Location of Barnegat Township in Ocean County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Ocean County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Census Bureau map of Barnegat Township, New Jersey
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).[21] Union Township changed its name to Barnegat Township as of January 1, 1977.[21]
History
Barnegat's name can be traced back to Dutch explorers who, in 1614, mapped the coastline of the nearby Barnegat Bay and Barnegat Inlet. The original name for the inlet was "Barendegat" or "Barnde Gat," which translates to "inlet of the breakers" or "surf cove". These names were given due to the turbulent channel of the inlet, which is characterized by strong currents and choppy waters.[22][23][24][25][26] An alternative theory suggests that "Barndegat" is a Dutch term meaning "a pool created from a dike breach"[27][28]
Long before European settlers arrived, the LenapeNative Americans inhabited the region, including the area now known as Barnegat. The Lenape would spend their summers along the shore, collecting and roasting clams for sustenance during the winter months. They also fished, hunted, and gathered various fruits and nuts found in the area.
European settlers, primarily Dutch, English, and Swedes, began to arrive in the Barnegat area around 1720. These settlers were attracted to the region's fertile land, abundant natural resources, and proximity to the coastline. The first permanent homes in Barnegat were constructed around 1750, as the settlers established farms, fisheries, and other small businesses.[22]
Barnegat played a role in the American Revolutionary War, as one of the last skirmishes of the conflict took place near the site of the Cedar Bridge Tavern in 1782. Known as the "Battle of Cedar Bridge," this encounter involved Patriot forces clashing with Loyalist troops and local Pine Robbers, who took advantage of the war's chaos to engage in banditry. The Patriots eventually emerged victorious, marking a symbolic end to the Revolutionary War in New Jersey.[29][30]
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%).[1][2]
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Bridge, Howardsville, Lower Dock and Upper Dock.[39]
The 2010 United States census counted 20,936 people, 8,128 households, and 6,039 families in the township. The population density was 609.0 inhabitants per square mile (235.1/km2). There were 9,085 housing units at an average density of 264.3 per square mile (102.0/km2). The racial makeup was 91.77% (19,214) White, 3.25% (681) Black or African American, 0.14% (30) Native American, 1.73% (363) Asian, 0.00% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.27% (265) from other races, and 1.82% (382) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.78% (1,420) of the population.[18]
Of the 8,128 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18; 61.6% were married couples living together; 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 25.7% were non-families. Of all households, 21.8% were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.98.[18]
20.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.5 males.[18]
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.[52]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 15,270 people, 5,493 households, and 4,191 families residing in the township. The population density was 440.4 inhabitants per square mile (170.0/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.[49][50]
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.[49][50]
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.[49][50]
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.[49][50]
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.[53] 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.[6][54] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
As of 2024[update], members of the Barnegat Township Committee are Mayor Joseph Marte (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Alfonso Cirulli (R, term on committee ends 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), Albert Bille (R, 2025), Pasquale "Pat" Pipi (R, 2026) and Jake Townsend (R, 2024).[3][55][56][57][58][59][60]
In November 2015, Martin J. Lisella stepped down from the Township Committee to take a position as the township's business administrator.[61] 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.[62]
Federal, state, and county representation
Barnegat Township is located in the 2nd Congressional district[63] and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.[64][65][66]
Ocean County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of five members who are elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a director and a deputy director from among its members.[71] As of 2025[update], Ocean County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year and residence) are:
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are:
Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2025, Barnegat Light),[79][80]
Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy (R, 2025; Toms River)[81][82] and
Surrogate Jeffrey Moran (R, 2028, Beachwood).[83][84][85]
Politics
As of March 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 as Libertarians or Greens.[86] 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).[86][87]
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%.[88][89] 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%.[90] 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.[91]
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%.[92][93] 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.[94]
Education
The Barnegat Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.[95] As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 3,583 students and 272.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.1:1.[96] Schools in the district (with 2021-22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[97]) are
Lillian M. Dunfee Elementary School[98] with 293 students in PreK,
Cecil S. Collins Elementary School[99] with 759 students in grades K-2,
Joseph T. Donahue Elementary School[100] with 479 students in grades 3-4,
Robert L. Horbelt Elementary School[101] with 498 students in grades 5-6,
Russell O. Brackman Middle School[102] with 552 students in grades 7-8 and
Barnegat High School[103] with 971 students in grades 9-12.[104][105][106][107]
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,[108] 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.[109]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 120.87 miles (194.52 km) of roadways, of which 84.99 miles (136.78 km) were maintained by the municipality, 23.69 miles (38.13 km) by Ocean County, 9.88 miles (15.90 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 2.33 miles (3.75 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.[110]
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.
