Palmyra, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Palmyra is a Borough
in Burlington County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 7,091.
Palmyra was originally incorporated as a township
by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on April 19, 1894, from portions of Cinnaminson Township
and Riverton
. On February 20, 1923, Palmyra was reincorporated as a borough.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), of which, 2 square miles (5.2 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (18.18%) is water.
Palmyra borders Riverton
, Cinnaminson Township
, Camden County
, and the Delaware River
. Across the Delaware, it borders the Tacony
section of Philadelphia
to which it is connected via Route 73 by the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
, which is named for the two communities connected by the bridge.
of 2000, there were 7,091 people, 3,004 households, and 1,853 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 3,586.9 people per square mile (1,382.8/km2). There were 3,219 housing units at an average density of 1,628.3 per square mile (627.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 80.99% White, 14.34% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races
, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.23% of the population.
There were 3,004 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples
living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,150, and the median income for a family was $57,192. Males had a median income of $42,910 versus $31,445 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $23,454. About 2.2% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
, marking the northernmost border of New Sweden
. A farmhouse built in 1761 by the third generation settlers still remains as the oldest house in Palmyra. This remained a farming area until after the building of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1834, after which railroad workers bought lots along the railroad and built their homes there. The community was originally known as Texas, but a local landowner, Isaiah Toy, a descendant of the original Swedish settlers, wanted to have a post office established, and felt the name Texas undignified. Toy, a stockholder in the Camden and Amboy Railroad, convinced the railroad to change the name of the station in 1849 to Palmyra, which came from his love of ancient history. Palmyra
was the name of an important city in ancient times located in central Syria
. The post office was established in 1851. Palmyra, along with Bordentown
, Burlington
, Moorestown
, and Mount Holly
, established its high school in the late 1890s, making it one of the oldest high schools in Burlington County and in New Jersey.
The town was laid out in 1850, when Joseph Souder's land was broken up into building lots to pay his debts. The street names match those of Center City Philadelphia - Market, Arch, Race, and Vine (from south to north), and Front Street and numbered streets from the Delaware River
.
What is now Palmyra was part of Chester Township
, one of the original townships in Burlington County. Palmyra became a part of Cinnaminson Township
when that township was set off from Chester in 1860. Palmyra Township was set off from Cinnaminson in 1894, and Palmyra was incorporated as a borough in 1923.
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.
, the Mayor
of Palmyra Borough is John J. Gural, Jr. Members of the Palmyra Borough Council are Council President Karen Scheffler, Robert Bostock, Kenneth Brahl, Michele Dobbs, David Dorworth and Howard Norcross.
Palmyra is in the
serves residents of Palmyra, and those from Beverly
and Riverton
who attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationship
s. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Delaware Avenue Elementary School (PreK; 35 students),
Charles Street Elementary School (K-6; 448) and
Palmyra High School
(7-12; 467).
station on the River Line
light rail
system is located on East Broad Street. The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is available to Camden, New Jersey
. Northbound service is available to the Trenton Rail Station
with connections to New Jersey Transit
trains to New York City
, SEPTA
trains to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, and Amtrak
trains. Transfer to the PATCO Speedline
is available at the Walter Rand Transportation Center
.
New Jersey Transit
provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 317 line.
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Burlington County
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, 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. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 7,091.
Palmyra was originally incorporated as a township
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on April 19, 1894, from portions of Cinnaminson Township
Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
Cinnaminson includes within its boundaries the confluence point of longitude 75 degrees west and latitude 40 degrees north, one of only four such confluence points in New Jersey...
and Riverton
Riverton, New Jersey
Riverton is a Borough located in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough had a total population of 2,759....
. On February 20, 1923, Palmyra was reincorporated as a borough.
Geography
Palmyra is located at 40.002780°N 75.026263°W (40.002780, -75.026263).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 borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²), of which, 2 square miles (5.2 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1 km²) of it (18.18%) is water.
Palmyra borders Riverton
Riverton, New Jersey
Riverton is a Borough located in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough had a total population of 2,759....
, Cinnaminson Township
Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
Cinnaminson includes within its boundaries the confluence point of longitude 75 degrees west and latitude 40 degrees north, one of only four such confluence points in New Jersey...
, 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...
, 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...
. Across the Delaware, it borders the Tacony
Tacony, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tacony is a historic neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, about from downtown Philadelphia. It is the oldest continuously occupied neighborhood in Philadelphia. It is bounded by Frankford Avenue on the northwest, Cottman Avenue on the northeast, Levick Street on the southwest, and the...
section of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
to which it is connected via Route 73 by the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
Tacony-Palmyra Bridge
The Tacony–Palmyra Bridge is a combination steel arch, double-leaf bascule bridge across the Delaware River, connecting New Jersey Route 73 in Palmyra, New Jersey and Pennsylvania Route 73 in the Tacony section of Philadelphia. The bridge has a total length of 3,659 feet and spans 2,324 feet . It...
, which is named for the two communities connected by the bridge.
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 7,091 people, 3,004 households, and 1,853 families residing in the borough. 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 3,586.9 people per square mile (1,382.8/km2). There were 3,219 housing units at an average density of 1,628.3 per square mile (627.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 80.99% White, 14.34% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.41% 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 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.23% of the population.
There were 3,004 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,150, and the median income for a family was $57,192. Males had a median income of $42,910 versus $31,445 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 borough was $23,454. About 2.2% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.
History
The area that is now Palmyra was settled in the late 17th century by SwedesSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, marking the northernmost border 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....
