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}}Template:Main other Freehold is a borough in and the county seat of Monmouth County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.<ref name="GR6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=NACo>Template:Usurped, National Association of Counties. Accessed January 21, 2013.</ref> Known for its Victorian era homes and extensive colonial history, the borough is located in the Raritan Valley region within the New York metropolitan area, located about Template:Convert from Manhattan and Template:Convert from Staten Island.<ref>Distance from Freehold, NJ to New York, NY, Distance between cities. Accessed September 10, 2020.</ref><ref>Distance from Freehold, NJ to Tottenville, Staten Island, New York, NY, Distance between cities. Accessed September 10, 2020.</ref><ref>Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living in: Freehold Borough", The New York Times, January 26, 1992. Accessed September 10, 2020.</ref><ref>Tarabour, Brooke. "New Jersey-Bound: The Staten Island Migration", The New York Times, January 10, 1993. Accessed June 10, 2022.</ref> The borough has grown to become a commuter town of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,538,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 486 (+4.0%) from the 12,052 recorded at the 2010 census,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 1,076 (+9.8%) from the 10,976 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>
The Freeholds region, which includes the borough and Freehold Township (which completely surrounds the borough), is a commercial hub for central New Jersey. The borough is located relatively close to the Raritan Bayshore communities to the north, including The Amboys, Old Bridge, Matawan, Keyport, Keansburg, and Middletown, along with being relatively close to the Tri-City region of Jersey Shore municipalities (and their vicinities) to the east, including Red Bank, Long Branch, and Asbury Park.<ref>"What are the Tricities?", Tri-City News. Accessed April 16, 2021.</ref>
What is now Freehold Borough was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 25, 1869, from portions within Freehold Township. The town became independent of the township in 1888. On April 15, 1919, Freehold was incorporated as a borough, including all of Freehold and additional portions of Freehold Township, based on the results of a referendum held on July 8, 1919. Additional portions of Freehold Township were annexed on September 7, 1926.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 179. Accessed March 15, 2012.</ref>
The Hispanic and Latino population has been rapidly growing in Freehold Borough for the last 40 years. The Hispanic population making up 4.6% (0.2% Mexican) in the 1980 census,Template:Citation needed 11.3% (2.8% Mexican) in the 1990 Census,<ref>1990 Census of Population General Population Characteristics New Jersey Section 1 of 2, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 15, 2012.</ref> 28.0% (17.3% Mexican) in 2000,<ref name=Census2000/> 42.9% (29.6% Mexican) in 2010,<ref name=Census2010/> and recently in 2020, a majority at 53.0% Hispanic.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Meanwhile, the Black or African American population has decreased in recent decades: 17.1% in 1970, 19.8% in 1980, 18.2% in 1990, 15.8% in 2000, 12.6% in 2010 and 9.4% in 2020.
In 2021, Freehold Borough became one of few towns in the state (including, Bellmawr, Egg Harbor Township, Montclair and Woodbridge Township) that has authorized the sale of cannabis through authorized dispensaries and for the allowance of cultivators, distributors, wholesalers, and manufacturers.<ref name="nj.com">Guion, Payton. "Marijuana legalization would force tough choice for N.J. towns", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 15, 2017. Accessed July 25, 2021. "NJ Advance Media reached out to mayors in all five towns that have medical dispensaries: Bellmawr, Cranbury, Egg Harbor, Montclair and Woodbridge."</ref><ref name="patch.com">Rosenthal, Nicole. "Pot Businesses OK In Freehold Borough, Council Says", Freehold, NJ, Patch, July 22, 2021. Accessed August 8, 2022.</ref><ref name="app.com">Strupp, Joe. "A cannabis oasis: Freehold moving forward with new legal weed outlets", Asbury Park Press, March 30, 2023. Accessed April 4, 2023.</ref>
HistoryEdit
Early historyEdit
The Lenni Lenape Native Americans were the earliest known people to live in the area that became Freehold.<ref name=History>History, Township of Freehold. Accessed November 30, 2022.</ref> 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 was located in the area of Freehold.<ref name=Pepe19>Pepe, p. 19.</ref>
By the late 17th century, the English had begun to take over the area. In 1664, the Duke of York (later James II & VII) granted a patent to Sir George Carteret to develop the area. In 1685, Scottish Presbyterians from Scotland, along with English Baptists and Quakers from New England fleeing religious persecution at home, became the first to settle within the area.<ref name=History/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1693, along with Middletown and Shrewsbury, Freehold was established by act of legislature as one of the three original townships in Monmouth County.<ref>Lurie, Maxine ed.; "Freehold Township", Encyclopedia of New Jersey, p. 291. Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick, NJ; 2004. Accessed August 28, 2013. Template:ISBN.</ref> The name of the borough comes from the word Freehold, an English legal term describing fee simple property ownership.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Colonial FreeholdEdit
In 1714, when the colonial government was deciding where to locate the county seat and courthouse, Freeholder John Reid, the first Surveyor General of East Jersey, wanted the county seat located in Freehold Township. Reid sold land suitable for use as a courthouse to the Board of Chosen Freeholders at a bargain price, and this may have been the deciding factor why Freehold was selected over Middletown and Shrewsbury. In return for the heavily discounted price, Reid placed a restrictive covenant in the deed that, should the property ever cease being used as a courthouse, ownership would revert to the Reid family. Direct descendants of John Reid still reside in Freehold Township.<ref>History of the Hall of Records Template:Webarchive, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed January 28, 2008.</ref>
Freehold was officially designated as the seat of the Monmouth County government, and a court house was commissioned to be built on the land purchased from John Reid. The Monmouth Courthouse opened in 1715.<ref>Pepe, p. 10.</ref> A small village quickly began to develop around the courthouse. At first, the village was called Monmouth Courthouse.<ref>Template:Cite gnis Variant names: Monmouth, Monmouth Court House, Monmouth Courthouse</ref> Over time, other government buildings opened near the courthouse, including a sheriff's office, a prison and a post office. A number of homes and commercial businesses also sprang up in the village, including a blacksmith, a general store, a bank, a hotel, and saloon.<ref>Pepe, p. 25.</ref>
In the area surrounding Monmouth Courthouse, many successful farms began to appear. The farms in Freehold were particularly well known for the production of potatoes, beans, and rye, which were sold in the markets of nearby cities. Freehold also became known for its excellent horse farms.<ref name=Pepe19/> The differences within Freehold between the growing village around the courthouse and the surrounding farmland were the seeds for the eventual division of Freehold into two separate municipalities in the early 20th century.
