History  

First settled in the seventeenth century by fishermen and farmers, the entire area was once part of Shrewsbury Township in Monmouth County.  Point Pleasant  and Point Pleasant Beach were considered part of Brick Township.  Later in 1886, Point Pleasant Beach incorporated, and the present Point Pleasant Borough then incorporated independently in 1920.  Until that time, the two towns were joined and shared a common community life.

Three factors contributed to the evolution of a fishing village and summer colony  into its present state of development:  the railroad, the canal, and the Garden State Parkway. 

Point Pleasant had remained underdeveloped compared to some of its neighboring communities, because the Manasquan Inlet tended to silt up and did not provide a reliable harbor.  It was difficult to reach the area by stage, and, until the railroad arrived in 1870, the main visitors were from the Philadelphia area.  The life of the town remained seasonal until  a canal between the Manasquan  River and Barnegat Bay was opened 1926.  The inlet, which led from the river to the Atlantic Ocean, was bulkheaded in 1935. This made the area attractive to small boat owners and to the boat building industry.  The final factor was the arrival of access to the shore by the Garden State Parkway in 1954.  The area then became one of the numerous bedroom communities which sprang up along the Garden State Parkway’s route. 

Topography

Point Pleasant Borough is located in northern Ocean County. It has water  boundaries in the north (the Manasquan River), and in the south (Beaver Dam Creek).  The Point Pleasant Canal bisects the area, and the borough has a land and water boundary with Brick Township in the west, and a jagged land boundary with Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head in the east.  The wetlands, which survived extensive land reclamation and lagoon dredging, are found along Beaver Dam Creek. 

The population of Point Pleasant is 19,306 (2000 U.S. Census) located on 3.5 square miles.  There are approximately 8,350 housing units. 

Commerce   

There is very little industry in the area.  Boat building has declined since the major boat yard was turned into condominium housing.  The major employer of the area is Meridian Health Medical Center of Ocean County, known locally as Brick Hospital, which employs over 1700 people at the hospital in Brick and at the Shore Rehabilitation Center.  Many patrons are connected to the health industry by their profession.  The second largest employer is  Point Pleasant Borough Schools, which employ 350, and the third largest is Point Pleasant Borough, which employs 181 people. Employment figures are as of May 1, 2001. 

Commercial land use is limited to some office development, and marine establishments consisting of boat sales and marinas. 

The town does not have a traditional center, perhaps because the shopping district of the Beach served in that capacity for so long. There is one fairly large shopping center, anchored by a Stop & Shop food market, at the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Route 88.  Other stores are strung out along the length of Bridge Avenue, many with residences above them.  Route 88 is lined with stores, blending imperceptibly into Brick Township’s share of the highway.  The Point Pleasant Borough Chamber of Commerce sponsors an annual Street Fair on Bridge Avenue to develop a sense of community.  A listing of local businesses is maintained on the Internet at www.ptboro.com

Median family income for 2000 is estimated to be $64,582. 1.49% of the community is below the poverty level.  

Transportation 

The main business district is located on Bridge Avenue and is spread along its considerable length.  The Municipal Building and Post Office are also located along this road.  Route 88 runs east and west linking the town to Brick and Point Pleasant Beach.  There are three drawbridges providing accommodation to boat traffic: two spanning the canal, linking Barnegat Bay to the Manasquan River and one over the Beaver Dam Creek, with Brick on the other side. 

Although an automobile is still necessary for best access to services, there are mass transit options available.  Ocean County Transportation and Vehicle Services Department provides bus service to the railroad station in Point Pleasant Beach, with a stop at the corner  of Bridge Avenue and Route 88, plus other bus connections to Philadelphia and New York. The Borough of Point Pleasant has a free local bus, which makes four loops of the town, including a stop at the library on Beaver Dam Road. 

Community Organizations

Service clubs are important to area residents (Elks, Moose, Lions, etc.)  There are two Republican Clubs, one Democratic. There is a VFW, Knights of Columbus, New Jersey Sailing Club, Jersey Shore Quilters, Shore Swingers Square Dance Club and two volunteer fire companies. There are twenty-three churches available to residents, four within the boundaries of the municipality: St. Martha’s Roman Catholic, First Assembly of God, Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran and Harvey Memorial United Methodist Church. 

Recreation and Entertainment

Sports are big in Point Pleasant. There are well-established soccer, baseball and football teams for the children. The town boasts a Recreation Center, Heritage Park, and the County Park fields on Bridge Avenue.  Boating continues to be a major recreational activity. There are twelve points of access by the public to water locations.  There are three river beaches, two boat ramps, and several points where a boat can be carried to the water. Fishing is permitted in many areas. 

The Business Association of Point Pleasant sponsors three community activities: Summerfest in June, a Halloween Parade, and a Christmas Walk of Bridge Avenue businesses.  In the summer the town sponsors free concerts in the Community Grove adjacent to the Town Hall and a new Cultural Affairs Committee has been established and is actively pursuing plans for increased arts and entertainment opportunities in the borough. 

Lifestyles

There are four schools in town: Nellie Bennett and Ocean Road are elementary schools, Memorial Middle  School and Point Pleasant High School complete the educational  facilities. The population is 97.8% white (according to the 2000 Census) consisting mainly of families in single family dwellings.

Communication

Point Pleasant is served by a number of local newspapers: the Asbury Park Press and the Ocean County Observer are daily papers. The Ocean Star and Point Pleasant Reporter are weekly and the Brick Communicator is published monthly.  Comcast of Ocean County serves this area with cable. WOBM ( 92.7 FM) is the radio station that covers all of Ocean County.