Berlin, New Jersey

Berlin, New Jersey
—  Borough  —
Berlin Borough highlighted in Camden County. Inset: Location of Camden County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Berlin, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Camden
Incorporated April 26, 1927
Government[1]
 • Type Borough (New Jersey)
 • Mayor John J. Armano
 • Administrator Charleen Santora[2]
Area
 • Total 3.6 sq mi (9.3 km2)
 • Land 3.6 sq mi (9.3 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation[3] 144 ft (44 m)
Population (2010 Census)[4]
 • Total 7,588
 • Density 1,718.6/sq mi (663.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08009
Area code(s) 856
FIPS code 34-05440[5][6]
GNIS feature ID 0885158[7]
Website http://www.berlinnj.org

Berlin is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,588.[4]

Berlin was incorporated as a borough on March 29, 1927, from portions of Berlin Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 26, 1927.[8]

Contents

Geography

Berlin is located at (39.793015, -74.935180).[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2), all of it land.

Berlin Borough borders Berlin Township, Lindenwold, Pine Hill, Waterford, and Winslow.

According the local historical society, the municipality's name was not always Berlin. In fact, it started out as "Longacoming." The story goes that the main travel route between the New Jersey shore and the Delaware River ran through this town. It was a Native American path called Lonaconing Trail. Travelers and shipwrecked sailors who walked the path would stop at a stream here. This stream was the head of the Great Egg Harbor River. The weary travelers knowing the trail name would refer to the spot as "long a coming". The name stuck.

Long-A-Coming is halfway between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Atlantic City, so it became a stopping point on the stagecoach route. A rail line was laid in 1853. Three years later, the Long-A-Coming Railroad Station was built. In February 1867, the station was renamed "Magnolia". This caused confusion because there was a town called Magnolia nearby. So, three months later, the station's name changed to Berlin. Nobody knows why Berlin was chosen. Presumably, it was chosen as a reference to the city of Berlin in Germany.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1930 1,955
1940 1,753 −10.3%
1950 2,339 33.4%
1960 3,578 53.0%
1970 4,997 39.7%
1980 5,786 15.8%
1990 5,672 −2.0%
2000 6,149 8.4%
2010 7,588 23.4%
Population 1930 - 1990[4][10]

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 6,149 people, 2,205 households, and 1,660 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,718.6 people per square mile (663.2/km2). There were 2,275 housing units at an average density of 635.8 per square mile (245.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.06% White, 2.18% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.69% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.49% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.11% of the population.

There were 2,205 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.7% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $60,286, and the median income for a family was $68,704. Males had a median income of $44,211 versus $31,980 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,675. About 1.9% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Berlin is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1]

As of 2011, the Mayor of Berlin Borough is John J. Armano. Members of the Borough Council and their departmental assignments are Council President Scott Scelso (Building and Grounds), James Bilella (Streets and Roads), Dennis Chance (Public Safety), Lynn Kupchik (Water and Sewer), Nicholas Maccaroni (Finance) and James Pearce (Health and Recreation).[11]

Federal, state and county representation

Berlin Borough is in the 1st Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.[12] The borough was relocated to the 30th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[4] The new district will be in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.[12]

New Jersey's First Congressional District is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

6th District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill).[13] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[14] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[15]

Camden County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, its seven members elected at-large to three-year terms office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[16] As of 2011, Camden County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, Jr. (Collingswood, term ends December 31, 2011)[17], Freeholder Deputy Director Edward McDonnell (Pennsauken Township, 2013)[18], Riletta L. Cream (Camden, 2011)[19], Rodney A. Greco (Gloucester Township, 2012)[20], Ian K. Leonard (Camden, 2012)[21], Jeffrey L. Nash (Cherry Hill, 2012)[22] and Carmen Rodriguez (Merchantville, 2013).[23][24][25][26]

Education

Public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Berlin Community School, which served a total of 843 students as of the 2008-09 school year.[27] Schools in the district are BCS Elementary School and BCS Middle School. Many Community Education and Recreation (CER) programs are held at Berlin Community School, including preschool and after school programs.

Public school students in grades 9 - 12 attend the Eastern Camden County Regional High School District, a limited-purpose, public regional school district. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[28]) are Eastern Intermediate High School with 1,088 students for grades 9 and 10, and Eastern High School with 1,044 students for grades 11 and 12. The schools serve the communities of Berlin Borough, Gibbsboro and Voorhees Township. Both schools are located on the same site, but operate independently.[29]

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Regional School is an elementary school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden[30]

Transportation

New Jersey Transit local service is available on the 554 route.[31] Camden County Airport is located 1 mile southwest of the central business district.

Berlin was formerly served by the Berlin Railroad Station.

Notable people

Notable current and former residents of Berlin include:

References

  1. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 33.
  2. ^ Municipal Clerk & Vital Statistics, Borough of Berlin. Accessed April 14, 2011.
  3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Berlin, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c d 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  5. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  6. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  7. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  8. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 103.
  9. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  10. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  11. ^ Mayor & Council, Borough of Berlin. Accessed April 14, 2011.
  12. ^ a b 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 54. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  13. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-02-08. 
  14. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  15. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  16. ^ What is a Freeholder?, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  17. ^ Louis Cappelli, Jr., Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  18. ^ Edward McDonnell, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  19. ^ Riletta L. Cream, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  20. ^ Rodney A. Greco, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  21. ^ Ian K. Leonard, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  22. ^ Jeffrey L. Nash, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  23. ^ Carmen Rodriguez, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  24. ^ Board of Freeholders, Camden County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  25. ^ "Louis Cappelli Jr. and Edward McDonnell re-elected to leadership posts on Camden County Freeholder Board at Today’s Reorganization Meeting", Camden County, New Jersey press release dated January 5, 2011. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  26. ^ Osborne, James. "Democrats retain hold on Camden County freeholder board", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 3, 2010. Accessed January 6, 2011.
  27. ^ Data for the Berlin Community School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 14, 2011.
  28. ^ Data for the Eastern Camden County Regional High School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 14, 2011.
  29. ^ Eastern Senior High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 14, 2011. "Our district is a limited purpose, public, regional system consisting of two schools: Eastern Intermediate High School (grades 9 and 10) and Eastern Senior High School (grades 11 and 12), located on the same site. Our student population is multicultural and reflects the diversity of the three communities it serves: Berlin Borough, Gibbsboro and Voorhees Township."
  30. ^ Camden County Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Accessed July 10, 2008.
  31. ^ Camden County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
  32. ^ Rachel Dawson, USA Field Hockey. Accessed December 20, 2007.
  33. ^ Sarah Dawson, USA Field Hockey. Accessed December 20, 2007.
  34. ^ Pomponio Racing.
  35. ^ NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, Friday from Cecil County Dragway.
  36. ^ Peterson, Bettelou. "DRAMA IS RIPA'S FIRST JOB", The Wichita Eagle, May 19, 1991. Accessed August 16, 2007. " Ripa's from Berlin, N.J., and studied at Camden (N.J.) Community College before landing the role through an audition."

External links