Tavistock, New Jersey


Tavistock is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 9, an increase of 4 from the 2010 census count of 5, which in turn reflected a decline of 19 from the 24 counted in the 2000 census. As of the 2020 census, Tavistock's population was the second-smallest municipal population in the state of New Jersey; Walpack Township had a population of 7.
Tavistock was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 16, 1921. Its territory was drawn from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township. The name of the borough came from the estate in England of a family of early settlers.
The borough was formed in order to allow the members of Tavistock Country Club to play golf on Sundays by members of the Victor Talking Machine Company. This was prohibited at the Haddon Country Club, which was governed by a local blue law prohibiting sporting activities on Sundays. Tavistock's secession from Haddonfield, New Jersey, the original site of the club, is said to have been driven by the fact that Haddonfield was a dry borough, though Tavistock was formed in 1921 during Prohibition when liquor would have been banned. Members of the club included State Senator Joseph Wallworth and Assembly Speaker T. Harry Rowland, who helped push the bill that created the new municipality to unanimous approval in the New Jersey Legislature.
WWW tavistocknj.org

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.28 square miles, including 0.27 square miles of land and <0.01 square miles of water.
The borough borders Barrington, Haddonfield, and Lawnside.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, all of which is maintained by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Interstate 295 passes through but the nearest interchange is immediately over the border in neighboring Haddonfield. The New Jersey Turnpike runs briefly through Tavistock, although the nearest exit is for Bellmawr and Runnemede. The road serving the borough's residences and the country club, Tavistock Lane, sits on the border of Tavistock and Haddonfield.

Public transportation

NJ Transit local bus service is available on the 451 route between Camden and the Lindenwold station.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States Census counted 5 people in 3 households. Two households consisted of married couples and the third was a male over 65 years of age living alone. The population density was 19.7 per square mile. The borough contained 3 housing units at an average density of 11.8 per square mile. All residents were white. Two residents were aged 25 to 44 and three were older than 65. The median age was 66.3 years.

Government

Local government

Tavistock operates under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government. The borough is one of 30 municipalities statewide that use the commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of three non-partisan commissioners, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to concurrent four-year terms of office as part of the May municipal election. Each commissioner is assigned a specific department to head in addition to their legislative functions and one commissioner is chosen to serve as mayor. Tavistock has been governed under the Walsh Act by a three-member commission, since 1928.
, Tavistock's commissioners are Mayor Joseph Del Duca, Colin Mack-Allen and Mindy Del Duca, all serving concurrent terms of office ending December 31, 2025.
In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $31,376, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide and more than double the average bill of $15,182 in runner-up Haddonfield.

Federal, state and county representation

Tavistock is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 6th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of seven registered voters in Tavistock, of which none were registered as Democrats, six were registered as Republicans and one was registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

Education

Tavistock is a non-operating school district. Public school students in Tavistock are served by the Haddonfield Public Schools in the adjoining community of Haddonfield as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,749 students and 215.2 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.

Notable people

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