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Moorestown, New Jersey

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Template:For Template:Distinguish Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Moorestown is a township in Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia and geographically part of the South Jersey region of the state. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 21,355,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 629 (+3.0%) from the 2010 census count of 20,726,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 1,709 (+9.0%) from the 19,017 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref> The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.<ref>New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 1, 2023.</ref>

Moorestown was authorized to be incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1922, from portions of Chester Township (now Maple Shade Township), subject to the approval of voters in the affected area in a referendum. Voters approved the creation on April 25, 1922.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 97. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Staff. Acts of the One Hundred and Forty-Sixth Legislature of the State of New Jersey, pp. 123-127. New Jersey Secretary of State, 1922. Accessed October 17, 2015. "Chapter 68 - An Act to incorporate the township of Moorestown, in the county of Burlington"</ref> The township is named for a Thomas Moore who settled in the area in 1722 and constructed a hotel<ref name=History>About Moorestown, Moorestown, New Jersey. Accessed January 10, 2025. "Thomas Moore and his wife Elizabeth settled here in 1722 and in 1732, Moore purchased 33 acres of land on the north side of King's Highway.... Mr. Moore set up a hotel on the northwest corner of King's Highway and Union Streets (currently a bank).... The old homestead on the northeast corner of King's Highway and Lenola Road was constructed in 1742 by John Cowperthwaite. Because of its excellent example of an 18th century home, record of its construction was made in 1937 by the U.S. Department of Interior and is now recorded in the Library of Congress."</ref> though other sources attribute the name to poet Thomas Moore.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 8, 2015.</ref>

Chester Township had banned all liquor sales in 1915, and Moorestown retained the restrictions for more than 70 years after Prohibition ended in 1933. Referendums aiming to repeal the ban failed in both 1935 and 1953. In 2007, the township council approved a referendum that would allow the sale by auction of six liquor licenses (the state limit of one per every 3,000 residents), with estimates that each license could sell over $1 million each.<ref>Jones, Richard G. "A New Fight for a Holdout on Prohibition", The New York Times, July 17, 2007. Accessed July 19, 2007.</ref> The referendum did not receive enough votes to pass. In 2011, voters repealed the liquor ban; however, liquor sales in the township will be restricted to the Moorestown Mall.<ref>Hefler, Jan. "Moorestown repeals liquor ban", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 9, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2012. "After months of heated debate, Moorestown voters decisively approved a proposal to allow restaurants at Moorestown Mall to sell liquor in the historically dry community.... Voters in the community of 19,000 people were asked two questions: whether to permit liquor sales, and then whether to restrict the sales to mall restaurants. Unofficial tallies show the vote on the first question was 4,138 to 2,740, and on the second, 3,750 to 2,876."</ref>

In 2005, Moorestown was ranked number one in Money magazine's list of the 100 best places to live in America.<ref>Best places to live 2005, Money magazine. Accessed May 17, 2006.</ref> The magazine screened over a thousand small towns and created a list of the top 100 for its August 2005 issue, in which Moorestown earned the top spot.

History

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File:Roberts Monument b.jpg
Roberts Monument
File:All are welcome.jpg
Friends Meeting House
File:Breidenhart (5).JPG
Breidenhart was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Main Street is located along a ridge historically occupied by the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. Two natural springs, one to the west (off Main Street before reaching the Perkins Center for the Arts, just by Roberts Elementary School) and one to the east (off North Stanwick Road) drew Native Americans and traders to the area.

