Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey

Ocean Township is a township located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 8,835,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> its largest ever decennial count and an increase of 503 (+6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 8,332,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 1,882 (+29.2%) from the 6,450 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>

History

Ocean Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1876, from portions of both Lacey Township and Union Township (now Barnegat Township). Portions of the township were taken to create Long Beach Township (March 23, 1899) and Island Beach (June 23, 1933; dissolved in 1965 and absorbed into Berkeley 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. 204. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> The township derives its name from its seaside location.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 13, 2015.</ref>

Even though Waretown constitutes only one incorporated community within Ocean Township, many people use "Waretown" to refer to all of Ocean Township.<ref>Riley, Michael. "Waretown: It's all in the name", Asbury Park Press, May 6, 2005. Accessed November 16, 2023. "Officially, the name of this community of 7,400 residents is Ocean Township.... People who arrive there from Exit 69 of the Garden State Parkway know the place as Waretown, which is what the original settlers called the village when they named it after their leader, whose name, incidentally, was Abraham Waier, not Abraham Ware."</ref><ref>Staff. "Ocean mayor visits other Ocean", Asbury Park Press, November 21, 2006.</ref> The local custom is so widespread that it surprises some new residents that the official name is Ocean Township. Non-residents have been known to confuse Ocean Township with the Ocean Township of Monmouth County. There was a petition drive in 2006 to get a name change to Township of Waretown on the ballot but it failed to obtain enough signatures.<ref>"Waretown activist plans to try again.", Ocean County Observer, August 22, 2006.</ref> The Waretown neighborhood is home to Albert Music Hall.<ref name=AlbertMusicHallWaretown>Albert Music Hall, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed July 10, 2023.</ref>

The name Waretown is derived from Abraham Weair (1683–1768), who came to the area with a colony of Rogerine Baptists (Quaker Baptists) Template:Circa. When the colony left the area eleven years later, Weair, who had built a sawmill, stayed behind and became a prominent member of the community.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

During the American Revolutionary War, British ships sailed into the nearby Barnegat Inlet in an attempt to protect their New York-bound supply vessels from attacks by local privateers sailing schooners and whaleboats. Another British objective was to destroy Newlin's salt works, a local supplier of a crucial commodity to the Revolutionary army, needed for food preservation and gunpowder manufacture.<ref name="Welcome to Ocean Township">Template:Cite web</ref> A massacre of local patriots occurred in October, 1782, when Captain John Bacon, loyal to the British crown, led a surprise attack on Long Beach.<ref name="Welcome to Ocean Township"/>

During the War of 1812, the British returned to Barnegat Inlet to blockade the Jersey coast. Local privateers were caught and their schooners burned.<ref name="Welcome to Ocean Township"/>

In the 1700s and 1800s, Waretown was a shipbuilding center. Vessels such as barques, barkentines, sloops, schooners, whaleboats and sneakboxes were constructed of white cedar native to the area. During this period, many sea captains built stately homes on bay front lots.<ref name="Welcome to Ocean Township"/>

Around the turn of the twentieth century, Waretown fishermen sold oysters, clams and scallops to dealers such as the Fulton Fish Market in New York City. Other local industries included charcoal production, cranberry farming and "mossing," or gathering sphagnum moss for sale to florists. Local hunters supplied New York and Philadelphia with wildfowl via the railroads.<ref name="Welcome to Ocean Township"/> Waretown became known for its hunting and fishing grounds, and celebrities like Presidents Grover Cleveland and William McKinley, baseball great Babe Ruth, and Wild West entertainer Buffalo Bill Cody came to participate in these pursuits.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

During World War II, blimps cruised along the Jersey coast looking for German U-boats. Local fishermen reported periscopes of U-boats within 20 miles of the shore. As a precaution, troops were stationed in town at the Bayview Hotel on Barnegat Bay.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1960, the landmark structure burned to the ground, nearly 70 years after its opening in 1890.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 32.81 square miles (84.97 km²), including 21.10 square miles (54.65 km²) of land and 11.70 square miles (30.31 km²) of water (35.67%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Waretown (with a 2010 Census population of 1,569<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Waretown CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Ocean Township.<ref>GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref>2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref name=CPH232>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Brookville, Wells Mills, Pebble Beach, Barnegat Beach, Holiday Beach, Sands Point Harbor, Skippers Cove, Bay Haven and Dogtown.<ref>Barnegat Branch Trail, Trail Signs, Welcome to Ocean Township. Accessed May 31, 2018.</ref>

