Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Fairfield Township is a township in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area, which encompasses all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes and which constitutes a part of the Delaware Valley.<ref>New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 22, 2022.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 5,546,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 749 (−11.9%) from the 2010 census count of 6,295,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 12 (+0.2%) from the 6,283 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>
Fairfield Township was formed by Royal charter on May 12, 1697, from portions of the Cohansey Township area, while still part of Salem County, and was formed as a precinct in the newly created Cumberland County on January 19, 1748. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of the initial group of 104 townships in the state by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form Downe Township (September 26, 1772), Millville Township (February 24, 1801) and Lawrence Township (February 17, 1885).<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. 120. Accessed October 22, 2012.</ref>
The name Fairfield refers to its original settlers, who were émigrés from Fairfield, Connecticut who settled in the area in 1697.<ref name=About>About Fairfield, Fairfield Township. Accessed October 30, 2019. "In May of 1697, a group of potential settlers from Fairfield, Connecticut purchased a tract of land in Cohansey. The Provincial Assembly voted that the township be called Fairfield and empowered it with the privileges of other townships. It was one of the six original townships of Cumberland County. Originally, the area of Fairfield included what are now Fairfield, Lawrence, Downe, Commercial Townships, and a part Millville, west of the Maurice River."</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 30, 2015.</ref> The oldest Presbyterian church in South Jersey is said to date to June 1697. There is a plaque and an old cemetery which indicates the original log building.<ref name=EncyclopediaNJ>Laurie, Maxine N.; and Mappen, Marc; "Fairfield", Encyclopedia of New Jersey, p. 264. Rutgers University Press; 2004/2005. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 8, 2013.</ref> When it was first created as one of Cumberland County's original six townships, it included land that would later become Commercial Township, Downe Township, Lawrence Township and Millville.<ref name=About/>
Geography
[edit]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 43.82 square miles (113.50 km2), including 41.12 square miles (106.50 km2) of land and 2.70 square miles (7.00 km2) of water (6.17%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Fairton (with a 2010 census population of 1,264,<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Fairton CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 21, 2012.</ref>) and Gouldtown are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Fairfield Township.<ref>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Back Neck, Ben Davis Point, Clarks Pond, Fordville, Lanings Wharf, Mulfords Landing, New England Crossroads, Sea Breeze and Tindells Landing.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>
The township has three primary population centers: Sea Breeze, Fairton (originally named Bumbridge) and Gouldtown, an old African American community from the segregation period.<ref name=EncyclopediaNJ/><ref>O'Brien, Gina. "Fairfield Residents Set to Celebrate Township's Rich History", The Press of Atlantic City, September 28, 1997. Accessed October 22, 2012.</ref>
Fairfield Township borders the Cumberland County municipalities of Bridgeton, Deerfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Millville and Upper Deerfield Township, along with the Delaware Bay.<ref>Map of Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed October 28, 2019.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 6,295 people, 1,882 households, and 1,357 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,058 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 37.49% (2,360) White, 47.53% (2,992) Black or African American, 5.10% (321) Native American, 0.44% (28) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 4.58% (288) from other races, and 4.83% (304) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.84% (808) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 1,882 households, 24.6% had children under the age of 18; 43.6% were married couples living together; 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.9% were non-families. Of all households, 24.1% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.14.<ref name=Census2010/>
17.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 32.5% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 139.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 148.8 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
Fairfield Township had the highest percentage of Native Americans in any municipality in New Jersey, at 5.10% in the 2010 census.Template:Citation needed
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $46,895 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,014) and the median family income was $55,286 (+/− $4,900). Males had a median income of $45,333 (+/− $4,287) versus $32,763 (+/− $2,703) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $20,619 (+/− $1,444). About 6.7% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Fairfield township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 6,283 people, 1,751 households, and 1,322 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,915 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 41.41% White, 47.43% African American, 5.08% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.39% from other races, and 3.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.87% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Fairfield township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Fairfield township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2012.</ref>
There were 1,751 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.7% were married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.5% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.19.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township the population was spread out, with 19.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 146.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 161.7 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $37,891, and the median income for a family was $41,326. Males had a median income of $31,858 versus $23,931 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,547. About 6.9% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Fairfield Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<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 Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 19.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving a one-year term.
