Stow Creek Township, New Jersey
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Stow Creek 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 for statistical purposes.<ref>New Jersey: 2020 Core Based Statistical Areas and Counties, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 10, 2023.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 1,312,<ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 119 (−8.3%) from the 2010 census count of 1,431,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of two people (+0.1%) from the 1,429 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>
It is a dry township, where alcohol is not permitted to be sold by law.<ref>New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)</ref><ref>Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref>
History
[edit]Stow Creek dates back to January 19, 1748, when it was formed as one of six precincts in the newly created Cumberland County. It was formally incorporated as a township on February 21, 1798.<ref name=Story/>
As part of a political battle over the site of the county seat for Cumberland County, Columbia Township was formed on March 12, 1844, from portions of Hopewell and Stow Creek Townships; the short-lived municipality included all of present-day Shiloh, in addition to extensive additional land, but all was returned to its original home when Columbia Township was dissolved on March 11, 1845, surviving as an independent municipality for a day short of one year.<ref name=Story/><ref>About Shiloh, Borough of Shiloh. Accessed November 1, 2019. "In 1837, to settle a tie on the Board of Freeholders as to whether to move the county seat from Bridgeton to Millville, a new municipality called Columbia Township was formed in Shiloh. The new Columbia Freeholder voted to keep the county seat in Bridgeton and the community of Shiloh was again split into Hopewell and Stow Creek."</ref>
The spelling of the township's name was changed from "Stoe Creek" to "Stow Creek" on October 1, 1924.<ref>About Us, Stow Creek Township. Accessed November 1, 2019. "On October 1, 1924, the New Jersey Legislature officially changed the name of the township from 'Stoe Creek' to 'Stow Creek'."</ref>
On April 9, 1929, portions of the township were taken to create Shiloh. On October 1, 1924, the New Jersey Legislature officially changed the name of the township from "Stoe Creek" to "Stow Creek", though it is unclear when "Stow" had become "Stoe".<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. 122. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>
The township's name is shared with the Stow Creek, a tributary of the Delaware River.
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.89 square miles (48.93 km2), including 18.27 square miles (47.31 km2) of land and 0.63 square miles (1.62 km2) of water (3.32%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Arrowhead Lake, Cumberland Causeway, Garrisons Corner, Gum Tree Corner, Jericho, Kernans Corner, Macanippock, Marlboro, Roadstown, Seventh Day Mill, Stow Creek Landing, Town Hall and Willis Corner.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 28, 2014.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The township borders the municipalities of Hopewell Township, Greenwich Township and Shiloh in Cumberland County; and Alloway Township, Lower Alloways Creek Township and Quinton Township in Salem County.<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 1,431 people, 543 households, and 412 families in the township. The population density was 78.2 per square mile (30.2/km2). There were 568 housing units at an average density of 31.0 per square mile (12.0/km2). The racial makeup was 91.33% (1,307) White, 4.47% (64) Black or African American, 1.40% (20) Native American, 0.28% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.98% (14) from other races, and 1.54% (22) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.40% (63) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 543 households, 26.2% had children under the age of 18; 61.7% were married couples living together; 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.1% were non-families. Of all households, 19.2% 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 2.64 and the average family size was 3.01.<ref name=Census2010/>
20.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.9 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $71,333 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,849) and the median family income was $78,583 (+/− $7,836). Males had a median income of $52,500 (+/− $12,034) versus $38,036 (+/− $3,668) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,860 (+/− $3,146). About 4.1% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.3% 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 Stow Creek township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 1,429 people, 536 households, and 425 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 560 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 93.42% White, 3.50% African American, 1.61% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.84% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.68% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Stow Creek township, Cumberland County, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Stow Creek township, Cumberland County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref>
There were 536 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% 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 3.01.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $52,500, and the median income for a family was $58,583. Males had a median income of $35,500 versus $26,528 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,925. About 5.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Stow Creek 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 governing body is comprised of a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat 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. 103.</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.