The township borders the Ocean County municipalities of Barnegat Light, Barnegat Township, Berkeley Township, Lacey Township and Long Beach Township.<ref>Areas touching Ocean Township, MapIt. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>Ocean County Map Template:Webarchive, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering Template:Convert, that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve.<ref>The Pinelands National Reserve, New Jersey Pinelands Commission. Accessed November 27, 2013.</ref> All of the township is included in either the state-designated Pinelands Area or the Pinelands National Reserve, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.<ref>Pinelands Municipalities, New Jersey Pinelands Commission, April 2003. Accessed November 27, 2013.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 8,332 people, 3,483 households, and 2,557 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,291 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 96.75% (8,061) White, 0.59% (49) Black or African American, 0.13% (11) Native American, 1.08% (90) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.46% (38) from other races, and 0.98% (82) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% (230) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 3,483 households, 20.2% had children under the age of 18; 60.8% were married couples living together; 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.6% were non-families. Of all households, 20.9% were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.76.<ref name=Census2010/>

16.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.7 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $74,736 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,360) and the median family income was $75,815 (+/− $7,572). Males had a median income of $49,189 (+/− $9,450) versus $33,250 (+/− $10,524) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,895 (+/− $4,315). About 0.9% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Ocean township, Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 6,450 people, 2,446 households, and 1,743 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,981 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 97.33% White, 0.74% African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Ocean township, Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Ocean township, Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

There were 2,446 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.3 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the township was $46,461, and the median income for a family was $55,379. Males had a median income of $39,149 versus $32,188 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,830. About 5.6% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Parks and recreation

Park facilities in Ocean Township include:<ref>Parks, Township of Ocean, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref>

• Waretown Lake and Recreation Area includes a swimming lake, tennis courts, children's playset, picnic tables and a covered pavilion.
• Tuomey Park includes a baseball field, basketball courts, horseshoe pits, children's playset and picnic tables.
• Crystal Bay Peninsula Park includes benches and picnic tables.
• Waretown Municipal Dock, end of Bryant Road, includes a fishing pier.
• Sands Point Park/Boat Ramp includes a fishing pier, fish cleaning facility, boat launch, trailer parking, tennis courts, children's playset and picnic tables.
• Wells Mills County Park is the largest county park, covering more than Template:Convert of Pinelands forest managed by the Ocean County Department of Parks and Recreation. Included are Template:Convert of marked trails for hiking and biking, a freshwater lake for fishing and boating, rental canoes in season, a picnic area, playground, and the Wells Mills Nature Center with the Elizabeth Meirs Morgan Observation Deck. In the late 1800s, the Estlow family built two adjacent sawmills on the property, giving the name of the park its plural nature. The first person to dam the Oyster Creek and build a sawmill in this locale was James Wells in the late 1700s.<ref>Wells Mills County Park Trail Map, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref>
• Barnegat Branch Trail is an Ocean County rail trail that runs through Ocean Township along an abandoned rail corridor of the Barnegat Branch Division of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. When completed, the trail will extend Template:Convert from Barnegat to Toms River. Seven continuous miles of the trail are open from Barnegat to Lacey Township, plus several shorter segments.<ref>Barnegat Branch Trail, Ocean County, New Jersey Department of Planning. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref>

Government

Local government

Ocean 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.<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 Township Committee is comprised of three 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 one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2006, p. 49.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.<ref name=Committee/><ref>Form of Government, Township of Ocean. Accessed August 11, 2022. "Voters Elect: Township Committee 3 or 5 members, elected at-large. Staggered, 3 year terms. Partisan; Organization Of Governing Bod: First week in January MAYOR Elected by Township Committee for 1 year term. Chairs Committee with voice and vote. Head of municipal government."</ref>

Template:As of, Township Committee members are Mayor Ben LoParo (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2022), Deputy Mayor Kenneth Baulderstone (R, term on committee ends 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2022) and Lydia Dodd (R, 2024).<ref name=Committee>Township Committee, Township of Ocean. Accessed August 11, 2022. "Voters elect the township committee's three members. The elections are partisan and the committee members serve three-year staggered terms. The Township Committee elects the mayor for a one-year term."</ref><ref>2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Township of Ocean. Accessed August 11, 2022.</ref><ref name=OceanProfile>Township of Ocean, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 11, 2022.</ref><ref name=OceanOfficials>2022 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated April 1, 2022. Accessed May 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Ocean2021>2021 General Election Official Results, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Ocean2020>2020 General Election November 3, 2020 Official results, Ocean County, New Jersey, updated December 2, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Ocean2019>2019 General Election Official Results November 5, 2019, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=Ocean2018>2018 General Election Official Results November 6, 2018, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 19, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>

In July 2009, local Republican party member and former Mayor Daniel Van Pelt was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of a statewide money laundering investigation. In May 2010, Van Pelt was convicted on federal corruption charges, and had been scheduled to be sentenced to federal prison on November 4, 2010.<ref>Spoto, MaryAnn. "Ex-N.J. Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt is convicted of taking $10K bribe", The Star-Ledger, May 19, 2010. Accessed July 29, 2013. "Van Pelt, a former Ocean Township mayor and committeeman, brings to 19 the number of people who have been convicted or pleaded guilty in the investigation."</ref>

Federal, state, and county representation

Ocean Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 9th 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>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 6,245 registered voters in Ocean Township, of which 1,017 (16.3%) were registered as Democrats, 2,095 (33.5%) were registered as Republicans and 3,128 (50.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Ocean, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 75.0% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 89.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|66.7% 4,085	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|31.7% 1,939	1.6% 96
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|65.8% 4,026	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|32.4% 1,981	1.8% 88
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|68.4% 3,526	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|28.6% 1,474	3.0% 154
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref name="2012Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|62.4% 2,881	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|36.7% 1,693	0.9% 42
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|60.0% 2,654	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|37.6% 1,665	1.4% 64
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|61.2% 2,125	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|37.5% 1,304	0.7% 34

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 79.2% of the vote (2,577 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 19.4% (631 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (45 votes), among the 3,307 ballots cast by the township's 6,555 registered voters (54 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.5%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.5% of the vote (2,274 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.0% (841 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.3% (178 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (38 votes), among the 3,370 ballots cast by the township's 6,082 registered voters, yielding a 55.4% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Ocean County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Education

For pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, public school students attend the Ocean Township School District.<ref>Public Schools Directory 2019-2020; Living & Learning in Ocean County, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed June 9, 2020.</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 510 students and 53.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.5:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Ocean Township 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 Ocean Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Waretown Elementary School<ref>Waretown Elementary School, Ocean Township School District. Accessed June 9, 2020.</ref> with an enrollment of 309 students in Pre-K to 3rd grade and Frederic A. Priff Elementary School<ref>Frederic A. Priff Elementary School Template:Webarchive, Ocean Township School District. Accessed June 9, 2020.</ref> with 198 students in grades 4–6.<ref>Schools, Ocean Township School District. Accessed June 9, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Ocean Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. February 1, 2024.</ref>

For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the schools of the Southern Regional School District, which serves the five municipalities in the Long Beach Island Consolidated School District—Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom and Surf City—along with students from Beach Haven and Stafford Township, together with the students from Ocean Township who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship.<ref>Southern Regional High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 2, 2016. "Located in Manahawkin, the Southern Regional School District draws from the constituent districts of Long Beach Township, Beach Haven, Surf City, Ship Bottom, Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars and Stafford Township, as well as the tuition sending district of Ocean Township (Waretown).</ref><ref>About Us, Southern Regional School District. Accessed May 31, 2024. "Our school is a 7-12 comprehensive regional high school district. Our middle school covers grades 7-8 and our high school covers grades 9-12. The district is comprised of the constituent members of Stafford Township, Beach Haven, Long Beach Township, (which includes the municipalities of Loveladies, North Beach, High Bar Harbor and Brant Beach and Long Beach Township) Barnegat Light, Harvey Cedars, Ship Bottom, and Surf City. Waretown is our sending district."</ref> Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Southern Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Southern Regional Middle School<ref>Southern Regional Middle School, Southern Regional School District. Accessed January 20, 2020.</ref> with 934 students in grades 7–8 and Southern Regional High School<ref>Southern Regional High School, Southern Regional School District. Accessed January 20, 2020.</ref> with 1,952 students in grades 9–12.<ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Southern Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Both schools are in the Manahawkin section of Stafford Township.

