Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey

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Map of Egg Harbor Township in Atlantic County
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Map of Egg Harbor Township in Atlantic County

Egg Harbor Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 30,726. The Census Bureau's 2004 population estimate for the township was 36,877, representing growth of nearly 20% since the previous enumeration.

Great Egg Harbor got its name from Dutch explorer Cornelius Jacobsen Mey. In 1614, Mey came upon the inlet to the Great Egg Harbor River. The meadows were so covered with shorebird and waterfowl eggs that he called it "Eyren Haven" (Egg Harbor).

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[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 194.1 km² (75.0 mi²). 174.4 km² (67.3 mi²) of it is land and 19.7 km² (7.6 mi²) of it (10.15%) is water.

The Township is bounded by Hamilton Township and Galloway Township to the west and north, respectively, the cities of Absecon, Pleasantville, Northfield, Linwood and Somers Point to the east, Longport and Ocean City to the southeast and the city of Estell Manor to the south.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 30,726 people, 11,199 households, and 8,108 families residing in the township. The population density was 176.1/km² (456.2/mi²). There were 12,067 housing units at an average density of 69.2/km² (179.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.42% White, 10.37% African American, 0.21% Native American, 5.05% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.82% from other races, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.76% of the population.

There were 11,199 households out of which 37.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% 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 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $52,550, and the median income for a family was $60,032. Males had a median income of $40,033 versus $30,643 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,328. About 4.2% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.2% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township of Egg Harbor is governed by a five-member Township Committee. Each member serves a three-year term and is elected on a partisan basis. The Mayor is appointed by the Township Committee during the Reorganization meeting in January of each calendar year. The members of Township Committee are part-time elected officials.

Members of the Egg Harbor Township Committee are Mayor James J. McCullough (term ends December 31, 2006), Deputy Mayor Stanley Glassey (2006), John Carman, Jr. (2006), Paul Hodson (2008) and John W. Risley, Jr. (2008).[1]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Egg Harbor Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 2nd Legislative District.[2]

New Jersey's Second Congressional District, covering all of Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Salem County and portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Vineland). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 2nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by William Gormley (R) and in the Assembly by Francis J. Blee (R, Absecon) and Jim Whelan (D, Atlantic City). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Atlantic County's County Executive is Dennis Levinson. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders, administers all county business. Atlantic County's Freeholders are Francis Sutton, James Curcio, Frank Finnerty (Freeholder Vice Chairman), Alisa Cooper, Joe Kelly, Rev. Lawton Nelson, Thomas Russo, Sue Schilling and Joseph F. Silipena (Freeholder Chairman).

[edit] History

Great Egg Harbor was originally part of Gloucester County. In 1694 a law was passed that read "forasmuch as there are families settled upon the Egg Harbor, and of right ought to be under some jurisdiction, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that the inhabitants of the said Egg Harbor shall and do belong to the jurisdiction of Gloucester."

In 1710, by an Act of the Legislature, legal boundaries of Gloucester County were set from the Delaware River, along the Burlington County line to the sea and back up the Great Egg Harbor River to the Delaware River. At that time Great Egg Harbor encompassed all of present-day Atlantic County. In 1837, Atlantic County was set apart from Gloucester County and the Townships were: Egg Harbor, Weymouth, Hamilton and Galloway.

Since 1837, ten municipalities have separated from the original Egg Harbor Township, including Atlantic City (1854), Absecon (1872), South Atlantic City (now Margate) (1885), Somers Point (1886), Pleasantville (1888), Linwood (1889), Longport (1898), Brigantine (1903), Ventnor (1903) and Northfield (1905).

Egg Harbor Township, as it remains today, includes the communities of Bargaintown (the seat of government), English Creek, Scullville, Steelmanville, McKee City, Cardiff, Farmington and West Atlantic City.

[edit] Education

The Egg Harbor Township Schools serve students in grades K through 12. Schools in the district include three K-2 elementary schools — Clayton J. Davenport Elementary School with 512 students, E. H. Slaybaugh Elementary School with 619 students and H. Russell Swift Elementary School with 387 students — Dr. Joyanne D. Miller Elementary School with 1,095 students in Grades 3-4 Egg Harbor Township Intermediate School with 1,116 students in Grades 5-6, Egg Harbor Township Middle School with 1,101 students in Grades 7-8 and Egg Harbor Township High School [1] with 1,798 students in Grades 9-12

[edit] Development and the Pine Barrens

Egg Harbor Township has been designated a growth area by the New Jersey Pinelands Commission and is therefore currently experiencing heavy development. In exchange for the development in Egg Harbor Township, no trees are demolished for housing and other buildings in the Pine Barrens, also known as the Pinelands. Several other communities in the area are in similar situations.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Township of Egg Harbor Elected Officials, accessed September 25, 2006
  2. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 56, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Atlantic County, New Jersey
(County Seat: Mays Landing)
Boroughs Folsom | Longport | Buena
Cities Absecon | Atlantic City | Brigantine | Corbin City | Egg Harbor City | Estell Manor | Linwood | Margate City | Northfield | Pleasantville | Port Republic | Somers Point | Ventnor City
Town Hammonton
Townships Buena Vista | Egg Harbor | Galloway | Hamilton | Mullica | Weymouth
CDPs and other Communities Collings Lakes | Elwood-Magnolia | Mays Landing | Pomona | Richland | Smithville
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