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Moorestown, New Jersey

Moorestown is a township in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia and geographically part of the South Jersey region of the state. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 21,355, an increase of 629 (+3.0%) from the 2010 census count of 20,726,  which in turn reflected an increase of 1,709 (+9.0%) from the 19,017 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

Moorestown was authorized to be incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Chester Township (now Maple Shade Township), subject to the approval of voters in the affected area in a referendum. Voters approved the creation on April 25, 1922. The township is named for a Thomas Moore who settled in the area in 1722 and constructed a hotel though other sources attribute the name to poet Thomas Moore.

Chester Township had banned all liquor sales in 1915, and Moorestown retained the restrictions for more than 70 years after Prohibition ended in 1933. Referendums aiming to repeal the ban failed in both 1935 and 1953. In 2007, the township council approved a referendum that would allow the sale by auction of six liquor licenses (the state limit of one per every 3,000 residents), with estimates that each license could sell over $1 million each. The referendum did not receive enough votes to pass. In 2011, voters repealed the liquor ban; however, liquor sales in the township will be restricted to the Moorestown Mall.

In 2005, Moorestown was ranked number one in Money magazine's list of the 100 best places to live in America. The magazine screened over a thousand small towns and created a list of the top 100 for its August 2005 issue, in which Moorestown earned the top spot.

History
Main Street is located along a ridge historically occupied by the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. Two natural springs, one to the west (off Main Street before reaching the Perkins Center for the Arts, just by Roberts Elementary School) and one to the east (off North Stanwick Road) drew Native Americans and traders to the area.

In 1682, John and Sarah Roberts became the first English-speaking residents of Moorestown when they established their home. Their residence is now marked by the Roberts Monument at the intersection of County Route 537 and Route 73. In May 1686, three years after the founding of Philadelphia, John Rodman bought 500 acre on the west side of Chester Township, and Thomas Rodman bought 533 acre in the same area; this soon became known as the Village of Rodmantown. The growing area around the eastern spring was known as the Village of Chestertown.

In 1700, the first Society of Friends' Meeting House, built of logs, was erected on the King's Highway. Originally known as Meeting House Lane, Chester Avenue was laid out in 1720. The community at that time probably consisted of a few farmhouses along the King's Highway from Stanwick Road to Locust Street.

Thomas Moore and his wife Elizabeth settled here in 1722. In 1732, Moore purchased 33 acre of land on the north side of the King's Highway. The land ran from the west side of the Friends' graveyard on the northwest corner of the King's Highway and Meeting House Lane on the east, and west to Locust Street on the western boundary of his property and north to Second Street. Moore set up a hotel on the northwest corner of the King's Highway and Union streets (Cornerstone Bank and the Wawa now occupy opposite corners there). Given Moore's extensive property ownership, the name Moorestown gradually replaced Chester informally in the center of town. Finally, Moorestown formerly split off from Chester and became a Township.

The Coles Hotel, east of the corner of Main and Chester, was a stop on the stagecoach route connecting Camden with Trenton and Philadelphia. Construction of the railroad in 1867 superseded the stagecoaches and connected Mount Holly Township and Camden.

A tavern built in 1745 by John Cox at what is now Main and Schooley streets was taken over in 1778 during the Revolutionary War by Hessian officers retreating from Philadelphia. In the years after the war, it was used for a town hall before 1812, when what is now called "Old Town Hall" was constructed.

A house constructed in 1742 by John Cowperthwaite at King's Highway and Lenola Road is listed in the Library of Congress with details of the house recorded in 1937 by the Historic American Buildings Survey of the United States Department of the Interior.

Quakers built Moorestown's first two schools in 1785. A brick schoolhouse was located near what is now the intersection of Route 73 and the Kings Highway overpass. A stone schoolhouse was located adjacent to the present Friends Meeting House at the intersection of Chester Avenue and Main Street. The first district school was opened in 1810. The first free Moorestown public school was established in 1873.

Vernon Hill's 46000 sqft mansion Villa Collina—Italian for "Hill House"—the largest private residence in New Jersey, is located in Moorestown.

Moorestown's Quaker heritage is discussed in Moorestown resident and native historian William H. Kingston's book, Moorestown's Third Century: The Quaker Legacy.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 14.94 square miles (38.70 km2), including 14.73 square miles (38.15 km2) of land and 0.21 square miles (0.55 km2) of water (1.43%).

The township is located in southwest Burlington County and borders Maple Shade Township to the south, Cinnaminson Township, and Delran Township to the west, Willingboro Township on the north and Mount Laurel Township to the east. Moorestown Township is approximately 10 mi east of Philadelphia.

Moorestown-Lenola is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Moorestown, which had a 2010 population of 14,217.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bortons Landing, North Bend, Stanwick and West Moorestown.

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

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 20,726 people, 7,450 households, and 5,625 families in the township. The population density was 1410.6 /sqmi. There were 7,862 housing units at an average density of 535.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 84.50% (17,513) White, 6.42% (1,331) Black or African American, 0.09% (18) Native American, 6.00% (1,244) Asian, 0.02% (5) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (168) from other races, and 2.16% (447) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% (721) of the population.

Of the 7,450 households, 38.1% had children under the age of 18; 61.7% were married couples living together; 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.5% were non-families. Of all households, 21.8% were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.21.

27.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $108,655 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,347) and the median family income was $129,217 (+/− $6,334). Males had a median income of $100,266 (+/− $4,901) versus $60,057 (+/− $11,139) for females. The per capita income for the township was $58,458 (+/− $3,172). About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 19,017 people, 6,971 households, and 5,270 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,287.3 PD/sqmi. There were 7,211 housing units at an average density of 488.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 89.19% White, 5.69% African American, 0.16% Native American, 3.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.

There were 6,971 households, of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.

Age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.

The median household income was $78,826, and the median family income was $94,844. Males had a median income of $74,773 versus $39,148 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,154. About 2.4% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Several notable businesses house offices and operations in Moorestown. National and international corporations located in Moorestown Township include Destination Maternity, Lockheed Martin, Comcast Cable, Coca-Cola, and the United States Navy.

Otis Elevator has its largest U.S. branch in Moorestown outside of the Otis Elevator headquarters located in Farmington, Connecticut.

BAYADA Home Health Care, which employs over 18,000 nursing support staff in 250 offices throughout the United States and India, has its international headquarters in Moorestown.

Local government
Moorestown's municipal government operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under Council-Manager plan E, which was implemented as of January 1, 1967, based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission. This form of government is used in 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide. The Township Council is comprised of five members, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election in even-numbered years. At a reorganization meeting held in January after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members. The township manager, a full-time professional administrator, is appointed by the council. Under the township's administrative code and the Faulkner Act, the manager has the township's executive and administrative authority and responsibility. The township manager is Kevin Aberant.

In 2004, Moorestown elected a majority Democratic council for the first time in its history. In 2008, the Moorestown Republicans won back three seats, giving them a 4–1 majority starting in 2009. On Election Day 2012, Republicans Victoria Napolitano (5,580 votes), and Phil Garwood (5,467 votes), along with Democrat J. Greg Newcomer (5,345 votes), won election to the three open seats on the township council, outpacing Republican Pete Palko (5,321 votes) and Democrats Brian Sattinger (4,899 votes) and Mark Hines (4,869 votes). Republicans maintained a 4–1 majority, and Stacey Jordan was sworn in as Moorestown's first female mayor on January 7, 2013.

During summer 2007, the township hall suffered smoke and water damage caused by an electrical fire. The township offices were temporarily located at 2 Executive Place, Moorestown Township with council meetings held during that time at the William Allen Middle School Auditorium and court sessions are conducted in Maple Shade. On December 10, 2012, Town Council members John Button, Greg Gallo, Stacey Jordan, Chris Chiacchio, and Mike Testa, along with Councilmembers-elect Victoria Napolitano and Greg Newcomer, broke ground on the new Town Hall, which was completed in 2014

In the 2014 elections, Stacey Jordan was re-elected to council along with her Republican running mate, Manny Delgado, who made history by becoming Moorestown's first Hispanic Councilman when he took office in January 2015. During the same reorganization meeting, Victoria Napolitano became Moorestown's youngest mayor ever at the age of 26, and may also be the youngest female to ever hold the office of mayor statewide.

In December 2015, the township council selected Lisa Petriello from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in 2016 that was vacated by Greg Newcomer when he left office the previous month.

In November 2016, Republican incumbent Victoria Napolitano won re-election along with her Republican running mate Mike Locatell and Democrat Lisa Petriello, continuing the Republican Party's 4-to-1 majority. At the township's January 2017 reorganization meeting, Manny Delgado was elected by his peers as Moorestown's first Hispanic mayor.

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $11,241, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.

In January 2021, the Township Council selected Quinton Law to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Brian Donnelly until he resigned from office. The appointment made Law the youngest and the first Black councilmember in township history. Law served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

, the Moorestown Township Council is comprised of Mayor Nicole Gillespie (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Quinton Law (D, term on committee ends 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Sue Mammarella (D, 2024), Jake Van Dyken (D, 2024) and David Zipin (D, 2024). The 2022 council was the first time in the 21st century that Moorestown has had a fully Democratic Council.

Mayors

 * Nicole Gillespie, 2020 to present
 * Lisa Petriello, 2019 to 2020
 * Stacey Jordan, 2018
 * Manny Delgado (born 1970), 2017 to 2018. First Hispanic mayor.
 * Phil Garwood (born 1959), 2016 to 2017.
 * Victoria Napolitano (born 1988), 2015 to 2016. Youngest mayor and youngest woman to become a mayor in New Jersey.
 * Chris Chiacchio (born 1967), 2014 to 2015.
 * Stacey Jordan (born 1970), 2013 to 2014. First female mayor.
 * John Button (born 1942), 2011 to 2012.
 * Daniel Roccato (born 1961), 2009 to 2010
 * Kevin E. Aberant (born 1969), 2005 to 2008. First Democratic mayor.
 * Michael L. Sanyour, 2003 to 2004.
 * Howard Miller (born 1937), 1997 to 2002.
 * Walter T. Maahs Jr. (1927–2011), 1988 to 1996.
 * Francis L. Bodine (1936–2023), 1981 to 1987.
 * James Euel Palmer (1932–2000), 1976 to 1980.
 * William A. Angus Jr. (1923–2006), 1971–1976.
 * John L. Call, 1969 to 1970.
 * Charles Walton, 1967 to 1968.
 * Albert Ellis, 1962 to 1966.
 * Edwin B. Forsythe (1916–1984), 1957 to 1962.
 * William J. Hall Jr., 1954 to 1956
 * Allen Nixon, 1943 to 1953.
 * Fred P. Smith, 1938 to 1942.
 * Benjamin Haines, 1935 to 1937.
 * John C. Dudley, 1932 to 1934.
 * Frederick W. Grube, 1929 to 1931.

Federal, state, and county representation
Moorestown is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 13,978 registered voters in Moorestown Township, of which 3,955 (28.3% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 5,126 (36.7% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 4,887 (35.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 67.4% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 92.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 5,789 votes (50.1% vs. 58.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 5,656 votes (49% vs. 40.5%) and other candidates with 102 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 11,623 ballots cast by the township's 14,801 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.5% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 6,099 votes (51.9% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 5,435 votes (46.3% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 98 votes (0.8% vs. 1.0%), among the 11,746 ballots cast by the township's 14,274 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 5,792 votes (50.4% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 5,576 votes (48.6% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 66 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 11,482 ballots cast by the township's 13,714 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.7% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 4,683 votes (66.4% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 2,210 votes (31.3% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 71 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 7,058 ballots cast by the township's 14,925 registered voters, yielding a 47.3% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 4,128 votes (53.4% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 3,166 votes (40.9% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 345 votes (4.5% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 53 votes (0.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 7,736 ballots cast by the township's 14,206 registered voters, yielding a 54.5% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Historic district
The Moorestown Historic District is a 47 acre historic district encompassing the community. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1990, for its significance in architecture, commerce, community development, and exploration/settlement from 1720 to 1940. The district includes 351 contributing buildings and four contributing sites. Breidenhart, Moorestown Friends School and Meetinghouse, Smith Mansion, and Town Hall, which were previously listed individually on the NRHP, contribute to the district.

Education
The Moorestown Township Public Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 3,884 students and 345.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are George C. Baker Elementary School with 397 students in grades PreK-3, Mary E. Roberts Elementary School with 313 students in grades PreK-3, South Valley Elementary School with 392 students in grades PreK-3, Moorestown Upper Elementary School with 853 students in grades 4-6, William Allen Middle School with 616 students in grades 7-8 and Moorestown High School with 1,267 students in grades 9-12.

Students from Moorestown, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton.

Moorestown Friends School is a private Quaker school located at East Main Street and Chester Avenue. The school serves approximately 700 students from preschool through twelfth grade.

Our Lady of Good Counsel School, which operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is attached to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish; located behind the church on Prospect Avenue, it was founded in 1927 and has about 480 students from nursery through eighth grade. In 2015, the school was one of 15 schools in New Jersey, and one of six private schools, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in the exemplary high performing category by the United States Department of Education.

Additionally there are students from Moorestown who attend Resurrection Catholic School in Cherry Hill. This school is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 123.52 mi of roadways, of which 96.15 mi were maintained by the municipality, 24.65 mi by Burlington County and 2.72 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The most prominent highway serving Moorestown is Route 38. County Route 537 also passes through the town. Both roads run east–west and parallel to each other with no intersection.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on routes 317 (from Asbury Park), and during rush hours weekdays, on the 414. Other buses such as the 407, 413 and 457 run between the Moorestown Mall and the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, from which there are connecting buses into Philadelphia and a station on the PATCO Speedline with service between Center City Philadelphia and Lindenwold. Burlington County provides rush hour public transit van service on the Burlink B9 route on weekdays from the Palmyra River Line station to the Moorestown Mall and some intermediate points.

Moorestown does not have its own train station, though the original plan of the PATCO line had a station in Moorestown. Residents can drive to train stations in the nearby communities of Haddonfield and Lindenwold for access to the PATCO Speedline, and to Palmyra for NJ Transit's River Line service which connects to New York Penn Station through Trenton. NJ Transit Rail Operations still owns the single-track railway in the township, running from Pennsauken Township to Mount Holly, as a rail trail.

Miracle on the Hudson
On June 5, 2011, J. Supor & Son transported the fuselage of US Airways Flight 1549 through Moorestown en route to the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The convoy spent over 1.5 hours working to negotiate a single right turn in the center of the town. This was the most difficult maneuver on the entire seven-day, 788-mile journey. The difficulty of this one turn was known in advance. In order to negotiate the turn the team had to temporarily remove a street light and the corner of a grave yard fence.

