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C−History
History · Lavallette

Lavallette dates to 1887

More historic than 23% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Most of Lavallette was built recently: 9% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1969.

1887founded
0on the National Register
9%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
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 Lavallette began

When was Lavallette founded?

1887

Lavallette dates its founding to 1887 (Wikidata). Its post office opened in 1882.

2020 census: 1,787139 years

How historic is Lavallette?

C−

More historic than 23% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1882.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Lavallette’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Lavallette is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Lavallette’s overall grade.
Founding era1887, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19408.5% of homes (±2.7) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%C+National RegisterNo listings counted · typical NJ town 3.7 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 23%
NewerOlder

New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Lavallette’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (12% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1887.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C. The pre-1940 share (±2.7 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Lavallette’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 Lavallette are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Lavallette’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Lavallette’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
The story

How Lavallette came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Lavallette.

Read it all →

Lavallette was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 21, 1887, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.

Lavallette was named for Elie A. F. La Vallette, one of the first rear admirals appointed in the United States Navy when President Abraham Lincoln created the rank in July 1862, and the father of Albert T. Lavallette, co-founder of the borough.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Lavallette as its 8th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Lavallette, decade by decade

Today6 recent
Grand Central Ave., looking south, Lavallette, N. J2011Grand Central Ave., looking south, Lavallette, N. JPostcardChurch of St. Bonaventure and Rectory, Lavallette, N. J2011Church of St. Bonaventure and Rectory, Lavallette, N.…PostcardBeach scene & cottages along the shore, looking south, Lavallette, N. J2011Beach scene & cottages along the shore, looking south…PostcardBeach and cottage along the boardwalk, looking north from Reese Ave., Lavallette, N. J2011Beach and cottage along the boardwalk, looking north …PostcardBeach and boardwalk, looking north, Lavallette, N. J2011Beach and boardwalk, looking north, Lavallette, N. JPostcardLavallette nj 0292005Lavallette nj 029
Famous people

Famous people close to Lavallette

Nobody well known was born in Lavallette itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
K
Kirsten DunstAmerican actress · b. 1982
Diamond Dallas PageAmerican professional wrestler and actor · b. 1956
L
Lou Taylor PucciAmerican actor · b. 1985
Mark GeigerAmerican association football referee · b. 1974
A
Armin ShimermanAmerican actor · b. 1949
S
SorayaColombian-American singer-songwriter · b. 1969
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Toms River Township11 historic placesB+Dover Beaches SouthIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townDover Beaches NorthIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Lavallette’s history

What year was Lavallette founded?

In 1887, according to Wikidata. Lavallette’s post office opened in 1882.

How does Lavallette rank for history?

Lavallette is more historic than 23% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Lavallette?

9% of Lavallette’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.7 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1969.

Memory lane

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

Town Square →
Start a conversation
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).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikipedia, the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) 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.