Editing Woodbine, New Jersey (section)

==History==
Woodbine was founded in 1891 as a settlement for Eastern European Jews. The Baron DeHirsch Fund, organized by philanthropist [[Maurice de Hirsch]], purchased {{convert|5300|acre|km2|0}} of land in Dennis Township in Cape May County to start a settlement. Immigrants from [[Poland]] and [[Russia]] were invited to settle the new community. Within two years, they cleared the forest and built a settlement with thriving farms, with {{convert|800|acre|km2|1}} of land set aside as town lots. The residential center of Woodbine still uses the same grid that was originally laid out in 1891. Using modern agricultural practices under the direction of agriculturist and chemist [[Hirsch Loeb Sabsovich]],<ref>{{cite JEBE|wstitle=Сабсович, Гирш Лейб|volume=13|pages=802–803}}</ref><ref name=Sabsovich>Sabsovich, Katharine. [https://books.google.com/books?id=DJc1AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA186 ''Adventures in Idealism: A Personal Record of the Life of Professor Sabsovich''], Stratford Press, 1922. Accessed August 9, 2016. "In its gratitude, of course, Woodbine unanimously elected Professor Sabsovich its first Mayor, and its Mayor he continued until he was called to New York City to assume the responsibilities of general manager of the Baron de Hirsch Fund."</ref> the first colonists (Woodbine was sometimes called the "Jewish Colony" in the early days) turned Woodbine into a model agricultural community.

Woodbine was incorporated as a borough by an act of the [[New Jersey Legislature]] on March 3, 1903, from portions of Dennis Township.<ref name="Story"/> Because most of the original settlers were Jewish, Woodbine became known as "the first self-governing Jewish community since the fall of Jerusalem."<ref>[[Albert Shaw (journalist)|Shaw, Albert]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=nxrQH1vMgxkC&pg=PA354 ''The American Monthly Review of Reviews, Volume 36''], p. 354. Accessed July 30, 2013.</ref>

The community started the [[Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College]] in 1894. Until it was closed during [[World War I]] (1917), the college was a model of progressive education. The college and its graduates won many state, national, and international awards. World War I, however, signaled a change in the community from an agricultural economy to one with a light manufacturing economy. The Baron DeHirsch Agricultural College became what is today the [[Woodbine Developmental Center]], a state-run facility for training the mentally handicapped. The Developmental Center is Cape May County's largest employer.<ref>Leach, Ben. [http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/upper_capemay/explosion-rocks-vacant-laundryroom-at-woodbine-state-school-no-one/article_eee22a54-9e4e-11df-b00e-001cc4c03286.html "Explosion rocks vacant laundryroom at Woodbine State School, no one injured"], ''[[The Press of Atlantic City]]'', August 2, 2010. Accessed July 30, 2013. "The Woodbine Developmental Center is a state-run facility for training of the handicapped and is Cape May County's largest employer."</ref>

During [[World War II]], the [[United States Army]] built an airfield in Woodbine to be used as a training base and as a base for anti-submarine patrols. German [[U-boat]]s were very active off the East Coast of America, especially off the Jersey coast. Today, [[Woodbine Municipal Airport (New Jersey)|Woodbine Municipal Airport]] is the center of Woodbine's redevelopment efforts.<ref>[http://www.woodbinenj.com/airport.html Woodbine Municipal Airport], Borough of Woodbine. Accessed July 30, 2013.</ref>