In 1682, John and Sarah Roberts became the first English-speaking residents of Moorestown when they established their home. Their residence is now marked by the Roberts Monument at the intersection of County Route 537 and Route 73.<ref>DeCou, George (1929). Moorestown and Her Neighbors; historical sketches. Philadelphia: Harris & Partridge, Inc., pp. 7-9.</ref><ref>Lamborn, Suzanne Parry (2006). John and Sarah Roberts, with many related families. Morgantown, Pennsylvania: Masthof Press, pp. 1-3. Template:ISBN</ref> In May 1686, three years after the founding of Philadelphia, John Rodman bought Template:Convert on the west side of Chester Township, and Thomas Rodman bought Template:Convert in the same area; this soon became known as the Village of Rodmantown. The growing area around the eastern spring was known as the Village of Chestertown.<ref>Chaplin, Philippa J. "All about King George's 'Great Road'", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 3, 2004. Accessed June 26, 2012. "To the northeast, the Lenni Lenape had settled near two springs in what is now Moorestown. It is not known exactly when the Indians left, but sometime after Kings Highway came through in 1682, two white settlements sprang up near the springs - Rodmantown on the west end, around today's Church and Main Streets, and Chestertown on the east, around Chester and Main, according to Stephanie Herz, librarian for the Moorestown Historical Society."</ref>

In 1700, the first Society of Friends' Meeting House, built of logs, was erected on the King's Highway. Originally known as Meeting House Lane, Chester Avenue was laid out in 1720. The community at that time probably consisted of a few farmhouses along the King's Highway from Stanwick Road to Locust Street.<ref name=PI2004>Pray, Rusty. "A little bit country and a little bit ritzy", The Philadelphia Inquirer, October 20, 2004. Accessed June 26, 2012.</ref>

Thomas Moore and his wife Elizabeth settled here in 1722. In 1732, Moore purchased Template:Convert of land on the north side of the King's Highway. The land ran from the west side of the Friends' graveyard on the northwest corner of the King's Highway and Meeting House Lane on the east, and west to Locust Street on the western boundary of his property and north to Second Street. Moore set up a hotel on the northwest corner of the King's Highway and Union streets (Cornerstone Bank and the Wawa now occupy opposite corners there). Given Moore's extensive property ownership, the name Moorestown gradually replaced Chester informally in the center of town. Finally, Moorestown formerly split off from Chester and became a Township.<ref name=Story/>

The Coles Hotel, east of the corner of Main and Chester, was a stop on the stagecoach route connecting Camden with Trenton and Philadelphia. Construction of the railroad in 1867 superseded the stagecoaches and connected Mount Holly Township and Camden.<ref>Staff. "Moorestown's buildings tell centuries of tales", Courier-Post, June 23, 1999. Accessed June 26, 2012. "For most of the 1800s, the stagecoach traveled Kings Highway from Camden to Trenton. Moorestown was divided by the coming of the railroad -- residents welcomed the convenience, but shopkeepers feared local business would suffer with the access to Philadelphia.... John T. Evans had a real estate office, and the Coles Hotel, demolished in 1925 to make room for the Burlington County Trust Company, was located at 91 East Main Street."</ref>

A tavern built in 1745 by John Cox at what is now Main and Schooley streets was taken over in 1778 during the Revolutionary War by Hessian officers retreating from Philadelphia. In the years after the war, it was used for a town hall before 1812, when what is now called "Old Town Hall" was constructed.<ref name=History/>

A house constructed in 1742 by John Cowperthwaite at King's Highway and Lenola Road is listed in the Library of Congress with details of the house recorded in 1937 by the Historic American Buildings Survey of the United States Department of the Interior.<ref name=History/>

Quakers built Moorestown's first two schools in 1785. A brick schoolhouse was located near what is now the intersection of Route 73 and the Kings Highway overpass. A stone schoolhouse was located adjacent to the present Friends Meeting House at the intersection of Chester Avenue and Main Street. The first district school was opened in 1810. The first free Moorestown public school was established in 1873.<ref name=MFS>History, Moorestown Friends School. Accessed February 11, 2012. "In 1785, members of the Religious Society of Friends (also known as Quakers) erected a little brick schoolhouse at a point where Kings Highway passes over Route 73, in present day Maple Shade. The same year, they built a one-room stone schoolhouse on land west of the present Moorestown Friends Meeting House, on what is now part of the site of Moorestown Friends School."</ref>