As of 1745, the majority of families in Freehold were still Scottish immigrants.<ref name="Pepe29"/> In modern Freehold today, many important streets bear the name of early colonial families, including Barkalow, Applegate, Rhea, Throckmorton, and Schanck.<ref name=Pepe29>Pepe, p. 29.</ref>
Revolutionary WarEdit
Freehold was deeply impacted by the American Revolution. By the early 1770s, the Sons of Liberty were actively recruiting local members in Freehold, and were agitating the relationship between the British government and the colonists.<ref>Adelberg, p. 15.</ref> In 1775, immediately after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, Capt. Elias Longstreet recruited the first company of Freeholders to join the Continental Army.<ref>Adelberg, p. 16.</ref> Freehold was a known center of patriot activity. The Declaration of Independence was publicly proclaimed, read aloud, from the steps of the Freehold Courthouse just a few days after being signed in Philadelphia.<ref name=Pepe29/>
However, after British success at the Battle of Long Island, Freehold and all of Monmouth County fell under the control of Loyalists.<ref name=Adelberg17>Adelberg, p. 17.</ref> The British government continued to operate the Freehold Courthouse, and several people involved in revolutionary activism were arrested and tried for treason at the courthouse.<ref name=Adelberg17/> The success of the Continental Army at the Battle of Trenton helped to weaken loyalist control of Freehold.<ref>Adelberg, p. 18.</ref>
In June 1778, the British Army began a major strategic evacuation of Philadelphia. They attempted to protect a long, slow moving column of loyalist families, equipment, and other supplies seized in Philadelphia, as they moved towards ships in New York Harbor. On June 28, 1778, the Continental Army intercepted the column in Freehold (the area is now part of Freehold & Manalapan Townships).<ref name=Adelberg20>Adelberg, p.20</ref> The Battle of Monmouth was one of the largest battles of the Revolutionary War, involving over 25,000 soldiers combined in Continental, British, and Hessian forces. The initial engagement was in doubt until Washington arrived because Charles Lee was retreating from the battlefield. Washington rallied the Continentals and strongly engaged the British forces and they held their ground on the battlefield. However, the British forces were successful in completing their primary goal, the evacuation of Philadelphia. Both sides claimed victory in the battle.<ref name=Adelberg20/>
Several notable figures during the Revolutionary War fought at the Battle of Monmouth. British forces were commanded by Sir Henry Clinton and Charles Cornwallis. The Continental Army was commanded by George Washington and Charles Lee. Charles Lee was court martialed by the Continental Army for his behavior at the Battle of Monmouth. Nathaniel Greene, Alexander Hamilton, the Marquis de Lafayette and Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben also fought for the Continental Army at the Battle of Monmouth.<ref name=Adelberg11>Adelberg, p. 11</ref> Another famous figure at the Battle of Monmouth was Molly Pitcher, who manned a cannon during the battle after her husband was wounded.<ref name=Adelberg11/>
In the aftermath of the Battle of Monmouth, Loyalist control of Freehold faltered. The town ceased to have a functioning municipal government, and the courthouse was closed until the end of the war. Minor clashes between loyalists and continentals flared up in town, with the violence peaking around 1780.<ref>Adelberg, p.22</ref> Colonel Tye, an escaped slave and leader of a prominent loyalist guerilla force, conducted several raids in and around Freehold. One famous incident was the capture and hanging of Joshua Huddy by British Loyalists under the direction of Richard Lippincott. Colonel Tye was killed during the raid on Huddy's home.<ref>PBS Resource Bank. Colonel Tye", "Africans in America". Accessed October 13, 2013. "In September, 1780 Tye led a surprise attack on the home of Captain Josiah Huddy, whom Loyalists had tried to capture for years. Amazingly, Huddy and his friend Lucretia Emmons managed to hold off their attackers for two hours, until the Loyalists flushed them out by setting the house afire. During the battle, Tye was shot in the wrist, and days later, what was thought to be minor wound turned fatal when lockjaw set in."</ref> Patriots later cut down Huddy's body hanging from the gallows and buried it in Freehold, at Old Tennent Church.<ref>The Joshua Huddy era Template:Webarchive, Monmouth County. Accessed December 14, 2006.</ref> At the end of the war, the community was deeply divided, and nearly 120 loyalist families left Freehold, fearing persecution from their neighbors. Most of these families re-settled in Canada.<ref>Adelberg, p.23</ref>
19th centuryEdit
During the early 19th century, Freehold steadily grew in size. The village around the courthouse was now called Freehold, along with the surrounding farmland.<ref name=Pepe23>Pepe, p. 23</ref> In 1852, when long distance railroad systems were first being developed, a railroad station, with trains making regular stops, running along what is now known as Throckmorton Street, about one block from the courthouse. Freehold soon had public sewers in the village and in some of the outlying farmland. By 1883, there was an electrical grid and a telephone switchboard, at a time when these inventions were still brand new.<ref name=Pepe23/> These public advancements caused rapid economic growth in Freehold. The village of Freehold became an important commercial and industrial hub in central New Jersey. The farms in the rest of Freehold benefitted greatly by being able to sell their products more easily in New York and Philadelphia.<ref>Griffith, Lee Ellen; Freehold, Arcadia Publishing; Charleston; 1996; introduction</ref> Both the village and the farms prospered together, however the public policies sought by the two different communities continued to grow further apart. The municipal government was increasingly divided between the villagers and farmers.
