Sea Bright, New Jersey

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Sea Bright is a borough situated on the Jersey Shore, within Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,449,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 37 (+2.6%) from the 2010 census count of 1,412,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn had reflected a decline of 406 (−22.3%) from the 1,818 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

Sea Bright was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 21, 1889, from portions of Ocean Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was reincorporated on March 10, 1897.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 185. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> Additional portions of Ocean Township were annexed by the borough in March 1909.<ref>Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 255. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 1, 2015.</ref>

Some sources attribute the name to a suggestion made by Martha Bayard Stevens,<ref name=RecoveryPlan>Sea Bright 2020 Recovery Plan, Borough of Sea Bright, December 2013. Accessed May 7, 2017. "Nestled along the grass-topped sand dunes, a fishing village, originally named 'Nauvoo' was the site of present-day Sea Bright. Often mistaken for a Native American name, Nauvoo is actually a Sephardic Hebrew word meaning 'beautiful and pleasant place.' The eventual naming of the community as 'Sea Bright' was actually attributed to a Mrs. Martha Stevens of Hoboken who frequented the area in the mid-1860s."</ref><ref>Leonard, William Joseph. Sea Bright, Rumson Road, Oceanic, Monmouth Beach, Atlantic Highlands, Leonardville Road, Navesink, Water Witch Club : concerning summer homes along the shores of Monmouth County, New Jersey., p. 19. The Sentinel, 1903. Accessed May 7, 2017. "Whence the name Sea Bright? It was bestowed by a woman, Mrs. Martha Stevens, of Castle Point, Hoboken. Mrs. Stevens was one of the first comers."</ref> The borough and other sources say that the borough was named for Sea Bright, England, though there is no evidence such a place exists.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 1, 2015.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 278. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed October 1, 2015.</ref><ref>Larsen, Erik. "Wonder how your town got its name: Monmouth County", Asbury Park Press, May 6, 2016. Accessed May 9, 2017. "SEA BRIGHT (est. 1889): The official explanation is the borough is named after Sea Bright, England. However, there is no Sea Bright, England."</ref> Earlier sources often spell it as one word, "Seabright", as seen in the United States Coast Guard's Station Seabright and the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club.

History

In the early 1840s, the area of present-day Sea Bright was a fishing community of simple shacks near the beach dunes; Ocean House, the area's first hotel, opened in 1842, featuring access to fishing and sea bathing.<ref>Borough of Sea Bright, New York/New Jersey Baykeeper. Accessed May 9, 2017. "During the early 1840s a small cluster of shacks was located on the barrier beach.... In 1842 the first hotel (Ocean House) able to accommodate 300 patrons was opened. This hotel catered to patrons in the area for fishing and sea bathing."</ref><ref name=BoroughHistory>History, Sea Bright, New Jersey. Accessed May 2, 2017.</ref> The area was called "Nauvoo", a Native American word, meaning "bright sea".<ref name=Bishop/> An alternative explanation, which the borough credits as the source,<ref name=RecoveryPlan/> is that the name is derived from the Hebrew language meaning "pleasant place," which was the same name that Mormon leader Joseph Smith gave to Nauvoo, the Illinois town he founded in 1839. Smith is said to have visited Monmouth County during a missionary journey in 1840.<ref>Kimball, Stanley B. "Discovery: 'Nauvoo' Found in Seven States", Ensign, April 1973. Accessed August 1, 2012. "The name itself is derived from one or both of two Hebrew roots—nawaw and nawvaw (or a Template:Sic nawveh), both of which mean something becoming, pleasant, suitable, beautiful, a pasture, a place of rest and beauty.... The earliest non-Mormon use of Nauvoo is in reference to a small fishing village of about 50 men and boys in Monmouth County on the New Jersey shore (now a part of Sea Bright). Although direct evidence is thus far lacking, this Nauvoo was most likely the result of a missionary trip by Joseph Smith and Orson Pratt into Monmouth County from Philadelphia during January 1840."</ref><ref>Martin, Antoinette. "In the Region/New Jersey; 20 Million-Dollar Homes Planned in Sea Bright", The New York Times, March 21, 2004. Accessed May 2, 2017. "The name Nauvoo is believed to have been bestowed on the fishing village by the Mormon leader Joseph Smith, who visited Monmouth County on a preaching mission and meant for the name to reflect the Hebrew for 'a pleasant place.'"</ref><ref name=Bishop>"Sea Bright Municipal Records"Template:Dead link, Monmouth County, New Jersey, copy of article "My Home Town: Sea Bright," by Jim Bishop in the Red Bank Register, August 25, 1960. Accessed May 2, 2017. "Long ago, the Indians called it Nauvoo, which means bright sea. [The late Monmouth County historian, George H. Moss Jr., in his book Another Look at Nauvoo to the Hook (1990) stated that Nauvoo was not an Indian word but Sephardic Hebrew, meaning 'beautiful or pleasant place,' and that it might have been named by Mormon leader Joseph Smith who visited Monmouth County in 1839 and used the same name for the town he founded in Illinois.]"</ref>

