Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Wildwood Crest is a borough in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough, and all of Cape May County, is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area, and is part of the Philadelphia-Wilmington-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD combined statistical area, also known as the Delaware Valley or Philadelphia metropolitan area.<ref>New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 22, 2022.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,101,<ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 169 (−5.2%) from the 2010 census count of 3,270,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 710 (−17.8%) from the 3,980 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>
Wildwood Crest was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1910, from portions of Lower Township.<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. 116. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> The area of the borough was first developed by Philip Baker in the 1910s as a southern extension to the resort of Wildwood.<ref>Strauss, Robert. "Real Estate; Save Our Mansion", The New York Times, December 5, 2004. Accessed August 7, 2018. "So far, Wildwood Crest, founded and developed by Philip Baker in the 1910s, at the same time the house was built, has eluded much of the tear-down syndrome."</ref> The borough's name comes from Wildwood, which in turn was named for the area's wild flowers.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 29, 2015.</ref>
It is a dry town, where alcohol cannot be sold, affirmed by the results of a referendum held in 1940.<ref>New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)</ref><ref>Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref> Wildwood Crest joins Cape May Point and Ocean City among municipalities in Cape May restricting the sale of alcohol.<ref>Schaad Jr., Jacob. "Bizarre History of Cape May - Wet or dry?", The Cape May Gazette, October 30, 2013. Accessed November 11, 2013. "Wildwood Crest, Ocean City, West Cape May and Cape May Point have opted to stay dry while the 12 other communities in the county still permit their people to lift a few."</ref> Adjoining Wildwood allows the sale of alcohol, including at bars on its boardwalk.<ref>Hart, Joe. "Boardwalk Alcohol Gets First Nod in Wildwood", Cape May County Herald, March 23, 2010. Accessed October 16, 2017. "Wildwood Crest is a dry town, thus no alcoholic beverages can be sold."</ref>
The borough was ranked the second-best beach in New Jersey in the 2008 "Top 10 Beaches Contest" sponsored by the New Jersey Marine Sciences Consortium.<ref>Urgo, Jacqueline L. "Triumph for South Jersey", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 23, 2008. Accessed October 29, 2015. "Neighboring Wildwood Crest came in second, followed by Ocean City, North Wildwood, Cape May, Asbury Park in Monmouth County, Avalon, Point Pleasant Beach in northern Ocean County, Beach Haven in southern Ocean County and Stone Harbor."</ref> Wildwood Crest is one of five municipalities in the state that offer free public access to oceanfront beaches monitored by lifeguards, joining Atlantic City, North Wildwood, Wildwood and Upper Township's Strathmere section.<ref>Spoto, MaryAnn. "Surfers fighting to save dwindling free beaches", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 20, 2015. Accessed October 30, 2015. "New Jersey has five free guarded ocean beaches – Atlantic City, Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and the Strathmere section of Upper Township."</ref>
History
[edit]
The motels of Wildwood Crest are characterized by a distinctive "Doo Wop" or Googie style of architecture. Collectively, Wildwood and Wildwood Crest contain the nation's largest collection of mid-century "Doo Wop" resort architecture.<ref name=DooWop>The "Doo Wop" Architecture of Wildwood Crest, Wildwood Crest Historical Society. Accessed December 7, 2015. "The first motel to reflect this style in Wildwood Crest was the Ebb Tide Motel at 5711 Atlantic Avenue, built in 1957."</ref>
The term "Doo Wop" was coined by the Mid-Atlantic Center For The Arts in the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style that was common in the 1950s and 1960s.<ref name=DooWop/> Post World War II America was an optimistic, confident, and enthusiastic society. The new age style of architecture evolved into a showcase of colorful, flashy, modernistic architecture that captured the spirit of the times; it incorporated modern, sweeping angles, bright colors, starbursts, boomerang shapes, plastic palm trees, and angular wall and roof styles. "Doo Wop" was a celebration of the architecture, design, music, and pop culture of the 1950s and 1960s. During the 1950s, the economy had grown to unprecedented levels. Americans achieved a level of prosperity they had never known before. In response to this unprecedented growth, hundreds of motels were constructed in Wildwood and Wildwood Crest with the distinct "Doo Wop" style of architecture.<ref>"The Origins of Wildwood's Fabulous Doo Wop", Doo Wop Preservation League. Accessed December 7, 2015.</ref> The first motel to reflect this style was the Ebb Tide Motel, constructed in 1957, which was designed and built by Will and Lou Morey, who specialized in such designs.<ref name=DooWop/>
Several "Doo Wop" motels, such as the Caribbean Motel, are registered on the National Register of Historic Places. In recent years, historic "Doo Wop" motels have been demolished to make way for the construction of condominiums, leading to organized efforts to preserve the remaining examples.<ref>Gilfillian, Trudi. "Once in jeopardy, Wildwood's 1950s doo-wop buildings now imitated", The Press of Atlantic City, July 24, 2014. Accessed December 7, 2015. "Tim Maher knew the doo-wop motels of the Wildwoods were in trouble. A booming real estate market meant the island's 1950s and 1960s-era properties were being torn down and replaced with rows of very un-doo-wop, very profitable condominiums."</ref>
