Bridgeton

Bridgeton, New Jersey
—  City (New Jersey)  —
Laurel Street in downtown Bridgeton in 2006
Bridgeton highlighted in Cumberland County. Inset map: Cumberland County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Bridgeton, New Jersey
Coordinates: 39°25′39″N 75°13′40″W / 39.4275°N 75.22778°W / 39.4275; -75.22778Coordinates: 39°25′39″N 75°13′40″W / 39.4275°N 75.22778°W / 39.4275; -75.22778
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	March 1, 1865
Government
- Type	Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
- Mayor	James Begley
- Administrator	Arch Liston[1]
Area
- Total	6.4 sq mi (16.7 km2)
- Land	6.2 sq mi (16.1 km2)
- Water	0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2)
Elevation [2]	30 ft (9 m)
Population (2006)[3]
- Total	24,389
- Density	3,659.8/sq mi (1,413.1/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	08302
Area code(s)	856
FIPS code	34-07600[4][5]
GNIS feature ID	0885169[6]
Website	http://www.cityofbridgeton.com

Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States, in the south part of the state, on the Cohansey River, near Delaware Bay. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 22,771. It is the county seat of Cumberland County^[7]. Bridgeton, Millville and Vineland are the three principal cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area. It encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes.

Similar to other areas near rivers and the bay, this area was inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. At the time of European contact, Lenni-Lenape Native Americans lived in the area, following a seasonal pattern of cultivation and hunting and fishing.

The first European settlement in what is now Bridgeton was made by 1686 when Richard Hancock established a sawmill here.^[8] Settlers established a pioneer iron-works in 1814. Bridgeton was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1865, from portions of Deerfield Township. Bridgeton city was incorporated on March 1, 1865, replacing both Bridgeton Township and Cohansey Township.^[9] After the American Civil War, Bridgeton became the most prosperous town in the state due to rapid industrialization. Bridgeton was home to glass factories, sewing factories, metal and machine works etc.

Bridgeton has the largest historic district of any incorporated town in New Jersey; it is dominated by large Victorian houses and a downtown area constructed in the 1920s. Bridgeton straddles the tidal Cohansey River and is located near the center of the Delaware Bay lowlands.

It is home to the Cohanzick Zoo and numerous large municipal parks.^[10] Bridgeton Park encompasses about 1,500 acres along with the Cohanzick Zoo, which is free to the public.

Although the city suffered an economic downturn in the 1980s, immigration from southern Mexico and elsewhere has recently led to a revitalization. A significant minority of Bridgeton residents speak Zapoteco.^{[citation needed]} Immigrants work primarily in agricultural processing occupations near the city, which are among some of the most productive in New Jersey. The downtown has been made more lively by Mexican-American places of business, as well as other businesses, such as a coffee shop/arts venue, a vintage clothing boutique, an arts gallery, and so on.

The state-recognized Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Indians of New Jersey maintain a cultural center here.

South Woods State Prison, opened near Bridgeton in 1997, is the largest state prison in New Jersey and provides a range of employment.

Geography

The Cohansey River in Bridgeton in 2006

Bridgeton is located at 39°25′46″N 75°13′50″W / 39.429564°N 75.230461°W / 39.429564; -75.230461 (39.429564, -75.230461).^[11] Bridgeton is located about one hour away from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 50 minutes away from Wilmington, Delaware. It is also about 1 hour away from Atlantic City and Cape May.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.4 square miles (16.7 km²), of which, 6.2 square miles (16.1 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (3.57%) is water.

Bridgeton borders Upper Deerfield Township, Hopewell Township, and Fairfield Township.

Demographics

As of the census^[4] of 2000, there were 22,771 people, 6,182 households, and 4,179 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,659.8 people per square mile (1,413.5/km²). There were 6,795 housing units at an average density of 1,092.1/sq mi (421.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 38.88% White, 41.84% African American, 1.19% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 13.67% from other races, and 3.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.49% of the population.

There were 6,182 households out of which 36.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 26.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.49.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 130.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 139.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,923, and the median income for a family was $30,502. Males had a median income of $28,858 versus $22,722 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,917. About 22.7% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.3% of those under age 18 and 17.8% of those age 65 or over.

New residents in the town include numerous possibly illegal immigrants from Mexico, whose Amerindian languages include Zapotec, Nahuatl, and Mixtec.

