128-647: Monmouth County ( / ˈ m ɒ n m ə θ / ) is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey . It is bordered to its west by Mercer and Middlesex Counties, to its south by Ocean County , to its east by the Atlantic Ocean , and to its north by the Raritan Bay (sharing a border with the boroughs of Staten Island , Brooklyn , and Queens in New York City , across it). Monmouth County's geographic area comprises 30% water. The county
256-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
384-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
512-582: A capacity of 149 passengers and can travel up to 29 knots (33 mph). The vessels were built by Derecktor Shipyards of Mamaroneck . They operate between the Port of New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard during the summer months but began a reduced year-round service in 2023. They are propelled by fixed-pitched propellers. Past vessels have included the Seastreak Manhattan , the Seastreak Brooklyn , and
640-485: A capacity of roughly 10,000 people. In 1995, on the opposite side of the parkway, the New Jersey Vietnam Veteran's Memorial was opened. In 1996, the facility expanded heavily, adding thousands in capacity, and shifting toward general music with broader appeal to compete with other amphitheaters. In 1996, the facility was renamed to PNC Bank Arts Center. The theater is one of the most successful amphitheaters in
768-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
896-590: A developer began site redevelopment, with the research building becoming a New Urbanism inspired mixed-use facility, while the surrounding land became residential housing. In 2016, Monmouth Mall in Eatontown announced that it would be redeveloped into a pedestrian-friendly mixed-used development, including demolition of some of the abandoned parts of the mall, with the addition of housing, plazas and walkways, amongst many other changes. The mall, which opened in 1960, had faced lots of vacancies and financial troubles over
1024-460: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
1152-650: A grand arcade alongside the boardwalk. On September 8, 1934, the SS Morro Castle caught fire and burned during a storm on its route from New York City to Havana , Cuba . The ship drifted ashore to Asbury Park by the Convention Hall , where it remained until 1935 when it was towed away to be scrapped. The disaster was one of the deadliest maritime disasters in United States history, having killed 137 people. On December 13, 1943, Naval Weapons Station Earle
1280-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
1408-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
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#17328519412971536-773: A large scale. Other battles and massacres during the war in Monmouth County include sites such as the Burrowes Mansion in Matawan , and the Allen House in Shrewsbury . At independence, Monmouth's population included 1,640 slaves, as well as an undetermined number of free African Americans . The number of enslaved persons fell steeply after 1820, though a small number remained until at least 1850. Monmouth's free African American population climbed from 353 in 1790 to 2,658 in 1860. There
1664-402: A largely amicable relationship with the new arrivals. Enslaved Africans were present in the area from at least 1680, and by 1726 made up 9% of the total population of the county. Monmouth County was established on March 7, 1683, while part of the province of East Jersey . On October 31, 1693, the county was partitioned into the townships of Freehold , Middletown and Shrewsbury . In 1764,
1792-1063: A low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 106 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 2011. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in February to 5.08 inches (129 mm) in July. Average monthly temperatures in Asbury Park range from 32.5 °F in January to 75.0 °F in July, while in Allentown, NJ they range from 32.1 °F in January to 75.5 °F in July. [3] On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy caused catastrophic damage to coastal areas of Monmouth County. As Sandy's surge arrived in Monmouth County, flood levels of 13.31 feet (4.06 m) above normal were measured at Sandy Hook shortly before
1920-882: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
2048-582: A native attack in Sandy Hook and lived to the age of 110. A group of Quaker families from Long Island settled the Monmouth Tract , an early land grant from Richard Nicolls issued in 1665. They were followed by a group of Scottish settlers who inhabited Freehold Township in about 1682–1885, followed several years later by Dutch settlers. As they arrived in this area, they were greeted by Lenape people, who lived in scattered small family bands and developed
2176-535: A permanent extension of the subsidized service. Though full service on the Montague Street Tunnel was restored in mid-September 2014, many commuters continued to take the ferry, despite its extra $ 1 cost over the subway fare. In mid-October, Mayor Bill de Blasio visited Rockaway and declared that the time had come to end the ferry service, since all of the subway service that it had replaced was now back in operation. Despite efforts from other local officials,
