| Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey |
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Washington Township is a Township located in Gloucester County , New Jersey . As of the United States 2000 Census , the township had a total population of 47,114. Turnersville is a Census-designated Place and Unincorporated area located within Washington Township. HISTORY Washington Township (now affectionately known as simply "Township") was incorporated on February 17 , 1836 . The Township officially moved to Camden County in March of 1844 but moved back into Gloucester County on February 28 , 1871 . The oldest community in the Township, Grenloch Terrace, was a thriving Lenni Lenape Native American village called Tetamekon. Some of the early settlers to the area were the Collins family of Chestnut Ridge Farm (whom one of the middle schools is named after), the Turner family (for whom Turnersville was named), the Hurff family of Hurffville (Hurffville Elementary School named after them), the Heritage family whose family began the Heritage Dairy Farm Stores, the Morgan family who were the first residents of the Olde Stone House (a landmark for residents of the Township), and the Bell Family who arrived in 1899 turning the 139-year-old grist mill into General Mills, Inc. The mill, located at Bells Lake, was destroyed by fire in 1963. GEOGRAPHY According to the United States Census Bureau , the township has a total area of 55.7 Km&2 (21.5 Mi&2 ). 55.3 km&2 (21.4 mi&2) of it is land and 0.3 km&2 (0.1 mi&2) of it is water. The total area is 0.56% water. Washington Township borders Deptford Township , Mantua Township , Pitman , Glassboro , Monroe Township , and Camden County DEMOGRAPHICS As of the Census 2 of 2000, there were 47,114 people, 15,609 households, and 12,658 families residing in the township. The Population Density was 851.2/km&2 (2,204.6/mi&2). There were 16,020 housing units at an average density of 289.4/km&2 (749.6/mi&2). The racial makeup of the township was 90.20% White , 4.85% African American , 0.08% Native American , 3.31% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 0.53% from Other Races , and 1.01% from two or more races. 2.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 15,609 households out of which 43.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were Married Couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.9% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.38. In the township the population was spread out with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $66,546, and the median income for a family was $74,661. Males had a median income of $51,319 versus $35,018 for females. The Per Capita Income for the township was $25,705. 3.2% of the population and 2.5% of families were below the Poverty Line . 3.2% of those under the age of 18 and 4.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line. GOVERNMENT Local government Washington Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government. The township is governed by a Mayor and a five member Municipal Council. The Mayor is elected by township voters and is the Chief Executive in charge of the administrative functions of the town. The Township Council is elected at-large by the entire community. The elected officials are to serve a four-year term. The most recent mayor, as of 2005, is Mayor Paul Moriarty , former KYW 3 TV personality and now an Assemblyman representing the district. Members of the Municipal Council are Council President Frank Scarpato, III, Council Vice President Michelle Martin, Stephen Altamuro, Anita LaPierre and Matthew P. Lyons. Federal, state and county representation Washington Township is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th Legislative District. EDUCATION The Washington Township Public School District serves students in grades K - 12 in Washington Township. The district has one Kindergarten school Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center with 581 students, six grade 1 - 5 elementary schools — Bells Elementary School with 647 students, Birches Elementary School with 584 students, Hurffville Elementary School with 534 students, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School with 557 students, Wedgewood Elementary School with 572 students and Whitman Elementary School with 615 students — three grade 6 - 8 middle schools — Bunker Hill Middle School with 815 students, Chestnut Ridge Middle School with 848 students and Orchard Valley Middle School with 777 students — and Washington Township High School [http://www.wtps.org/wths/], with 3,104 students in grades 9 - 12. LOCAL DYNAMICS Washington Township has two major economic centers. The "town center" is focused around the square formed by Greentree Road, Egg Harbor Road, Gantown Road, and Hurffville-Crosskeys Road. The massive Washington Township High School , the Commerce Bank Arts Centre, Washington Lake Park, the Municipal Building, the Acme shopping center, Sal's Pizza, and the regionally famous "Club Wawa" are located around this general vicinity. The other major center is located around Route 42 , which connects Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Jersey Shore . Washington Township is known regionally as "South Philly South," as a large percentage of its citizens moved to the town from the Italian South Philadelphia region over the past several decades. RECENT EXPANSION Washington Township could be viewed as the frontline between open space and home developers. A township that was once composed of several housing projects gravitating around the Wedgwood Forest, Whitman Square, Birches, Birches West, and Hurffville neighborhoods has exploded outwards and also increasing in volume around the centers. EXTERNAL LINKS
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