In 1824, the American Hotel opened on Main Street in Freehold; It is still standing today, and is one of the oldest buildings in Freehold. In 1853, the Freehold Raceway opened. Though the original grandstand burned down in a fire, the racetrack is still open today, and is one of the oldest harness racetracks in America. The Great Fire of Freehold happened on October 30, 1873. The fire reportedly began in a commercial building on Main Street. It soon spread to engulf a large section of the village, and many wooden buildings, including Monmouth Courthouse, were burned down.<ref>Griffith, p.11</ref>
Freehold also has an important place in the history of the bicycle. Cycling champion Arthur Augustus Zimmerman resided in the borough during his racing career in the 1880s and 1890s, and from 1896 to 1899 operated the Zimmerman Bicycle Co.; the company's bicycles were known as the "Zimmy." Today, Freehold Borough is home to the Metz Bicycle Museum, where the only extant "Zimmy" can be seen.<ref>Metzger, Dick. "Bicycle buffs have a haven at Freehold museum: Local collector's prize possession is 'Zimmy' manufactured in town" Template:Webarchive, East Brunswick Sentinel, July 11, 2002. Accessed May 15, 2007. "More than 100 years ago, in the late 1880s and 1890s, the village of Freehold was arguably the bicycle capital of the world."</ref>
Freehold dividedEdit
At the beginning of the 20th century, Freehold was an increasingly divided community. The issue of local tax dollars, used as funding for public works and infrastructure projects, was the primary point of contention.<ref>Pepe; p. 134</ref> The Freeholders living in the downtown area, around the courthouse had very different ideas about how to spend public money compared to the Freeholders living in the surrounding farmland. Tension within the community increased greatly in 1916 when a severe polio epidemic swept through Freehold.<ref>Pepe; p.133</ref>
After contentious public debate, a referendum was held to on the future of Freehold, and voters overwhelmingly decided to split the town into two separate municipalities.
On April 15, 1919, Freehold Borough formally separated from Freehold Township. Freehold residents generally refer to the different municipalities simply as the Borough and the Township. The borough, the downtown area around the courthouse, retained all the existing government buildings around Court Street and Main Street. The borough also kept the designation as county seat.<ref name=Pepe135>Pepe; p. 135</ref> Freehold Township, the farming communities that surrounded the courthouse, set up a new city hall complex on Schanck Road. The township completely encircles the borough. On September 7, 1926, Freehold Borough annexed additional territory from the township.<ref name=Pepe135/>
The Borough in the 20th centuryEdit
Freehold Borough initially prospered in the early 20th century. However, by mid-century, the Borough began to decline as downtown areas across the country shrank, and suburban areas began growing. In 1961, the A & M Karagheusian rug factory closed.<ref>Pepe; p.128</ref> This factory had long been the largest employer in the area, and its closure had a devastating effect on the economic stability of the borough. The borough managed to turn around its economic decline by establishing the downtown area as a center for restaurants and nightlife.<ref>Lurie, Maxine ed.; Hamburger, Susan. "Freehold Borough" in The Encyclopedia of New Jersey, Rutgers University Press; New Brunswick, NJ; 2004; p. 290.</ref> Several well-known local restaurants on Main Street are now crowded every night of the week.
Freehold Borough was an important center of African American civil rights activity in New Jersey during the years leading up to the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.<ref>Greason, Walter. The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey, The History Press, 2010. Template:ISBN. Accessed August 13, 2014.</ref> In 2007, Jaye Sims became the first African American official to be elected to office.<ref>Template:Usurped, Freehold Borough Democrats. Accessed August 13, 2014. "Jaye was appointed to the Freehold Borough Council in June 2006. It was an historical appointment. Jaye was the first member of the African American Community to serve on the governing body."</ref>
Bruce Springsteen grew up in the borough. His family lived in various homes on Randolph St, Institute St and finally South St. In 1963, he graduated eighth grade from St. Rose of Lima School, and graduated from Freehold Borough High School in 1967.<ref name=Pepe146>Pepe; p. 146</ref> In 1973, he released his first album, and rocketed to international fame. Springsteen has always remained loyal to Freehold and makes reference to it in several of his famous songs, including "My Hometown". In 1996, he conducted a small benefit concert in Freehold for St. Rose of Lima.<ref name=Pepe146/>
GeographyEdit
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.93 square miles (5.01 km2), including 1.93 square miles (5.00 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.10%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 /> It is situated in the heart of Monmouth County and is located approximately Template:Convert south of New York City and Template:Convert northeast of Philadelphia.<ref>Distance from Freehold, NJ to Philadelphia, PA Distance between cities. Accessed September 10, 2020.</ref> Freehold is also about Template:Convert west of Asbury Park on the Jersey Shore.<ref>Distance from Freehold, NJ to Asbury Park, NJ Distance between cities. Accessed September 10, 2020.</ref>
Freehold has an elevation of Template:Convert above sea level at its center.<ref name=GNIS>Template:Cite GNIS</ref>
The borough is completely surrounded by Freehold Township,<ref>Areas touching Freehold Borough, MapIt. Accessed March 29, 2020.</ref><ref>Regional Location Map, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed March 29, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.<ref>DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.</ref>
ClimateEdit
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Freehold Borough sits on the northern border between the humid subtropical climate (Cfa) zone and the humid continental climate (Dfa) zone, with the borough being one of the most northern localities in North America that has a humid subtropical climate. Cfa climates are characterized by all months having an average temperature above Template:Convert, at least four months with an average temperature at or above Template:Convert, at least one month with an average temperature at or above Template:Convert and no significant precipitation difference between seasons.
EcologyEdit
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Freehold Borough would have an Appalachian Oak (104) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (25) vegetation form.<ref name="Conservation Biology Institute">U.S. Potential Natural Vegetation, Original Kuchler Types, v2.0 (Spatially Adjusted to Correct Geometric Distortions), Data Basin. Accessed October 13, 2020.</ref>
DemographicsEdit
2010 censusEdit
The 2010 United States census counted 12,052 people, 4,006 households, and 2,660 families in the borough. The population density was 6,180.8 per square mile (2,386.4/km2). There were 4,249 housing units at an average density of 2,179.1 per square mile (841.4/km2). The racial makeup was 65.72% (7,920) White, 12.57% (1,515) Black or African American, 0.52% (63) Native American, 2.89% (348) Asian, 0.07% (8) Pacific Islander, 15.35% (1,850) from other races, and 2.89% (348) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 42.87% (5,167) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/> Template:US Census population
Of the 4,006 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18; 44.3% were married couples living together; 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.6% were non-families. Of all households, 26.2% were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.48.<ref name=Census2010/>
24.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 111.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 112.0 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $52,000 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,634) and the median family income was $60,471 (+/− $3,989). Males had a median income of $29,752 (+/− $8,068) versus $34,976 (+/− $8,305) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,331 (+/− $1,602). About 13.1% of families and 16.01% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.5% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Freehold borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 15, 2012.</ref>
2000 censusEdit
As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 10,976 people, 3,695 households, and 2,571 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,821 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 71.02% White, 15.83% Black, .55% Native American, 2.45% Asian, .02% Pacific Islander, 6.64% from other races, and 3.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 28.07% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Freehold borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 15, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Freehold borough, Monmouth County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 25, 2012.</ref>
There were 3,695 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.39.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.7 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,654, and the median income for a family was $53,374. Males had a median income of $35,855 versus $30,377 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $19,910. About 7.7% of families and 12% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
EconomyEdit
Suburbanization within the vicinity of the Freeholds region has been due to its convenient location near the Jersey Shore, and proximity to cities such as New York, Newark, Trenton, and Philadelphia. The region has, thus, been a longtime premier shopping destination in Central New Jersey.
