Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey

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Not to be confused with Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.

Map of Hamilton Township in Atlantic County

Hamilton Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 20,499. The Township of Hamilton was incorporated by the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813^[1].

At 113 square miles, Hamilton Township is the largest municipality, in area, in the State of New Jersey.^[1]

Mays Landing (2000 population of 2,321), a census-designated place and unincorporated area, located within Hamilton Township, has been the county seat of Atlantic County since 1837.^[1]

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Government
- 4.1 Local government
- 4.2 Federal, state and county representation
5 Education
6 Points of interest
7 References
8 External links

[edit] History

Hamilton Township’s origins are directly tied to the Great Egg Harbor River and its tributaries which run through it. George May, after whom the village of Mays Landing was named, built a shipyard and trading post near Babcock Creek in 1756. By the mid 19th century that Mays Landing reached the height of its shipbuilding.

From 1830 to 1880, more than two hundred vessels were built along the Great Egg Harbor River with lumber from native forests and iron from Weymouth foundries. Half of them were produced at Mays Landing. But by the end of century, wood shipbuilding began to disappear due to the lack of suitable timber. Iron was then substituted for hull construction.

Hamilton was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Weymouth Township, while the area was still part of Gloucester County. Hamilton became part of the newly-created Atlantic County in 1837. Portions of the township were taken to form Hammonton on March 5, 1866, and to form Buena Vista Township on March 5, 1867.^[2]

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 292.6 km² (113.0 mi²). 288.2 km² (111.3 mi²) of it is land and 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²) of it (1.51%) is water.

The western three-quarters of the township is rural pine forest protected from dense development by New Jersey Pinelands Commission restrictions and large preserved tracts of land. By stark contrast, the eastern quarter has developed as a suburban-like area due to its status as a Pinelands Regional Growth Area (RGA). Mandated to absorb growth fueled by nearby Atlantic City, Hamilton’s RGA now is home to the majority of its nearly 24,000 residents.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	3,193		–
1940	3,363		5.3%
1950	3,774		12.2%
1960	6,017		59.4%
1970	6,445		7.1%
1980	9,499		47.4%
1990	16,012		68.6%
2000	20,499		28.0%
Est. 2005	23,899	^[3]	16.6%
Population 1930 - 1990^[4]

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 20,499 people, 7,148 households, and 5,039 families residing in the township. The population density was 71.1/km² (184.2/mi²). There were 7,567 housing units at an average density of 26.3/km² (68.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 71.45% White, 19.26% African American, 0.29% Native American, 3.29% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.33% from other races, and 2.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.91% of the population.

There were 7,148 households out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.5% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.5% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% 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 3.21.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,259, and the median income for a family was $54,899. Males had a median income of $37,419 versus $30,089 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,309. About 4.5% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township of Hamilton has a Township Committee form of government consisting of five members elected at large and serving three-year staggered terms. At each annual reorganization meeting in January the Members select one member from amongst the Township Committee to serve as Chairman for that year. The Chairman holds the honorary title of Mayor. The Mayor for the past two years has been nine-year Committeeman Thomas Palmentieri. The Members also select another member to serve as Vice Chairman for that year, who holds the honorary title of Deputy Mayor.

The members of the Hamilton Township Committee are:^[5]

Mayor Thomas Palmentieri
Nelson Gaskill
William Beyers
James Link
Charles Pritchard

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Hamilton Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 2nd Legislative District.^[6]

New Jersey's Second Congressional District, covering all of Atlantic County, Cape May County, Cumberland County and Salem County and portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Vineland). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 2nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James J. McCullough (R, Egg Harbor Township), and in the Assembly by Francis J. Blee (R, Absecon) and Jim Whelan (D, Atlantic City). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Atlantic County's County Executive is Dennis Levinson. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders, administers all county business. Atlantic County's Freeholders are Francis Sutton, James Curcio, Frank Finnerty (Freeholder Vice Chairman), Alisa Cooper, Joe Kelly, Rev. Lawton Nelson, Thomas Russo, Sue Schilling and Joseph F. Silipena (Freeholder Chairman).

[edit] Education

For Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, students attend the Hamilton Township Schools. Schools in the district (with enrollment data from the NCES as of the 2003-04 school year) are Joseph C. Shaner Memorial School with 613 students in Pre-K to 1st grade, George Hess Educational Complex with 1,578 in grades 2 - 6 and William Davies Middle School with 725 students in grades 7 and 8.

Students in grades 9 - 12 attend Oakcrest High School, located in Hamilton Township, which serves students from Hamilton Township, Mullica Township, the City of Port Republic and Washington Township. 2,108 students attend the school. The High School is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, a regional high school district serving approximately 3,700 students in the constituent districts of Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township and Mullica Township, together with students from the City of Port Republic and Washington Township (in Burlington County), who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships with their respective school districts.

[edit] Points of interest

Hamilton is home to over 3 million square feet of first class retail establishments including Hamilton Mall, Consumer Square and Hamilton Commons. The Great Egg Harbor River and Lake Lenape are recreational resources used by local residents and visitors alike. Hamilton is also home to Atlantic Cape Community College, Atlantic County Institute of Technology, Atlantic County Justice Facility, the County Court Complex and the main branch of the Atlantic County Library.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c A Brief Overview of our Town, accessed October 2, 2006
^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 69.
^ Census data for Hamilton Township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
^ Hamilton Township Committee, accessed March 27, 2007
^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 58, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

This box: view • talk • edit Municipalities of Atlantic County, New Jersey (County seat: Mays Landing)
Boroughs	Buena \| Folsom \| Longport \|
Cities	Absecon \| Atlantic City \| Brigantine \| Corbin City \| Egg Harbor City \| Estell Manor \| Linwood \| Margate City \| Northfield \| Pleasantville \| Port Republic \| Somers Point \| Ventnor City
Town	Hammonton
Townships	Buena Vista \| Egg Harbor \| Galloway \| Hamilton \| Mullica \| Weymouth
CDPs and other communities	Collings Lakes \| Elwood-Magnolia \| Mays Landing \| Pomona \| Richland \| Smithville