Vernon Hill's Template:Convert mansion Villa Collina—Italian for "Hill House"—the largest private residence in New Jersey, is located in Moorestown.<ref>Smith, Eileen and Walsh, Jim. "Hill's climb took bank to heights of industry", Asbury Park Press, June 30, 2007. Accessed July 25, 2007. "Hill and his wife Shirley built Villa Collina, literally Hill House, a Template:Convert Tuscan-style mansion in Moorestown that is the biggest private residence in the state."</ref>

Moorestown's Quaker heritage is discussed in Moorestown resident and native historian William H. Kingston's book, Moorestown's Third Century: The Quaker Legacy.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 14.94 square miles (38.70 km2), including 14.73 square miles (38.15 km2) of land and 0.21 square miles (0.55 km2) of water (1.43%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The township is located in southwest Burlington County and borders Maple Shade to the south, Cinnaminson, and Delran to the west, Willingboro on the north and Mount Laurel to the east.<ref>Areas touching Moorestown Township, MapIt. Accessed February 28, 2020.</ref><ref>Burlington County Map, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed February 27, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> Moorestown is approximately Template:Convert east of Philadelphia.

Moorestown-Lenola is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Moorestown, which had a 2010 population of 14,217.<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Moorestown-Lenola CDP, Burlington County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 26, 2012.</ref>

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bortons Landing,Template:Citation needed North Bend, Stanwick and West Moorestown.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 23, 2015.</ref>

Climate

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The climate in the Moorestown area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cooler winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Moorestown Township has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>Climate Summary for Moorestown, New Jersey, Weatherbase.com.</ref>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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Moorestown township, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition
Template:Nobold
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>Template:Cite web</ref> Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> % 2000 % 2010 Template:Partial
White alone (NH) 16,742 17,045 16,104 88.04% 82.24% 75.41%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1,056 1,278 1,171 5.55% 6.17% 5.48%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 24 14 20 0.13% 0.07% 0.09%
Asian alone (NH) 617 1,229 2,068 3.24% 5.93% 9.68%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 4 0 0.01% 0.02% 0.00%
Other Race alone (NH) 23 41 94 0.12% 0.20% 0.44%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 222 394 895 1.17% 1.90% 4.19%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 332 721 1,003 1.75% 3.48% 4.70%
Total 19,017 20,726 21,355 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

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The 2010 United States census counted 20,726 people, 7,450 households, and 5,625 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,862 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 84.50% (17,513) White, 6.42% (1,331) Black or African American, 0.09% (18) Native American, 6.00% (1,244) Asian, 0.02% (5) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (168) from other races, and 2.16% (447) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.48% (721) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 7,450 households, 38.1% had children under the age of 18; 61.7% were married couples living together; 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.5% were non-families. Of all households, 21.8% were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.21.<ref name=Census2010/>

27.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 19.0% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.1 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $108,655 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,347) and the median family income was $129,217 (+/− $6,334). Males had a median income of $100,266 (+/− $4,901) versus $60,057 (+/− $11,139) for females. The per capita income for the township was $58,458 (+/− $3,172). About 1.4% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Moorestown township, Burlington County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 11, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

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At the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 19,017 people, 6,971 households, and 5,270 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,211 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 89.19% White, 5.69% African American, 0.16% Native American, 3.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Moorestown township, Burlington County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 16, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Moorestown township, Burlington County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 16, 2013.</ref>

There were 6,971 households, of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.3% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 21.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Age distribution was 27.4% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median household income was $78,826, and the median family income was $94,844. Males had a median income of $74,773 versus $39,148 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,154. About 2.4% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Economy

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Several notable businesses house offices and operations in Moorestown. National and international corporations located in Moorestown Township include Destination Maternity,<ref>Directions to Corporate Headquarters, Destination Maternity. Accessed January 6, 2017. "The Destination Maternity Corporation headquarters are located in Moorestown, New Jersey."</ref> Lockheed Martin,<ref>Remediation in Moorestown, NJ, Lockheed Martin. Accessed January 6, 2017.</ref> Comcast Cable, Coca-Cola, and the United States Navy.

Otis Elevator has its largest U.S. branch in Moorestown outside of the Otis Elevator headquarters located in Farmington, Connecticut.

