Lakewood Township is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States.

As of 2017 the town had a population of approximately 102,682 residents. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 92,843, representing an increase of 32,491 (+53.8%) from the 60,352 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 15,304 (+34.0%) from the 45,048 counted in the 1990 Census. The township ranked as the seventh-most-populous municipality in the state in 2010 after having been ranked 22nd in 2000. It now ranks 5th. The sharp increase in population from 2000 to 2010 was led by increases in the township’s Orthodox Jewish and Latino communities.

Lakewood is a hub of Orthodox Judaism, and is home to one of the largest yeshivas in the world, the 6,500-student Beth Medrash Govoha, which was founded by Rabbi Aharon Kotler. The large Orthodox population, which comprises more than half the township’s population, wields considerable political clout in the township as a voting bloc.

The earliest documented European settlement of the present Lakewood area was by operators of sawmills, from about 1750 forward. One such sawmill – located at the east end of the present Lake Carasaljo – was known as Three Partners Mill from at least 1789 until at least 1814. From 1815 until 1818, in the same area, Jesse Richards had an iron-smelting operation known as Washington Furnace, using the local bog iron ore. The ironworks were revived in 1833 by Joseph W. Brick, who named the business Bergen Iron Works, which also became the name of the accompanying town. In 1865, the town was renamed Bricksburg in 1865, and in 1880, it was renamed Lakewood and became a fashionable winter resort.

Lakewood’s developers thought that “Bricksburg” didn’t capture their vision for the community, and the names “Brightwood” and “Lakewood” were proposed. After reaching out to area residents, “Lakewood” was chosen, and the United States Postal Service approved the name in March 1880. The name “Lakewood” was intended to focus on the location near lakes and pine forests.

Lakewood was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1892, from portions of Brick Township. Portions of Howell Township in Monmouth County were annexed to Lakewood Township in 1929.

Lakewood’s three greatest hotels were the Laurel House (opened in 1880; closed in 1932), the Lakewood Hotel (opened January 1891, closed in 1925), and the Laurel-in-the-Pines (opened December 1891, burned down in 1967). Lakewood’s promoters claimed that its winter temperature was usually about ten degrees warmer than that of New York City and were warmer than points located further south, but this claim is not substantiated by official records of the United States Weather Bureau. During the 1890s, Lakewood was a resort for the rich and famous, and The New York Times devoted a weekly column to the activities of Lakewood society. Grover Cleveland spent the winters of 1891-92 and 1892-93 in a cottage near the Lakewood Hotel, commuting to his business in New York City. Mark Twain also enjoyed vacationing in Lakewood. George Jay Gould I acquired an estate at Lakewood in 1896, which is now Georgian Court University. John D. Rockefeller bought a property in 1902 which later became Ocean County Park. Lakewood’s hotel business remained strong in the 1920s and 1950s, but went into severe decline in the 1960s. In the 1960s, much of the woods and cranberry bogs in the township were replaced by large housing developments. Leisure Village, a condominium retirement development on the south side of Route 70, opened for sale in 1963.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.982 square miles (64.703 km²), including 24.577 square miles (63.653 km²) of land and 0.405 square miles (1.050 km²) of water (1.62%). Lakewood is a fairly flat place, being as it is on the Coastal Plain; three-quarters of its area is between 20–80 feet above sea level, and its highest point is about 150 feet.

The North Branch of the Metedeconk River forms the northern boundary and part of the eastern boundary of the township, while the South Branch runs through the township. A southern portion of the township is drained by the north branch of Kettle Creek. As implied in its name, Lakewood township has four lakes, all of them man-made; three of them – Lake Carasaljo, Manetta, and Shenandoah – are on the South Branch of the Metedeconk River, whereas the fourth – Lake Waddill – is on Kettle Creek.

Lakewood CDP (2010 Census population of 53,805), Leisure Village (4,400 as of 2010) and Leisure Village East (4,217 as of 2010) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Lakewood Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Greenville, Lake Carasaljo, Seven Stars and South Lakewood.

The township borders the municipalities of Brick Township, Jackson Township, and Toms River Township in Ocean County; and Howell Township in Monmouth County.

Portions of Lakewood Township are part of an urban enterprise zone, one of 27 zones in the state. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (versus the 6.625% rate charged statewide, effective January 1, 2018) at eligible merchants. Established in 1994, the township’s Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in October 2025.

The Strand Theater, established in 1922, was designed by architect Thomas W. Lamb.

FirstEnergy Park, home of the Lakewood BlueClaws, is a 6,588-seat stadium constructed at a cost of $22 million through funds raised from the township’s Urban Enterprise Zone.

The Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League, the Single-A minor league baseball affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, play at FirstEnergy Park. The BlueClaws have led the league in attendance every year since its formation in 2001 up until 2011, with more than 380,000 fans in the 2001 season, representing an average attendance of more than 6,200 fans per game.

Ocean County Park offers tennis courts, sports fields, hiking trails, beach volleyball, a driving range, swimming and cross-country skiing. Lakes Carasaljo and Shenandoah have canoe and kayak access, and jogging trails. The Sister Mary Grace Burns Arboretum is located on the campus of Georgian Court University.

The percentage of Jewish people in Lakewood is one of the highest for incorporated areas in the U.S., at an estimated 59%.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 92,843 people, 24,283 households, and 17,362.345 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,777.7 per square mile (1,458.6/km²). There were 26,337 housing units at an average density of 1,071.6 per square mile (413.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 84.33% (78,290) White, 6.35% (5,898) Black or African American, 0.30% (276) Native American, 0.84% (777) Asian, 0.02% (14) Pacific Islander, 6.68% (6,199) from other races, and 1.50% (1,389) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 17.30% (16,062) of the population.

Source: Wikipedia