Barnegat Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the township's population was 20,936, reflecting an increase of 5,666 (+37.1%) from the 15,270 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 3,035 (+24.8%) from the 12,235 counted in the 1990 Census. The 2010 population was the highest recorded for the township in any decennial census.
What is now Barnegat Township was originally incorporated as Union Township on March 10, 1846, from portions of both Dover Township (now Toms River Township) and Stafford Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County. It became part of the newly formed Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Lacey Township (March 23, 1871), Ocean Township (April 13, 1876), Harvey Cedars (December 13, 1894) and Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899). Union Township changed its name to Barnegat Township as of January 1, 1977.
History
Barnegat gets its name from nearby Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet. The inlet was originally "Barendegat" or "Barnde Gat," meaning "inlet of the breakers" or "surf cove." It was named by Dutch explorers of the coastline in 1614 for the waterway's turbulent channel. An alternative derivation is that Barndegat is a Dutch word that means "a pool created from a dike breach."
The Lenape Native Americans would spend summers at the shore collecting and roasting clams for food over the winter. European settlers (Mostly Dutch, English and Swedes) arrived in 1720, and the first permanent homes were constructed around 1750.
One of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War took place in 1782 near the site of the Cedar Bridge Tavern.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 40.41 square miles (104.65 km2), including 34,00 square miles (88.07 km2) of land and 6.40 square miles (16.58 km2) of water (15.85%).
Barnegat CDP (2010 Census population of 2,817) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Barnegat Township, while Ocean Acres (16,142, of which 925 are in Barnegat and 15,217 are in Stafford) is a census-designated place and unincorporated area split between Barnegat Township and Stafford Township.
The township borders the Ocean County municipalities of Harvey Cedars, Lacey Township, Little Egg Harbor Township, Long Beach Township, Ocean Township and Stafford Township; and both Bass River Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Bridge, Howardsville, Lower Dock and Upper Dock.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $60,440 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,408) and the median family income was $68,504 (+/- $5,322). Males had a median income of $55,282 (+/- $4,415) versus $39,681 (+/- $4,254) for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,192 (+/- $1,549). About 6.6% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 15,270 people, 5,493 households, and 4,191 families residing in the township. The population density was 440.4 people per square mile (170.1/km2). There were 6,066 housing units at an average density of 175.0 per square mile (67.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 94.75% White, 2.21% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.70% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.86% of the population.
There were 5,493 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $48,572, and the median income for a family was $56,093. Males had a median income of $42,460 versus $28,452 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,307. About 5.1% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.7% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Barnegat Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
members of the Barnegat Township Committee are Mayor Alfonso Cirulli (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2023; term as mayor ends 2022), Deputy Mayor Pasquale "Pat" Pipi (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), Albert Bille (R, 2022), William Farmer (R, 2024) and Joseph Marte (R, 2023).
In November 2015, Martin J. Lisella stepped down from the Township Committee to take a position as the township's business administrator. In December 2015, the Township Committee selected former mayor Alfonso Cirulli from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill Lisella's vacant seat expiring in December 2017; Cirulli will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.
Federal, state and county representation
Barnegat Township is located in the 3rd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 14,604 registered voters in Barnegat Township, of which 3,163 (21.7%) were registered as Democrats, 3,666 (25.1%) were registered as Republicans and 7,767 (53.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 69.8% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 88.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 53.9% of the vote (5,670 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 44.8% (4,711 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (132 votes), among the 10,605 ballots cast by the township's 15,321 registered voters (92 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 54.9% of the vote (5,910 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.9% (4,620 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (147 votes), among the 10,769 ballots cast by the township's 14,805 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 57.8% of the vote (5,223 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 40.4% (3,655 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (87 votes), among the 9,037 ballots cast by the township's 12,465 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.5.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.0% of the vote (4,981 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.4% (1,645 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (108 votes), among the 6,868 ballots cast by the township's 15,399 registered voters (134 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.6% of the vote (4,685 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.5% (2,169 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.8% (354 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (75 votes), among the 7,363 ballots cast by the township's 14,585 registered voters, yielding a 50.5% turnout.
Education
The Barnegat Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020-21 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 3,263 students and 277.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1. Schools in the district (with 2019-20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are
Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary School (453; PreK), Cecil S. Collins Elementary School (508; K-2), Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School (317; 3-4), Robert L. Horbelt Intermediate School (524; 5-6), Russell O. Brackman Middle School (735; 7-8) and Barnegat High School (944; 9-12).
St. Mary Academy near Manahawkin CDP, a K-8 school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is managed by St. Mary Church of Barnegat. From 1997, until 2019 it operated as All Saints Regional Catholic School and was collectively managed by five churches. In 2019 St. Mary took entire control of the school, which remained on the same Manahawkin campus, and changed its name. The other churches no longer operate the school but still may send students there.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Ocean County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The main highway serving Barnegat Township is the Garden State Parkway, which traverses the township north-to-south near the center of the township. U.S. Route 9 also traverses Barnegat Township north-to-south towards the east side of the township. New Jersey Route 72 and County Route 539 are the main roads serving the western portion of the township. County Route 554 traverses most of the township from west-to-east and connects with the other major roads except CR 539.
Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Atlantic City on the 559 bus route.
Media
WBNJ 91.9 FM is licensed to Barnegat.
The Asbury Park Press provides daily news coverage of the town as does WOBM-FM radio. The government of the town provides columns and commentary to The Southern Ocean Times, which is one of seven weekly papers from Micromedia Publications.
In popular culture
Barnegat's annual Pirate Festival was featured in the Spike TV show 1000 Ways to Die, which shows fictional clips of unusual deaths. In that particular episode, it showed a sword-swallower who tried to swallow an umbrella, puncturing his esophagus and killing him. The incident is said to have taken place in 2007, although there are no records of this actually happening.
Phoenix, the first steamboat to sail the open ocean, traveling from New York to Philadelphia in June 1809, made harbor at Barnegat to wait out a storm that occurred during its voyage.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Barnegat Township include:
Juan Agudelo (born 1992), soccer player for Inter Miami CF and the United States men's national soccer team.
Arthur Collins (1864-1933), baritone who was one of the most prolific and beloved of pioneer recording artists, regarded in his day as "King of the Ragtime Singers".
Kelsey Fowler (born 1996), actress.
Micah Fowler (born 1998), actor with cerebral palsy who appeared in Labor Day and as JJ DiMeo in the television series Speechless.
Jay Groome (born 1998), professional baseball pitcher who attended Barnegat High School, and was drafted 12th overall by the Boston Red Sox in the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.
Brigid Harrington (born 2000), actress.
Robert P. Hollenbeck (1931–2021), politician who served six terms in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 36th Legislative District.
Heather McComb (born 1977), actress.
Frank Molinaro (born 1988), wrestler who competed as a member of the U.S. team at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Tony Perez (1931-2022), boxing referee and judge.
Ernestine Petras (1924-2017), infielder who played from 1944 through 1952 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.
Mike Straka, television host, author, and producer who co-hosted Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored Live".
Henry R. Tilton (1836-1906), army surgeon who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Bear Paw in 1877.