Template:As of, members of the Stow Creek Township Committee are Mayor Dale F. Cruzan Sr. (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Thomas R. Burton (R, 2025) and Dave Shivers (R, 2024).<ref name=Committee>Township Committee, Stow Creek Township. Accessed AuSeptember 3, 2023.</ref><ref name=Budget>2021 Municipal User Friendly Budget for Stow Creek Township, Burlington County, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed September 3, 2023. Note that this is the most recent budget as of date accessed.</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>
The township does not have a formal municipal building. Township committee meetings are held in the municipal building of Shiloh.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Stow Creek 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 3rd state legislative district.<ref>2022 Adopted Map: Municipalities Table, New Jersey Apportionment Commission, adopted February 18, 2022. Accessed April 1, 2022.</ref><ref>Symons, Michael. "What’s Your New NJ Legislative District? 20% Moved on New Map", WPGG, February 25, 2022. Accessed April 20, 2023. "3rd Legislative District... ADDS: Greenwich (Cumberland), Harrison, Hopewell, Mantua, Pitman, Shiloh, Stow Creek, Wenonah, Westville (22% of the district) LOSES: Bridgeton, Franklin, Newfield, Woodbury Heights"</ref>
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Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 979 registered voters in Stow Creek Township, of which 200 (20.4%) were registered as Democrats, 362 (37.0%) were registered as Republicans and 416 (42.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Cumberland, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.9% of the vote (447 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.5% (238 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (4 votes), among the 697 ballots cast by the township's 982 registered voters (8 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.0%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 58.5% of the vote (431 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama, who received 38.4% (283 votes), with 737 ballots cast among the township's 979 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.3%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.6% of the vote (455 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry, who received around 34.4% (242 votes), with 704 ballots cast among the township's 915 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Cumberland County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref>
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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.1% of the vote (355 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.1% (114 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (4 votes), among the 483 ballots cast by the township's 942 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.6% of the vote (308 ballots cast), ahead of both Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.1% (148 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 6.3% (32 votes), with 508 ballots cast among the township's 962 registered voters, yielding a 52.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Cumberland County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed October 24, 2012.</ref>
Education
[edit]The Stow Creek School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade at Stow Creek School.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Stow Creek Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 11, 2024.</ref> As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 125 students and 25.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 4.9:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Stow Creek Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> In the 2016-17 school year, it had the 13th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state.<ref>Guion, Payton. "These 43 N.J. school districts have fewer than 200 students", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 2017. Accessed January 30, 2020. "Based on data from the state Department of Education from the last school year and the Census Bureau, NJ Advance Media made a list of the smallest of the small school districts in the state, excluding charter schools and specialty institutions.... 13. Stow Creek Township - Enrollment: 123; Grades: K-8; County: Cumberland"</ref> Under the Greenwich - Stow Creek Partnership established in 2009 with the Greenwich Township School District in Greenwich Township, students from both townships attend Morris Goodwin School for grades K-4 and Stow Creek School for grades 5-8.<ref>About Our Schools, Greenwich Stow Creek Partnership Schools. Accessed February 2, 2020. "By taking advantage of the economies of scale their combined numbers permit, the Greenwich-Stow Creek Partnership endeavors to maximize their limited financial resources and provide the students from both communities with the best education possible.... As the Partnership’s primary school, Morris Goodwin now has enough students to support activities that were previously not available to students. Special offerings for enrichment have been incorporated into the daily schedule. Likewise, Stow Creek School, as the partnership’s middle school, now has enough students to support complete departmentalization with subject-certified, highly-qualified teachers in every area."</ref>
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Cumberland Regional High School, which also serves students from Deerfield Township, Fairfield Township, Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh Borough 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>Constituent DistrictsTemplate:Dead link, Cumberland Regional High School. Accessed June 5, 2016.</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, with each municipality assigned a minimum of one seat; Stow Creek Township has one seat 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
[edit]_just_west_of_Cumberland_County_Route_635_(Old_Cohansey_Road)_in_Stow_Creek_Township,_Cumberland_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
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>
New Jersey Route 49 is the main highway providing access to Stow Creek.<ref>Route 49 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed November 1, 2019.</ref><ref>Cumberland County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 14, 2023.</ref>