Wildwood Crest and its neighboring towns of Wildwood, North Wildwood, and West Wildwood make up "The Wildwoods" resort, a popular vacation destination for those living in all parts of New Jersey as well as the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas. Many vacationers and tourists have come from as far away as, New England and Canada and have made The Wildwoods a vacation hotspot, due to the area's mild summer climate. Unlike its sister communities of Wildwood and North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest is generally set apart from the all-hours excitement that the resort area is known for. Many vacationers will find some of the quietest and most undisturbed beach space.
In recent years, condominiums have replaced many of the motels the area was known for, such as The Grand, The Ocean Breeze, El Coronado, and The Arcadia. Some restaurants have been torn down and replaced with condominiums, including The Captain's Table, The Surfside, and Duffenetti's. These changes in housing have significantly changed the demographics of this area, from being a more family oriented one-vacation-per-summer place (for the middle class) to being a weekend retreat for wealthier families.
Geography
[edit]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.48 square miles (3.84 km2), including 1.30 square miles (3.36 km2) of land and 0.19 square miles (0.48 km2) of water (12.50%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Part of the borough's beachfront has been closed off for the protection of native birds such as the piping plover. These small birds have this area all to themselves so that their eggs may be protected from beachgoers.<ref>Jacobs, Andrew. "Metro Briefing New Jersey: Wildwood Crest: Beach Off Limits To Humans", The New York Times, May 2, 2001. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref> There is a nature trail one may take through the dunes to explore this sheltered area of the beach.
Wildwood Crest borders the Diamond Beach section of Lower Township to the south, the City of Wildwood to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean.<ref>Areas touching Wildwood Crest, MapIt. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref><ref>Cape May County, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 13, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 3,270 people, 1,532 households, and 918 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,569 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 93.18% (3,047) White, 1.68% (55) Black or African American, 0.15% (5) Native American, 1.01% (33) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.80% (59) from other races, and 2.17% (71) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.63% (184) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 1,532 households, 18.7% had children under the age of 18; 44.6% were married couples living together; 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 40.1% were non-families. Of all households, 35.4% were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.73.<ref name=Census2010/>
16.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 26.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.9 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $46,111 (with a margin of error of +/− $13,652) and the median family income was $67,917 (+/− $15,113). Males had a median income of $49,567 (+/− $20,496) versus $54,250 (+/− $12,982) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $40,032 (+/− $8,687). About 8.1% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.2% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Wildwood Crest borough, Cape May County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 24, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 U.S. census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 3,980 people, 1,833 households, and 1,114 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,862 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 94.87% White, 1.23% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 2.21% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.22% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Wildwood Crest borough, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 24, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Wildwood Crest borough, Cape May County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 24, 2012.</ref>
There were 1,833 households, out of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.76.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 25.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $36,579, and the median income for a family was $47,462. Males had a median income of $42,727 versus $27,500 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,741. About 4.4% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Economy
[edit]Portions of the borough—together with areas in North Wildwood, West Wildwood and Wildwood—are part of a joint Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The four municipalities in The Wildwoods were selected in 2002 as one of a group of three zones added to participate in the program as part of a joint zone with.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Tax Questions and Answers, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, May 2009. Accessed October 28, 2019. "The legislation was amended again in 2002 to include 3 more zones. They include Bayonne City, Roselle Borough, and a joint zone consisting of North Wildwood City, Wildwood City, Wildwood Crest Borough, and West Wildwood Borough."</ref> In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the Template:Frac% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Program, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Businesses participating in the UEZ Program can charge half the standard sales tax rate on certain purchases, currently 3.3125% effective 1/1/2018"</ref> Established in September 2002, the borough's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Effective and Expiration Dates, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed January 8, 2018.</ref> The joint UEZ is overseen by the Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board, which includes representatives from all four municipalities.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Program, City of Wildwood. Accessed March 13, 2020. "The Enterprise Zone Development Corporation of the Wildwoods Board is comprised of business owners, elected officials and employees representing the City of Wildwood, City of North Wildwood, the Borough of West Wildwood, and the Borough of Wildwood Crest."</ref>
