Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey

History

The oldest community in Washington Township, Grenloch Terrace, was a thriving Lenape Native American village called Tetamekon. Some of the early settlers to the area were the Collins family of Chestnut Ridge Farm, for whom Chestnut Ridge Middle School is named; the Turner family, for whom Turnersville was named; the Hurff family, for whom Hurffville and Hurffville Elementary School are named; the Heritage family, whose family began the Heritage's Dairy Farm Stores, and for whom the community Heritage Valley is named; the Morgan family, who were the first residents of the Olde Stone House, a landmark for residents of the Township; and the Bell Family, who arrived in 1899 and for whom Bells Lake Park and Bells Elementary School are named. Sewell is named after General William Joyce Sewell, who was elected to the United States Senate in 1881 and 1895, and served as President of the New Jersey Senate in 1876, 1879 and 1880.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.600 square miles (55.944 km²), including 21.382 square miles (55.379 km²) of land and 0.218 square miles (0.565 km²) of water (1.01%).

Turnersville (with a 2010 Census population of 3,742) is a unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Washington Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bells Lake, Cressville, Dilkesboro, Fairview, Green Tree, Grenloch, Grenloch Terrace, Hurffville, Mount Pleasant and Prossers Mill.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 48,559 people, 17,287 households, and 13,328 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,271.0 per square mile (876.8/km²). There were 17,810 housing units at an average density of 833.0 per square mile (321.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 87.70% (42,588) White, 5.82% (2,825) Black or African American, 0.11% (52) Native American, 3.78% (1,836) Asian, 0.02% (9) Pacific Islander, 0.85% (415) from other races, and 1.72% (834) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.65% (1,774) of the population.

There were 17,287 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.4% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.3% 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 3.23.

In the township, the population was spread out with 24.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.6 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 89.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,017 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,281) and the median family income was $94,585 (+/- $3,639). Males had a median income of $62,702 (+/- $2,103) versus $46,628 (+/- $2,959) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,038 (+/- $1,285). About 2.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 47,114 people, 15,609 households, and 12,658 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,204.6 people per square mile (851.2/km²). There were 16,020 housing units at an average density of 749.6/sq mi (289.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.20% White, 4.85% African American, 0.08% Native American, 3.31% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.03% of the population.

There were 15,609 households out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.38.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $66,546, and the median income for a family was $74,661. Males had a median income of $51,319 versus $35,018 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,705. About 2.5% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Washington Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) by the Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government (Plan 2), implemented based on direct petition as of January 1, 1985. The township is governed by a Mayor and a five-member Municipal Council. The Mayor is elected by township voters and is the Chief Executive in charge of the administrative functions of the town. Members of the Township Council are elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections held as part of the November general election. All elected officials serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with the mayor and two council seats up for election in leap years and the other three council seats up for vote two years later.

As of 2017, the Mayor of Washington Township is Democrat Joann Gattinelli, whose term of office ends December 31, 2020. Members of the Township Council are Council President Nicholas Fazzio (R, 2018), Council Vice-President Joseph Perry (R, 2020), Angela Donato (D, 2018), Sean Longfellow (D, 2018), Dana Pasqualone (R, 2020).