CommerceEdit
Main StreetEdit
The borough is home to Downtown Freehold, located on East and West Main Street (County Route 537). This downtown section has various eateries, bars, boutiques, historical sites, and other excursions. Within this section of town, there have been plans to revitalize the downtown area, as outlined in the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Plan (2008),<ref name=Plan2008>Freehold Center Core Redevelopment Plan Template:Webarchive, Borough of Freehold, Revised September 10, 2008. Accessed September 30, 2020.</ref><ref name=Ordinance2013-13>Ordinance No. 2013/13Template:Dead link, Borough of Freehold. Accessed September 30, 2020.</ref> in which NJ Transit has sponsored a project in transforming the Freehold Center Bus Station into a Transit Village.<ref name=NJTVillage>Freehold Transit Village Initiative, NJ Transit. Accessed September 30, 2020.</ref> This new designation would foster in the creation of a transit-oriented development zoning district around the bus station.
Freehold RacewayEdit
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Established in 1853, making it the nation's oldest half-mile harness racing track, Freehold Raceway offers horse lovers and bettors an opportunity to see harness racing.<ref>Home page, Freehold Raceway. Accessed December 4, 2012. "Welcome to Freehold Raceway, the nation's oldest and fastest daytime half mile harness racing track. Located in central New Jersey in the historic town of Freehold, Freehold Raceway was established in 1853 and features live Standardbred harness racing for trotters and pacers."</ref> The raceway announced in September 2024 that they will close, with the final racing date being December 28.<ref>"Historic N.J. racetrack is shutting down", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 19, 2024. Accessed September 27, 2024. "Freehold Raceway — the oldest operating racetrack in the country — is ceasing all live racing and simulcast operations at the end of the year, racetrack officials announced Thursday. The last day at the horse-racing track in Monmouth County will be Dec. 28. "Freehold Raceway — the oldest operating racetrack in the country — is ceasing all live racing and simulcast operations at the end of the year, racetrack officials announced Thursday. The last day at the horse-racing track in Monmouth County will be Dec. 28."</ref>
Freehold Raceway MallEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Completed in August 1990, the Freehold Raceway Mall is a super-regional mall located in neighboring Freehold Township. The mall was constructed at a cost of $125 million on a site covering more than Template:ConvertTemplate:Citation needed across from the Freehold Raceway over U.S. 9, and it has a gross leasable area of Template:Convert.<ref>Freehold Raceway Mall Template:Webarchive, International Council of Shopping Centers. Accessed December 4, 2012.</ref>
There are many other shopping destinations outside of the borough, including the Manalapan EpiCentre (formerly, the Manalapan Mall) in nearby Manalapan Township, the Jackson Premium Outlets in nearby Jackson Township, and The Shoppes in nearby Old Bridge Township.
Cannabis businessesEdit
In 2021, the Freehold Borough council approved an ordinance to opt-in for cannabis businesses to operate within the borough. In a 4–1 vote, the ordinance established the parameters and zoning regulations to where cannabis businesses could operate, including commercial manufacturing and limited professional office zoning categories.<ref name="patch.com"/> This would make Freehold one of the few municipalities in the state (including, Bellmawr, Egg Harbor Township, Montclair, and Woodbridge Township) that has authorized the sale of cannabis in New Jersey, especially within the greater central New Jersey region.<ref name="nj.com"/> NJ Leaf, a medical cannabis dispensary located on Park Avenue, opened in March 2023 and is expected to also expand to recreational sales in the near future.<ref>McDaniel, Pat. "Medical Cannabis Dispensary Now Open In Freehold Is Locally Owned", Freehold, NJ, Patch, March 10, 2023. Accessed April 4, 2023.</ref>
ManufacturingEdit
Freehold Borough and Township began to grow in commercial and industrial manufacturing of goods during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
A and M Karagheusian MillEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} A & M Karagheusian, Inc. was a rug manufacturer headquartered at 295 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Manufacturing was located in Freehold Borough, New Jersey and operated for 60 years before closing in 1964. It employed 1,700 people at its peak operation in the 1930s. There was another factory in Roselle Park, New Jersey, that operated from May 19, 1923, to 1962.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Bruce Springsteen wrote about the Karagheusian Rug Mill’s closing in his 1984 song "My Hometown".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Brockway GlassEdit
Brockway Glass Company built a facility on Center Street in 1955. Brockway Glass then proceeded to build additional facilities in the region in 1956, 1967, 1969 and 1976. The company ceased operations in the township in 1991,<ref>Brockway Glass Co. v. Freehold Tp., Casemine. Accessed August 8, 2022.</ref><ref>Lockhart, Bill, et. al. Brockway Machine Bottle Co. and Brockway Glass Co., Society for Historical Archaeology. Accessed August 8, 2022.</ref> in which the site is now operated by the Freehold campus location for Iron Mountain, an enterprise information management services company.
NestleEdit
Nestle opened a production plant in 1948, which closed in 2023.<ref>Roman, Jackie. "Smell of Nestlé coffee leaving N.J. town as iconic factory shuts down", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, November 14, 2023. Accessed March 2, 2024.</ref>
Parks and recreationEdit
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The Freeholds region is home to a wide array of nature spaces, including Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Turkey Swamp Park, and Lake Topanemus, providing assorted recreational opportunities. Smaller parks in the borough are operated by the Borough Recreation Commission, and they include Liberty Park, Veterans Park, and Vinyard Park.<ref>Recreation Commission, Borough of Freehold. Accessed January 27, 2025.</ref>
The southernmost segment of the Henry Hudson Trail starts in the borough and runs northeast to the Raritan Bayshore area along an abandoned rail line to Matawan. There is a parking lot located at 119 Dutch Lane Road in Freehold Township. The trail is used by walkers, runners and bicyclists.<ref>Henry Hudson Trail, Monmouth County, New Jersey Park System. Accessed March 15, 2012.</ref>
Lake Topanemus is a Template:Convert suburban park located in Freehold Township, but is owned and operated by the borough.<ref>Lake Topanemus Commission, Freehold Borough. Accessed January 27, 2025.</ref> The pond's attractions, include freshwater fishing, paddle boating, and canoeing. The park is also known for its picturesque nature trails, playgrounds, outdoor calisthenics, and open fields.