Notable motels in Wildwood Crest include the Caribbean Motel, built in 1957 in the Doo-Wop style and added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 2005.<ref name="nris">Template:NRISref</ref><ref>Staff. "Doo Wop sings the blues; They twisted and shouted, and rocked around the clock in the southern tip of New Jersey before they did it anywhere else. And, once the sun slips below the horizon, there's enough neon to set your eyes ablaze if you stare at it too long.", Montreal Gazette, October 21, 2006. Accessed November 11, 2013. "But Miller and Caroline Emigh have gone the opposite way. Two years ago the Washington, D.C., natives bought the 30-room Caribbean, built in 1956 and one of the finest examples of Doo Wop architecture remaining in the Wildwoods area. They have succeeded in getting the property placed on the national historic registry."</ref>
Parks and recreation
[edit]
The borough is bordered on the bay side by Sunset Lake. This was once connected to the Atlantic Ocean by Turtle Gut Inlet, which was closed in 1922. The Sunset Lake and Turtle Gut Park is located at New Jersey and Miami Avenues. A nearby memorial commemorates the Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet fought on June 29, 1776. This was the only American Revolutionary War battle fought in Cape May County.<ref>The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet, Wildwood Crest Historical Society. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]
Wildwood Crest has been governed under the Walsh Act, by a three-member commission, since 1937. The borough is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use the commission form of government.<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 three commissioners, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve concurrent four-year terms of office, with the vote taking place as part of the November general election. At a reorganization conducted after each election, the commission selects one of its members to serve as mayor and gives each commissioner an assigned department to oversee and operate.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 8.</ref><ref>"The Commission Form of Municipal Government" Template:Webarchive, p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 8. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> As part of an effort to reduce the costs of conducting a standalone election for commissioners and to generate greater participation from voters, the election for borough commissioners was shifted from May to November by an ordinance passed in 2012, with the first November election held in 2013.<ref>Gilfillian, Trudi. "Three incumbents seek re-election in Wildwood Crest", The Press of Atlantic City, October 15, 2013. Accessed November 11, 2013. "Borough voters will choose their next commissioners in just three weeks, a switch from the May elections that had been in place for decades. Like many New Jersey towns, the borough opted to switch the quadrennial elections, passing an ordinance in 2012. The move was designed to save money - the last May election in 2009 cost $20,000 - and increase voter turnout."</ref>
Template:As of, the Board of Commissioners consists of Mayor Don Cabrera (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), Deputy Mayor Joseph Franco Jr. (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) and Joseph Schiff (Commissioner of Public Safety), all serving concurrent terms of office ending December 31, 2025.<ref name=Commissioners>Borough Commissioners, Borough of Wildwood Crest. Accessed August 27, 2023. "Wildwood Crest Commissioners Joseph Franco Jr., Joseph M. Schiff and Don Cabrera were sworn into office on Jan. 4, 2022, and will serve as borough commissioners through Dec. 31, 2025."</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Wildwood Crest. Accessed August 27, 2023.</ref><ref name=CapeMayOfficials>2023 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2023, Cape May County, New Jersey, August 3, 2023. Accessed August 23, 2023.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2021>2021 General Election Successful Candidates, Cape May County, New Jersey, updated November 16, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>
Federal, state, and county representation
[edit]Wildwood Crest is located in the 2nd 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 1st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 02 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Cape May County Freeholders
