Surf City is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 1,205, reflecting a decline of 237 (-16.4%) from the 1,442 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 67 (+4.9%) from the 1,375 counted in the 1990 Census. The borough borders the Atlantic Ocean on Long Beach Island.
What is now Surf City was originally formed as Long Beach City borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 19, 1894, from portions of Stafford Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was renamed Surf City by a resolution of the Borough Council as of May 26, 1899. The name was changed to avoid confusion with other places on the island and along the Jersey Shore.
Present-day Surf City was home to the first big boarding hotel on the Jersey Shore, called the Mansion of Health. The area surrounding this hotel was called “Buzby’s Place” in the 1830s and 1840s, after one of the owners of the Mansion of Health, Hudson Buzby. The Mansion of Health burned down in 1874, but some old-timers still call the cove at the foot of South First Street on the bay side “Mansion Cove.”
In 1875, the 20 or so permanent residents of the area decided to call the area Long Beach City, even though the area was still considered part of Stafford Township. In 1894, Surf City was incorporated, changing its name to Surf City in 1899 after the United States Postal Service demanded a name change before the town could incorporate, preventing it from being confused with Long Branch in Monmouth County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.917 square miles (2.376 km2), including 0.745 square miles (1.931 km2) of land and 0.172 square miles (0.446 km2) of water (18.76%).
The borough is located 57 miles (92 km) east-southeast of Philadelphia and 71 miles (114 km) south of New York City. Surf City is also 60 miles (97 km) from the capitol of New Jersey, Trenton.
The borough borders the Ocean County municipalities of Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom and Stafford Township.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,205 people, 622 households, and 365.7 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,616.5 per square mile (624.1/km2). There were 2,566 housing units at an average density of 3,442.4 per square mile (1,329.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.52% (1,151) White, 1.33% (16) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.58% (7) Asian, 0.33% (4) Pacific Islander, 1.41% (17) from other races, and 0.83% (10) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.06% (61) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