2304-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
2432-459: A research laboratory of Bell Laboratories . The northeastern portion of the county, in the Locust section of Middletown Township and the boroughs of Highlands and Atlantic Highlands , are also very hilly. The lowest point is sea level. Along with adjacent Middlesex and Ocean counties, Monmouth County is a mecca for boating and fishing. Its waterways include several tributaries that flow from
2560-504: A stopgap alternative transportation measure only for the months until subway service was restored at the end of May in 2013, the ferry service proved to be popular with locals, and the city's contract with Seastreak was initially extended until July 2013 and then was subsequently extended again, first till mid-October 2013 and then until January 2014. Community organizations, activists and elected officials in Rockaway and Brooklyn campaigned for
2688-531: A top speed of 36 knots. Before its extensive refit in early 2023, it served as a member of the Rhode Island Fast Ferry fleet out of Quonset Point, Rhode Island and was originally built by Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding . It is propelled by high speed water jets. Seastreak routes connect the towns of Atlantic Highlands and Highlands in Monmouth County, New Jersey with Pier 11 at Wall Street and
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#17328519412972816-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
2944-564: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
3072-433: Is a 65-foot vessel owned by New England Fast Ferry; it has a capacity of 149 passengers and can travel up to 29 knots (33 mph). It is used as the ferry for the seasonal Providence to Newport route. The vessel was built by Merrifield-Roberts of Bristol . It is propelled by a pair of ZF propellers. The Martha's Vineyard Express and Whaling City Express are 95-foot vessels owned by New England Fast Ferry and have
3200-546: Is also home to Monmouth University , a private university in West Long Branch . The naming of Monmouth County has different historical theories. It is thought that the county received its name from the Rhode Island Monmouth Society. This is likely, due to many of the county's earliest settlers originating from Rhode Island . Another plausible theory, is from a suggestion from Colonel Lewis Morris that
3328-465: Is also provided to the public beaches in Sandy Hook a few times each day. Service used to be provided to Yankee Stadium for select New York Yankees games and to Citi Field for New York Mets games on weekends. However, that service has been discontinued since before the pandemic hit. The company has long offered "special event cruises" such as sightseeing excursions, sunset cruises, trips to Broadway matinees, college football games at West Point ,
3456-435: Is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
3584-559: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Seastreak Seastreak is a private ferry company operating in the Port of New York and New Jersey and in New England . It provides high-speed commuter service between points on
3712-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
3840-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
3968-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
Monmouth County, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue
4096-713: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
4224-620: Is part of the Jersey Shore region of the state. It has also been categorized under the Central Jersey region, though it was not among the four counties explicitly listed as included in Central Jersey as part of legislation signed into law in 2023. As of the 2020 United States census , the county was the state's fifth-most-populous county with a population of 643,615, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 13,235 (+2.1%) from
4352-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
4480-557: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
4608-501: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
4736-438: The 2010 census count of 630,380, which in turn reflected an increase of 15,079 from 615,301 at the 2000 census . As of 2010, the county fell to the fifth-most populous county in the state, having been surpassed by Hudson County . Monmouth's county seat is Freehold Borough , though many county offices are also located in neighboring Freehold Township . The most populous place was Middletown Township , with 67,106 residents at
4864-634: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
4992-628: The Bushwick Inlet in Brooklyn. One crew member was injured, and approximately 100 passengers were evacuated. The ferry is seen during a romantic moment passing underneath the Brooklyn Bridge in the movie Step Up 3D . It is seen still operating in the year 2021 in the movie Click . A ferry is also seen moving down the East River in the final shot of the 2002 film Gangs of New York , in which
5120-454: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
