Most of Oceanville was built recently: 6% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1887 on, and old-book passages.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Oceanville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1887Atlantic City 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 Oceanville.
The story so far
Oceanville, in brief
Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Oceanville yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.
Oceanville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Galloway Township in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. At the 2020 United States census, the CDP's population was 793. Oceanville is located on U.S. Route 9 approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north-northeast of Absecon. The community has a post office with ZIP Code 08231. From 1983–2016, Oceanville was the site of the Noyes Museum, the only fine arts museum in Atlantic County. The museum became part of Stockton University in 2016 and the site in Oceanville will be sold by the foundation that owns the property.
Its first post office opened in 1874.
Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.
From the old history books
What they wrote about Oceanville in 1915
Passages that mention Oceanville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Early history of Atlantic County, New Jersey1915 · page 169Read the page →
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Oceanville was at first called Tanners Brook. Over a ioo years ago there was a tannery there. It is said that it took about a year at that time and at that place to tan a cow hide properly. The villge at Tanners Brook was first called Centerville. The name of Oceanville was given to that section below the bridge at the time that the M. E. church was built which was burned down in 1809. Thesection was still called Centerville above the bridge until the post office was given them during
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Early history of Atlantic County, New Jersey1915 · page 125Read the page →
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presumed they were formed into a separate circuit. After 185 1 Mav's Landing, Weymouth, Catawba, Shore School House, Joslin and Estelville disappear from the record. 1855 Absecon Circuit was set off with Absecon, Oceanville, Smithville and Port Republic as preaching places. Isaac Felch was presiding elder and David Teed pastor. 1862 Salem was added to Absecon Charge and so continued for three years.
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Oceanville, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
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 (1), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
1873