Transportation

Roads and highways

File:2018-09-16 15 45 21 View north along New Jersey State Route 444 (Garden State Parkway) just south of Exit 69 in Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg

The Garden State Parkway northbound in Ocean Township

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

The Garden State Parkway (accessible via Exit 69) and U.S. Route 9 both pass through the township, as does County Route 532. The Parkway connects Barnegat Township in the south to Lacey Township in the north<ref>Garden State Parkway Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, January 1997. Accessed September 8, 2014.</ref> and includes interchange 69 for CR 532, which is signed for Waretown / Forked River.<ref>Travel Resources: Interchanges, Service Areas & Commuter Lots, New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Accessed September 8, 2014.</ref>

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Atlantic City on the 559 bus route.<ref>Ocean County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 26, 2010. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Ocean Ride local service is provided on the Waretown Shoppers Loop route.<ref>Ocean County Bus Service Template:Webarchive, Greater Mercer TMA. Accessed August 11, 2015.</ref><ref>Ocean Ride Rider's Guide Template:Webarchive, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 11, 2015.</ref><ref>Ocean County Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 11, 2015.</ref>

Points of Interest

• Albert Music Hall is located in the Waretown neighborhood.<ref name=AlbertMusicHallWaretown/> Sometimes called the "Grand Ol' Opry of the Pinelands", Albert Music Hall offers Saturday night concerts of country, bluegrass and folk music by bands from the tri-state area.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The venue had its origins in the 1950s when Joseph and George Albert began hosting musical gatherings at the "Home Place," their deer lodge cabin in the Brookville section of Waretown. In 1975, the Pinelands Cultural Society was incorporated to construct a building for the preservation and promotion of the cultural history and activities of the Pinelands, including the music. Since its dedication in 1997, Albert Music Hall has hosted over 330,000 visitors. In 2000, Albert Music Hall was inducted into the American Folklore Center, Local Legacies Collection Archive in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.<ref>PCS/Albert Music Hall Chronological Fact Sheet, Albert Music Hall. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref>
• Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education, 7th Street and Navaho Drive. Located on Template:Convert of coastal habitats adjacent to Barnegat Bay, the Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education has a mission of ecological leadership through education, research and interpretation. Facilities include the "Experience Barnegat Bay" trail with eight learning stations, a Template:Convert pier into Barnegat Bay, a marine station, boat house, cabins, dormitories, a lodge, dining hall, computer lab and other recreational facilities. The site is largely handicapped accessible. A foundation operates the 501(c)(3) facility under a license agreement with the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.<ref>About Us, Lighthouse Center for Natural Resource Education. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
• The Little Red School House and Museum, which was in use between 1875 and 1958, was replicated near Waretown Lake and established as a museum.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The site serves as the meeting place for the Waretown Historical Society and is open to the public 1–3 p.m. on Fridays in July and August.<ref>Historical Society, Township of Ocean, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed March 2, 2020.</ref>

Notable people

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

• Kenneth G. Miller (born 1956), geologist at Rutgers University<ref>Kenneth G. Miller Template:Webarchive, Rutgers University Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Accessed November 27, 2013. "A resident of Pennington, NJ, Ken grew up in Medford, NJ in the heart of the pine barrens and still owns a house in Waretown, NJ, the home of the sounds of the NJ pines, where he watches the inexorable rise in sea level from his deck 16 ft above Barnegat Bay."</ref>
• George E. Smith (born 1930), winner of the 2009 Nobel Prize winner in Physics for his work on the charge-coupled device<ref>Staff. "NJ man's discovery lands Nobel Prize", WPVI-TV, October 6, 2009. Accessed November 27, 2013. "George E. Smith, 79, holds a display with a photograph of the first video telephone and some early CCD chips at his home in Waretown, N.J., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, after it was announced that he had won the Nobel Prize in physics."</ref>
• Daniel Van Pelt (born 1964), politician who served as Ocean Township's mayor and in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2008 to 2009, when he resigned after being arrested in connection with Operation Bid Rig on federal corruption charges for allegedly accepting a $10,000 bribe<ref>Spoto, MaryAnn. "Corruption trial opens for former N.J. Assemblyman Daniel Van Pelt", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 5, 2010. Accessed September 13, 2015. "Van Pelt, a former mayor and committeeman of Ocean Township in Ocean County, is accused of accepting a $10,000 bribe from Dwek, who was posing as fictitious developer David Esenbach, to speed along the permitting process for a development project in Van Pelt's Shore community."</ref>
• Sung J. Woo (born 1971), author<ref>Galante, Meredith. "South Korean man draws on his experience of immigrating to Jersey as basis for award-winning book and his coming to terms with his cultural differences", The Star-Ledger, January 7, 2011. Accessed September 13, 2015. "Woo could only count to 10 in English before arriving. To him, life on West Park Avenue in Ocean Township looked a lot like where he lived in Doug Kyo Doug neighborhood about 20 miles from downtown Seoul: the suburbs."</ref>

External links

• Ocean Township website