BAYADA Home Health Care, which employs over 18,000 nursing support staff in 250 offices throughout the United States and India, has its international headquarters in Moorestown.<ref>Contact Us, BAYADA Home Health Care. Accessed November 27, 2013.</ref>

Government

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Local government

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File:Main St. Moorestown Arial.webp
Moorestown's Main St. and surrounding areas

Moorestown's municipal government operates within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under Council-Manager plan E, which was implemented as of January 1, 1967, based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission.<ref>"The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, July 2007. Accessed October 8, 2013.</ref> This form of government is used in 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Township Council is comprised of five members, who are elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election in even-numbered years.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 43.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 12. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> At a reorganization meeting held in January after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members. The township manager, a full-time professional administrator, is appointed by the council. Under the township's administrative code and the Faulkner Act, the manager has the township's executive and administrative authority and responsibility. The township manager is Kevin Aberant.<ref name=Manager/>

Template:As of, the Moorestown Township Council includes Mayor Quinton Law (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2025), Deputy mayor Sue Mammarella (D, term on committee ends 2028; term as deputy mayor ends 2025), James A. Barry (D, 2028), Nicole Gillespie (D, 2026) and Christopher Keating (D, 2028).<ref name=TownCouncil>Township Council, Moorestown Township. Accessed January 10, 2025. "Moorestown's local government utilizes the Council-Manager plan. The township’s municipal government is comprised of a five-member, elected council. These members are elected to a four year term and serve on a volunteer basis."</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Moorestown Township. Accessed January 10, 2025.</ref><ref name=Burlington2024>General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results, Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 21, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Burlington2022>November 8, 2022 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results, Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 29, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In 2004, Moorestown elected a majority Democratic council for the first time in its history. In 2008, the Moorestown Republicans won back three seats, giving them a 4–1 majority starting in 2009. On Election Day 2012, Republicans Victoria Napolitano (5,580 votes), and Phil Garwood (5,467 votes), along with Democrat J. Greg Newcomer (5,345 votes), won election to the three open seats on the township council, outpacing Republican Pete Palko (5,321 votes) and Democrats Brian Sattinger (4,899 votes) and Mark Hines (4,869 votes).<ref>November 6, 2012 Summary Results Template:Webarchive, Burlington County. Accessed December 31, 2012.</ref> Republicans maintained a 4–1 majority, and Stacey Jordan was sworn in as Moorestown's first female mayor on January 7, 2013.<ref>Scott, Rob. "Councilwoman Tapped to be Moorestown's First Female Mayor; Stacey Jordan is expected to be chosen as the new mayor at township council's reorganization meeting on Jan. 7.", Moorestown Patch, December 25, 2012. Accessed June 3, 2013.</ref>

During summer 2007, the township hall suffered smoke and water damage caused by an electrical fire.<ref>Staff. "Fire Creates Mess for Moorestown Government", WPVI, August 6, 2007. Accessed April 12, 2011.</ref> The township offices were temporarily located at 2 Executive Place, Moorestown Township with council meetings held during that time at the William Allen Middle School Auditorium and court sessions are conducted in Maple Shade.<ref>Comegno, Carol. "Moorestown extends town hall timetable", Courier-Post, January 26, 2010. Accessed April 12, 2011. "Court offices have moved to Maple Shade, most township offices are on Executive Drive and council has been meeting at the William Allen Middle School."</ref> On December 10, 2012, Town Council members John Button, Greg Gallo, Stacey Jordan, Chris Chiacchio, and Mike Testa, along with Councilmembers-elect Victoria Napolitano and Greg Newcomer, broke ground on the new Town Hall, which was completed in 2014 <ref>Scott, Rob. " Moorestown Town Hall Construction Will Start by Month's End; Construction crews are expected to install a fence today blocking off the library parking lot, which will remain up throughout construction.", Moorestown Patch, December 10, 2012. Accessed June 3, 2013.</ref><ref>Lepore, Sam. "New Town Hall In Moorestown Opens May 19th", Moorestown Patch, May 12, 2014. Accessed September 8, 2015. "Moorestown has announced that the Township Administrative Offices that are currently located at 2 Executive Drive, will be relocated to the new Town Hall at 111 West Second Street on May 19, 2014."</ref>

