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Middletown Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Middletown
Christ Episcopal Church
Seal
Motto(s): The Biggest Small Town in New Jersey
Map of Middletown Township in Monmouth County. Inset (left): Monmouth County highlighted within New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Middletown Township, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°24′26″N 74°04′16″W / 40.407306°N 74.071121°W / 40.407306; -74.071121Coordinates: 40°24′26″N 74°04′16″W / 40.407306°N 74.071121°W / 40.407306; -74.071121[1][2]
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Monmouth
Formed	October 31, 1693
Incorporated	February 21, 1798
Government[7]
• Type	Special Charter
• Body	Township Committee
• Mayor	Stephanie C. Murray (R, term ends December 31, 2018)[3][4]
• Administrator	Anthony P. Mercantante[5]
• Municipal clerk	Heidi R. Brunt[6]
Area[1]
• Total	58.735 sq mi (152.122 km2)
• Land	40.989 sq mi (106.160 km2)
• Water	17.746 sq mi (45.962 km2)  30.21%
Area rank	23rd of 566 in state 2nd of 53 in county[1]
Elevation[8]	98 ft (30 m)
Population (2010 Census)[9][10][11]
• Total	66,522
• Estimate (2016)[12]	65,482
• Rank	16th of 566 in state 1st of 53 in county[13]
• Density	1,622.9/sq mi (626.6/km2)
• Density rank	321st of 566 in state 40th of 53 in county[13]
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP codes[14]	07748 – Middletown[15] 07701 – Red Bank[16] 07716 – Atlantic Highlands[17] 07718 – Belford[18] 07732 – Highlands[19] 07733 – Holmdel[20] 07737 – Leonardo[21] 07738 – Lincroft[22] 07752 – Navesink[23] 07758 – Port Monmouth[24] 07760 – Locust[25]
Area code(s)	732 and 908[26]
FIPS code	3402545990[1][27][28]
GNIS feature ID	0882604[1][29]
Website	www.middletownnj.org

Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 66,522,^[9][10][11] making it the state's 16th largest municipality, having seen an increase of 195 residents (0.3%) from its population of 66,327 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 17th most populous municipality,^[30] which had in turn declined by 1,856 (−2.7%) from the 68,183 counted in the 1990 Census.^[31] Middletown is one of the oldest sites of European settlement in New Jersey.^[32]

Due to its affluence, low crime, access to cultural activities, public school system, and central commuting location, Middletown was ranked in 2006, 2008, and 2010, and 2014 Top 100 in CNNMoney.com's Best Places to Live.^{[33][34][35][36]}Time magazine listed Middletown on its list of "Best Places to Live 2014".^[37]

In 2016, SafeWise named Middletown Township as the fifth-safest city in America to raise a child; the township was the highest ranked of the 12 communities in New Jersey included on the list.^[38]

History

Small communities of the Lenape Navesink tribe were common throughout the area when the first known European landing in what would become Middletown Township occurred in 1609. Sea captain and explorer Henry Hudson, in search of the mythical Northwest Passage in the service of the Dutch West India Company, anchored along the shores of Sandy Hook Bay in 1609, describing the area "a very good land to fall in with and a pleasant land to see."^[39] While a patroonship was granted by the company in 1651 the land wasn't officially settled. Today's Shoal Harbor Museum and Old Spy House includes portions of a house constructed by Thomas Whitlock, one of the area's first European settlers (and a Reformed Baptist at Middletown^[40]) who arrived here as early as 1664,^[41] before the English conquest of New Netherland began in 1665 as part of the Second Anglo-Dutch War.^[39] Long-standing tradition had Penelope Stout, one of the first settlers, hiding in a tree from hostile Native Americans.^[42]

Shortly after the Dutch surrender of the New Netherland to the English in 1664 a large tract of land known as the Navesink Patent or Monmouth Tract was granted to Baptist and Quaker settlers from Long Island, Rhode Island and Massachusetts, which soon thereafter became the townships of Middletown and Shrewsbury.^[43]

