The Island Heights Post Office was founded in 1887, the first Island Heights School District was formed on March 4th, 1889, the Island Heights Yacht Club was formed in 1898 and was incorporated on April 7th, 1900. Riparian rights were purchased at the foot of Oak Avenue for $100.00 and the Yacht Club and a clubhouse was constructed that year.

The Island Heights Volunteer Fire Company was formed on February 14th, 1895. The original fire house was a car garage on Jaynes Avenue and in 1923 the Fire Company moved to a new house on the corner of Van Sant Avenue and Simpson Avenue. That building served as the Fire Company until the present fire house was completed in 1963,located at the corner of Lake and Maple Avenues.

In 1902 John Wanamaker of Philadelphia constructed a vacation spot for his "Wanamaker Cadets" who were cash boys and girls employed in Wanamaker department stores in New York City and Philadelphia. The Wanamaker Complex was used during World War II by the army and in 1949 the camp was purchased by the Presbyterian Church and operated as a summer camp. The Church built nine (9) sleeping cabins, a chapel and recreation hail, an infirmary, a shower building and maintenance shop and garage. The Borough subsequently purchased the property in 1975 and converted the recreation hall into the Borough Meeting Hall, the infirmary was converted into the Municipal Clerk and Tax Collector's Office, the chapel was modified to house the Post Office and the sleeping cabins have been relocated through the town with one of them now serving as the headquarters for the Borough Police Department. The campgrounds are also used as a recreation site,

The Island Heights Library was formed in 1907 as the Island Heights Improvement Society which changed to the Community Center and Library. In 1956 the corporation was dissolved and the library was taken over as a municipal function. In January,1978, the Island Heights Library joined the Ocean County Library System.

The Island Heights First Aid Squad was incorporated on November 22, 1949. In 1957 the Ocean Arts and Crafts Club was formed by Mrs. Edna Thompson Feerick and in 1960 was changed to the Ocean County Artist Guild which was incorporated as a non-profit organization. The Headquarters of the Guild is located on the corner of Ocean and Chestnut Avenues in a Victorian home which was deeded to the Guild in 1974 by Mrs. Edith M. Grace. In 1960 the Ocean County String Band was founded in Island Heights, and the Band leased the former Borough Hall at the intersection of Van Sant and Simpson Avenues.

Saint Gertrude's Roman Catholic Church was established as a mission by Saint Joseph's in Toms River in 1908.