Neptune City is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 4,869,[Hazlet Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as deputy commissioner director ends 2022),
Lillian G. Burry (R, Colts Neck Township, 2023),
Nick DiRocco (R, Wall Township, 2022), and
Ross F. Licitra (R, Marlboro Township, 2023).
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
County clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon (R, 2025; Ocean Township),
]Sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
Shaun Golden (R, 2022; Howell Township) and
Surrogate Rosemarie D. Peters (R, 2026; Middletown Township).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,108 registered voters in Freehold, of which 1,459 (28.6%) were registered as Democrats, 820 (16.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,827 (55.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians
Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's enc ...
or Greens.
In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
received 54.5% of the vote (1,958 cast), ahead of Republican Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
with 41.8% (1,501 votes), and other candidates with 3.7% (134 votes), among the 3,593 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
received 61.4% of the vote (2,182 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
with 37.3% (1,326 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (48 votes), among the 3,591 ballots cast by the borough's 5,270 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.7% of the vote (2,222 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
with 39.0% (1,500 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (53 votes), among the 3,849 ballots cast by the borough's 5,390 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...
received 52.3% of the vote (1,955 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
with 45.6% (1,705 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (50 votes), among the 3,737 ballots cast by the borough's 5,316 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.3.
In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy
Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American financier, diplomat, and politician serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since January 2018. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States ambassador to Germa ...
received 50.7% of the vote (1,064 cast), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno
Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Guadagno was the Republican nominee ...
with 46.2% of the vote (969 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (64 votes), among the 2,097 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Christie, who was born in Ne ...
received 61.7% of the vote (1,264 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono
Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 36.6% (750 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (33 votes), among the 2,093 ballots cast by the borough's 5,279 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.0% of the vote (1,360 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...
with 36.6% (906 votes), Independent Chris Daggett
Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...
with 6.9% (170 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (26 votes), among the 2,474 ballots cast by the borough's 5,178 registered voters, yielding a 47.8% turnout.
Education
Freehold Borough's public school students in pre-kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through eighth grade attend the Freehold Borough Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,698 students and 140.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1.[District information for Freehold Borough School District]
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 school enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
) are
Freehold Learning Center with 619 students in grades Pre-K–2,
Park Avenue Elementary School with 532 students in grades 3–5 and
Freehold Intermediate School with 515 students in grades 6–8.
Students in public school for ninth
In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second.
Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through twelfth grade
Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
s attend Freehold High School
Freehold High School (sometimes called Freehold Boro, Freehold Borough High School or Boro to distinguish it from Freehold Township High School) is a four-year public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades, located within ...
, as part of the Freehold Regional High School District
The Freehold Regional High School District is a public regional school district established in 1953, that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from eight communities in western Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The district ...
(FRHSD). The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Township (which also has some students at Freehold Borough High School), Howell Township, Manalapan Township
Manalapan Township (, ) is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The township is centrally located within the Raritan Valley region and is a part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the t ...
and Marlboro Township. As of the 2018–19 school year, Freehold Borough High School had an enrollment of 1,422 students and 103.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.7:1. Students may apply to attend one of the district's six specialized learning centers, including the Medical Sciences Learning Center hosted at Freehold High School. The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Freehold Borough allocated one member, who has 1.0 votes.
The independent Freehold Public Library The Freehold Public Library the free public library of Borough of Freehold, New Jersey located at 28½ East Main Street.
Serving a population of 11,797 residents and with a collection of approximately 26,000 volumes the library has a yearly circul ...
is one of the remaining Carnegie-funded libraries in the state and is believed to be the only one with the name "Carnegie Library" engraved on its front. It is not part of the Monmouth County Library
The Monmouth County Library is the county library system for Monmouth County, New Jersey. It is headquartered in Manalapan, New Jersey. The system was created in 1922.
The two largest locations are
Headquarters (Manalapan) and Eastern Branch ( ...
system.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...
.
U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...
passes through Freehold, as do Route 33 Business, Route 79, County Route 522 and County Route 537. The Henry Hudson Trail
The Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trail in western and northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson, who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The trail is no ...
runs north along an abandoned rail line to Matawan.
=Freehold Circle
=
Freehold Circle was located near the western boundary of Freehold Borough near the Freehold Raceway
Freehold Raceway is a half-mile racetrack in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, and is the oldest racetrack in the United States. Horseraces have been taking place at Freehold Raceway since the 1830s. The Monmouth County Agricultural Society was fo ...