Template:As of, members of the Fairfield Township Committee are Mayor Marvin Pierce (D, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Deputy Mayor Michael Peterson (D, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Stephen M. Bateman (D, 2024), Benjamin Byrd Sr. (D, 2025) and Tommy Clark Jr. (D, 2023).<ref name=Committee>Township Committee, Fairfield Township. Accessed August 28, 2023.</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Fairfield Township. Accessed August 28, 2023.</ref><ref name=CumberlandDirectory>2023 Directory of Cumberland County, New Jersey, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Cumberland2022>Election Summary Report General Election Cumberland County November 8, 2022, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 28, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Cumberland2021>Election Summary Report General Election Cumberland County November 2, 2021, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 19, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Cumberland2020>General Election Results November 3, 2020, Official Results, Cumberland County, New Jersey, updated November 19, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>
JoAnne Servais was appointed to serve the unexpired term ending December 2014 of Dennis Pierce, who had resigned from office in June 2012 citing health issues.<ref>Woods, Don E. "Democrats win committee seats in Fairfield Township", South Jersey Times, November 6, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014. "Results for Fairfield's highly contested committee seats are in, with Michael Morton and JoAnne Servais winning the three-year seats and Viola Thomas Hughes winning the unexpired seat.... Servais, who became incumbent after Dennis Pierce stepped down for health reasons."</ref><ref>Woods, Don E. "Fairfield Township committeeman steps down for health reasons", South Jersey Times, June 13, 2012. Accessed June 23, 2014. "Dennis Pierce officially submitted his resignation on Monday, June 11. Pierce, who took the oath of office on Jan. 5, resigned only six months into his three year term."</ref>
Federal, state, and county representation
[edit]Fairfield Township is located in the 2nd 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 1st 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
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,639 registered voters in Fairfield Township, of which 1,603 (44.1%) were registered as Democrats, 409 (11.2%) were registered as Republicans and 1,627 (44.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Cumberland, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 76.9% of the vote (1,830 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 22.4% (534 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (15 votes), among the 2,405 ballots cast by the township's 3,739 registered voters (26 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 75.9% of the vote (1,860 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received 22.3% (547 votes), with 2,451 ballots cast among the township's 3,707 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.1%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 68.7% of the vote (1,476 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 29.6% (636 votes), with 2,149 ballots cast among the township's 3,400 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 63.2.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref>
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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 61.0% of the vote (774 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 37.2% (472 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (22 votes), among the 1,315 ballots cast by the township's 3,584 registered voters (47 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.7%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 65.% of the vote (925 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie with 27.2% (387 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 3.9% (56 votes), with 1,424 ballots cast among the township's 3,586 registered voters, yielding a 39.7% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Cumberland County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 23, 2012.</ref>
Corrections
[edit]Federal Correctional Institution, Fairton is in the township.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Education
[edit]The Fairfield Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Fairfield Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Fairfield Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 510 students and 35.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.6:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Fairfield Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> The district opened the new Fairfield Township School in September 2006, consolidating all grades into a single building located at 375 Gouldtown-Woodruff Road in the Gouldtown section of the township.<ref>"SCC, Fairfield Educators Open New Elementary School" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Schools Development Authority, December 16, 2006. Accessed September 10, 2014. "Students, teachers and parents in this rural Cumberland County community turned out today for a ribbon-cutting for the new Fairfield Elementary School. The school, which replaces two overcrowded facilities, will enhance academic achievement and provide much-needed early childhood education programs for 600 students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade."</ref>