In the 2014 elections, Stacey Jordan was re-elected to council along with her Republican running mate, Manny Delgado, who made history by becoming Moorestown's first Hispanic Councilman when he took office in January 2015. During the same reorganization meeting, Victoria Napolitano became Moorestown's youngest mayor ever at the age of 26, and may also be the youngest female to ever hold the office of mayor statewide.<ref>Bauma, Brigit. "Moorestown Township Council decides Mayor and Deputy Mayor", The Moorestown Sun, January 12, 2015. Accessed January 10, 2025. "On that night, Councilwoman Victoria Napolitano, at the age of 26, became the youngest Moorestown mayor, and perhaps the youngest female New Jersey mayor ever, while newly-elected Councilman Manuel Delgado became the council's first member of Hispanic descent."</ref><ref>McHale, Todd. "Municipal reorganizatons continue with some firsts", Burlington County Times, January 6, 2015. Accessed January 16, 2015. "Moorestown appointed the youngest mayor ever to serve in the post, and swore in the first Hispanic council member to serve on the Township Council during the annual reorganization meeting Tuesday night. By a majority vote, the Township Council appointed 26-year-old Victoria Napolitano as mayor."</ref>

In December 2015, the township council selected Lisa Petriello from three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in 2016 that was vacated by Greg Newcomer when he left office the previous month.<ref>Bauma, Brigit. "Lisa Petriello is chosen to fill Newcomer's term on Moorestown Council", The Moorestown Sun, December 23, 2015. Accessed January 10, 2025. "Lisa Petriello was unanimously approved as the newest member of council during the Dec. 23 special meeting. She will fill the unexpired term of Greg Newcomer, who resigned on Nov. 30 due to health reasons."</ref>

In November 2016, Republican incumbent Victoria Napolitano won re-election along with her Republican running mate Mike Locatell and Democrat Lisa Petriello, continuing the Republican Party's 4-to-1 majority. At the township's January 2017 reorganization meeting, Manny Delgado was elected by his peers as Moorestown's first Hispanic mayor.<ref>Everett, Rebecca. "Moorestown swears-in township's first Hispanic mayor", NJ.com, January 4, 2017. Accessed January 6, 2017. "But his swearing-in as mayor at Moorestown's council reorganization Tuesday did mark a first: He is the first Hispanic mayor in the township. Delgado will now lead the town council, which he was first elected to in 2014.... Also at Tuesday's reorganization, according to the Burlington County Times, Jordan became deputy mayor and two council members, Republican Mike Locatell and Lisa Petriello, the only Democrat on the council, were sworn in."</ref>

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $11,241, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.<ref>Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Moorestown Township was $11,241 in 2018, the highest in Burlington County."</ref> That year, Democrats Nicole Gillespie and Brian Donnelly defeated Republican incumbent Manny Delgado and Jamie Boren, giving Democrats control of council for the second time in history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the council's reorganization meeting in January, 2019 Lisa Petriello was elected by her peers as mayor, with Nicole Gillespie serving as deputy mayor.

In January 2020, Nicole Gillespie was elected mayor and Brian Donnelly as deputy mayor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On November 3, 2020 Democrats Sue Mammarella, Dave Zipin and Jake VanDyken made history by defeating three Republican opponents to give Democrats the first ever 5-0 majority on Moorestown council beginning in January, 2021.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 2021, the Township Council unanimously elected Nicole Gillespie as mayor for a 2-year term, Sue Mammarella as deputy mayor, and selected Quinton Law to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Brian Donnelly until he resigned from office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The appointment made Law the youngest and the first Black councilmember in township history.<ref>Flynn, Kelly. "Law is youngest and first Black Moorestown council member", Moorestown News, January 29, 2021. Accessed July 11, 2022. "Quinton Law made Moorestown history on two fronts at the Jan. 27 township council meeting. Upon his official swearing in, he became the first Black and youngest person appointed to town council. Law was appointed to fill the seat left vacant by former Deputy Mayor Brian Donnelly."</ref> Law served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name="Burlington2021">November 2, 2021 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results, Burlington County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In January 2022, Nicole Gillespie was re-elected to a second term on council and Quinton Law was elected to a full term, retaining the Democrat's 5-0 majority.