. The circle carried traffic between US 9
U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, betwe ...
, Business Route 33 and Manalapan Avenue ( CR 24); it was eliminated in the 1980s due to the increased traffic load caused by a boom in commercial and residential development. Most notable of the commercial development is the Freehold Raceway Mall
Freehold Raceway Mall is a super-regional high-end shopping mall, located in Freehold Township, New Jersey. A premier shopping center for Central Jersey, the mall is located off of U.S. Route 9, Route 33, and County Route 537, opposite the Freeh ...
, in Freehold Township just south of the old circle on US 9, whose development in the late 1980s was a major impetus to redesign the circle. The former circle now features several jughandle
A jughandle is a type of ramp or slip road that changes the way traffic turns left at an at-grade intersection (in a country where traffic drives on the right). Instead of a standard left turn being made from the left lane, left-turning traffic ...
s, and most Manalapan Avenue traffic must use a connector road to Business Route 33 to reach the main intersection, but it is still known by locals as Freehold Circle. In the early 1940s, the Freehold Circle was the planned terminus of highway that would funnel traffic from South Amboy
South Amboy is a suburban city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 9,411.[Jersey Shore
The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May Po ...]
by way of Matawan and Marlboro Township.
;See also
* List of traffic circles in New Jersey
This is a list of traffic circles in New Jersey. The U.S. state of New Jersey at one point had a total of 101 traffic circles, 44 of which were part of State highway, state roads. However, the number has shrunk as traffic circles have been phas ...
Public transportation
=Rail
=
In the 19th & 20th centuries, Freehold Borough and Freehold Township had two major railways. One major railway in the area was the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad, which was owned and operated by the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company (C&A). Surveying for the line began on September 8, 1851, grading began on October 19, 1852, and the first track was laid on April 4, 1853.[ ] The first section of line was opened on July 18, 1853.[ ] The establishment of the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad caused the Freeholds region to become a transportation hub. The other major railway in the area was the Central Railroad of New Jersey
The Central Railroad of New Jersey, also known as the Jersey Central or Jersey Central Lines , was a Class I railroad with origins in the 1830s. It was absorbed into Conrail in April 1976 along with several other prominent bankrupt railroads of ...
, which had a branch that connected the still-active former Penn Central
The Penn Central Transportation Company, commonly abbreviated to Penn Central, was an American Railroad classes, class I railroad that operated from 1968 to 1976. Penn Central combined three traditional corporate rivals (the Pennsylvania Railroad ...
line from Jamesburg to CNJ's Seashore Branch and the New York and Long Branch line (now owned by NJ Transit) at Matawan.
The Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. A portion of the former railroad's right-of-way was later approved to be sold by the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners (PUC) to Jersey Central Power & Light Company in 1966, with occasional freight service still being used through the Freehold Industrial Track. Meanwhile, The Central Railroad of New Jersey went into bankruptcy in the early 1970s and entered into Conrail on April 1, 1976, with its freight service on the rails from Freehold to Matawan being terminated in 1979 (the rails were removed in 1980). Today, it is mostly a rail-trail
A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetcar ...
, converting into the Henry Hudson Trail
The Henry Hudson Trail is a rail trail in western and northern Monmouth County, New Jersey. The trail is named for Henry Hudson, who explored the harbor at Atlantic Highlands and the Raritan Bayshore coastline in the early 1600s. The trail is no ...
. Freehold's former train station for both of these important railway routes now serves as the central bus station for town.
The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line
The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line (MOM) is a passenger rail project in the US state of New Jersey, proposed by NJ Transit Rail Operations (NJT) to serve the Central New Jersey counties of Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex. The line would originate/t ...
is a proposal by New Jersey Transit to restore passenger railway service to the region, by using the same tracks as the Freehold Industrial Track. The borough and its neighboring township would be potential stops for the 'MOM' Line.
As of now, the nearest train stations to the borough are located in Aberdeen-Matawan, Asbury Park
Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area.
As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188 , Long Branch, and South Amboy
South Amboy is a suburban city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 9,411.[North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a commuter rail
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or com ...]
, and Metropark in Iselin, Metuchen
Metuchen ( ) is a suburban Borough (New Jersey), borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The borough is a commuter town of New York City, located in the heart of the Raritan River, Raritan Valley reg ...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...
, and Princeton Junction on the Northeast Corridor Line
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in the United States. The service is the successor to Pennsylvania Railroad ...
