Mount Holly Township, New Jersey

Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
—  Township  —
Mount Holly Township highlighted in Burlington County. Inset map: Burlington County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Burlington
Formed November 6, 1688 as Northampton
Incorporated February 21, 1798
Renamed November 6, 1931 as Mount Holly
Government
 • Type Faulkner Act (Council-Manager)
 • Mayor Ryan Donnelly
 • Manager Kathleen Hoffman[1]
Area
 • Total 2.9 sq mi (7.5 km2)
 • Land 2.9 sq mi (7.4 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation[2] 56 ft (17 m)
Population (2006)[3]
 • Total 10,602
 • Density 3,750.8/sq mi (1,448.2/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08060
Area code(s) 609
FIPS code 34-48900[4][5]
GNIS feature ID 0882104[6]
Website http://www.mountholly.info

Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County.

What is now Mount Holly was originally formed as Northampton on November 6, 1688. Northampton 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 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). The township was renamed Mount Holly as of November 6, 1931, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier.[7]

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), of which, 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.69%) is water.

Mount Holly borders Westampton Township, Eastampton Township, Lumberton Township, and Hainesport Township.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1930 6,573
—
1940 6,892 4.9%
1950 8,206 19.1%
1960 13,271 61.7%
1970 12,713 −4.2%
1980 10,818 −14.9%
1990 10,639 −1.7%
2000 10,728 0.8%
Est. 2006 10,602 [3] −1.2%
Population 1930 - 1990[8]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,728 people, 3,903 households, and 2,583 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,750.8 people per square mile (1,448.3/km²). There were 4,248 housing units at an average density of 1,485.2 per square mile (573.5/km²). 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 population was spread out with 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.

Government

Local government

Mount Holly Township operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government.[9]

As of 2011, members of the Mount Holly Township Council are Mayor Ryan Donnelly, Deputy Mayor Thomas Gibson, Dwynne Belton, Richard DiFolco, and Richard Dow.[10] On July 12, 2011, Kimberly Kersey, a member of the Township Council, resigned opening a vacancy which will be filled during the November 8, 2011, General Election.[11] The township manager is Kathleen D. Hoffman.[1]

In the November 2011 general election, Richard FiFolco was selected to fill the vacancy left following the resignation of Kimberley Kerrsey and was sworn into office later that month.[12]

On May 11, 2010, voters of the Township elected Richard Dow, III and Dywnne Belton to Township Council, replacing incumbents Jules Thiessen and Brooke Tidswell, III, who served on the Council for 16 and 12 years, respectively. Dow received 557 votes, Belton 475, Christopher Sorhaindo, Dow's running mate, 470, Theissen, 377, and Tidswell, 353 votes.[13]

On November 8, 2011, voters of the Township elected Rich DiFolco to Township Council, who will serve the remainder of Kimberly Kersey's seat. Voters also approved the public question moving the May municipal election to November moving forward.[14]

Federal, state and county representation

Mount Holly is in the 3rd Congressional district. New Jersey's Third Congressional District is represented by Jon Runyan (R, Mount Laurel Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

Mount Holly is in the 7th district of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Diane Allen (R, Edgewater Park Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Herb Conaway (D, Delanco Township) and Jack Conners (D, Pennsauken Township).[15]

Burlington County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose five members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Burlington County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Bruce D. Garganio (Florence Township, 2012), Deputy Director Christopher J. Brown (Evesham Township, 2011), Joseph B. Donnelly (Cinnaminson Township, 2013), Mary Ann O'Brien (Medford Township, 2012) and Mary Anne Reinhart (Shamong Township, 2011).[16][17]

Education

For Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade, students attend the Mount Holly Township Public Schools. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[18]) are grades PreK-2 elementary school — John Brainerd School (392 students) and grades 3-5 Gertrude C. Folwell School (315 students) — and F. W. Holbein Middle School (485 students) for grades 6-8.

For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend the Rancocas Valley Regional High School, a comprehensive regional public high school serving students in grades 9 through 12 from five communities encompassing approximately 40 square miles (100 km2) and comprising the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township, Mount Holly Township and Westampton Township.[19] The current population of the school is approximately 2,250 students. The school is located in Mount Holly and is part of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District.

History

Colonial era

Mount Holly was first settled in 1677 by Walter Reeves who acquired the land by payment from local Native Americans..

