Laurence Harbor is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

(CDP) located on the

Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by Per ...

within Old Bridge Township, in Middlesex County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, United States. As of the

2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...

, the CDP's population was 6,536.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Laurence Harbor CDP, New Jersey

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

. Accessed November 28, 2012.

Geography

According to the

, the CDP had a total area of 2.953 square miles (7.648 km²), including 2.897 square miles (7.503 km²) of land and 0.056 square miles (0.145 km²) of water (1.90%).US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990
,

. Accessed September 4, 2014. The CDP is located off Exit 120 of the

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May to the New York state line at Montvale. Its name refers to New Jerse ...

. The main routes are Laurence Parkway and Route 35. The railroad, which no longer has a station in Laurence Harbor (It had a Morgan station during most of the 1st half of the 20th century, located right across Cheesequake Creek from Laurence Harbor), divides the community into eastern and western sections, the former being locally referred to as 'The Front'. Cliffwood Beach also borders Laurence Harbor when traveling south. The shore looks directly upon Staten Island's southern shore; the

Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge connecting the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn. It spans the Narrows, a body of water linking the relatively enclosed New York Harbor with Lower New York Bay and t ...

, Lower Manhattan (including the Empire State Building, on a clear night) and

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

can also be seen.Cheslow, Jerry
"LIVING IN/Laurence Harbor, N.J.; An Old Haunt Re-emerges on Raritan Bay"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'', December 26, 2004. Accessed November 28, 2012. "A two-square-mile enclave in Old Bridge Township, Laurence Harbor comprises mainly compact two- and three-bedroom winterized bungalows built in the 20s and 30s on 25- or 50-by-100-foot lots, and is one of the most affordable neighborhoods in New Jersey's booming Middlesex County.... Laurence Harbor is named for Laurence Lamb, a turn-of-the-20th-century entrepreneur who established a shorefront golf and country club on the site."

Morgan

Morgan is named after the 1703 family that had here and were cousins of the infamous pirate captain

Henry Morgan Sir Henry Morgan ( cy, Harri Morgan; – 25 August 1688) was a privateer, plantation owner, and, later, Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica. From his base in Port Royal, Jamaica, he raided settlements and shipping on the Spanish Main, becoming we ...

. Morgan is located one mile to the northwest, across the Cheesequake Creek and the Morgan Bridge on

New Jersey Route 35 Route 35 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey, primarily traveling through the easternmost parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. It runs from the entrance to Island Beach State Park in Berkeley Township, Ocean County ...

. The

Morgan Draw Morgan Draw is railroad moveable bridge over the Cheesequake Creek between the Morgan section of Sayreville and Laurence Harbor in Old Bridge in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Located at MP 0.2 near the mouth on the Raritan Bay, ...

carries the

North Jersey Coast Line The North Jersey Coast Line is a commuter rail line running from Rahway to Bay Head, New Jersey, traversing through the Jersey Shore region. Operated by New Jersey Transit, the line is electrified as far south as Long Branch. On rail system m ...

History

The lands known today as Laurence Harbor were part of the southernmost region inhabited by the

Lenni Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...

tribe (also known as the Delaware) in the 17th century. In 1664, they became part of greater

East Jersey The Province of East Jersey, along with the Province of West Jersey, between 1674 and 1702 in accordance with the Quintipartite Deed, were two distinct political divisions of the Province of New Jersey, which became the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

, and in 1684 became part of a

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.''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170. Accessed November 28, 2012. European settlement of the area was linked to commerce passing through

the Amboys The Amboys are a pair of municipalities in Middlesex County, New Jersey, both of which have the word ''Amboy'' in their name. The two municipalities are the City of Perth Amboy and the City of South Amboy, located across from each other on the R ...

along the

Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Raritan provided t ...

. From a military perspective, the area was useful for its high bayside cliffs, which allowed strategic observation of ships traveling between New York Harbor and the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. Laurence Harbor is named after land developer Laurence Lamb, who bought property in (what was then known as) Madison Township at the turn of the 20th century and subdivided it into bungalow-sized lots. Lamb established a shorefront golf and country club on the site. Among those who frequented Mr. Lamb's establishment were Clark Gable, Guy Lombardo, the Prince of Wales and the Vanderbilts, who came to party and eat chingarora oysters, for which Raritan Bay was then famous. In 1928, the golf club was sold to developers for the above-mentioned construction of bungalows. A boardwalk, complete with a dance hall, casino, band shell, concession stands and a merry-go-round that played only one song, ''Let's Remember Pearl Harbor'', provided entertainment, hot dogs and ice cream during the 1940s. For those traveling south from

North Jersey North Jersey comprises the northern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the upper Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation of northern New Jersey with a distinct toponym is a colloquial one rather than an administrati ...

or New York, it was the first stretch of Jersey Shore beachfront before reaching Keansburg or

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

. According to a local historian who grew up in Old Bridge Township, the area was also used during

Prohibition Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcohol ...

by rum runners who would lower their cargo of bootleg liquor overboard into the bay to be hauled ashore by local fishermen. The Ochwald Brickworks, a brickyard, operated in the area where the Bridgepointe townhouses now stand. The brick plant began operation in the early 1900s and continued to the early 1960s. Its 60 workers produced more than 84,000 bricks per day. Nothing remains of the plant as all was demolished for residential dwellings.

