East Keansburg/North Middletown: A Beautiful Beach Community by the Bay
Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate
Over one weekend... my Community Marathon adventure took me through North Middletown, or East Keansburg, to many people who know the neighborhood well.
My son joined me on his bike for my first 6.2 miles; I finished the final 20 solo (17 miles one day and 3 miles another day). I started at Ideal Beach and tried to use my 26.2 miles of running to visit every block. I passed Ocean Avenue School, the firehouse, the first aid station, Roosevelt Park, the Tonya Keller Community Center (aka: “the Rec”), St. Catherine’s, and McMahon Park. I even made my way into the small section around Forest Avenue and Van Brunt Place, beyond Keansburg High School, that is easy to miss unless I deliberately went looking for it – and I did!
After spending that much time on the side streets, what struck me most was that East Keansburg still feels like an old-school beach community, not necessarily historic, but nostalgic. Something about being so close to the bay, the smell of the salt air, the long streets leading toward the water, first-class lemonade stands, corner stores, and the neighborhood's sounds and rhythm reminds me of the small bayside communities that began as places where families spent their summers and gradually became year-round hometowns.
The cozy old-school beach-village layout and the people of East Keansburg give the neighborhood a very friendly character.
In some sections of Middletown, I can run for miles without interacting with any residents. In East Keansburg, people were outside, working on their cars, garages open, mowing their lawns, kids playing on the streets. I glimpsed homeowners working on their homes, often with a workbench and power tools out, renovating. I also saw folks enjoying their front porches, hosting small gatherings, and talking with friends and neighbors. More than once, somebody said “hello!” or asked what I was doing, which usually led to a conversation about why I was running for BOE or why I voluntarily run 26.2 miles. There is a friendliness here that is hard to notice when I am simply driving through or passing the area on the main roads.
And then there is Ideal Beach! The views from Ideal Beach are remarkable. Looking out across Raritan Bay toward New York, it is easy to forget for a moment that you are standing in Middletown. Having that waterfront immediately available to the community is an extraordinary local amenity and one of those places that deserves appreciation from people throughout town.
East Keansburg's geography also helps explain why the neighborhood feels so distinct: it has some strong boundaries. Raritan Bay defines its northern boundary. Keansburg sits immediately to the west. Pews Creek and the flood-protection embankment create a hard boundary to the east, while Route 36 separates the neighborhood from Harmony and the rest of Middletown to the south - it is entirely wet-side, no dry-side here!
When I got off the main roads and spent some time running on the side streets, I witnessed a close-knit neighborhood with parks, a school, a community center, strong
community fire and first-aid organizations, corner stores, tremendous access to a lovely beach, and people who still seem to know their neighbors; that was probably my biggest takeaway from these 26.2 miles.
East Keansburg sits in a unique corner on one of Middletown's geographic edges, but it is very much a Middletown community while keeping its own character. When I ran along Atlantic Ave headed north, I could sense the difference between the Keansburg side of the street and the Middletown side. This community has a very Middletown feel, so… the North Middletown moniker is appropriate too. Labels aside… this community has its own identity, its own gathering places, and a strong connection to our bayside beaches.
That is why I started running these Community Marathons.
Driving through a neighborhood tells me one thing.
Running each block lets me experience something deeper and much more authentic.
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