Woodbine, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Woodbine is a borough
in Cape May County
, New Jersey
, United States. It is part of the Ocean City
Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 2,716.
Woodbine was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 8 square miles (20.7 km²), all of it land.
Woodbine borders Dennis Township
and Upper Township
.
of 2000, there were 2,716 people, 773 households, and 558 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 339.6 people per square mile (131.1/km2). There were 1,080 housing units at an average density of 135.1 per square mile (52.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 53.39% White, 32.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 11.01% from other races
, and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.24% of the population.
There were 773 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were married couples
living together, 27.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 142.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,298, and the median income for a family was $31,786. Males had a median income of $30,139 versus $24,150 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $13,335. About 18.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
The Mayor of Woodbine is William Pikolycky, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2010. The members of the Woodbine Borough Council are Council President Eduardo Ortiz (2013), Michael Benson (2012), Louis Murray (2012), Mary Helen Perez (2013), Clarence Ryan (2011) and Anthony Saduk (2011).
Woodbine is in the
, purchased 5300 acres (21 km²) of land in Dennis Township
, in Cape May County, New Jersey
to start a settlement. Immigrants from Poland
and Russia
were invited to settle the new community. Within two years, they cleared the forest and built a town and thriving farms. 800 acres (3.2 km²) of land were set aside as town lots. The residential center of Woodbine still uses the same grid that was originally laid out in 1891. Using modern agricultural practices, the first colonists (Woodbine was sometimes called the "Jewish Colony" in the early days) turned Woodbine into a model agricultural community.
Woodbine was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township
. Because most of the original settlers were Jewish, Woodbine became known as "the first self-governing Jewish community since the fall of Jerusalem."
The community started the Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College in 1894. Until it was closed during World War I
(1917), the college was a model of progressive education. The college and its graduates won many state, national, and international awards. World War I, however, signaled a change in the community from an agricultural economy to one with a light manufacturing economy. The Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College became what is today the Woodbine Developmental Center, a state run facility for training the mentally-handicapped. The Developmental Center is Cape May County's largest employer.
During World War II
, the United States Army
built an airfield in Woodbine to be used as a training base and as a base for anti-submarine patrols. German U-boat
s were very active off the East Coast of America, especially off the Jersey coast. Today, Woodbine Municipal Airport is the center of Woodbine's redevelopment efforts.
serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade. Woodbine Elementary School had an enrollment of 213 students in the 2008-09 school year.
Public school students in grades 9-12 attend high school in Millville
, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Millville Public Schools
. Students attend Memorial High School
for grades 9 and half of the 10th grade and Millville Senior High School
http://www.millville.org/memorial/index.html for half of the 10th grade through the 12th grade.
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 Cape May County
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
, 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. It is part of the Ocean City
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 2,716.
Woodbine was incorporated as a borough 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 March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...
.
Geography
Woodbine is located at 39.233087°N 74.810236°W (39.233087, -74.810236).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 8 square miles (20.7 km²), all of it land.
Woodbine borders Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...
and Upper Township
Upper Township, New Jersey
Upper Township is a large township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 12,115 as of the United States 2000 Census...
.
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 2,716 people, 773 households, and 558 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 339.6 people per square mile (131.1/km2). There were 1,080 housing units at an average density of 135.1 per square mile (52.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 53.39% White, 32.40% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 11.01% 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 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.24% of the population.
There were 773 households out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% 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, 27.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 142.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 158.2 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $30,298, and the median income for a family was $31,786. Males had a median income of $30,139 versus $24,150 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 $13,335. About 18.8% of families and 17.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.9% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
The Borough of Woodbine is governed by a Mayor and a six-member Borough Council. The mayor serves a four-year term of office and is directly elected by the voters. Borough Council members serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.The Mayor of Woodbine is William Pikolycky, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2010. The members of the Woodbine Borough Council are Council President Eduardo Ortiz (2013), Michael Benson (2012), Louis Murray (2012), Mary Helen Perez (2013), Clarence Ryan (2011) and Anthony Saduk (2011).
Federal, state and county representation
Woodbine is in the 2nd Congressional district.Woodbine is in the
History
Woodbine was founded in 1891 as a settlement for Eastern European Jews. The Baron DeHirsch Fund, organized by philanthropist Maurice de HirschMaurice de Hirsch
Maurice de Hirsch was a German-Jewish philanthropist who set up charitable foundations to promote Jewish education and improve the lot of oppressed European Jewry. He was the founder of the Jewish Colonization Association which sponsored large-scale Jewish immigration to Argentina...