During the American Revolutionary War, Middletown and much of the rest of Eastern Monmouth County was held by the British. After the Battle of Monmouth, the British retreat from Freehold Township, New Jersey carried them down King's Highway in Middletown to their embarkation points at Sandy Hook in the bay, heading back to New York City.^[39][44]

Middletown Township was originally formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Atlantic Township (February 8, 1847, now Colts Neck Township), Raritan Township (February 25, 1848, now Hazlet Township), Atlantic Highlands (February 28, 1887), Highlands (March 22, 1900) and Keansburg (March 22, 1917).^[45]

Upon the completion of a railroad junction in 1875, the town grew more rapidly, eventually changing from a group of small and loosely connected fishing and agricultural villages into a fast-growing suburb at the turn of the 20th century. If Middletown ever had a recognizable town center or town square, it was lost in that rapid growth soon after World War II.

In May 1958, several Nike Ajax missiles exploded at Battery NY-53 in Chapel Hill, killing ten Army and civilian personnel. The accident was one of the worst missile-related disasters of the Cold War.^[46][47]

The Waterfront site of Naval Weapons Station Earle is located in Leonardo on Sandy Hook Bay, and is used to load ammunition onto ships on a finger pier that stretches for 2.9 miles (4.7 km), making it the world's second-longest such pier.^[48]

The "Evil Clown of Middletown" is a towering sign along Route 35 painted to resemble a circus clown, that currently advertises a liquor store. The sign is a remnant of an old supermarket that used to be at that location called "Food Circus". The clown and recent successful attempts from residents to save it from demolition have been featured in the pages of Weird NJ magazine, on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and in the Kevin Smith-directed film Clerks II.^[49]

The Indian Trails 15K road race is held each year in April to benefit the Monmouth Conservation Foundation and includes a 5K walk/run event for fun. The race, run on a combination on paved and dirt roads, includes many relatively steep hills and has been described as "the most challenging race in the state".^[50]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 58.735 square miles (152.122 km²), including 40.989 square miles (106.160 km²) of land and 17.746 square miles (45.962 km²) of water (30.21%).^[1][2]

Belford (2010 Census population of 1,768),^[51]Fairview (3,806),^[52]Leonardo (2,757),^[53]Lincroft (6,135),^[54]Navesink (2,020),^[55]North Middletown (3,295)^[56] and Port Monmouth (3,818)^[57] are all census-designated places and unincorporated communities located within Middletown Township.^[58][59][60]

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Browns Dock, Chapel Hill, East Keansburg, Everett, Fort Hancock, Harmony, Headdons Corner, Hendrickson Corners,^{[citation needed]}, Highland Park, Highlands Beach, Highlands of Navesink, Holland,^{[citation needed]}Leonardville, Locust, Locust Point, Monmouth Hills,^{[citation needed]}New Monmouth, Normandie, Oak Hill, Philips Mills, Red Hill,^{[citation needed]}River Plaza,^{[citation needed]}Stone Church,^{[citation needed]}Tiltons Corner, Town Brook, Waterwitch Park and Wilmont Park.^[61]

The Sandy Hook peninsula is also within Middletown Township, though it is not connected to the rest of the township by land. However, one could sail along Raritan Bay from the mainland to Sandy Hook and remain within Middletown Township.^[39][62]

The township borders the Monmouth County communities of Atlantic Highlands, Colts Neck Township, Fair Haven, Hazlet Township, Highlands, Holmdel Township, Keansburg, Red Bank, Rumson, Sea Bright and Tinton Falls.^[63]

Poricy Creek (Poricy Park, Oak Hill Road) is locally well known for its deposits of Cretaceous marine fossils, including belemnites.^[64]

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 66,522 people, 23,962 households, and 18,235 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,622.9 per square mile (626.6/km²). There were 24,959 housing units at an average density of 608.9 per square mile (235.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.89% (62,456) White, 1.31% (869) Black or African American, 0.10% (67) Native American, 2.60% (1,730) Asian, 0.01% (8) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (537) from other races, and 1.29% (855) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.37% (3,569) of the population.^[9]

There were 23,962 households out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.5% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.22.^[9]

