Manasquan NJ Roofing
Proven Roofing is proud to serve the community of Manasquan. A small borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Manasquan is 2.53 square miles, and 1.15 square miles of it are water! It has a busy tourist season since it’s right on the water, and it attracts surfers year round because its jetty enlarges waves. Despite its small size, Manasquan has a rich history and a cute downtown. Let us show you around and tell you all about it!
When was Manasquan founded?
December of 1887. The first mayor was Edward S. Van Leer.
Who were the Native people who first lived in Manasquan?
The Lenape were the original inhabitants. During the 1700s, the Lenape were displaced by European settlers. The American Revolutionary War and the United States’ Independence pushed them further west. During the 1800s, most Lenape were forcibly moved to the Indian Territory, which is in present-day Oklahoma and neighboring areas. According to the 2010 Census, only a single person identified as Native American lived in Manasquan.
What is the origin of the name Manasquan?
The name Manasquan is thought to derive from a Lenape phrase that describes the area as a place where wives and family spent their time while men participated in the fishing and hunting seasons. The name may also have come from Lenape descriptions of the area as a “place to gather grass or reeds,” an “island door,” or a “point” or “top”.
What is the history of Manasquan?
As reported by the Squan Beach Life Saving Station Preservation Committee, English explorer Henry Hudson was the first European to identify the land that would later become Manasquan. In 1609, he described it as, “A very good land to fall in with, and a pleasant land to see.”
The first European settlers in the area came in the spring or summer of 1664. The following year, the Governor of all the Duke of York’s land in America signed a grant in the Native Lenni Lenape and the European settlers’ presence. The grant included parts of Middlesex, Ocean, and most of Monmouth County.
Manasquan was formed around 1685 when Richard N. Hartshorne, the namesake of Hartshorne Woods Park in northern Monmouth County, along with several others, purchased 2,500 acres of land from the Native Lenni Lenape in the area of Rack Pond, south to the head of Barnegat Bay. The purchase was made under the name of the Manasquan Beach Company.
In 1693, Manasquan was among a large tract of land incorporated as Shrewsbury Township. The villages that made up Shrewsbury were later incorporated independently in 1801.
At that time, Manasquan was part of Howell Township. In 1851, the southern portion of Howell, including Manasquan, became Wall Township.
By 1887, largely in part to the development of a railroad station, Manasquan was the largest village in Wall Township with a population of 900. That December, an election resulted in the
Borough of Manasquan. Since then, Manasquan developed into a beach community with a thriving tourism season and year-round surfing opportunities thanks to the Manasquan Inlet.
What’s the geography of Manasquan?
Manasquan is 2.53 square miles, and, of that area, 1.38 is land and 1.15 is water. The Manasquan River, which is 26.5 miles long, flows from Freehold Township in central Monmouth County. It empties between Manasquan and Point Pleasant via the Manasquan Inlet, which divides Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
The river supplies water for the Manasquan Reservoir, which is located in Howell Township. The reservoir provides water for municipalities and utilities, and is also the site of a popular 1,204-acre park.
How’s the surfing and boating in Manasquan?
Great! The Manasquan River widens near the ocean, which makes it ideal for boating. Meanwhile, the Manasquan Inlet is a popular surfing spot because the inlet directs and enlarges waves as they come in. Surfers come year-round!
What are the demographics of Manasquan?
According to the 2010 Census, Manasquan had:
- 5,897 people
- 2,374 households
- 1,550 families
The racial makeup was:
- White 96.07% (5,665)
- Black or African American 0.31% (18)
- Hispanic or Latino of any race 7.02% (414)
- Native American 0.02% (1)
- Asian 0.61% (36)
- Pacific Islander 0.02% (1)
- Other races 1.93% (114)
- Two or more races 1.05% (62)
And the economic makeup was:
- Median household income was $87,525 (with a margin of error of +/- $21,227)
- Median family income was $107,130 (+/- $13,653)
- Men had a median income of $98,408 (+/- $6,173)
- Women has a median income of $56,250 (+/- $8,110)
- About 3.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under the age of 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.