GovernmentEdit
Local governmentEdit
Freehold is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 63.</ref> The borough form of government used by Freehold is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask", New Jersey State League of Municipalities, March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Form of Government, Borough of Freehold. Accessed May 2, 2022. "Freehold Borough is governed by six council members and a mayor. Council members are elected for a three year term and the mayor is elected for a four year term."</ref>
Template:As of, the mayor of Freehold Borough is Democrat Kevin A. Kane, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Freehold Borough Council are Council President Sharon C. Shutzer (D, 2027), Michael DiBenedetto (D, 2026), Jeffrey J. Friedman (D, 2026), Annette Jordan (D, 2027), Adam Reich (D, 2025) and Margaret Rogers (D, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor and Council, Freehold Borough. Accessed January 27, 2025. "Freehold Borough is governed by six council members and a mayor. Council members are elected for a three year term and the mayor is elected for a four year term. The governing body is empowered to adopt local ordinances and pass resolutions."</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Freehold Borough. Accessed January 27, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2024>November 5, 2024 General Election Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated December 16, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2023>November 8, 2023 General Election Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey, updated January 18, 2024. Accessed January 22, 2024.</ref><ref name=Monmouth2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results, Monmouth County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 27, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>
Michael Wilson had been elected in 1985 and served in office until January 2012, making him the longest-serving mayor in Freehold Borough history, with 26 years of service.<ref>Celano, Claire Marie. "Freehold H.S. honors first hall of fame inductees: Wilson, Springsteen, White, Hendry among school's celebrated grads" Template:Webarchive, Freehold News Transcript, April 19, 2006. Accessed April 5, 2011. "Wilson is the longest serving mayor in Freehold Borough's history, having taken office on May 9, 1985, at the age of 34. He will soon mark his 21st consecutive year in office."</ref><ref>Celano, Claire Marie. "Friends salute retiring mayor: Michael Wilson has been Freehold Borough's mayor since 1985", News Transcript, November 16, 2011. Accessed March 15, 2012. "The end of an era is fast approaching in Freehold Borough. Michael Wilson, 61, who has been the mayor of his hometown since May 9, 1985, will leave office on Dec. 31 after 26 years.... On May 10, 2005, Wilson became the longest running mayor in Freehold Borough's history, eclipsing the previous mark set by Dr. Peter F. Runyon, who was mayor from Jan. 1, 1926, to Dec. 31, 1945."</ref>
Federal, state, and county representationEdit
Freehold Borough is located in the 3rd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 11th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011–2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011–2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>
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PoliticsEdit
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As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,108 registered voters in Freehold, of which 1,459 (28.6%) were registered as Democrats, 820 (16.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,827 (55.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary – Monmouth, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 2, 2012.</ref>
In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 54.5% of the vote (1,958 cast), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 41.8% (1,501 votes), and other candidates with 3.7% (134 votes), among the 3,593 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.4% of the vote (2,182 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.3% (1,326 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (48 votes), among the 3,591 ballots cast by the borough's 5,270 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.1%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.7% of the vote (2,222 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 39.0% (1,500 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (53 votes), among the 3,849 ballots cast by the borough's 5,390 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.4%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 2, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 52.3% of the vote (1,955 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 45.6% (1,705 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (50 votes), among the 3,737 ballots cast by the borough's 5,316 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.3.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Monmouth County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 2, 2012.</ref>
In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 50.7% of the vote (1,064 cast), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 46.2% of the vote (969 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (64 votes), among the 2,097 cast by the borough's voters. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.7% of the vote (1,264 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.6% (750 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (33 votes), among the 2,093 ballots cast by the borough's 5,279 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.0% of the vote (1,360 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 36.6% (906 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.9% (170 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (26 votes), among the 2,474 ballots cast by the borough's 5,178 registered voters, yielding a 47.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Monmouth County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 2, 2012.</ref>
EducationEdit
Freehold Borough's public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Freehold Borough Schools.<ref>Freehold Borough Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Freehold Borough Schools. Accessed December 10, 2024. "Purpose The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Freehold Borough School District. Composition The Freehold Borough School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Freehold Borough."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,641 students and 162.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.1:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Freehold Borough School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 school enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Freehold Borough Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Freehold Learning Center<ref>Freehold Learning Center, Freehold Borough Schools. Accessed December 10, 2024.</ref> with 566 students in grades PreK–2, Park Avenue Elementary School<ref>Park Avenue Elementary School, Freehold Borough Schools. Accessed December 10, 2024.</ref> with 470 students in grades 3–5 and Freehold Intermediate School<ref>Freehold Intermediate School, Freehold Borough Schools. Accessed December 10, 2024.</ref> with 519 students in grades 6–8.<ref>County School List E-G, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed December 10, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Freehold Borough Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Freehold Borough School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref>
