French colonialism."
  20. ^ Cul-de-Sac Cred, The New York Times by Rob Walker, July 10, 2005. "Marc Milecofsky grew up in Lakewood, N.J., about an hour and a half south of Manhattan."
  21. ^ Bennett, Don. "Historic house to be razed", Ocean County Observer, February 13, 2003. Accessed July 30, 2007. "Jack Rutledge, an attorney from Beachwood, offered him $500 and whatever he could negotiate off the $55,000 asking price to buy the house for the late Robert Schmertz of Lakewood."
  22. ^ The Nuggets interviews: J.R. Smith, Denver Post, February 11, 2007. "J.R. Smith had his parents and a big family growing up, which helped get him through the mean streets of Lakewood, N.J."
  23. ^ Vecsey, George. "SPORT OF THE TIMES; Building Toward the Days of October", The New York Times, May 29, 1988. Accessed March 22, 2008. "Shortly after his classic time at bat in the sixth game of the 1986 World Series, Wilson and his wife, Rosa, started an educational center for girls, Mookie's Roses, near their home in Lakewood, N.J."

Stan Kasten (1952 - ) President, Washington Nationals, MLB. Former President, Atlanta Braves, MLB and Atlanta Thrashers, NHL. Former Chairman, Philips Arena.

[edit] External links

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Municipalities and communities of
Ocean County, New Jersey
County seat: Toms River
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