.
=Proposed NJ Transit Village
=
With the Borough of Freehold's determination to revitalize its downtown area, as outlined in the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Plan (2008),[ ]NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...
has sponsored a project in transforming the Freehold Center Bus Station into a "Transit Village".[ This new designation would foster in the creation of a Transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning district around by the Freehold Center Bus Station between West Main Street (County Route 537) and Throckmorton Street (County Route 522).
In 2019, Freehold Borough Council members began to authorize Planning Board members "to investigate if properties in the downtown district constitute an area in need of redevelopment. If board members determine redevelopment is warranted, they will prepare a redevelopment plan for the designated area." On April 20, 2020, Borough council members had reached an agreement in adopting an ordinance that would purchase a new building to house as the municipal complex. The hopes of relocating the current municipal complex on West Main Street to this new location on Mechanic street would be in opening up more space for potential developers that could bid for the NJ 'Transit Village'.
]
=Buses
=
NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...
bus service connects Freehold with communities along U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...
, Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union Count ...
and New York City, to Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
(via transfer in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Lakewood) and to Six Flags Great Adventure located in Jackson Township. The 131 (New Jersey bus), 131, 135 (New Jersey bus), 135 and 139 (New Jersey bus), 139 provide service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 67 (New Jersey bus), 67 to Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
, on the 64 (New Jersey bus), 64 and 67 to Jersey City, New Jersey, Jersey City and local service on the 836 (New Jersey bus), 836 and List of NJ Transit bus routes (800–880), 838 routes. Bus service is available from Route 9 to Wall Street in New York's Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District via the Academy Bus, Academy Bus Line.
There are also several bus stops to the points listed above located along Route 9 in the borough and neighboring Freehold Township.
=Aviation
=
Following the closure of the List of airports in New Jersey, Marlboro Airport, Old Bridge Airport in Old Bridge Township, New Jersey, Old Bridge and Monmouth Executive Airport in Farmingdale supply short-distance flights to surrounding areas and are the closest air transportation services. The nearest major commercial airports are Trenton-Mercer Airport, which serves several domestic destinations via Frontier Airlines and located west (about 38 minutes drive); and Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union Count ...
, which serves as a major hub for United Airlines and located north (about 44 minutes drive) from Freehold Borough.
Healthcare
Freehold Borough is served by CentraState Healthcare System, which is affiliated with Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, located in neighboring Freehold Township. The regional hospital is a 287-bed medical facility. CentraState Healthcare system also provides healthcare through its various family practices in communities across western Monmouth County, New Jersey, Monmouth and southern Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex counties in central New Jersey. CentraState Family Medicine Residency Program is one of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's residency halls, which is located in Freehold Borough on State Route 33 Business (New Jersey), Park Avenue. CentraState Healthcare System is the county's fourth-largest employer.
The next closest hospitals to the borough are Bayshore Community Hospital, located in nearby Holmdel Township, New Jersey, Holmdel Township, and the Old Bridge Division of Raritan Bay Medical Center, located in nearby Old Bridge Township. The closest major university hospitals to the borough are Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, New Jersey, Neptune Township, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro Township, New Jersey, Plainsboro Township, Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, New Brunswick.
Points of interest
* Freehold Public Library The Freehold Public Library the free public library of Borough of Freehold, New Jersey located at 28½ East Main Street.
Serving a population of 11,797 residents and with a collection of approximately 26,000 volumes the library has a yearly circul ...
* Monmouth County Historical Association, a museum and library dedicated to the history of Monmouth County.
* Freehold Raceway
Freehold Raceway is a half-mile racetrack in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, and is the oldest racetrack in the United States. Horseraces have been taking place at Freehold Raceway since the 1830s. The Monmouth County Agricultural Society was fo ...
, the oldest harness racing, harness racetrack in the United States, dating to 1853.
* Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House was constructed in the 1750s and used by the British as a headquarters during the Battle of Monmouth. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974
* St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Freehold Borough, New Jersey), St. Peter's Episcopal Church was built in 1771 based on a design by architect Robert Smith (architect), Robert Smith and was added to the National Register in 1998 as one of one five churches in the state dating back to the 1700s still standing.
* Freehold Jewish Center, a synagogue established in 1911 which was constructed as the Orthodox Judaism, Orthodox Jewish Congregation Agudath Achim.
