Pennsauken Township, New Jersey

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Pennsauken Township is a Township in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 35,737.

Pennsauken Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 18, 1892, from portions of Stockton Township.^[1]

Pennsauken is home to a Pepsi plant, Disc Makers, and J & J Snack Foods Corporation. The exact origin of the name "Pennsauken" is unclear but it is probably from the tongue of the Lenni Lenape people (a Native American group which once occupied the area), an Algonquian language, and it is usually said to mean "tobacco pouch." ^[2]

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

[edit] History

The drive-in movie theater was created in 1933 with the opening of the Camden Drive-In in Pennsauken. It featured the comedy "Wives Beware", released in the theaters as "Two White Arms".

[edit] Geography

Pennsauken Township is located at 39°57′24″N, 75°3′21″W (39.956562, -75.055918)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 31.6 km² (12.2 mi²). 27.3 km² (10.5 mi²) of it is land and 4.3 km² (1.6 mi²) of it (13.54%) is water.

The township includes Petty's Island, a 450 acre island in the Delaware River although most of the island actually sits across a narrow strait from neighboring Camden. Once an oil storage and distribution facility, the island is presently the site of a container cargo shipping operation and nesting bald eagles. Petty's Island is currently the focal point of the township's waterfront redevelopment plan.

Pennsauken borders Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two municipalities are connected across the Delaware River by the Betsy Ross Bridge which is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. In New Jersey, Pennsauken borders Camden, Collingswood, Merchantville, Cherry Hill, Palmyra,Maple Shade and, Cinnaminson.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	16,915		–
1940	17,745		4.9%
1950	22,767		28.3%
1960	33,771		48.3%
1970	36,394		7.8%
1980	33,775		-7.2%
1990	34,738		2.9%
2000	35,737		2.9%
Est. 2005	35,528	[3]	-0.6%
Population 1930 - 1990[4]

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 35,737 people, 12,389 households, and 9,093 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,310.4/km² (3,392.4/mi²). There were 12,945 housing units at an average density of 474.7/km² (1,228.8/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 60.10% White, 24.18% African American, 0.35% Native American, 4.58% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 8.27% from other races, and 2.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.34% of the population.

There were 12,389 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 16.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $47,538, and the median income for a family was $52,760. Males had a median income of $37,652 versus $30,100 for females. The per capita income for the township was $19,004. About 6.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Pennsauken operates using the Township form of government. Members of the Township Committee are elected directly by the voters. At a reorganization meeting after each election the Committee selects one of its members to serve as mayor and another to serve as deputy mayor.

Members of the Pennsuaken Township Committee are Mayor Rick Taylor, Deputy Mayor Bill Orth, Jack Killion, Greg Schofield and Denise Velazquez-Marrero.^[5]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Pennsauken Township is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th Legislative District.^[6]

New Jersey's First Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Rob Andrews (D, Haddon Heights). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 7th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Diane B. Allen (R, Burlington) and in the Assembly by Herb Conaway (D, Delran) and Jack Conners (D, Delran). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Camden County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Camden County's Freeholders are: Louis Cappelli, Jr (Freeholder Director), Edward McDonnell (Freeholder Deputy Director), Riletta L. Cream, Jeffrey L. Nash, Joseph Ripa, Carmen Rodriguez, and Rodney Greco.

[edit] Education

The Pennsauken Public Schools serve students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. The district consists of Baldwin Early Childhood Learning Center for PreK, seven elementary schools (K-4, except as noted) — Carson Elementary School, Central Elementary School, Delair Elementary School, Franklin Elementary School, George B. Fine Elementary School, Longfellow Elementary School, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School — Pennsauken Intermediate School (5&6), Howard M. Phifer Middle School (7&8) and for grades 9-12.

Students from Merchantville attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Bishop Eustace Preparatory School is a coeducational private high school for students in grades 9-12, founded in 1954 by the priests and brothers of the Society of the Catholic Apostolate (The Pallottines).

[edit] Notables

• Bill Gosper - Mathematician and computer programmer
• Dwight Hicks - Two-time Super Bowl Champ as a member of the San Francisco 49ers.
• John Taylor - wide receiver with the San Francisco 49ers.
• William Wesley - NBA basketball player associate

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Pennsauken Township website
• Pennsauken Public Schools
• Pennsauken Public Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• National Center for Education Statistics data for the Pennsauken Public Schools
• Griffith Morgan House
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 39.956562° -75.055918°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

v • d • e Municipalities of Camden County, New Jersey (County seat: Camden)
Boroughs	Audubon | Audubon Park | Barrington | Bellmawr | Berlin | Brooklawn | Chesilhurst | Clementon | Collingswood | Gibbsboro | Haddon Heights | Haddonfield | Hi-Nella | Laurel Springs | Lawnside | Lindenwold | Magnolia | Merchantville | Mount Ephraim | Oaklyn | Pine Hill | Pine Valley | Runnemede | Somerdale | Stratford | Tavistock | Woodlynne
Cities	Camden | Gloucester
Townships	Berlin | Cherry Hill | Gloucester | Haddon | Pennsauken | Voorhees | Waterford | Winslow
CDPs and other communities	Ashland | Barclay-Kingston | Blackwood | Cherry Hill Mall | Echelon | Erial | Erlton-Ellisburg | Glendora | Golden Triangle | Greentree | Sicklerville | Springdale