Margate City was originally incorporated as the borough of South Atlantic City by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 7, 1885, from portions of Egg Harbor Township, based on the results of a referendum held on August 1, 1885. South Atlantic City was reincorporated as a city on April 23, 1897, and then reincorporated with the name Margate City on April 20, 1909.[25][26] The city was named for Margate in Kent, England.[27]
The city is located on Absecon Island, which stretches for 8.1 miles (13.0 km) and is also home of Atlantic City and Ventnor City to the northeast, and Longport on the southwest.[28] The city stretches about eight blocks from the Atlantic Ocean to the bay at most points in town. Margate is a popular Jersey Shore destination, especially during the summer, and is the home of Lucy the Elephant, a 65-foot (20 m)-tall wooden and metal-clad elephant recognized as America’s Oldest Surviving Roadside Attraction and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1976,[29] and of Marven Gardens, of Monopoly board game fame.[30]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 1.63 square miles (4.22 km2), including 1.42 square miles (3.67 km2) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.56 km2) of water (13.19%).[2][3]
Of the 3,156 households, 14.6% had children under the age of 18; 45.8% were married couples living together; 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 42.8% were non-families. Of all households, 38.0% were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.01 and the average family size was 2.64.[21]
14.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 15.5% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 31.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 54.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.1 males.[21]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $66,667 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,735) and the median family income was $90,625 (+/− $6,808). Males had a median income of $81,759 (+/− $13,790) versus $61,179 (+/− $11,593) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $50,328 (+/− $7,450). About 8.4% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.[41]
There were 3,984 households, out of which 16.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.67.[39][40]
In the city the population was spread out, with 15.4% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 50 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.[39][40]
The median income for a household in the city was $45,876, and the median income for a family was $63,917. Males had a median income of $48,152 versus $31,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $33,566. About 7.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.[39][40]
Along with other spots on the Jersey Shore, Margate becomes a popular destination in the summer months. Many houses in Margate are second homes used during the summer, and a considerable number are owned by year-round residents. Unlike in other places, such as Cape May or Ocean City, where many visitors spend a few nights in a hotel, Margate has no hotels, so most of the people who choose this town are regulars. Unlike other area towns such as Ocean City and the municipalities on Long Beach Island, weekly house/condominium rentals are almost non-existent in Margate.
Beaches
Margate's beaches attract surfers,[42] kayaking, and hobie cat sailing.[43]
The Margate beaches are narrower than beaches at many other places at the Jersey Shore. There are few dunes and those that do exist are artificial, having been created to protect beaches from nor'easters and hurricanes. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Margate voters will consider a referendum that would allow the city to participate in a program operated by the United States Army Corps of Engineers under which dunes would be constructed on the city's beaches, which would be intended to alleviate beach erosion and provide storm protection to Margate and to adjoining Ventnor City, which has already had a beach protection program in place for the past ten years, under which dunes have already been constructed.[44]
Margate City Beach Patrol operates lifeguard stands and beach patrol operations for the Margate beaches. Lifeguards are on duty during summer months from 10 am to 6 pm, with more limited hours in the late Spring and early Autumn months.
Margate beaches are not free beaches. Beachgoers must purchase a seasonal or weekly tag to enjoy the beach. Seasonal badges can be purchased preseason at a reduced rate.[45]
Marinas and fishing
Margate is host to many bayside docks providing the casual fisherman hours of enjoyment and relaxation. Local charter boats offer sport and deep sea fishing. Margate's many marinas offer docks for lease, equipment rentals, fuel stations and fishing charters.
Attractions
Lucy the Elephant
Margate is the home of Lucy the Elephant, the "largest elephant in the world"[46] and is the oldest remaining example of zoomorphic architecture left in the United States.[47] Over 140 years old, a restoration of Lucy's exterior surface was completed in December 2022 at a cost of about $2.4 million using government funds and donor contributions. The National Historic Landmark is visited by 130,000 people each year.[48]
The Margate farmers' market is held every Thursday during summer months. Shoppers can purchase local produce and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.[49]
Government
Local government
Margate City has operated under the Walsh Act commission form of municipal government since 1911.[8][50][51] The city is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use commission form of government.[52] The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, who are elected at-large to four-year terms of office on a non-partisan basis as part of the May municipal election. Each commissioner is assigned a department to oversee and administer. The Mayor is then selected from among the three elected Commissioners by a vote between them and assigned to the office by resolution.