5248-622: The East 34th Street Ferry Landing on the East River in Manhattan. Seastreak also connects Belford to Pier 11, Battery Park City Ferry Terminal , Paulus Hook Ferry Terminal , and West Midtown Ferry Terminal on the Hudson River . During the morning rush hour, the trip from the Raritan Bayshore to Manhattan takes approximately 40 minutes. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, service
Monmouth County, New Jersey - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-612: The Elberon section of Long Branch , a few months after being shot in a failed assassination attempt. Garfield was one of several presidents who would vacation in Long Branch around the Gilded Age , with other presidents who frequented the town including Chester A. Arthur , Ulysses S. Grant , Benjamin Harrison , Rutherford B. Hayes , William McKinley , and Woodrow Wilson . On July 5, 1886,
5504-573: The Garden State Parkway , U.S. 9 , Route's 34 , 35 , and 36 , along with NJ Transit 's North Jersey Coast Line and Seastreak , connects county residents to economic centers in North Jersey and New York City. In 2015, the county had a per capita personal income of $ 69,410, making it the fifth highest in New Jersey and ranked 74th of 3,113 counties in the United States. Many inland areas of
5632-763: The MV Seastreak Highlands , MV Nantucket Express , MV Seastreak New Jersey , and MV Seastreak New York are propelled by high speed water jets. They vessels all 141 foot long, owned by Seastreak; each has a capacity of 505 passengers and travels at a top speed of 38 knots (44 mph). The vessels were designed in Australia by Incat Designs , and built in the United States by the Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding in Somerset, Massachusetts . The Ocean State
5760-597: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
5888-527: The Montague Street Tunnel ( R train) between Brooklyn and Manhattan. In December 2013, it was reported that since inception, the run between Rockaway and Manhattan had attracted an average of about 730 passengers per day, on top of the approximately 250 daily passengers traveling between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The ferry by that time had carried nearly 200,000 passengers since its inception, according to city officials. Originally intended as
6016-552: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
6144-506: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
6272-562: The Raritan Bayshore in Monmouth County, New Jersey and in Manhattan in New York City as well as special event and sightseeing excursions in the harbor and seasonal service to the New England coast. Seastreak began operation in 1986 as TNT Hydrolines, a subsidiary of TNT of Australia operating commuter ferry services between New Jersey and New York City . In 1994 all of TNT's maritime assets were acquired by Holyman of Australia and
6400-521: The Rockaway peninsula of Queens , Seastreak began running a city-subsidized ferry service between a makeshift ferry slip at Beach 108th Street and Beach Channel Drive in Rockaway Park and Pier 11/Wall Street in Manhattan's Financial District , then continuing on to the East 34th Street Ferry Landing . In August 2013, a stop was added at Brooklyn Army Terminal in advance of the temporary closure of
6528-645: The Sandy Hook Lighthouse was built. At the June 28, 1778, Battle of Monmouth , near Freehold Township , General George Washington 's soldiers battled the British under Sir Henry Clinton , in the longest land battle of the American Revolutionary War . At Monmouth the tactics and training from Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben developed at Valley Forge during the winter encampment were first implemented on
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#17328519412976656-563: The Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club in Rumson opened as the first lawn tennis club in the United States. In 1888, Palace Amusements opened in Asbury Park alongside the boardwalk, and contained numerous amusement rides and games, such as a carousel . After years of a declining economy within the city, the palace closed in 1988, 100 years after it opened. In 2004, the building
6784-635: The Seastreak Liberty , among a few others. All of these catamaran ferries were designed by Incat Crowther . Seastreak announced construction of a 600-passenger high-speed luxury ferry in September 2016 for service between the Jersey Shore and Manhattan , anticipated to enter service in 2017. Construction took longer than planned, and the vessel, named the Commodore , was launched in March 2018, entering service
6912-572: The Tri-City region of coastal cities of Red Bank , Long Branch , and Asbury Park , along with the county constituting a vast swath of the New Jersey coastline, has contributed in its draw of tourists throughout the state (and much of the Northeastern United States at large), particularly during the summer months. Many communities within the county serve as commuter towns to and from New York City and other points north . Highways such as
7040-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
7168-569: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
7296-671: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
