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Information About

Woodbury, New Jersey





Woodbury is a City in Gloucester County , New Jersey , in the United States . As of the United States 2000 Census , 10,307 residents were counted. Woodbury is the County Seat of Gloucester County .

Woodbury was originally formed as a Borough on March 27 , 1854 , within Deptford Township , based on the results of a referendum held on March 22 , 1854 . On January 2 , 1871 , Woodbury was reincorporated as a City, based on the results of a referendum held that day."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 141.


GEOGRAPHY

Woodbury is located at (39.837363, -75.153056).

According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 5.5 Km&2 (2.1 Mi&2 ). 5.4 km&2 (2.1 mi&2) of it is land and 0.1 km&2 (0.04 mi&2) of it (1.89%) is water.
Woodbury has a few lakes that feed off of Woodbury Creek.

Woodbury borders Woodbury Heights , West Deptford Township , and Deptford Township .


DEMOGRAPHICS

  1930 8172
  1940 8306
  1950 10931
  1960 12453
  1970 12408
  1980 10353
  1990 10904
  2000 10307
  Estimate 10410
  Estyear 2006
  Estref Census data for Woodbury city , United States Census Bureau Accessed August 11 , 2007
  Footnote Population 1930 - 1990 Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990 , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network Accessed March 1 , 2007


As of the Census of 2000, there were 10,307 people, 4,051 households, and 2,588 families residing in the city. The Population Density was 1,913.2/km&2 (4,961.4/mi&2). There were 4,310 housing units at an average density of 800.0/km&2 (2,074.7/mi&2). The racial makeup of the city was 72.45% White , 22.83% African American , 0.22% Native American , 0.99% Asian , 0.14% Pacific Islander , 1.28% from Other Races , and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.94% of the population.

There were 4,051 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.4% were Married Couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,827, and the median income for a family was $53,630. Males had a median income of $40,429 versus $30,570 for females. The Per Capita Income for the city was $21,592. About 11.2% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the Poverty Line , including 17.7% of those under age 18 and 15.4% of those age 65 or over.


HISTORY

Woodbury was founded by Henry Wood, a Quaker from the North-West of England , who had left Great Britain due to religious persecution. Wood was incarcerated in Lancaster gaol for practicing as a Quaker and left his home in the village of Tottington , near Bury , Lancashire , in a boat to set up a community in the new world where he and his family could practice his religion freely. His surname and his home town went to make up the name of the City he founded - Woodbury.

In 2000, the Borough of Bury, England, and the City of Woodbury were twinned as part of millennium celebrations in both countries. The twinning ceremony was the culmination of a week where more than 300 school children and college students, local dignitaries and local residents from Bury took part in sporting and cultural events held in and around Woodbury with local people.

During the week there was a symbolic meeting and reconciliation of the Vicar of Henry Wood's former church in Tottington and the Quaker's meeting house in Woodbury and an ecumenical service attended by many of the residents and visitors.


FORERUNNER OF RECYCLING

A lesser known fact about Woodbury is that it was the first city in the entire United States to mandate , 2007 . Led by Rose Rowan (currently the president of Rowan & Associates ) in the early 1970s, the idea of towing a “recycling” trailer behind a waste management vehicle to enable the collection of trash and recyclable material at the same time emerged. Other towns and cities soon followed suit, and today nearly all cities in the country require recycling.


GOVERNMENT


Local government

The Mayor and Council of the City of Woodbury, acting as the local government, are the initiators and overseers of all local law. They are also the formulators and guides to all of the departments and positions that have been established by local law. Through a committee system, most in evidence at the regular Council Meetings, the Mayor and Council exercise their authority and responsibilities through which all activities in local government are conducted.

Woodbury is represented by a Mayor elected directly by the voters. The City Council consists of nine members, with three members elected from each of three wards to three-year terms of office, with one seat from each ward coming up for election each year on a staggered basis. City Government , City of Woodbury. Accessed January 15 , 2007 .

The Mayor of the City of Woodbury is Robert Curtis .

Members of the Woodbury City Council are: City Council Members , City of Woodbury. Accessed March 14 , 2007 .


Federal, state and county representation

Woodbury is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 5th Legislative District. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government , New Jersey League Of Women Voters , p. 66. Accessed August 30 , 2006 .






EDUCATION

The , which serves grades 6-12.


NOTABLE RESIDENTS



POINTS OF INTEREST

  • Friends Meeting House built 1717, with addition erected 1783. Used during the Revolutionary War as a place for care of wounded soldiers. Diary of Job Whitall records finding the house filled with sick soldiers.

  • Friends Burial Ground. Graves of James Whitall and Ann Cooper Whitall who occupied Whitall Mansion during the battle. Also John Cooper , member of Continental Congress in 1776.

  • 90 South Broad Street. Headquarters of Gloucester County Historical Society, once owned by John Lawrence, brother of Captain James Lawrence of "Don't give up the ship" fame, who resided with him and attended the Academy School in Woodbury.

  • 130 South Broad Street. Residence of Dr. Duncan Campbell, built and occupied by John Cooper, member of the Continental Congress, the Committee on Correspondence and Council of Safety. He was also judge of the County Court. The house was used by Lord Cornwallis as headquarters during the three days he was in Woodbury.

  • Opposite to 130 South Broad Street, bronze Soldiers' Memorial to commemorate the dead of Gloucester County who fell in the World War I . Designed by R. Tait McKenzie .

  • Laboratory of Colonel G.G. Green, which includes a cannon dredged from the Delaware River bearing the Coat Of Arms of George III from the British ship "Augusta."



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