* Metz Bicycle Museum exhibits antique bicycles dating back to the 1850s.
*Monmouth County Courthouse and Battle of Monmouth Monument
* Olive Branch Lodge No. 16 Free and Accepted Masons was instituted October 20, 1849.
File:Freehold_NJ_Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven_House.jpg, Hankinson–Moreau–Covenhoven House, Covenhoven House, 2012
File:Freehold NJ George Taylor House.jpg, George Taylor House (Freehold Borough, New Jersey), George Taylor House, 2012
File:St._Peter's_Church_(April_2021).jpg, St. Peter's Episcopal Church (Freehold Borough, New Jersey), St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 2021
File:Monument_for_Monmouth_Battlefield.png, Monument dedicated to the Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, co ...
, located on the premises for the Monmouth County Courthouse, 2021
In popular culture
Bruce Springsteen often incorporated Freehold into his music, including the entire song "My Hometown
"My Hometown" is a single by Bruce Springsteen off his '' Born in the U.S.A.'' album, that was the then-record-tying seventh and last top 10 single to come from it, peaking at #6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. It also topped the U ...
". His connection to Freehold was documented by the Monmouth County Historical Association in a 2019 exhibition titled "Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown". In the film ''Blinded by the Light (2019 film), Blinded by the Light'', Javed, the protagonist of the film who falls in love with Springsteen's music, visits Freehold. Many local sights such as Randolph Street (one of the streets on which Springsteen lived), Springsteen's childhood home, and a Downtown Freehold sign (which Javed is photographed next to) are briefly featured.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Freehold Borough include:
* Scott Conover (born 1968), former Detroit Lions offensive tackle and author of the children's book ''Can I Play Too?'' was raised in Freehold
* Anthony DeSclafani (born 1990), starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants
* Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer
* Dan Lewis (American football), Danny Lewis (1936–2015), NFL running back from 1958 to 1966, playing for the Detroit Lions, the Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants
* Joel Parker (politician), Joel Parker (1816–1888), List of Governors of New Jersey, 20th Governor of New Jersey, elected to two non-consecutive terms (1863–1866 and 1871–1874). A lawyer by profession, he served as Attorney General of New Jersey in 1875 and as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, from 1880 to 1888
* Tim Perry (born 1965), former NBA player, most notably with the Phoenix Suns
* Darrell Reid (born 1982), former defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts
* Nehemiah Shumway (1761–1843), composer, farmer, principal of Freehold Academy
* J. R. Smith (born 1985), professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers
* Rebecca Soni (born 1987), Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympic Games who set world records in the 100-meter breaststroke (short course) and the 200-meter breaststroke (short and long course)
* Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
(born 1949), rock musician, was raised in Freehold Borough[Goldstein, Stan]
"Bruce Springsteen Rocked Here"
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
NJ.com is a digital news content provider and website in New Jersey owned by Advance Publications. According to a report in ''The New York Times'' in 2012, it was the largest provider of digital news in the state at the time. In 2018, comScore r ...
, May 15, 2009, updated September 10, 2010. Accessed July 13, 2015. The borough is the subject of his song "My Hometown
"My Hometown" is a single by Bruce Springsteen off his '' Born in the U.S.A.'' album, that was the then-record-tying seventh and last top 10 single to come from it, peaking at #6 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart. It also topped the U ...
," from the ''Born in the U.S.A.'' album, which described racial and economic tensions in the 1960s (the "textile mill being closed" was the A & M Karagheusian
A. & M. Karagheusian, Inc. was a rug manufacturer headquartered at 295 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Manufacturing was located in Freehold Borough, New Jersey and operated for 60 years before closing in 1964. It employed 1,700 people at its peak ope ...
rug mill at Center and Jackson Streets). Springsteen has also performed the humorous song about the borough called "In Freehold", which can be found on some bootleg live recordings.
See also
* Freehold Regional High School District#Specialized learning centers, Specialized Learning Centers in FRHSD
References
Sources
* Adelberg, Michael S
''The American Revolution in Monmouth County:The Theatre of Spoil and Destruction''
The History Press, 2010.
* Pepe, Barbara
''Freehold: A Home Town History''
Arcadia Publishing; Charleston, SC; 2003. .
External links
*
{{authority control
Freehold Borough, New Jersey,
1869 establishments in New Jersey
Borough form of New Jersey government
Boroughs in Monmouth County, New Jersey
County seats in New Jersey
Populated places established in 1869