7424-466: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
7552-473: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
7680-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
7808-454: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
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#17328519412977936-923: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
8064-636: The Macy's Fourth of July fireworks, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade , and to see the fall foliage in the Hudson Valley . On July 17, 2009, Seastreak began providing weekend service from Highlands, NJ and New York City to Martha's Vineyard. One ferry departs New York City on Friday afternoon and returns on Sunday night. The trip through Long Island Sound and along the shoreline of Rhode Island and Massachusetts takes approximately five to six hours. The seasonal service
8192-531: The New Jersey/New York to Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket trips. The Courageous has a length of 157 feet. It is currently the largest high-speed passenger ferry in the United States. It is propelled by high speed water jets. The Millennium is the tenth and newest member of the Seastreak ferry fleet, built in 1998, It began its Seastreek service on July 31, 2023. It is primarily utilized to accommodate passengers traveling between Belford/Middletown and Manhattan. The vessel can hold 406 passengers and crew as well as reach
8320-574: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
8448-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
8576-428: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
8704-627: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
8832-434: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
8960-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
9088-482: The building acted as a research and development facility. The facility was expanded twice in 1966 and 1982. On October 17, 1978, cosmic microwave background radiation was discovered at the site by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson . On June 12, 1968, the Garden State Arts Center opened in Holmdel alongside the Garden State Parkway , having its own exit of 116. The amphitheater often hosted classical and popular music , as well as various other programs, and has
9216-405: The captain, the control system of the boat failed to respond. Lawsuits seeking damages have been brought by injured passengers. As of May 16, 2013, the deadline for filing, thirty-seven claims had been made against the company. The case will be heard in admiralty court since the accident took place on navigable waters. On June 5, 2021, at around 4:15 p.m., the Commodore ran aground in
9344-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
9472-462: The country. In 1970, Asbury Park experienced a major race riot between July 4 and July 10, one of the largest in New Jersey. The riot was largely due to high unemployment , poor housing conditions, and lack of recreational activities within the African American community. Over 180 people were injured during the week long riot. The largely African American West Side of the city experienced
9600-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
9728-498: The county are still quite agricultural, with many orchards, wineries, equestrian farms, and distilleries, such as Cream Ridge Winery , Delicious Orchards , Four JG's Orchards & Vineyards , and Laird & Company . The Bell Labs Complex is a major scientific research facility in Holmdel , where important breakthroughs, such as evidence for the Big Bang , were discovered. The county
9856-457: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
9984-666: The county should be named after Monmouthshire in Wales , Great Britain . Other suggestions include that it was named for James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth (1649–1685), who had many allies among the East Jersey leadership. Around the year 1000, the area of Monmouth County began to be inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans prior to the arrival of European settlers. They came from the Mississippi River area. They lived along
10112-600: The destruction of the tidal station, breaking all previous local records. The surge caused waves as high as 32.5 feet (9.9 m), measured where the Sandy Hook Bay meets the New York Bay . As of the 2020 census , the county had 643,615 people, 240,377 households, and 161,545 families. The population density was 1,372.9 inhabitants per square mile (530.1/km). There were 268,912 housing units at an average density of 573.6 per square mile (221.5/km). The county's racial makeup
10240-569: The estuary of the Manasquan River , a bay-like body of saltwater that serves as the starting point of the Intracoastal Waterway , which attracts as many as 1,600 boats each weekend during the peak season. Much of Monmouth County has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ), while some inland areas have a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ). In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Freehold Borough have ranged from
