Downe Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Downe Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 1,631.
What is now Downe Township was formed as a by Royal Charter on January 19, 1748, as Downes Township, from portions of Fairfield Township. Downe Township 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 Commercial Township (February 27, 1874).[1]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 140.5 km² (54.2 mi²). 131.5 km² (50.8 mi²) of it is land and 9.0 km² (3.5 mi²) of it (6.40%) is water.
Fortescue is an unincorporated area located within Downe Township, and is known as the "weakfish capital of the world".[2]
Downe Township borders Lawrence Township, Millville, Commercial Township, and the Delaware Bay.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,574 |
|
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| 1940 | 1,546 | -1.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,786 | 15.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,870 | 4.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,777 | -5.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,803 | 1.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,702 | -5.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,631 | -4.2% | |
| Est. 2005 | 1,672 | [3] | 2.5% |
| Population 1930 - 1990[4] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 1,631 people, 658 households, and 438 families residing in the township. The population density was 12.4/km² (32.1/mi²). There were 1,134 housing units at an average density of 8.6/km² (22.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.05% White, 4.84% African American, 1.47% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.98% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.37% of the population.
There were 658 households out of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the township the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 27.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 107.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $34,667, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $26,397 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,366. About 11.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Members of the Downe Township Committee are Mayor Harry Wilson, Deputy Mayor Chet Riland, Steve Fleetwood, Lisa Garrison and Christine Wilford.[5]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Downe Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District.[6]
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 Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, Thorofare) and in the Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Thorofare) and Douglas H. Fisher (D, Thorofare). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Cumberland County's Freeholders are: Douglas M. Rainear - Freeholder Director (Term ends December 31, 2007), Bruce T. Peterson - Freeholder Deputy Director (2008), Jane Yetman Christy (2008), Dr. Mary L. Gruccio (2007), Louis N. Magazzu (2006), James Rocco (2006) and Jeffrey M. Trout (2008).
[edit] Education
The Downe Township School serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
For grades 9-12, students attend Bridgeton High School in Bridgeton, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Bridgeton Public Schools.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120.
- ^ Natural, Undisturbed Beauty of Nature, Right Here in the Northeast Corridor, accessed April 5, 2007. "Fortescue is also host to one of the East Coast's most popular fishing tournaments, the Fortescue Weakfish Tournament. Fortescue is known as the weakfish capital of the world."
- ^ Census data for Downe township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Cumberland County webpage for Downe Township, accessed March 7, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 56, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Cumberland County webpage for Downe Township
- Downe Township School
- Downe Township School's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Downe Township School
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(County seat: Bridgeton) |
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| Cities | Bridgeton | Millville | Vineland |  |
| Townships | Commercial | Deerfield | Downe | Fairfield | Greenwich | Hopewell | Lawrence | Maurice River | Stow Creek | Upper Deerfield | |
| Borough | Shiloh | |
| Communities | Cedarville | Fairton | Fortescue | Laurel Lake | Port Norris | Rosenhayn | Seabrook Farms | |
