Millville

Millville, New Jersey
—  City (New Jersey)  —
High Street in downtown Millville in 2006
Millville highlighted in Cumberland County. Inset map: Cumberland County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Millville, New Jersey
Coordinates: 39°23′24″N 75°03′16″W / 39.39°N 75.05444°W / 39.39; -75.05444Coordinates: 39°23′24″N 75°03′16″W / 39.39°N 75.05444°W / 39.39; -75.05444
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	February 24, 1801
Government
- Type	Walsh Act (New Jersey)
- Mayor	Tim Shannon
Area
- Total	44.5 sq mi (115.3 km2)
- Land	42.3 sq mi (109.7 km2)
- Water	2.2 sq mi (5.7 km2)
Elevation [1]	46 ft (14 m)
Population (2006)[2]
- Total	28,194
- Density	633.9/sq mi (244.8/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	08332
Area code(s)	856
FIPS code	34-46680[3][4]
GNIS feature ID	0885304[5]
Website	http://www.ci.millville.nj.us

The Maurice River in Millville in 2006

Millville is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city population was 26,847. Millville, Bridgeton and Vineland are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes.

Millville was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 24, 1801, from portions of Fairfield Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Landis Township on March 7, 1864. Millville was reincorporated as a city on March 1, 1866, based on the results of a referendum passed that same day.^[6]

Geography

Millville is located at 39°23′27″N 75°02′16″W / 39.390765°N 75.037641°W / 39.390765; -75.037641 (39.390765, -75.037641).^[7]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 44.5 square miles (115.4 km²), of which, 42.3 square miles (109.7 km²) of it is land and 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²) of it (4.92%) is water.

Millville borders Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Lawrence Township, Downe Township, Commercial Township, Maurice River Township, and Vineland.

Millville lies between the southern termini of the New Jersey Turnpike, the Garden State Parkway, Route 55 (which runs through the northeastern portion of the city) and the Atlantic City Expressway.

Demographics

The census of 2000 concluded, There were 26,847 people, 10,043 households, and 7,010 families residing in the city. The population density was 633.9 people per square mile (244.8/km²). There were 10,652 housing units at an average density of 251.5/sq mi (97.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.13% White, 14.99% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 5.16% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.17% of the population.

There were 10,043 households out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.65 and the average family size was 2.15.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,378, and the median income for a family was $46,093. Males had a median income of $36,915 versus $26,669 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,632. About 12.1% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.8% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

In 1801, Millville was first organized as a township, and became a city in 1866. Until 1913, Millville operated under a Mayor-Council form of government where the mayor was elected by the people. In 1913, a change of form of government to the Walsh Act was passed and the commission form of government became the way the city was run.^[9] Under this form of government as used in Millville, five commissioners are elected and one of these is selected from among its members to serve as the mayor.^[10][11]

The Millville City Commission consists of the following five members:^[12]

• Mayor J. Tim Shannon, Director of Parks & Public Property
• Vice-Mayor Joseph J. Derella, Jr., Director of Revenue and Finance
• James F. Quinn, Commissioner, Director of Public Affairs
• Dale Finch, Commissioner, Director of Public Works
• David W. Vanaman, Commissioner, Director of Public Safety

Federal, state and county representation

Millville is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District.^[13]

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 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Jeff Van Drew (D) and in the Assembly by Nelson Albano (D, Vineland) and Matthew W. Milam (D, Dennis Township).^[14] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).^[15]

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.^[16] 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).^[17]

Education

Millville Public Schools operates Millville's public schools, serving students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide.^[18]

Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[19]) are Child Family Center (586 students) for preschool, six K-5 elementary schools — Bacon Elementary School (303 students), Holly Heights Elementary School (539 students), Mt. Pleasant Elementary School (247 students), Rieck Avenue Elementary School (478 students), Silver Run Elementary School (534 students) and Wood Elementary School (255 students) — Lakeside Middle School for grades 6-8 (1,223 students), Memorial High School for grades 9 and half of 10th (614 students) and Millville Senior High School for grades 10-12 (1,545 students).

The district has sending/receiving relationships for High School with Maurice River Township, Commercial Township, parts of Lawrence Township, and Woodbine.

Commerce

Portions of Millville 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).^[20]

History

Wheaton Glass Works, November 1909. Photographed by Lewis Hine.

Millville's recorded history goes back to the early 1700s. A sawmill was believed to have existed at Leaming's Mill at around 1720. The area also had a public road, a boat landing, and even a bridge-like structure. From this time until the late 1700s, only a few residents lived in this area.

In 1776, Joseph Smith and Henry Drinker purchased 24,000 acres (97 km²) of land known as the Union Mills Tract. They also formed the Union Estates Company and built lumber mills along the Maurice River and established a dam to power these new mills. A new dam was not built until the 1860s.

Even with the Union Estates Company and the business that it had in the area, Millville had not grown to a very large size. In 1795, however, Captain Joseph Buck (his military title is disputed: most sources list him as a captain; however, other titles such as colonel and major have been attributed to him), an American Revolutionary War veteran who served under General George Washington, recognized Millville's potential and drew up plans for a community in this location. In the next few years, lots began to sell, and in 1801, Millville was first recognized as a township. Buck, however, died in 1803, before he could see his dream come to fruition. When he died, fewer than twenty houses had been built.

In 1806, an Irish immigrant named James Lee entered the area and opened a glass factory that really began to contribute to the expansion of the area. With his new factory, the settlement finally began to grow and more mills and glass factories began to sprout up. With the discovery of the mass amounts of silica sand, which was among the finest in the world, combined with the great number of trees to fuel the necessary fires, the glass-making industry thrived in this area.

With the expanding industry in Millville, immigrants entered the area in large numbers. In the early 1820s, only a few hundred people resided in Millville. By 1880, more than 7,600 people called Millville their home.

In the early 1850s, Buck's plan seemed to be becoming more and more of a reality. With the establishment of Smith and Wood Iron Foundry as well as New Jersey Mills, Millville continued to grow. In 1860, a bleachery and dye house were added to New Jersey Mills, which then became Millville Manufacturing. With this new business, David Wood constructed the aforementioned dam, forming the largest man-made lake in the state. This dam powered the entire manufacturing organization. By 1870, the mill had 600 employees and in 40 years this number was doubled.

In 1862, Charles K. Landis laid out the city of Vineland about two and a half miles east of the Maurice River. In 1864, Vineland was separated from Millville Township and joined the new Landis Township.

Up to the late 1990s the Millville downtown area was depressed and somewhat isolated with investors reluctant to venture in its development. Major redevelopment has occurred in the past several years; establishing the scenic Riverfront and Downtown areas into an artists' haven including many studios, shops and restaurants. Older abandoned buildings have been restored with continued major development on the horizon.

Today Millville has a thriving and still growing arts district officially named the "Glasstown Arts District". A public art center with galleries and studios that is open 6 days a week is the hub of activity. Seven full-time galleries and 10 part-time galleries and studios are open mostly on weekends and on 3rd Fridays.

WheatonArts and the Creative Glass Center of America includes a major collection of early American glass with contemporary glass from CGCA Fellows and working glass artists in a restored 19th century glass factory.

Fine dining restaurants, bars with live entertainment and outdoor beer gardens, and shops and boutiques now welcome visitors from all over the country. Shops include antiques, unique gift items, hand-crafted clothing, art glass, ceramics, and print galleries. Not to mention the number of eco and fiscally responsible stores.

Transportation

Route 47, Route 49 and Route 55 all pass through the city.

Millville Municipal Airport, operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority, serves general aviation.

NJ Transit has several bus routes that service the Millville region.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Millville include:

• A. R. Ammons (1926-2001), author and poet, winner of the National Book Award.^[21]
• Fred Pierce Corson (1896–1985), a Bishop of The Methodist Church.^[22]
• Julie Ann Dawson (1971-), a horror fiction writer, RPG designer, and publisher.
• Merritt Gant (1971-), guitarist for metal band Overkill
• Leon Henderson (1895-1986), administrator of the Office of Price Administration from 1941 to 1942.^[23]
• James R. Hurley (1932-), politician^[24]
• Claudia E. McCarthy (1949-), NJ Hall Of Fame Coach ^[25]
• William A. McKeighan (1842-1895), Nebraska Populist politician.^[26]
• Steve Romanik, played collegiate football for the Villanova Wildcats, and played quarterback in the NFL from 1950-1954 for the Chicago Bears and Chicago Cardinals.^[27]
• Hannah Whitall Smith (1832–1911), a lay speaker and author in the Holiness movement in the United States and the Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
• Logan Pearsall Smith (1865-1946), essayist and critic.^[28]
• Edward C. Stokes (1860-1942) Governor of New Jersey 1905-1908 ^[29]
• Frank H. Wheaton Sr. (1881-1983) became known as the "dean of American Glassware" during his tenure as Wheaton Industries president
• John M. Whitall (1800–1877), a prominent U.S. sea captain, businessman and philanthropist

See also

• New Jersey Motorsports Park

References

External links

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

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