Federal, state and county representation

Washington Township is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th 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 4th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and in the General Assembly by Paul Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County) and Gabriela Mosquera (D, Gloucester Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Board selects a Freeholder Director and a Deputy Freeholder Director from among its members. As of 2016, Gloucester County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger (D, West Deptford Township; term ends December 31, 2018), Deputy Freeholder Director Giuseppe "Joe" Chila (D, Woolwich Township; 2018), Lyman J. Barnes (D, Logan Township; 2017), Daniel Christy (D, Washington Township; 2016), Frank J. DiMarco (D, Deptford Township; 2016), Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro; 2017) and Jim Jefferson (D, Woodbury; 2017). Constitutional officers elected countywide are County Clerk James N. Hogan, Surrogate Helene M. Reed (Monroe Township) and Sheriff Carmel Morina (Greenwich Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 33,934 registered voters in Washington, of which 11,872 (35.0%) were registered as Democrats, 7,763 (22.9%) were registered as Republicans and 14,279 (42.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 20 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 49.7% of the vote (12,169 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 49.2% (12,050 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (273 votes), among the 24,648 ballots cast by the township's 35,305 registered voters (156 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 49.6% of the vote (12,815 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 48.6% (12,570 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (268 votes), among the 25,859 ballots cast by the township's 35,224 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.9% of the vote (12,805 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 48.0% (12,082 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (163 votes), among the 25,149 ballots cast by the township's 33,043 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.1% of the vote (9,129 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 31.6% (4,294 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (172 votes), among the 13,803 ballots cast by the township's 34,580 registered voters (208 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 52.6% of the vote (7,789 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 38.8% (5,757 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.0% (1,043 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (79 votes), among the 14,820 ballots cast by the township's 34,338 registered voters, yielding a 43.2% turnout.

Education

The Washington Township Public School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's 11 schools had an enrollment of 8,039 students and 662.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.13:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center (583 students) for Kindergarten; Bells Elementary School (491; 1-5), Birches Elementary School (563; 1-5), Hurffville Elementary School (482; 1-5), Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (451; 1-5), Wedgewood Elementary School (441; 1-5), Whitman Elementary School (528; 1-5), Bunker Hill Middle School (729; 6-8), Chestnut Ridge Middle School (642; 6-8), Orchard Valley Middle School (607; 6-8) and Washington Township High School with 2,615 students in grades 9 - 12.

Local dynamics

Washington Township has two major economic centers. The "town center" is focused around the square formed by Greentree Road, Egg Harbor Road, Ganttown Road, and Hurffville-Crosskeys Road. Washington Township High School, the TD Bank Arts Centre, Washington Lake Park, and the township municipal building are located around this general vicinity. The other major center is located around Route 42, which connects Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Jersey Shore.

Washington Township is sometimes referred to as "South Jersey's Premier Community", "South Philly South", or "Little South Philly" as a large percentage of its citizens moved to the town from the Italian South Philadelphia region over the past several decades. It is also known simply as "Township".

Recent expansion

Washington Township could be viewed as the frontline between open space and home developers. A township that was once composed of several isolated housing areas gravitating around the Wedgwood, Whitman Square, Birches, Birches West, and Hurffville neighborhoods has expanded outwards.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 199.78 miles (321.51 km) of roadways, of which 154.61 miles (248.82 km) were maintained by the municipality, 35.72 miles (57.49 km) by Gloucester County, 8.36 miles (13.45 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.09 miles (1.75 km) by the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Route 42 (Black Horse Pike) heads along the west side of the township, entering in the south from Monroe Township and continuing north for 4 miles (6.4 km) towards Gloucester Township in Camden County, where the road is known as the North-South Freeway. Route 168 (also known as Black Horse Pike) has its southern terminus at Route 42 in Washington Township and heads north along the township border towards Gloucester Township. Route 47 (Delsea Drive) runs along the eastern quarter of the township, entering in the south from Glassboro and proceeding north for 3.2 miles (5.1 km) towards Deptford Township. Route 55 clips the eastern tip of Gloucester Township, extending for 0.4 miles (0.64 km) from Mantua Township in the south to Deptford Township in the north. The Atlantic City Expressway enters from Gloucester Township, and zig-zags through both until its western terminus in Washington Township at Route 42.

County Route 534 (Good Intent Road) enters from Deptford Township on the east and heads into Gloucester Township. County Route 555 (Tuckahoe Road) enters from Monroe Township on the west and continues for 1.1 miles (1.8 km) to its terminus at Route 42.

Public transportation

NJ Transit's Atlantic City commuter rail line and PATCO Speedline rapid transit are accessible at the Lindenwold station, located 10 miles (16 km) northeast of the township.

NJ Transit bus service is available to Philadelphia on the 315, 400, 403 and 408 routes, with local service on the 463 route.

Notable people

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