The first bridge across the Shrewsbury River connecting Sea Bright to Rumson was constructed in 1870. After several iterations of the bridge, Monmouth County had announced plans for a replacement of the existing span built in 1950 that connects to Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright with a new bridge, due to the structural deficiency and function obsolete state of the existing structure. They predicted that the project would be completed in 2020 at a site south of the current crossing.<ref>Sheehan, Liz. "Public Hearing Scheduled on Replacement of Aging Sea Bright-Rumson Bridge", The Two River Times, April 28, 2016. Accessed May 10, 2017. "The existing bridge, also known as Monmouth County Bridge S-32, was built over the Shrewsbury River in 1950 and runs from Rumson Road in Rumson to Ocean Avenue in the borough.... According to the NY/NJ Baykeeper, the first bridge was constructed between the two towns in 1870 and was rebuilt several times."</ref> The current bridge, which is becoming harder to maintain over time, has been repaired twice in the 21st century, once in 2002 and again in 2013.<ref name=BridgeFAQ/> A bridge replacement project is scheduled to end in 2025.<ref name=BridgeFAQ/> The new bridge will include two wide shoulders, something the original bridge lacked. It will also include other improvements, such as modernized draw controls, a access ramp to the nearby Sea Bright Beach from the Route 36 intersection, pedestrian beacons and striped crosswalks with the Ward Avenue intersection, and upgrades to the nearby Sea Bright park.<ref name=BridgeFAQ/> Demolition of a nearby Dunkin' Donuts was deemed necessary in order to construct the replacement bridge.<ref name=BridgeFAQ/>

The Sea Bright Skiff was developed on the Jersey Shore in the early 19th century for fishing offshore, by being launched through the surf and returned to shore.<ref>Parker, Reuel B. "The Sea Bright 38", ProBoat.com, July 18, 2013. Accessed May 9, 2017. "The Sea Bright skiff is an American innovation that first appeared on the beaches of New Jersey in the early 19th century."</ref>

Geography

File:Seawall2 Sea Bright NJ.jpg

A Sea Bright–Monmouth Beach Seawall between the beach and Route 36 in Sea Bright

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.29 square miles (3.33 km²), including 0.72 square miles (1.86 km²) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.47 km²) of water (43.88%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name="GR1">US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.</ref>

Sea Bright has seven members-only beach clubs, of which five are in the North Beach area: Ship Ahoy, Sands, Surfrider, Sea Bright Beach Club and Chapel Beach Club; and two are south of the center of town: Driftwood and Edgewater. These clubs charge thousands of dollars for membership and have waiting lists of several years for prospective members.<ref>Mullen, Shannon. "Wall keeps beach clubs hidden oases", Asbury Park Press, September 13, 2007.Accessed August 1, 2012. "There are eight clubs in all, strung like macaroni on a child's necklace along a mile or so of coastline -- a greater concentration than you'll find in any other town on the Jersey Shore. From north to south there's Ship Ahoy, the Sands, the Surfrider, the Sea Bright Beach Club, Chapel Beach, the Tradewinds, Water's Edge and the Driftwood Cabana Club."</ref> In addition, there is a large public, municipal beach in the center of town, protected by lifeguards, with entry limited to those who have purchased a beach badge.<ref>Visitors, Borough of Sea Bright. Accessed February 3, 2025.</ref> The traditional surfing beach area, called the Anchorage, is free and public, but unguarded. In addition, there are numerous public access stairs to other unguarded beaches for fishing, recreation and suntanning.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names within Sea Bright include Low Moor,<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2015.</ref> Navesink Beach and Normandie.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sea Bright–Monmouth Beach Seawall runs the length of the town.