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

 * Diane Allen (born 1948), represents the 7th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Samuel Leeds Allen (1841–1918), inventor and manufacturer of farm equipment and the Flexible Flyer sled
 * Mary Ellen Avery (1927–2011), pediatrician, whose research efforts helped lead to the discovery of the main cause of respiratory distress syndrome in premature babies
 * Emily Bacon (1891–1972), physician who was the first pediatric specialist in Philadelphia
 * Lillian Lewis Batchelor (1907–1977), librarian who was president of the American Association of School Librarians
 * Sam Bishop (born 1983), professional soccer goalkeeper
 * David Bispham (1857–1921), opera singer
 * Francis L. Bodine (1936–2023), represented the 8th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1994–2008
 * Hugh Borton (1903–1995), Japanese studies expert who served for 10 years as president of Haverford College
 * T. J. Brennan (born 1989), defenseman who played in the NHL for the Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs
 * Dave Brock (born 1967), wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League
 * Lem Burnham (born 1947), former National Football League executive and player
 * Kevin Chamberlin (born 1963), actor
 * Bobby Clarke (born 1949), former National Hockey League player with the Philadelphia Flyers
 * Gary Close (born 1957), assistant coach for the Wisconsin Badgers men's basketball team
 * Josh Cody (1892–1961), member of the College Football Hall of Fame
 * John S. Collins (1837–1928), developer of Miami Beach, Florida
 * Herb Conaway (born 1963), politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where he represents the 7th Legislative District
 * Phil Costa (born 1987), former football player with the Dallas Cowboys
 * Brad Costello (born 1974), former American football punter who played for the Cincinnati Bengals of the NFL and the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe
 * Elisabeth Elliot (1926–2015), Christian author and speaker
 * Colin Farrell, head coach of the University of Pennsylvania lightweight rowing team
 * Dereck Faulkner (born 1985), wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Lucinda Florio (1947–2022), teacher and advocate for education and literacy, who, as the wife of former New Jersey Governor James Florio, served as the First Lady of New Jersey
 * Edwin B. Forsythe (1916–1984), member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey who served as mayor of Moorestown from 1957–1962
 * Walter French (1899–1984), football All-American and professional baseball player for the Philadelphia Athletics, 1923–1929
 * Joseph H. Gaskill (1851–1935), judge on the New Jersey Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1893 to 1896
 * John F. Gerry (1926–1995), former chief United States district judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
 * Chris Gheysens (born c. 1972), president and chief executive officer of Wawa Inc.
 * Bill Guerin (born 1970), right winger who earned the Stanley Cup with both the New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins
 * Edward Harris (1799–1863), introduced the Percheron horse to America; benefactor of John James Audubon; lived at Smith-Cadbury Mansion
 * Vernon Hill (born 1946), founder and former chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Commerce Bancorp and Commerce Bank of Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey
 * Leon A. Huff (born 1942), co-founder and vice-chairman of Gamble-Huff Music, a songwriting and record production team who have written and produced 15 gold singles and 22 gold albums
 * Alfred Hunt (1817–1888), first president of Bethlehem Iron Company, precursor of Bethlehem Steel Corporation
 * Elisha Hunt (1779–1873), principal entrepreneur behind the company that built the historic steamboat Enterprise
 * Esther Hunt (1751–1820), pioneer who lived on America's frontier as a wife, a mother and a leader in her Quaker faith
 * John Hunt (1740–1824), Quaker minister and journalist
 * Eldridge R. Johnson (1867–1945), founder of Victor Talking Machine Company
 * Jevon Kearse (born 1976), former NFL defensive end who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans
 * Tim Kerr (born 1960), former NHL right wing who played for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers
 * Ruth G. King (born 1933), educational psychologist who was the first woman to serve as president of the Association of Black Psychologists
 * C. Harry Knowles (1928–2020), physicist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and a prolific inventor who held some 400 patents and served on the Moorestown council in the 1980s
 * Matt Langel (born 1977), head coach for the Colgate Raiders men's basketball team
 * Jonathan V. Last (born 1974), columnist for The Weekly Standard
 * Al LeConey (1901–1959), gold medal winner in the 4x100 meter relay at the 1924 Summer Olympics
 * Kathy Linden (born 1938), pop singer who scored hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with "Billy" and "Goodbye Jimmy, Goodbye"
 * Donovan McNabb (born 1976), former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Stephen W. Meader (1892–1977), author of more than 40 novels for boys and girls
 * Freddie Mitchell (born 1978), former professional football player for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Victoria Napolitano (born 1988), politician who became Moorestown's youngest mayor, when she took office in 2015 at age 26
 * David A. Norcross (born 1937), politician who ran for United States Senate in 1976 and served as chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee
 * Brendan O'Connor (born c. 1960), recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic action in Afghanistan
 * Christine O'Donnell (born 1969), Republican candidate in Delaware's 2010 United States Senate special election
 * Terrell Owens (born 1973), former professional football player who played for the Philadelphia Eagles and other teams
 * Sal Paolantonio (born 1956), Philadelphia-based bureau reporter for ESPN
 * Alice Paul (1885–1977), leader of a campaign for women's suffrage resulting in passage of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
 * Doug Pederson (born 1968), head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League
 * Jim Picken (1903–1975), early professional basketball player
 * Samuel K. Robbins (1853–1926), politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and president of the New Jersey Senate
 * Julie Robenhymer (born 1981), Miss New Jersey 2005
 * Jeremy Roenick (born 1970), professional hockey player, former player for the Philadelphia Flyers
 * Jon Runyan (born 1973), football player for the Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers who was elected to represent New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 2011 to 2015
 * Jon Runyan Jr. (born 1997), guard in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers
 * Steve Sabol (1942–2012), president and co-founder of NFL Films
 * Ulf Samuelsson (born 1964), professional hockey player, former player for the Philadelphia Flyers
 * Lauren Schmetterling (born 1988), rower who won a total of three gold medals in the Women's eight competition at the 2013 World Rowing Championships, the 2015 World Rowing Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro
 * Katherine Shindle (born 1977), Miss America 1998 and actress
 * Ben Simmons (born 1996), professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers
 * Scott Terry (born 1976), songwriter and singer who has fronted the band Red Wanting Blue
 * Albert W. Van Duzer (1917–1999), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, serving from 1973 to 1982
 * John Vanbiesbrouck (born 1963), professional hockey player, former player for the Philadelphia Flyers
 * James Weinstein, transportation planner and executive who served as executive director of New Jersey Transit
 * Brian Willison (born 1977), director of the Parsons Institute for Information Mapping
 * Helen Van Pelt Wilson (1901–2003), garden writer
 * Esther V. Yanai (1928–2003), advocate for open-space preservation in Moorestown
 * Albert Young (born 1985), former football player for the University of Iowa and Minnesota Vikings
 * Tim Young (born 1968), silver medal-winning rower in the quadruple sculls at the 1996 Summer Olympics
 * Martha Zweig (born 1942), poet

Moorestown in fiction

 * The song "Moorestown" by Sun Kil Moon is set in Moorestown.

title: Moorestown, New Jersey


text:
Moorestown-Lenola, New Jersey

Moorestown-Lenola is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Moorestown Township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 14,217.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 7.118 mi2, including 7.010 mi2 of land and 0.108 mi2 of water (1.51%).