What are the schools like in Manasquan?
Manasquan has Manasquan Elementary School (Pre-k, k- 8) and Manasquan High School (9 12).
The school review website Niche.com gives Manasquan Elementary School an overall grade of B+, with an A- for both Academics and Teachers.
Manasquan High School has an A- from Niche, scoring an A- for academics and clubs and activities; an A for health & safety; an A+ for food and sports; and a B+ for college prep.
Both schools received a diversity rating of B, reflecting the mostly homogenous nature of Manasquan’s demographics.
What are the property taxes like in Manasquan?
The 2019 general tax rate is 1.519, and the 2019 effective tax rate is 1.376. New Jersey has a property tax rate of 2.42%, which is the highest in the country (the national average is 1.07%). The average property tax bill for Manasquan was $9,277 in 2018.
What exit is Manasquan on the Garden State Parkway?
Exit 98, the Manasquan/Point Pleasant exit. As you exit, you will be on Route 34 South. You’ll hit a traffic circle and will have to take the third exit to stay on NJ-34 S. Take the exit toward Sea Girt/Manasquan. Turn right onto Atlantic Ave/County Rd 524 Spur. You’ll hit another traffic circle and will take the second exit to stay on Atlantic Ave. If you turn right in .8 miles, you’ll hit North Main Street, which will take you through Downtown Manasquan and to the beach!
Does Manasquan have a train station?
Yes, the current Manasquan Train Station was built in 1896. It gets passengers to New York Penn Station in roughly two hours for $16.75 one way for adults; and $7.65 for children 5-11, seniors, military, and people with disabilities.
Can you get to Philly from Manasquan?
Yes, the 317 NJ Transit bus takes you to Philly. It makes 127 stops between the Greyhound Terminal -10th St/Filbert St and the Asbury Park Transportation Center.
The drive is between an hour and 15 minutes and an hour and a half by car.
Is there an NJ Transit bus route in Manasquan?
Yes, the 830 route. It makes 44 stops in the area.
Does Manasquan have a boardwalk?
Yes, Manasquan has a mile-long asphalt boardwalk that’s wheelchair accessible. It has benches and gazebos.
Can I ride my bike or scooter on the Manasquan boardwalk?
Bikes and scooters are allowed from 6:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
What’s the beach season for Manasquan Beach?
Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Do you have to pay to go to the beach in Manasquan?
Yes, the rates for 2021 are as follows:
- Adult (17-64) season badges: $85
- 65+ Season Badges: $30
- Junior season badges (12 – 16): $40
- Adult weekly badges: $45.
- Daily badges: $10
- Active US military and accompanying immediate family: Free
- Veterans (but not their families): Free
- People with disabilities: ½ price
You need a beach badge from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., every day of the week.
Are dogs allowed on Manasquan beach?
Dogs have limited use of the beaches and are allowed during the off-season from October 1st through May 1st.
Does Manasquan have a downtown?
Yes, Downtown Manasquan has many small businesses. Among them is the Algonquin Arts Theatre, a historic 540-seat theater that was built in 1938 as a movie house but was converted into a professional live performance space in 1994. It hosts theater, ballets, symphonies, and more. You’ll also find:
- A bookstore
- Bakeries
- Art galleries
- A toy shop
- An ice cream shop
- A butcher
- Consignment shops
- Gift shops
- A yoga studio
- Clothing stores
- Salons
- Bars & restaurants
Are there any good places to eat in Manasquan?
Manasquan has several very highly rated restaurants. Here are two recommendations!
Lubrano’s Trattoria: The #1 rated restaurant in Manasquan on Trip Advisor out of 38. An Italian American restaurant, Lubrano’s currently has 4.5 stars out of 5 based on 323 reviews. Lubrano’s has brick oven pizza, seafood, pasta dishes, steaks, chicken dinners, and more.
