The special character of present day Fair Haven is framed by it's past as a small town nestled on the banks of the Navesink River.
 Fair Haven is believed to have been seasonally inhabited by native Indians prior to the coming of European settlers in the 1660's. Originally part of Shrewsbury. First permanent dwelling was in 1816 on the banks of the Navesink river built by Jeremiah Chandler. By 1850 Chandler's Dock was serving the steamboats as they brought river harvest such as oysters to NY and brought back Summer visitors, many of them vaudevillians, they brought to town the Players Club which is now the Shrewsbury Yacht Club.
In the 1850's, Charles Williams, a free black person, built his home at the foot of DeNormandie Avenue. The structure is occupied today by his descendants, and is one of the oldest continuously inhabited houses in the Borough.
A free black community had become established in town prior to the Civil War. Fisk Chapel, constructed in 1888, successor to several prior structures, served as the community's church and social center. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and now is used as a Borough meeting hall.
From this diverse and eclectic mix produced today's Fair Haven, a haven indeed.
Fair Haven demographics zipskinny.com.
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