Haddon Township, New Jersey

History

In 1701, Elizabeth Haddon Estaugh, the daughter of John Haddon, arrived in the American colonies to oversee his large landholdings, which included areas that are now Collingswood, Haddon Township, and Haddonfield. Contemporary Newton Township included land that later became part of Audubon, Audubon Park, Camden, Collingswood, Gloucester City, Haddon Heights, Haddonfield, Oaklyn, and Woodlynne. Its first European settlers were Irish who settled in the area of Newton Creek in 1681.

Saddlertown

In the late 1830s, a runaway slave, who had taken the surname Saddler to avoid detection by his former master, came to New Jersey from a Maryland plantation with his wife and two daughters. Saddler worked for Cy Evans, a local Quaker farmer, from whom he bought fiveacres to farm. The area where Saddler settled became a predominantly black community known as Saddlertown, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Today, Saddlertown is racially diverse.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.791 square miles (7.231 km²), including 2.687 square miles (6.960 km²) of land and 0.104 square miles (0.271 km²) of water (3.74%).

Haddon Township has two exclaves, West Collingswood Heights and West Collingswood Extension. The downtown portion of the township is known as Westmont, a name probably derived from a noted harness racing horse. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Crystal Lake, Cuthbert and Oakdale.

Haddon Township borders the Camden County municipalities of Audubon, Audubon Park, Camden, Cherry Hill (water border), Collingswood, Gloucester City, Haddonfield, Mount Ephraim, and Oaklyn.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 14,707 people, 6,226 households, and 3,860 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,472.6 per square mile (2,113.0/km²). The township contained 6,477 housing units at an average density of 2,410.1 per square mile (930.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.16% (13,701) White, 1.50% (220) Black or African American, 0.16% (23) Native American, 2.71% (398) Asian, 0.01% (2) Pacific Islander, 1.11% (163) from other races, and 1.36% (200) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.95% (581) of the population.

Out of a total of 6,226 households, 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the township, 21.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 93.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 89.3 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $70,392 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,948) and the median family income was $90,156 (+/- $6,251). Males had a median income of $60,221 (+/- $5,315) versus $52,179 (+/- $4,167) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,506 (+/- $2,687). About 3.6% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 14,651 people, 6,207 households, and 3,891 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,443.4 people per square mile (2,102.9/km²). There were 6,423 housing units at an average density of 2,386.4 per square mile (921.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.42% White, 1.18% African American, 0.05% Native American, 2.01% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.

There were 6,207 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $51,076, and the median income for a family was $65,269. Males had a median income of $44,943 versus $32,967 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,610. About 1.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Haddon Township has been governed under the Walsh Act by a three-member commission since 1950. Commission members are elected at-large on a nonpartisan basis as part of the May municipal election to serve four-year concurrent terms of office. The commissioners select one of their members to serve as mayor.

Each commissioner is responsible for supervising an assigned department. The three commissioners vote among themselves to choose a part-time mayor, who presides over meetings but has no independent executive function. Haddon Township has had only three mayors in its history: William Rohrer, William J. Park. Jr., (1997 New Jersey State League of Municipalities Mayors Hall of Fame), and Randall Teague.

As of 2016, members of the Haddon Township Commission are Mayor Randall W. "Randy" Teague (Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property), Paul Dougherty (Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety) and John Foley (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), all serving terms of office that end May 15, 2019.

Emergency services

Haddon Township is divided into four fire districts, each governed by five elected fire commissioners. Fire District 1 is the Westmont and Bluebird section, protected by the Westmont Fire Company No. 1, which was established in 1902. Fire District 2 is the West Collingswood Extension section, which contracts with the Borough of Collingswood for fire protection from the Collingswood Fire Department (Station 16-1). Fire District 3 is the Bettlewood, Heather Glen, and Heather Woods sections and it contracts with the Westmont Fire Company Number 1 for fire protection from District 1. Fire District 4 is the West Collingswood Heights section, protected by the West Collingswood Heights Fire Co. Westmont Fire Co. (Station 15-1) and West Collingswood Heights Fire Co. (Station 15-2) are both Haddon Township companies, but separate entities with their own chiefs.

Ambulance service throughout the Township is also divided, mirroring the fire service.

The Westmont Fire Company No. 1 provides both fire and EMS services. John D. Medes has served as Chief since 2007.

Police coverage throughout the entire township is provided by the Haddon Township Police Department, which also provides services for Audubon Park.

Federal, state and county representation

Haddon Township is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.

New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 6th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members chosen at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2015, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term as freeholder ends December 31, 2017; term as director ends 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Edward T. McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, term as freeholder ends 2016; term as deputy director ends 2015), Michelle Gentek (Gloucester Township, 2015), Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2015), Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2015), Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2016) and Jonathan L. Young, Sr. (Berlin Township, November 2015; serving the unexpired term of Scot McCray ending in 2017)

Camden County's constitutional officers, all elected directly by voters, are County clerk Joseph Ripa, Sheriff Charles H. Billingham, and Surrogate Patricia Egan Jones. The Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo was appointed by the Governor of New Jersey with the advice and consent of the New Jersey Senate (the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 10,876 registered voters in Haddon Township, of which 4,408 (40.5%) were registered as Democrats, 2,036 (18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 4,415 (40.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 17 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 60.5% of the vote (4,975 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.8% (3,104 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (143 votes), among the 8,272 ballots cast by the township's 11,643 registered voters (50 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.7% of the vote (5,185 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 37.4% (3,244 votes), with 8,685 ballots cast among the township's 10,887 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 58.7% of the vote (5,021 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 39.8% (3,401 votes), with 8,549 ballots cast among the township's 10,762 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.4.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.3% of the vote (2,834 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 39.9% (1,941 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (90 votes), among the 4,978 ballots cast by the township's 11,501 registered voters (113 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 49.2% of the vote (2,705 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 43.0% (2,365 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (327 votes), with 5,498 ballots cast among the township's 10,864 registered voters, yielding a 50.6% turnout.

Education

The Haddon Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's seven schools had an enrollment of 2,103 students and 143.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.64:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are five elementary schools — Thomas A. Edison Elementary School (grades PreK-5; 159 students), Clyde S. Jennings Elementary School (K-5; 103), Stoy Elementary School (PreK-5; 184), Strawbridge Elementary School (K-5; 218), Van Sciver Elementary School (PreK-5; 345) — William G. Rohrer Middle School (6-8; 492) and Haddon Township High School (9-12; 602).

Prior to the establishment of Haddon Township High School in the 1960s, most Haddon Township students attended Collingswood High School, while some attended Haddonfield Memorial High School or Audubon High School.

Paul VI High School is a regional high school founded in September 1966 that operates under the oversight of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden with an enrollment of over 1,000 students. Holy Saviour School was an elementary school that operated under the auspices of the Camden diocese until it closed in 2008.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 51.83 miles (83.41 km) of roadways, of which 39.96 miles (64.31 km) were maintained by the municipality, 9.73 miles (15.66 km) by Camden County and 2.14 miles (3.44 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation

Westmont station, in the downtown section of Haddon Township, is a PATCO Park-and-Ride station.

NJ Transit provides bus service between the township and Philadelphia on the 403 route, with local service available on the 450 and 451 routes.

Points of interest

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Haddon Township include: