Middle Township, New Jersey

History

Middle Township was formed as a precinct on April 2, 1723, and was incorporated by Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798 as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township have been taken to form Anglesea Borough (on June 13, 1885; now North Wildwood City), Avalon Borough (April 18, 1892), Wildwood (May 1, 1895), Stone Harbor Borough (April 3, 1914) and West Wildwood (April 21, 1920). The township's name came from its location when Cape May was split into three townships in 1723 at the same time that Lower Township and Upper Township were created.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 82.955 square miles (214.852 km²), including 70.333 square miles (182.163 km²) of land and 12.622 square miles (32.690 km²) of water (15.22%).

Burleigh (with a 2010 Census population of 725), Cape May Court House (5,338), Rio Grande (2,670) and Whitesboro (2,205) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Middle Township; Whitesboro and Burleigh had previously been combined for statistical purposes by the Census Bureau as Whitesboro-Burleigh through the 2000 Census. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Del Haven, Dias Creek, Goshen, Goshen Landing, Green Creek, Holly Beach, Mayville, Norburys Landing, Nummytown, Pierces, Pierces Point, Reeds Beach, Shellbed Landing, Swain Point, Swainton, Wildwood Gardens and Wildwood Junction.

The township borders Dennis Township, Sea Isle City, Avalon Borough, Stone Harbor Borough, North Wildwood City, Wildwood City, West Wildwood Borough, Lower Township, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Delaware Bay.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 18,911 people, 7,256 households, and 4,934 families residing in the township. The population density was 268.9 per square mile (103.8/km²). The township contained 9,296 housing units at an average density of 132.2 per square mile (51.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 83.11% (15,716) White, 10.41% (1,969) Black or African American, 0.18% (34) Native American, 1.79% (339) Asian, 0.05% (9) Pacific Islander, 1.97% (373) from other races, and 2.49% (471) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.09% (962) of the population.

Out of a total of 7,256 households, 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the township, 20.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 91.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $57,244 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,225) and the median family income was $66,451 (+/- $6,897). Males had a median income of $49,645 (+/- $5,272) versus $48,029 (+/- $5,201) for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,087 (+/- $1,866). About 4.4% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 16,405 people, 6,009 households, and 4,218 families residing in the township. The population density was 230.2 people per square mile (88.9/km²). There were 7,510 housing units at an average density of 105.4 per square mile (40.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.21% White, 10.86% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.

There were 6,009 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $41,533, and the median income for a family was $49,030. Males had a median income of $37,531 versus $27,166 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,805. About 8.6% of families and 10.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.5% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Middle Township is governed under the Township form of government. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, the Township Committee consists of Mayor Michael J. Clark (D, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Jeffrey DeVico (D, term on committee ends 2018; term as deputy mayor ends 2016) and Committeeman Timothy C. Donohue (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Middle Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). 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 1st Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D, Dennis Township) and in the General Assembly by Bob Andrzejczak (D, Middle Township) and R. Bruce Land (D, Vineland). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Cape May County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of five members, elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year; At an annual reorganization held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as Director and another to serve as Vice-Director. As of 2015, Cape May County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Gerald M. Thornton (Middle Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Vice-Director Leonard C. Desiderio (Sea Isle City, 2015), Kristine Gabor (Upper Township, 2017), E. Marie Hayes (Ocean City, 2016), and Will Morey (Wildwood Crest, 2017). The county's constitutional officers are Sheriff Gary Schafer (Middle Township, 2017), Surrogate M. Susan Sheppard (Ocean City, 2017), and County Clerk Rita Fulginiti (Ocean City, 2015).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 12,114 registered voters in Middle Township, of which 3,041 (25.1%) were registered as Democrats, 3,823 (31.6%) were registered as Republicans and 5,244 (43.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 49.6% of the vote (4,328 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 49.3% (4,299 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (93 votes), among the 8,796 ballots cast by the township's 12,717 registered voters (76 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 49.5% of the vote (4,483 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 48.4% (4,389 votes), with 9,059 ballots cast among the township's 11,493 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 54.0% of the vote (4,391 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 44.1% (3,586 votes), with 8,133 ballots cast among the township's 10,977 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.5% of the vote (3,856 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 30.8% (1,757 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (98 votes), among the 5,911 ballots cast by the township's 12,651 registered voters (200 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.4% of the vote (3,024 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 41.5% (2,593 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.1% (381 votes), with 6,244 ballots cast among the township's 12,320 registered voters, yielding a 50.7% turnout.

Education

The Middle Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 2,712 students and 217.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.49:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Middle Township Elementary School #1 for grades PreK-2 (676 students), Middle Township Elementary School #2 for grades 3-5 (559 students), Middle Township Middle School for grades 6-8 (543 students) and Middle Township High School for grades 9-12 (934 students). Students from Avalon, Dennis Township, Stone Harbor and Woodbine attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationships.

The district was categorized in 2005 as being "In Need of Improvement" under the terms of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Bishop McHugh Regional Catholic School is a K-8 elementary school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden and is supported by four parishes in Cape May County.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 178.86 miles (287.85 km) of roadways, of which 96.20 miles (154.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 42.23 miles (67.96 km) by Cape May County, 29.06 miles (46.77 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 11.37 miles (18.30 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service between Cape May and Philadelphia on the 313, 315 and 316 (seasonal only) routes, between Cape May and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 319 and between Cape May and Atlantic City on the 552 route.

Health care

Cape Regional Medical Center, located in Cape May Court House, is the only hospital in Cape May County. It was known as Burdette Tomlin Memorial Hospital until April 2007.

Wineries

Notable people

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