Galloway Township, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Galloway Township, New Jersey
Township
Student center of Stockton University situated in Galloway Township
Seal
Location of Galloway Township in Atlantic County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Atlantic County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
Census Bureau map of Galloway Township, New Jersey
Galloway Township, New Jersey Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey Show map of Atlantic County, New Jersey Galloway Township, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Galloway Township, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Atlantic
Royal charter	April 4, 1774
Incorporated	February 21, 1798
Named for	Joseph Galloway or Mull of Galloway
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (council–manager)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	114.49 sq mi (296.52 km2)
• Land	88.67 sq mi (229.65 km2)
• Water	25.82 sq mi (66.87 km2)  22.55%
Area rank	1st of 565 in state 1st of 23 in county
Elevation	30 ft (9 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,813
• Estimate  (2023)	37,876
• Rank	63rd of 565 in state 3rd of 23 in county
• Density	426.5/sq mi (164.7/km2)
• Density rank	452nd of 565 in state 13th of 23 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	08201, 08205
Area code(s)	609 exchanges: 404, 652, 748
FIPS code	3400125560
GNIS feature ID	0882052

Historic Oliphant Grist Mill

Galloway Township is a large community in Atlantic County, New Jersey. It's known for being the biggest town in the state by land and water area. In 2020, about 37,813 people lived here. This was the highest number of residents ever recorded for the township.

Galloway Township was officially created on April 4, 1774, by a special document from the King. At that time, it was part of Gloucester County. Later, on February 21, 1798, it became one of New Jersey's first 104 townships. Over the years, parts of Galloway Township were used to create other nearby towns like Mullica Township and Egg Harbor City.

Galloway Township is located in the South Jersey area. It's also part of the larger Atlantic City and Hammonton metropolitan area. This area is included in the even bigger Philadelphia-Reading-Camden region.

History of Galloway Township

Galloway Township was officially formed by King George III on April 4, 1774. Back then, it was much larger. It included areas that are now Hammonton, Mullica Township, and even parts of Atlantic City. The New Jersey Legislature later made it an official township on February 21, 1798.

For thousands of years before European settlers arrived, the Lenape Native Americans lived in this area. They were a historic tribe who spoke an Algonquian language.

When European settlers came, they were mostly English. Historians are not completely sure how Galloway Township got its name. One idea is that it was named after a region in southern Scotland called Galloway. Another idea is that it was named after Joseph Galloway, who was a delegate to the First Continental Congress in 1774. He was against the American colonies becoming independent. During the American Revolutionary War, a battle called the Battle of Chestnut Neck happened in what is now part of Port Republic.

In the spring of 2007, many oak and other hardwood trees in the area lost their leaves. This was caused by a type of caterpillar. In August 2011, Tropical Storm Irene made its second U.S. landfall near Brigantine, which is close to Galloway Township. It was a significant weather event for the region.

Geography and Local Areas

Galloway Township covers a total area of about 114.49 square miles. This includes both land and water. It has 88.67 square miles of land and 25.82 square miles of water. The township is considered a growing "edge city" near Atlantic City.

Several smaller communities are located within Galloway Township. These include Absecon Highlands, Cologne, Germania, Leeds Point, Oceanville, Pomona, Smithville, and the area around Stockton University.

Other small places and neighborhoods in the township include Conovertown, Doughtys, and South Egg Harbor.

Galloway Township shares borders with many other towns. These include Absecon, Atlantic City, Egg Harbor City, and Hamilton Township in Atlantic County. It also borders Bass River Township in Burlington County and Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County.

A large part of Galloway Township is within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. This is a special protected natural area that covers over a million acres. It's known for its unique environment and was set up by Congress in 1978.

Population and People

Galloway Township has seen its population grow over the years.

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 37,349 people living in Galloway Township. There were 13,067 households, which are groups of people living together. About 71.92% of the people were White, 11.44% were Black or African American, and 10.02% were Asian. About 10.05% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 31.6% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.64 people. The median age in the township was 38.6 years old. This means half the people were younger than 38.6 and half were older.

Population in 2000

In 2000, Galloway Township had 31,209 people. The population density was about 344.9 people per square mile. Most residents, 77.16%, were White. About 9.80% were African American, and 8.00% were Asian. Hispanic or Latino people made up 6.16% of the population.

About 25.8% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 34 years. The average household had 2.70 people.

How Galloway Township is Governed

Galloway Township uses a special type of local government called the Council-Manager system. This system started on January 1, 1976. In this system, the Township Council makes the main decisions and sets policies. The Council has seven members who are elected by the community. They serve four-year terms.

The Council chooses one of its members to be the Mayor and another to be the Deputy Mayor. These roles last for two years. The Mayor leads the Council meetings. A Township Manager handles the daily operations and services of the township.

As of 2024, the Mayor of Galloway Township is Anthony Coppola. The Deputy Mayor is Rich Clute. Other Council members include R.J. Amato III, Tom Bassford, Tony DiPietro, Clifton Sudler Jr., and Muhammad Umar.

Voting and Politics

In March 2011, Galloway Township had 22,037 registered voters. About 26.8% were registered as Democrats, and 23.7% were registered as Republicans. Many voters, 49.5%, were not affiliated with any major party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Barack Obama received more votes in Galloway Township than Mitt Romney. In the 2008 election, Obama also won in the township. However, in the 2004 election, George W. Bush received slightly more votes than John Kerry.

In the 2013 election for governor, Chris Christie received more votes than Barbara Buono. Christie also won in Galloway Township in the 2009 election.

Education in Galloway Township

Students in Galloway Township attend schools from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade within the Galloway Township Public Schools district. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district had about 3,164 students across six schools. This means there were about 10.4 students for every teacher.

The schools in the district include:

• Pomona Preschool (PreK)
• Arthur Rann Elementary School (K-6)
• Reeds Road Elementary School (K-6)
• Roland Rogers Elementary School (K-6)
• Smithville Elementary School (K-6)
• Galloway Township Middle School (7-8)

For high school, students in grades nine through twelve attend Absegami High School, which is located in Galloway Township. In the 2021–22 school year, Absegami High School had about 1,169 students. Some students in the western part of the township can choose to attend Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City. Both high schools are part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District.

Students can also attend special schools like the Atlantic County Institute of Technology or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts.

The Galloway Community Charter School used to serve students from kindergarten to eighth grade. It operated independently but closed at the end of the 2014–2015 school year.

Assumption Regional Catholic School is a Catholic elementary school for students up to eighth grade. It moved to a new campus in the township in September 2007.

Stockton University is a four-year university located in the Pomona section of Galloway Township. It offers many different subjects.

Galloway Township is also served by Atlantic Cape Community College. This is a community college with campuses in Mays Landing, Atlantic City, and Cape May Court House. It has over 8,000 students.

Transportation Around Galloway Township

As of 2010, Galloway Township had over 253 miles of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the township itself.

The Garden State Parkway runs through Galloway Township for about 5.7 miles. This major highway has several exits in the township, including for U.S. Route 30 and Route 561. Other important roads passing through the township include Route 50 and U.S. Route 30.

For public transportation, NJ Transit provides bus service to Atlantic City. These bus routes connect Galloway Township to other areas, including the Hamilton Mall and Lakewood Township.

Notable People from Galloway Township

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Galloway Township:

• Abdullah Anderson (born 1996), an American football player for the Chicago Bears.
• Nessa Barrett (born 2002), a singer-songwriter.
• Tabitha D'umo (born 1973), a choreographer.
• Shereef Elnahal (born 1985), a doctor who served as a Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Health.
• Vera King Farris (1938–2009), a former president of Stockton University.
• Anne Grunow (born around 1959), a research scientist at Ohio State University.
• Elias Higbee (1795–1843), an early historian for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
• Albert Hoffman (1915–1993), a painter and wood carver.
• Mike Isgro (born around 1988), a college football coach.
• Larry James (1947–2008), a gold medalist at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
• Fred Jerkins III, a music producer.
• Rodney Jerkins (born 1977), a music producer.
• Austin Johnson (born 1994), an American football player for the Los Angeles Chargers.
• Brett Kennedy (born 1994), a professional baseball pitcher.
• Mushond Lee (born 1967), an actor.
• Samuel Ojserkis (born 1990), a rower who competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Ford Palmer (born 1990), a professional middle-distance runner.
• Vincent J. Polistina (born 1971), a former member of the New Jersey General Assembly.
• Myron Rolle (born 1986), a neurosurgeon and former American football player.
• Jim Schultz (born 1972), who worked as an Associate White House Counsel.
• Erica Skroski (born 1994), a soccer player.

Places to Visit in Galloway Township

• Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge: This is a protected area for wildlife, with its main office and visitor center in the township.
• Galloway National Golf Club: A golf course designed by Tom Fazio, recognized as one of the best new courses in 1994.
• Historic Smithville and Village Greene: A charming historic village with shops and restaurants.
• Renault Winery: A local winery.
• Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club: A hotel and golf club that has hosted major golf tournaments.
• Sylvin Farms Winery: Another local winery.

See also

In Spanish: Municipio de Galloway para niños