Gloucester City, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Gloucester City is a city
in Camden County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 11,456.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), of which 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (22.26%) is water.
Gloucester City borders Bellmawr
, Brooklawn
, Camden
, Haddon Township
, and Mount Ephraim
. Gloucester City also borders Gloucester County
and the Delaware River
.
of 2000, there were 11,484 people, 4,213 households, and 2,839 families residing in the city.
The 2009 Census counted 11,534. An increase of 50 people. Gloucester is ranked 210th in the state for population. The population density
was 5,213.7 people per square mile (2,015.5/km2). There were 4,604 housing units at an average density of 2,090.2 per square mile (808.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.14% White, 0.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.
As of the 2000 census, 34.2% of Gloucester City residents were of Irish
ancestry, the ninth-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and third-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.
There were 4,213 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples
living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,855, and the median income for a family was $46,038. Males had a median income of $35,659 versus $24,907 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,912. About 7.7% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
The name Fort Nassau
was used by the Dutch
in the 17th century for several fortifications, mostly trading stations, named for the House of Orange-Nassau
. The one built in the 1620s
at today's Gloucester City was for trade, mostly in beaver pelts, with the indigenous population of Susquehannock
and Lenape
. The region along the Delaware River
and its bay
was called the Zuyd Rivier and marked the southern flank of the province of New Netherland
.
From 1638-1655 the area was part of New Sweden
, which had been established by Peter Minuit
, who had been Director of New Netherland, and was responsible for the famous purchase of the island of Manhattan
.The location was disadvantageous since the richest fur-trapping area was on the west side of the river, where Swedish could intercept trade with the natives. In 1651, Peter Stuyvesant, director-general of New Netherland, dismantled the structure and relocated to a position on the other side of the river, in part to menace the Swedish, calling it Fort Casimir
.
The Mayor and members of the Common Council are elected by the public. The Mayor serves a four year term and those members elected to Council serve three-year staggered terms, meaning one year of every three there is no election for council.
The Mayor of Gloucester City is William James, whose term of office ends December 31, 2014.
Members of the City Council are:
Jay Brophy is the Deputy Mayor of Gloucester City.
Gloucester City is in the
The current sheriff of Camden County is Charles H. Billingham, a resident of Gloucester City.
serve students in preschool through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
s statewide. Students from Brooklawn
attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
.
Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Cold Springs Elementary School (PreK-3, 842 students),
Mary Ethel Costello Elementary School (4-6; 410) and
Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School
(7-12; 954).
Saint Mary School is a Roman Catholic
grammar school operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden
, serving grade levels from three and four year old pre-school to eighth grade. The Diocese also operates Gloucester Catholic High School
, a co-educational four-year Roman Catholic high school
.
can charge a 3½ sales tax rate. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax
rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).
is a suspension bridge carrying Interstate 76
, spanning the Delaware River
, connecting Philadelphia and Gloucester City. U.S. Route 130
also travels through Gloucester City.
New Jersey Transit
bus service is available to Philadelphia on the 401, 402, 408, 410 and 412 routes, with local service on the 457 route.
played 30 sunday games in Gloucester City.
City (New Jersey)
A City in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Camden County
Camden County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the 2010 Census the population of Camden County was 60.28% Non-Hispanic white, 18.45% Non-Hispanic black, 1.12% Hispanic blacks, 0.17% Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.15% Hispanic Native Americans, 5.07% Non-Hispanic Asian, and 0.14% non-Hispanics reporting some other race...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the city population was 11,456.
Geography
Gloucester City is located at 39.894262°N 75.117480°W (39.894262, -75.117480).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²), of which 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) (22.26%) is water.
Gloucester City borders Bellmawr
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr 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...
, Brooklawn
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Brooklawn is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,955.Brooklawn was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1924, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April...
, Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, Haddon Township
Haddon Township, New Jersey
Haddon Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 14,707....
, and Mount Ephraim
Mount Ephraim, New Jersey
-Local government:Mount Ephraim Borough has been governed under the Walsh Act by a three member commission, since 1935. Current commissioners as of 2010 are:* Mayor - Commissioner of Revenue and Finance...
. Gloucester City also borders Gloucester County
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Gloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
and the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 11,484 people, 4,213 households, and 2,839 families residing in the city.
The 2009 Census counted 11,534. An increase of 50 people. Gloucester is ranked 210th in the state for population. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5,213.7 people per square mile (2,015.5/km2). There were 4,604 housing units at an average density of 2,090.2 per square mile (808.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.14% White, 0.69% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.88% of the population.