10368-574: The ferry last ran on October 31, 2014, after Seastreak was unsuccessful in procuring an extension of the service. Rockaway ferry service resumed on May 1, 2017, as part of the NYC Ferry service, which is operated by Hornblower Cruises . In October 2003, eight passengers were evacuated to Staten Island after a fire broke out aboard a ferry heading to the Raritan Bayshore . On January 9, 2013, at around 8:45 a.m., MV Seastreak Wall Street , arriving at Pier 11 from Atlantic Highlands , rammed into
10496-423: The ferry service name was changed to Express Navigation. In 1999 Sea Containers acquired Express Navigation. The company was renamed Seastreak. Following Sea Containers filing for bankruptcy in 2006, Seastreak was sold to New England Fast Ferry in 2008. Seastreak operates a fleet of ten diesel -powered double-hulled catamarans . The MV Nantucket Express is propelled by a Servogear CPP Propeller System, while
10624-536: The first night flight, and the first air mail delivery. Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook played a minor role in World War 1 and World War 2 . The fort was intended as one of the defensive forts of New York City, and as neither war came to the area, the fort was largely unaffected. However, during World War 1, several of the artillery guns were removed for use elsewhere. In 1919, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground
10752-559: The fort is a National Historic Place and Landmark . In 1916, two of the three Jersey Shore shark attacks occurred in Monmouth County, with one occurring on July 6 in Spring Lake while the other occurred on July 12 in Matawan . One person was killed in the Spring Lake attack, while in Matawan two people were killed and one was injured. In 1917, construction of Fort Monmouth began under
10880-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
11008-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
11136-622: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
11264-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
11392-499: The land is a living history museum and U.S. historic district known as Allaire Village . On May 18, 1826, the Navesink Twin Lights were commissioned by Congress , and were first used in 1828. The twin lighthouses were one of only seven in the country. However, this structure deteriorated rapidly, and was in need of replacement. On May 1, 1862, the current structure was first lit at a much grander scale. Upon completion, it
11520-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
11648-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
11776-674: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
11904-403: The mooring as it was docking, leaving a visible gash in the ferry stretching several feet above the water line. The president of the ferry company, James R. Barker , told NBC News that morning that there were 300 aboard and that many of those injured were thrown from their seats. The cause of the accident was not immediately clear. Eighty-five people were injured, two critically. According to
12032-582: The more agrarian regions of western Monmouth County into the Raritan River , and various rivers and inlets that flow from the more densely populated region of the Raritan Bayshore of northern Monmouth County into the Raritan Bay and the Lower New York Bay , before finally draining out into the Atlantic Ocean . The Manasquan Inlet is located in the county, which connects the Atlantic Ocean with
12160-460: The most damage, with an estimated $ 5,600,000 in damages. On February 8, 1974, The Stone Pony opened in Asbury Park across the street from the boardwalk. The live music venue is small but well-known, with its most notable talents Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band as well as Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes having launched their career out of the venue. In 2005, Fort Monmouth
12288-587: The name of Camp Little Silver as training grounds. The first permanent structure, a barracks , was erected in 1928. In 1928, the first radio -equipped meteorological balloon reached the atmosphere , a precursor to modern day weather sounding . Numerous buildings were constructed during the 1930s-1940s at the facility, with the fort significantly expanding in size. Fort Monmouth was also where Soviet spies Julius Rosenberg , Joel Barr , and Alfred Sarant operated. Numerous scientific breakthroughs occurred at Fort Monmouth, including Project Diana in 1946; SCORE ,
12416-554: The next month. The vessel has 520 seats indoors and 240 seats outdoors, with a top speed of 35 knots, and a length of 150 feet. It is propelled by high speed water jets. The Courageous was delivered in December 2021 but initially remained out of service due to decreased ridership following the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States . It was built with the intention of accommodating more passengers on its East Side route as well as running
12544-514: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
12672-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
12800-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
12928-578: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