Demographics

Census 2010

Census 2000

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...

there were 6,227 people, 2,286 households, and 1,634 families residing in the CDP. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 852.6/km² (2,210.3/mi²). There were 2,362 housing units at an average density of 323.4/km² (838.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 90.65%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 3.57%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.22% Native American, 2.20% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.64% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.67% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 6.86% of the population.DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 from the Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Laurence Harbor CDP, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 28, 2012. There were 2,286 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.5% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.25. In the CDP the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.1 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $57,997, and the median income for a family was $61,470. Males had a median income of $46,439 versus $30,918 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the CDP was $23,619. About 4.3% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Housing

As this area was considered a beach resort back in the 1920s to 1950s, some houses along the waterfront and off Route 35 are bungalow style. Many have been updated to year-round use and some lots have been combined to build much larger houses or additions. Built along the high waterfront cliffs, many of the houses have a waterfront view overlooking the Rartian Bay,

Outerbridge Crossing The Outerbridge Crossing, also known as the Outerbridge, is a cantilever bridge that spans the Arthur Kill between Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York. It carries New York State Route 440 (NY 440) and New Jersey R ...

and New York City (Lower Manhattan, Staten Island and Brooklyn) in the distance. The higher elevation protects most of the homes from flooding and provides the benefit of a shore view without flood insurance. Bridgepointe, an upscale condo/townhouse development, was completed in 2005 and is located off Matawan Road very close to the Garden State Parkway Exit 120. This development, along with Parkview at Madison Apartment complex, also nearby, serves the needs of many commuters who make the daily work trek to New York and North Jersey. A large cleared area of land located behind Bridgepointe and Parkview at Madison was slated for a high end hotel, convention center, business complex, a New Jersey Transit train station and housing. Construction never began; however, the plans still remain on hold and are occasionally brought up within the township.

Parks and recreation

Laurence Harbor is home to Old Bridge Waterfront Park, which consists of a new boardwalk (the old boardwalk was destroyed in the 1940–1950s) that was completed in 2002. The beachfront was redone through a joint venture by

Old Bridge Township, New Jersey Old Bridge Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, located in the Raritan Valley region and within the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township’s population was 66,876, re ...

and Middlesex County Parks Department. It extends approximately one mile from the Old Bridge Police substation south, to the Aberdeen Township neighborhood of Cliffwood Beach, and runs parallel with

. This area is very popular for fishing as three jetties extend into Raritan Bay and are in excellent condition, also recently redone in the past ten years. The park's boardwalk is also popular for jogging and dog walking. At the northern parking lot of the park, there is bay beach swimming access along with a bathroom and showers. On October 29, 2012,

Hurricane Sandy Hurricane Sandy (unofficially referred to as ''Superstorm Sandy'') was an extremely destructive and strong Atlantic hurricane, as well as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record as measured by diameter, with tropical-storm-force winds spann ...

slammed into Southern New Jersey. Its resulting storm surge, estimated to be in excess of 15–20 feet above sea level, destroyed portions of the Old Bridge Waterfront Park. Following Sandy improvements to the boardwalk jetty and parks were performed in 2014 when the resources became available. There are now new parks and a new boardwalk and jetty railing, and improved erosion protection along the bay's edge.

Environment

Laurence Harbor is surrounded by diverse wetlands and bay front. The shallow bay front provides habitat for migratory birds to stop and feed. Except for a few cold winter months,

great egrets The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

can be seen frequently in the area. In late September and October before freezing temperatures, the egrets can be found in large numbers. Large Atlantic horseshoe crabs can be seen in the hundreds spawning along the shoreline in April. During fall and early spring, sea gulls can be seen foraging for food by picking

mussels Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other edible clams, which ...

and clams out of the bay, flying up, and dropping them on the local jetties to break them open and feed. A diverse range of fish frequent and spawn in the local waters. Striped bass feed along the coastline in the early spring when the water temperature reaches approximately 45 degrees, begin to leave when the water gets warm enough for the bluefish, and return when the water cools in the fall. With birds at times following their feeding frenzies, bluefish feed heavily when they first arrive in spring. Various size bluefish remain in the water throughout the summer and into fall. Other fish that are known to be along the bay are black drum, fluke, winter flounder, eels, cow nose rays, skate, and weakfish. Along the boardwalk amongst the sand dunes, there are honeysuckle trees that blossom in the spring. There have been sightings of wildlife such as the common box turtle along the boardwalk.

Pollution and lead contamination

Pollution issues are being addressed on the southern half of the Old Bridge Waterfront Park. The main beach has been contaminated with toxic levels of lead. The Environmental Protection Agency has closed the beach to the public. There is information on the site at their web site under the National Priorities List for the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund Site. It is believed that slag from the National Lead factory in Sayreville was placed along the retaining wall in the 1960s and the 1970s to prevent erosion.DiIonno, Mark
"Di Ionno: Ghosts of industrial past keep Laurence Harbor from its beach"
''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to '' The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the '' Staten Island Advance'', all of ...

'', June 24, 2012. Accessed July 21, 2016. "The problem is lead-laden slag, which was taken from the old National Lead industrial site in Sayreville, where Dutch Boy paint was made, and used to anchor jetties and bolster the seawall in the area." Additionally, the same slag was used to build an entire jetty on the northern end of Morgan Bridge in Morgan. The slag comes in the form of about 20" diameter discs similar in shape to tire hubs and some are disc halves. The slag was a byproduct from the lead refining process that contains mostly steel with small percentages of lead and other heavy metals. The slag does not significantly affect the water quality due to dilution from ocean water that continuously comes in and out of the bay. Testing showed that the sand under the slag has lead particulates that have separated over time and there are traces of lead particulates in the sand below the tidal line. Once the slag is removed or contained the beach will be reopened.Raritan Bay Slag

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...

. Accessed November 28, 2012.

References

{{Middlesex County, New Jersey Census-designated places in Middlesex County, New Jersey Old Bridge Township, New Jersey Jersey Shore communities in Middlesex County