Medford Lakes, New Jersey

History

Charles Read's Aetna Furnace contributed to the Continental Army's efforts during the American Revolutionary War, using local bog iron to manufacture cannonballs. A part of the industrial life of what is now Medford Lakes was the saw and grist mill erected by John Haines.

Medford Lakes was originally developed as a resort community in which all construction would be made of logs. Shiploads of cedar logs were imported and craftsmen fashioned them into palatial homes. Inside and out, the walls were of solid log. Some of the logs had their bark scraped off while other logs were used bark and all. As a porous wood, cedar is an excellent insulator so the cabins were cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The resort enjoyed an extended season because the big stone fireplaces could heat the rustic houses even in the chilliest weather. The Medford Lakes Development Company was formed in 1927, and in 1928 the Colony Club Pavilion was constructed on ground donated by the Development Company.

St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, a single-story log cabin structure built in 1931, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Medford Lakes was established as an independent municipality in 1939.

The borough experienced heavy damage on July 12, 2004, during a day which saw 7.26 inches (184 mm) of rain fall over a 14-hour period. The heavy rain caused a series of dam breaks and breaches in the surrounding areas of Southern New Jersey, which have since been replaced. Quogue Dam, as well as both Lower and Upper Aetna Lake Dams failed, with high water levels on portions of Ballinger Run exceeding 500-year flood elevations

Since 1931 a Canoe Carnival has been held during the first week of every August on Lower Aetna Lake. Elaborate floats, built with a maximum of two canoes, are paddled by crowds gathered along the lake. A winner is then named, along with a king, queen, and court.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.293 square miles (3.348 km²), including 1.162 square miles (3.008 km²) of land and 0.131 square miles (0.340 km²) of water (10.15%).

The borough is an independent municipality surrounded entirely by Medford Township, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

The borough is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha), that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. All of the borough is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,146 people, 1,483 households, and 1,186 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,569.5 per square mile (1,378.2/km²). The borough contained 1,543 housing units at an average density of 1,328.4 per square mile (512.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.32% (4,035) White, 0.46% (19) Black or African American, 0.17% (7) Native American, 0.96% (40) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.39% (16) from other races, and 0.70% (29) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.69% (70) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,483 households, 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.8% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough, 26.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 30.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females the census counted 96.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006−2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $101,086 (with a margin of error of +/- $8,928) and the median family income was $105,563 (+/- $9,949). Males had a median income of $85,139 (+/- $26,197) versus $66,379 (+/- $13,826) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,789 (+/- $6,097). About 5.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,173 people, 1,527 households, and 1,238 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,463.1 people per square mile (1,342.7/km²). There were 1,555 housing units at an average density of 1,290.5 per square mile (500.3/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.32% White, 0.43% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.10% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.

There were 1,527 households out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the borough the age distribution of the population shows 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $77,536, and the median income for a family was $83,695. Males had a median income of $58,854 versus $36,831 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,382. About 1.1% of families and 2.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

The Borough of Medford Lakes is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of five members elected at-large in nonpartisan election to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for vote in even years as part of the May municipal election. The borough council was expanded from three to five seats, with the two additional council seats added as part of the May 2010 election in which there were two seats up for a four-year term and two others for a two-year term.

As of July 2016, the Medford Lakes Borough Council consists of Mayor Thomas J. Cranston (term of office ends June 30, 2018), Deputy Mayor Robert D. Hanold Sr. (2018), Robert J. Burton (2020), William R. Fields (2020) and Kathryn A. Merkh (2020).

In March 2015, the Borough Council selected Kathy Merkh to fill the vacant seat of Deputy Mayor Jeff Fitzpatrick, who had submitted his resignation from office the previous month. Gary Miller was chosen to fill the vacant position of deputy mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Medford Lakes is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

New Jersey's 3rd Congressional District is represented by Tom MacArthur (R, Toms River). 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 8th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Dawn Marie Addiego (R, Evesham Township) and in the General Assembly by Maria Rodriguez-Gregg (R, Evesham Township) and Joe Howarth (R, Evesham Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Burlington County is governed by a Board of chosen freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. The board chooses a director and deputy director from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting held in January. As of 2015, Burlington County's Freeholders are Director Mary Ann O'Brien (R, Medford Township, 2017; Director of Administration and Human Services), Deputy Director Bruce Garganio (R, Florence Township, 2017; Director of Public Works and Health), Aimee Belgard (D, Edgewater Park Township, 2015; Director of Hospital, Medical Services and Education) Joseph Donnelly (R, Cinnaminson Township, 2016; Director of Public Safety, Natural Resources, and Education) and Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2015; Director of Health and Corrections). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Tim Tyler, Sheriff Jean E. Stanfield and Surrogate George T. Kotch.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,033 registered voters in Medford Lakes, of which 749 (24.7% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,009 (33.3% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 1,275 (42.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.2% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 99.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,197 votes here (49.3% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,194 votes (49.2% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.0% vs. 1.0%), among the 2,429 ballots cast by the borough's 3,142 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.3% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,223 votes here (49.3% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,208 votes (48.7% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.4% vs. 1.0%), among the 2,482 ballots cast by the borough's 3,007 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,302 votes here (52.0% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,168 votes (46.6% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,505 ballots cast by the borough's 3,014 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.1% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 941 votes here (66.9% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 425 votes (30.2% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,406 ballots cast by the borough's 3,107 registered voters, yielding a 45.3% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 956 votes here (55.8% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 650 votes (37.9% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 74 votes (4.3% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 17 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,713 ballots cast by the borough's 3,061 registered voters, yielding a 56.0% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Medford Lakes School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 762 students and 42.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Nokomis School with 167 students in Pre-K to 2nd grade and Neeta School with 369 students in grades 3-8.

Public school students from Medford Lakes in ninth through twelfth grades attend Shawnee High School, located in Medford Township. Shawnee is part of the Lenape Regional High School District, a regional high school district in Burlington County, New Jersey that serves the eight municipalities of Evesham Township, Medford Lakes, Medford Township, Mount Laurel Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Tabernacle Township and Woodland Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,597 students and 124.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.

Students from Medford Lakes, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 27.42 miles (44.13 km) of roadways, of which 25.13 miles (40.44 km) were maintained by the municipality and 2.29 miles (3.69 km) by Burlington County.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Medford Lakes include: