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:''See also New York–New Jersey Highlands for the northwestern part of the state.'' Highlands is a borough in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of
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 Delawa ...
. 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 serving ...
, its population was 5,005,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Highlands borough, Monmouth County, 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 th ...
. Accessed July 29, 2012.
Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Highlands borough
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north ...
. Accessed July 29, 2012.
a decline of 92 (−1.8%) from the 2000 Census, which had seen an increase of 248 (+5.1%) from the 1990 Census. The eastern part of the town is on a high bluff that overlooks
Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern ...
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 ...
, from which the borough derives its name. Atop this bluff are the Navesink Twin Lights. Highlands was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1900, from parts of Middletown Township. Additional parts of Middletown Township were annexed in 1914.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 180. Accessed July 29, 2012.
Highlands is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural environment of the Raritan Bayshore coastline. On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck the eastern seaboard of the United States, making landfall just north of Atlantic City. The borough was heavily damaged when a storm surge of nearly swept in from the bay beginning October 28. Most homes and businesses, including the Bahrs Landing and Lusty Lobster fishery were either damaged or totally destroyed. The borough lost several police cars and its fire station was destroyed.


History

Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the area known today as Highlands in 1525. During the next two centuries, the Highlands area would welcome
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
and Dutch settlers. Even by the 20th Century, many immigrants saw the hills of the Highlands of Navesink which were almost above sea level. The oldest route to the eastern coast of the United States is the Minisink Trail which started on the upper Delaware River, came through northern
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 Delawa ...
and ended at the Navesink River. Navesink means "good fishing spot" in the native tongue at the time. The trail was used by Native Americans, such as the Algonquin and Lenni Lenapi tribes. They came from all over New Jersey to spend the summer fishing and finding clams. The Newasunks, Raritans, and Sachem Papomorga (or Lenni Lenapis) were the most prevalent tribes and stayed the longest. These were the tribes which mostly traded with early settlers. One year after Verrazzano explored the area, Portuguese explorer Estevan Gomez visited the Highlands of Navesink and created the first maps of the area. These were the maps in which
Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern ...
was first drawn and called "Cabo de Arenas" or "Cape of Sands." In 1609,
Henry Hudson Henry Hudson ( 1565 – disappeared 23 June 1611) was an English sea explorer and navigator during the early 17th century, best known for his explorations of present-day Canada and parts of the northeastern United States. In 1607 and 16 ...
sailed into the
Sandy Hook Bay The Raritan Bayshore region of New Jersey is a subregion of the larger Jersey Shore. It is the area around Raritan Bay from The Amboys to Sandy Hook, in Monmouth and Middlesex counties, including the towns of Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, ...
and wrote: "This is very good land to fall in with and a pleasant land to see. Our men went on land, so they went up into the woods and saw great stores of very goodly oaks and some currants". One of Hudson's crew became the first man killed by Native Americans who were frightened by his scouting party. Many years after Hudson's trip to the area, the Highlands of Navesink saw a number of Dutch who traded with the Navesink Indians and prepared nautical charts. William Reape, one of the Dutch, made a bargain with the local natives to trade land in exchange for rum, blankets and gunpowder. Eventually, the Dutch settlers named the land "Rensselaer's Hoeck," but British settlers took over and renamed the settlement "Portland" in 1664. The group purchasing the land included James Hubbard, John Bawne, John Tilton Jr.,
Richard Stout Richard Stout (1836 – August 6, 1896) was a Union Navy sailor during the American Civil War and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor for his actions in an engagement with Confederate naval and ...
, William Goulding and Samuel Spear. Three years later, in 1677, Richard Hartshorne purchased a tract of land from the Native Americans which provided him with control of nearly all of Sandy Hook and Highlands which was then called "Portland Poynt." Hartshorne and his family became the first permanent settlers of the area. Some early settlers soon realized the importance Highlands and Sandy Hook would have in the defense of the country. People in Highlands and Sandy Hook could warn New York of any enemies approaching by sea and also to help guide ships into New York harbor. In 1762, New York merchants purchased a four-acre site from the Hartshorne family for a light house. Two years later, the Sandy Hook Light House was lighted for the first time. The hills of the Highlands of Navesink and Sandy Hook also played an important role during the American Revolutionary War. It was a vital strategic site for the British and Colonial Armies. When the British fleet arrived close to Sandy Hook in 1776, sympathizers with the British built fortifications and with the help of the British were able to hold Sandy Hook for the remainder of the Revolutionary War. The Loyalists stayed in control of Sandy Hook even after the war was ended by the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. Captain Joshua Huddy was the eldest of seven brothers and a member of the Monmouth Continental Militia. He pursued gangs of Tory ( Loyalist) refugees who plundered the area searching for American rebels. The refugees made Huddy a target and tried to kill him several times. Unfortunately, one of the Loyalists' raids from Sandy Hook ended with setting Huddy's house on fire. Huddy agreed to surrender if they would help him to put out the fire. They agreed and took Huddy as a prisoner. The fire from the house had attracted the attention of Huddy's neighbors and the local militia raced after the Tories, catching them before they could reach their boats at Black Point in Rumson. In the fight that ensued, Huddy escaped. However, two years later the Loyalists captured Huddy and brought him to
Gravelly Point Gravelly Point is an area within the National Park Service's George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington County, Virginia, in the United States. It is located on the west side of the Potomac River, north of Roaches Run and Ronald Reagan Wash ...
in Highlands where he was allowed to write his will. Then Huddy was hanged for the death of Captain Philip White who had been captured by Rebels earlier in Long Branch and shot while being transported to Freehold. Huddy was not involved in the shooting, as he was in a British prison at the time, but was hanged anyway. His body was carried by patriots to Freehold and buried. Today, a monument in Huddy Park honors Captain Joshua Huddy. In 1796, the first hotel in the Highlands of Navesink was built and many other hotels were built until the War of 1812. Two years later, the tourism began to grow and new hotels were built on Sandy Hook and on the hills of Highlands. In addition, a number of new homes were being built and visitors were coming to Highlands by the boatload. Author James Fenimore Cooper, author of ''
Last of the Mohicans ''The Last of the Mohicans: A Narrative of 1757'' is a historical romance written by James Fenimore Cooper in 1826. It is the second book of the ''Leatherstocking Tales'' pentalogy and the best known to contemporary audiences. '' The Pathfinde ...
'', also wrote ''Water Witch'', a novel which was inspired by his visits to Highlands.
Walt Whitman Walter Whitman (; May 31, 1819 – March 26, 1892) was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among ...
, one of America's most famous poets, celebrated his excursions to Highlands in his journals and a group of his poems entitled, "Fancies at Navesink." Pallone, Frank
100th Anniversary of the Borough of Highlands
'' Congressional Record'', Volume 146, Number 34 (March 23, 2000). Accessed October 15, 2013.
By 1880, numerous hotels, beach pavilions and private clubs were flourishing in Highlands. It was the beginning of a glorious era for the small town on the Shrewsbury River. Trains and steamships brought vacationers to celebrate post-
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government polici ...
prosperity. New York theatrical producers and famous actors built summer homes in Highlands. The area became so popular that '' Harper's Magazine'' sent a journalist down nearly every summer in the 1870s and 1880s to write about the community and its people. The Seashore Railroad had been built on the Sandy Hook peninsula during 1865 and a ferry service was established to take passengers across the river from Highlands to his hotel on Sandy Hook. Then a bridge was constructed in 1872 and the ferry service ceased operations. The new drawbridge was about and wide. It was constructed at a cost of $35,000 and opened in 1872, but was closed for three years when a schooner ran into it in 1875. By 1883, a railroad came to Atlantic Highlands and in 1892 the old draw bridge at Highlands was torn down and a new railroad bridge was built by the New Jersey Central Railroad Company for their coastal line. This new bridge for rail, vehicular, and foot traffic was opened in 1892. On Lighthouse Hill were the Twin Lights which is one of the most historic sites in the nation. Built in 1862, it was the first twin light house, the first electric powered light, the first glimpse of America for incoming ships, the first in the nation to use the Fresnel lens, the first to use wireless telegraphy, and the site of the first experiments with
radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...
. Light House Hill (also known as Beacon Hill) was employed as a site for a beacon as early as 1746, when
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...
was in conflict with
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
in the War of Austrian Succession, and the colonies of both were up for grabs. The beacon—whale oil burned in pots—was not only to welcome sailors, but to warn citizens that the French were coming up the harbor and it was time to take down the musket from over the fireplace. During the Revolutionary War, the beacon served the same purpose, only Britain was the enemy. In 1899, Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of wireless telegraphy demonstrated his invention at the Twin Lights so the '' New York Herald'' could be the first to have news of the 1899 America's Cup races to be run off the New Jersey Coast. By the 1920s, Highlands was a popular tourist destination. By 1932, however, century-long steamboat operations on the Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers came quickly to an end. Before
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
, the northern tower was the first place where experiments with radar were held. So successful were the tests that, soon after the war,
radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...
was the major tool of navigation and the government decided to decommission the Twin Lights and abandon the building as an operative light house. During 1900, Highlands was incorporated and passed an ordinance prohibiting horses, cows and pigs from running loose on the streets. It also ordered that three-inch hemlock and chestnut planking be used as curbs along the officially designated streets. By 1920 the "manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors" was prohibited. However, " rum-running" was a common practice for New Jersey's beachfront and Highlands became the main port for the infamous trade. Highlands also had great boat-building facilities which could produce boats faster than the authorities could catch. The
Jersey Skiff The Jersey Skiff is a beach launched boat first appearing around the end of the 19th century. They were first used as fishing boats, to be launched through the surf, sailed to the fishing grounds and then retrieved through the surf. There were tw ...
, designed and built in Highlands, became the primary craft to be used in the smuggling operations. Highlands became known for
sport fishing Recreational fishing, also called sport fishing or game fishing, is fishing for leisure, exercise or competition. It can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is professional fishing for profit; or subsistence fishing, which is fishin ...
in the 1920s. Today, countless boats can be seen in the rivers, bays and ocean to catch
fluke Fluke may refer to: Biology * Fluke (fish), a species of marine flatfish * Fluke (tail), the lobes of the tail of a cetacean, such as dolphins or whales, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, and metriorhynchids. * Fluke (flatworm), parasiti ...
, bluefish, striped bass or whiting. Clamming was an important activity here for the Native Americans and the first settlers learned from them. A writer in 1890 reported that clams were to Parkertown what the whale once was to Nantucket. Gertrude Ederle spent all of her summers in Highlands and learned to swim at the beach on Miller Street. She would swim from Sandy Hook to the Highlands Bridge in two hours and forty minutes to train for her famous English Channel swim in 1926. She became the first woman to swim the English Channel, and also the first to be given a ticker-tape parade on Broadway. Ederle attended the 1975 dedication of a park in Highlands named in her honor. During 1975, all military installations on Sandy Hook (except for the U.S. Coast Guard) were decommissioned and the land was given to the
National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...
to become the Gateway National Recreation Area.


