NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Neptune Township' is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 27,690.
Neptune Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1879, from portions of Ocean Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Neptune City (October 4, 1881), Bradley Beach (March 13, 1893) and Ocean Grove (April 5, 1920, until it was found unconstitutional and restored to Neptune Township as of June 16, 1921)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 183.
Ocean Grove (2000 Census population of 4,316) and Shark River Hills (3,878) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Neptune Township. Other communities within Neptune Township are Mid-Town, Bradley Park, the Gables, Seaview Island and West Neptune.Neptune Township Overview, Neptune Township. Accessed February 12, 2007.
Neptune Township stretches from the Atlantic Ocean west to the Garden State Parkway (exit 100). The southern border is the beautiful Shark River estuary and the northern border is with the City of Asbury Park and Ocean Township. Neptune Township is a diverse community, both in terms of population and landscape. From the charmingly quaint seaside community of Ocean Grove, a national historic site; to Mid-town which is undergoing a municipal-led revitalization; to the riverside residential community of Shark River Hills; to the open spaces of Shark River Park and the commercial corridor on Route 66 in the west.

Contents

Geography

History

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Transportation

Notable residents

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.7 km² (8.8 mi²). 21.3 km² (8.2 mi²) of it is land and 1.4 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (6.16%) is water. There are a number of parks in and near Neptune, including the sizable Boswell Park.^[1]

History

The Borough of Neptune City incorporated on October 4, 1881. Original township boundaries included the entirety of what is now called Avon-by-the-Sea, the southern portion of Bradley Beach and the current area known as "Neptune City." On March 23, 1900 a bill of the New Jersey State Legislature created the Borough of Avon-by-the-Sea. The earliest borough hall was erected in the year 1902 at the northwest corner of Evergreen Avenue and Railroad Avenue (now Memorial Drive). On January 28, 1907, the eastern portion of Neptune City became annexed to the Borough of Bradley Beach.^[2]

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,300.6/km² (3,366.8/mi²). There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of 573.8/km² (1,485.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 55.92% White, 38.16% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.98% from other races, and 2.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.55% of the population.
There were 10,907 households out of which 26.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $46,250, and the median income for a family was $57,735. Males had a median income of $42,920 versus $31,057 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,569. About 7.6% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.2% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Neptune is organized under the Township Committee form of government, with five elected Committee members on the governing body. Members of the Township Committee are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Mayor is selected by the elected Committee members at a reorganization meeting held each January 1st. The Mayor is the chief spokesperson for the Township Committee, but has no additional voting power than the rest of the committee members.^[3]
Members of the Neptune Township Committee are^[4]:

★ Mayor James W. Manning, Jr. - Finance, Administration, Library and Recreation

★ Deputy Mayor Randy Bishop

★ Dr. Michael Brantley

★ Thomas J. Catley

★ Mary Beth Jahn

Federal, state and county representation

Neptune Township is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th Legislative District.^[5]

Education

The Neptune Township Schools serve students in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are the Early Childhood Center (Pre-K), five PreK-5 elementary schools (
Gables School,
Green Grove School,
Midtown Community School,
Shark River Hills School and
Summerfield School),
Neptune Middle School for grades 6-8, and Neptune High School [1] for grades 9-12.

Transportation

Neptune Township can be reached by way of the Garden State Parkway at exits 100 and 102. Route 18, Route 33, Route 35, Route 66 and Route 71 all pass through the township. Neptune Township is also served by New Jersey Transit trains at the Bradley Beach station on the North Jersey Coast Line.
NJ Transit bus service to Philadelphia is available on the 317 route. Local service is provided by the 830, 832 and 836 routes.^[6]

Notable residents

Among the notable residents (present and former) of the Township are:

★ Jack Armstrong - pitcher, Major League Baseball: Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers (Neptune HS, 1983).^[7]

★ Pat Battle is WNBC-TV's New Jersey Bureau Reporter, Saturday "Today" (NBC) in New York co-anchor, and occasional fill in anchor. Battle graduated from Neptune High School in 1977 according to the all-time directory published by the school in 1997.

★ Taquan Dean - University of Louisville basketball player in 2006 (Neptune HS, 2002)

★ Elaine N Dunn, RPh, (1928- ) Howard University Graduate, first Black president of the NJ State Board of Pharmacy, appointed by Gov Tom Kean; Also served on Monmouth County Narcotics council in the 1980s

★ Danny DeVito - actor (Daniel Michael DeVito) (born November 17, 1944)

★ Brian Gaskill, actor

★ Jack Nicholson - actor (John Joseph Nicholson) born April 22, 1937 [2] Nicholson did not live in Neptune Township. He lived in the borough of Neptune City.

★ Ed Radwanski, professional soccer player (Neptune HS, 1981)

★ Nate Ramsey safety and cornerback who played for the Philadelphia Eagles for most of his 11-year NFL career from 1963 through 1973.^[8]

★ Rusty Schweickart, astronaut.^[9]

References

1. Monmouth County Parks Listing
2. Neptune, New Jersey official site: Town history
3. About Us, Neptune Township. Accessed February 12, 2007.
4. Contact Us, Neptune Township. Accessed June 18, 2007.
5. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 61. Accessed August 30, 2006.
6. Monmouth County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 19, 2007.
7. "Armstrong Disarms Mets", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', May 4, 1990. "OK, let's get the obvious out of the way.Born in Englewood and a star at Neptune High School who went on to pitch at Rider College and the University of Oklahoma, 6-foot-5, 220-pound Cincinnati right-hander Jack Armstrong fulfills the qualifications for the obvious nickname, ''All-American Boy,'' like the fictional character of the same name."
8. Nate Ramsey profile, database Football. Accessed June 19, 2007.
9. Biographical Data, NASA. Accessed February 2, 2007.

External links

★ Neptune Township website

★ Neptune Township Schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Neptune Township Schools

★ Neptune Township Public Library