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,341 registered voters in Wildwood Crest, of which 436 (18.6%) were registered as Democrats, 1,052 (44.9%) were registered as Republicans and 850 (36.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Cape May, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 18, 2012.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 61.1% of the vote (1,046 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 38.5% (659 votes), and other candidates with 0.4% (6 votes), among the 1,724 ballots cast by the borough's 2,419 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 59.2% of the vote (1,090 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 39.6% (729 votes), with 1,842 ballots cast among the borough's 2,319 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.4%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 18, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.4% of the vote (1,203 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 38.4% (766 votes), with 1,993 ballots cast among the borough's 2,644 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.4.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 18, 2012.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|63.0% 1,160 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.1% 647 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|61.9% 1,237 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|36.5% 729 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|65.5% 1,137 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|31.5% 546 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref name="2012Election">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|61.1% 1,046 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|38.5% 659 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref name="state.nj.us">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cape May County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|59.2% 1,090 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|39.6% 729 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">2004 Presidential Election: Cape May County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 13, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|60.4% 1,203 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|38.4% 766 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.4% of the vote (920 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 20.9% (249 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (20 votes), among the 1,233 ballots cast by the borough's 2,410 registered voters (44 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.2%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.8% of the vote (806 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 32.9% (436 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.5% (59 votes), with 1,325 ballots cast among the borough's 2,448 registered voters, yielding a 54.1% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Cape May County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 18, 2012.</ref>
Education
[edit]
The Wildwood Crest School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Crest Memorial School.<ref>New Jersey County School Directory for the Wildwood Crest School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref><ref>Wildwood Crest Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Wildwood Crest School District. Accessed September 6, 2021. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Wildwood Crest School District. Composition: The Wildwood Crest School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Wildwood Crest."</ref> As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 275 students and 34.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.0:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Wildwood Crest Borough School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.</ref>
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students from Wildwood Crest attend Wildwood High School in Wildwood as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Wildwood Public School District, together with students from North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest.<ref>Wildwood High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 7, 2017. "Wildwood High School services all of the districts on the island (Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, North Wildwood and West Wildwood.)"</ref> As of the 2019–20 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 245 students and 29.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.2:1.<ref>School data for Wildwood High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.</ref>
Students are also eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School in the Cape May Court House area, which serves students from the entire county in its comprehensive and vocational programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.<ref>Frequently Asked Questions, Cape May County Technical High School. Accessed October 27, 2019. "All residents of Cape May County are eligible to attend Cape May County Technical High School.... The Cape May County Technical High School is a public school so there is no cost to residents of Cape May County."</ref><ref>Technical High School Admissions, Cape May County Technical High School. Accessed October 27, 2019. "All students who are residents of Cape May County may apply to the Technical High School."</ref> Special needs students may be referred to Cape May County Special Services School District in the Cape May Court House area.
Wildwood Catholic Academy in North Wildwood (prior to 2020 it was two separate schools: Cape Trinity Catholic elementary school and Wildwood Catholic High School) operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.<ref>Cape May County School Directory, Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Accessed September 4, 2011.</ref>
Cape May County Library operates the Wildwood Crest Library.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_at_Rambler_Road_in_Wildwood_Crest,_Cape_May_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highways
[edit]The borough has a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality and Template:Convert by Cape May County.<ref>Cape May County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
County Route 621 (Pacific Avenue/New Jersey Avenue) runs for Template:Convert through the borough, from Lower Township to the south to Wildwood in the north.<ref>Cape May County Route 621 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, August 1999. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
Parking in the beach area of Wildwood Crest is regulated by parking meters between mid-May and mid-September.<ref>Parking Meter Information, Borough of Wildwood Crest. Accessed October 28, 2019.</ref>
