Spring Lake is a Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,567. Spring Lake and its environs are known as the "Irish Riviera" because of the large Irish-American population in the area, with Spring Lake having the highest percentage of Irish Americans of any municipality in the United States.[7][8]
Spring Lake was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1892, from portions of Wall Township), based on the results of a referendum held on March 8, 1892. On February 24, 1903, the borough of North Spring Lake was annexed.[9]
The second of the five victims of the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916, Charles Bruder, 27, was killed on July 6, 1916, while swimming approximately 130 yards (120 m) from shore in Spring Lake.[10] The wave of attacks took place between July 1 and July 12, 1916, along 80 miles (130 km) of Atlantic Ocean coastline.
Spring Lake is home to the Spring Lake 5 Mile Run, a race that circles the town beginning and ending at the beach front. It has more than 7,000 participants annually.
Geography
A group of seagulls move around on Spring Lake's beachfront in the vicinity of a pipe.
Spring Lake is located at 40°09′10″N 74°01′37″W / 40.152861°N 74.026961°W / 40.152861; -74.026961 (40.152861, -74.026961).[11]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km2), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) of it (23.39%) is water.
Wreck Pond is a tidal pond located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Wall Township and the boroughs of Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, and Sea Girt. The pond is the center of the Wreck Pond Watershed, which covers about 12 square miles (31 km2) in eastern Monmouth County.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1930 |
1,745 |
|
—
|
| 1940 |
1,650 |
|
−5.4% |
| 1950 |
2,008 |
|
21.7% |
| 1960 |
2,922 |
|
45.5% |
| 1970 |
3,896 |
|
33.3% |
| 1980 |
4,215 |
|
8.2% |
| 1990 |
3,499 |
|
−17.0% |
| 2000 |
3,567 |
|
1.9% |
| Est. 2007 |
3,509 |
[3] |
−1.6% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[12] |
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 3,567 people, 1,463 households, and 983 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,723.8 people per square mile (1,051.3/km2). There were 1,930 housing units at an average density of 1,473.7/sq mi (568.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.77% White, 0.34% African American, 0.28% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 1,463 households out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 25.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 86.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $89,885, and the median income for a family was $103,405. Males had a median income of $88,924 versus $41,000 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $59,445. None of the families and 2.6% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 6.6% of those over 64.
39.4% of Spring Lake residents identified as being of Irish American ancestry in the 2000 Census, the highest percentage of Irish Americans of any place in the United States.[8]
Government
Local government
Spring Lake is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1]
The Mayor of the Borough of Spring Lake is Jennifer Naughton. Members of the Spring Lake Borough Council are Council President Joseph Erbe, John Fitzgerald, Frank Quinn, Joseph Rizzo, Janice Venables, plus a vacancy.[13]
Federal, state and county representation
Spring Lake is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 11th Legislative District.[14]
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 11th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and in the Assembly by Mary Pat Angelini (R, Ocean Township) and Dave Rible (R, Wall Township).[15] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[16]
Monmouth County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2009[update], Monmouth County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Barbara J. McMorrow (D, Freehold Township), Freeholder Deputy Director John D'Amico, Jr. (D, Oceanport), Lillian G. Burry (R, Matawan), Robert D. Clifton (R, Matawan) and Amy A. Mallet (D, Fair Haven).[17]
Education
The H. W. Mountz School is a public school that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The school had an enrollment of 282 students in the 2005-06 school year.[18]
Students attending public high school for grades 9-12 are assigned to Manasquan High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Manasquan Public Schools. Manasquan High School also serves students from Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Lake Como, Sea Girt and Spring Lake Heights who attend Manasquan High School as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective districts.[19][20] Students may also attend one of the magnet schools in the Monmouth County Vocational School District — Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Academy of Allied Health & Science, High Technology High School, Biotechnology High School, and Communications High School.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Spring Lake include:
- Craig Biggio (born 1965), Houston Astros Second baseman.[22]
- Chris Candido (1972–2005), professional wrestler[citation needed]
- Johnny Candido, (born 1982), professional wrestler[citation needed]
- Bill Carmody (born 1951), head basketball coach at Northwestern University.[23]
- Deborah Harry, Lead Singer in the Rock Group Blondie."</ref>
- Mary Higgins Clark (born 1927), writer. Her 2001 book On The Street Where You Live was set in Spring Lake.[24]
- Katharine "Kerry" Close (born 1992), winner of the 79th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2006.[25]
- Al DeRogatis (1927-1995), an American football player and television sportscaster.[26]
- Khigh Dheigh (1910–1991), actor, starred in the original film version of The Manchurian Candidate.[citation needed]
- East Side Dave, associate producer and on air personality for the Ron and Fez Show and Special Delivery starring Sam and Dave.[27]
- Jack Ford, Court TV news anchor.[28]
- Karl Jurman, Musical Director, The Lion King
- Kermit Love (1916-2008), creator of the Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus [29]
- Gil McDougald (born 1928), former New York Yankees infielder.[30]
- Jack Nicholson (born 1937), actor.[31]
- Breece Panepinto (born 1986), lead singer of The Crusader of...[32]
Popular Culture
Spring Lake is the setting for David Gebroe's movie Zombie Honeymoon[citation needed] as well as the Mary Higgins Clark novel On The Street Where You Live.[33] The opening scenes of Ulu Grosbard's 1968 film The Subject Was Roses were filmed in Spring Lake.[34][35] Spring Lake was also used as a stand-in for turn-of-the-century Atlantic City in the 1981 film Ragtime.[36] In John Frankenheimer's 1962 film The Manchurian Candidate, the character of Major Bennett Marco (played by Frank Sinatra) suffers from a nightmare set in Spring Lake. He imagines himself and his fellow soldiers sitting through a lecture by Mrs. Henry Whitaker of the Spring Lake Garden Club. A sign reveals the location of the lecture to be the fictional "Spring Lake Hotel." Eventually, the audience sees that the garden club meeting is merely an illusion and the platoon is actually at a meeting of Russian and Chinese officials in Manchuria. The Mrs. Whitaker character is actually a Chinese scientist named Dr. Yen Lo, portrayed by Spring Lake native Khigh Dhiegh.[37][38]
References
- ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 58.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Borough of Spring Lake, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Spring Lake borough, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 12, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Warner, Susan. "Painting By The Numbers: What And Where Is Home?", The New York Times, July 14, 2002. Accessed January 30, 2008. "Spring Lake, New Jersey's so-called Irish Riviera, is indeed New Jersey's most Irish municipality. Just over half of Spring Lake's population, 50.7 percent, said it had roots in the auld sod."
