Point Pleasant Beach

History

The area that includes Point Pleasant Beach was first occupied by the Lenape Native Americans. On September 2, 1609, Henry Hudson and the crew of his ship, Half Moon, noticed the area on their way north to explore the Hudson River. Crew member Robert Juet noted in his journal, "This is a very good Land to fall with and a pleasant Land to see." The first European settlers were fisherman and farmers who first arrived in the 18th century. Summer tourism began in the early 19th century when Quaker Thomas Cook Jr. opened his farmhouse on the site of the current Antrim Elementary School to boarders, which began the trend that transformed the area into an oceanfront haven for visitors, a trend further established in the 1870 by Captain John Arnold, who built a roadway to the ocean, now known as Arnold Avenue. In 1875, he built the first bridge over the Manasquan River, linking the town to Brielle. He later convinced the Central Jersey Railroad to extend its service to Point Pleasant Beach, which it did beginning on July 3, 1880. The Borough of Point Pleasant Beach was established on June 2, 1886. The undamaged vessel was successfully re-floated on the spring tide of February 14 and continued on her voyage from Cape Town to New York. In October 2012, Point Pleasant Beach and numerous other Jersey Shore communities, such as Seaside Heights and Long Beach Island, were devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Nearly of the borough's boardwalk was destroyed, with the cost of repairs estimated as up to $2 million. After Hurricane Sandy a seawall was constructed to protect the area from future storms. In addition, the borough required residents who wished to rebuild their homes to elevate them on pilings above the height of Sandy's storm surge.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.74 square miles (4.50 km2), including 1.42 square miles (3.68 km2) of land and 0.32 square miles (0.82 km2) of water (18.22%). The borough borders the municipalities of Bay Head and Point Pleasant in Ocean County; and both Brielle and Manasquan in Monmouth County.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Lakewood High School
  High · LAKEWOOD · 1,423 students · 17.1:1 ratio
• Brick Township Memorial High School
  High · BRICK · 1,320 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Toms River Intermediate School East
  Middle · TOMS RIVER · 1,294 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Brick Township High School
  High · BRICK TOWN · 1,267 students · 12.5:1 ratio
• Lakewood Middle School
  Middle · LAKEWOOD · 995 students · 10.8:1 ratio
• Lake Riviera Middle School
  Middle · BRICK · 908 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• Point Pleasant Borough High School
  High · POINT PLEASANT · 898 students · 11.1:1 ratio
• Veterans Memorial Middle School
  Middle · BRICK TOWN · 871 students · 10.8:1 ratio