The History of Lakewood, NJ

The personal injury lawyers in Lakewood, NJ, at Garden State Justice Group invite you to learn more about the township and its Jewish culture.

Lakewood

The township of Lakewood is situated in the northern region of Ocean County in the state of New Jersey. It covers 16,051.2 acres, of which 256 acres is water, including Lake Shenandoah, Lake Manetta, Lake Carasalijo, Lake Fishigan, and Lake Wadill. The neighboring communities include Whitesville, Point Pleasant, Squankum, Allenwood, and Silverton. 

History

As early as 1750, sawmill operators were the first Europeans to settle in the area. At the east end of Lake Carasaljo was the Three Partners Mill that operated from 1789 until approximately 1814. Jesse Richards operated an iron-smelting business, known as Washington Furnace, using the local bog iron ore from 1815 through 1818. In 1833, Joseph W. Brick restarted the industry with Bergen Iron Works, which also lent its name to the neighboring town. In 1880, the community was renamed Lakewood after being called Bricksburg since 1865 and transitioned to a winter resort community.

Jewish Heritage

The township has one of the largest populations of Jewish residents in the United States, with an estimated 59%. As a hub of Orthodox Judaism, the township is home to the largest yeshiva or Jewish educational institution outside of Israel. Beth Medrash Govoha was founded in 1943 and, as of 2019, had 6,715 students attending. Four campuses are spread across 35 acres. The yeshiva is a postgraduate institution that offers bachelor's and master's degrees in Talmudics. 

Parks and Recreation 

The township has many parks and recreation along the lakes and rivers that run through it. The Ocean County Park, located along Ocean Avenue, offers the community the following amenities:

• open playing fields
• large picnic area
• playgrounds
• softball fields
• swimming lake
• tennis and pickleball courts
• 18 hole disc golf course

The Lake Shenandoah County Park, located further south on Ocean Avenue, surrounds the 48-acre Lake Shenandoah. Aside from the great freshwater fishing, the park has the following:

• a bike trail
• conservation area
• picnic area
• small boat launch
• basketball courts
• soccer fields
• softball fields

Demographics

The township's population was 92,843 in 2010, an increase of 53.8% from 2000, following an increase of 34.0% from 1990. There were 24,283 households and 17,362 families. The racial makeup of the residents was the following:

• 78.77% white 
• 12.05% African American
• 14.80% Hispanic or Latino
• 0.17% Native American
• 1.39% Asian
• 0.03% Pacific Islander
• 4.61% other races
• 2.98% two or more races

The community has a high percentage of Jewish residents. Many of the ancestries found across the neighborhood include:

• Polish
• European
• Hungarian
• Russian
• German

The township is predominantly a white-collar town, with 86.86% of the workforce employed in white-collar jobs. A breakdown of the occupations includes the following:

• 19.5% Education
• 15.7% Administrative
• 9.4% Sales and Related
• 8.3% Facilities
• 7.5% Management

Continue reading: All About Belmar, NJ

Our Local Office

Our experienced Lakewood, NJ personal injury lawyers at Garden State Justice Group can help you file your injury case for injuries resulting from car accidents, work accidents, and even slip and fall accidents. Call for a free no-obligation consultation with one of our legal members today.

Garden State Justice Group
2422 NJ-34
Manasquan, NJ 07719
(848) 279-0765