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.[113]
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.[citation needed]
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"[115]
^ abHistory of Barnegat, Barnegat Township. Accessed June 7, 2016. "Around 1609 Henry Hudson sailed along the coast of New Jersey coming to an inlet which he named Barende-gat, a Dutch word meaning an inlet with breakers. This name was replaced by Barndegat by early mapmakers and later evolved into the present day spelling of Barnegat."
^Lloyd, John Bailey. Eighteen Miles of History on Long Beach Island. p. 42. 1994 Down The Shore Publishing and The SandPaper, Inc.
^Weaver, Donna. "Ocean County to preserve historic Cedar Bridge tavern, site of Revolutionary War skirmish", The Press of Atlantic City, May 31, 2012. Accessed July 23, 2016. "Barnegat Township — Ocean County Parks Department wants to preserve Cedar Bridge Tavern, which historians believe could have been the backdrop for a noted Revolutionary War skirmish in 1782.... Bartlett said historians and the county have been unable to absolutely document that the tavern was there in 1782 when the Battle of Cedar Bridge took place, which was one of the last land conflicts of the American Revolution."
^Ocean County Timeline, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed April 12, 2020. "1782: A skirmish at Cedar Creek (now in Barnegat Township) marked last land conflict of American Revolution."
^Oglesby, Amanda. "Former Barnegat mayor looks at dispatcher jobs", Asbury Park Press, December 15, 2015. Accessed June 7, 2016. "Former Mayor Alfonso Cirulli has been named to the Township Committee to fill a vacancy left by Deputy Mayor Martin J. Lisella, who quit the committee last month in order to take over the job of business administrator."
^Barnegat Township Board of Education District Policy: Identification, Barnegat Township School District. Accessed October 6, 2023. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-K through 12 in the Barnegat Township School District. Composition: The Barnegat Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Barnegat Township."
^Gracyk, Tim. Arthur Collins (7 February 1864 - 3 August 1933), excerpted from Popular American Recording Pioneers: 1895-1925. Accessed January 30, 2020. "The oldest of ten children, he was about 14 when his father--Captain Arthur Collins, a devout Quaker--retired from sea-faring occupations and bought a home in Barnegat, New Jersey, where he opened a country store."
^O'Sullivan, Eleanor. "There's Something about Mary; Barnegat actress pops into Poppins role", Asbury Park Press, June 26, 2011. Accessed October 8, 2016. "Kelsey Fowler of Barnegat was in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park With George and the Tony Award-winning Grey Gardens before landing the coveted job of one of three young actresses rotating the role of Jane Banks in Mary Poppins in June 2007."
^Mellerup, Rick. "Barnegat Teen May Be Breakout Star of Fall TV Season; Micah Fowler in Speechless Debuts Sept. 21", The Sandpaper, September 13, 2016. Accessed October 8, 2016. "Now a local teen has a chance to make it big on television. Barnegat's Micah Fowler – Kelsey's younger brother – will make his national TV debut at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21 in a new ABC show called Speechless."
^Oglesby, Amanda. "Barnegat teen top vote-getter with #IDontDoDrugs song", Asbury Park Press, April 15, 2015. Accessed October 8, 2016. "Hoffman, the Academy Award and Golden Globe winner known for his unconventional roles, and the 15-year-old Barnegat girl were scheduled to perform in a scene of Louie, the dark television comedy about the fictionalized life of standup comic Louis CK."
^Robert P. Hollenbeck Sr., Asbury Park Press, September 7, 2021. Accessed September 9, 2021. "After retiring in 1995, Bob and his wife moved from Carlstadt to South Jersey (Berkeley/Barnegat)."
^O'Kane, John. "Frank Molinaro's road to Rio takes detour to Turkey", The Press of Atlantic City, April 24, 2016. Accessed August 8, 2016. "The bout pitted Southern Regional High School's Frank Molinaro against Winslow Township's Jordan Burroughs.... The 27-year-old Barnegat native failed to finish among the top three at a qualifier in Mongolia."
^Tony Perez, New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame. Accessed January 30, 2020. "I lived in New York for many years. Since 1983, my wife Barbara and I have resided in Barnegat, New Jersey."
^Teeny Petras, NJSports.com. Accessed January 30, 2020. "Teeny moved back to New Jersey and continued to play softball competitively for many years. She made her home in Barnegat, and enjoyed renewed acclaim after A League of Their Own premiered."
^Henry Remsen Tilton, Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army, Arlington National Cemetery. Accessed November 13, 2013. "Born at (sic) Barnegat, New Jersey, February 1, 1836, he earned the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars while serving as Major-Surgeon, United States Army, at Bear Paw Mountain, Montana, September 30, 1877."
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