Glassboro, New Jersey


Glassboro is a borough within Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, within the Philadelphia metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 23,149, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 4,570 from the 18,579 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected a decline of 489 from the 19,068 counted in the 2000 census. Much of the recent and projected growth in Glassboro have been attributed to the growth trajectory of Rowan University, founded in 1923 and formerly known as Glassboro State College. Glassboro and surrounding Gloucester County constitute part of South Jersey.
What is now Glassboro was originally formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 11, 1878, from portions of Clayton Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Elk Township and Pitman. Glassboro was incorporated as a borough on March 18, 1920, replacing Glassboro Township. The borough was named for its glass industry.
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History

Glassboro's early industrial history was built on the manufacturing of glass. The town was first established in 1779 by Solomon Stanger as Glass Works in the Woods. Glass manufacturers over the years since include Heston-Carpenter Glass Works, Olive Glass Works, Harmony Glass Works, Temperanceville Glass Works, Whitney Brothers Glass Works, Owens Bottle Company, Owens Illinois Glass Company, and Anchor Hocking.
Rowan University, formerly Glassboro State College, was founded in 1923. The university was the site of the Glassboro Summit Conference in 1967 between U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin.
In 1958, a typhoid fever epidemic broke out in the predominantly African-American neighborhoods of Elsmere and Lawns, which was attributed to 20 years of municipal neglect of the sanitary infrastructure in these neighborhoods.
The Glassboro Summit Conference between U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson and Soviet Premier Alexei Kosygin took place in Glassboro. Johnson and Kosygin met for three days from June 23 to June 25, 1967, at Glassboro State College. The location was chosen as a compromise. Kosygin, having agreed to address the United Nations in New York City, wanted to meet in New York City. Johnson, wary of encountering protests against the Vietnam War, preferred to meet in Washington, D.C. They agreed in Glassboro because it was equidistant between the two cities. The summit's generally amicable atmosphere was referred to as the "Spirit of Glassboro," although the leaders failed to reach agreement on limiting anti-ballistic missile systems.
On June 19, 1986, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting president to speak at a high school graduation when he spoke at the Glassboro High School commencement ceremonies.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 9.36 square miles, including 9.32 square miles of land and 0.04 square miles of water. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Elsemere.
Glassboro borders the Gloucester County municipalities of Clayton Borough, Elk Township, Harrison Township, Mantua Township, Monroe Township, Pitman, and Washington Township.

Climate

The area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Glassboro has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 18,579 people, 6,158 households, and 3,972 families in the borough. The population density was. There were 6,590 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 72.25% White, 18.67% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 2.87% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.12% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.42% of the population.
Of the 6,158 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18; 44.4% were married couples living together; 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.5% were non-families. Of all households, 22.5% were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.13.
19.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 26.4% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 95.0 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $54,795 and the median family income was $67,171. Males had a median income of $49,695 versus $43,489 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,108. About 9.3% of families and 14.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 19,068 people, 6,225 households, and 4,046 families residing in the borough. The population density was. There were 6,555 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the borough was 74.5% White, 19.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.8% of the population.
There were 6,225 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.3% were married couples living together, 14.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the borough, the population was spread out, with 22.1% under the age of 18, 25.6% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $44,992, and the median income for a family was $55,246. Males had a median income of $40,139 versus $30,358 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $18,113. About 8.5% of families and 15.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

The Glassboro Wildlife Management Area covers almost in portions of Glassboro, Clayton, and Monroe Township.

Government

Local government

Glassboro is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Glassboro is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the mayor of Glassboro is Democrat John E. Wallace, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the borough council, and the years their terms expire, are Council President Anna Miller, Timothy D. Brown, George P. Cossabone Sr., Deanna L. Garlic, Andrew Halter, Daniele Brida Spence.
In March 2019, Danielle Spence was selected to fill the seat on the Borough Council expiring in December 2019 that had been held by Edward A. Malandro. Spence served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when she was elected to serve the balance of the term of office and won a full three-year term, while Anthony J. Fiola was elected to serve an unexpired term.
Anna Miller was appointed by the borough council in March 2013 from among three candidates offered by the municipal Democratic committee to fill the vacant seat of George Cossabone.

Federal, state, and county representation

Glassboro is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Education

The Glassboro Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,895 students and 155.7 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.2:1. Schools in the district are
J. Harvey Rodgers School with 265 students in grades PreK and kindergarten,
Dorothy L. Bullock School with 651 students in grades 1-5,
Thomas E. Bowe Elementary School with 432 students in grades 6-8 and
Glassboro High School with 518 students in grades 9-12.
Students in Gloucester County are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.
Guardian Angels Regional School is a K-8 school that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden and accepts students from Glassboro. Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in Paulsboro. Our Lady of Lourdes in Glassboro is one of the sending parishes; the former St. Bridget Regional School in Glassboro merged into St. Michael in 2008.
Rowan University is a public university with an enrollment of 19,500 undergraduate and graduate students in 2018–2019. The university was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a site donated by the borough. The school became New Jersey State Teachers College at Glassboro in 1937 and Glassboro State College in 1958. Beginning in the 1970s, the university expanded into a multi-purpose institution, adding programs in business, communications, and engineering. Rowan Boulevard is a mixed-use development intended to provide a vibrant downtown district for Glassboro, incorporating university student life into its design as part of an effort to accommodate a student body that has been projected to grow to about 25,000 in 2023.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Glassboro is crisscrossed by a number of major roads. These include County Route 553, Route 47 and Route 55 (limited access) travel north–south, while U.S. Route 322 passes through east–west.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides bus service to and from Philadelphia on the 313, 408 and 412 routes. The Pureland East-West Community Shuttle connects the Pureland Industrial Complex and the Avandale Park and Ride.
Passenger train service to Glassboro was available from 1860 to 1971. The Glassboro station used by the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines is being renovated as a visitor center. A new station at Rowan University in the vicinity of the historic depot is the planned for the proposed Glassboro–Camden Line, an diesel multiple unit light rail system. The terminal station would be one stop further at Main and High streets.

Walking and cycling

Walking is a popular form of transportation especially around the university where many underclassmen are not permitted to have cars.
The Glassboro – Williamstown Trail, also known as the Monroe Township Bikepath, runs for more than between Glassboro and the Williamstown section of Monroe Township. The trail traverses the Glassboro State Wildlife Refuge before terminating at Delsea Drive. Future work will extend this trail along former railroad right of way from Delsea Drive to Rowan U's Bunce Hall. Path links to Elmer and Pitman are also proposed.

Notable people

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