Smithville, Atlantic County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smithville, New Jersey
|
|
|---|---|
Oliphant Grist Mill at Smithville Village Greene
|
|
| Nickname(s):
Historic Smithville
|
|
.jpg) |
|
 Smithville, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Location in Atlantic County, New Jersey
Smithville, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Smithville, Atlantic County, New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Atlantic |
| Township | Galloway |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.055 sq mi (13.091 km2) |
| • Land | 5.001 sq mi (12.952 km2) |
| • Water | 0.054 sq mi (0.139 km2) 1.06% |
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Population
(2010)
|
|
| • Total | 7,242 |
| • Density | 1,448.2/sq mi (559.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Codes |
08201, 08205
|
| Area code(s) | 609 and 640 |
| FIPS code | 34-68190 |
| GNIS feature ID | 02584030 |
Smithville is a special kind of community in New Jersey. It is located within Galloway Township in Atlantic County. Smithville was officially recognized as a census-designated place (CDP) in 2010.
This community is about 15 miles (24 km) north of Atlantic City. In 2010, about 7,242 people lived there. Even though Smithville has been around since the American Revolutionary War, it was mostly a quiet, rural area until the 1960s. That's when the Smithville Towne Center opened. It's a popular place for visitors with over 80 shops. Later, it grew to include fun rides and more shops, becoming a big part of a planned community built in the 1980s.
Contents
Smithville's Interesting History
Smithville has a long and interesting past. The famous Smithville Inn was built here in 1787 by James Baremore. It started as a single room along a busy stagecoach route. Some historians wonder if it was always meant to be an inn. At that time, this area was known as part of Leeds Point.
How the Inn Grew
By 1874, the inn had become much larger, about six times its original size. It was very successful for many years. However, it was left empty around the early 1900s.
In 1952, a couple named Ethel and Fred Noyes bought the old inn. They worked hard to fix it up and reopened it as a restaurant. It started with 42 seats for guests.
Building a Historic Village
Around the 1960s, Ethel and Fred Noyes had a new idea. They wanted to turn the area into a historical attraction. They imagined something like Colonial Williamsburg. They moved several old buildings from other parts of South Jersey to Smithville. These buildings were carefully restored and turned into unique shops and fun places for visitors.
The Village Greene and New Homes
In 1990, a new company started building the second part of the Smithville Towne Center. This new area was called "The Village Greene." It added even more stores and exciting activities. You can enjoy paddleboats, miniature golf, a carousel, and an old-fashioned steam train.
The company also planned to build many new homes, called condominium units. They first planned for 6,800 units, but this number was later reduced to 4,000 due to legal reasons. Then, a difficult economic time in 1991 caused construction to stop. About 1,600 homes were finished. In 1995, the remaining land was sold to another company, KHovnanian. This company changed the plan again, building a 1,200-unit retirement community instead of 2,500 condos. This project was named "Four Seasons at Historic Smithville."
Where is Smithville Located?
Smithville covers an area of about 5.055 square miles (13.091 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Smithville is found within the New Jersey Pine Barrens. This is a large, unique forest area in southern New Jersey.
Who Lives in Smithville?
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 7,242 | — | |
| Population sources: 2010 | |||
Smithville's Population in 2010
The 2010 United States census counted 7,242 people living in Smithville. There were 3,282 homes and 2,084 families. The population density was about 1,448 people per square mile.
Most people in Smithville were White (77.53%). There were also people who identified as Black or African American (10.37%), Asian (7.71%), and other races. About 7.95% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In 2010, about 19.7% of homes had children under 18. Nearly half of the homes (47.8%) were married couples living together. The average home had 2.21 people, and the average family had 2.71 people.
The age of the people in Smithville varied. About 16.8% were under 18 years old. A large portion, 25.6%, were 65 years or older. The average age was 48.6 years.
Getting Around Smithville
_at_Exit_44_(Atlantic_County_Route_575,_Alternate_Atlantic_County_Route_561,_Port_Republic,_Smithville)_in_Galloway_Township,_Atlantic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
You can reach Smithville using the Garden State Parkway. If you are traveling south, take exit 48 and then use U.S. Route 9. If you are traveling north, take exit 44 and follow Moss Mill Road (which is also County Route 561 Alternate).
New Jersey Transit also offers bus service to Atlantic City on its 559 route.
Famous People from Smithville
Some notable people have connections to Smithville:
- Enoch Johnson (also known as "Nucky" Johnson) was born in Smithville. He was a well-known figure, mostly associated with Atlantic City.
- Mushond Lee (born in 1970) is an actor. He appeared on The Cosby Show and in the movie Lean on Me.
Images for kids
-
Oliphant Grist Mill at Smithville Village Greene
-
Map of Smithville
See also
In Spanish: Smithville (Nueva Jersey) para niños
