Florence Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 10,746.
Florence was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1872, from portions of Mansfield Township.[7]
Florence-Roebling is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Florence Township.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 10.1 square miles (26.3 km²), of which, 9.7 square miles (25.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (4.14%) is water.
Florence Township borders Burlington Township, Springfield Township, Mansfield Township, Bordentown Township, and the Delaware River.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1930 |
7,824 |
|
—
|
| 1940 |
7,229 |
|
−7.6% |
| 1950 |
7,455 |
|
3.1% |
| 1960 |
8,127 |
|
9.0% |
| 1970 |
8,560 |
|
5.3% |
| 1980 |
9,084 |
|
6.1% |
| 1990 |
10,266 |
|
13.0% |
| 2000 |
10,746 |
|
4.7% |
| Est. 2006 |
11,637 |
[3] |
8.3% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] |
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,746 people, 4,149 households, and 2,891 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,106.5 people per square mile (427.3/km²). There were 4,391 housing units at an average density of 452.1/sq mi (174.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.52% White, 9.74% African American, 0.18% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.65% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.
There were 4,149 households out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.3% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $56,843, and the median income for a family was $67,412. Males had a median income of $45,325 versus $31,215 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,529. About 4.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Florence Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government. Under this form of government the voters participate in partisan elections to choose a Mayor for a four-year term and two Council members At-Large and one Council members from each of three wards for overlapping terms of four years. The legislative power is vested in the Council and the Executive power is vested in the Mayor. The Mayor appoints a professionally qualified Business Administrator with the advice and consent of Council.[9][10]
The Mayor of Florence Township is William Berry (term ends December 21, 2011). Members of the Florence Township Council are:[1]
- Council President and Ward #1 Council Member Frank K. Baldorossi, Jr. (2009)
- Council Vice-President and Council Member-at-Large Dennis O'Hara (2011)
- Council Member-at-Large Sean Ryan (2011)
- Ward #2 Council Member Bruce D. Garganio (2009)
- Ward #3 Council Member Jerry Sandusky (2009)
Federal, state and county representation
Florence Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th Legislative District.[11]
New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Mercer County, Monmouth County and Ocean County, is represented by Christopher Smith (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 7th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Diane Allen (R, Edgewater Park Township) and in the Assembly by Herb Conaway (D, Delanco Township) and Jack Conners (D, Pennsauken Township).[12] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[13]
Burlington County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis. As of 2008[update], Burlington County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director James K. Wujcik (Cinnaminson Township, 2009), Deputy Director Joseph B. Donnelly (Cinnaminson Township, 2010), Dawn Marie Addiego (Evesham Township, 2008), Aubrey A. Fenton (Willingboro Township, 2008) and William S. Haines, Jr. (Medford Township, 2009).[14]
Education
The Florence Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[15]) are Roebling Elementary School (K–3; 470 students), [http://www.florence.k12.nj.us/Duffy/mld.htm Riverfront school Florence Township Memorial High School (9–12; 436).
Life Center Academy, established in 1975, serves a private, non-denominational, Christian school for over 300 students in grades K-12.[16]
Transportation
The River Line offers service to Camden and Trenton Rail Station, with stations in Roebling at Hornberger Avenue and Florence at U.S. Route 130.
New Jersey Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 409 route.[17]
Florence hosts New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 6A on the Pennsylvania Extension. 6A had been connected with Cedar Lane at an odd roadway setup (where Cedar Lane overpasses itself) the locals term the "whirlybird" until 1999, when the Authority constructed a double-trumpet interchange at US 130. The 6 toll gate is just east of Exit 6A on the Pennsylvania Extension. Interchange 6 (itself) is located in Mansfield Township.
Media
WIFI, 1460 AM, is a radio station broadcasting out of Florence Township. It has a Christian Contemporary format.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Florence Township include:
- Richard J. Hughes (1909-1992), politician, who served as the 45th Governor of New Jersey, from 1962 to 1970 and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973-1979.[18]
- Rich Dennison (1977-), former member of President Clinton's Speechwriting Team and Democratic nominee for New Jersey State Senate in 2007.[19]
- Wali Lundy (1983-), attended Florence Township Memorial High School for two years before transferring to Holy Cross High School. He played for the AFC South Division Houston Texans until being released from his contract on August 31, 2007.[20]
- Gene Olaff (1920-), former U.S. Soccer goalkeeper and former Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.
- Brian Opre, QB for Florence Flashes and then Cornell, who set NJ state passing records with the Flashes. Credited for scoring the game winning and first ever Touchdown in a college football OT game in 1996 versus Princeton.[21]
References
- ^ a b Florence Township Mayor and Township Council, Florence Township. Accessed June 24, 2008.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Florence, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed June 13, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Florence township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 18, 2007.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Snyder, John P. (1969). The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries, 1606-1968. Trenton, New Jersey: Bureau of Geology and Topography. pp. 96–. OCLC 23824.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 38.
- ^ Florence Township Government, Florence Township. Accessed July 28, 2006.
- ^ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New jersey League of Women Voters, p. 66. Accessed September 30, 2009.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ The Burlington County Board Of Chosen Freeholders, Burlington County, New Jersey. Accessed January 30, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Florence Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 24, 2008.
- ^ About Us, Life Center Academy. Accessed June 24, 2008.
- ^ Burlington County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 15, 2007.
- ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. "Richard J. Hughes, Governor and Judge, Dies at 83", The New York Times, December 8, 1992. Accessed December 23, 2007. "Mr. Hughes was born Aug. 10, 1909, in Florence, a town on the Delaware River a few miles south of Trenton."
- ^ [1]]. Accessed November 2, 2009.
- ^ Wali Lundy profile, Fox Sports (USA). Accessed September 4, 2006.
- ^ "Putting In for Overtime: Cornell Stuns Princeton", The New York Times, September 22, 1996. Accessed November 18, 2007.
External links