As of the 2000 census, 34.2% of Gloucester City residents were of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
ancestry, the ninth-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and third-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.
There were 4,213 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,855, and the median income for a family was $46,038. Males had a median income of $35,659 versus $24,907 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,912. About 7.7% of families and 10.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 11.5% of those age 65 or over.
Fort Nassau
Fort Nassau
The name Fort Nassau was used by the Dutch in the 17th century for several fortifications, mostly trading stations, named for the House of Orange-Nassau...
was used by the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the 17th century for several fortifications, mostly trading stations, named for the House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
. The one built in the 1620s
Fort Nassau (South River)
Fort Nassau was a factorij in the colonial province of New Netherland from 1623-1651.The name Fort Nassau was used by the Dutch in the 17th century for several fortifications, mostly trading stations, named for the House of Orange-Nassau....
at today's Gloucester City was for trade, mostly in beaver pelts, with the indigenous population of Susquehannock
Susquehannock
The Susquehannock people were Iroquoian-speaking Native Americans who lived in areas adjacent to the Susquehanna River and its tributaries from the southern part of what is now New York, through Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Susquehanna in Maryland at the north end of the Chesapeake Bay...
and Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
. The region along the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
and its bay
Delaware Bay
Delaware Bay is a major estuary outlet of the Delaware River on the Northeast seaboard of the United States whose fresh water mixes for many miles with the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It is in area. The bay is bordered by the State of New Jersey and the State of Delaware...
was called the Zuyd Rivier and marked the southern flank of the province of New Netherland
New Netherland
New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod...
.
From 1638-1655 the area was part of New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
, which had been established by Peter Minuit
Peter Minuit
Peter Minuit, Pieter Minuit, Pierre Minuit or Peter Minnewit was a Walloon from Wesel, in present-day North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, then part of the Duchy of Cleves. He was the Director-General of the Dutch colony of New Netherland from 1626 until 1633, and he founded the Swedish colony of...
, who had been Director of New Netherland, and was responsible for the famous purchase of the island of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.The location was disadvantageous since the richest fur-trapping area was on the west side of the river, where Swedish could intercept trade with the natives. In 1651, Peter Stuyvesant, director-general of New Netherland, dismantled the structure and relocated to a position on the other side of the river, in part to menace the Swedish, calling it Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir
Fort Casimir was a Dutch settlement in 17th century colonial province of New Netherland. It was located on a no-longer existing barrier island at the end of Chestnut Street in what is now New Castle, Delaware...
.
Local government
The Mayor and Common Council are responsible for making public policy that addresses the needs of the City and its residents. The Mayor and Common Council also appoint members of the Planning and Zoning Board, as well as the Board of Health. The President of the Planning and Zoning Board is currently Frank Wunsch who was elected by the board after former chairman Dan Spencer resigned after being elected to city council in 2008. The President of the Board of Health is Joseph Hatzel.The Mayor and members of the Common Council are elected by the public. The Mayor serves a four year term and those members elected to Council serve three-year staggered terms, meaning one year of every three there is no election for council.
The Mayor of Gloucester City is William James, whose term of office ends December 31, 2014.
Members of the City Council are:
- First Ward: Dan Spencer (2012) and John Hutchinson (2013)
- Second Ward: Nick Marchese (2012) and Bruce Parry (2013)
- Third Ward: Jay Brophy (2012) and Kellie Ferry (2013)
Jay Brophy is the Deputy Mayor of Gloucester City.
Federal, state and county representation
Gloucester City is in the 1st Congressional district.Gloucester City is in the
The current sheriff of Camden County is Charles H. Billingham, a resident of Gloucester City.
Education
The Gloucester City Public SchoolsGloucester City Public Schools
Gloucester City Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that is based in Gloucester City, New Jersey, and serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade...
serve students in preschool through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott District
Abbott District
Abbott districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with New Jersey’s state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law...
s statewide. Students from Brooklawn
Brooklawn, New Jersey
Brooklawn is a Borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,955.Brooklawn was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1924, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April...
attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
.
Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Cold Springs Elementary School (PreK-3, 842 students),
Mary Ethel Costello Elementary School (4-6; 410) and
Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School
Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School
Gloucester City Junior-Senior High School is a comprehensive six-year community public high school that is based in Gloucester City, New Jersey, United States...