The Committed Pig: The #3 rated restaurant in Manasquan on TripAdvisor currently has 4.5 stars out of 5 based on 162 reviews. It serves a variety of burgers, pork roll sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, and more. Some menu highlights include the Baked Brie Burger (creamy brie, bacon, and fig preserves); the Burgernut (a cheeseburger served on a glazed donut); and the Rutgers (a pork roll sandwich with chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and American cheese).
We’re getting hungry!
Are there any sites in Manasquan listed on the National Register of Historic Places?
Yes, three of them!
Brielle Road Bridge over the Glimmer Glass: Linking Brielle and Manasquan, this drawbridge was constructed in 1898. It works by having rolling counterweights on a curved track that raise and lower the bridge. The bridge is the only bridge of its type in New Jersey and maybe in all of America!
The bridge has been the subject of much local debate because it has a weight limit of 3 tons, making it inaccessible to many vehicles, including large fire trucks, which can weigh 40 tons, and some ambulances, which weigh between 3.5 and 5 tons.
Manasquan Friends Meetinghouse and Burying Ground: This is a place of worship and a cemetery for Manasquan Quakers, who purchased the land in 1685. While the current meetinghouse was built in 1884, two others have been built previously on this site. The first was built sometime between 1693 and 1701. The Manasquan Quakers’ website is dedicated to the history of their meeting house and cemetery. It includes many old photographs, a list of people buried in the cemetery dating back to 1766, and historical documents and writings tracing the meeting house’s roots to its beginnings.
Squan Beach Life-Saving Station #9: Established in 1902, the Squan Beach Life Saving Station is about 1,000 feet from the Atlantic Ocean on Ocean Avenue. Life-Saving Stations were built to house crews that would respond to shipwrecks. Station #9 served life-saving operations under the U.S. Life-Saving Service (USLSS) until 1915. At that point, the USLSS merged with the United States Revenue Cutter Service (USRCS) to form the Coast Guard (the USRCS was set up in 1790 by President George Washington to collect taxes and protect against smuggling).
After that, the Coast Guard used Station #9 until 1936, when a new Coast Guard station was built in Point Pleasant Beach. Station #9 then became an electronics shop for the Coast Guard Group Sandy Hook until it was decommissioned in 1996. Manasquan bought it from the Coast Guard in 2000 for $1.00!
The Squan Beach Life Saving Station Preservation Committee emerged soon after and would go on to get Station #9 renovated and open as a museum and event space. The committee also documented the history of Manasquan and Station #9.
Have there been any notable residents of Manasquan?
Legendary actor Jack Nicholson, born in nearby Neptune City, attended Manasquan High School while living in Spring Lake. He was voted “Class Clown” by the class of 1954 and once had detention every day of an entire school year! The high school has a theater and drama award name in his honor.
Alexis Krauss, the frontwoman of the noise-pop duo Sleigh Bells, was born and raised in Manasquan and attended Manasquan High School. Sleigh Bells’ 2010 debut Treats made it onto several popular music publications year-end “best of” lists.
Does Manasquan flood?
Yes, over 90% of Manasquan is in a flood zone, and nearly everyone is affected by flooding.
Does Manasquan get hurricanes?
Because of its proximity to the ocean, Manasquan is at risk of hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters. Although, hurricanes and tropical storms strike the area far less often. By one estimate, the odds of a hurricane hitting the area is 1 in 200 every year.
When Hurricane Sandy struck the Northeast in October 2012, 1,850 homes were flooded or damaged, and 250-500 families were displaced in Manasquan.
Wrapping Up
Now that you know pretty much everything there is to know about Manasquan, you can go enjoy the boardwalk. And if the weather’s not great, you can rest easy knowing that thanks to Proven Roofing, you can have a roof that will endure whatever the weather might throw your way–even if it’s a surfer!
