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C−History
History · Long Beach Township

Long Beach Township dates to 1899

More historic than 16% of U.S. towns · #451 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Most of Long Beach Township was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1977. Below: maps from 1888 on and the census since 1900.

1899founded
0on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Hornbaker Chelsi, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Public domain
Quick answers

How Long Beach Township began

When was Long Beach Township founded?

1899

Long Beach Township dates its founding to 1899 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 152 in 19002020 census: 3,153127 years

How historic is Long Beach Township?

C−

More historic than 16% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1910.
History grade

What drives Long Beach Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Long Beach Township is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #451 of 468 in New Jersey. Its age holds the grade up; its National Register listings pull it down.

C−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Long Beach Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1899, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19403.0% of homes (±1.2) · 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 16%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 4%

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 Long Beach Township’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 1899.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D to C−. The pre-1940 share (±1.2 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 Long Beach Township’s past

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

Lost villages4 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Long Beach Township, and 15 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Long Beach Township are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost a third of its people between 1900 and 1920, then grew more than tenfold.On the map since 18886 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1972. Watch Long Beach Township change.
★ What stands out · Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and places now gone

Four other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

Beach Haven Crest
1910–1959
Beach Haven Terrace
1912–1959
Brant Beach
1912–1959
Spray Beach
1939–1956
19101970today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Beach Haven CrestBeach Haven GardensBeach Haven HeightsBeach Haven ParkBeach Haven TerraceBrant BeachBrighton BeachHaven BeachHolgateLong Beach ParkLoveladiesNorth BeachNorth Beach HavenPeahala ParkSpray Beach
Gone or out of use
Beach Havenairport

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Start Long Beach Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Long Beach Township’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
People over time

Long Beach Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5001900192019401960198020002020152 in 1900Low: 106

Lost a third of its people between 1900 and 1920, then grew more than tenfold.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

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

The story so far

Long Beach Township, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Long Beach Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Long Beach Township is a Walsh Act Township situated on the Jersey Shore, in southeastern Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,153, an increase of 102 (+3.3%) from the 2010 census count of 3,051, which in turn reflected a decline of 278 (−8.4%) from the 3,329 counted in the 2000 census. Most of the township is located on Long Beach Island, a barrier island along the Atlantic Ocean whose summer population swells to as much as 130,000, including part-time residents and tourists. In October 2012, Long Beach Township was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy, with township mayor Joe Mancini estimating that potential c…

Long Beach Township was established in 1899. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 3,051 to 3,153 (+3%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Long Beach Township, 1888 to 1980

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. 1899
    FoundingLong Beach Township is established
  4. 20th century
  5. 1910Post officeThe Beach Haven Crest post office opens
  6. 1912Post officeThe Beach Haven Terrace post office opens
  7. 1912Post officeThe Brant Beach post office opens
  8. 1959Post officeThe Beach Haven Crest post office closes
  9. 1959Post officeThe Beach Haven Terrace post office closes
  10. 1959Post officeThe Brant Beach post office closes
  11. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 3,488
By decade

Long Beach Township, decade by decade

Today28 recent
St. Francis of Assisi Church, Long Beach Township, NJ, Dec. 20242024St. Francis of Assisi Church, Long Beach Township, NJ…Long Beach Township, NJ municipal complex, Dec. 20242024Long Beach Township, NJ municipal complex, Dec. 2024Lifeguards2017LifeguardsLifeguards2017LifeguardsLBT Truck2017LBT TruckLBTOnDuty2016LBTOnDutyBay in Long Island Beach2016Bay in Long Island BeachLong Beach Island beach and dune construction began in May 2015 under a partnership between BOEM, USACE and the NJ Depa…2015Long Beach Island beach and dune construction began i…View of the coastline from holgate beach2013View of the coastline from holgate beachHolgate beach bulkhead2013Holgate beach bulkheadViewing Platform2010Viewing PlatformTowards Atlantic City2010Towards Atlantic CitySunset - panoramio - Allen Lyons2010Sunset - panoramio - Allen LyonsSky reflections2010Sky reflectionsLBI Marsh Panorama2010LBI Marsh PanoramaLBI Marsh2010LBI MarshLBI Holgate Panorama2010LBI Holgate PanoramaHolgate marsh2010Holgate marshHolgate Sign2010Holgate SignHolgate2010HolgateFacing the end2010Facing the endBeach looking south2010Beach looking southBeach looking south - panoramio - Allen Lyons2010Beach looking south - panoramio - Allen LyonsBeach looking north2010Beach looking northBeach Jetty2010Beach JettyBeach - panoramio - Allen Lyons2010Beach - panoramio - Allen LyonsBeach - panoramio - Allen Lyons (2)2010Beach - panoramio - Allen Lyons (2)Beach - panoramio - Allen Lyons (1)2010Beach - panoramio - Allen Lyons (1)
On the map

Long Beach Township on the map, 1888 to 1972

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

Long Beach Township on the 1888 USGS mapLong Beach Township on the 1893 USGS mapLong Beach Township on the 1919 USGS mapLong Beach Township on the 1941 USGS mapLong Beach Township on the 1951 USGS mapLong Beach Township on the 1972 USGS map1888Long Beach 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 Long Beach Township.

Famous people

Famous people close to Long Beach Township

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

See all →
Nessa BarrettAmerican singer · b. 2002
Brady NoonAmerican actor · b. 2005
Frank MolinaroAmerican wrestler and coach · b. 1988
Austin JohnsonAmerican football player · b. 1994
Doc CramerAmerican baseball player and coach · b. 1905
E
Erica SkroskiAmerican soccer player · b. 1994
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

North Beach HavenIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townStafford Township2 historic placesBOcean Township1 historic placeCEagleswood TownshipIts storyC+Little Egg Harbor TownshipIts storyD−Beach Haven3 historic placesB+Barnegat Light2 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townHarvey CedarsIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townShip BottomIts storyC−Surf CityIts storyC−

Questions about Long Beach Township’s history

What year was Long Beach Township founded?

In 1899, according to Wikidata. Long Beach Township’s post office opened in 1910, and the census of 1900 counted 152 people here.

How does Long Beach Township rank for history?

Long Beach Township is more historic than 16% of U.S. towns, #451 of 468 in New Jersey. 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 Long Beach Township?

3% of Long Beach Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±1.2 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1977.

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 (26), the Library of Congress (2), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via 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.