(7-12; 954).
Saint Mary School is a Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
grammar school operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden
Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden is a particular church or diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church, located in New Jersey, United States, and presides over Roman Catholic parishes and schools in the six southern New Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland,...
, serving grade levels from three and four year old pre-school to eighth grade. The Diocese also operates Gloucester Catholic High School
Gloucester Catholic High School
Gloucester Catholic High School is a co-educational four-year Roman Catholic high school located in Gloucester City, New Jersey, United States. The school operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden...
, a co-educational four-year Roman Catholic high school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
.
Commerce
Portions of the City of Gloucester within the Urban Enterprise ZoneUrban Enterprise Zone
In the United States, Urban Enterprise Zones , also known as Enterprise Zones, are intended to encourage development in blighted neighborhoods through tax and regulatory relief to entrepreneurs and investors who launch businesses in the area. UEZs are areas where companies can locate free of...
can charge a 3½ sales tax rate. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).
Transportation
The Walt Whitman BridgeWalt Whitman Bridge
The Walt Whitman Bridge is a green-colored single-level suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Gloucester City, New Jersey. Named after the poet Walt Whitman, who resided in nearby Camden toward the end of his life, the Walt Whitman Bridge is one of the larger bridges...
is a suspension bridge carrying Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
, spanning the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, connecting Philadelphia and Gloucester City. U.S. Route 130
U.S. Route 130
U.S. Route 130 is a north–south U.S. Highway completely within the state of New Jersey. It runs from Interstate 295 and US 40 at Deepwater in Pennsville Township, Salem County, where the road continues east as Route 49, north to US 1 in North Brunswick Township, Middlesex County, where...
also travels through Gloucester City.
New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
bus service is available to Philadelphia on the 401, 402, 408, 410 and 412 routes, with local service on the 457 route.
Sports
From 1888 to 1890 the Philadelphia Athletics of the now defunct American AssociationAmerican Association
American Association may refer to one of the following professional baseball leagues:* American Association , active from 1882 to 1891* American Association , active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997...
played 30 sunday games in Gloucester City.
Popular culture
- Gloucester Point GroundsGloucester Point GroundsGloucester Point Grounds is a former baseball ground located in Gloucester City, New Jersey. The ground, roughly bounded by the present day streets: 5th St, Jersey Ave, 7th St, Charles St, and Pine St and then located just behind Thompson's Hotel, along a creek, was the part-time home to the...
is a former baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
ground located in Gloucester City that was the part-time home to the Philadelphia AthleticsPhiladelphia Athletics (American Association)The Philadelphia Athletics were a professional baseball team, one of six charter members of the American Association, a 19th-century major league, which began play in 1882 as a rival to the National League. The other teams were the Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Red Stockings, Eclipse of...
of the American AssociationAmerican Association (19th century)The American Association was a Major League Baseball league that existed for 10 seasons from to . During that time, it challenged the National League for dominance of professional baseball...
from 1888 to 1890. - Gloucester City is cited by some as the birthplace of rock and rollRock and rollRock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. Bill Haley & His CometsBill Haley & His CometsBill Haley & His Comets was an American rock and roll band that was founded in 1952 and continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band, also known by the names Bill Haley and The Comets and Bill Haley's Comets , was the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of...
— originally a country musicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band called "Bill Haley and the Saddlemen" — were the house band playing at the Twin Bar for 18 months starting in 1952 and are said to have modified their performing style while on stage there to an early form of rock and roll. - In 1881, American painter Thomas EakinsThomas EakinsThomas Cowperthwait Eakins was an American realist painter, photographer, sculptor, and fine arts educator...
completed two versions of "Shad-Fishing at Gloucester on the Delaware River". A watercolor version is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of ArtMetropolitan Museum of ArtThe Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, while an oil on canvas version is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia Museum of ArtThe Philadelphia Museum of Art is among the largest art museums in the United States. It is located at the west end of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. The Museum was established in 1876 in conjunction with the Centennial Exposition of the same year...
in Philadelphia, just across the Delaware River from Gloucester City. - During the 18th Century, it is said down by the Delaware River is where Betsy RossBetsy RossBetsy Ross is widely credited with making the first American flag. There is, however, no credible historical evidence that the story is true.-Early life:...
had been married. Now, the building where she had been wed is no longer there.
External links
- Gloucester City municipal information
- Gloucester City Public Schools
- Data for the Gloucester City Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Gloucester City Library