As of 2023[update], members of the Margate City Commission are
Mayor Michael Collins (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property),
Maurice "Maury" Blumberg (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance) and
Catherine Horn (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety), all of whom are serving concurrent terms of office that end May 16, 2027.[4][53][54][55]
Federal, state and county representation
Margate City is located in the 2nd Congressional District[56] and is part of New Jersey's 2nd state legislative district.[57][58][59]
Atlantic County is governed by a directly elected county executive and a nine-member Board of County Commissioners, responsible for legislation. The executive serves a four-year term and the commissioners are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an at-large basis and five of the commissioners represent equally populated districts.[65][66] As of 2024[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (R, Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.[67] Members of the Board of County Commissioners are:
Atlantic County's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Joesph J. Giralo (R, 2026, Hammonton),[78][79]
Sheriff Joe O'Donoghue (R, 2026, Egg Harbor Township)[80][81] and
Surrogate James Curcio (R, 2025, Hammonton).[82][83][84]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,984 registered voters in Margate City, of which 1,164 (23.4% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,019 (40.5% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 1,798 (36.1% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[85] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 78.4% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 91.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).[85][86]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,882 votes (54.1% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,534 votes (44.1% vs. 57.9%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,479 ballots cast by the city's 5,109 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.1% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County).[87][88] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,061 votes (52.5% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,793 votes (45.7% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.8% vs. 1.1%), among the 3,922 ballots cast by the city's 5,515 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.1% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County).[89] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,160 votes (49.5% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 2,132 votes (48.9% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 26 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,362 ballots cast by the city's 5,697 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.6% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).[90]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,850 votes (68.9% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 712 votes (26.5% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 36 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,687 ballots cast by the city's 5,127 registered voters, yielding a 52.4% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county).[91][92] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,466 votes (52.7% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,145 votes (41.1% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 123 votes (4.4% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 16 votes (0.6% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,784 ballots cast by the city's 5,173 registered voters, yielding a 53.8% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[93]
Education
For kindergarten through eighth grade, public school students attend the Margate City Schools, together with students from Longport Borough, who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[94][95][96] As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 351 students and 48.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.2:1.[97] Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[98]) are
William H. Ross III Elementary School[99] 169 students in grades K–4 and
Eugene A. Tighe Middle School[100] with 181 students in grades 5–8.[101][102] In 2017, Eugene A. Tighe Middle School was awarded a National Blue Ribbon from the United States Department of Education.[103]
As of May 2010[update], the city had a total of 42.53 miles (68.45 km) of roadways, of which 39.98 miles (64.34 km) were maintained by the municipality and 2.55 miles (4.10 km) by Atlantic County.[112]
No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Margate City. The most significant roadways are county roads. County Route 563 begins in Margate City and follows Jerome Avenue over the Downbeach Express, a privately owned and operated toll-bridge which connects Margate to the mainland, towards Egg Harbor Township and Northfield.[113]County Route 629 follows Ventnor Avenue northeast toward Ventnor and Atlantic City, and southwest towards Longport and Somers Point.
Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service on the 505 route between Longport and Atlantic City.[114][115] Beginning April 1, 2023, bus service on the 504 route between Atlantic City and Ventnor Plaza was extended to Margate.[116]
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Margate City has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with hot, moderately humid summers, cool winters and uniform, year-round precipitation. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average mean temperature above 32.0 °F (0.0 °C), at least four months with an average mean temperature at or above 50.0 °F (10.0 °C), at least one month with an average mean temperature at or above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C) and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months in Margate City, a cooling afternoon sea breeze is present on most days, but episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur, with heat index values at or above 95.0 °F (35.0 °C). During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur, with wind chill values below 0.0 °F (−17.8 °C). The plant hardiness zone at Margate City Beach is 7b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of 7.0 °F (−13.9 °C).[117] The average seasonal (November–April) snowfall total is 12 to 18 feet (3.7 to 5.5 m), and the average snowiest month is February, which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.
Climate data for Margate City Beach, NJ (1981–2010 Averages)
In the 1998 Nicolas Cage mystery/thriller film Snake Eyes, Margate is the main character's place of residence, alluded to as a pleasant suburban town, in contrast to the grittier Atlantic City, which forms the backdrop of the story.[citation needed]
In the third-season finale of Boardwalk Empire, "Margate Sands", the city is referenced as a site of gang violence between the forces of fictionalized Nucky Thompson and his rivals.[122]
The movie Duane Hopwood was filmed at Eugene A. Tighe Middle School and at Maynards Cafe in 2004.[123]
^Lala, Elisa. "Margate voters' dune decision will affect Ventnor beaches", The Press of Atlantic City, September 2, 2013. Accessed October 21, 2013. "On Aug. 15, Margate commissioners voted to put a nonbinding referendum on the November ballot for its residents to express their opinion on moving ahead with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' proposed project, the Absecon Island Coastal Storm Risk Reduction Project.... Margate is the only town on Absecon Island without a dune program currently in place, and proposals to add them have been met with opposition from many residents, including a group formed for that purpose, Margate's Citizens for Beach Preservation."
^Vazquez, Selena. "Lucy the Elephant unveils new look after 15-month restoration project", The Press of Atlantic City, December 28, 2022. Accessed April 23, 2023. "After 15 months and $2.4 million in restorations, Lucy the Elephant unveiled her new look Wednesday before a couple hundred fans.... America’s oldest roadside attraction had been covered up with weatherproof scaffolding since September 2021. From being next to the ocean for 140 years, a rusted Lucy needed a new metal skin, along with a fresh paint job.... But now, Lucy is finally ready to see the tourists, locals and other passerby who make up the estimated 130,000 people a year Lucy brings to 9200 Atlantic Ave."