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 14,217 people, 5,310 households, and 3,882 families in the CDP. The population density was 2028.0 /mi2. There were 5,595 housing units at an average density of 798.1 /mi2. The racial makeup was 84.93% (12,074) White, 8.29% (1,178) Black or African American, 0.11% (16) Native American, 3.14% (447) Asian, 0.04% (5) Pacific Islander, 1.03% (147) from other races, and 2.46% (350) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.13% (587) of the population.

Of the 5,310 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18; 56.2% were married couples living together; 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.9% were non-families. Of all households, 23.5% were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.12.

25.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 90.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 84.3 males.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 13,860 people, 5,250 households, and 3,827 families living in the CDP. The population density was 760.1 /km2. There were 5,440 housing units at an average density of 298.4 /km2. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.68% White, 6.96% African American, 0.19% Native American, 2.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.

There were 5,250 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the CDP the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.

The median income for a household in the CDP was $68,770, and the median income for a family was $79,953. Males had a median income of $60,486 versus $34,847 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $34,311. About 3.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Moorestown-Lenola, New Jersey


text:
Mount Holly, New Jersey

Mount Holly is a township that is the county seat of Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest city as of 2020. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,981, an increase of 445 (+4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 9,536,  which in turn reflected a decline of 1,192 (-11.1%) from the 10,728 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

What is now Mount Holly was originally formed as Northampton on November 6, 1688. Northampton was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Little Egg Harbor Township (February 13, 1740, now part of Ocean County), Washington Township (November 19, 1802), Pemberton borough (December 15, 1826), Coaxen Township (March 10, 1845, now known as Southampton Township), Pemberton Township (March 10, 1846), Westampton Township (March 6, 1850) and Lumberton Township (March 14, 1860). There had been a Mount Holly post office since before the 1870 U.S. Census. The township was renamed Mount Holly as of November 6, 1931, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. The township was named for hills covered with holly trees. Some areas of today's Mount Holly were known as Bridgetown.

Mount Holly gives its name to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office for the Philadelphia metropolitan area, though the office is actually located in adjacent Westampton.

Colonial era
The first European settlement in what is now Mount Holly began in 1677 when Walter Reeves acquired land from the Lenape (Delaware) Native Americans living in the area. He constructed a dam on Rancocas Creek to channel water through a raceway to power a gristmill and sawmill. Edward Gaskill and his sons dug the mill race on their property between 1720 and 1723. After the mills were established, more settlers were attracted to the area and built houses and commercial buildings on High, Church, White, Mill, and Pine streets, including the Shinn Curtis Log House (1712). By 1800, over 250 dwellings had been built.

Today no mills remain on the raceway, which still flows in its original course from the Rancocas just above the dam. The raceway proved a way for herring to make their way above the dam and was the scene of an annual fish run in the spring, which provided fresh herring for salting and eating. The former mill land has been preserved as the Mill Dam Park. It marks the importance of mills to the early settlements.

Revolutionary War
On December 17, 1776, Colonel Samuel Griffin of the Continental Army crossed the Delaware River with 600 men, mostly untrained men and boys with little equipment, who marched to Mount Holly where they set up a few 3-pounder artillery pieces on Iron Works Hill. Hessian commanders von Block and Carl von Donop were told that there were 3,000 American troops at Mount Holly.

By December 23, 1776, 2,000 Hessians were moved from Bordentown and positioned at The Mount in Mount Holly, where they engaged in a three-day-long artillery exchange, known as the Battle of Iron Works Hill or Battle of Mount Holly, with the Americans on Iron Works Hill. The Americans slipped away that night.

After George Washington crossed the Delaware River on December 25, 1776, the fact that thousands of Hessian troops had been drawn to Mount Holly aided in the Continental Army's success in the Battle of Trenton the next day, a surprising American victory that helped turn the Army's fading morale after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Fort Washington just weeks before and the ignominious retreat through New Jersey.

19th century
The 1793 state legislature approved the relocation of the Burlington County seat from Burlington City to Mount Holly, which was approved by voters in a 1796 referendum. Several important municipal buildings were constructed, including the courthouse in 1796 and the county prison built c. 1819. The Burlington County Prison was designed by Robert Mills, a nationally known architect who designed the Washington Monument. The town has numerous 18th and 19th-century buildings, most of which are included in the Mount Holly Historic District. Commercial buildings were constructed primarily along High Street.

In 1849, the Burlington and Mount Holly Railroad was established, connecting communities along the Delaware River to Philadelphia, the major city of the area. The railroad supported industrialization along its route. The Camden and Mount Holly Railroad constructed a station 20 years later near the intersection of Washington and King streets.

20th century
A trolley station was built in 1904 for passengers making connections to Burlington City and Moorestown. New municipal buildings were constructed during the 20th century, including the Town Hall on Washington Street (1930) and the U.S. Post Office (1935) located across the street (1935), both federally funded and constructed as Works Progress Administration projects under President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression.

In the late 1950s, Mount Holly began to have economic difficulties due to industrial restructuring and the loss of working-class jobs. In the post-World War II period, numerous blue collar, family wage jobs disappeared as the community's traditional employers, the mills and dye factories, were shut down. At first, these job losses were offset in part by gains at the nearby military bases, Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base, especially during the Vietnam War. In 1970, the residential vacancy rate in Mount Holly was 4.3%.

By 1980, however, the vacancy rate had climbed to 8.7% as a result of the nearby military installations' downsizing after the end of the Vietnam War. During this same period, 1970–1980, shopping malls proliferated in the suburban Philadelphia area, and retail business in Mount Holly suffered.

Historic district
The Mount Holly Historic District is a 260 acre historic district encompassing downtown Mount Holly. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 20, 1973, for its significance in architecture, education, landscape architecture, politics/government, and transportation. The district includes 39 contributing buildings. The individually listed Old Schoolhouse, also known as the Brainerd School, was built in 1759 and contributes to the district. The Burlington County Prison is also listed individually and was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. The Burlington County Courthouse was designed by architect Samuel Lewis and constructed by Michael Rush in 1796.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.87 square miles (7.43 km2), including 2.82 square miles (7.31 km2) of land and 0.05 square miles (0.12 km2) of water (1.60%). The township borders the Burlington County municipalities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton, and Westampton. Clermont is an unincorporated community located within Mount Holly Township.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 9,536 people, 3,456 households, and 2,264 families in the township. The population density was 3397.9 /sqmi. There were 3,861 housing units at an average density of 1375.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 65.57% (6,253) White, 23.10% (2,203) Black or African American, 0.37% (35) Native American, 1.47% (140) Asian, 0.07% (7) Pacific Islander, 4.29% (409) from other races, and 5.13% (489) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.69% (1,210) of the population.

Of the 3,456 households, 28.7% had children under the age of 18; 42.6% were married couples living together; 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.5% were non-families. Of all households, 27.4% 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 2.61 and the average family size was 3.19.

23.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 102.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 100.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $53,841 (with a margin of error of ±$4,427) and the median family income was $68,500 (±$4,684). Males had a median income of $51,945 (±$5,141) versus $37,079 (±$5,759) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,551 (±$1,785). About 7.1% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census, there were 10,728 people, 3,903 households, and 2,583 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,750.8 PD/sqmi. There were 4,248 housing units at an average density of 1,485.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 68.68% White, 21.57% African American, 0.42% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.77% from other races, and 3.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.78% of the population.

