Woodbine, New Jersey

History

Woodbine was founded in 1891 as a settlement for Eastern European Jews. The Baron DeHirsch Fund, organized by philanthropist Maurice de Hirsch, purchased 5,300 acres (21 km²) of land in Dennis Township, in Cape May County, New Jersey to start a settlement. Immigrants from Poland and Russia were invited to settle the new community. Within two years, they cleared the forest and built a town and thriving farms. 800 acres (3.2 km²) of land were set aside as town lots. The residential center of Woodbine still uses the same grid that was originally laid out in 1891. Using modern agricultural practices under the direction of agriculturist and chemist Hirsch Loeb Sabsovich, the first colonists (Woodbine was sometimes called the "Jewish Colony" in the early days) turned Woodbine into a model agricultural community.

Woodbine was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township. Because most of the original settlers were Jewish, Woodbine became known as "the first self-governing Jewish community since the fall of Jerusalem."

The community started the Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College in 1894. Until it was closed during World War I (1917), the college was a model of progressive education. The college and its graduates won many state, national, and international awards. World War I, however, signaled a change in the community from an agricultural economy to one with a light manufacturing economy. The Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College became what is today the Woodbine Developmental Center, a state-run facility for training the mentally handicapped. The Developmental Center is Cape May County's largest employer.

During World War II, the United States Army built an airfield in Woodbine to be used as a training base and as a base for anti-submarine patrols. German U-boats were very active off the East Coast of America, especially off the Jersey coast. Today, Woodbine Municipal Airport is the center of Woodbine's redevelopment efforts.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 8.020 square miles (20.773 km²), all of which was land.

The borough borders Dennis Township and Upper Township.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Woodbine has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,472 people, 757 households, and 516.3 families residing in the borough. The population density was 308.2 per square mile (119.0/km²). There were 1,079 housing units at an average density of 134.5 per square mile (51.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 58.21% (1,439) White, 24.72% (611) Black or African American, 0.24% (6) Native American, 0.73% (18) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 12.30% (304) from other races, and 3.80% (94) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.22% (574) of the population.

There were 757 households out of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% were married couples living together, 23.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.8% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough, the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 33.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females there were 135.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 143.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $28,125 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,957) and the median family income was $25,254 (+/- $5,816). Males had a median income of $35,500 (+/- $7,453) versus $31,298 (+/- $9,891) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,734 (+/- $2,126). About 33.9% of families and 38.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.8% of those under age 18 and 15.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,716 people, 773 households, and 558 families residing in the borough. The population density was 339.6 people per square mile (131.1/km²). There were 1,080 housing units at an average density of 135.1 per square mile (52.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 53.39% White, 32.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 11.01% from other races, and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.24% of the population.

There were 773 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples living together, 27.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 142.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $30,298, and the median income for a family was $31,786. Males had a median income of $30,139 versus $24,150 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $13,335. About 18.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Woodbine is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Woodbine, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Woodbine is Republican William Pikolycky, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2015. The members of the Woodbine Borough Council are Council President Eduardo Ortiz (R, 2016), David Bennet (R, 2017), Michael Benson (R, 2018), Hector L. Cruz (R, 2017), Joseph E. Johnson, III (R, 2018) and Mary Helen Perez (R, 2016).

Federal, state and county representation

Woodbine 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 1,470 registered voters in Woodbine, of which 286 (19.5%) were registered as Democrats, 537 (36.5%) were registered as Republicans and 647 (44.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.6% of the vote (641 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 27.4% (245 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (9 votes), among the 917 ballots cast by the borough's 1,410 registered voters (22 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 65.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.4% of the vote (708 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 29.8% (318 votes), with 1,066 ballots cast among the borough's 1,386 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 59.0% of the vote (526 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 38.6% (344 votes), with 891 ballots cast among the borough's 1,344 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 66.3.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 49.3% of the vote (302 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 46.3% (284 votes), and other candidates with 4.4% (27 votes), among the 793 ballots cast by the borough's 1,387 registered voters (180 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 57.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 56.5% of the vote (476 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 29.2% (246 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 3.3% (28 votes), with 842 ballots cast among the borough's 1,540 registered voters, yielding a 54.7% turnout.

Education

The Woodbine School District serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade at Woodbine Elementary School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 239 students and 23.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.04:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades started to attend Middle Township High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship that begin with the 2013-14 school year; students from Avalon, Dennis Township and Stone Harbor also attend the school. As of the 2013-14 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 807 students and 67.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.

Students from Woodbine had previously been sent to attend high school in Millville, as part of a relationship with the Millville Public Schools. Students attended Memorial High School for ninth grade and half of tenth and Millville Senior High School for 10th grade through the 12th grade with those in attendance as of the 2013-14 school year completing until their graduation.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 32.45 miles (52.22 km) of roadways, of which 19.61 miles (31.56 km) were maintained by the municipality and 12.84 miles (20.66 km) by Cape May County.

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers the 313 inter-city bus route that runs between Cape May and Philadelphia.

Notable people

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