, purchased 5300 acres (21 km²) of land in Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...
, in Cape May County, New Jersey
Cape May County, New Jersey
-Climate:Being the southernmost point in New Jersey, Cape May has fairly mild wintertime temperatures. Contrary to that, the summertime has lower temperatures than most places in the state, making the county a popular place to escape the heat. It is in zone 7a/7b, which is the same as parts of...
to start a settlement. Immigrants from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
were invited to settle the new community. Within two years, they cleared the forest and built a town and thriving farms. 800 acres (3.2 km²) of land were set aside as town lots. The residential center of Woodbine still uses the same grid that was originally laid out in 1891. Using modern agricultural practices, the first colonists (Woodbine was sometimes called the "Jewish Colony" in the early days) turned Woodbine into a model agricultural community.
Woodbine was incorporated as a borough 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 March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township
Dennis Township, New Jersey
Dennis Township is a township in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. The township population was 6,492 as of the United States 2000 Census...
. Because most of the original settlers were Jewish, Woodbine became known as "the first self-governing Jewish community since the fall of Jerusalem."
The community started the Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College in 1894. Until it was closed during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
(1917), the college was a model of progressive education. The college and its graduates won many state, national, and international awards. World War I, however, signaled a change in the community from an agricultural economy to one with a light manufacturing economy. The Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College became what is today the Woodbine Developmental Center, a state run facility for training the mentally-handicapped. The Developmental Center is Cape May County's largest employer.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
built an airfield in Woodbine to be used as a training base and as a base for anti-submarine patrols. German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s were very active off the East Coast of America, especially off the Jersey coast. Today, Woodbine Municipal Airport is the center of Woodbine's redevelopment efforts.
Education
The Woodbine School DistrictWoodbine School District
The Woodbine School District is a community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Woodbine, in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States....
serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade. Woodbine Elementary School had an enrollment of 213 students in the 2008-09 school year.
Public school students in grades 9-12 attend high school in Millville
Millville, New Jersey
Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
, 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...
with the Millville Public Schools
Millville Public Schools
Millville Public Schools is a school district that serves the city of Millville, in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide....
. Students attend Memorial High School
Memorial High School (Millville, New Jersey)
Memorial High School is a public high school in Millville, New Jersey, United States, operated as part of the Millville Public Schools. The school was built in 1925 and used as the Millville High School from 1925-1964 until the Millville Senior High School was built...
for grades 9 and half of the 10th grade and Millville Senior High School
Millville Senior High School
Millville Senior High School is a comprehensive public high school located in Millville, New Jersey, operating as part of the Millville Public Schools. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools since 1943. Students from...
http://www.millville.org/memorial/index.html for half of the 10th grade through the 12th grade.
Notable residents
- Joseph Rabinowitz, founder of the Woodbine Children's Clothing Company, the community's largest employer, who was elected at age 37 in 1910 as third mayor of Woodbine; his descendants include grandson, Jay RabinowitzJay RabinowitzJay Andrew Rabinowitz was an American lawyer, jurist, and Chief Justice of the Alaska Supreme Court four non-consecutive terms remaining active as a justice from February 1965 to February 1997.-Early life and career:Rabinowitz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to a Jewish-American family...
, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alaska; Robert Rabinowitz (artist)Robert Rabinowitz (artist)Robert Rabinowitz Robert Rabinowitz Robert Rabinowitz (b. Brooklyn, New York, American illustrator and graphic designer. In 1975 created Beatlemania, the largest multimedia musical up to that time on Broadway, on which he worked with Bob Gill. With his family, Rabinowitz owns Villa Rosa Bonheur in...
, creator of Beatlemania (musical)Beatlemania (musical)Beatlemania was a Broadway musical revue focused on the music of The Beatles as it related to the events and changing attitudes of the tumultuous Sixties...
, clinical psychologist Barrie R. CassilethBarrie R. CassilethBarrie R. Cassileth, PhD, is a researcher of complementary and alternative medicine, and has published extensively on alternative cancer treatments. She founded the Integrative Medicine Service at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she remains the chief, and holds the Laurance S....
and Olympic athlete Judy RabinowitzJudy RabinowitzJudy Rabinowitz was an American cross country skier who competed from 1982 to 1984. She finished seventh in the 4 x 5 km relay at the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo....
.
External links
- Woodbine Borough website
- Woodbine School District
- Data for the Woodbine School District, 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...
- The Cape May County Gazette Local community newspaper
- The Beachcomber