Mullica Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mullica Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Pleasant Mills
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Map of Mullica Township in Atlantic County. Inset: Location of Atlantic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Mullica Township, New Jersey
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 Mullica Township, New Jersey
Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey
Mullica Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Mullica Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Atlantic |
| Incorporated | March 13, 1838 |
| Named for | Eric Pålsson Mullica |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Body | Township Committee |
| Area | |
| • Total | 56.84 sq mi (147.22 km2) |
| • Land | 56.38 sq mi (146.01 km2) |
| • Water | 0.47 sq mi (1.21 km2) 0.82% |
| Area rank | 25th of 565 in state 4th of 23 in county |
| Elevation | 56 ft (17 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 5,816 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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5,802 |
| • Rank | 356th of 565 in state 14th of 23 in county |
| • Density | 103.2/sq mi (39.8/km2) |
| • Density rank | 540th of 565 in state 21st of 23 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
08217 – Elwood
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| Area code(s) | 609 |
| FIPS code | 3400149410 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882053 |
| Website | |
Mullica Township is a community located in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a type of local government called a township. In 2020, about 5,816 people lived here.
Mullica Township was officially created on March 13, 1838. It was formed from a part of Galloway Township. Later, some areas split off to form Egg Harbor City in 1858 and Hammonton in 1866.
The township and its river are named after Eric Pålsson Mullica. He was an early Swedish settler with Finnish family roots. Born in 1636, he started a home near the river. The Finnish word mullikka means "bull calf."
Contents
Geography and Communities
Mullica Township covers about 56.84 square miles (147.22 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.
Even though it has a smaller population, Mullica Township is home to many small communities. One important community is Elwood. It is an "unincorporated community," which means it's a recognized place but doesn't have its own separate local government.
Other small communities and places in the township include Amatol, Colwell, Da Costa, Devonshire, and Nesco. You might also find Pleasant Mills, Speedway, Sweetwater, and Weekstown. People in Mullica Township often feel very proud of their specific small community. They might say they are from Elwood or Sweetwater before saying they are from Mullica Township.
The township is in the northwest part of Atlantic County. It shares borders with Washington Township (separated by the Mullica River), Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township, and Hammonton. Mullica Township is about 13 miles (21 km) from Atlantic City and 40 miles (64 km) from Philadelphia.
Mullica Township is also part of the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. This is a special protected natural area with unique plants and animals. It covers a huge area of 1.1 million acres (4,500 square kilometers). Congress created it in 1978 to protect its natural beauty.
Population Over Time
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 1,056 | — | |
| 1850 | 918 | −13.1% | |
| 1860 | 1,600 | * | 74.3% |
| 1870 | 861 | * | −46.2% |
| 1880 | 717 | −16.7% | |
| 1890 | 697 | −2.8% | |
| 1900 | 880 | 26.3% | |
| 1910 | 811 | −7.8% | |
| 1920 | 1,166 | 43.8% | |
| 1930 | 1,425 | 22.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,500 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,804 | 20.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,944 | 63.2% | |
| 1970 | 3,391 | 15.2% | |
| 1980 | 5,243 | 54.6% | |
| 1990 | 5,896 | 12.5% | |
| 2000 | 5,912 | 0.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,147 | 4.0% | |
| 2020 | 5,816 | −5.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 5,802 | −5.6% | |
| Population sources: 1840–2000 1840–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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Population in 2010
The 2010 United States census showed that 6,147 people lived in Mullica Township. There were 2,154 households, which are groups of people living together.
Most residents, about 83.26%, were White. About 5.68% were Black or African American. About 7.19% were from other races, and 2.93% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 17.02% of the population.
About 23.1% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the township was 41.7 years.
Education
Mullica Township has its own school district called the Mullica Township Schools. This district serves students from pre-kindergarten up to eighth grade. In the 2020–21 school year, there were 652 students across two schools.
- Mullica Township Elementary School serves students in Pre-K through 4th grade.
- Mullica Township Middle School serves students in 5th through 8th grade.
Since 2016, students from Washington Township also attend Mullica Township Schools. This is part of a "sending/receiving relationship" where one district sends its students to another district's schools.
For high school, students in Mullica Township attend Cedar Creek High School. This school is located in Egg Harbor City. It opened in September 2010.
Cedar Creek High School is part of the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. This district includes Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, and Hamilton Township. Cedar Creek High School serves students from Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Port Republic, and Washington Township.
Students can also choose to attend special schools. These include the Atlantic County Institute of Technology for technical training. Another option is the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts for students interested in arts.
Transportation
_just_west_of_Atlantic_County_Route_623_(Elwood_Road)_in_Mullica_Township,_Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Mullica Township has many roads. As of 2010, there were over 106 miles (171 km) of roads. The local government maintains about 60 miles (97 km) of these roads. The county and state maintain the rest.
U.S. Route 30, also known as the White Horse Pike, runs through Mullica Township. You might notice that some street names, like Elwood Road or Weekstown Road, are used for different roads or even in nearby towns. This can sometimes be a bit confusing!
For public transportation, NJ Transit provides bus service. The 554 bus route connects Mullica Township to Lindenwold station and Atlantic City.
Notable People
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Mullica Township:
- Joseph Fralinger (1848–1927): He was a successful businessman. He is best known for selling salt water taffy.
- Day Deborah Lipford: She was crowned Miss Delaware in 1976. She was the first Black woman to become a semi-finalist in the Miss America Pageant.
- Eric Pålsson Mullica (1636–around 1704): He was an early Swedish settler. Mullica Township was named after him.
- Charles Saalmann (1836–1909): He was a captain in the Union army during the American Civil War. He also started the Black Rose Vineyard.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Mullica para niños