In January 2023, Nicole Gillespie and Quinton Law were unanimously elected as mayor and deputy mayor by their peers. In December of 2023, Jake Van Dyken resigned from Moorestown council for personal reasons, and the remaining councilmembers unanimously appointed Christopher Keating to fill the unexpired term until December, 2024.

Mayors

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Federal, state, and county representation

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Moorestown is located in the 3rd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

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Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 13,978 registered voters in Moorestown Township, of which 3,955 (28.3% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 5,126 (36.7% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 4,887 (35.0% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Burlington, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 67.4% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 92.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 5,789 votes (50.1% vs. 58.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 5,656 votes (49% vs. 40.5%) and other candidates with 102 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 11,623 ballots cast by the township's 14,801 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.5% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County).<ref>Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Burlington County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Burlington County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 6,099 votes (51.9% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 5,435 votes (46.3% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 98 votes (0.8% vs. 1.0%), among the 11,746 ballots cast by the township's 14,274 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Burlington County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 5,792 votes (50.4% vs. 46.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 5,576 votes (48.6% vs. 52.9%) and other candidates with 66 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 11,482 ballots cast by the township's 13,714 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.7% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Burlington County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 4,683 votes (66.4% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 2,210 votes (31.3% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 71 votes (1.0% vs. 1.2%), among the 7,058 ballots cast by the township's 14,925 registered voters, yielding a 47.3% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county).<ref>2013 Governor: Burlington County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, January 29, 2014. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 5, 2013 General Election Results : Burlington County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, January 29, 2014. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 4,128 votes (53.4% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 3,166 votes (40.9% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 345 votes (4.5% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 53 votes (0.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 7,736 ballots cast by the township's 14,206 registered voters, yielding a 54.5% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Burlington County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 25, 2014.</ref>

Historic district

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Template:Infobox NRHP

The Moorestown Historic District is a Template:Convert historic district encompassing the community. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1990, for its significance in architecture, commerce, community development, and exploration/settlement from 1720 to 1940. The district includes 351 contributing buildings and four contributing sites. Breidenhart, Moorestown Friends School and Meetinghouse, Smith Mansion, and Town Hall, which were previously listed individually on the NRHP, contribute to the district.<ref name="nrhpdoc">Template:Cite web With Template:NRHP url</ref>

Education

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Template:Further The Moorestown Township Public Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Moorestown Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Moorestown Township School District. Composition: The Moorestown Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Moorestown Township."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 3,884 students and 345.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Moorestown Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics)<ref>School Data for the Moorestown Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> are George C. Baker Elementary School<ref>George C. Baker Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 397 students in grades PreK-3, Mary E. Roberts Elementary School<ref>Mary E. Roberts Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 313 students in grades PreK-3, South Valley Elementary School<ref>South Valley Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 392 students in grades PreK-3, Moorestown Upper Elementary School<ref>Moorestown Upper Elementary School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 853 students in grades 4-6, William Allen Middle School<ref>William Allen Middle School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 616 students in grades 7-8 and Moorestown High School<ref>Moorestown High School, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref> with 1,267 students in grades 9-12.<ref name=Administration>Administration, Moorestown Township Public Schools. Accessed February 19, 2024.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Elsinboro Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 1, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Moorestown Township Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Students from Moorestown, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton.<ref>Why Choose BCIT?, Burlington County Institute of Technology. Accessed November 27, 2013.</ref>

Moorestown Friends School is a private Quaker school located at East Main Street and Chester Avenue. The school serves approximately 700 students from preschool through twelfth grade.<ref name=MFS/>