There were 3,903 households, out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the township, the age distribution of the population shows 26.3% under the age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $43,284, and the median income for a family was $52,000. Males had a median income of $38,186 versus $27,425 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,672. About 6.8% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Portions of the township are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Mount Holly was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program and one of four of those chosen based on a competition. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the $6 5/8$% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in March 1995, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in March 2026. The Township Council appoints a board of directors that oversees the operations of the Urban Enterprise Zone, which is managed by Joshua Brown, the township's Economic Development Director.

Local government
Mount Holly Township operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Council-Manager (plan 12) form of municipal government, enacted by council-initiated action as of July 1, 1990. This form is used in 42 (of the 564) municipalities statewide. The township council is comprised of five members who are elected at-large in a partisan vote to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election. At a reorganization meeting after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members. In November 2011, voters passed a referendum shifting from non-partisan municipal elections in May to partisan elections in November.

, members of the Mount Holly Township Council are Mayor Chris Banks (D, term on council ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy mayor Jason Jones (D, term on council ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Tara E. Astor (D, 2025), Lewis Brown (D, 2024) and Kim Burkus (D, 2025).

Federal, state, and county representation
Mount Holly Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,251 registered voters in Mount Holly Township, of which 1,718 (32.7% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,034 (19.7% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 2,496 (47.5% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 55.1% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 72.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,636 votes here (68.1% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,127 votes (29.1% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 53 votes (1.4% vs. 1.0%), among the 3,870 ballots cast by the township's 5,578 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.4% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,771 votes here (67.2% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,272 votes (30.8% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 58 votes (1.4% vs. 1.0%), among the 4,125 ballots cast by the township's 5,473 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.4% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,223 votes here (57.2% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,612 votes (41.5% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 37 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,887 ballots cast by the township's 5,301 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.3% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,251 votes here (56.9% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 891 votes (40.5% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,200 ballots cast by the township's 5,429 registered voters, yielding a 40.5% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,126 ballots cast (49.6% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 977 votes (43.1% vs. 47.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 118 votes (5.2% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 38 votes (1.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,269 ballots cast by the township's 5,524 registered voters, yielding a 41.1% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education
For pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, students attend the Mount Holly Township Public Schools. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,079 students and 102.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are John Brainerd School with 293 students in grades PreK-1, Gertrude C. Folwell School with 302 students in grades 2-4, and F. W. Holbein Middle School with 439 students in grades 6-8.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Rancocas Valley Regional High School, a comprehensive regional public high school based in Mount Holly that serves students from five communities encompassing an area of 40 sqmi that also includes the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton and Westampton. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,048 students and 140.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.6:1. The school is located in Mount Holly. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. Seats on the board are allocated based on the population of the five constituent municipalities, with two seats assigned to Mount Holly.

Students from Mount Holly, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton.

Sacred Heart School is a Catholic school serving students in grades PreK-8, operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 38.43 mi of roadways, of which 29.11 mi were maintained by the municipality, 8.45 mi by Burlington County and 0.87 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The only state highway serving Mount Holly is Route 38, which crosses from west to east at the township's southern end. Major county roads that pass through Mount Holly include County Route 537 and County Route 541.

Mount Holly is accessible at exit 5 of the New Jersey Turnpike in neighboring Westampton and exit 47 of Interstate 295 via CR 541 in Burlington Township.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on routes 317 (from Asbury Park) and 409/417/418 (from Trenton), with local service available on the 413 route between Camden and Burlington.

Points of interest

 * Burlington County Courthouse, 1796
 * Mount Holly Cemetery
 * Shinn Curtis Log House, constructed out of hand-hewn logs, the house was built in 1712; the original log house was uncovered in 1967. A larger house that had been built around it was demolished, revealing the early house beneath, which has been restored.
 * Burlington County Prison, opened in 1819, it was the oldest continually operated prison in the country when it closed in 1965 after more than 150 years of service.
 * First Presbyterian Church
 * St. Andrew's Episcopal Church
 * Friends Meeting House
 * Brainerd Schoolhouse is a one-room schoolhouse that was constructed in 1759 and operated as a school for nearly 100 years. In 1951, the school was transferred from the Female Benevolent Society, which had owned and operated the site for 136 years, to the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.
 * Relief Fire Company No. 1, home of the oldest continuously operating volunteer fire company in the United States.
 * Thomas Budd House is the township's third-oldest house, dating to 1744.
 * Stephen Girard House was the home of Girard, who moved to Mount Holly shortly after his marriage in 1777 and purchased the partially completed house, as recorded in 1779.
 * John Woolman Memorial was constructed in the late 1700s on a portion of an orchard that had belonged to Woolman.

In popular culture
The pop punk band The High Court from the township released the 2007 album Puppet Strings.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Mount Holly include:

 * James William Abert (1820–1897), soldier, explorer, ornithologist and topographical artist
 * Gamaliel Bailey (1807–1859), journalist and early abolitionist
 * Cindy Birdsong (born 1939), singer who became famous as a member of The Supremes in 1967, when she replaced co-founding member Florence Ballard
 * Anthony S. Black (born 1951), jockey and Kentucky Derby winner
 * Charles C. Black (1858–1947), Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court who was the Democratic nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1904
 * Zach Braddock (born 1987), pitcher who has played for the Milwaukee Brewers
 * Shaun Bradley (born 1997), American football linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Samuel A. Dobbins (1814–1905), represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1873 to 1877
 * Paul Doguereau (1908–2000), pianist
 * Barrows Dunham (1905–1995), professor of philosophy who was fired in 1953 by Temple University after refusing to answer questions posed by the House Un-American Activities Committee
 * Doug Easlick (born 1980), fullback who played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins in the 2004 season
 * Matthew Emmons (born 1981), sport shooter who won a gold medal in the 50-meter rifle prone event at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens
 * Pat Fidelia (born 1959), former professional soccer player
 * Samuel C. Forker (1821–1900), represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1871 to 1873
 * Mike Freeman (born 1961), former guard who played in the NFL for seasons with the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Raiders
 * Irving Fryar (born 1962), former Philadelphia Eagles football player
 * Dan Gakeler (born 1964), former MLB pitcher who played for the Detroit Tigers during the 1991 season
 * Joseph H. Gaskill (1851–1935), judge on the New Jersey Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1893 to 1896
 * Ron Gassert (born 1940), former football player for the University of Virginia and the Green Bay Packers
 * John F. Gerry (1926–1995), former chief United States district judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
 * Ed Gillespie (born 1961), Republican political strategist who was a senior advisor to Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign and former Counselor to the President for George W. Bush
 * Stephen Girard (1750–1831), merchant, banker, philanthropist, and humanitarian
 * Louis Greenwald (born 1967), member of the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996
 * Bessie Pease Gutmann (1876–1960), artist and illustrator
 * Franco Harris (born 1950), former Pittsburgh Steelers football player. Ranked #3 on the Sports Illustrated list of The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures
 * Pete Harris (1957–2006), All-American safety at Penn State University
 * Dwight Hicks (born 1956), defensive back who played in the NFL for the San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts
 * Edward Young Higbee (1810–1871), Episcopal clergyman who served as Chaplain of the United States Senate
 * Ernest Hilbert (born 1970), poet, opera librettist and rare book dealer
 * Peter Hill (1767–1820), former slave who was the first African American clockmaker
 * David Johnson (born 1964), rifle shooter who won a gold medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 1991 Pan American Games and competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics
 * Ruth G. King (born 1933), educational psychologist who was the first woman to serve as president of the Association of Black Psychologists
 * Leslie E. Kobayashi (born 1957), Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii
 * Kevin Landolt (born 1975), defensive tackle who played one season in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 1999
 * Isabeau Levito (born 2007), figure skater who won the 2023 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and the 2024 World Figure Skating Championships silver medalist
 * Geraldine Clinton Little (1923–1997), poet
 * Mary Lum (1758–1815), moved here with her husband Stephen Girard in 1777 before being committed for the rest of her life to the insanity ward at Pennsylvania Hospital in 1785
 * Ricky Lumpkin (born 1988), NFL defensive tackle for the Oakland Raiders
 * Britt McHenry (born 1986), sports reporter
 * John A. Nagy, author of nonfiction history books on espionage and mutinies during the American Revolution
 * Barbara Park (1947–2013), author of children's literature best known for her series of books starring the character Junie B. Jones
 * Barry T. Parker (born 1932), member of the New Jersey General Assembly and State Senate
 * Frank Parsons (1854–1908), professor, social reformer and public intellectual
 * Charles Sreeve Peterson (1818–1889), founder of Morgan Valley, Utah, and co-founder of Mormon colonies in Mexico
 * Jeremy Riddle (born 1977), Christian music singer.
 * Samuel K. Robbins (1853–1926), politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and President of the New Jersey Senate
 * William Rossell (1760–1840), judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
 * Jim Saxton (born 1943), former representative from New Jersey's 3rd congressional district
 * Thomas C. Sharp (1818–1894), newspaper publisher and outspoken opponent of Joseph Smith who was charged (and acquitted) in the death of Smith
 * Charles V. Shank (born 1943), physicist who served as the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from 1989 to 2004
 * Robert C. Shinn Jr. (born 1937), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 8th Legislative District from 1985 to 1994
 * Michael Sis (born 1960), sixth bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Angelo in Texas
 * Harrison Slater, pianist and mystery writer
 * Michelle Smith (born 1972/1973), fashion designer
 * José F. Sosa (born 1950), politician who was mayor of Mont Holly and served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 1994
 * Alonzo Spellman (born 1971), defensive lineman who played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions
 * Earl W. Stafford (born 1948), entrepreneur and philanthropist
 * John L. N. Stratton (1817–1889), member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey
 * John C. Ten Eyck (1814–1879), politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1859 to 1865
 * M. Louise Thomas (1822–1907), social reformer
 * DeMya Walker (born 1977), professional basketball player
 * Barclay White (1821–1906), Superintendent of Indian Affairs during the administration of president Ulysses S. Grant
 * John Woolman (1720–1772), noted Quaker essayist and preacher, early anti-slavery advocate

