Audubon, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Audubon, New Jersey
Borough
Aerial view of suburban Audubon, New Jersey
Seal
Location of Audubon in Camden County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Camden County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Census Bureau map of Audubon, New Jersey
Audubon, New Jersey Location in Camden County, New Jersey Show map of Camden County, New Jersey Audubon, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Audubon, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Camden
Incorporated	March 13, 1905
Named for	John James Audubon
Government
• Type	Walsh Act
• Body	Board of Commissioners
Area
• Total	1.50 sq mi (3.87 km2)
• Land	1.48 sq mi (3.84 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.04 km2)  0.93%
Area rank	451st of 565 in state 24th of 37 in county
Elevation	56 ft (17 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,707
• Estimate  (2023)	8,716
• Rank	275th of 565 in state 15th of 37 in county
• Density	5,875.2/sq mi (2,268.4/km2)
• Density rank	92nd of 565 in state 7th of 37 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08106
Area codes	856 exchanges: 233, 337, 619, 916, 962
FIPS code	3400702200
GNIS feature ID	0885144

Audubon is a small town, called a borough, located in Camden County, in the southern part of New Jersey. It's close to big cities like Philadelphia and Camden. In 2020, about 8,707 people lived here.

History of Audubon

The area that is now Audubon was first settled in the late 1600s. People used the land mainly for farms and mills. In 1695, it was part of a larger area called Newton Township.

How Audubon Got Its Name

By the early 1700s, the first families started building their homes. Two of these old farmhouses are still in Audubon today! One was built around 1732 by John Low. Another, known as "The Mansion House," was built around 1740 by Simon Breach. A shipbuilder named John Dialogue added a large part to it later.

A local nature expert and writer, Samuel Nicholson Rhodes, owned this farm from 1898 to 1912. His wife, Mrs. Rhodes, actually came up with the name for the town! When the Atlantic City Railroad arrived in the 1880s, the large farms were divided into smaller communities like Audubon, Cedarcroft, and Orston. More homes were built when train stations opened in Audubon and Orston in the 1890s.

On March 13, 1905, Audubon officially became a borough. This happened through a special act from the New Jersey Legislature. The town was named after John James Audubon, a famous naturalist who studied birds and nature. Later, in 1947, a small part of Audubon became its own borough called Audubon Park.

Heroes of Audubon

Audubon is special because it's home to three people who received the Medal of Honor. This is the highest award for bravery in the U.S. military. Audubon has more Medal of Honor recipients per person than any other town in the United States! These heroes are:

• Samuel M. Sampler (from World War I)
• Edward Clyde Benfold (from the Korean War)
• Nelson V. Brittin (also from the Korean War)

There is a memorial at Audubon High School to honor them.

Geography and Climate

Audubon covers about 1.50 square miles (3.87 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.

Neighboring Towns

Audubon shares its borders with several other towns. These include Audubon Park, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township, Haddonfield, Mount Ephraim, and Oaklyn.

Weather in Audubon

The weather in Audubon is known for having hot and humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Population of Audubon

In 2010, there were 8,819 people living in Audubon. This number went down slightly to 8,707 people by 2020. The average household had about 2.45 people.

Education in Audubon

The Audubon School District is in charge of public schools in the borough. It serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade.

Schools in the District

As of the 2023–2024 school year, the district has four schools:

• Audubon Preschool: for Pre-K students.
• Haviland Avenue School: for students in grades K–2.
• Mansion Avenue School: for students in grades 3–6.
• Audubon High School: for students in grades 7–12.

Some students from nearby towns also attend Audubon schools. Students from Audubon Park come here because their town closed its school in 1979. Also, high school students (grades 9–12) from Mount Ephraim attend Audubon High School.

For students interested in special skills, there are also the Camden County Technical Schools. These schools offer training for jobs and careers to high school students from all over Camden County. They have campuses in Gloucester Township and Pennsauken Township.

Transportation

U.S. Route 30 eastbound in Audubon

Audubon has many roads that help people get around. The borough has about 29.80 miles of roadways. Most of these are maintained by the town itself.

Main Roads

• U.S. Route 30, also known as White Horse Pike, runs through Audubon for about 0.9 miles. It connects Audubon to Oaklyn and Haddon Heights.
• Route 168, or Black Horse Pike, runs along Audubon's border for about 0.4 miles. It goes from Mount Ephraim to Audubon Park.

Public Buses

If you need to travel without a car, NJ Transit offers bus services in Audubon. These buses can take you to places like Philadelphia, Camden, the Cherry Hill Mall, and the Moorestown Mall.

Notable People from Audubon

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Audubon:

• Edward Clyde Benfold (1931–1952): A U.S. Navy sailor who bravely served in the Korean War and received the Medal of Honor.
• Nelson V. Brittin (1920–1951): Another brave Korean War veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor.
• Mario Cerrito (born 1984): A filmmaker, writer, and producer known for horror and thriller movies.
• Joe Flacco (born 1985): A professional football quarterback who has played for teams like the Indianapolis Colts.
• Bill Laxton (born 1948): A former professional baseball pitcher.
• Brett Laxton (born 1973): Also a former professional baseball pitcher, who played for the Oakland Athletics and Kansas City Royals.
• Edward Longacre (born 1946): A historian and writer.
• Vic Obeck (1917–1979): A football coach and executive.
• Merl Reagle (1950–2015): A nationally known creator of crossword puzzles.
• Samuel M. Sampler (1895–1979): A World War I veteran who was awarded the Medal of Honor.
• William Siri (1919–2004): A co-leader of the first American team to successfully climb Mount Everest. He also led the Sierra Club.
• Anne McConaghie Volp (1921–2010): A talented field hockey player and coach who was captain of the U.S. women's national team.
• John L. White (1930–2001): A politician who served in the New Jersey government.

See also

In Spanish: Audubon (Nueva Jersey) para niños