Geography

According to the
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 th ...
, the borough had a total area of 1.39 square miles (3.59 km2), including 0.74 square miles (1.92 km2) of land and 0.65 square miles (1.67 km2) of water (46.47%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Parkertown and Waterwitch (also spelled as "Water Witch"). The borough borders the Monmouth County municipalities of Atlantic Highlands, Middletown Township and Sea Bright.


Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
system, Highlands has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Demographics


Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $75,291 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,503) and the median family income was $80,430 (+/− $7,353). Males had a median income of $63,686 (+/− $6,479) versus $46,641 (+/− $9,013) 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 borough was $42,737 (+/− $4,647). About 11.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.


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 c ...
there were 5,097 people, 2,450 households, and 1,193 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,689.2 people per square mile (2,589.4/km2). There were 2,820 housing units at an average density of 3,700.9 per square mile (1,432.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.10%
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 ...
, 1.59% African American, 0.33% Native American, 1.00% Asian, 0.59% from other races, and 1.39% 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 for ...
or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Highlands borough, 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 th ...
. Accessed July 29, 2012.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Highlands borough, Monmouth County, 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 th ...
. Accessed July 29, 2012.
There were 2,450 households, out of which 19.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.3% were non-families. 41.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.08 and the average family size was 2.90. In the borough the population was spread out, with 18.8% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $45,692, and the median income for a family was $50,985. Males had a median income of $50,296 versus $31,265 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 borough was $29,369. About 11.5% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.0% of those under age 18 and 11.7% of those age 65 or over.


Government


Local government

Highlands is governed by a Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Small Municipality (Plan C) form of New Jersey municipal government, enacted by direct petition as of January 1, 1978. The borough is one of 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government, which is only available to municipalities with a population below 12,000 at the time of adoption. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the four-member Borough Council, who are elected on an at-large basis in non-partisan voting to three-year terms on a staggered basis as part of the November general election, in a three-year cycle in which two council seats come up for election in each of two consecutive years followed by the mayoral seat up for vote in the third year.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 58. This form of government was adopted in 1956. In a 2014 referendum, voters changed the format and timing of elections from partisan in November to nonpartisan in May.Burton, John
"Borough voters going to the polls on Tuesday elected two members to the borough council in the borough's first non-partisan election. Voters approved a referendum in November that changed the election to a non-partisan vote."
''The Two River Times'', May 14, 2014. Accessed June 11, 2015. 'Borough voters going to the polls on Tuesday elected two members to the borough council in the borough's first non-partisan election. Voters approved a referendum in November that changed the election to a non-partisan vote."
In the November 2014 general election, voters approved a referendum shifting the borough's nonpartisan elections from May to November, with the first November nonpartisan municipal election taking place in 2015.
Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated November 24, 2014. Accessed July 14, 2016.
, the mayor of the Borough of Highlands is Carolyn Broullon, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022. Members of the Highlands Borough Council are Council President JoAnne Provenzano Olszewski (2023), Leo Cervantes (2024), Karen Chelak (2024) and Donald Melnyk (2023).Government
Borough of Highlands. Accessed June 3, 2022.
November 2, 2021 General Election Official Results
Monmouth County, New Jersey, December 13, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.
November 3, 2020 General Election Official Results
Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated November 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
General Election November 5, 2019 Official Results
Monmouth County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 16, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.


Federal, state and county representation

Highlands is in the 6th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
and is part of New Jersey's 13th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.
''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Highlands was in the 11th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 59, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.
Monmouth County is governed by a
Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
comprised of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Director and another as Deputy Director. , Monmouth County's Commissioners are Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone ( R, Neptune City, term as commissioner and as director ends December 31, 2022), Commissioner Deputy Director Susan M. Kiley (R, Hazlet Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as deputy commissioner director ends 2022),
Lillian G. Burry Lillian G. Burry is an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, she has served on the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners since January 2006. She first served as Director of the Board in 2008, the first woman and the firs ...
(R, Colts Neck Township, 2023), Nick DiRocco (R, Wall Township, 2022), and Ross F. Licitra (R, Marlboro Township, 2023). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon (R, 2025; Ocean Township), Sheriff Shaun Golden (R, 2022; Howell Township) and
Surrogate A surrogate is a substitute or deputy for another person in a specific role and may refer to: Relationships * Surrogacy, an arrangement where a woman agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person who will become its parent at bir ...
Rosemarie D. Peters (R, 2026; Middletown Township).


Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were 3,118 registered voters in Highlands, of whom 880 (28.2%) were registered Democrats, 728 (23.3%) registered Republicans and 1,509 (48.4%) unaffiliated. One voter was registered to another party. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
received 54.6% of the vote (1,044), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 43.8% (837), and other candidates with 1.6% (31), with 1,930 ballots cast by the borough's 3,294 registered voters (18 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 58.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Obama received 51.3% of the vote (1,266), ahead of Republican John McCain with 44.9% (1,108) and other candidates with 1.7% (42), with 2,467 ballots cast by the borough's 3,451 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.5%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.6% of the vote (1,230), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 47.9% (1,164) and other candidates with 0.7% (25 votes), with 2,429 ballots cast by the borough's 3,431 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.8%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.9% of the vote (960), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 29.7% (419), and other candidates with 2.4% (34), with 1,442 ballots cast by the borough's 3,166 registered voters (29 were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Christie received 55.1% of the vote (887), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 34.3% (553), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.1% (115) and other candidates with 2.4% (39), with 1,611 ballots cast by the borough's 3,216 registered voters, a 50.1% turnout.