The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Highlands, Middletown Township, Monmouth Beach and Rumson.<ref>Areas touching Sea Bright, MapIt. Accessed March 4, 2020.</ref><ref>Regional Location Map, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed March 4, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> Sea Bright is located on the barrier peninsula that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 1,412 people, 792 households, and 325 families in the borough. The population density was 1,935.5 per square mile (747.3/km²). There were 1,211 housing units at an average density of 1,659.9 per square mile (640.9/km²). The racial makeup was 94.55% (1,335) White, 0.78% (11) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 2.27% (32) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.49% (21) from other races, and 0.92% (13) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.52% (78) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 792 households, 12.4% had children under the age of 18; 32.1% were married couples living together; 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 59.0% were non-families. Of all households, 48.7% were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.78 and the average family size was 2.54.<ref name=Census2010/>

11.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 38.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 107.3 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $74,236 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,921) and the median family income was $102,679 (+/− $37,943). Males had a median income of $84,412 (+/− $45,724) versus $72,898 (+/− $10,443) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $82,535 (+/− $20,263). About 3.5% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Sea Bright borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 1, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,818 people, 1,003 households, and 402 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,202 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 94.39% White, 1.76% African American, 2.26% Asian, 0.88% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.51% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Sea Bright borough, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 1, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Sea Bright borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 1, 2012.</ref>

There were 1,003 households, out of which 11.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.6% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 59.9% were non-families. 45.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.81 and the average family size was 2.51.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the borough the population was spread out, with 11.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 41.5% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.5 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the borough was $65,563, and the median income for a family was $72,031. Males had a median income of $60,417 versus $41,100 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $45,066. About 5.3% of families and 7.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

File:Sea Bright beach am.jpg

The Sea Bright beach on an early summer morning

Parks and recreation

As of the summer of 2015, the borough added lifeguards and began charging visitors a daily admission at Anchorage Beach, an area that has been widely used by surfers, eliminating one of the limited number of free oceanfront beaches in the state.<ref>Spoto, MaryAnn. "Surfers fighting to save dwindling free beaches", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 20, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2015. "A stretch of Sea Bright's shoreline that used to be among the few free beaches in New Jersey will start charging patrons for access starting this weekend when nearly all Shore towns' beach fees kick in for summer."</ref>

Government

Local government

Sea Bright is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 58.</ref> The borough form of government used by Sea Bright is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

Template:As of, the mayor of Sea Bright is Republican Brian P. Kelly, whose second term of office ends December 31, 2027.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor, Sea Bright, New Jersey. Accessed February 3, 2025.</ref> Members of the Sea Bright Borough Council are Council President William J. "Jack" Keeler (R, 2027), Erwin W. Bieber (R, 2027), Marc A. Leckstein (D, 2026), Samuel A. Catalano (R, 2025), Heather Gorman (I, 2025) and John M. Lamia Jr. (R, 2026).<ref>Borough Council, Sea Bright, New Jersey. Accessed February 3, 2025. "The Council shall consist of six members elected at large by the voters of Sea Bright and shall each serve a term of three years, beginning on reorganization day in January next following his/her election."</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Sea Bright, New Jersey. Accessed February 3, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2024>November 5, 2024 General Election Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated December 16, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2023>November 8, 2023 General Election Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated January 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2024.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 27, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Sea Bright is located in the 6th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Politics

