Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington Township, New Jersey
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Township
|
||
George Jr. and Sarah Morgan House, listed on the NRHP
|
||
|
||
Location of Washington Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey. Inset: Location of Gloucester County in New Jersey.
|
||
Census Bureau map of Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
|
||
 Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in Gloucester County, New Jersey
Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  New Jersey |
|
| County |  Gloucester |
|
| Incorporated | February 17, 1836 | |
| Named for | George Washington | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 21.55 sq mi (55.81 km2) | |
| • Land | 21.35 sq mi (55.28 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.20 sq mi (0.53 km2) 0.95% | |
| Area rank | 130th of 565 in state 4th of 24 in county |
|
| Elevation | 115 ft (35 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 48,677 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
49,378 | |
| • Rank | 40th of 565 in state 1st of 24 in county |
|
| • Density | 2,280.4/sq mi (880.5/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 274th of 565 in state 10th of 24 in county |
|
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes | ||
| Area code(s) | 856 | |
| FIPS code | 3401577180 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882140 | |
| Website | ||
_seal.png)
Washington Township is a community in Gloucester County, New Jersey. It is called a township. In 2020, about 48,677 people lived here. This was a small increase from 2010. The township is part of the larger Philadelphia area.
In 2008, Money magazine said Washington Township was one of the "100 Best Cities to Live in the United States."
Contents
History of Washington Township
Washington Township became an official township on February 17, 1836. It was formed from parts of Deptford Township. The township was named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. Many places in New Jersey are named after him.
At first, parts of Washington Township moved between Gloucester County and Camden County. But by 1871, most of it was back in Gloucester County.
Early Communities and Settlers
The oldest community in Washington Township is Grenloch Terrace. Long ago, it was a busy Lenape Native American village called Tetamekon.
Many families were among the first settlers here. The Collins family lived at Chestnut Ridge Farm. Chestnut Ridge Middle School is named after them. The Turner family gave their name to Turnersville. Hurffville and Hurffville Elementary School are named after the Hurff family. The Heritage family started Heritage's Dairy Farm Stores. The community of Heritage Valley is named for them.
The Morgan family were the first people to live in the Olde Stone House. This house is a famous landmark in the township. The Bell family arrived in 1899. Bells Lake Park and Bells Elementary School are named after them. Sewell is named after General William Joyce Sewell. He was an important politician in New Jersey and the United States.
Geography of Washington Township
Washington Township covers about 21.55 square miles (55.81 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Communities and Neighbors
Turnersville is a community within Washington Township. It had about 3,742 people in 2010. Other smaller communities here include Bells Lake, Hurffville, and Grenloch Terrace.
The township shares borders with several other towns. These include Deptford Township, Glassboro, and Monroe Township in Gloucester County. It also borders Gloucester Township in Camden County.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 1,545 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,114 | 36.8% | |
| 1860 | 1,307 | * | −38.2% |
| 1870 | 1,567 | 19.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,366 | −12.8% | |
| 1890 | 1,155 | −15.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,252 | 8.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,396 | 11.5% | |
| 1920 | 1,460 | 4.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,068 | 41.6% | |
| 1940 | 2,048 | −1.0% | |
| 1950 | 2,496 | 21.9% | |
| 1960 | 4,923 | 97.2% | |
| 1970 | 15,741 | 219.7% | |
| 1980 | 27,878 | 77.1% | |
| 1990 | 41,960 | 50.5% | |
| 2000 | 47,114 | 12.3% | |
| 2010 | 48,559 | 3.1% | |
| 2020 | 48,677 | 0.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 49,378 | 1.7% | |
| Population sources: 1840 and 1880–2000 1850–1870 1840–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
|||
Population Details from 2010
In 2010, Washington Township had 48,559 people living in 17,287 households. Most people (about 87.7%) were White. About 5.8% were Black or African American, and 3.8% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 3.65% of the population.
About 24% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age in the township was about 40.6 years. Most households (61.4%) were married couples living together.
Education in Washington Township
The Washington Township Public School District serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade. In the 2018–19 school year, the district had 11 schools and about 7,202 students. This means there was about one teacher for every 11 students.
Schools in the District
The schools include:
- Grenloch Terrace Early Childhood Center (kindergarten)
- Bells Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Birches Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Hurffville Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Thomas Jefferson Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Wedgewood Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Whitman Elementary School (grades 1–5)
- Bunker Hill Middle School (grades 6–8)
- Chestnut Ridge Middle School (grades 6–8)
- Orchard Valley Middle School (grades 6–8)
- Washington Township High School (grades 9–12)
Students from anywhere in Gloucester County can also apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology. This high school in Deptford Township offers technical and job-focused education. Students do not pay tuition to go there.
Economy and Growth
Washington Township has two main business areas. The town center is around Greentree Road and other nearby roads. Here you can find Washington Township High School, the TD Bank Arts Centre, and the town's main building. The other big center is near Route 42. This road connects Philadelphia to the Jersey Shore.
Many people from South Philadelphia have moved to Washington Township over the years. Because of this, some people call it "South Philly South" or "Little South Philly."
Recent Development
Washington Township has grown a lot. In the 1960s, it had a few separate housing areas. Now, it has expanded outwards with many new homes.
Transportation in Washington Township
_at_the_exit_for_the_Atlantic_City_Expressway_in_Washington_Township,_Gloucester_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Roads and Highways
As of 2010, Washington Township had almost 200 miles of roads. Most of these roads are cared for by the township itself. Other roads are maintained by Gloucester County or the state of New Jersey.
Several important roads pass through the township:
- Route 42 (Black Horse Pike) runs along the east side.
- Route 168 (also Black Horse Pike) starts here and goes north.
- Route 47 (Delsea Drive) runs through the western part.
- Route 55 touches the eastern edge.
- The Atlantic City Expressway ends in Washington Township at Route 42.
Public Transportation Options
For public transport, you can reach the Lindenwold station about 10 miles away. From there, you can take NJ Transit trains or the PATCO Speedline into the city.
NJ Transit also offers bus service from Washington Township to Philadelphia. There are also local bus routes within the area.
Notable People from Washington Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Washington Township. Here are a few:
- Stephen Altamuro (born 1960), a politician.
- George Breen (1935–2019), an Olympic swimmer who won four medals.
- King Kong Bundy (born 1957), a professional wrestler and actor.
- Ryan D'Imperio (born 1987), a football player for the Minnesota Vikings.
- Anthony DeAngelo (born 1995), a professional ice hockey player.
- Sam Esmail (born 1977), a producer and director, known for Mr. Robot.
- Linda Fiorentino (born 1958), an actress.
- Chris Gheysens (born 1971), the CEO of Wawa Inc.
- Emily Gray (born 2000), a soccer player.
- Tara Lipinski (born 1982), a 1998 Olympic Gold Medalist in figure skating.
- Fred H. Madden (born 1954), a New Jersey State Senator.
- Paul D. Moriarty (born 1956), a former mayor and current politician.
- Justin Mortelliti (born 1980), an actor and singer.
- Cheryl Reeve (born 1966), a WNBA basketball coach.
- Mike Rossman (born 1955), a boxing champion.
- John Stevens (born 1966), an ice hockey coach.
- Mark Tatulli (born 1963), a cartoonist and children's book author.
- Milt Thompson (born 1959), a former baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies.
- John E. Wallace Jr. (born 1942), a former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice.
- Amy Wang (born 2002), a table tennis player who competed in the 2024 Olympics.
- Jamal Whitehead (born 1979), a United States district judge.
- John Yurkow, a college baseball coach.