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Cumberland Regional High School, which also serves students from Deerfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough, Stow Creek Township and Upper Deerfield Township.<ref>Cumberland Regional School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 5, 2016. "The Cumberland Regional School District, located in Western Cumberland County, provides students with a comprehensive learning environment in a nurturing and personalized setting. The district serves students in grades 9-12 who reside in the municipalities of Deerfield, Fairfield, Greenwich & Stow Creek, Hopewell & Shiloh, and Upper Deerfield."</ref><ref name=SJOL>Shott, Meghan. "Cumberland Regional High School", South Jersey magazine. Accessed June 5, 2016. "Cumberland Regional High School, located in the northwest part of Cumberland County, serves students from Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough, Stow Creek Township and Upper Deerfield Township."</ref><ref>Cumberland Regional High School Constituent Districts, Cumberland Regional High School. Accessed May 2, 2024.</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,124 students and 82.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.7:1.<ref>School data for Cumberland Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024. Note that faculty data was taken from the district and the ratio was then calculated on that basis.</ref> The high school district has a nine-member board of education, with board seats allocated to the constituent municipalities based on population; Fairfield Township has two seats on the board.<ref>New Jersey Boards of Education by District Election Types - 2018 School Election, New Jersey Department of Education, updated February 16, 2018. Accessed January 26, 2020.</ref><ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Cumberland Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed April 10, 2024. "The Cumberland Regional Board of Education is a Type II district located in the County of Cumberland, State of New Jersey. As a Type II District, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. The purpose of the district is to educate students in grades 9-12."</ref><ref>Board of Education, Cumberland Regional High School. Accessed May 2, 2024. "The Cumberland Regional School District is led by a nine-member Board of Education representing Cumberland Regional High School's constituent district municipalities: Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough, Stow Creek Township, and Upper Deerfield Township."</ref>
Students are also eligible to attend Cumberland County Technical Education Center in Vineland, serving students from the entire county in its full-time technical training programs, which are offered without charge to students who are county residents.<ref>Admissions Booklet, Cumberland County Technical Education Center. Accessed December 20, 2022. "Who Can Apply? Applicants must be enrolled in 8th grade and live in Cumberland County."</ref>
Transportation
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Roads and highways
[edit]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 Cumberland County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Cumberland County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
Route 49 is the main highway serving Fairfield Township.<ref>Route 49 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref> County Route 553 also traverses the township.<ref>County Route 553 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref>Cumberland County Road Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>
Public transportation
[edit]NJ Transit offers service on the 553 route between Upper Deerfield Township and Atlantic City.<ref>Transportation, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed May 2, 2024.</ref><ref>South Jersey Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Cross County Connection, as of April 1, 2010. Accessed December 15, 2014.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fairfield Township include:
- Nathaniel Clark Burt (1825–1874), Presbyterian clergyman<ref>Brown, John Howard (ed.) Lamb's Biographical Dictionary of the United States, Volume 1, p. 514. Accessed December 29, 2016. "Burt, Nathaniel Clark, clergyman, was born in Fairton, N. J., April 23, 1825."</ref>
- Harold Gould (1924–2012), baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Stars in the Negro leagues from 1947 to 1948<ref>Harold Gould Template:Webarchive, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Accessed December 29, 2016. "Born: September 29, 1924, Gouldtown-Fairfield Township, New Jersey"</ref><ref>Goldstein, Eric. "Harold Gould, former Negro Leagues player and South Jersey native, dies at age 88", South Jersey Times, November 12, 2012. Accessed December 29, 2012. "Born and raised in Gouldtown, Mr. Gould pitched for the Stars in from 1946-1948."</ref>
- John T. Nixon (1820–1889), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1859 to 1863<ref>John Thompson Nixon, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 24, 2007.</ref>
- Theophilus Gould Steward (1843–1924), author, educator, and clergyman, who was a U.S. Army chaplain and Buffalo Soldier of 25th U.S. Colored Infantry<ref>Seraile, William. Template:Usurped, Nebraska State Historical Society. Accessed December 29, 2016. "Born on April 17, 1843, to James and Rebecca Steward, Theophilus grew up in Gouldtown, a southern New Jersey community that dated to pre-Revolutionary War days."</ref>
References
[edit]External links
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