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRowTemplate:PresRowTemplate:PresRow |} As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,095 registered voters in Sea Bright, of which 248 (22.6%) were registered as Democrats, 305 (27.9%) were registered as Republicans and 541 (49.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another parties.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Monmouth, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 6, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.7% of the vote (379 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.1% (270 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (8 votes), among the 659 ballots cast by the borough's 1,181 registered voters (2 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 55.8%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 53.6% of the vote (483 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.2% (389 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (15 votes), among the 901 ballots cast by the borough's 1,220 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 6, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.9% of the vote (519 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 43.0% (399 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (16 votes), among the 928 ballots cast by the borough's 1,282 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.4.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 6, 2012.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 84.1% of the vote (348 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 14.7% (61 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (5 votes), among the 418 ballots cast by the borough's 1,068 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.1%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.2% of the vote (406 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.8% (164 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.5% (34 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (6 votes), among the 613 ballots cast by the borough's 1,148 registered voters, yielding a 53.4% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Monmouth County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 6, 2012.</ref>

Education

Public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade are educated as part of the Oceanport School District after the former Sea Bright Board of Education was eliminated by the New Jersey Department of Education in 2009 as a non-operating district.<ref>Letter to Sea Bright Borough School District, New Jersey Department of Education, dated June 30, 2009. Accessed January 28, 2017.</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 599 students and 61.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.8:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Oceanport School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School data for the Oceanport School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Wolf Hill Elementary School<ref>Wolf Hill Elementary School, Oceanport School District. Accessed May 21, 2020.</ref> with 342 students in pre-Kindergarten through 4th grade and Maple Place Middle School<ref>Maple Place Middle School, Oceanport School District. Accessed May 21, 2020.</ref> with 253 students in grades 5–8.<ref>Directions to Our Buildings, Oceanport School District. Accessed May 21, 2020.</ref><ref>County School List N-R, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2010.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Oceanport School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Shore Regional High School, a regional high school that also serves students from the constituent districts of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport and West Long Branch.<ref>Shore Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 2, 2016. "Shore Regional High School, located in West Long Branch, Monmouth County New Jersey, is a comprehensive secondary school that proudly serves the communities of Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Sea Bright, and West Long Branch. The beautiful ten-acre campus is situated on the banks of Franklin Lake in the borough of West Long Branch."</ref><ref>Walter, Kenny. "SRHS $15.7M budget calls for flat tax levy; School taxes decrease for three of four sending towns", The Hub, April 4, 2013. Accessed January 28, 2017. "Three of the four sending districts that comprise the Shore Regional High School District — Oceanport, Monmouth Beach and West Long Branch — will pay less in taxes for the 2013-14 school year. Taxes will increase, however, for property owners in Sea Bright, which will pay a higher percentage of the regional school budget."</ref> The high school is located in West Long Branch and is part of the Shore Regional High School District. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 649 students and 57.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.<ref>School data for Shore Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with one seat assigned to Sea Bright.<ref>Board of Education, Shore Regional High School. Accessed May 21, 2020.</ref>

In 2024, a meeting between the Henry Hudson Regional School District, the Highlands School District, and the Atlantic Highlands School District boards of trustees, of which there are plans to consolidate into one district, stated that Sea Bright would have to re-establish its non-operating school district to join Henry Hudson; there is no provision in New Jersey law to permit this. The Oceanport School District and the Shore Regional High School district both filed legal challenges opposing Sea Bright's efforts to end their sending relationships and join the consolidated K-12 Henry Hudson District.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sea Bright high school students in public school also have the opportunity to attend the schools of the Monmouth County Vocational School District, including the five career academies.<ref>About, Monmouth County Vocational School District. Accessed August 29, 2013.</ref>

Transportation

Roads and highways

File:2021-09-08 15 53 56 View south along New Jersey State Route 36 (Ocean Avenue) from the pedestrian overpass at the entrance to Sandy Hook in Sea Bright, Monmouth County, New Jersey.jpg

NJ Route 36 South in Sea Bright

File:CR 520 drawbridge Sea Bright (1).jpg

The Shrewsbury River Bridge carrying CR 520 into Sea Bright from Rumson, which is in the process of being replaced<ref name=BridgeFAQ/>

Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Monmouth County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Monmouth County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

New Jersey Route 36 is the main highway through Sea Bright. To the south, it connects the borough to Monmouth Beach. Heading north, it crosses Shrewsbury River to Highlands across the Highlands–Sea Bright Bridge, a fixed span which was built between 2008 and 2011 to replace a Template:Convert drawbridge built in 1932. Sea Bright can also be accessed from Rumson to the west via Rumson Road (County Route 520) over the Shrewsbury River Bridge. The bridge is in the process of being replaced as part of a project that is expected to be completed in 2025, with access to County Route 520 maintained at all times.<ref name=BridgeFAQ>Frequently Asked Questions, Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge S-32 Project. Accessed February 11, 2024. "Construction will take approximately 42 months, with completion in 2025. The construction phase began in Fall 2021 and construction activities are progressing.... The Contractor is required to keep Rumson Road (CR520) open at all times."</ref>

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides local bus service between Sea Bright and Red Bank on the 838 route.<ref>Bus Routes, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed April 30, 2023.</ref>

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Sea Bright has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above Template:Convert, at least four months with an average temperature at or above Template:Convert, at least one month with an average temperature at or above Template:Convert and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. Although most summer days feature slight-to-moderate humidity and a cooling afternoon sea breeze in Sea Bright, episodes of heat and high humidity can occur with heat index values above Template:Convert. Since 1981, the highest air temperature was Template:Convert on August 9, 2001, and the highest daily average mean dew point was Template:Convert on July 19, 2019. The average wettest month is July which correlates with the peak in thunderstorm activity. Since 1981, the wettest calendar day was Template:Convert on August 27, 2011. During the winter months, the average annual extreme minimum air temperature is Template:Convert.<ref name=USDA/> Since 1981, the coldest air temperature was Template:Convert on January 21, 1985. Episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below Template:Convert. The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is Template:Convert and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Sea Bright would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Cordgrass (73) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie (20).<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">Template:Cite web</ref> The plant hardiness zone is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of Template:Convert.<ref name="USDA">Template:Cite web</ref> The average date of first spring leaf-out is March 23<ref name="National Phenology Network">Template:Cite web</ref> and fall color typically peaks in early-November.

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Sea Bright include:

