Tabernacle Township, New Jersey

Before 1900

The area that is now Tabernacle was inhabited by Lenni Lenape Native Americans. In 1778, John and David Brainerd came to the area and erected a church to convert the local Native Americans to Christianity. The church was called Tabernacle In The Wilderness. In 1803, William Wilkins acquired land from Hosea Moore to build Tabernacle Cemetery, next to the church.

The church was originally used as a schoolhouse but in 1856, the one-room Union School was built on the future site of Tabernacle Town Hall to serve the children of the community. As the community grew, a second schoolhouse was built in the vicinity of the other school.

In 1860, Gilbert Knight built the Pepper-Knight House next to the Union Schoolhouse. It was later sold to the Pepper family who turned the property over to the Tabernacle Historic District following Clara Pepper's death in 1987. In the 1880s there were problems at the Tabernacle, so a new church was built on the spot. It was called the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church, which still stands today.

After 1900

On March 22, 1901, Tabernacle was incorporated as a township by an act of New Jersey State Legislature from portions of Shamong Township, Southampton Township and Woodland Township.

On July 13, 1928, Emilio Carranza (known as the Lindbergh of Mexico) was flying his plane from New York City to Mexico when he crashed in the middle of a storm over Tabernacle. The Carranza Monument was built with funds from Mexican schoolchildren, Hampton Gates Road was renamed Carranza Road for the pilot.

In 1910, the Union Schoolhouse was demolished and Tabernacle Town Hall was erected on the site. 1917 was the last year for the Friendship Schoolhouse, as enrollment dwindled to four pupils with more students attending the Sequoia School, further south on Carranza Road. In 1936 it was moved down the road next to the Sequoia School. In the 1950s, Tabernacle Elementary School was built on New Road and Olson Middle School (formerly Tabernacle Middle School) was built across the road in 1968. Tabernacle School District renamed its school after Kenneth R. Olson following his death in 1990. In 2003, Seneca High School was built to serve high school students from Tabernacle, Shamong, Woodland, and Southampton.

Suburbanization

In 1970, Tabernacle's population was 2,103, but by 1980, it had almost tripled to 6,236, reflecting rapid suburbanization of Philadelphia in South Jersey. Around the same time, the population of many other nearby towns boomed. Tabernacle's population reached a high in 1990 at 7,362 inhabitants and has continued to drop gradually. In 2000 there were 7,170 residents in the township and the population dropped to 6,949 in the 2010 Census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 49.614 square miles (128.501 km²), including 49.120 square miles (127.221 km²) of land and 0.494 square miles (1.280 km²) of water (1.00%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Apple Pie Hill, Bozuretown, Carranza Monument, Eagle, Fairview, Fox Chase, Friendship, Hampton Gate, Harris, Oriental, Paisley, Pine Crest, Sandy Ridge, Sooy Place, South Park, Speedwell and White Horse Station.

The township borders the Burlington county municipalities of Medford Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Washington Township and Woodland Township.

The township 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 township 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.

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,949 people, 2,375 households, and 1,978 families residing in the township. The population density was 141.5 per square mile (54.6/km²). There were 2,445 housing units at an average density of 49.8 per square mile (19.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.80% (6,657) White, 1.38% (96) Black or African American, 0.07% (5) Native American, 0.69% (48) Asian, 0.06% (4) Pacific Islander, 0.94% (65) from other races, and 1.06% (74) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% (192) of the population.

There were 2,375 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.7% were non-families. 13.4% 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 2.92 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the township, the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 35.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 100.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $101,053 (with a margin of error of +/- $15,205) and the median family income was $107,179 (+/- $7,238). Males had a median income of $47,947 (+/- $13,091) versus $40,231 (+/- $18,026) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,726 (+/- $3,161). About 1.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 7,170 people, 2,346 households, and 2,010 families residing in the township. The population density was 145.0 people per square mile (56.0/km²). There were 2,385 housing units at an average density of 48.2 per square mile (18.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.29% White, 2.09% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.

There were 2,346 households out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.6% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $76,432, and the median income for a family was $86,729. Males had a median income of $58,148 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,874. About 1.1% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Local government

Tabernacle Township is governed under the Township form of government.The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting held during the first week of January after each election, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the Tabernacle Township Committee are Mayor Stephen Lee IV (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2019; term as mayor ends 2017), Deputy Mayor Joseph Yates, IV (R, term on committee ends 2019; term as deputy mayor ends 2017), Joseph Barton (R, 2018), Kimberly A. "Kim" Brown (R, 2017) and Richard Franzen (R, 2018).

The township is patrolled by Troop C of the New Jersey State Police at the Red Lion Barracks in Southampton Township.

Federal, state and county representation

Tabernacle Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Tabernacle Township had been in the 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 9th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher J. Connors (R, Lacey Township) and in the General Assembly by DiAnne Gove (R, Long Beach Township) and Brian E. Rumpf (R, Little Egg Harbor 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 5,022 registered voters in Tabernacle Township, of which 981 (19.5% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,916 (38.2% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 2,122 (42.3% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.3% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 95.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 2,247 votes here (58.4% vs. 40.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,525 votes (39.6% vs. 58.1%) and other candidates with 49 votes (1.3% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,848 ballots cast by the township's 5,202 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.0% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,216 votes here (56.4% vs. 39.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,635 votes (41.6% vs. 58.4%) and other candidates with 53 votes (1.3% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,926 ballots cast by the township's 4,978 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.9% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,345 votes here (59.4% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,544 votes (39.1% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 45 votes (1.1% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,950 ballots cast by the township's 4,991 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.1% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,850 votes here (74.5% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 557 votes (22.4% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 36 votes (1.4% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,484 ballots cast by the township's 5,150 registered voters, yielding a 48.2% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,682 votes here (63.8% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 778 votes (29.5% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 127 votes (4.8% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 27 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,636 ballots cast by the township's 5,009 registered voters, yielding a 52.6% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

The Tabernacle School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its two schools had an enrollment of 1,170 students and 60.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 19.5:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Tabernacle Elementary School for grades PreK-4 (415 students) and Kenneth R. Olson Middle School for grades 5-8 (361 students).

Public school students in Tabernacle Township in ninth through twelfth grades attend Seneca High School located in Tabernacle Township, which serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from Shamong, Southampton, Tabernacle and Woodland Townships. The school is part of the Lenape Regional High School District. The district also serves students from Evesham Township, Medford Lakes, Medford Township, Mount Laurel Township, Shamong Township and Woodland Township. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,199 students and 110.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.8:1.

Students from Tabernacle Township, 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 township had a total of 89.17 miles (143.51 km) of roadways, of which 71.63 miles (115.28 km) were maintained by the municipality, 14.00 miles (22.53 km) by Burlington County and 3.54 miles (5.70 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The only two major roads that pass through are CR 532 thru the central part and U.S. Route 206 in the west.

The Atlantic City Expressway, Garden State Parkway, Interstate 295 and New Jersey Turnpike are all two towns away.

There are only two traffic lights in Tabernacle, both on U.S. Route 206.

Notable people

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