Education

The Highlands School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Highlands Elementary School. In the 2016–2017 school year, Highlands was tied for the 40th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state, with 190 students. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 192 students and 22.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.4:1.District information for Highlands Borough School District
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend
Henry Hudson Regional High School Henry Hudson Regional High School is a comprehensive regional public high school and school district for students in 7th through 12th grade from both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands in Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
, a comprehensive six-year high school and regional public school district that serves students from both Atlantic Highlands and Highlands. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 331 students and 39.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.5:1.School data for Henry Hudson Regional School
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.
As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 331 students and 39.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.5:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with five seats assigned to Highlands.


Transportation


Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...
. New Jersey State Route 36 is the main highway through Highlands. At the east end of the borough, Route 36 connects to Sea Bright by way of the Highlands-Sea Bright Bridge.


Public transportation

NJ Transit provides local bus transportation on the 834 route between the borough and Red Bank. Academy Bus offers bus service to the
Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bus ...
in Midtown Manhattan and to Wall Street. SeaStreak offers ferry service to
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
at Conner's Ferry Landing. There are three morning trips, which stop at Pier 11/Wall Street and then the East 34th Street Ferry Landing. Six ferry trips return each weekday evening.Caldwell, Dave
"A Clam Town, Coming Out of Its Shell - Living In Highlands, N.J."
''
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 ...
'', August 24, 2008. Accessed October 13, 2014.


Popular culture

The Kevin Smith film '' Jersey Girl'' is set in Highlands, but was filmed in Paulsboro, New Jersey. In addition, Highlands' ZIP code (07732) is featured in the opening titles of '' Mallrats'', and is Dante's ZIP code in '' Clerks: The Animated Series'', although it is misattributed in the show to nearby
Leonardo Leonardo is a masculine given name, the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese equivalent of the English, German, and Dutch name, Leonard. People Notable people with the name include: * Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), Italian Renaissance scientist ...
.


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Highlands include: * Gertrude Ederle (1905–2003), swimmer who was the first woman to swim across the English Channel, she learned to swim in Highlands during summers spent living in the borough * Walt Flanagan (born 1967), comic book store manager,
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1 ...
personality, podcaster and comic book artist * Bryan Johnson (born 1967), co-host of the ''
Tell 'Em Steve-Dave! ''Tell 'Em Steve-Dave!'', or simply ''TESD'', is an American comedy podcast, featured previously on the SModcast Podcast Network. It is hosted by View Askew Productions regulars and close friends of Kevin Smith: Bryan Johnson and Walt Flanagan ...
'' and star of '' Comic Book Men'' * Jason Mewes (born 1974), actor who is best known for his role as Jay, the vocal half of the duo
Jay and Silent Bob Jay and Silent Bob are fictional characters portrayed by Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, respectively, in Kevin Smith's View Askewniverse, a fictional universe created and used in most of the films, comics, and television programs written and pro ...
* Frankie Montecalvo (born 1990), racing driver who was the 2015 Pirelli World Challenge GTA Driver's Champion and competes in the WeatherTech SportsCar ChampionshipSmith, Muriel J
"Champion Race Car Driver Still Calls Highlands Home"
''The Two River Times'', October 8, 2015. Accessed October 22, 2020. "Unmarried and still living in Highlands, Montecalvo readily admits racing is still a risky business, but is quick to point out that safety and motorsports have come a long way in the last 10 years."


References


External links

* {{authority control 1900 establishments in New Jersey Boroughs in Monmouth County, New Jersey Faulkner Act (small municipality) Jersey Shore communities in Monmouth County Populated places established in 1900 Raritan Bayshore