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Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey

Encyclopedia : W : WA : WAS : Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey

Washington Township highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset map: Gloucester County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Washington Township highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset map: Gloucester County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.

Washington Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 47,114.

Turnersville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Washington Township.

Contents

History

Washington Township, affectionately known as simply "Township," was incorporated on February 17, 1836. The Township officially moved to Camden County in March of 1844 but moved back into Gloucester County on February 28, 1871. The oldest community in the Township, Grenloch Terrace, was a thriving Lenni Lenape Native American village called Tetamekon. Some of the early settlers to the area were the Collins family of Chestnut Ridge Farm (whom one of the middle schools is named after), the Turner family (for whom Turnersville was named), the Hurff family of Hurffville (Hurffville Elementary School is named after them), the Heritage family whose family began the Heritage Dairy Farm Stores, 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, turning the 139-year-old grist mill into General Mills, Inc. The mill, located at Bells Lake, was destroyed by fire in 1963[History of Washington Township], accessed July 12, 2006.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 55.7 km² (21.5 mi²). 55.3 km² (21.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.56%) is water.

Washington Township borders Deptford Township, Mantua Township, Pitman, Glassboro, Monroe Township, and Camden County

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 47,114 people, 15,609 households, and 12,658 families residing in the township. The population density was 851.2/km² (2,204.6/mi²). There were 16,020 housing units at an average density of 289.4/km² (749.6/mi²). 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.

Government

Local government

Washington Township is governed by the Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government under the Faulkner Act.

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. The Township Council is elected at-large by the entire community. The elected officials are to serve a four-year term.

The mayor, as of 2005, is Mayor Paul Moriarty, former KYW 3 TV personality and now an Assemblyman representing the district[Mayor's Office], accessed July 3, 2006. Members of the Municipal Council are[Township Council Members], accessed July 3, 2006:

Federal, state and county representation

Washington Township is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th Legislative District.

New Jersey's First Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Union City).

The 4th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Turnersville) and in the Assembly by David R. Mayer (D, Blackwood) and Paul Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Gloucester County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Gloucester County's Freeholders are: Stephen M. Sweeney (Freeholder Director), Robert M. Damminger (Deputy Freeholder Director), Joseph A. Brigandi, Jr., William Krebs, Frank J. DiMarco, Helene M. Reed and Dr. Warren S. Wallace.

Education

The Washington Township Public School District serves students in grades K - 12 in Washington Township. The district has one Kindergarten school [Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center] with 581 students, six grade 1 - 5 elementary schools — [Bells Elementary School] with 647 students, [Birches Elementary School] with 584 students, Hurffville Elementary School with 534 students, [Thomas Jefferson Elementary School] with 557 students, [Wedgewood Elementary School] with 572 students and [Whitman Elementary School] with 615 students — three grade 6 - 8 middle schools — [Bunker Hill Middle School] with 815 students, [Chestnut Ridge Middle School] with 848 students and [Orchard Valley Middle School] with 777 students — and Washington Township High School [link], with 3,104 students in grades 9 - 12.

For the 2004-05 school year, both Birches Elementary School[New Jersey Department of Education Star School Award recipient: Birches Elementary School], accessed May 23, 2006 and Whitman Elementary School [New Jersey Department of Education Star School Award recipient: Whitman Elementary School], accessed May 23, 2006 were named as "Star Schools" by the New Jersey Department of Education, the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.

Local dynamics

Washington Township has two major economic centers. The "town center" is focused around the square formed by Greentree Road, Egg Harbor Road, Gantown Road, and Hurffville-Crosskeys Road. Washington Township High School, the Commerce 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 known regionally as "South Philly South," as a large percentage of its citizens moved to the town from the Italian South Philadelphia region over the past several decades.

Recent expansion

Washington Township could be viewed as the frontline between open space and home developers. A township that was once composed of several housing projects gravitating around the Wedgwood, Whitman Square, Birches, Birches West, and Hurffville neighborhoods has exploded outwards and also increasing in volume around the centers.

References

External links

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