Pitman, New Jersey

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Pitman highlighted in Gloucester County. Inset map: Gloucester County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.

Pitman is a Borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 9,331. Pitman is the home of Alcyon Lake, directly downstream from the LiPari landfill, a Superfund site.

[edit] Geography

Pitman is located at 39°43′53″N, 75°7′46″W (39.731347, -75.129547)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 6.0 km² (2.3 mi²). 5.9 km² (2.3 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (1.29%) is water.

Pitman borders Mantua Township, Washington Township, and Glassboro.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 9,331 people, 3,473 households, and 2,431 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,573.2/km² (4,068.3/mi²). There were 3,653 housing units at an average density of 615.9/km² (1,592.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.16% White, 0.91% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.23% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.41% of the population.

Toboggan at Alcyon Park, 1905

There were 3,473 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.15.

Alcyon Lake

In the borough the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 86.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $49,743, and the median income for a family was $59,419. Males had a median income of $40,894 versus $30,889 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,133. About 2.8% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

In 1871, land was chosen in both Glassboro Township and Mantua Township to be set aside for a Methodist summer camp. The New Jersey Conference Camp Meeting Association was officially chartered and given authority over the land grant in 1872, and began planning the campground and organizing meetings. The land had an auditorium located on a central meeting ground, and twelve roads originated from the central area as spokes on a wheel, each representing one of the disciples of Jesus. This area became known as the Pitman Grove, and while worshipers' tents originally lined each of the twelve roads, cottages slowly replaced the tents and formed the foundation of the town of Pitman. By the 1880s, the number of cottages had climbed to 400 and residents had begun staying year-round, both of which led to the establishment of the first public school in 1884. In 1904, residents of Pitman Grove voted 122 to 35 for incorporation as an autonomous borough, and on May 24, 1905, Governor of New Jersey Edward C. Stokes signed a law granting the incorporation.^[3]

Pitman Grove was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.^[4]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Pitman is governed by an elected Mayor and a six-member Council. The Mayor is elected at-large for a four-year term. Members of the Borough Council are elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year. All are volunteer positions.

The Mayor of Pitman Borough is Alice Polocz.

Members of the Pitman Borough Council, with their departmental assignments, are:^[5]

• Deborah Higbee - Public Property, Grove, Grants
• Michael Batten - Planning, Zoning, Construction
• Gene Shoemaker - Public Works
• Steve Brogan - Public Safety, Emergency Management
• Mike Brewer - Environment, Recrection, Welfare
• Mike Capelli - Finance, Audit, Personnel

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Pitman is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th 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 4th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Fred H. Madden (D, Turnersville) and in the Assembly by David R. Mayer (D, Blackwood) and Paul Moriarty (D, Washington Township, Gloucester County). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Gloucester County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Gloucester County's Freeholders are: Stephen M. Sweeney (Freeholder Director), Robert M. Damminger (Deputy Freeholder Director), Joseph A. Brigandi, Jr., William Krebs, Frank J. DiMarco, Helene M. Reed and Dr. Warren S. Wallace.

[edit] Education

The Pitman School District serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are three K-5 elementary schools (Elwood Kindle School, Memorial School and W. C. K. Walls School), Pitman Middle School (grades 6 - 8) and Pitman High School (grades 9 - 12).

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Website of the Borough of Pitman, NJ
• Pitman School District
• Pitman School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• National Center for Education Statistics data for the Pitman School District
• History of Pitman, NJ
• Historic Images of Pitman, NJ
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 39.731347° -75.129547°
  • 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

This box: view • talk • edit Municipalities of Gloucester County, New Jersey (County seat: Woodbury)
Boroughs	Clayton | Glassboro | National Park | Newfield | Paulsboro | Pitman | Swedesboro | Wenonah | Westville | Woodbury Heights
City	Woodbury
Townships	Deptford | East Greenwich | Elk | Franklin | Greenwich | Harrison | Logan | Mantua | Monroe | South Harrison | Washington | West Deptford | Woolwich
CDPs and communities	Beckett | Bridgeport | Clarksboro | Gibbstown | Malaga | Mickleton | Mount Royal | Mullica Hill | Oak Valley | Thorofare | Turnersville | Victory Lakes | Williamstown