In the township, the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 31.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.1 males.^[9]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $96,190 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,818) and the median family income was $110,944 (+/− $3,794). Males had a median income of $78,739 (+/− $3,585) versus $52,752 (+/− $2,573) for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,792 (+/− $1,706). About 1.7% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.^[78]

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 66,327 people, 23,236 households, and 18,100 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,613.0 people per square mile (622.8/km²). There were 23,841 housing units at an average density of 579.8 per square mile (223.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.71% White, 1.21% African American, 0.07% Native American, 2.59% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.^[76][77]

There were 23,236 households out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.9% 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 2.84 and the average family size was 3.27.^[76][77]

In the township the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males.^[76][77]

The median income for a household in the township was $75,566, and the median income for a family was $86,124. Males had a median income of $60,755 versus $36,229 for females. The per capita income for the township was $34,196. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 105 or over.^[76][77]

Government

Local government

The Township Committee operates under a special charter approved on June 23, 1971, by the New Jersey Legislature; The charter preserves many aspects of the Township form of government. Middletown Township is governed by a five-member Township Committee, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each for a one-year term. The Township Committee establishes municipal policies and programs and appropriates funds.^[7]

As of 2018^[update], members of the Middletown Township Committee are Mayor Stephanie C. Murray (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2020; term as mayor ends 2018), Deputy Mayor Kevin M. Settembrino (R, term on committee ends 2019; term as deputy mayor ends 2018), Anthony P. "Tony" Fiore (R, 2020), Rick Hibell (R, 2019; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Anthony S. Perry (R, 2018; appointed to serve an unexpired term).^{[3][79][80][81][82][83]}

In February 2018, the Township Committee selected Rick Hibell to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated by Gerard Scharfenberger after he resigned and took office on the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders; Hibell will serve on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election, when voters will select a candidate to fill the balance of the term of office.^[84]

In November 2017, the committee chose Anthony Perry, the son-in-law of then-Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been vacated by Stephen G. Massell the previous month when he resigned from office to accept a position on the Monmouth County Tax Board.^[85][86]

In October 2006, Middletown councilman and former four-term mayor Raymond J. O'Grady (R) was sentenced to 43 months in federal prison on bribery and extortion charges arising from his involvement in a federal sting operation known as Operation Bid Rig targeting political corruption in New Jersey. O'Grady committed to obtain no-bid contracts after he had accepted bribes from contractors in exchange for the work.^[87]

Federal, state, and county representation

Middletown Township is split between the 4th and 6th Congressional Districts^[88] and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.^[10][89][90] Prior to the 2010 Census, Middletown Township had been split between the 6th Congressional District and the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.^[91] The split that took effect in 2013 placed 30,866 residents living in the township's southeast in the 4th District, while 35,656 residents in the northern and eastern portions of the township were placed in the 6th District.^[88][92]

New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Christopher Smith (R).^[93]New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch).^[94] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2021)^[95] and Bob Menendez (Paramus, 2019).^[96][97]

For the 2018–2019 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 13th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Declan O'Scanlon (R, Little Silver) and in the General Assembly by Amy Handlin (R, Middletown Township) and Serena DiMaso (R, Holmdel Township).^[98][99] The Governor of New Jersey is Phil Murphy (D, Middletown Township).^[100] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Sheila Oliver (D, East Orange).^[101]

Monmouth County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director.^[102] As of 2018^[update], Monmouth County's Freeholders are
Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone (R, Neptune City, term as freeholder ends December 31, 2019; term as freeholder director ends 2018),^[103]
Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township, term as freeholder ends 2020; term as deputy director ends 2018),^[104]
John P. Curley (R, Middletown Township, 2018),^[105]
Patrick G. Impreveduto (R, Holmdel Township, 2020)^[106] and
Dr. Gerry P. Scharfenberger (R, Middletown Township, 2019; appointed to serve an unexpired term).^[107][108] Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
County clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon (R, 2020; Ocean Township),^[109][110]Sheriff Shaun Golden (R, 2019; Howell Township)^[111][112] and
Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (R, 2021; Middletown Township).^[113]

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 46,628 registered voters in Middletown Township, of which 10,222 (21.9%) were registered as Democrats, 11,674 (25.0%) were registered as Republicans and 24,701 (53.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 31 voters registered to other parties.^[114]