- ^ a b Irish Ancestry by City, Epodunk. Accessed June 4, 2006.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 186.
- ^ Find A Grave information for Charles Bruder.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Elected Officials, Borough of Spring Lake. Accessed January 30, 2008.
- ^ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 64. Accessed September 30, 2009.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed July 21, 2009.
- ^ Data for the H. W. Mountz School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 6, 2008.
- ^ Manasquan Public Schools 2007 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 18, 2008. "Manasquan High School receives students from seven different districts; Avon, Brielle, Belmar, Lake Como, Sea Girt, Spring Lake, and Spring Lake Heights."
- ^ About MBOE, accessed September 7, 2006.
- ^ " I Have a Lady in the Balcony", McFarland and Company. Accessed November 12, 2008. "George Ansbro was an announcer for the NBC and ABC networks for six decades. He worked in both the live radio era of big bands and soap operas and the television era, retiring from ABC in 1990. He lives in Spring Lake, New Jersey."
- ^ Mets, Biggio Talking, The Record (Bergen County), November 17, 1995. "A former Seton Hall standout and Smithtown, L.I., native who keeps his off-season home in Spring Lake, ..."
- ^ Stump, Scott. "Carmody struggles to overcome history", Asbury Park Press, December 18, 2005. Accessed August 3, 2007. "The former Spring Lake resident is no stranger to traveling long distances, considering Northwestern's roster has been heavily sprinkled with foreign players during his tenure."
- ^ Meet the Writers: Mary Higgins Clark, accessed March 22, 2007. "They now live in Saddle River, New Jersey; they also have an apartment in Manhattan and summer homes in Spring Lake, New Jersey and Dennis, Massachusetts."
- ^ 13-Year-Old New Jersey Girl Wins Scripps National Spelling Bee, Scripps National Spelling Bee press release dated June 1, 2006.
- ^ Reilly, Michael. "Former Broadcaster DeRogatis Dies Of Cancer", St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 28, 1995. Accessed August 3, 2007. "Mr. DeRogatis, who lived in Spring Lake, died of cancer at Jersey Shore Medical Center."
- ^ Who's your daddy? - Boston.com
- ^ The UnHamptons: 9 Jersey Shore, New York (magazine), May 28, 2001. Accessed July 28, 2007. "Spring Lake counts among its residents author Mary Higgins Clark, who set her latest novel here, as well as newscaster Jack Ford and Houston Astro Craig Biggio."
- ^ [1]
- ^ BASEBALL: The Sweetest Sound of All; McDougald, Yankee Star of 50's, Can Hear Again After Operation, The New York Times, January 4, 1995. "The McDougalds had taken the nearly two-hour train ride from their home in Spring Lake, N.J., and would be going across the street to Bellevue Hospital."
- ^ McDougal, Dennis (2007). Five Easy Decades: How Jack Nicholson Became the Biggest Movie Star in Modern Times. Wiley. pp. 16. ISBN 0471722464. http://www.amazon.com/Five-Easy-Decades-Nicholson-Biggest/dp/0471722464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qisbn=1196227407&sr=1-1. "When Jack was ready for high school, the family moved once more-this time two miles (3 km) farther south to old-money Spring Lake, Jersey's so called Irish Riviera, where Ethel May set up her beauty parlor in a rambling duplex at 505 Mercer Avenue."
- ^ [2]
- ^ "On The Street Where You Live", amazon.com.
- ^ [3], Clip from The Subject Was Roses
- ^ [4] Turner Classic Movies notes.
- ^ "Ragtime on IMDb"
- ^ The Manchurian Candidate script
- ^ Filmsite.org review
External links
