Swedesboro, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Swedesboro, New Jersey
Borough
Trinity Church in Swedesboro
Seal
Map of Swedesboro highlighted within Gloucester County. Inset: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Swedesboro, New Jersey
Swedesboro, New Jersey Location in Gloucester County, New Jersey Show map of Gloucester County, New Jersey Swedesboro, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Swedesboro, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Gloucester
Incorporated	April 9, 1902
Government
• Type	Borough
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	0.77 sq mi (1.99 km2)
• Land	0.73 sq mi (1.89 km2)
• Water	0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2)  4.55%
Area rank	523rd of 565 in state 24th of 24 in county
Elevation	46 ft (14 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,711
• Estimate  (2023)	2,741
• Rank	459th of 565 in state 22nd of 24 in county
• Density	3,707.4/sq mi (1,431.4/km2)
• Density rank	181st of 565 in state 4th of 24 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08085
Area code(s)	856 Exchanges: 241, 467
FIPS code	3401571850
GNIS feature ID	0885415
Website

Swedesboro Grammar School

Swedesboro is a small town, called a borough, located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. It is part of the larger Philadelphia metropolitan area. In 2020, the town had a population of 2,711 people. This was the highest number of residents ever recorded for Swedesboro in a census.

Swedesboro became an official borough on April 9, 1902. It was created from parts of Woolwich Township. The town got its name from the early settlers who came from Sweden. Since 2000, Swedesboro has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. This means the town works hard to care for its trees and green spaces.

History of Swedesboro: From Native Americans to Swedish Settlers

Tomato shipping in Swedesboro, 1912

C. A. Nothnagle Log House, around 1700

Long ago, the area where Swedesboro is now was home to the Lenape Native Americans. Around 1650, settlers from Sweden arrived and made it part of a colony called New Sweden. These early Swedish and Finnish settlers were fishermen, hunters, and farmers.

Swedesboro was first called Sveaborg by the Swedish settlers. It was one of only three settlements in New Jersey that were part of the New Sweden colony. The oldest log cabin still standing in the U.S. is the C. A. Nothnagle Log House. It was built in Swedesboro around 1640 by Antti Niilonpoika. This historic cabin is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Another important historical building is Trinity Episcopal "Old Swedes" Church. It started as a Swedish Lutheran Church in 1703. The church building you see today was built in 1784.

Changes in Control and Growth of the Area

In 1655, the Dutch took control of New Sweden after a war. Then, in 1667, the English took over the region along the Delaware River. The English government needed a road to connect the towns of Burlington and Salem. So, they built the Kings Highway in 1691. This road helped more settlers come to the southern part of Gloucester County. They were attracted by the rich soil and many trees.

The community was originally called Raccoon. This name came from the Narraticon Native Americans who lived there. In 1765, the name was changed to Swedesboro.

Raccoon Creek and the Underground Railroad

Raccoon Creek is a waterway that runs for about 22.6 miles. In the late 1800s, it was deep enough for boats. People used it to transport wood and farm products to Philadelphia by way of the Delaware River.

The Van Leer Log Cabin in Swedesboro has a special history. It was once a trading post where Europeans traded with Native Americans. Later, it became a station on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.

Notable Visitors and Burials

Trinity Church Cemetery is where several important people are buried. These include Governor of New Jersey Charles C. Stratton and Congressman Benjamin Franklin Howey.

In 1976, Carl XVI Gustaf, the King of Sweden, visited Swedesboro. His visit was part of a tour of the United States.

Geography of Swedesboro

Swedesboro covers a total area of about 0.77 square miles (1.99 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

Swedesboro is an interesting town because it is completely surrounded by Woolwich Township. This makes it one of only 21 "doughnut towns" in New Jersey. A doughnut town is a municipality that is entirely enclosed by another municipality.

Population and Demographics

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, the 2010 United States census counted 2,584 people living in Swedesboro. There were 938 households and 645 families. The population density was about 3,568 people per square mile.

The census also looked at the different groups of people living in Swedesboro:

• About 69.8% were White.
• About 15.0% were Black or African American.
• About 1.4% were Asian.
• About 0.6% were Native American.
• About 9.5% were from other races.
• About 3.7% were from two or more races.
• About 17.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

The average household had 2.75 people, and the average family had 3.27 people.

• About 27.4% of the population was under 18 years old.
• About 10.0% of the population was 65 years or older.

The median age in Swedesboro was 32.7 years.

Education in Swedesboro

Students in Swedesboro attend public schools through two different districts.

Elementary and Middle School Education

Children from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade go to schools in the Swedesboro-Woolwich School District. This district serves students from both Swedesboro and Woolwich Township.

The district has four schools:

• Margaret C. Clifford School (Pre-K–K), located in Swedesboro.
• Governor Charles C. Stratton School (grades 1–2), in Woolwich Township.
• General Charles G. Harker School (grades 3–5), in Woolwich Township.
• Walter H. Hill School (grade 6), located in Swedesboro.

High School Education

Students in seventh through twelfth grade attend the Kingsway Regional School District. This district also includes students from East Greenwich, South Harrison, and Woolwich Townships. Students from Logan Township also attend Kingsway Regional High School.

The Kingsway Regional School District has two schools:

• Kingsway Regional Middle School (grades 7–8).
• Kingsway Regional High School (grades 9–12).

Other Educational Options

Students from across Gloucester County can apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology. This high school in Deptford Township offers technical and vocational training. It is a public school, so students do not pay tuition.

There is also a private Catholic school, Guardian Angels Regional School. It serves students from Pre-K through 8th grade and accepts students from Swedesboro.

Transportation in Swedesboro

County Route 551 in Swedesboro

Roads and Highways

As of 2010, Swedesboro had about 10.94 miles of roads. The town maintains 7.29 miles, and Gloucester County maintains 3.65 miles.

Key roads in Swedesboro include County Route 538 and County Route 551. Larger roads like U.S. Route 322 and the New Jersey Turnpike can be reached in nearby Woolwich Township.

Public Transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service. The 401 bus route connects Swedesboro to Salem and Philadelphia.

A freight train line, the Salem Branch, also runs through Swedesboro. It carries goods to and from the Port of Salem.

Notable People from Swedesboro

Many interesting people have connections to Swedesboro. Here are a few:

• Kenneth A. Black Jr. (1932–2019), a politician who served in the New Jersey government.
• Dorien Bryant (born 1985), a former college football wide receiver.
• Charles G. Garrison (1849–1924), a doctor, lawyer, and judge on the New Jersey Supreme Court.
• Charles Garrison Harker (1837–1864), a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
• Benjamin Franklin Howey (1828–1893), a politician who served in the U.S. Congress.
• William Nicholson Jeffers (1824–1883), an officer in the United States Navy.
• Kenneth Lacovara (born 1961), a paleontologist famous for discovering the dinosaur Dreadnoughtus.
• Ted Laux (1919–1965), an NFL football player for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Stephen Mallozzi (born 2001), a professional stock car racer.
• Earl Rapp (1921–1992), a professional baseball outfielder and scout.
• Charles C. Stratton (1796–1859), the 15th Governor of New Jersey.
• Joseph Pere Bell Wilmer (1812–1878), an Episcopal bishop.

See also

In Spanish: Swedesboro para niños