- This is about a region in the United States. For the island of Jersey, see Jersey.
South Jersey is a colloquial term, with no consensus definition, covering the southern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean.
New Jersey is sandwiched between two large cities: New York City in the northeast and Philadelphia in the southwest; Benjamin Franklin called her "a barrel tapped at both ends". One definition defines South Jersey as the area below Interstate 195, in particular the "lower eight counties of New Jersey",[1] whereas North Jersey is the area above "Central Jersey". Another definition defines South Jersey as being the area in New Jersey within the influence of the Philadelphia metropolitan area, in contrast to the rest of New Jersey, located with the New York metropolitan area.
The shoreline areas, in particular Atlantic City, have a distinct economy centered around tourism.
Burlington and Camden counties have several older streetcar towns, and many residents commute to Philadelphia.
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South Jersey counties
South Jersey comprises eight counties.[2]
- Atlantic County
- Burlington County
- Camden County
- Cape May County
- Cumberland County
- Gloucester County
- Ocean County
- Salem County
Economics and demographics
In 2005, Money magazine named Moorestown the "best place to live" in the United States, although they stated that a number of adjacent municipalities (particularly Mount Laurel, Haddonfield, Medford, Marlton, Cherry Hill, and Voorhees) could have just as easily been given the distinction. New Jersey's population density, as well as the geographic limitations of such a populous state, make disparities between adjoining or neighboring towns readily evident. For example, Maple Shade, which abuts Moorestown, is a township of working class and middle income families.
By contrast, nearby Camden has excessive poverty and crime. Lindenwold, Clementon, Mt. Holly, Gloucester City, and Pemberton and Atlantic City contain large segments of working class citizens.
Professional-sports fans
The 2009 World Series divided the people of New Jersey, because South Jersey residents generally root for the Philadelphia Phillies, while North Jersey and Central Jersey residents usually root for the New York Yankees or the New York Mets.[3]
Commercial centers and resorts
South Jersey's regional commercial centers include: Cherry Hill, Camden, Jackson Township with Six Flags Great Adventure, and Atlantic City with its resort casinos, boardwalk, shopping, and beaches.
Other South Jersey beach resorts include:
- Avalon
- Brigantine
- Cape May
- Long Beach Island
- Longport
- Manahawkin
- Margate
- North Wildwood
- Ocean City
- Sea Isle City
- Stone Harbor
- Wildwood
- Wildwood Crest
- Ventnor
Notable South Jerseyans
- For a more extensive list of South Jersey natives, see categories: People from Atlantic County, People from Burlington County, People from Camden County, People from Cape May County, People from Cumberland County, People from Gloucester County, People from Ocean County, and People from Salem County.
- Malik Allen, basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the NBA
- Mike Bibby, basketball player for the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA
- Mary Birdsong, Deputy Cherisha Kimball on Reno 911!
- The Camden 28, anti-Vietnam war protesters
- Joanna Cassidy, actress
- Jeff Celentano, actor
- James Fenimore Cooper, author of Last of the Mohicans
- Musa Cooper, dancer
- Ron Dayne, football player for the Houston Texans of the NFL
- Kirsten Dunst, actress
- Joe Flacco, quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL
- Linda Fiorentino, actress (subject's wikipedia page indicates Philadelphia, PA, not South Jersey.)
- Calista Flockhart, actress
- Glenn Foley, former football player
- Chris Ford, former basketball player and coach
- Bruce S. Gordon, president of the NAACP
- Henry H. Goddard American psychologist and eugenicist
- Franco Harris, football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL
- Orel Hershiser, former baseball player and ESPN baseball analyst
- Vernon Hill, businessman
- Rodney Jerkins, rapper
- Phil Ivey, poker player
- Brian Joo, Korean American singer
- Michael Landon, actor
- Ali Larter, actress/model
- Al Leiter, former baseball player
- Carl Lewis, 9-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field
- Carli Lloyd, Olympic gold medalist in women's soccer
- Michelle Malkin, political commentator
- George Norcross III, political activist
- Alice Paul, American suffragist leader
- Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense
- Scott Patterson, actor
- Piper Perabo, actress
- Peace Pilgrim, peace activist
- Kelly Ripa, actress/talk show host
- H. Browning Ross, two-time steeplechase Olympian
- Michael Schoeffling, actor/wrestler
- Scott Schoeneweis, pitcher for the New York Mets of the MLB
- Patti Smith, musician
- Steven Spielberg, director/producer
- Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy's fast food chain
- Tiny Tim, Singer and musician
- Martin Truex, Jr., NASCAR driver
- Ben Vaughn, folk musician and NPR commentator
- Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve
- Bruce Willis, actor
- Walt Whitman, poet
- Nicole Wood, Miss April 1993 Playboy Playmate
- Norman Joseph Woodland, inventor of the bar code
Culture
A list of unique and notable South Jersey cultural and business institutions include, but is not limited, to:
- Absecon Light
- Adventure Aquarium
- Barnegat Light
- Batsto Village
- Blueberry farms in Hammonton
- Cape May Light
- Casinos in Atlantic City
- Clementon Amusement Park
- Commerce Bank
- Garden State Park
- Hereford Inlet Light
- Jersey Devil
- Lucy the Elephant
- PATCO High Speed Line
- Pine Barrens
- Shore Culture
- "On the Way to Cape May"
- Traffic circles
- Tuckerton Seaport
- Washington Street Mall
- Wawa Food Markets
- Wheaton Village
- USS New Jersey (BB-62)
See also
References
- ^ Di Ionno, Mark. Backroads, New Jersey (p. 49) , 2002. "Some say it's New Jersey's bottom eight counties-Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, and Salem."
- ^ Definition of South Jersey on Page 2, Southern New Jersey Development Council. Accessed January 12, 2008.
- ^ "The Turnpike Series: Phillies & Yankees divide N.J. - Part I", blog: Where is the line between North & South Jersey?, Oct. 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-05. "The Yankees-Phillies divide in New Jersey", blog: Where is the line between North & South Jersey?, Oct. 26, 2009. Retrieved 2009-11-05. See World Series#Other cross-state and inter-provincial rivalries.
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