Our Lady of Good Counsel School, which operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is attached to Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish; located behind the church on Prospect Avenue, it was founded in 1927 and has about 480 students from nursery through eighth grade.<ref>Who We Are, Our Lady of Good Counsel School. Accessed February 7, 2023.</ref><ref>Burlington County Elementary Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. Accessed February 7, 2023.</ref> In 2015, the school was one of 15 schools in New Jersey, and one of six private schools, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in the exemplary high performing category by the United States Department of Education.<ref>2015 National Blue Ribbon Schools All Public and Private, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Accessed November 14, 2016.</ref><ref>Mueller, Mark. "Which N.J. schools were named National Blue Ribbon schools?", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 29, 2015. Accessed November 14, 2016. "Fifteen New Jersey schools have been recognized by the federal government as National Blue Ribbon Schools, a designation that celebrates excellence in academics or progress in closing the achievement gap among groups of students.... Each of the 15 New Jersey schools was chosen for the 'exemplary high performing' category, which weighs state or national tests, high school graduation rates and the performance of subgroups of students, such as those who are economically disadvantaged."</ref>

Additionally there are students from Moorestown who attend Resurrection Catholic School in Cherry Hill.<ref>About, Resurrection Catholic School. Accessed February 7, 2023.</ref> This school is under the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden.

Transportation

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File:2018-05-22 18 12 22 View east along New Jersey State Route 38 at Burlington County Route 608 (Lenola Road) in Moorestown Township, Burlington County, New Jersey.jpg
Route 38 in Moorestown

Roads and highways

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Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Burlington County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Burlington County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed November 17, 2013.</ref>

The most prominent highway serving Moorestown is Route 38.<ref>Route 38 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2016. Accessed February 5, 2023.</ref> CR 537 also passes through the town.<ref>County Route 537 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated July 2012. Accessed February 5, 2023.</ref> Both roads run east–west and parallel to each other with no intersection.<ref>Burlington County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 7, 2023.</ref>

Public transportation

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NJ Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on routes 317 (from Asbury Park), and during rush hours weekdays, on the 414. Other buses such as the 407, 413 and 457 run between the Moorestown Mall and the Walter Rand Transportation Center in Camden, from which there are connecting buses into Philadelphia and a station on the PATCO Speedline with service between Center City Philadelphia and Lindenwold. Burlington County provides rush hour public transit van service on the Burlink B9 route on weekdays from the Palmyra River Line station to the Moorestown Mall and some intermediate points.<ref>Burlink B9 Schedule, South Jersey Transportation Authority, effective August 4, 2013. Accessed June 29, 2015.</ref>

Moorestown does not have its own train station, though the original plan of the PATCO line had a station in Moorestown.<ref>A History of Commitment, PATCO Speedline. Accessed June 26, 2012.</ref> Residents can drive to train stations in the nearby communities of Haddonfield and Lindenwold for access to the PATCO Speedline, and to Palmyra for NJ Transit's River Line service which connects to New York Penn Station through Trenton. NJ Transit Rail Operations still owns the single-track railway in the township, running from Pennsauken to Mount Holly, as a rail trail.

Miracle on the Hudson

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On June 5, 2011, J. Supor & Son transported the fuselage of US Airways Flight 1549 through Moorestown en route to the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. The convoy spent over 1.5 hours working to negotiate a single right turn in the center of the town. This was the most difficult maneuver on the entire seven-day, 788-mile journey. The difficulty of this one turn was known in advance. In order to negotiate the turn the team had to temporarily remove a street light and the corner of a grave yard fence.<ref>Persinko, Tim. "Miracle on Hudson Plane Gets Stuck in N.J. Plane that crash landed in the Hudson River has made another unscheduled stop, this time in Moorestown", WCAU, June 5, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2012. "The body of the Airbus A320, even without wings, is a bit too wide for an intersection in Moorestown, N.J., and its journey got stalled. Sitting on top of an over-sized flatbed trailer, the plane could not negotiate the turn at the corner of Maine Street and Chester Avenue."</ref>

Notable people

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Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Moorestown Township include:

File:MSG O'Connor.jpg
Brendan O'Connor

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Moorestown in fiction

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See also

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References

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Further reading

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