West Deptford Township, New Jersey

History

Ladd's Castle (also known as Candor Hall) is a historic building located in the Colonial Manor section that is Gloucester County's oldest brick home. Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, it was constructed around 1688 by William Ladd, a surveyor who is said to have helped William Penn to lay out a master design for the city of Philadelphia.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.865 square miles (46.271 km²), including 15.411 square miles (39.915 km²) of land and 2.454 square miles (6.356 km²) of water (13.74%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Colonial Manor, Eagle Point, Greenfields Village, Hoffman Wharf, League Island, Leonards, North Woodbury, Ogens, Paradise, Parkville, Pierces Corner, Red Bank, Tatens, Thorofare, Verga, Washington Park and West End.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 21,677 people, 8,829 households, and 5,757 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,406.6 per square mile (543.1/km²). The township contained 9,441 housing units at an average density of 612.6 per square mile (236.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 88.96% (19,283) White, 6.52% (1,414) Black or African American, 0.12% (25) Native American, 1.91% (415) Asian, 0.01% (3) Pacific Islander, 0.86% (187) from other races, and 1.61% (350) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.37% (731) of the population.

Out of a total of 8,829 households, 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the township, 21.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 90.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $69,316 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,689) and the median family income was $84,900 (+/- $5,549). Males had a median income of $61,346 (+/- $4,244) versus $47,155 (+/- $4,421) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,874 (+/- $1,513). About 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.6% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 19,368 people, 7,719 households, and 5,125 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,218.4 people per square mile (470.3/km²). There were 7,999 housing units at an average density of 503.2 per square mile (194.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.29% White, 5.08% Black, 0.23% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.76% of the population.

There were 7,719 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% 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 3.07.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,583, and the median income for a family was $64,477. Males had a median income of $42,711 versus $30,621 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,219. About 3.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

West Deptford 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, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. The Township Committee is the legislative branch of the Township government, developing and adopting ordinances that become the laws of the township.

As of 2016, the Mayor of West Deptford is Democrat Denice DiCarlo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. The other members of the West Deptford Township Committee are Deputy Mayor James Mehaffey (D, 2017), Jeff Hansen (R, 2016), Jerry Maher (R, 2016) and Adam Reid (D, 2017).

The pick-up of two seats by Republicans in the 2011 election gave the party control of the Township Committee for the first time since the 1980s.

Republicans Jeff Hansen and Gerald P. Maher won three-year seats in the November 2013 election, giving Republicans a 4-1 edge on the 2014 committee.

In the 2014 election, Democratic challengers James Mehaffey and Adam Reid defeated incumbent Republicans Raymond Chintall and John Keuler Jr., giving the Democrats a 3-2 majority, with the three Democrats choosing as mayor Denice DiCarlo, who had been the lone Democrat in the previous council.

Federal, state and county representation

West Deptford Township is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd 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 3rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Adam Taliaferro (D, Woolwich 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 14,703 registered voters in West Deptford, of which 5,661 (38.5%) were registered as Democrats, 2,312 (15.7%) were registered as Republicans and 6,724 (45.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.1% of the vote (6,119 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 41.7% (4,463 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (132 votes), among the 10,804 ballots cast by the township's 15,400 registered voters (90 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 57.1% of the vote (6,351 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 40.2% (4,468 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (158 votes), among the 11,119 ballots cast by the township's 15,030 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.3% of the vote (5,566 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 43.5% (4,375 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (71 votes), among the 10,065 ballots cast by the township's 13,400 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.3% of the vote (4,593 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 32.3% (2,236 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (96 votes), among the 7,118 ballots cast by the township's 15,194 registered voters (193 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 45.4% of the vote (3,212 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.5% (3,077 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.9% (629 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (39 votes), among the 7,072 ballots cast by the township's 14,879 registered voters, yielding a 47.5% turnout.

Education

The West Deptford Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's five schools had an enrollment of 3,039 students and 197.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.41:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Oakview Elementary School (grades K-1; 303 students), Red Bank Elementary School (grade 2; 300), Green-Fields Elementary School (3-4; 505), West Deptford Middle School (5-8; 1,029) and West Deptford High School (9-12; 907).

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 98.00 miles (157.72 km) of roadways, of which 64.28 miles (103.45 km) were maintained by the municipality, 20.79 miles (33.46 km) by Gloucester County and 11.07 miles (17.82 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.86 miles (2.99 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Major roadways in and around West Deptford Township include Interstate 295, which enters the township's southwest from Paulsboro and continues for 5.5 miles (8.9 km) towards the northeast to Deptford Township and includes exits 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. U.S. Route 130 follows a concurrency with Interstate 295, splitting off near interchange 23 towards the township's northeast as Crown Point Avenue and continuing into Westville. Route 44 (Crown Point Road) enters from Paulsboro, closely paralleling Interstate 295 for 4.0 miles (6.4 km) to its northern terminus in the township. Route 45 (Mantua Avenue) enters from Mantua Township in the extreme southeast corner of the township and runs along the eastern border with Deptford Township and then Woodbury Heights, enters Woodbury and then re-enters West Deptford Township as its border with Deptford Township before continuing to the north towards its terminus in Westville.

County Route 551 (Kings Highway) enters on the south from East Greenwich Township and continues for 2.4 miles (3.9 km) heading northeast into Woodbury. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through the township's southeastern corner, heading northeast from East Greenwich Township to Woodbury Heights, but the nearest exits are Interchanges 3 and 2.

Public transportation

NJ Transit bus service between the township and Philadelphia is available on the 401 (Salem to Philadelphia), 402 (Pennsville Township to Philadelphia) and 410 (Bridgeton to Philadelphia) routes, with local service offered on the 455 route between Cherry Hill Township and Paulsboro.

Port of Paulsboro

The Port of Paulsboro is located on the Delaware River and Mantua Creek in Paulsboro and West Deptford. Traditionally one of the nation's busiest for marine transfer operations of petroleum products, the port is being redeveloped as an adaptable omniport able to handle a diversity of bulk, break bulk cargo and shipping containers. Studies completed in 2012. concluded that the port is well suited to become a center for the manufacture, assembly, and transport of wind turbines and platforms the development of Atlantic Wind Connection

Community

West Deptford is host of the annual Senior Little League Baseball Eastern Regional Tournament. The winner of this tournament advances to the Senior League World Series held annually in Bangor, Maine since 2002.

Notable people

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