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Freehold High School, as part of the Freehold Regional High School District (FRHSD).<ref>Freehold Borough Public School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 9, 2017. "The Freehold Borough Public School District serves a growing and diverse population of PK-8 students in historic Freehold Borough, the county seat of Monmouth County. The Borough covers 1.9 square miles allowing nearly all children to walk to school. Upon graduation from 8th grade, the students enter the Freehold Regional High School District for grades 9–12, which is under a separate governing board of education."</ref><ref>FRHSD Attendance Boundaries; Which High School Will My Child Attend? Template:Webarchive, Freehold Regional High School District. Accessed January 15, 2020. "The following is a list of streets, by municipality, that are assigned to a Freehold Regional District high school outside of their hometown."</ref> The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Township (which also has some students at Freehold Borough High School), Howell Township, Manalapan Township and Marlboro Township.<ref>Freehold Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 9, 2017. "The Freehold Regional High School District, the largest regional high school District in New Jersey, has six high schools with over 11,000 students and over 1,500 employees and spans 200 square miles. District members include the townships of Colts Neck, Freehold, Howell, Manalapan, and Marlboro, and the boroughs of Englishtown, Farmingdale, and Freehold."</ref><ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for Freehold Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, June 30, 2018. Accessed January 15, 2020. "Geographically, the District is comprised of the Townships of Colts Neck, Freehold, Howell, Manalapan and Marlboro and the Boroughs of Englishtown, Farmingdale and Freehold. Established in 1953, the District's total area is 198 square miles."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,409 students and 97.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.4:1.<ref>School data for Freehold Borough High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Students may apply to attend one of the district's six specialized learning centers, including the Medical Sciences Learning Center hosted at Freehold High School.<ref>Specialized Learning Centers Template:Webarchive, Freehold Regional High School District, updated August 31, 2016. Accessed January 19, 2020.</ref> The FRHSD board of education has nine members, who are elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts.<ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Freehold Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education, June 30, 2018. Accessed January 19, 2020. "The Freehold Regional High School District is a Type II District located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The School District is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an educational institution. The Board of Education of the Freehold Regional High School District, comprised of nine elected individuals, is the primary governing authority of the District."</ref> Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Freehold Borough allocated one member, who has 1.0 votes.<ref>Vilacoba, Karl. "Marlboro files challenge to FRHSD voting system", Central Jersey Archives, September 26, 2002. Accessed January 19, 2020. "Under the current weighted FRHSD vote apportionment, a nine-point voting system is in place. Howell has two board members for a combined 2 voting points; Marlboro, Manalapan and Freehold Township each have one vote worth 1.4 points; Colts Neck and Freehold Borough each have one vote worth 0.9 points; and Englishtown and Farmingdale each have one vote worth 0.5 voting points."</ref>
The independent Freehold Public Library is one of the remaining Carnegie-funded libraries in the state and is believed to be the only one with the name "Carnegie Library" engraved on its front.<ref>Metzgar, Dick. " Library celebrates century of service to Freehold; Andrew Carnegie gave town $11,000 to fund construction of building" Template:Webarchive, News Transcript, August 13, 2003. Accessed August 13, 2014.</ref> It is not part of the Monmouth County Library system.
InfrastructureEdit
TransportationEdit
Roads and highwaysEdit
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Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Monmouth County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Monmouth County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 24, 2014.</ref>
U.S. Route 9,<ref>U.S. Route 9 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated July 2013. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref> Route 33 Business,<ref>Route 33 Business Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2018. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref> Route 79,<ref>Route 79 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated April 2016. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref> County Route 522<ref>County Route 522 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2013. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref> and County Route 537<ref>County Route 537 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated July 2012. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref> all pass through Freehold Borough.<ref>Monmouth County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 3, 2023.</ref>
Freehold CircleEdit
Template:Further Freehold Circle was located near the western boundary of Freehold Borough near Freehold Raceway. The circle carried traffic between U.S. Route 9, Route 33 Business and Manalapan Avenue (CR 24); it was eliminated in the 1980s due to the increased traffic load caused by a boom in commercial and residential development. Most notable of the commercial development is the Freehold Raceway Mall, in Freehold Township just south of the old circle on US 9, whose development in the late 1980s was a major impetus to redesign the circle. The former circle now features several jughandles, and most Manalapan Avenue traffic must use a connector road to Business Route 33 to reach the main intersection, but it is still known by locals as Freehold Circle.<ref>Carney, Leo H. "Monmouth Seeks to Channel Growth", The New York Times, May 1, 1988. Accessed April 10, 2013.</ref><ref>Staff. Transportation Research Record, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, 1991. Accessed April 10, 2013.</ref> In the early 1940s, the Freehold Circle was the planned terminus of highway that would funnel traffic from South Amboy to the Jersey Shore by way of Matawan and Marlboro Township.<ref>Kroh, H. H. "RESORTS IN NEW JERSEY; New Highways and Bridges Will Connect Points Along the 125-Mile Seashore", June 16, 1940. Accessed April 10, 2013.</ref>
Public transportationEdit
RailEdit
In the 19th and 20th centuries, Freehold Borough and Freehold Township had two major railways. One major railway in the area was the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad, which was owned and operated by the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company (C&A). Surveying for the line began on September 8, 1851, grading began on October 19, 1852, and the first track was laid on April 4, 1853.<ref name=MonmouthSteam>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The first section of line was opened on July 18, 1853.<ref name=1858anniv>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The establishment of the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad caused the Freeholds region to become a transportation hub.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The other major railway in the area was the Central Railroad of New Jersey, which had a branch that connected the still-active former Penn Central line from Jamesburg to CNJ's Seashore Branch and the New York and Long Branch line (now owned by NJ Transit) at Matawan.
The Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. A Template:Convert portion of the former railroad's right-of-way was later approved to be sold by the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners (PUC) to Jersey Central Power & Light Company in 1966, with occasional freight service still being used through the Freehold Industrial Track. Meanwhile, The Central Railroad of New Jersey went into bankruptcy in the early 1970s and entered into Conrail on April 1, 1976, with its freight service on the rails from Freehold to Matawan being terminated in 1979 (the rails were removed in 1980). Today, it is mostly a rail-trail, converting into the Henry Hudson Trail. Freehold's former train station for both of these important railway routes now serves as the central bus station for town.
The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a proposal by New Jersey Transit to restore passenger railway service to the region, by using the same tracks as the Freehold Industrial Track. The borough and its neighboring township would be potential stops for the 'MOM' Line.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name = NJTPAROW>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
As of now, the nearest train stations to the borough are located in Aberdeen-Matawan, Asbury Park, Long Branch, and South Amboy on the North Jersey Coast Line, and Metropark in Iselin, Metuchen, New Brunswick, and Princeton Junction on the Northeast Corridor Line.
Proposed NJ Transit VillageEdit
With the Borough of Freehold's determination to revitalize its downtown area, as outlined in the Freehold Center Core Revitalization Plan (2008),<ref name=Plan2008/><ref name=Ordinance2013-13/> NJ Transit has sponsored a project in transforming the Freehold Center Bus Station into a "Transit Village".<ref name=NJTVillage/> This new designation would foster in the creation of a Transit-oriented development (TOD) zoning district around by the Freehold Center Bus Station between West Main Street (County Route 537) and Throckmorton Street (County Route 522).
