Country United States County Gloucester Incorporated February 21, 1798 Local time Wednesday 12:43 PM | Royal charter March 7, 1767 Population 3,032 (2000) | |
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Weather 17°C, Wind NW at 13 km/h, 46% Humidity | ||
Woolwich Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 10,200, reflecting an increase of 7,168 (+236.4%) from the 3,032 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,573 (+107.8%) from the 1,459 counted in the 1990 Census.
Contents
- Map of Woolwich Township NJ USA
- Geography
- Census 2010
- Census 2000
- Local government
- Federal state and county representation
- Politics
- Education
- Roads and highways
- Public transportation
- Wineries
- Community
- Historic sites
- Notable people
- References
Map of Woolwich Township, NJ, USA
Woolwich was formed by Royal charter on March 7, 1767, from portions of Greenwich Township, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Franklin Township (January 27, 1820), Spicer Township (March 13, 1844, now known as Harrison Township), West Woolwich Township (March 7, 1877, now known as Logan Township) and Swedesboro (April 9, 1902). The township was named for Woolwich, England.
Along Route 322 at New Jersey Turnpike exit 2, plans call for almost 1.5 million square feet of retail and commercial space and 1.5 million square feet of office and flex park. Partnering with the state Office of Smart Growth, a major component of any development along Route 322 will include the use of transfer of development rights (TDR).
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.227 square miles (54.978 km2), including 20.909 square miles (54.154 km2) of land and 0.318 square miles (0.824 km2) of water (1.50%).
Swedesboro is an independent municipality entirely surrounded by the township, making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Asbury, Dilkes Mills, Lippencott, Porches Mill, Robbins, Rulons and Scull.
Census 2010
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,200 people, 3,141 households, and 2,730 families residing in the township. The population density was 487.8 per square mile (188.3/km2). There were 3,275 housing units at an average density of 156.6 per square mile (60.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 81.14% (8,276) White, 9.97% (1,017) Black or African American, 0.13% (13) Native American, 6.02% (614) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.78% (80) from other races, and 1.96% (200) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.58% (365) of the population.
There were 3,141 households out of which 54.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.0% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.1% were non-families. 9.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.21 and the average family size was 3.46.
In the township, the population was spread out with 33.5% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.7 years. For every 100 females there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 95.6 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $109,360 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,043) and the median family income was $117,708 (+/- $6,397). Males had a median income of $82,370 (+/- $5,125) versus $52,083 (+/- $6,470) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,898 (+/- $2,081). About 3.6% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,032 people, 959 households, and 838 families residing in the township. The population density was 144.8 people per square mile (55.9/km2). There were 1,026 housing units at an average density of 49.0 per square mile (18.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 91.13% White, 4.55% African American, 1.12% Asian, 1.95% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population.
There were 959 households out of which 49.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.4% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 12.6% were non-families. 8.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the township the population was spread out with 31.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 38.0% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,790, and the median income for a family was $87,111. Males had a median income of $54,200 versus $38,571 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,503. About 1.9% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 19.6% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Woolwich 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.
As of 2016, members of the Woolwich Township Committee are Mayor Alan Schwager (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2017; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Francesco Rizzi (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Dr. James Lavender (D, 2016; appointed to serve an unexpired term), John A. Carleton (R, 2018) and Jordan Schlump (R, 2018).
In June 2016, the Township Committee selected Dr. James Lavender to fill the seat expiring December 2016 that had been held by Jennifer Cavallaro until she resigned from office.
Federal, state and county representation
Woolwich Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd 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 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 6,032 registered voters in Woolwich, of which 1,675 (27.8%) were registered as Democrats, 1,287 (21.3%) were registered as Republicans and 3,067 (50.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 52.0% of the vote (2,536 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 46.9% (2,289 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (53 votes), among the 4,897 ballots cast by the township's 6,682 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.9% of the vote (2,316 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 47.6% (2,163 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (44 votes), among the 4,547 ballots cast by the township's 5,858 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 57.6% of the vote (1,767 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 41.5% (1,273 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (20 votes), among the 3,070 ballots cast by the township's 3,736 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 82.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.8% of the vote (1,989 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 28.1% (788 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (31 votes), among the 2,848 ballots cast by the township's 6,845 registered voters (40 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.1% of the vote (1,594 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 36.5% (1,055 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.7% (195 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (13 votes), among the 2,892 ballots cast by the township's 5,800 registered voters, yielding a 49.9% turnout.
Education
Public school students in kindergarten through sixth grade attend the Swedesboro-Woolwich School District, a consolidated school district that serves students from both Swedesboro and Woolwich Township. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's four schools had an enrollment of 1,716 students and 128.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.39:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Margaret C. Clifford School (Kindergarten; 265 students), Charles C. Stratton School (Grades 1-2; 496 students), Charles G. Harker School (grades 3-5; 720 students) and Walter Hill School (grade 6; 235 students).
Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades are educated by the Kingsway Regional School District, which also serves students from East Greenwich Township, South Harrison Township and Swedesboro, with the addition of students from Logan Township who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship in which tuition is paid on a per-pupil basis by the Logan Township School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 2,544 students and 189.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Kingsway Regional Middle School with 876 students in grades 7-8 and Kingsway Regional High School with 1,668 students in grades 9-12. Under a 2011 proposal, Kingsway would merge with its constituent member's K-6 districts to become a full K-12 district, with various options for including Logan Township as part of the consolidated district.
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the township had a total of 93.31 miles (150.17 km) of roadways, of which 51.93 miles (83.57 km) were maintained by the municipality, 32.05 miles (51.58 km) by Gloucester County and 3.62 miles (5.83 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 5.71 miles (9.19 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
U.S. Route 322 passes through the center of the municipality while the New Jersey Turnpike passes through the southeastern part of the township (for almost 5¾ miles) and connects to Route 322 at Interchange 2.
Major county roads that pass through include CR 538 and CR 551.
Interstate 295 is accessible outside the municipality in neighboring Logan, Oldmans and Greenwich Townships.
Public transportation
NJ Transit bus service between Salem and Philadelphia is available on the 401 route.
Wineries
Community
In its April 2006 issue listing the Top Places to Live in New Jersey, New Jersey Monthly magazine rated Woolwich as the worst place to live in all of New Jersey, placing 566th out of 566 municipalities. As of February 2008, the municipality is ranked as 547 out of 566 municipalities. Meanwhile, its population has grown a staggering 185% from 2000-2006.
The community was labeled the "Number 1 Area Boomtown" in 2005.
Historic sites
The Gov. Charles C. Stratton House was built in 1791 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 29, 1973. The house was the home of New Jersey Governor Charles C. Stratton.
Moravian Church is a historic church building built in 1786 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church and Mount Zion Cemetery is a historic church built in 1834 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. It played an important role in the Underground Railroad in South Jersey.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woolwich Township include: