Medford, New Jersey


Medford is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,497, an increase of 1,464 from the 2010 census count of 23,033, which in turn reflected an increase of 780 from the 22,253 counted in the 2000 census. The township, and all of Burlington County, is a part of the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden combined statistical area and the Delaware Valley.
Medford was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1847, from portions of Evesham Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of the township were taken to form Shamong Township, Lumberton, and Medford Lakes. The township is part of the South Jersey region of the state.
WWW medfordtownship.com

History

The area now known as Medford first saw European settlement when Samuel Coles purchased of land in 1670. Shortly thereafter, families such as the Braddock, Prickett, Stratton, Branin, and Wilkins relocated to the area, many of whom have descendants residing in Medford today. Initially known as Upper Evesham, the area gradually developed from scattered homesteads into a small village. Several structures and roads built between the initial land sale and the American Revolutionary War, including Oliphant's Mill, Christopher's Mill, and the Shamong Trail, still exist today.
In 1820, the area officially adopted the name Medford of Upper Evesham with the establishment of a post office. This name was proposed by Mark Reeve, a developer who had recently visited Medford, Massachusetts. On March 1, 1847, Medford Township was formally separated from Evesham Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. The first township meeting took place at the Cross Roads on March 9, 1847, which remained the seat of township government for several years. Over time, the boundaries of Medford Township were altered, with portions taken to form Shamong Township in 1852 and Lumberton in 1860. The borders remained unchanged until 1939, when Medford Lakes was incorporated.
By 1825, a thriving glass-making industry had emerged in Medford, beginning with a furnace that produced window panes. By 1850, William Porter operated a glass factory on a triangular property bordered by South Main Street, Mill Street, and Trimble Street. The factory, which operated under names such as Medford Glass Works and Star Glass throughout the 1880s, employed approximately 250 workers at its peak. It fostered a "company town" atmosphere, providing housing for owners, managers, and workers, as well as a company store where workers could exchange scrip for food and necessities. Glass-making operations ceased around 1925, and the factory was demolished by the mid-1940s. Today, nearly 30 workers' homes are preserved on Trimble Street and Mill Street, along with the owners' and managers' residence at 126 South Main Street and the former company store at 132 South Main Street.
Dr. James Still, a self-taught African-American physician known as "the Black Doctor of the Pines," lived and practiced in Medford. Although his home was demolished in 1932, his office building was preserved when the State of New Jersey acquired it in 2006. It now serves as the Dr. James Still Historic Office Site and Education Center.
Medford's location along the Camden and Atlantic Railroad facilitated trade and contributed to rapid growth in the years following the American Civil War. By the 1920s, however, the railroad line had been dismantled, and the milling industry began to decline. Despite these changes, Medford continued to grow, largely due to its proximity to Philadelphia and Camden County, attracting families seeking a more rural lifestyle away from urban areas.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 39.81 square miles, including 38.80 square miles of land and 1.01 square miles of water. Unincorporated communities, localities, and place names located partially or completely within the township include Birchwood Lakes, Braddocks Mill, Chairville, Christopher Mills, Crossroads, Fairview, Kirbys Mill, Medford Lakes in the Pines, Melrose, Oak Knoll, Oakanickon, Oliphants Mills, Pipers Corners, Reeves, Taunton, Taunton Lake, and Wilkins.
The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering, that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. Part of the township is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Burlington County, along with areas in Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties.
Medford Lakes is an independent municipality encircled within the boundaries of Medford, making it half one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders Evesham Township, Lumberton, Mount Laurel, Shamong Township, Southampton, Tabernacle in Burlington County; and Waterford Township in Camden County.
The climate of Medford is classified as humid continental, with cold winters, hot summers, and year-round humidity. Annual precipitation for the area is, and annual snowfall is.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 23,033 people, 8,277 households, and 6,456 families in the township. The population density was. There were 8,652 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 94.33% White, 1.53% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 2.03% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.60% of the population.
Of the 8,277 households, 36.4% had children under the age of 18; 67.3% were married couples living together; 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 22.0% were non-families. Of all households, 18.1% were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.15.
26.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 20.6% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $107,883 and the median family income was $122,986. Males had a median income of $82,169 versus $58,324 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $45,926. About 0.8% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 22,253 people, 7,946 households, and 6,285 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 8,147 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 96.74% White, 0.76% African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.47% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 7,946 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 17.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the township, the age distribution of the population shows 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 30.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,059, and the median income for a family was $97,135. Males had a median income of $69,786 versus $37,012 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,641. About 0.9% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Brothers Charlie and Richie Ingui founded and sing with the R&B group Soul Survivors.

Parks and recreation

  • Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge is a nature preserve and wildlife rehabilitation center located on the southern border of Medford and is open to the public.
  • Freedom Park is a public park with extensive playground equipment, basketball and volleyball courts, bike paths, large pavilions, and large multipurpose fields, including a dog run.
  • Kirby's Mill is a grist mill that has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Medford Canoe Trail is a recently cleared canoe trail connecting Medford Park to Kirby's Mill.
  • Historic Medford Village offers shopping, historic homes and an old-fashioned atmosphere, serving as the site of Medford's traditional Dickens Festival.
  • JCC Camps at Medford is the largest Jewish day camp in North America, operating since 1942. Part of the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey, the camp is accredited by the American Camp Association. Catering to children aged three and up from Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties, it offers a leader-in-training program for teenagers 14 or older. Located amidst the lakes of Medford in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, the camp includes a lake for boating and fishing, four pools, playgrounds, athletic fields, a petting zoo, and a ropes course, and serves kosher lunch.
  • Camp Ockanickon, Matollionequay, and Stockwell are three neighboring YMCA summer camps and conference centers that cover over in the Pine Barrens.

Government

Local government

Medford Township operates within the Faulkner Act under the Council-Manager form of municipal government, implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of January 1, 1980. The township is one of 42 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the five-member Council, whose members are elected at-large in partisan elections to staggered four-year terms of office as part of the November general election, with either two or three seats up for election in odd-numbered years. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Council selects a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor from among its members.
Mayor Chris Myers resigned from the Township Council in December 2011, after it was disclosed that he had hired a male escort. He was replaced in January 2012 by Chuck Watson.
The township council selected Brad Denn in October 2014 from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of James "Randy" Pace, who resigned from office after he moved out of state. Denn was elected to serve the remaining two years of office in November 2015.
In March 2019, Lauren Kochan was selected from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the unexpired term of office ending in December 2019 that had been vacated the previous month by Chris Buoni, who announced that he was moving out of the township.
, members of the Medford Township Council are Mayor Charles "Chuck" J. Watson, Deputy Mayor Lauren Kochan, Frank P. Czekay, Erik J. Rebstock and Donna Symons.

Federal, state, and county representation

Medford Township is located in the 3rd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

Education

Medford Township Public Schools is a public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district has five elementary schools serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade, a single school serving sixth graders and a school serving seventh and eighth graders. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 2,517 students and 225.1 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1. Schools in the district are
Milton H. Allen School with 399 students in grades K–5, Chairville Elementary School with 360 students in grades K–5,
Cranberry Pines School with 365 students in grades K–5,
Kirby's Mill Elementary School with 300 students in grades Pre-K–5,
Taunton Forge School with 251 students in grades K–5, Maurice and Everett Haines Sixth Grade Center with 232 students in 6th grade, and
Medford Memorial Middle School with 600 students in grades 7–8.
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Shawnee High School, located in Medford, which serves students in ninth through twelfth grade from both Medford Lakes and Medford. The school is part of the Lenape Regional High School District, which also serves students from Evesham Township, Mount Laurel Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Tabernacle Township and Woodland Township. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,576 students and 122.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.9:1. Seats on the high school district's 11-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with two seats assigned to Medford.
Burlington County Institute of Technology is a countywide public vocational-technical school district serving students throughout Burlington County, with campuses in Medford and Westampton. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 837 students and 62.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1.
Established in 1954, St. Mary of the Lakes School is a Catholic school that serves students in Pre-K through eighth grade, operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Burlington County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Major roads in Medford include Route 70, CR 532, CR 541, and CR 544.

Public transportation

NJ Transit used to provide bus service to and from Philadelphia on the 406 bus route which ended in Evesham Township but has been discontinued. Greyhound Lines provides nationwide service from nearby Mount Laurel.
The Flying W Airport, a public-use airport, is located in Medford near the border with Lumberton.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Medford include: