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History · Interlaken

Interlaken dates to 1922, and 43% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1930.

1922founded
0on the National Register
43%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Mr. Matté (if there is an issue with this image, contact me using this image's Commons talk page, my Commons user talk page, or my English Wikipedia user talk page; I'll know about it a lot faster) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Interlaken began

When was Interlaken founded?

1922

Interlaken dates its founding to 1922 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 545 in 19302020 census: 828104 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓

What stands out about Interlaken’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Interlaken are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18888 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1995. Watch Interlaken change.Boom and bustPeaked at 1,182 in 1970; 828 people lived here in 2020.Old housesHalf of Interlaken’s homes were built before 1946.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Interlaken’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Interlaken’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Interlaken on the map, 1888 to 1995

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Interlaken. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Interlaken on the 1888 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1893 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1901 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1943 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1954 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1970 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1981 USGS mapInterlaken on the 1995 USGS map1888Asbury Park sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Interlaken.

People over time

Interlaken, census by census

02004006008001,0001,20019401960198020002020Peak: 1,182

Peaked at 1,182 in 1970; 828 people lived here in 2020.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Interlaken’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Interlaken came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Interlaken.

Read it all →

The area that is now Interlaken was purchased in 1667 by Gavin Drummond from the Lenape Native Americans. It was later part of Ocean Township, which had seceded from Shrewsbury Township in 1849 and included at the time present-day Eatontown, Neptune Township, Neptune City, Avon-by-the-Sea, Bradley Beach, Asbury Park, Allenhurst, Deal, Long Branch, West Long Branch, Loch Arbour, Monmouth Beach, Sea Bright, and Oceanport, along with Interlaken itself.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Interlaken, 1888 to 1970

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  3. 20th century
  4. 1922
    FoundingInterlaken is established
  5. 1970CensusPopulation peaks at 1,182
By decade

Interlaken, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Interlaken, NJ park (2), Dec. 20242024Interlaken, NJ park (2), Dec. 2024Interlaken, NJ park (1), Dec. 20242024Interlaken, NJ park (1), Dec. 2024Interlaken, NJ borough hall, Dec. 20242024Interlaken, NJ borough hall, Dec. 2024Deal Lake, NJ looking east from CR 15 bridge2024Deal Lake, NJ looking east from CR 15 bridgeHome along the Jersey Shore2017Home along the Jersey ShoreHome along the Jersey Shore2017Home along the Jersey Shore
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Ocean TownshipIts storyB−WanamassaIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAllenhurst2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townLoch ArbourIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townAsbury Park9 historic placesA−

Questions about Interlaken’s history

What year was Interlaken founded?

In 1922, according to Wikidata. the census of 1930 counted 545 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), the Library of Congress (2), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.