Government

The Cumberland County Courthouse in Bridgeton in 2006

Local government

The City of Bridgeton is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.^[13] Voters elect a Mayor and five City Council members. Council members are elected at-large in non-partisan elections and serve four-year concurrent terms.

The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality and appoints department heads with Council approval. The Mayor may remove department heads subject to Council disapproval by ⅔ of all members, prepares the budget. The Mayor has veto over ordinances subject to override by ⅔ of all members of Council.

The City Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads. The Council may disapprove removal of department heads by ⅔ vote of all members and can override the Mayor's veto by ⅔ of all members. The Council elects one of its own members to serve as Council President

The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality. Up to 10 departments may be created under the Mayor's direction. A Business Administrator assists the Mayor in budget preparation and administers purchasing and personnel systems. By ordinance, the Business Administrator may supervise administration of departments, subject to Mayor's direction.

The Mayor of Bridgeton is James Begley. Members of the City Council are Albert Kelly, Celeste Riley, Nicholas Salvatore, William Spence and Dennis Thompson.^[1]

On Election Day, May 9, 2006, Jim Begley defeated Michael Pirolli, 1,187 to 887.^[14]

Federal, state and county representation

Bridgeton is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District.^[15]

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, Ventnor City). 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, West Deptford Township) and in the Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Celeste Riley (D, Bridgeton).^[16] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).^[17]

Cumberland County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms in office, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.^[18] As of 2008^[update], Cumberland County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Louis N. Magazzu (term ends December 31, 2009), Deputy Director Bruce T. Peterson (2008), Jane Yetman Christy (2008), Joseph Pepitone (2010), Douglas M. Rainear (2010), Joseph P. Riley (2009) and Jeffrey M. Trout (2008).^[19]

Education

Bridgeton's public schools are operated by Bridgeton Public Schools. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide.^[20] Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[21]) are the G.O. Foster Early Childhood Center (394 students), six K-8/PreK-8 elementary schools — Broad Street School (874), Buckshutem Road School (304), Cherry Street School (438), Indian Avenue School (594), Quarter Mile Lane School (378) and West Avenue School (475) — and Bridgeton High School for grades 9-12 (1,082). Students from Downe Township and some students from Lawrence Township attend the high school as part of sending/receiving relationships.^[22]

Commerce

Portions of Bridgeton are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).^[23]

Places of interest

• Old Broad Street Presbyterian Church Cemetery, burial site of six U.S. Congressman, and a Governor of New Jersey
• Potter's Tavern- Revolutionary War-era tavern where local patriots met and The Plain Dealer was published (a local paper)
• Hill Crest Tavern- once stage-coach stop, now a fine restaurant and bar
• "7 Sisters"- oldest row of commercial buildings in Bridgeton

Notable residents

• Ella Reeve Bloor (1862-1951), radical labor organizer.^[24]
• Lucius Elmer (1793-1883), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district from 1843-1845.^[25]
• Douglas H. Fisher, member of the New Jersey General Assembly who represents the 3rd legislative district and served on the Bridgeton City Council from 1990-1992.^[26]
• Goose Goslin (1900-1971), Baseball Hall of Fame left fielder who played for the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers, in a career that ran from 1921-1938^[27]
• James G. Hampton (1814-1861) represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1845 to 1849.^[28]
• George Jamison (1962-), NFL linebacker who played for the Detroit Lions.^[29]
• Harvey Johnson (1919–1983), the head coach for the National Football League's Buffalo Bills.
• Frank LoBiondo (1946-), Congressman who represents New Jersey's 2nd congressional district.^[30]
• Brison Manor (1952-), defensive lineman who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Denver Broncos, from 1977-1984.^[31]
• Steve Rammel (1968-), retired U.S. soccer forward who played two seasons in Major League Soccer.^[32]
• Elias P. Seeley (1791-1846), 11th Governor of New Jersey in 1833.^[33]
• Joseph Archibald Clark (1822-1914), one of the founders of Cumberland Glass Mfg. Co.
• Clement Waters Shoemaker (1848-1914), one of the founders of Cumberland Glass Mfg. Co. and generous philanthropist.
• Oberlin Smith-Industrialist

References

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Bridgeton.

• City of Bridgeton website
• Bridgeton Public Schools
• Bridgeton Public Schools's 2007–08 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
• Data for the Bridgeton Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Bridgeton Police Department

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