Tuckerton, New Jersey

How Tuckerton is governed

Form of government not yet listed.

0 of 14 positions listed. Gray dashed boxes are placeholders waiting for a name.

• Mayor

  Executive

  Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

  The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.

  • City Manager / Administrator

    Executive

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).

    • Police Chief

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Leads the police department.

    • Fire Chief

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Leads the fire and emergency services department.

    • Public Works Director

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.

    • Finance Director

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      The budget, taxes, and city accounts.

    • Planning & Zoning Director

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Land use, zoning, building permits.

    • Parks & Recreation Director

      Administration & departments

      Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

      Parks, programs, and public facilities.

• City Council

  Legislative

  Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

  The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.

  • City Clerk

    Administration & departments

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.

  • City Attorney

    Administration & departments

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.

  • Boards & Commissions

    Legislative

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.

• Municipal Court

  Judicial

  Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

  Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.

  • Municipal Judge

    Judicial

    Not yet listed. Log in to add who holds this

    Presides over the municipal court.

Website

tuckertonborough.com

Looking for your county, state and federal representatives too? See who represents 08087 or everyone in New Jersey.

Population over time

From 3,347 in 2010 to 3,577 in 2020 (+6.9%).

History

The area that is now Tuckerton was settled in 1698. Some of the early settlers were Andrews, Falkinburgs, Shourds, Ongs, Willets and Osborns. Edward Andrews, settled on the east side of Pohatcong Creek; his brother, Mordecai Andrews settled on the west side of the same creek. Edward, tired of going to Mount Holly Township with his grain, constructed a cedar log grist mill on the site of a dam built by beavers at the mouth of what is known as Tuckerton Creek. He built the grist mill in 1704, and it still stands to this day.

Tuckerton became a Port of Entry of the United States, but not the third port as is commonly believed. The community was named for founder Ebenezer Tucker (1758–1845), who was appointed Collector, his commission bearing the date March 21, 1791, signed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Six years later, Tuckerton became a post-town with Reuben Tucker as its first postmaster.

Former names of the town included "Andrew Mills", "Middle-of-the-Shore", "Clamtown", "Quakertown", and "Fishtown". In March 1789, Ebenezer Tucker hosted a feast at the then-named Clamtown for the residents, at which time they officially changed the name to Tuckerton.

In 1816, Isaac Jenkins established the first stage line between Tuckerton and Philadelphia, making one trip a week, each trip taking two days to travel each way. John D. Thompson bought the line in 1828 and ran the stages each way in a day and carried the mail. The stages and vessels were the only public conveyances to the cities until the Tuckerton Railroad was built in 1871.

What was probably New Jersey's first summer resort was on Tucker's Island offshore from Little Egg Harbor. The island sported boarding houses, private cottages, and a school. In 1848 a Lighthouse was erected there, with Eben Rider as its first lightkeeper. In 1869 the Little Egg Harbor Lifesaving's Station was constructed there. Also known as Sea Haven, the island contained two hotels. The island was wiped away in a storm, including its lighthouse, which fell into the sea. At the Tuckerton Seaport Museum, a re-created lighthouse has been built as well as other re-created buildings that were on Tuckers Island. In the lighthouse, there are several wall-mounted pictures showing the instant that the original lighthouse fell into the sea. The original island remains underwater.

The area surrounding present-day Tuckerton was part of Burlington County until 1891 when it joined with Ocean County. Tuckerton was established in March 1901, with its first mayor being Frank R. Austin.

By the turn of the 1800s, Tuckerton was home to a robust downtown area of shops, boarding houses, and hotels. Around 1800, Ebenezer Tucker built the "Union House" on the corner of Main Street & Green Street, which served as a post office, stagecoach stop, and lodge. The Union House was later known as the "Carlton House", which operated as an inn and tavern until it was destroyed by fire in 1964. The "Everett House" was built in the 1870s as a first-class temperance hotel to serve railroad passengers; the building, on Main Street between Green Street and Water Street, was demolished by the mid-20th Century. The Lakeside Hotel, situated on Main Street next to Lake Pohatcong, operated well into the 20th Century before its closure and demolition; a plaque commemorating World War I veterans on the side of the building was moved to its current site in Greenwood Cemetery.

The Tuckerton Methodist Episcopal Church was originally established in 1797. In 1868, the congregation broke ground on an elaborate Colonial-style church building featuring a slate-covered steeple, forged stained glass windows, a town clock, bell, and pipe organ. The building was constructed by shipwrights, as the boro was a bustling shipping and fishing village at the time.

In 1921, Reuben Gerber opened Gerber's Department Store on Main Street. The store's art deco interior was modeled after the Macy's Herald Square flagship store in New York City. Gerber's served as Tuckerton's main general store and was an authorized dealership for early Ford vehicles. The building remains and is currently known as the "Tuckerton Emporium", which houses a consortium of local vendors.

On May 7, 1979, a large wind-driven fire destroyed the century-old Tuckerton United Methodist Church, two stores, and several homes on Main Street, leaving 23 people homeless. The conflagration started in the Tuckerton Variety Store on 25 W. Main Street and spread to a vacant storefront and two second-floor apartments next door; 20-mph sea breeze winds carried embers 200 yards to the church, which quickly burned out of control. The embers also ignited fires in five homes on N. Green Street and several brush fires, all of which were quickly extinguished. Eighteen fire departments from Ocean and Burlington counties responded to the blaze.

Tuckerton received extensive damage after Superstorm Sandy struck the borough on October 28, 2012. Almost 300 homes suffered extensive damage, while 32 homes were completely destroyed. Floodwaters also ravaged businesses along South Green Street and flooded some buildings in the Tuckerton Seaport.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Other cities in New Jersey

• Wayne 54,838
• Howell 53,537
• Englewood 29,308
• Ringwood 11,735
• Leonardo 2,549

All New Jersey cities →