Reading list

 * Bastien, Jan Lynn, Ghosts of Mount Holly; A History of Haunted Happenings. (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2008)
 * De Cou, George. Historical Sketches of Mount Holly and Vicinity. (Mount Holly, NJ: G. DeCou, 1936).
 * Rizzo, Dennis C. Mount Holly, New Jersey: Hometown Reinvented. (Charleston, SC: The History Press, 2007).
 * Shinn, Henry C. The History of Mount Holly. (Mount Holly, NJ: Herald Printing House, 1977).
 * Winzinger, Heidi J. and Mary L. Smith. Mount Holly (Images of America). (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2001).

title: Mount Holly, New Jersey


text:
Mount Laurel, New Jersey

Mount Laurel is a township in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 44,633, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 2,769 (+6.6%) from the 2010 census count of 41,864,  which in turn reflected an increase of 1,643 (+4.1%) from the 40,221 counted in the 2000 census. It is the home of NFL Films.

In 2020, Mount Laurel was ranked 16th in Money magazine's list of the 50 best places to live in the United States, citing a kid-friendly environment, affordable housing, and easy access to Philadelphia and the Jersey Shore.

History
Mount Laurel was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1872, from portions of Evesham Township. The township was named for a hill covered with laurel trees.

Several historical landmarks include General Clinton's headquarters, Paulsdale, Evesham Friends Meeting House, Jacob's Chapel, Hattie Britt School, and Farmer's Hall.

Mount Laurel Decision
The Mount Laurel Decision is a judicial interpretation of the New Jersey State Constitution that requires municipalities to use their zoning powers in an affirmative manner to provide a realistic opportunity for the production of housing affordable to low and moderate-income households. The decision was a result of a lawsuit brought against the town by the N.A.A.C.P. that was decided by the New Jersey Supreme Court in 1975 and reaffirmed in a subsequent decision in 1983.

The history behind this, and the story leading to the decision was highlighted in Our Town, a book by David L. Kirp.

Mount Laurel was a small, rural farming community until it was hit with massive suburban growth from Philadelphia in the later 1960s. In 1970, at a meeting about a proposal for taxpayer subsidized housing held at an all-black church in Mount Laurel, Mayor Bill Haines summed up the NIMBYist perspective by saying: "If you people can't afford to live in our town, then you'll just have to leave."

Even though the black families in Mount Laurel were not from urban ghettos and were not involved in gang activity, the new suburban influx thought otherwise, and significantly delayed the creation of tax-payer subsidized housing areas, citing concerns of gang activity and an influx of inner-city criminals. Example comments from town meetings against forced construction of housing projects included "...we need this like Custer needed more Indians..."; "...it's reverse discrimination..."; "...we lived in this in South Philly and Newark...", and that the housing would be a "...breeding ground for violent crime and drug abuse..."

Leading advocate in favor of taxpayer subsidized housing Ethel Lawrence, a black resident who lived her life in Mount Laurel, had her house repeatedly vandalized. Although the court ruled in favor of creating taxpayer subsidized housing, residents did manage to delay the process for decades.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.99 square miles (56.95 km2), including 21.72 square miles (56.26 km2) of land and 0.27 square miles (0.69 km2) of water (1.21%). It is drained by the Delaware River and Parkers Creek (a tributary of Rancocas Creek) and the South Branch Pennsauken Creek flow through its eastern and western portions respectively. Mount Laurel has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) and average monthly temperatures range from 33.0 °F in January to 76.9 °F in July. The local hardiness zone is 7a.

Ramblewood (with a 2010 Census population of 5,907) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Mount Laurel.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Birchfield, Bougher, Centerton, Colemantown, Coxs Corner, Fellowship, Hartford, Heulings Hill, Masonville, Petersburg, Pine Grove, and Rancocas Woods.

The township borders the municipalities of Evesham Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township, Maple Shade Township, Medford, Moorestown, and Willingboro Township in Burlington County; and Cherry Hill in Camden County.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 41,864 people, 17,538 households, and 11,294 families in the township. The population density was 1930.0 /sqmi. There were 18,249 housing units at an average density of 841.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 79.42% (33,249) White, 9.70% (4,061) Black or African American, 0.16% (67) Native American, 7.26% (3,040) Asian, 0.04% (17) Pacific Islander, 1.00% (418) from other races, and 2.42% (1,012) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.56% (1,907) of the population.

Of the 17,538 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18; 51.0% were married couples living together; 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.6% were non-families. Of all households, 30.4% were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00.

22.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 29.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 87.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 83.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $84,632 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,366) and the median family income was $100,189 (+/− $4,065). Males had a median income of $75,870 (+/− $3,130) versus $54,215 (+/− $2,830) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,573 (+/− $1,416). About 3.0% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 40,221 people, 16,570 households, and 11,068 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,844.3 PD/sqmi. There were 17,163 housing units at an average density of 787.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 87.10% White, 6.92% African American, 0.09% Native American, 3.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.

