Tabernacle Township, New Jersey


Tabernacle Township 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 6,776, a decrease of 173 from the 2010 census count of 6,949, which in turn reflected a decline of 221 from the 7,170 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.
Tabernacle was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 22, 1901, from portions of Shamong Township, Southampton Township and Woodland Township. The township was named for a tabernacle constructed by missionaries David and John Brainerd.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Tabernacle Township as its 23rd best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Tabernacle Township as its sixth-best place to live in its 2010 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey. In 2009, it was rated the #1 small town by South Jersey Magazine.

History

The area now known as Tabernacle was originally inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. In 1778, John Brainerd established a Christian church called "Tabernacle in the Wilderness," with the aim of converting the local Native American population to Christianity. In 1803, William Wilkins sold land to 28 individuals for the creation of Tabernacle Cemetery, which was located adjacent to the church.
The church also served as a schoolhouse, but as the community expanded, a one-room schoolhouse was built in 1856 at the future location of Tabernacle Town Hall. A sawmill was constructed in the Friendship area in the early 1700s, and around 1860, Gilbert Knight built the Knight-Pepper House near the Town Hall. The property subsequently passed to the Scott and Pepper families, and upon the death of Clara Pepper in 1987, it was donated to the Tabernacle Historic Society. In the 1880s, the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church was constructed on the original site, where it still stands today.
Tabernacle became an incorporated township on March 22, 1901, through an act of the New Jersey Legislature, incorporating portions of Shamong Township, Southampton Township, and Woodland Township.
On July 13, 1928, Emilio Carranza, known as the "Lindbergh of Mexico," tragically crashed in Tabernacle during a storm while flying from New York City to Mexico. The Carranza Memorial was erected in his memory, funded by Mexican schoolchildren, and Hampton Gates Road was subsequently renamed Carranza Road in his honor.
In 1909, the one-room schoolhouse was demolished and replaced by a two-room schoolhouse; it was relocated down the road in 1936, and two additional rooms were added. In the 1950s, the Tabernacle Elementary School was constructed on New Road, and Olson Middle School was built across the road in 1968. Following the death of Kenneth R. Olson in 1990, the Tabernacle School District renamed the school in his honor. In 2003, Seneca High School was established to serve high school students from Tabernacle, Shamong, Southampton, and Woodland Townships.
In 1970, the population of Tabernacle was 2,103. By 1980, the population had nearly tripled to 6,236, reflecting the rapid suburbanization of the Delaware Valley in South Jersey. The population peaked at 7,362 in 1990, but has been gradually decreasing since then, with 7,170 residents recorded in 2000, and 6,949 in the 2010 census.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 49.63 square miles, including 49.20 square miles of land and 0.43 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Apple Pie Hill, Bozuretown, Carranza Memorial, Eagle, Fairview, Fox Chase, Friendship, Hampton Gate, Harris, Oriental, Paisley, Pine Crest, Sandy Ridge, Sooy Place, South Park, Speedwell and White Horse Station.
The township borders the Burlington County municipalities of Medford Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Washington Township and Woodland Township.
The township is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the New Jersey 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. All 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.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 6,949 people, 2,375 households, and 1,978 families in the township. The population density was. There were 2,445 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 95.80% White, 1.38% Black or African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.69% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.94% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population.
Of the 2,375 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18; 72.1% were married couples living together; 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.7% were non-families. Of all households, 13.4% were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.20.
24.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 35.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 100.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $101,053 and the median family income was $107,179. Males had a median income of $47,947 versus $40,231 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,726. About 1.1% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,170 people, 2,346 households, and 2,010 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 2,385 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 96.29% White, 2.09% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 2,346 households, out of which 41.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.6% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.3% were non-families. 11.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $76,432, and the median income for a family was $86,729. Males had a median income of $58,148 versus $31,250 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,874. About 1.1% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the Poverty threshold, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

  • Carranza Memorial – A memorial in the Wharton State Forest that marks the site of the July 13, 1928, crash of Emilio Carranza, known as "The Lindbergh of Mexico". The memorial, installed with funds donated by Mexican schoolchildren, depicts a falling eagle of Aztec design. Every July on the Saturday nearest the anniversary of his crash at 1:00 p.m., he is honored at the memorial site by local residents and representatives from the Mexican consulates in New York City and Philadelphia.
  • Delanco Camp – An inter-denominational Christian camp meeting and summer camp along Lake Agape, located here since 1964, preaching under the Wesleyan doctrine.
  • The Batona Trail – A hiking trail that extends for, with significant portions running through Tabernacle Township.
  • Apple Pie Hill is the highest point in the Pine Barrens and one of the highest in South Jersey, standing above sea level, with a fire tower providing panoramic views across much of the region. In September 2016, chronic vandalism led the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to eliminate access to Apple Pie Hill by erecting a fence around the tower; access is possible when New Jersey Forest Fire Service Division personnel are at the site.

    Government

Local government

Tabernacle Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. 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. At an annual reorganization meeting held during the first week of January after each election, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Tabernacle Township Committee are Mayor Samuel R. Moore III, Deputy Mayor Mark Hartman, Kimberly A. Brown, Noble McNaughton, William J. Sprague Jr..
The township committee appointed Noble McNaughton in February 2023 to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Robert C. Sunbury.
In January 2022, the Township Committee appointed Mark Hartman to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held Matthew Baals until he resigned the previous month, shortly after taking office, citing "time commitment issues". Hartman served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.
The township is patrolled by Troop C of the New Jersey State Police at the Red Lion Barracks in Southampton Township.