13056-651: The same time the region underwent massive and not unrelated economic changes, this process led to places like Monmouth County, New Jersey becoming significantly more diverse and somewhat less rural. In 1822, James P. Allaire bought land that would be used to establish the Howell Works Iron Foundry in what is now Wall Township . The village was an early example of a company town , having its workers live on site with numerous types of stores and facilities for them. The furnace had ceased to operate by 1848 as iron and coal production moved to Pennsylvania . Today,
13184-541: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
13312-580: The state, was significantly involved during the American Revolutionary War . The Battle of Monmouth was fought in June 1778 in what has been preserved as Monmouth Battlefield State Park , currently located in Freehold Township and Manalapan Township . The county's economy is rich and diverse, due to its high population density and proximity to New York City. Located in the middle of the Northeast megalopolis , its inland county seat of Freehold Borough ,
13440-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
13568-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
13696-559: The theater. In 1984, it was renamed after Count Basie , a native of Red Bank. Many well-known acts had performed at the theater, such as Tony Bennett , Olivia Newton-John , Bruce Springsteen , and Jon Bon Jovi . In 1928, the Asbury Park Convention Hall was constructed alongside the boardwalk . On January 1, 1930, the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park showed its first film, Wings . The buildings are connected by
13824-489: The time of the 2020 Census, while Howell Township covered 61.21 square miles (158.5 km), the largest total area of any municipality. While there are differing historical theories, the most plausible of theories in the origin of the county's name are attributed to many settlers originating from Rhode Island where the Rhode Island Monmouth Society hailed from, or it being named after the historic county of Monmouthshire in Wales , Great Britain . The county, like much of
13952-602: The vicinity of the Jersey Shore , the Raritan Bay , the Raritan River and other areas in the northeastern United States . The Lenape were a hunter-gatherer society. They were largely sedentary, changing campsites seasonally. They were prolific hunters of small game and birds. They were also skilled fisherman, and were known to harvest vast amounts of clams from the bays and inlets on the Jersey Shore. They also practiced some agriculture to augment their food supply. During this time, an important crossroad of two major Lenape trails
14080-583: The world's first communications satellite in 1958; TIROS-1 , the world's first full-scale weather satellite in 1960, and other projects including photography . On November 11, 1926, the Count Basie Theater opened as the Carlton Theater in Red Bank . In 1970, the theater had closed alongside most of the other historic theaters in the town. In 1973, an anonymous donation allowed for the preservation of
14208-471: The years that led to the decision. The plans were finalized in 2023. On June 14, 2018, Monmouth Park Racetrack became the first place in New Jersey to offer sports betting . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 661.40 square miles (1,713.0 km), of which 468.18 square miles (1,212.6 km) was land (70.8%) and 193.22 square miles (500.4 km)
14336-476: Was $ 102,870, and the median family income was $ 124,778. About 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. The 2010 United States census counted 630,380 people, 233,983 households, and 163,320 families in the county. The population density was 1,344.7 per square mile (519.2/km). There were 258,410 housing units at an average density of 551.2 per square mile (212.8/km). The racial makeup
14464-429: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.16. About 21.4% of the county's population was under age 18, 8.1% was from age 18 to 24, 34.8% was from age 15 to 44, and 18.2% was age 65 or older. The median age was 43.5 years. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. The county's median household income
14592-549: Was 71.6% White , 6.08% African American , 0.07% Native American , 5.6% Asian , and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.5% of the population. Of the 240,377 households , of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 25.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.4% had a male householder with no wife present and 32.8% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who
14720-404: Was 82.60% (520,716) White , 7.37% (46,443) Black or African American , 0.19% (1,211) Native American , 4.96% (31,258) Asian , 0.03% (211) Pacific Islander , 2.89% (18,187) from other races , and 1.96% (12,354) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.67% (60,939) of the population. County (United States) In the United States , a county or county equivalent
14848-463: Was a major center for scientific research throughout the 20th century. On May 4, 1933, radio astronomy , one of the most significant achievements in the field of astronomy , was invented by Karl Guthe Jansky . On June 25, 1946, the silicon solar cell was patented by Russell S. Ohl , who operated out of Bell Labs. In 1959, AT&T began construction on the current building, completing it in 1962, where