. A farmhouse built in 1761 by the third generation settlers still remains as the oldest house in Palmyra. This remained a farming area until after the building of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1834, after which railroad workers bought lots along the railroad and built their homes there. The community was originally known as Texas, but a local landowner, Isaiah Toy, a descendant of the original Swedish settlers, wanted to have a post office established, and felt the name Texas undignified. Toy, a stockholder in the Camden and Amboy Railroad, convinced the railroad to change the name of the station in 1849 to Palmyra, which came from his love of ancient history. Palmyra
Palmyra
Palmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
was the name of an important city in ancient times located in central Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The post office was established in 1851. Palmyra, along with Bordentown
Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
, Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
, Moorestown
Moorestown Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 19,017 people, 6,971 households, and 5,270 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,287.3 per square mile . There were 7,211 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile...
, and Mount Holly
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
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....
, established its high school in the late 1890s, making it one of the oldest high schools in Burlington County and in New Jersey.
The town was laid out in 1850, when Joseph Souder's land was broken up into building lots to pay his debts. The street names match those of Center City Philadelphia - Market, Arch, Race, and Vine (from south to north), and Front Street and numbered streets from 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...
.
What is now Palmyra was part of Chester Township
Chester Township, New Jersey
Chester Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 7,838....
, one of the original townships in Burlington County. Palmyra became a part of Cinnaminson Township
Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey
Cinnaminson includes within its boundaries the confluence point of longitude 75 degrees west and latitude 40 degrees north, one of only four such confluence points in New Jersey...
when that township was set off from Chester in 1860. Palmyra Township was set off from Cinnaminson in 1894, and Palmyra was incorporated as a borough in 1923.
Local government
Palmyra is governed under the BoroughBorough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
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.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Palmyra Borough is John J. Gural, Jr. Members of the Palmyra Borough Council are Council President Karen Scheffler, Robert Bostock, Kenneth Brahl, Michele Dobbs, David Dorworth and Howard Norcross.
Federal, state and county representation
Palmyra is in the 1st Congressional district.Palmyra is in the
Education
The Palmyra Public SchoolsPalmyra Public Schools
The Palmyra Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that offers a wide range of educational programs for the residents of Palmyra, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States...
serves residents of Palmyra, and those from Beverly
Beverly, New Jersey
Beverly is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 2,577.Beverly was originally incorporated as a borough on March 5, 1850, within Willingboro Township...
and Riverton
Riverton, New Jersey
Riverton is a Borough located in Burlington County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough had a total population of 2,759....
who attend the district's high school as part of 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...
s. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment 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
Delaware Avenue Elementary School (PreK; 35 students),
Charles Street Elementary School (K-6; 448) and
Palmyra High School
Palmyra High School (New Jersey)
Palmyra High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Palmyra in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Palmyra Public Schools...
(7-12; 467).
Transportation
The PalmyraPalmyra (River LINE station)
Palmyra is a station on the River Line light rail system, located on East Broad Street in Palmyra, New Jersey.The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is available to Camden, New Jersey...
station on the River Line
River Line (New Jersey Transit)
The River Line is a diesel light rail system in New Jersey, United States, that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is operated for New Jersey Transit by the Southern New Jersey Rail Group , which originally included Bechtel Group and Bombardier...
light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system is located on East Broad Street. The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is available to Camden, New Jersey
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...
. Northbound service is available to the Trenton Rail Station
Trenton Rail Station (New Jersey)
Trenton Transit Center, formerly known as Trenton Rail Station, is the main passenger train station in Trenton, New Jersey. It is the southernmost stop in New Jersey on the Northeast Corridor...
with connections to 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...
trains to New York City
New York City
New 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...
, SEPTA
Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is a metropolitan transportation authority that operates various forms of public transit—bus, subway and elevated rail, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolley bus—that serve 3.9 million people in and around Philadelphia,...
trains to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, and Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
trains. Transfer to the PATCO Speedline
Port Authority Transit Corporation
The PATCO Speedline, also known colloquially as the High Speed Line, is a rapid transit system operated by the Port Authority Transit Corporation, which runs between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden County, New Jersey...
is available at the Walter Rand Transportation Center
Walter Rand Transportation Center
The Walter Rand Transportation Center is a transportation hub located at Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broadway in Camden, New Jersey, named for Walter Rand, a former New Jersey State Senator, who specialized in transportation issues while serving in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature...
.
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...
provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 317 line.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Palmyra include:- Lena BlackburneLena BlackburneRussell Aubrey "Lena" Blackburne was an American baseball infielder, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball.-Biography:...
(1886–1968), played football for the Palmyra Field Club in 1906 before beginning a major league baseball career with the Chicago White Sox in 1910. He is most remembered for the discovery of a mud in a tributary of the Delaware RiverDelaware RiverThe 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...
near Palmyra which is still used to rub down baseballs allowing pitchers to gain better control over the ball. - Jack CaseyJack CaseyJohn "Jack" Casey is an American Democratic Party politician who served one four-year term in the New Jersey Senate, where he represented the 7th Legislative District from 1994 to 1998. Casey also served in the New Jersey General Assembly in 1991.Casey earned an associate's degree from Rider...
(born 1935), member of the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey SenateThe New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
, who also served as mayor of Palmyra. - Frank A. Mathews, Jr.Frank A. Mathews, Jr.Frank Asbury Mathews, Jr. was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey. Mathews represented in the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1949....
(1904–64), represented in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1945 to 1949. - August Henry Weikman (1860–1924), served as the Commodore Barber on the RMS Titanic when the famous ship hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage and sank on April 14, 1912.
External links
- Palmyra Borough website
- Palmyra Public Schools
- Data for the Palmyra 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...