The town essentially began after a dam was built on the Rancocas. This allowed water to flow into a mill race that was built connecting two loops of the meandering creek. The race initially powered a grist mill and saw mill. Edward Gaskill and his sons hand dug the mill race on their property between 1720 and 1723.[20] No mills remain on the raceway that still flows in its original course from the Rancocas just above the dam. The land where the mills once stood is now the Mill Dam Park. After the mills were established, houses and commercial buildings were built on High, Church, White, Mill, and Pine Streets so that by 1800, over 250 dwellings had been built.,[21] the 1712 Shinn Curtis Log House among them.

Mount Holly in the Revolutionary War

On December 17, 1776, Colonel Samuel Griffin crossed the Delaware River with 600 men — mostly untrained men and boys, and with little equipment — and marched to Mount Holly, where he 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 battle 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.[22]

19th century

The 1793 state legislature approved the relocation of the Burlington County seat from Burlington City to Mount Holly.[23] Several important municipal buildings were constructed including the courthouse built in 1796 and the County prison (now a museum) built circa 1819. The prison was designed by nationally known architect Robert Mills. There remains an abundance of 18th and 19th century buildings in town, most of which are included in the Mount Holly Historic District that is listed in the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.[24] Commercial buildings were constructed primarily along High Street. In 1849, the Burlington and Mount Holly Railroad was established and twenty years later, the Camden and Mount Holly Railroad had constructed a station near the intersection of Washington and King Streets.

Mount Holly in the 20th century

A trolley station was built in 1904 for the 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 building located across the street (1935).

In the late 1950s, Mount Holly began experiencing economic difficulties stemming from the loss of its industrial base. In the post-World War II period, Mount Holly saw a large number of blue collar, family wage jobs disappear as the community's traditional employers, mills and dye factories, were shut down. Initially the impact of the loss of jobs was masked by increased employment with Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base, especially during the period of the Vietnam War. In 1970, the residential vacancy rate in Mount Holly was 4.3%. By 1980, 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 Philadelphia area and retail business in Mount Holly suffered.[25] Mount Holly received Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) status in 1995, which has considerably helped the local economy by providing tax incentives and other assistance programs to local businesses, including lowering the sales tax rate to 3½, half of the prevailing rate charges statewide.[26]

Transportation

Mount Holly is accessible at exit 5 of the New Jersey Turnpike via County Route 541.

New Jersey Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 317, 409 and 413 bus routes.[27]

Points of interest

Walking tour [1]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Mount Holly Township include:

Gallery

References

  1. ^ a b Staff Directory, Mount Holly Township. Accessed October 5, 2011.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of Mount Holly, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Census data for Mount Holly township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 15, 2007.
  4. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  6. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  7. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 96.
  8. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  9. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 38.
  10. ^ Governing Body, Mount Holly Township. Accessed October 5, 2011.
  11. ^ Krebs, Rose. "Councilwoman Kimberly Kersey resigns post", Burlington County Times, July 13, 2011. Accessed October 5, 2011. "Kimberly Kersey has announced she’s leaving the Township Council. Kersey informed the public that Monday night’s meeting would be her last as a member of the five-member governing body."
  12. ^ Krebs, Rose. "Mount Holly council candidate wants absentee ballots recounted", Burlington County Times,November 22, 2011. Accessed December 26, 2011. "Allan Hollowell, who according to official results from the County Clerk’s Office lost to Richard DiFolco by a 590-572 vote, sent a letter to Superior Court Assignment Judge Ronald E. Bookbinder late last week asking for the recount.... DiFolco, who will be sworn in to his council seat Monday night, is not happy about the prospect of a recount."
  13. ^ Krebs, Rose. "Incumbents ousted on Mt. Holly council", Burlington County Times, May 12, 2010
  14. ^ Krebs, Rose. "Mount Holly voters approve election date change, select new council member", Burlington County Times, November 9, 2011
  15. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-06-23. 
  16. ^ Meet the Freeholders, Burlington County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  17. ^ Staff. BRUCE GARGANIO CHOSEN FREEHOLDER DIRECTOR FOR SECOND YEAR; CHRIS BROWN OF EVESHAM CHOSEN DEPUTY DIRECTOR, Burlington County, New Jersey press release dated January 1, 2011. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  18. ^ Data for the Mount Holly Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 24, 2008.
  19. ^ History of the School, Rancocas Valley Regional High School. Accessed June 24, 2008. "The district encompasses approximately 40 square miles (100 km2) and comprises the townships of Eastampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Mount Holly, and Westampton."
  20. ^ Shinn, Henry. The History of Mount Holly 1957.
  21. ^ U.S.Census data 1820
  22. ^ Diversionary Battleground of December, 1776, Burlington County Library. Accessed December 29, 2006.
  23. ^ Shinn, Henry. The History of Mount Holly. 1957.
  24. ^ Walking Tour of Mount Holly
  25. ^ History of the Mount Holly UEZ, Make It Mount Holly. Accessed October 22, 2007.
  26. ^ Mount Holly Urban Enterprise Zone Program Official Website, Mount Holly Township. Accessed October 22, 2007.
  27. ^ Burlington County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 15, 2007.
  28. ^ Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963. 
  29. ^ Folsom, Joseph Fulford; and Ogden, Mary Depue. Cyclopedia of New Jersey biography, memorial and biographical, p. 321, American Historical Society, 1921. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Gamaliel Bailey, an early advocate of slave abolition doctrines, was born at Mount Holly, New Jersey, Dece,ber 3rd, 1807. His parents removed to Philadelphia, pennsylvania, when he was nine years old."
  30. ^ Weinberg, David. "HORSE RACING / BLACK STILL FOCUSING ON FINISH LINE", The Press of Atlantic City, May 6, 2005. Accessed January 30, 2011. "Jockey Tony Black, a Mount Holly native, has two Kentucky Derby appearances on his resume. On Wednesday, he was still working his magic at Atlantic City Race Course."
  31. ^ Minnick, Kevin. "Braddock notches win for Brewers", Courier-Post, June 8, 2010. Accessed March 1, 2011. "'To get that first win is definitely an experience in itself,' Braddock, of Mount Holly, said Monday afternoon."
  32. ^ Samuel Atkinson Dobbins, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 15, 2007.
  33. ^ Staff. "PAUL R. DOGUEREAU, PIANIST AND MENTOR", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 11, 2000. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Paul Rene Doguereau, 91, a pianist and interpreter of French music as well as a teacher and mentor to many younger pianists, died March 3 in the Virtua-Mount Holly Center, Mount Holly. A resident of Boston for more than 60 years, he and his adopted son, Harrison James Wignall, also maintained a home in Mount Holly for the last 2 1/2 years. He had stayed in Mount Holly since last March and in the nursing home for the last several months."
  34. ^ Trussell, C. P. "Teacher Defies Red Inquiry; Faces Contempt Proceedings; TEMPLE PROFESSOR DEFIES RED INQUIRY", The New York Times, February 28, 1953. Accessed March 1, 2011. "The demand for a response, a tactic that implied that action might be taken beyond the hearing room, brought out that Dr. Dunham had been born Oct. 10, 1905, at Mount Holly, N. J."
  35. ^ Staff. "Oh, shoot, it happens again!", Philadelphia Daily News, August 18, 2003. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Matthew Emmons, a 27-year-old native of Mount Holly, N.J., yesterday relived his Athens nightmare. With a 3.4 point lead on the final shot of the final round of the 50-meter rifle/three positions, as he lowered his rifle into shooting position he shot too early and managed only a 4.4."
  36. ^ Samuel Carr Forker, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 15, 2007.
  37. ^ Irving Fryar, database-Football.com. Accessed November 3, 2007.