14976-525: Was a small African-American middle class consisting of freedmen present in Monmouth County by the 1840s and 1850s. In 1790 Monmouth County's population was 16,918, of whom roughly 6,600 were of English descent and the remainder were Welsh , Dutch and Swedish , as well as small amounts of African Americans and Northern Irish Protestants . By 2010 Monmouth County's population was 628,112 of whom 40,489 were of English descent . Between 1890 and 1907 nearly 18 million European immigrants came to America. At
15104-512: Was commissioned, which is designed to safely store and transport military ordinance. The 11,000 acre main facility consumes land in Colts Neck , Howell , Wall , and Tinton Falls , while the three-pronged pier in the Leonardo section of Middletown is connected to the main facility via Normandy Road, a military-only railroad and road that connects the facilities. The Bell Labs complex in Holmdel
15232-555: Was deemed unsafe, and was ordered to be demolished, although various elements were saved such as the iconic Tillie mural and the carousel. In 1899, Guglielmo Marconi 's first demonstration of the wireless telegraph in the United States took place at the Navesink Twin Lights . In 1910, the Wright Brothers hosted an aviation show in Interlaken , where numerous records were broken, such as high altitudes , longest time airborne,
15360-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
15488-541: Was essentially abandoned in favor of a large site at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland . During World War 2, the fort served as a mobilization center. In 1946, the guns at the fort were considered obsolete, leading to their scrapping and subsequent decommissioning of the fort. The fort was reactivated twice, first as an antiaircraft defense and later as a Nike missile base, but was closed for good in 1974. Today,
15616-617: Was extended to Nantucket beginning in 2015. Before launching its service to Martha's Vineyard, Seastreak had expressed an interest in providing a similar service on summer weekends to Sag Harbor in the Hamptons , but there were concerns over traffic and ferry service is a non-permitted use in the village code. After Hurricane Sandy in October 2012 destroyed much of the IND Rockaway Line ( A train), severing most subway service between
15744-584: Was located in the area of Freehold Township in western Monmouth County. In 1609, the English navigator, Henry Hudson , and his crew aboard the Dutch vessel Half Moon spotted land in what is now Monmouth County, most likely off Sandy Hook ; however, some historical accounts credit this landing to present-day Keansburg . Among the first European settlers and majority landowners in the area were Richard and Penelope Stout . Penelope "miraculously" survived her wounds from
15872-456: Was more than Hoboken , Jersey City , or Camden during this period. In 1850, Ocean County was carved out of Monmouth County. On July 30, 1870, Monmouth Park Racetrack opened, a thoroughbred racing track in Eatontown . The facility closed and reopened several times, with the current facility having been in use since 1946. On September 19, 1881, U.S. President James A. Garfield died in
16000-475: Was named Fort Hancock after Winfield Scott Hancock . On August 7, 1874, the Sandy Hook Proving Ground was established as a weapons testing area, considered a separate facility from the fort. In 1890, construction began on the artillery batteries of the fort. The Battery Porter was an early prototype of the gun lift carriage . During the 19th century, Keyport's Marine Park was a major shipbuilding hub, having built 55 steamships between 1807 and 1868, which
16128-420: Was recommended for closure, and in 2011 the facility shut down for good. Redevelopment of the land had been in talks since 2006, and in 2021 Netflix had announced it was going to create a film studio at the facility. In 2022, a proposal to develop housing units where the fort's housing stands was approved. In 2006, Bell Labs was sold, and preservation efforts were made by residents and former employees. In 2013,
16256-567: Was the most powerful lighthouse in the United States. In 1883, it became the first lighthouse in the country to use a mineral-oil lamp. Today, the lighthouse is open to the public as a U.S. historic landmark and place . In 1848, one of the original Life Saving Stations was built in Sandy Hook for the United States Coast Guard . Between 1857 and 1867, construction began on the Fort at Sandy Hook. The fort remained nameless until 1895 when it
16384-419: Was water (29.2%). Much of Monmouth County remains flat and low-lying, even at its western inland extreme. However, there are some low hills in and around Holmdel Township , and one of them, Crawford Hill , the former site of a radar facility, is the county's highest point, variously listed at 380 to 391 feet (116 to 119 m) above sea level. The top portion of the hill is owned by Alcatel-Lucent and houses
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