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^About Margate and the School DistrictArchived 2011-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, Margate City School District, Accessed May 23, 2011. "The City of Margate School District is a Type I District providing a full range of educational services appropriate to grade levels K through 8 in the City of Margate and the adjoining Borough of Longport, including special education for handicapped youngsters."
^About Us, Margate City Schools. Accessed May 8, 2020. "Margate City District pupils are housed in two separate facilities: the Eugene A. Tighe Middle School constructed in 1956, and the William H. Ross III Elementary School constructed in 2000. As a result of a 24 million dollar addition and renovation project and new school construction in 1999, all schools have been upgraded to enhance the educational environment. The elementary school houses the district administrative offices and grades K-4. The middle school, which houses grades 5-8, is departmentalized with an emphasis on thematic teaching.... Overall responsibility for the education of the K-8 children within the City of Margate lies with the district's Board of Education, composed of seven members, appointed by the mayor for staggered terms of three years."
^Atlantic City Public School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 26, 2017. "The Atlantic City Public School District is a Pre-K to 12 school district operating Eleven (11) schools. Our Pre-K through 8th grade schools serve Atlantic City, while our high school serves the students of Atlantic City, Ventnor, Brigantine, Margate and Longport. "
^Frequently Asked Questions, Atlantic County Institute of Technology. Accessed May 17, 2017. "What does it cost to attend ACIT? As a public school, there is no cost to Atlantic County residents of high school age. New Jersey Title 18A:54-20.1 entitles students the right to choose ACIT for their high school education."
^Staff. "In the fall, different schools will open", Catholic Star Herald, June 19, 2008. Accessed October 21, 2013. "In November 2007 Bishop Joseph A. Galante announced the closure of one school and the consolidation of eight others, effective at the start of the 2008-09 school year.... Blessed Sacrament, Margate, is merging with St. James, Ventnor, and the two will become Holy Family Regional School in the fall, located at the Ventnor site."
^Gross, Dan. "Good work by all hands on Duane Hopwood, Philadelphia Daily News, November 11, 2005. Accessed July 30, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Hopwood, written and directed by East Mount Airy native Matt Mulhern, filmed for one month early last year in four New Jersey cities: Atlantic City, Ventnor, Margate and Longport."
^Smith, Shaun. "Regional races at stake in June 4 primary"Archived 2013-06-19 at the Wayback Machine, Downbeach, May 27, 2013. Accessed November 19, 2013. "In the District 2 State Assembly race, all candidates are running unopposed. On the Republican ticket, incumbents John F. Amodeo of Margate and Chris Brown of Ventnor are both running for reelection."
^Cavanuagh, Tom. "Town with Chris Christie Dunes Flooded in Typical Jersey Storm", National Review, December 10, 2014. Accessed November 10, 2017. "This reporter grew up in Margate but has not lived there for more than two decades. A long-familiar feature of life on Absecon Island is that the place is extremely prone to flooding, but that the flooding comes mostly, almost exclusively, from the landward bay — not from the ocean beaches."
^Biography, Nancy Falkow. Accessed May 23, 2011. "I grew up in Margate, NJ, a small shore town filled with Jews. I too am one of them. I knew at an early age I wanted to sing and write and so I did. I moved to Philadelphia to go to college, and grad school and was planning on being a teacher of Environmental Studies until I met a few folks who changed the course of my life and I turned to a life of Singer Songwriter-dom."
^via Associated Press. "Fumo prison delay rejected", The Press of Atlantic City, August 28, 2009. Accessed May 23, 2011. "Fumo, who owns a house in Margate and condos in Ventnor, had asked the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to let him remain free on bail while he appeals his 139-count conviction and sentence."
^Birchfield, Sandra. "Epic Spotlight: Mary Lacity", Walton Today, October 25, 2018. Accessed December 4, 2018. "Lacity comes to Walton from the University of Missouri-St. Louis, where she was Curators’ Distinguished Professor and International Business Fellow. She grew up, however, in Margate City, New Jersey, adjacent to Atlantic City, a popular tourist spot that provided her summer job opportunities."
^Cronick, Scott. "Everyone Has a Story: Margate native to be named president of American Heart Association", The Press of Atlantic City, June 20, 2020, updated June 19, 2019. Accessed February 14, 2021. "On Tuesday, a Margate native will become the first neurologist to be named president of the American Heart Association. Ralph Sacco, chairman of the department of neurology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, will step into the one-year volunteer position in hopes of bringing more attention to strokes, a field that Sacco specializes in and one to which he also has very personal ties."
^Shister, Gail. "Sela Ward plays doomed TV anchorwoman Jessica Savitch in 'Almost Golden'.", Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, August 24, 1995. Accessed May 23, 2011. "But to those who knew her best, Margate, N.J.'s Jessica Savitch was a ticking time bomb _ tormented, insecure, so driven by ambition that it became her substitute for love. When she died, in 1983 at the age of 36 in a car accident in New Hope, Pa., not everyone was surprised."
^Attorney Profiles, Swift Law Firm. Accessed January 10, 2022. "Claire lives in Margate, New Jersey with her husband and 3 children."
United States
New Jersey
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