New Egypt is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Plumsted Township, in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, New Egypt had a population of 2,357. The community is located at the trijunction of Burlington County, Monmouth County and Ocean counties.
History
There are several explanations for how New Egypt received its name. One possibility is it was a reference by George Washington in December 1776 after the victory at the Battle of Trenton. Joseph Curtis, Washington's secretary, was sent to the town to retrieve grain for the army, and upon his return from the area, Washington exclaimed, "Joseph has been to Egypt and gotten the corn." ‘New' was added sometime around 1845. Other references have that the town was originally given the name "Egypt" in 1793 and "New Egypt" in 1801, the name is believed to be a biblical allusion about "going to Egypt for corn" that was plentiful in the area.
Around 1890, the area was once known as Timmins Mill, a reference to the mill owner who owned most of the land in the area.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of , including of land and of water (1.38%).
Author Henry Charlton Beck gave Timmins Mill the distinction of the approximate geographical center of New Jersey. Upon reading the estimate by Beck, a Christmas tree farmer used their own methods to approximate the geographic center of New Jersey to be on their farm. They have since placed a marker on the location they determined as the geographic center of New Jersey (Coordinates 40° 05’02” N Latitude 74° 32’ 01” W longitude). The marker is on their farm located across the street from the New Egypt High School.
Community
The community has a volunteer fire station, a first aid station, and a police department. New Egypt is also home to the New Egypt Historical Society, a clay race track called the New Egypt Speedway, and the Plumsted Branch of the Ocean County Library system.
The town also includes several Christian religious centers, Assumption Roman Catholic Church, Bethel AME Church, Bible Baptist Church, Church of Christ, Iglesia Ni Cristo, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, New Egypt United Methodist Church, Plumsted Presbyterian Church, the Christian Fellowship Church of New Egypt, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Oakford Lake is located in the middle of the town. In the early 1900s the location thrived as a tourist and vacation attraction.
New Egypt also has a recreation center which includes four baseball fields, a football field, two softball fields, and a basketball court and three small fields used for tee ball.
McGuire Air Force Base is immediately south of New Egypt.