There were 16,570 households, out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.7% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $63,750, and the median income for a family was $76,288. Males had a median income of $55,597 versus $37,198 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,245. About 2.5% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture
Man Overboard is a pop punk band with multiple members from Mount Laurel.

Parks and recreation
Laurel Acres Park is known for its Veterans Memorial, fishing lake, playground, and grassy hill used for concerts and sledding in the winter when it snows. Laurel Acres Park is right between Church Street at Union Mill Road. The Mount Laurel Baseball League and the Mount Laurel United Soccer Club play in the park's sports fields, and since 2008, the Mount Laurel Premiership. Mount Laurel also includes two dog parks.

Local government
Mount Laurel voted to change its form of government in 1970 from a Township Committee form to a Faulkner Act system using the Council-Manager (Plan E), enacted based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1972. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. In this form of government, the Township Manager oversees the daily functions of the Township. The governing body is comprised of the Township Council, which is made up of five members elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the council selects one of its members to serve as mayor and another to serve as deputy mayor, each for a one-year term.

, members of the Mount Laurel Township Council are Mayor Fozia Janjua (D, term on council and as mayor ends December 31, 2024), Deputy Mayor Nikitas Moustakas (D, term on council and as deputy mayor 2024), Karen Cohen (D, 2024), Kareem A. Pritchett Sr. (D, 2026) and Stephen J. Steglik (D, 2026).

Federal, state, and county representation
Mount Laurel Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 28,317 registered voters in Mount Laurel Township, of which 9,089 (32.1% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 6,880 (24.3% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 12,328 (43.5% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 20 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 67.6% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 87.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 12,634 votes (55.5% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 9,797 votes (43.0% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 194 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 22,762 ballots cast by the township's 29,792 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.4% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 13,420 votes (57.2% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 9,657 votes (41.2% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 220 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 23,443 ballots cast by the township's 28,847 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.3% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 11,618 votes (52.3% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 10,382 votes (46.7% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 146 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 22,231 ballots cast by the township's 27,385 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.2% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 8,696 votes (65.1% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 4,341 votes (32.5% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 148 votes (1.1% vs. 1.2%), among the 13,354 ballots cast by the township's 29,635 registered voters, yielding a 45.1% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 7,082 votes (50.4% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 6,149 votes (43.8% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 617 votes (4.4% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 108 votes (0.8% vs. 1.2%), among the 14,047 ballots cast by the township's 29,086 registered voters, yielding a 48.3% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education
The Mount Laurel Schools serve public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The grade configuration includes six schools serving pre-kindergarten / kindergarten through fourth-grade students. Students are assigned on a geographic basis to one of the six K–4 schools; Countryside serves the township's northwest; Fleetwood, the northeast; Hillside covers the north central portion of the township; Larchmont, a piece of the eastern side; Parkway, covers the western portion; and Springville the southern tip. All students from the six K–4 schools feed into a single upper elementary school (for grades 5 and 6) and middle school (grades 7 and 8). As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 4,214 students and 350.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Countryside Elementary School (with 309 students; in grades Pre-K–4), Fleetwood Elementary School (372; K–4), Hillside Elementary School (348; Pre-K–4), Larchmont Elementary School (395; K–4), Parkway Elementary School (342; K–4), Springville Elementary School (512; Pre-K–4), Mount Laurel Hartford School (961; 5–6) and Thomas E. Harrington Middle School (963; 7–8). Parkway Elementary School was one of four schools in New Jersey recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, awarded by the United States Department of Education, for the 2005–2006 school year.

Public school students from Mount Laurel in ninth through twelfth grades attend Lenape High School, located in Medford Township. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,895 students and 156.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. Lenape High School is part of the Lenape Regional High School District, a regional secondary school district in Burlington County that also serves the eight municipalities of Evesham Township, Medford Lakes, Medford Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Tabernacle Township and Woodland Township at its four high schools.

Students from Mount Laurel, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 170.19 mi of roadways, of which 115.86 mi were maintained by the municipality, 33.26 mi by Burlington County and 13.55 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 7.52 mi by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Several major roadways traverse through Mount Laurel. The New Jersey Turnpike is the most prominent highway, entering from Cherry Hill in the township's southwest corner and continuing for about 7.5 mi to Westampton at Mount Laurel's northern edge. The Turnpike's James Fenimore Cooper rest area is located within the township on the northbound side at milepost 39.4. The only exit within Mount Laurel is Exit 4, which provides access to Route 73.

Interstate 295 passes through the township, with three exits: (Exit 36: Berlin/Tacony Bridge/Route 73, Exit 40: Moorestown/Mount Holly/Route 38, and Exit 43: Delran/Rancocas Woods). Other major thoroughfares through Mount Laurel are Route 38, Route 73 and County Route 537.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Philadelphia on routes 317 (from Asbury Park), the 413 route between Camden and Burlington and the 457 route between Moorestown Mall and Camden.

Notable people

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

 * Brian Aitken (born 1983), convicted and sentenced to seven years in prison for possessing handguns legally purchased in Colorado and transported in New Jersey from one residence to another; subsequently granted executive clemency from Governor Chris Christie
 * James Berardinelli (born 1967), film critic
 * Frank Budd (1939–2014), wide receiver who played in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins
 * Larry Chatzidakis (born 1949), represented the 8th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1997 to 2008 and served on the Mount Laurel Township Council from 1985 to 2000, serving as mayor in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000
 * Harold L. Colburn Jr. (1925–2012), physician and politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the 8th Legislative District from 1984 to 1995
 * Chris DeStefano, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, record producer and multi instrumentalist
 * Matt Duke (born 1985), singer-songwriter/musician
 * Ken Dunek (born 1957), former professional American football tight end who played in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles and in the USFL for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars
 * Todd Fedoruk (born 1979), former NHL winger who played for the Philadelphia Flyers
 * Christina Foggie (born 1992), professional basketball player, who was drafted in 2014 by the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA
 * C. William Haines (1928–1996), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 8th Legislative District from 1982 to 1985 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1985 until his death
 * Marielle Hall (born 1992), long-distance runner who represented the United States in the Women's 10,000 meters final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
 * Neil Hartman, Comcast SportsNet sports anchor
 * Darling Hill (born 1989), artistic gymnast
 * Victor Hobson (born 1980), former linebacker for the New York Jets
 * Jirair Hovnanian (1927–2007), home builder whose business developed and built over 6,000 houses throughout South Jersey
 * Sara Keane (born 1991), soccer goalkeeper who played for FC Kansas City of the National Women's Soccer League
 * John Kruk (born 1961), former Major League Baseball player, notably with the Philadelphia Phillies
 * Ethel Lawrence (1926–1984), civil rights activist who was the lead plaintiff in the litigation for affordable housing in Mount Laurel, which led to the New Jersey Fair Housing Act, the New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing and the Mount Laurel doctrine
 * Francis Leo Lawrence (1937–2013), educator, scholar specializing in French literature and university administrator, who served from 1990 to 2002 as the 18th president of Rutgers University
 * Carli Lloyd (born 1982), member of United States women's national soccer team and NJ/NY Gotham FC
 * John Mazur (1930–2013), American football player and coach, who was quarterback for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and served as head coach for the New England Patriots from 1970 to 1972
 * Carol A. Murphy, politician who has represented the 7th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2018
 * Gregg Murphy, sports journalist who has been a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies
 * John A. Nagy (1946–2016), author of books about espionage and mutinies of the American Revolution
 * Alice Paul (1885–1977), leader of a campaign for women's suffrage resulting in passage of the 19th Amendment
 * Fabiana Pierre-Louis (born 1980), attorney and jurist serving as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of New Jersey
 * Joe Pisarcik (born 1952), former professional football quarterback who played in the NFL for the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles
 * John Reid (born 1996), American football cornerback for the Houston Texans of the NFL
 * Dave Robinson (born 1941), Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee who played for Moorestown High School, Penn State University, the Green Bay Packers and the Washington Redskins
 * Sav Rocca (born 1973), former Australian rules footballer and NFL punter
 * Anne Rosenberg, surgical oncologist.
 * Jon Runyan (born 1973), U.S. Congressman who played offensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles
 * Scott Schoeneweis (born 1973), a relief pitcher who played in MLB for the New York Mets
 * Jill Scott (born 1972), soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress
 * Vai Sikahema (born 1962), former punt returner for the Philadelphia Eagles, currently a morning news anchor for NBC 10 in Philadelphia
 * Slushii (born 1997), stage name of disc jockey and electronic music producer, Julian Scanlan
 * Inge Sørensen (1924–2011), swimmer from Denmark, who became the youngest known female Olympic Games medalist in an individual event when she won the bronze medal in the 200 m breaststroke at the 1936 Summer Olympics at the age of 12 years and 24 days
 * Jason Thompson (born 1986), former professional basketball player who played in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings
 * Ryan Thompson (born 1988), professional basketball player
 * Bryan Warrick (born 1959), former professional basketball player who played five seasons in the NBA
 * Stephen M. Wolownik (1946–2000), pioneer in the Russian and Eastern European music community in the United States
 * Kenie Wright (born 1997), soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Sky Blue FC in the NWSL