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote (18,426 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.4% (12,801 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (448 votes), among the 37,742 ballots cast by the township's 48,011 registered voters (6,067 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 78.6%.^[115][116] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.9% of the vote (20,997 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.8% (15,058 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (404 votes), among the 36,887 ballots cast by the township's 48,174 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.6%.^[117] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.2% of the vote (21,317 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.6% (13,651 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (301 votes), among the 35,403 ballots cast by the township's 46,022 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.^[118]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.5% of the vote (15,145 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.8% (4,834 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (337 votes), among the 20,555 ballots cast by the township's 47,933 registered voters (239 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.9%.^[119][120] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.3% of the vote (16,351 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 25.8% (6,265 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.7% (1,382 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (188 votes), among the 24,298 ballots cast by the township's 47,422 registered voters, yielding a 51.2% turnout.^[121]

Emergency services

Middletown has some of the largest emergency service departments in the area. The police and fire departments celebrated a joint 75th Anniversary in 2003.^[122] As of November 2016, Middletown Township switched their radio system over to county dispatch as part of an effort to save an estimated $1 million per year by eliminating 15 dispatchers.^[123]

Police

The Middletown Township Police Department is the largest police force in Monmouth County, with 112 sworn officers.^[124] The Middletown Township Police Department was formed on May 15, 1928 with the hiring of its first full-time police officer, Earl N. Hoyer. His appointment read Patrolman / Chief of Police, at an annual salary of $125.00.^[125]

The Rude Awakening Program educates the youth and their parents about alcohol abuse and its position as a gateway drug to further and harsher drugs and substance abuse. The program is specifically designed to educate the student in the life altering ramifications of drinking and driving.^[126] The program is mainly backed by the police department and has later encompassed EMS and fire into the program for vehicle extrication demonstrations.

Fire department

The Middletown Township Fire Department (referred to as MTFD, Monmouth County agency prefix 31 and 71) consists of 11 fire companies plus additional specialized units spread throughout the town and is composed of 500 volunteers.^[127][128] It is commonly stated that the Middletown Township Fire Department is "The World's Largest All Volunteer Fire Department".^[129]

Fire companies

The companies, in order of creation, are as follows:

• Navesink Hook and Ladder Fire Company No. 1 on May 1, 1886^[130][131]
  


• Brevent Park & Leonardo Fire Company on October 16, 1903


• Belford Chemical Engine Company No. 1 on August 14, 1916^[132]
  


• Community Fire Company of Leonardo on September 9, 1922^[133]
  


• East Keansburg Fire Company No. 1 in 1922


• Port Monmouth Fire Company No. 1 in November 1922


• Belford Independent Fire Company in 1923


• Middletown Fire Company No. 1 in April 1924


• River Plaza Hose Company No. 1 on December 8, 1927

For a time these companies acted separately until August 28, 1928, when all the individual companies were brought together to form the current fire department. Since then, two more companies have been formed:

• Lincroft Fire Company in May 1932


• Old Village Fire Company on September 7, 1955

Later, the individual companies took on station numbers with regard to their creation date. Navesink becoming Station #1 and Old Village becoming Station #11.

Specialized units

There are other special units besides the main fire companies. The MTFD has its own Fire Police Unit, Air Unit, and Special Services Unit (SSU).

• MTFD Fire Police controls fire scenes and ensures that civilians are kept away


• The Air Unit provides service for firefighter SCBA equipment and also has a mobile air compressor truck to refill air bottles at the scene of a fire. This truck responds outside of Middletown to neighboring towns as requested.


• MTFD Special Services Emergency Response Team provides Level A hazardous material emergency response, technical and mass decontamination, structural collapse rescue, emergency shoring, high & low angle rope rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue and various other technical rescue capabilities to Township of Middletown as well as neighboring towns as requested or under contract by certain towns.


• The Brevent Park and Leonardo Fire Company is the owner of a marine fireboat that can be requested throughout the Bayshore community for scenes on the water involving fire and water rescue.

Fire academy

The Middletown Township Fire Academy was established in 1974 to provide basic firefighter training to the township's volunteers. A tract of land was donated off of Normandy Road for the cause and the volunteer firefighters built its beginnings themselves. Classes began in trailers until a suitable classroom building was constructed. A small wooden multi-floor building sitting on buried telephone poles was the earliest training structure. Later a proper "smokehouse" made of cinder block served firefighters until 2007 when it was closed. The classroom building and smokehouse are featured in the academy's logo.

A four-story corrugated steel "ladder tower" building was constructed as the academy's high rise prop. There are internal and external stairways with a standpipe and sprinkler system throughout, only fed with water by an engine during training. It also features trapdoors creating an internal column for rope rescue training. For a period of time there was a SCBA maze located in a lower room of the building until it was converted into a live burn room after the smokehouse was closed. Vehicle extrication as well as car and fuel fires are fought on the "burn pad" which is an open concrete area next to the smokehouse. Donated vehicles are brought in from various sources. Typically they are used first for extrication by a first aid or fire company and then later get burned for car fire training by another. Fuels fires are contained in drums or tanks that have been cut open.

A confined space prop was located next to the main parking lot which was a large pipe with access ways buried under dirt. Trench rescue simulations were also held near this prop. One of the more recent additions to the academy is the flashover chamber. A peaked roof prop sits in the middle of the academy which utilizes replaceable 4x8 plywood sheets for firefighters to practice cutting roofs. There was at one time a flat roof prop as well.

The Fire Academy's motto is "Training the Best, for the Worst". Firefighter I (aka "basic") classes are held in the spring and fall. Topics and graduation requirements surpass that of Monmouth County Fire Academy. Other courses from firefighting to Incident Command and more are offered by the academy. Other agencies also sponsor courses that use the facilities.

Aside from the Middletown Township fire companies and first aid squads, outside departments such as those from Jersey City, Bayonne, Fort Monmouth, and others have come to Middletown Township for training at the academy. The classrooms are also used by the Board of Education and for police training. The township's shooting range is located on the same property adjacent to the fire academy.

EMS

There are five squads that make up the Township of Middletown EMS Department (EMS) and provide Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulances to the township. They are:

• Middletown First Aid and Rescue Squad


• Fairview First Aid Squad


• Port Monmouth First Aid Squad


• Leonardo First Aid and Rescue Squad


• Lincroft First Aid and Rescue Squad

They are all volunteer as well.^[134] All except Port Monmouth have EMS rescue trucks with equipment to handle vehicle extrications and rope rescue. These squads also have boats and dive teams to perform rescue and recovery operations involving water which have been called out of town to assist with large area searches. Port Monmouth provides a bariatric unit, a converted ambulance, for severely overweight patients. It has been requested outside of Middletown Township as a back-up for MONOC's unit.

Advanced Life Support (ALS) or paramedics for the township and surrounding towns are provided by MONOC. The two primary paramedic units for Middletown Township are Medic 206 located at MTFD Station 8 (Middletown Fire Company No. 1) covering a majority of the town and Medic 201 located at South Aberdeen First Aid Squad in Aberdeen covering the Northwestern end of town. Other medic units from farther distances are dispatched when these are not available.

On October 2, 2016 Middletown Emergency Medical Services, Inc began service from 0500 to 1800, Monday to Friday. This agency provides NJ Department of Health Licensed basic life support with paid staff.

Education

The Middletown Township Public School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's 17 schools had an enrollment of 10,110 students and 706.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.32:1.^[135] Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics)^[136] are twelve elementary schools^[137] —
Bayview Elementary School^[138] (K-5; 421 students),
Fairview Elementary School^[139] (K-5; 339),
Harmony Elementary School^[140] (PreK-5; 499),
Leonardo Elementary School^[141] (K-5; 239),
Lincroft Elementary School^[142] (K-5; 532),
Middletown Village Elementary School^[143] (K-5; 447),
Navesink Elementary School^[144] (K-5; 298),
New Monmouth Elementary School^[145] (PreK-5; 495),
Nut Swamp Elementary School^[146] (K-5; 538),
Ocean Avenue Elementary School^[147] (K-5; 289),
Port Monmouth Elementary School^[148] (K-5; 249) and
River Plaza Elementary School^[149] (K-5; 319) —
three grade 6-8 middle schools^[150] —
Bayshore Middle School^[151] (697),
Thompson Middle School^[152] (938) and
Thorne Middle School^[153] (797) — and
two high schools for grades 9-12,^[154]Middletown High School North^[155] (1,581) and
Middletown High School South^[156] (1,432).^[157] Four elementary schools feed into each of the three middle schools.