Public transportation
[edit]NJ Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 313 and 315 routes, with seasonal service to Philadelphia on the 316 route and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 319 route.<ref>Cape May County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref><ref>South Jersey Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Cross County Connection, as of April 1, 2010. Accessed September 2, 2014.</ref>
The Great American Trolley Company operates trolley service in Wildwood Crest during the summer months. The company runs a trolley route that provides service from Wildwood Crest to the boardwalk at Schellenger Avenue in Wildwood daily during the evening hours.<ref>Wildwood Boardwalk Trolleys, Great American Trolley Company. Accessed October 28, 2019.</ref> The Great American Trolley Company also runs trolley service to the Irish Fall Festival in North Wildwood, with a route connecting Wildwood Crest to the festival site during the weekend of the festival.<ref>Irish Fall Festival, Great American Trolley. Accessed October 28, 2019.</ref>
Landmarks
[edit]- Crest Fishing Pier
- Sunset Lake
Religion
[edit]Template:Expand section Notre Dame de la Mer Catholic Parish, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden has a worship site in Wildwood Crest active in the summer. Previously it was a standalone church, Assumption Church. In 2008 the diocese announced that it would merge into St. Ann's Church of Wildwood,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the merger occurred in 2010.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Climate
[edit]According to the Köppen climate classification system, Wildwood Crest has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and year-around precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above Template:Convert, at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above Template:Convert, at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above Template:Convert and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Wildwood Crest, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values at or above Template:Convert. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values below Template:Convert. The plant hardiness zone at Wildwood Crest Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of Template:Convert.<ref name="USDA">Template:Cite web</ref> 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
[edit]According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Wildwood Crest would have a dominant vegetation type of Northern Cordgrass (73) with a dominant vegetation form of Coastal Prairie (20).<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions), Data Basin. Accessed March 18, 2020.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Wildwood Crest include:
- J. Thompson Baker (1847–1919), one of the original developers of Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, who was also a politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district from 1913 to 1915<ref>History of Wildwood Crest, NJ, VisitNJShore.com. Accessed October 29, 2015. "They were both taken with the large beaches and beautiful wilderness, and, in 1895, they joined with their brother J Thompson Baker to form the Wildwood Beach Improvement Company.... The Wildwood borough expanded quickly and was very successful, so the Baker brothers decided to expand their development to the land south of the borough. This land would later become Wildwood Crest, and was an unspoiled wilderness of dense thickets and sand dunes."</ref>
- Kenneth A. Black Jr. (1932–2019), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from District 3A from 1968 to 1974<ref>"Black, Kenneth Algernon", Cape May County Herald, January 31, 2019, updated February 11, 2019. Accessed December 6, 2022. "Ken and his wife moved to Wildwood Crest in 1984."</ref>
- Aliki Brandenberg (born 1929), children's literature author, was born in Wildwood Crest<ref>Picture Books Author of the Month: Aliki, Greenville Public Library. Accessed May 1, 2008.</ref>
- Joe Maloy (born 1985), professional triathlete<ref>Joe Maloy, USA Triathlon. Accessed June 27, 2017.</ref>
- Bill Osborn (born Template:Circa), football scout and color analyst who played in the National Football League, World League and the Arena Football League<ref>via Associated Press. "Pittsburgh's Osborn Plays Three Sports", Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1987. Accessed August 10, 2016. "His friends call the Wildwood Crest, N.J., native 'The Wizard of Oz.'... Osborn won 11 varsity letters at Wildwood High before being recruited by former Pitt football coach Foge Fazio."</ref>
- Bernie Parent (born 1945), goalie for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs and most notably Philadelphia Flyers where he back-stopped the team to two consecutive Stanley Cups<ref>Brooks, Melissa. "Hall of Famer Bernie Parent's locker a GNPAL raffle prize", The Times Herald, September 5, 2010. Accessed October 31, 2015. "When retrieving his locker from the Spectrum with business manager and friend Dean Smith, Parent, who lives in Wildwood Crest most of the year, was hit with emotions."</ref>
- Frank Vogel (born 1973), head coach of the Phoenix Suns<ref>Staff. "Wildwood High School graduate Frank Vogel promoted to interim head coach of Indiana Pacers", The Press of Atlantic City, January 30, 2011. Accessed January 30, 2011. "Wildwood Crest native Frank Vogel took over as interim head coach of the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, after the team fired Jim O'Brien. Vogel, a 1991 Wildwood High School graduate who was promoted from assistant coach, will take over for the rest of the season."</ref>
Gallery
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Fire Station
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"Shore is Beautiful"
References
[edit]External links
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