In 2019, Freehold Borough Council members began to authorize Planning Board members "to investigate if properties in the downtown district constitute an area in need of redevelopment. If board members determine redevelopment is warranted, they will prepare a redevelopment plan for the designated area."<ref>Sockol, Matthew. "Prospect of downtown development to be examined in Freehold Borough", CentralJersey.com, February 26, 2019. Accessed September 30, 2020.</ref> On April 20, 2020, borough council members had reached an agreement in adopting an ordinance that would purchase a new building to house as the municipal complex.<ref>Sockol, Matthew. "Freehold Borough moves forward with plan for new municipal building", CentralJersey.com, April 24, 2020. Accessed September 30, 2020.</ref> The hopes of relocating the current municipal complex on West Main Street to this new location on Mechanic street would be in opening up more space for potential developers that could bid for the NJ 'Transit Village'.
BusesEdit
NJ Transit bus service connects Freehold with communities along U.S. Route 9, to Newark Liberty International Airport, to New York City, and to Six Flags Great Adventure located in Jackson Township. The 131, 135 and 139 provide service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 67 to Newark, on the 64 and 67 to Jersey City and local service on the 836 and 838 routes.<ref>Bus Routes, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Accessed April 30, 2023.</ref> Bus service is available from Route 9 to Wall Street in New York's Financial District via the Academy Bus Line.<ref>Academy Bus Park & Ride Template:Webarchive, Accessed April 22, 2023.</ref>
There are also several bus stops to the points listed above located along Route 9 in the borough and in neighboring Freehold Township.
AviationEdit
Following the closure of the Marlboro Airport, Old Bridge Airport in Old Bridge supply short-distance flights to surrounding areas and is the closest air transportation services. The nearest major commercial airports are Trenton-Mercer Airport, which serves several domestic destinations via Frontier Airlines and located Template:Convert west (about 38 minutes drive); and Newark Liberty International Airport, which serves as a major hub for United Airlines and located Template:Convert north (about 44 minutes drive) from Freehold Borough.<ref>Freehold NJ to Trenton NJ, Distance between cities. Accessed July 28, 2022.</ref><ref>Freehold NJ to Newark NJ, Distance between cities. Accessed July 28, 2022.</ref>
HealthcareEdit
Freehold Borough is served by CentraState Healthcare System, which is affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, located in neighboring Freehold Township. The regional hospital is a 287-bed medical facility. CentraState Healthcare system also provides healthcare through its various family practices in communities across western Monmouth and southern Middlesex counties in central New Jersey. CentraState Family Medicine Residency Program is one of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School's residency halls, which is located in Freehold Borough on Park Avenue.<ref>Residents, CentraState Family Medicine Residency Program. Accessed August 8, 2022.</ref> CentraState Healthcare System is the county's fourth-largest employer.<ref>Who We Are, CentraState Medical Center. Accessed June 23, 2021.</ref>
The next closest hospitals to the borough are Bayshore Community Hospital, located in nearby Holmdel Township, and the Old Bridge Division of Raritan Bay Medical Center, located in nearby Old Bridge Township. The closest major university hospitals to the borough are Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune Township, Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in Plainsboro Township, Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.
Points of interestEdit
- Freehold Public Library
- Monmouth County Historical Association, a museum and library dedicated to the history of Monmouth County.<ref>Our Mission, Monmouth County Historical Association. Accessed August 13, 2014.</ref>
- Freehold Raceway, the oldest harness racetrack in the United States, dating to 1853.<ref>Fitzgerald, Alison. Template:Usurped, The Philadelphia Inquirer, December 15, 1994. Accessed October 13, 2013. "Robert E. Brennan, the controversial financier and self-anointed savior of the casino and racetrack industries in the state, has bought Freehold Raceway, the nation's oldest harness-racing track, for $23 million dollars.... Freehold Raceway, which first opened in 1853, is unique in the United States because it is the only harness track that runs a daytime schedule, and therefore provides the only daytime harness races for the national simulcasting market."</ref>
- Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House was constructed in the 1750s and used by the British as a headquarters during the Battle of Monmouth. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Historic Houses Template:Webarchive, The Monmouth County Historical Society. Accessed October 13, 2013. "Built 1752-3, it served as headquarters for British General Sir Henry Clinton before the Battle of Monmouth in 1778."</ref>
- St. Peter's Episcopal Church was built in 1771 based on a design by architect Robert Smith and was added to the National Register in 1998 as one of one five churches in the state dating back to the 1700s still standing.<ref>St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Freehold, New Jersey Historic Trust. Accessed October 13, 2013. "St. Peter's Church was built between 1771 and 1806 by Robert Smith, a leading colonial architect and builder. This Georgian-style structure is one of the only five eighteenth-century church structures still standing in New Jersey."</ref>
- Freehold Jewish Center, a synagogue established in 1911 which was constructed as the Orthodox Jewish Congregation Agudath Achim.<ref>Garbi, Jill. "Shul celebrates century of 'tradition and caring'", New Jersey Jewish News, December 6, 2010. Accessed October 13, 2013. "In 1911 residents drew up a charter for the formation of an Orthodox synagogue and purchased a lot at First and Center streets. The land and the construction of the small wooden structure cost about $1,000, which was collected in pennies, dimes, and quarters from members of the struggling congregation."</ref>
- Metz Bicycle Museum exhibits antique bicycles dating back to the 1850s.<ref>History, Metz Bicycle Museum and Treasures of Years Gone By. Accessed October 13, 2013.</ref>
- Monmouth County Courthouse and Battle of Monmouth Monument
- Olive Branch Lodge No. 16 Free and Accepted Masons was instituted October 20, 1849.<ref>Lodge History Template:Webarchive, Olive Branch Lodge No 16 Free and Accepted Masons. Accessed October 13, 2013.</ref>
- Freehold NJ Hankinson-Moreau-Covenhoven House.jpg
Covenhoven House, 2012
- Freehold NJ Court Street School.jpg
Court Street School, 2012
- St. Peter's Church (April 2021).jpg
- Monument for Monmouth Battlefield.png
Monument dedicated to the Battle of Monmouth, located on the premises for the Monmouth County Courthouse, 2021