Middletown also hosts two public magnet schools, High Technology High School, on the property of Brookdale Community College, located in the Lincroft section of town, and the Marine Academy of Science and Technology located on Sandy Hook, which are part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District.^[158]

Middletown Township is home to two private high schools. Christian Brothers Academy is an all-boys College preparatory school with a focus on Christian education run by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, located in Lincroft. Mater Dei High School is a four-year Catholic coeducational high school located in the New Monmouth section and operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.^[159]

Saint Mary School (for PreK-8, founded in 1953) in New Monmouth^[160] and Saint Leo the Great School (a National Blue Ribbon School founded in 1960) in Lincroft^[161] both operate as part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.^[159]Oak Hill Academy is an independent school for PreK-8 in Lincroft, that was founded in 1981.^[162]

Transportation

Roads and highways

The Garden State Parkway, the largest and busiest highway in Middletown

As of May 2010^[update], the township had a total of 350.16 miles (563.53 km) of roadways, of which 302.18 miles (486.31 km) were maintained by the municipality, 31.44 miles (50.60 km) by Monmouth County and 11.95 miles (19.23 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.59 miles (7.39 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.^[163]

The Garden State Parkway passes through the township, connecting Tinton Falls in the south to Holmdel Township in the north.^[164] The township includes Parkway interchange 109 which is signed for County Route 520 to Red Bank / Lincroft and interchange 114 for Holmdel / Middletown.^[165] There are three toll gates on the Parkway located in Middletown, two of them are at Exit 109 (northbound entry, southbound exit), and two at Exit 114 (northbound entry, with the southbound toll exit in Holmdel). Routes 35 and 36 pass through Middletown.

CR 516 travels through the northern part of the township and its eastern end is at Route 36 near Leonardo. County Route 520 passes through the southern portion of Middletown. Route 520 leads to Sea Bright to the east and eventually turns into CR 612 to the west, which connects to the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 8A in Monroe Township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit's provides rail service at the Middletown station^[166] which runs between New York City's Pennsylvania Station and Bay Head on the North Jersey Coast Line.^[167] NJ Transit is a major commuter rail system, with track-sharing agreements with Amtrak, Metro-North Railroad, Norfolk Southern, CSX Transportation, and Conrail Shared Assets.

NJ Transit offers local bus service on the 817, 833 and 834 routes.^[168]

Notable people

People who were born in, are residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Middletown Township include:

• 
  Mary Kay Adams (born 1962), actress on Babylon 5.^[169][170]
  


• 
  Joseph Azzolina (1926–2010), served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1966–72, 1986–88, and from 1992–2006.^[171]
  


• 
  Sebastian Bach (born 1968), heavy metal singer.^[172]
  


• 
  Virginia Bauer (born 1956), advocate for families of the victims of the September 11 terror attacks who is a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.^[173]
  


• 
  Vinnie Brand (born 1963), comedian.^[174][175]
  


• 
  Jon Bon Jovi (born 1962), musician.^[176][177]
  


• 
  Pete Capella (born 1977), voice actor and comedian.^[178]
  


• 
  Connie Chung (born 1946), TV journalist.^[179][180]
  


• 
  Donald De Lue (1897–1988), sculptor.^[181]
  


• 
  Billy Devaney (born 1955), General Manager of the St. Louis Rams.^[182]
  


• 
  Peter Dobson (born 1964), actor who had a cameo role in Forrest Gump as Elvis Presley.^[183]
  


• 
  Darren Fenster (born 1978), manager in the Boston Red Sox minor league system.^[184]
  


