Salem, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Salem is a City in Salem County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 5,857. It is the county seat of Salem CountyGR6. The name Salem is related to the Hebrew word shalom, meaning peace.
Salem's formal existence dates back to a township of the same name established in October 1693 for the purpose of electing officers. The area had been laid out in 1675 by John Fenwick. The township was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798. On February 25, 1858, it was reincorporated as Salem City.[1]
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[edit] Geography
Salem is located at (39.569584, -75.467622),GR1 along the Salem River.[2]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 km² (2.8 mi²). 6.8 km² (2.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (6.79%) is water.
Salem borders Elsinboro Township, Pennsville Township, Mannington Township, Quinton Township, and Lower Alloways Creek Township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 3,052 |
|
|
| 1860 | 3,865 | 26.6% | |
| 1870 | 4,555 | 17.9% | |
| 1880 | 5,056 | 11.0% | |
| 1890 | 5,516 | 9.1% | |
| 1900 | 5,811 | 5.3% | |
| 1910 | 6,614 | 13.8% | |
| 1920 | 7,435 | 12.4% | |
| 1930 | 8,047 | 8.2% | |
| 1940 | 8,618 | 7.1% | |
| 1950 | 9,050 | 5.0% | |
| 1960 | 8,941 | -1.2% | |
| 1970 | 7,648 | -14.5% | |
| 1980 | 6,959 | -9.0% | |
| 1990 | 6,883 | -1.1% | |
| 2000 | 5,857 | -14.9% | |
| historical data sources: [3][4][5] | |||
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 5,857 people, 2,383 households, and 1,463 families residing in the city. The population density was 866.4/km² (2,244.3/mi²). There were 2,863 housing units at an average density of 423.5/km² (1,097.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 37.46% White, 56.77% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 1.38% from other races, and 3.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.88% of the population.
There were 2,383 households out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.7% were married couples living together, 29.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% 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 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,846, and the median income for a family was $29,699. Males had a median income of $35,389 versus $24,354 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,559. About 24.7% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.3% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Salem is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd 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 3rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, Thorofare) and in the Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Thorofare) and Douglas H. Fisher (D, Thorofare). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Salem County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Salem County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Lee R. Ware (term ends 2007), Freeholder Deputy Director Bruce L. Bobbitt (2008), Susan A. Bestwick (2007), Charles R. Sullivan (2008), David Lindenmuth (2008), R. Benjamin Simmermon, Jr. (2006) and Beth E. Timberman (2006).
[edit] Transportation
Roads and highways passing through Salem include Route 45 and Route 49
[edit] Education
The Salem City School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district are John Fenwick School for PreK-2, Salem Middle School for grades 3-8 and Salem High School [1] for grades 9-12.
Students from Elsinboro, Lower Alloways Creek Township, Mannington Township and Quinton Township attend the district's high school for grades 9-12 as part of sending/receiving relationships.
[edit] History
Salem City is the county seat of Salem County. The Salem County Courthouse serves the county. The Old Salem County Courthouse, situated on the same block as the Salem County Courthouse, serves Salem City. The Old Salem County Courthouse is tied for being the second oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States, the others being King William County Courthouse (1725) and Hanover County Courthouse (1735) in Virginia. The courthouse was erected in 1735 using locally manufactured bricks. The building was enlarged in 1817 and enlarged and remodelled in 1908. Its distinctive bell tower is essentially unchanged and the original bell sits in the courtroom. The courthouse was the scene of the "treason trials" of 1778, wherein suspected Loyalists were put on trial for having allegedly aided the British during the Salem Raid in February and March of that same year. Four men were convicted and sentenced to death for treason; however, they were pardoned by Governor William Livingston and exiled from New Jersey.
[edit] Notable residents
- Alexander G. Cattell, United States Senator from New Jersey
- John Chowning, musician, inventor and professor who developed FM synthesis
- Leon "Goose" Goslin played Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers. Goslin was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968. He was one of three players born in New Jersey to be elected to the Hall of Fame, and one of five to have attended school in the State – in each case, the only one from the southern part of the State. In 1999, he ranked Number 89 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. He is buried in the Baptist Cemetery in Salem. Ranked #6 on the Sports Illustrated list of The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures.[7]
- William J. Hughes, represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for 20 years.
- Orlando Jordan, professional wrestler
- Lydell Mitchell, running back in the National Football League for the Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers and Los Angeles Rams, spanning 1972-1980.
- Clement Hall Sinnickson, served in the United States House of Representatives from 1875 - 1879, where he represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district.
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 217.
- ^ DeLorme (2005). New Jersey Atlas & Gazetteer. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-324-9.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
- ^ U.S. Census Historical Data 1790-2000. Retrieved on 2007-03-16.
- ^ Data for 1790-1840 not available
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 63, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures, Sports Illustrated, December 27, 1999
[edit] External links
- Salem, New Jersey
- Salem City School District
- Salem City School District's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Salem City School District
- History of Salem
- Today's Sunbeam - Salem's local Newspaper
- Salem County Historical Society
- Salem page on Salem County website
- Maps and aerial photos
- 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
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