| Avalon, New Jersey |
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Avalon is a Borough located in Cape May County , New Jersey , on Seven Mile Island . As of the United States 2000 Census , the borough had a total population of 2,143. Avalon is famous for being a Jersey Cape seashore resort. Its motto is "Cooler by a mile" which refers to the fact that it juts out into the Atlantic Ocean about a mile further than other Barrier Island resorts. Avalon was incorporated and deannexed from Middle Township in 1892 . GEOGRAPHY Avalon is located at 39°5'35" North, 74°43'37" West (39.092928, -74.726880). According to the United States Census Bureau , the borough has a total area of 12.7 Km&2 (4.9 Mi&2 ). 10.9 km&2 (4.2 mi&2) of it is land and 1.7 km&2 (0.7 mi&2) of it is water. The total area is 13.70% water. Avalon borders Sea Isle City , Stone Harbor Borough , Middle Township , and the Atlantic Ocean . DEMOGRAPHICS As of the Census of 2000, there were 2,143 people, 1,045 households, and 668 families residing in the borough. The Population Density was 196.5/km&2 (508.4/mi&2). There were 5,281 housing units at an average density of 484.3/km&2 (1,252.9/mi&2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.69% White , 0.14% African American , 0.00% Native American , 0.56% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 0.05% from Other Races , and 0.51% from two or more races. 0.56% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 1,045 households out of which 12.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were Married Couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.05 and the average family size was 2.56. In the borough the population was spread out with 14.1% under the age of 18, 2.9% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 33.9% from 45 to 64, and 32.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 56 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $59,196, and the median income for a family was $72,750. Males had a median income of $60,227 versus $39,886 for females. The Per Capita Income for the borough was $50,016. 4.3% of the population and 2.2% of families were below the Poverty Line . 9.6% of those under the age of 18 and 0.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. GOVERNMENT Local government The Borough of Avalon is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government. Avalon's Mayor is Martin Pagliughi. Members of the Borough Council are Richard E. Dean (Council President), Nancy M. Hudanich (Council Vice President), Charles P. Covington, David B. Ellenberg and Joseph V. Tipping. Federal, state and county representation Avalon is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District. HISTORY Early history Originally a thriving juniper forest, reportedly occupied by Lenni Lenape Native Americans , the area was purchased by Aaron Leaming in December 1722 for 79 Pounds. Known as Seven Mile Beach (present day Avalon and Stone Harbor ), it was owned and retained by the Leamings for approximately 100 years. It served as a cattle range and was also used for its plentiful timber. The Leamings eventually sold the land, and the island exchanged hands in a number of transactions afterwards. In April 1887, the Seven Mile Beach company was formed. As early as 1893, Avalon was advertised as a resort town. With this rapid development, homes and businesses were erected. The native Juniper forest was graded and cut, and the sandy hills were leveled off, making the island mostly flat. Today it is extremely rare to see hills or native juniper in Avalon. By the early 1900s, the Leaming Railroad bridge was constructed, allowing train connections into the town. This increased the traffic from nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . Around 1944 the West Jersey and Seashore railroad lines merged with the Reading Railroad . This effectively ended the era of travel by train to the island. A hurricane took several streets and Avalon now has a north end beginning at 7th street. In the mid- 1950s the Wolfington Family of Philadelphia purchased and operated the Puritan Hotel later named the Whitebriar Hotel on the beach block at 21st Street. The Whitebriar was managed for a few seasons by one of the future 'great hosts' of Philadelphia hotels, Robert C. Bennett ( Cornell '40). Currently the most widely used method of transportation to and from Avalon is by car or boat. The Commonwealth (shipwreck) On January 4 , 1890 the Commonwealth, piloted by Captain W.S. Willets, sank. This 197-ton ship was en route from New York City to Philadelphia with a cargo of molasses, coffee, tobacco, tea, coconut oil, and camphor. Straying from its course in rough weather, the Commonwealth ran aground in Townshend's Inlet. The crew was rescued and most of the cargo was salvaged. However, after a week trapped in the sandy bottom of the inlet, the ship began to come apart in the waves. Some of the remaining cargo washed ashore and most of it was taken by the early residents of Avalon. The wreck, unable to be recovered, was sold to John Townshend on February 2 . The Nor'easter of 1962 In March of 1962, a major Nor'easter , the Ash Wednesday Storm Of 1962 , tore through the U.S. East Coast causing massive ocean swells. Much of Avalon suffered serious flooding and major coastline loss. The damage was particularly acute from 7th Street and below, which were completely overtaken and washed into the ocean. These streets are now underwater in what is considered Townsend's Inlet. Many homes and beachfront properties of the 1960s were destroyed. Today, only portions of 6th, 7th, and 8th Street remain. Rock barriers around 8th Street were erected, but beach erosion continues. Currently, large rocks are being placed on the inlet side to reinforce dunes and coastline. An uphill battle, engineering teams using the latest anti-erosion technologies seek to hold back the sea at this north end. The south end of Avalon is actually the south end of Seven Mile Island and is the town of Stone Harbor . Its south end has actually been enlarged as a result of successful erosion technology. FLOATILLA Floatilla is a popular, Mardi Gras-style celebration held every summer in Avalon. It is typically held on July 31 or August 1, resulting in inconvenience for some residents, while providing fun for almost 1,000 participants. Started in 1999, the event was relatively free from issue until 2005, when one misguided individual chose to leap 10 feet from a bridge over Avalon’s inland waterway. This resulted in several public safety agencies responding in an effort to locate the man. Instead of informing rescuers that he was safe, he chose instead to disappear into the crowd. After rescuers wasted hours of time searching for him, the man turned himself in to authorities. He was convicted of disorderly conduct and required to pay several thousand dollars in restitution. In 2006. the governing body adopted an ordinance that makes it illegal to gather in such a manner on the public waterways that will crowd the waterway, disturb the peace or create a danger to people or public or private property. The town also passed a law to require any organized special event to apply for a permit and to appear before the Borough Council if alcohol is involved. Failure to comply carries a fine and community service. 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