Monmouth Timeline

West Long Branch

West Long Branch was established through a referendum held on May 5, 1908. The area had been called Mechanicsville from the 18th century through the Civil War, and then Branchburg in the 1870s. The name West Long Branch appears in the 1889 Wolverton Atlas of Monmouth County, and seems to have derived its name from its proximity to a section of the Shrewsbury River. In 1908, the residents of what was the West Long Branch section of Eatontown thought that they were not getting a fair return on their taxes. A request was made that the West Long Branch section be separated from Eatontown. The Township of Eatontown strongly resisted as there were several large estates in the West Long Branch section that were a source of considerable taxes. An act of the New Jersey Legislature was passed on April 7, 1908, and the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders authorized an election. On May 5, 1908, the referendum was held in West Long Branch, with voters approving the separation.

Source: Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 182.

History of West Long Branch

Landmarks & Trails in West Long Branch

Photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Monmouth University. Photo from Monmouth Magazine, courtesy Monmouth University, used with permission.
Black History Trail

Boylan Gymnasium

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Official Hess Corporation photo of founder Leon Hess. Image credit: Hess Corporation.
March 14, 1914

Leon Hess of Asbury Park

Leon Hess (March 14, 1914 – May 7, 1999) was the founder of the Hess Corporation and the owner of the New York Jets.  He was born to a Jewish family in Asbury Park and attended Asbury Park High School,
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Official White House portraits of U.S. Presidents Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson, Nixon. Public domain.
September 4, 1931

The Curious Origin of the “Seven Presidents” of Monmouth County

Editor’s note: This research project owes much to three people who deserve acknowledgement:   Janice Grace, Long Branch historian, Library Associate and History Room Manager of the Long Branch Free Public Library; Robert Waitt, president, Historical Society of Ocean Grove; and Randall
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Photo of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at Monmouth University. Photo from Monmouth Magazine, courtesy Monmouth University, used with permission.
October 8, 1966

Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1966 Speech at Monmouth College

Editor’s note: A complete transcript of Dr. King's address to Monmouth College is available online here And an audio recording is available here On October 6, 1966, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., described by a local newspaper at the time
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Photo of Wendy Boglioli at Monmouth U. pool.
July 25, 1976

Wendy Boglioli, Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Holder

On July 22, 1976, former Monmouth University star Wendy Boglioli had what she considers to be her greatest day ever as a competitor. But it wasn't the day she won her gold medal. Wendy Boglioli (neé Lansbach), born March 6, 1955,
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Photo of Christie Pearce - then known as Christie Rampone - of the US Women's National Team, in San Jose, California on 10 May 2015.
July 10, 2010

Christie Pearce, The Greatest Athlete Ever From Monmouth County (by way of Ocean County)

Christie Pearce (formerly Rampone) is a retired American professional soccer player. A former captain of the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT), Pearce is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, an Olympic silver medalist, and a two-time FIFA Women’s World
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