Vineland Borough, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vineland Borough, New Jersey
Borough
Map of Vineland City in Cumberland County, which includes the former Vineland Borough and Landis Township. Inset: Location of Cumberland County highlighted in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Vineland City, New Jersey, which includes the former Vineland Borough and Landis Township.
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Cumberland
Incorporated	May 28, 1880
Government
• Type	Borough
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (Eastern (EDT))

Vineland Borough was a town in Cumberland County, New Jersey. It existed from 1880 until 1952.

The borough was officially created by the New Jersey Legislature on May 28, 1880. This happened after people voted for it. It was formed from parts of Landis Township.

Later, on July 1, 1952, Vineland Borough and Landis Township joined together. They formed a new, bigger place called Vineland City. This merger also happened after a public vote. To celebrate, there was a big parade and speeches from important people like Senator Estes Kefauver.

History of Vineland Borough

How Vineland Started

In 1861, a man named Charles K. Landis bought about 20,000 acres (81 square kilometers) of land. This land was near Millville, New Jersey. It was also close to a railroad line that went to Philadelphia.

Landis wanted to create a special community. He imagined a place focused on farming and new ideas. He also wanted it to be a "Temperance Town," meaning no alcohol would be sold there.

Building the Community

The first houses in Vineland were built in 1862. Soon, train service connected the town to Philadelphia and New York City. By 1865, about 5,500 people lived there.

Landis had specific rules for people buying land. They had to build a house within a year. They also had to clear and farm 2.5 acres (1 hectare) of land each year. He also made sure there was space between houses and roads. This allowed for planting flowers and shade trees.

Landis Avenue was a main road, about 100 feet (30 meters) wide and 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) long. It ran east to west through the center of town. Other, narrower roads connected to it at right angles.

Growing Industries in Vineland

Landis discovered that Vineland's soil was great for growing grapes. This is how the town got its name! He encouraged Italian grape growers to move there. He offered them 20 acres (8 hectares) of land to clear and use for grapes.

Thomas Bramwell Welch started Welch's Grape Juice company. He bought grapes grown in Vineland to make "unfermented wine," which is grape juice. The good soil also attracted glass-making companies. The Progresso soup company also had a home there.

Throughout the first half of the 1900s, much of Vineland focused on the poultry (chicken) industry. This led to the city being called "The Egg Basket of America."

Saving the Chickens

Dr. Arthur Goldhaft started Vineland Poultry Laboratories (now Lohman Animal Health). He developed a fowl pox chicken vaccine. This vaccine saved millions of chickens from dying. Dr. Goldhaft's work helped protect the world's chicken supply from this disease. People even said he helped put "a chicken in every pot."

Supporting People with Special Needs

Vineland also had New Jersey's first school for people with intellectual disabilities. It was called the Vineland Developmental Center. Today, it has two campuses and provides care for women with intellectual disabilities in staffed cottages.

Henry H. Goddard, an American psychologist, worked at the Vineland Training School in Vineland. He directed the Research Laboratory there. This facility was well-known for its important work in understanding and helping people with intellectual disabilities.