In popular cultureEdit
Bruce Springsteen often incorporated Freehold into his music, including the entire song "My Hometown". His connection to Freehold was documented by the Monmouth County Historical Association in a 2019 exhibition titled "Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown".<ref>Luongo, Michael T. "Bruce Springsteen Exhibit Is a Town’s Claim to His Legacy Much of the raw material for Springsteen songs originated in Freehold, N.J., the town where the singer grew up", The Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2019. Accessed November 26, 2020. "Big things often come from small towns. That's certainly the case for Freehold, N.J., the hometown of Bruce Springsteen. 'Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown,' an exhibit at the Monmouth County Historical Association in Freehold, about an hour south of New York City, explores how a town best known for its role in colonial history gave rise to one of the most authentically American voices in rock and roll."</ref> In the film Blinded by the Light, Javed, the protagonist of the film who falls in love with Springsteen's music, visits Freehold. Many local sights such as Randolph Street (one of the streets on which Springsteen lived), Springsteen's childhood home, and a Downtown Freehold sign (which Javed is photographed next to) are briefly featured.<ref>Kuperinsky, Amy. "Springsteen-inspired film ‘Blinded by the Light’ brings N.J. audience to tears with story of teen who was born to run", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 15, 2019. Accessed November 26, 2020. "The prize: a trip to a conference at Monmouth College (now Monmouth University). Watching the scene in the film, the Montclair audience erupted with glee at the Jersey connection. Javed is ecstatic to travel to Springsteen’s haunts in Asbury Park, including the Stone Pony, along with his childhood home in Freehold."</ref>
Notable peopleEdit
Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Freehold Borough include:
- Scott Conover (born 1968), former Detroit Lions offensive tackle and author of the children's book Can I Play Too? was raised in Freehold<ref>Russell, Suzanne C. "Lion's heart beat disability Scott Conover: I went from a nerd to the NFL", Home News Tribune, February 28, 2004. Accessed July 30, 2007. "Conover, a native of Freehold who now works as the in-school suspension teacher, head football coach and assistant track coach at Perth Amboy High School, told the students that school is where it starts."</ref>
- Anthony DeSclafani (born 1990), starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants<ref>Template:Usurped, Cincinnati Reds. Accessed May 11, 2015.</ref>
- Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer<ref>Carino, Jerry. "Robert Griswold, a swimmer from Freehold, wins bronze at Paralympic worlds competition", Asbury Park Press, August 6, 2015, via Newspapers.com. Accessed November 19, 2022. "Robert Griswold traveled to Scotland last month to test himself against the best Paralympic swimmers on earth.... The 18-year-old from Freehold earned a bronze medal in the International Paralympic Committee’s world championship."</ref>
- Lewis Lane (1901–1977), pianist, composer, lecturer and musicologist<ref>"New Concert Arrangement Of John Peel By Lewis Lane, To Be Heard Via Radio.", Monmouth Democrat, February 4, 1937. Accessed November 28, 2023. "Lewis Lane is a native of Freehold and graduated from the local public schools, after which he entered the New York College of Music in 1922."</ref>
- Danny Lewis (1936–2015), NFL running back from 1958 to 1966, playing for the Detroit Lions, the Washington Redskins, and the New York Giants<ref>Template:Usurped, December 25, 2007.</ref>
- Joel Parker (1816–1888), 20th Governor of New Jersey, elected to two non-consecutive terms (1863–1866 and 1871–1874). A lawyer by profession, he served as Attorney General of New Jersey in 1875 and as a justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, from 1880 to 1888
- Tim Perry (born 1965), former NBA player, most notably with the Phoenix Suns<ref>Morris, Tim. "Pats' win over CBA is historic" Template:Webarchive, News Transcript, January 28, 2004. Accessed May 8, 2007. "If the great area teams that had featured all-state forward Zucker, who went on to a fine career at Rutgers, or that had future NBA player Tim Perry of Freehold Borough couldn't beat CBA, who could?"</ref>
- Darrell Reid (born 1982), former defensive tackle for the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts<ref>Celano, Clare Marie. Template:Usurped, News Transcript, June 21, 2006. Accessed May 15, 2007. "Reid, a former Freehold High School football player, is currently a member of the NFL's Indianapolis Colts but a piece of his heart remains in the town in which he grew up – Freehold Borough."</ref>
- Nehemiah Shumway (1761–1843), composer, farmer, principal of Freehold AcademyTemplate:Citation needed
- J. R. Smith (born 1985), professional basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers<ref>Berman, Marc. "J.R. Smith knows he would make the absolute worst Army cadet", New York Post, September 30, 2014. Accessed November 26, 2020. "J.R. Smith grew up not so far away, in Freehold, NJ, but had never stepped foot on the post of West Point."</ref>
- Rebecca Soni (born 1987), Olympic gold medalist at the 2012 London Olympic Games who set world records in the 100-meter breaststroke (short course) and the 200-meter breaststroke (short and long course)<ref>Rebecca Soni, WNBC-TV. Accessed August 2, 2012. "Known as 'Reb,' Soni was born in Freehold Borough, N.J."</ref>
- Bruce Springsteen (born 1949), rock musician, was raised in Freehold Borough<ref>Sapia, Joseph. "A day in the life of Freehold Borough", Asbury Park Press, December 16, 1999. Accessed May 8, 2007. "Maybe it's a case of Springsteen's lyrics having been influenced by his environment. Just as the borough is Coyne's hometown, it is Springsteen's as well."</ref><ref>Goldstein, Stan. "Bruce Springsteen Rocked Here", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 15, 2009, updated September 10, 2010. Accessed July 13, 2015.</ref> The borough is the subject of his song "My Hometown," from the Born in the U.S.A. album, which described racial and economic tensions in the 1960s (the "textile mill being closed" was the A & M Karagheusian rug mill at Center and Jackson Streets). Springsteen has also performed a humorous song about the borough called "In Freehold", which can be found on some bootleg live recordings.
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
SourcesEdit
- Adelberg, Michael S. The American Revolution in Monmouth County:The Theatre of Spoil and Destruction, The History Press, 2010. Template:ISBN
- Pepe, Barbara. Freehold: A Home Town History, Arcadia Publishing; Charleston, SC; 2003. Template:ISBN.
External linksEdit
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Template:Freehold, New Jersey Template:Monmouth County, New Jersey Template:County seats of New Jersey Template:Raritan River Template:Authority control