Ocean Grove

History

In July 1869, Reverend W. B. Osborn, Reverend Stokes, and other Methodist ministers camped at a shaded, well-drained spot on New Jersey's seashore and decided to establish a permanent Christian camp meeting community called "Ocean Grove". This followed a search of the Jersey Shore for a place not infested with mosquitoes. About twenty tents were pitched that summer. In 1870, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was incorporated and land was purchased. The property was laid out into lots and roadways. The lots were leased for 99 years with the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association retaining ownership. Residents were expected to follow the strict Methodist social norms of the era which included prohibitions of alcohol, tobacco, cards, dancing, the reading of novels, and chewing gum. Nine wells were driven in 1870 to provide fresh water. The first was eventually named the "Beersheba" well, for an ancient well used by the Biblical patriarchs Abraham and Isaac. It is still in existence under a photogenic 1881 gazebo, This had a significant effect on the development of a close-knit community. People looking to get away for the weekend typically avoided the Grove (the beach was closed on Sunday, too). That meant the visitors were likely to be coming for a week-long visit or more. Most came to attend programs sponsored by the Camp Meeting. President Ulysses S. Grant visited Ocean Grove during his time in office and made his last public appearance in this town. Other presidents to speak on the grounds included James Garfield, William McKinley, Teddy Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Richard Nixon. Heavyweight boxing champions James J. Corbett and Max Baer and department store magnate F.W. Woolworth were among the celebrities of the day who vacationed in Ocean Grove. These…

Geography

Ocean Grove is in southeastern Monmouth County, in the eastern part of Neptune Township. It is the only part of Neptune Township to touch the Atlantic Ocean. New Jersey Route 71 (South Main Street) forms the western edge of the community. Route 71 leads north into Asbury Park and to the southern part of Long Branch, while to the south it passes through Bradley Beach and leads less than to Belmar. New Jersey Route 33 has its eastern terminus at Route 71 on the western border of Ocean Grove. Route 33 leads west to Freehold, the Monmouth county seat, and to Trenton, the state capital. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Ocean Grove has an area of , including of land and of water (12.71%).

Race & ethnicity