LAVALLETTE, NEW JERSEY

'Lavallette' is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,665. Lavallette is situated on the Barnegat Peninsula, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean.
Lavallette was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 21, 1887, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 203.
Lavallette was named for Elie A. F. La Vallette, one of the first rear admirals appointed in the United States Navy when President Abraham Lincoln created the rank in July 1862, and the father of Albert T. Lavallette, co-founder of the borough.^[1][2]

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Recreation

Notable residents

References

External links

Geography

Lavallette is located at (39.968481, -74.071647).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 km² (0.9 mi²). 2.1 km² (0.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (12.90%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,665 people, 1,208 households, and 741 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,286.2/km² (3,315.1/mi²). There were 3,210 housing units at an average density of 1,549.2/km² (3,993.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.12% White, 0.26% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.64% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.61% of the population.
There were 1,208 households out of which 14.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.66.
In the borough the population was spread out with 13.1% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 36.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $43,846, and the median income for a family was $57,778. Males had a median income of $44,583 versus $32,292 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $28,588. About 5.9% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.6% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The mayoral election on November 7, 2006 was declared null and void after allegations of voter fraud by the losing candidate; a special election to fill the seat was scheduled for March 13, 2007.^[3] In the rerun election, Republican Walter G. LaCicero was elected Mayor, and his term of office will end on December 31, 2010. Members of the Lavallette Borough Council are Council President Anita F. Zalom (D, 2008), Joseph Ardito (D, 2008), Joanne Filippone (R, 2008), Robert Lamb (R, 2007), Michael Stogdill (R, 2007) and Britta Wenzel (D, 2008).^[4][5]

Federal, state and county representation

Lavallette is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 10th Legislative District.^[6]

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade attend Lavallette Elementary School, which had an enrollment of 143 students in the 2004-05 school year.
Students in public school for grades 9-12 attend Point Pleasant Beach High School in Point Pleasant Beach, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Point Pleasant Beach School District.

Recreation

There are eight protected ocean beaches designated for swimming as well as two on the Barnegat Bay and several designated specifically for surfing and surf-fishing. The borough offers tennis, boccie, shuffleboard, basketball and roller blading opportunities on the mainland while Barnegat Bay provides boating, sailing, windsurfing and other water sports.
There are also band concerts and Movies on the Bay, held at the Centennial Gazebo and Gardens located at Philadelphia Avenue and the bayfront.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Lavallette include:

★ Joe Pesci, actor.^[7]

★ Oprah Winfrey, Media Mogul.

References

1. Historical Background, Borough of Lavallette. Accessed July 19, 2007. "In February of 1878, the directors of the Barnegat Land Improve-ment Company filed a plot plan with Ocean County, designating the tract they purchased from Michael W. Ortley as "Lavallette City by the Sea." The name honored U. S. Navy Admiral Elie A. F. LaVallette, who distinguished himself as a young lieutenant aboard Commodore Thomas McDonough's flagship in the battle of Lake Champlain and later commanded the U.S.S. Constitution. Of French descent, the Admiral legally anglicized his name to Lavallette in 1830. His son, A. T. Lavallette, was secretary of the Land Improvement Company."
2. Brief history on Lavallette, Lavallette.com. Accessed July 19, 2007. "Lavallette was co-founded in 1888 by Albert T. Lavallette and named after his father, the famous Admiral Elie A.F. Lavallette."
3. Mayor agrees to special election: New race is part of settlement, ''Asbury Park Press'' by John Vandiver, January 23, 2007.
4. Government: Mayor and Council, Borough of Lavallette. Accessed July 19, 2007.
5. 2007 Elected Officials of Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. p. 5-6. Accessed August 14, 2007.
6. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.
7. Spoto, Maryann. "Songwriter finds harmony at Jersey Shore", ''The Star-Ledger'', July 12, 2007.

External links

★ Official Website for the Borough of Lavallette

★ Lavallette.com

★ Ocean County Department of Planning page for Lavallette Borough

★ Lavallette Elementary School

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★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Lavallette Elementary School

★ Upper Shores Branch (Lavallette) of Ocean County Library