  38. ^ Holloway, Lynette. "John F. Gerry, 69, Chief Judge Of Federal Court in New Jersey", The New York Times, March 12, 1995. Accessed December 26, 2011. "Judge Gerry, who was born and raised in Mount Holly, N.J., stepped down as the state's chief judge last October, becoming a senior member of the system."
  39. ^ Stephen Girard, Independence Hall Association. Accessed November 3, 2007. "Shortly after Girard married Mary Lum, he purchased a home at 211 Mill Street in Mount Holly, New Jersey."
  40. ^ The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures, Sports Illustrated, December 27, 1999.
  41. ^ Staff. "Posluszny held in high regard, Some compare the linebacker, recovering from a knee injury, to Penn State's best.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 13, 2006. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Paterno said he'd been informed that Pete Harris, the Mount Holly native who was an all-American safety at Penn State in 1978 and the brother of Nittany Lions legend Franco Harris, died recently."
  42. ^ Bridgeman, Charles Thorley; and Morehouse, Clifford P. A History of the Parish of Trinity Church in the City of New York, p. 492. Putnam, 1906. Accessed March 1, 2011.
  43. ^ Staff. "PUNK, PERSPIRATION & PAVEMENT", The Detroit News, July 26, 2007. Accessed March 1, 2011. ""Mount Holly, NJ, group the High Court hopes to receive some of the Warped Tour magic that's propelled bands such as Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance ..."
  44. ^ Leslie Emi Kobayashi, Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Accessed March 1, 2011.
  45. ^ Friedman, Sally. "Poet gave words a stage", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 6, 2001. Accessed March 1, 2011. "How fitting, then, that 10 days ago that college theater in Pemberton Township was renamed the Geraldine Clinton Little Theatre in memory of the gentle woman, who lived quietly in Mount Holly but whose words touched so many souls and ignited so many spirits."
  46. ^ Harris, Jason. "New sign marks home of college founder", Burlington County Times, October 13, 2006. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Girard, the well-known philanthropist banker merchant and mariner, moved to Mount Holly in 1777 shortly after marrying Mary Lum. The couple lived on Mill Street..."
  47. ^ Blais, Jacqueline. "Junie B. always has the bestest time", USA Today, June 30, 2004. Accessed October 22, 2007. "In a parallel universe in the 1950s, Park was a talkative schoolgirl in Mount Holly, N.J."
  48. ^ Sardella, Carlo M. "Expert on Pollution; Lays 1976 Algae Mass to Natural Forces", The New York Times, March 27, 1977. Accessed February 28, 2011. "Senator Barry T. Parker, Republican of Mount Holly, who has 'fished off Long Beach Island for 32 years and never saw anything like it before,' says that he still will not accept the theory, scientific or not."
  49. ^ Staff. "Samuel K. Robbins", The New York Times, December 6, 1926. Accessed March 1, 2011.
  50. ^ William Rossell, Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Accessed March 1, 2011.
  51. ^ Smith, Bridget. "Zimmer, Myers deliver campaign pitches", Courier-Post, August 8, 2008. Accessed August 11, 2008.
  52. ^ Staff. Biographical review of Hancock County, Illinois, p. 109. Hobart Publishing Co., 1907. Accessed February 28, 2011.
  53. ^ Boatman, Gail T. "Mount Holly native makes a little 'NightMusic'", Burlington County Times, April 29, 2003. Accessed March 1, 2011. "A musicologist turned mystery writer, Mount Holly native Harrison Slater feels right at home in the world of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. I am an 18th-century person, he said during a recent telephone interview from Boston, where he lives part of the year."
  54. ^ Staff. "A wealth of compassion: Philanthropist throwing lavish party for poor & disadvantaged", Philadelphia Daily News, December 20, 2008. Accessed February 28, 2011. "ON SUNDAY afternoons, strangers could find a hot meal, smiling faces and good conversation inside the Stafford home on Willow Street in Mount Holly, N.J. No one called it charity, and those strangers often left as friends, said Earl W. Stafford, one of 12 children raised in the home.... During a recent evening in Gene Stafford's cozy living room in Mount Holly just a block from where the family grew up..."
  55. ^ John L. N. Stratton, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed February 28, 2011.
  56. ^ Staff. "THE HON. JOHN C. TEN EYCK.", The New York Times, August 26, 1879. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Ex-United States Senator John C. Ten Eyck died at his residence in Monnt [sic] Holly, N.J., at the age of 65 years."
  57. ^ Staff. "Monarchs' Newton and Walker have work to do", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 14, 2005. Accessed March 1, 2011. "Walker, who is from Mount Holly, Burlington County, starred at Rancocas Valley High School in the early 1990s and then at Virginia."
  58. ^ The New York Times (November 24, 1906), "MOUNT HOLLY, N. J., Nov. 23- Barclay White, 85 years old, of this city, a descendant of one of the oldest families in this part of New Jersey and one of the oldest settlers in Mount Holly," "Mr. White attained prominence in National public life when in 1871 to 1878 he was United States Superintendent of Indian Affairs, having charge of seven tribes and six agencies."
  59. ^ Naedele, Walter F. "IN 1700S, A QUAKER WAS FIGHTING SLAVERY JOHN WOOLMAN STANDS OUT. HIS JOURNAL TELLS OF HIS STRUGGLE, THE SUBJECT OF LECTURES HERE.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 30, 1994. Accessed October 22, 2007. "John Woolman was a Mount Holly store assistant who, at 26, quit the shop because he was making too much money"

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County seat: Mount Holly Township
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