• Fred Alexander (1880–1969), top-ranked tennis player in the early 20th century<ref>Fred Alexander, International Tennis Hall of Fame. Accessed August 1, 2012. "Place of Birth: SeabrightTemplate:Sic, New Jersey".</ref>
• James Waddell Alexander II (1888–1971), mathematician and topologist who was one of the first members of the Institute for Advanced Study (1933–1951), and also a professor at Princeton University (1920–1951)<ref>Staff. A Community Of Scholars: The Institute for Advanced Study Faculty and Members 1930-1980, p. 43. Institute for Advanced Study, 1980. Accessed November 20, 2015. "Alexander, James Waddell M, Topology Born 1888 SeabrightTemplate:Sic, NJ."</ref>
• Edward Shippen Barnes (1887–1958), organist, composer and author of the instructional organ method, The School Of Organ Playing (1921)<ref>"Edward Shippen Barnes", A Dictionary of Hymnology. Accessed February 3, 2025. "Barnes, Edward Shippen. b. SeabrightTemplate:Sic, New Jersey, 14 September 1887"</ref>
• Linda Chorney (born 1960), singer-songwriter and award-winning filmmaker<ref>"Chorney and Ghegan Release Song to Benefit Sea Bright Rising", The Two River Times, January 11, 2013. Accessed Aepil 3, 2022. "Kicking off the new year, an original anthem to Sandy survival was born. Grammy nominated artist Linda Chorney was directly affected by Hurricane Sandy when her Sea Bright home was flooded."</ref>
• Tal Farlow (1921–1998), jazz guitarist<ref>Watrous, Peter. "Tal Farlow, 77, Jazz Guitarist Rooted in Bop", The New York Times, July 28, 1998. Accessed August 1, 2012. "Tal Farlow, one of jazz's best-known guitarists, died on Saturday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan. He was 77 and lived in Sea Bright, N.J., and Manhattan."</ref>
• Lindley Miller Garrison (1864–1932), United States Secretary of War from 1913 to 1916 during the Administration of President Woodrow Wilson<ref>Staff. "Lindley M. Garrison Dies In 68th Year; Secretary of War in Wilson Cabinet Succumbs in Home in Seabright, N. J. Was A Talented Lawyer Differed With President on Method of Strengthening Military Defense, and Resigned.", The New York Times, October 20, 1932. Accessed May 9, 2017. "Sea Bright, N. J., Oct. 19. - Lindley M. Garrison, one of the leaders of the American bar who was Secretary of War in the Cabinet of President Woodrow Wilson from March 5, 1913, to Feb. 10, 1916, when he resigned, died yesterday at his home here, 38 Ocean Avenue."</ref>
• Jerry Gaskill (born 1957), rock musician who is the drummer for the progressive metal band King's X<ref>Condrand, Ed. "King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill talks road back to Asbury Park", Asbury Park Press, November 18, 2016. Accessed November 26, 2017. "Over the last few years, the Sea Bright resident has sported hospital gowns on a number of occasions, thanks to a pair of heart attacks."</ref>
• John J. McCook (1845–1911), Civil War officer, prominent New York attorney and railroad executive<ref>Staff. "Col. John J. M'cook Of New York Dead; One of the Fighting McCooks and Well Known Lawyer --Declined Cabinet Place", Hartford Courant, September 18, 1911. Accessed August 1, 2012. "Sea Bright, N. J., Sept. 17.--Colonel John James McCook the well known New York lawyer and member of the Ohio family known as 'the Fighting McCooks,' died today at his summer home here."</ref>
• Mildred Mottahedeh (1908–2000), collector of ceramics, businessperson, and philanthropist who cofounded Mottahedeh & Company, a designer and supplier of luxury porcelain<ref>"Mildred Root Mottahedeh, 91, Collector of Chinese Porcelain", The New York Times, February 23, 2000. Accessed December 14, 2020. "Born in Seabright, N.J., Mildred Root began collecting Japanese prints at 13 after moving to New York."</ref>
• Melissa Stark (born 1973), television personality and sportscaster who works as a reporter for the NFL Network<ref>Staff. "Talking Family and Football with NFL Network's Melissa Stark"Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore, Living In Media. Accessed May 29, 2017. "As co-host of NFL GameDay First, a Sunday morning show on NFL Network from 7 to 9 a.m., Rumson's own Melissa Stark is on the forefront of delivering that NFL news to the nation.... LIM: When did you move to Monmouth County? MS: We moved here to Rumson in the summer of 2001."</ref>
• Martha Bayard Stevens (1831–1899), philanthropist influential in advancing complementary educational pursuits, who has been credited with suggesting the borough's name<ref name=RecoveryPlan/>
• Juan Trippe (1899–1981), airline entrepreneur and founder of Pan Am<ref>Staff. "Juan Trippe, 81, Dies; U.S. Aviation Pioneer", The New York Times, April 4, 1981. Accessed August 1, 2012. "Juan Terry Trippe was born in Sea Bright, N.J., on June 27, 1899, to Charles White and Lucy Adeline Terry Trippe."</ref>
• Charles L. Walters (Template:Circa–1894), politician who served for two years as mayor of Sea Bright and in the New Jersey General Assembly<ref>Staff. "Obituary Notes", The New York Times, June 21, 1894. Accessed May 29, 2017. "Assemblyman Charles L. Walters of the Second Assembly District of Monmouth County died yesterday afternoon at his home, in Seabright, N.J., aged thirty-four years."</ref>

External links

• Borough of Sea Bright official website
• Sea Bright Library
• Oceanport School District
• Template:NJReportCard
• Oceanport School District, National Center for Education Statistics

North Highlands

Beaches of New Jersey

South Monmouth Beach