• 
  Tom Hanson (1907-1985), football halfback in the National Football League, mainly for the Philadelphia Eagles, for whom he caught the first touchdown in franchise history.^[185]
  


• 
  Siobhan Fallon Hogan (born 1961), former Saturday Night Live cast member.^[186]
  


• 
  Amy Handlin (born 1956), represents the 13th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[187]
  


• 
  Judith Rich Harris (born 1938), psychologist and author of The Nurture Assumption.^[188]
  


• 
  Debbie Harry (born 1945), singer-songwriter and actress, lead singer of the band Blondie.^[189]
  


• 
  Jerry Holbert, editorial cartoonist.^[190]
  


• 
  Ed Jones (born 1952), former defensive back for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League from 1976-1984, who won five Grey Cups for the Eskimos and was a CFL All-Star from 1979-1981.^[191]
  


• 
  Bill Kunkel (1936–1985), former Major League Baseball pitcher and umpire.^[192]
  


• 
  Jeff Kunkel (born 1962), former major-league shortstop.^[193]
  


• 
  Rick Lovato (born 1992), long snapper for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL).^[194]
  


• 
  Brian Lynch (born 1973), writer and director of films including Big Helium Dog.^[195]
  


• 
  Melanie McGuire (born 1972, née Slate), convicted of murder.^[196]
  


• 
  Knowshon Moreno (born 1987), current Miami Dolphins running back and 1st round draft choice of the Denver Broncos.^[197]
  


• 
  Phil Murphy (born 1957), financier, diplomat, and Governor of New Jersey following the 2017 gubernatorial election.^[198][199]
  


• 
  Olivia Nuzzi (born 1993), political journalist.^[200]
  


• 
  Christian Peter (born 1972), former NFL defensive tackle.^[201]
  


• 
  Jason Peter (born 1974), former NFL football player.^[202]
  


• 
  Maury Povich (born 1939), talk show personality.^[203]
  


• 
  Geraldo Rivera (born 1943), television journalist.^[39]
  


• 
  Richard Scudder (1913–2012), newspaper pioneer and co-founder of the MediaNews Group.^[204]
  


• 
  Kevin Smith (born 1970), filmmaker (Clerks, Chasing Amy, Jersey Girl, etc.), wrote and filmed Clerks at a Quick Stop in the Leonardo section of Middletown.^[205]
  


• 
  Jon Stewart (born 1962) comedian, writer, producer, director, actor, media critic, and former host of The Daily Show.^{[206][207][208]}
  


• 
  Penelope Stout, shipwrecked on Sandy Hook in 1640s and was a founder of Middletown.^[209]
  


• 
  William Strickland (1788–1854), pioneering architect and civil engineer.^[210]
  


• 
  E.W. Swackhamer (1927–1994), television director.^[211]
  


• 
  Symphony X, progressive metal band.^{[212][213][214]}
  


• 
  Bob Tucker (born 1945), former tight end in the NFL for the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings.^[215]
  


• 
  James van Riemsdyk (born 1989), drafted second overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, he has played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs.^[216]
  


• 
  Trevor van Riemsdyk (born 1991), professional hockey player.^[217]
  


• 
  Billy Van Zandt (born 1957), actor/playwright.^[218]
  


• 
  Steven Van Zandt (born 1950), solo rocker, guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band and actor on The Sopranos.^[219]
  


• 
  Max Weinberg (born 1951), Late Night with Conan O'Brien band leader and drummer of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.^[220]
  


• 
  Bill Weber (born 1957), NBC sports broadcaster.^[221]
  


• 
  Tom Wilkens (born 1975), Olympic swimming medalist.^[222]
  


• 
  Brian Williams (born 1959), Chief Breaking News Anchor on MSNBC, former anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News.^[223]
  

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Middletown, New Jersey.

• Official website


• Middletown Township Public School District


• 
  Middletown Township Public School District's 2015–16 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
  


• 
  School Data for the Middletown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics
  


• Atlantic Herald – NJ's 1st Official Electronic Newspaper


• Middletown Township Public Library


• The Courier: Official newspaper of the township


• Life in Middletown


• Former Middletown Nike Missile Site