Editing Laurence Harbor, New Jersey (section)

==History==
[[Image:Lenape Languages.png|thumb|Lenape tribal zone]]
The lands known today as Laurence Harbor were part of the southernmost region inhabited by the [[Lenape|Lenni Lenape]] tribe (also known as the Delaware) in the 17th century. In 1664, they became part of greater [[East Jersey]], and in 1684 became part of [[South Amboy, New Jersey|South Amboy]], which was much larger than it is today. In 1869, Madison Township split off from South Amboy; it was renamed Old Bridge Township in 1975.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [https://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170. Accessed November 28, 2012.</ref>

European settlement of the area was linked to commerce passing through [[the Amboys]] along the [[Raritan River]]. From a military perspective, the area was useful for its high bayside cliffs, which allowed strategic observation of ships traveling between [[New York Harbor]] and the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

Laurence Harbor is named after land developer Laurence Lamb, who bought property in what was then known as Madison Township at the turn of the 20th century and subdivided it into [[bungalow]]-sized lots.<ref name=Thinking/> Lamb established a {{convert|400|acre|km2|adj=on}} shorefront golf and country club on the site. Among those who frequented Mr. Lamb's establishment were [[Clark Gable]], [[Guy Lombardo]], the [[Prince of Wales]] and the [[Vanderbilts]], who came to party and eat chingarora oysters, for which Raritan Bay was then famous. In 1928, the golf club was sold to developers for the above-mentioned construction of bungalows. A boardwalk, complete with a dance hall, casino, band shell, concession stands and a merry-go-round that played only one song, "Let's Remember Pearl Harbor", provided entertainment, hot dogs and ice cream during the 1940s.

For those traveling south from [[North Jersey]] or New York, it was the first stretch of [[Jersey Shore]] beachfront before reaching [[Keansburg, New Jersey|Keansburg]] or [[Asbury Park, New Jersey|Asbury Park]].

According to a local historian who grew up in Old Bridge Township, the area was used during [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]] by rum runners who would lower their cargo of bootleg liquor overboard into the bay to be hauled ashore by local fishermen.

The Ochwald Brickworks, a brickyard, operated in the area where the Bridgepointe townhouses now stand. The brick plant began operation in the early 1900s and continued to the early 1960s. Its 60 workers produced more than 84,000 bricks per day. Nothing remains of the plant as all was demolished for residential dwellings.