Harvey Cedars is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 337, reflecting a decline of 22 (-6.1%) from the 359 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 3 (-0.8%) from the 362 counted in the 1990 Census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island.
Harvey Cedars was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on December 15, 1894, from portions of Union Township (now Barnegat Township), based on the results of a referendum held on November 20, 1894.
The majority of the housing units in the borough are seasonal houses used primarily in the summer by owners who live elsewhere, bringing the summer population to 12,000. The borough’s quiet character and bay and ocean access make housing very expensive, with bay or oceanfront houses priced at $2 million or more. Despite the borough’s small size, its property was assessed at over $1.2 billion in 2014.
Before Long Beach Island was developed, its northern area, from the Barnegat Inlet to the Great Swamp (now Surf City), was covered with Atlantic white cedar (chamaecyparis thyoides). Early inhabitants of the area harvested salt hay (spartina patens) and seaweed to make a living.
The earliest reference to the area was a deed from 1751 that called the place “Harvest Quarters”. The name “Harvey Cedars” may be a portmanteau derived from the combination of “harvest” housing used by these farmers and the “cedars” that grew in the area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.185 square miles (3.070 km2), including 0.557 square miles (1.444 km2) of land and 0.628 square miles (1.626 km2) of water (52.97%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include High Point.
The borough borders the Ocean County municipalities of Barnegat Township, Long Beach Township and Stafford Township.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 337 people, 169 households, and 110.019 families residing in the borough. The population density was 604.6 per square mile (233.4/km2). There were 1,214 housing units at an average density of 2,178.0 per square mile (840.9/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 99.11% (334) White, 0.59% (2) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.30% (1) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.00% (0) from other races, and 0.00% (0) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% (3) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
