Lakewood Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lakewood Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 60,352. Lakewood is an urban center serving Northern Ocean and Southern Monmouth Counties.
Lakewood is one of the hubs of Orthodox Judaism and is home to one of the largest yeshivas in the world. The large Orthodox population wields considerable political clout in Lakewood Township, commanding a block of about 10,000 votes.
Lakewood CDP (2000 Census population of 36,065), Leisure Village (1,785) and Leisure Village East (1,594) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Lakewood Township.
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[edit] History
Lakewood was known as one of the New York City region's winter resorts at the turn of the 1900's. This was due to a pocket of climate that was 5 to 10 degrees warmer than the City. Its Lake Carasaljo and surrounding pine tree made for a picturesque holiday. The Rockefeller family had an estate which has been turned into Ocean County Park. The Jay Gould Estate is now Georgian Court College.<ref>History of Lakewood, accessed October 19, 2006</ref> Parts of The Amityville Horror was also filmed there.<ref>The Amityville Horror, accessed October 19, 2006</ref>
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 65.1 km² (25.1 mi²). 64.3 km² (24.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.19%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 60,352 people, 19,876 households, and 13,356 families residing in the township. The population density was 938.8/km² (2,431.8/mi²). There were 21,214 housing units at an average density of 330.0/km² (854.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.77% White, 12.05% African American, 0.17% Native American, 1.39% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.61% from other races, and 2.98% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.80% of the population. There were 19,876 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.64.
In the township the population was spread out with 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 15.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $35,634, and the median income for a family was $43,806. Males had a median income of $38,967 versus $26,645 for females. The per capita income for the township was $16,700. About 15.7% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.9% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Lakewood's Township Committee is a five-member committee elected in staggered three-year terms. The township committee exercises all legislative power of the township, except in matters of health, which are done at the Board of Health. In addition, the Committee appoints members to many boards, commissions, and committees. Each member of the township committee serves as a liaison to different divisions, departments, and committees.
The mayor, elected from among the members of the committee, presides at meetings and performs other such duties as the Township Committee may prescribe. The mayor has the power to appoint subcommittees with the consent of the committee. When authorized, he or she executes documents on behalf of the township, makes proclamations concerning holidays and events of interest, and exercises ceremonial power of the Township and other powers conferred upon him by law.
The Mayor of Lakewood Township is Meir Lichtenstein (2006). Other Township Committee members are Deputy Mayor Raymond G. Coles, Charles Cunliffe, Menashe Miller (2006) and State Senator Robert Singer.<ref>Lakewood Township Committee, accessed March 31, 2006</ref>
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, incumbent Township Committee members Democrat Meir Lichtenstein and Republican Menashe Miller easily won reelection to office in a field of five candidates.<ref>Lichtenstein, Miller return to Lakewood's committee, Asbury Park Press, November 8, 2006</ref>
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Lakewood Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 30th Legislative District.<ref>League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 59, accessed August 30, 2006</ref>
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 Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 30th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R, Lakewood Township) and in the Assembly by Ronald S. Dancer (R, Jackson Township) and Joseph R. Malone (R, Bordentown). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Ocean County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Ocean County's Freeholders are: John C. Bartlett Jr., John P. Kelly, James F. Lacey, Gerry P. Little and Joseph H. Vicari.
[edit] Education
The Lakewood School District is broken up into three different stages of schooling. (2004-05 enrollment data is from the National Center for Education Statistics). Students from K-6 attend one of the district's four Elementary Schools: Oak Street School, with 941 students; Spruce Street School, with 637 students; Clifton Avenue School, with 763 students; and Ella G. Clarke School, with 963 students (including pre-K). In grades 7 and 8 children attend Lakewood Middle School, which has 739 students. For grades 9-12 students attend Lakewood High School, with an enrollment of 1,317 students.
Georgian Court University is a private university located on the shores of Lake Carasaljo.
There are many Yeshivas and Jewish day schools catering to the Orthodox Jewish community, with thousands of children enrolled. Beis Medrash Gevoha, the largest Yeshiva (Rabbinical Academy) in North America, is also located in Lakewood. In addition, there are at least two Christian schools in Lakewood - the non-denominational Calvary Academy [1], and the Roman Catholic affiliated Holy Family School [2]. The former serves grades K-12, while the latter serves youth from pre-school through 8th grade.
[edit] Attractions
- Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum, on the campus of Georgian Court University
- Lakewood Blueclaws, Single A South Atlantic League baseball
[edit] Notable residents
- George Jay Gould I, financier and railroad executive, whose estate was donated to create Georgian Court University
- Edith Kingdon, actress wife of George Jay Gould I
[edit] References
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