title: Mount Laurel, New Jersey


text:
New Hanover Township, New Jersey

New Hanover Township is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,367, a decrease of 1,018 (−13.8%) from the 2010 census count of 7,385,  which in turn reflected decline of 2,359 (−24.2%) from the 9,744 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.

History
New Hanover was originally formed by Royal charter on December 2, 1723, from portions of Chesterfield Township and Springfield Township. New Hanover 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 Pemberton borough (December 15, 1826), Pemberton Township (March 10, 1846), North Hanover Township (April 12, 1905) and Wrightstown (March 4, 1918).

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 22.56 square miles (58.42 km2), including 22.33 square miles (57.84 km2) of land and 0.22 square miles (0.58 km2) of water (0.99%).

Fort Dix is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) with a total 2010 Census population of 7,716 located in portions of New Hanover Township (5,951 of the total), Pemberton Township (1,765 of CDP's residents) and Springfield Township (with no residents in the CDP). McGuire AFB CDP is a CDP with a 2010 population of 3,710 located in portions of New Hanover Township (737 of the total) and North Hanover Township (2,973).

Cookstown is a small unincorporated community located near Fort Dix. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cranberry Hall, Cranbury Park, Fountain Green, Lewistown, Mahalala, Pointville, Shreve and Taylors Mountain.

The township borders North Hanover Township, Pemberton Township and Wrightstown in Burlington County; and Plumsted Township in Ocean County.

The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1100000 acre, that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. Part of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,385 people, 551 households, and 441 families in the township. The population density was 333.0 /sqmi. There were 613 housing units at an average density of 27.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 54.06% (3,992) White, 33.57% (2,479) Black or African American, 0.65% (48) Native American, 2.04% (151) Asian, 0.08% (6) Pacific Islander, 6.24% (461) from other races, and 3.36% (248) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.96% (1,548) of the population.

Of the 551 households, 50.8% had children under the age of 18; 67.2% were married couples living together; 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.0% were non-families. Of all households, 16.7% were made up of individuals and 2.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.09 and the average family size was 3.50.

7.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 46.7% from 25 to 44, 34.2% from 45 to 64, and 3.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 624.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 830.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $63,796 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,062) and the median family income was $61,083 (+/− $9,842). Males had a median income of $33,368 (+/− $5,196) versus $38,977 (+/− $6,300) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $15,387 (+/− $1,620). About 0.7% of families and 0.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 9,744 people, 1,162 households, and 991 families residing in the township. The population density was 437.3 PD/sqmi. There were 1,381 housing units at an average density of 62.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 64.1% White, 28.9% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.4% of the population.

There were 1,162 households, out of which 60.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 78.1% were married couples living together, 3.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 13.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 0.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.46.

In the township the population was spread out, with 14.5% under the age of 18, 15.7% from 18 to 24, 55.4% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 1.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 401.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 561.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $44,386, and the median income for a family was $45,511. Males had a median income of $26,428 versus $23,050 for females. The per capita income for the township was $12,140. About 3.2% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
New Hanover Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are 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 held in January after each election, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

, the members of the New Hanover Township Committee are Mayor Paul D. Peterla (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 30, 2023), Deputy Mayor Rick Koshak (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Patrick Murphy (R, 2024), Nicholas Pawlyzyn Sr. (R, 2023) and Aaron Smith (R, 2025).

Federal, state and county representation
New Hanover Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 689 registered voters in New Hanover Township, of which 148 (21.5% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 278 (40.3% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 262 (38.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 9.3% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 10.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 246 votes (55.2% vs. 40.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 194 votes (43.5% vs. 58.1%) and other candidates with 6 votes (1.3% vs. 1.0%), among the 446 ballots cast by the township's 742 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.1% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 264 votes (56.3% vs. 39.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 190 votes (40.5% vs. 58.4%) and other candidates with 3 votes (0.6% vs. 1.0%), among the 469 ballots cast by the township's 674 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.6% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 256 votes (65.3% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 131 votes (33.4% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 4 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 392 ballots cast by the township's 572 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.5% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 224 votes (76.7% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 57 votes (19.5% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 3 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 292 ballots cast by the township's 726 registered voters, yielding a 40.2% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 206 votes (59.2% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 97 votes (27.9% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 15 votes (4.3% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 10 votes (2.9% vs. 1.2%), among the 348 ballots cast by the township's 723 registered voters, yielding a 48.1% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education
Non-military area Public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the New Hanover Township School, which serves students from both New Hanover Township and Wrightstown as part of the New Hanover Township School District; portions on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst have separate school zoning. Students living on the base have choices of three school districts, none of them being New Hanover schools.

As of the 2018–19 school year, the New Hanover district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 177 students and 23.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 7.5:1. In the 2016–2017 school year, the district had the 40th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state.

For ninth through twelfth grades, students from both New Hanover Township (non-military area) and Wrightstown attend Bordentown Regional High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Bordentown Regional School District, a regional K–12 school district that serves students from Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro Borough. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 770 students and 53.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3:1.

Students from New Hanover Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 24.13 mi of roadways, of which 13.11 mi were maintained by the municipality, 10.70 mi by Burlington County and 0.32 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

New Jersey Route 68 reaches its southern terminus in New Hanover Township. County Route 545 has a gap in New Hanover due to the restricted area on the Fort Dix entity of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service in the township on the 317 route between Asbury Park and Philadelphia.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with New Hanover Township include:

 * Edward Settle Godfrey (1843–1932), United States Army Brigadier General who received the Medal of Honor for leadership as a captain during the Indian Wars

title: New Hanover Township, New Jersey