Bordentown (NJ)
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Bordentown is a
city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
in
Burlington County Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.
, New Jersey, United States. As of the
2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, the city's population was 3,924.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Bordentown city, Burlington County, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 13, 2012.
The population declined by 45 (−1.1%) from the 3,969 counted in the
2000 U.S. Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
, which had in turn declined by 372 (−8.6%) from the 4,341 counted in the 1990 Census. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
, Blacks Creek, and Crosswicks Creek. The latter is the border between Burlington and
Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader ...
counties. Bordentown is the northernmost municipality in New Jersey that is considered a part of the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is approximately one-third the distance between Center City Philadelphia and Midtown Manhattan, located south of the state capital Trenton, northeast of Center City Philadelphia, and southwest of New York City. Bordentown's first recorded European settlement was made in 1682 in what became known as Farnsworth's Landing and, after 1717, the town that had developed in the Provence of New Jersey was renamed to Borden's Town. Following the revolution and the establishment of the New Jersey state government, Bordentown was incorporated with a borough government form by an act of its legislature on December 9, 1825, from portions within Chesterfield Township. It was reincorporated with a city government form on April 3, 1867, and it was separated from Chesterfield Township about 1877.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 94. Accessed June 13, 2012.


History

Thomas Farnsworth, an English
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
, was credited with being the first European settler in the Bordentown area in 1682, when he moved his family up river from
Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...
. He made a new home on the windswept bluff overlooking the broad bend in the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
. The Farnsworth's cabin was situated near the northwest corner of Park Street and Prince Street, perhaps where an 1883 frame house now stands. "Farnsworth Landing" soon became the center of trade for the region. Farnsworth is also the namesake of one of Bordentown's main streets, Farnsworth Avenue. Joseph Borden, for whom the city is named, arrived in 1717, and by May 1740 founded a transportation system to carry people and freight between New York City and Philadelphia. This exploited Bordentown's natural location as the point on the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
that provided the shortest overland route to Perth Amboy, from which cargo and people could be ferried to New York City. By 1776, Bordentown was full of revolutionaries. Patience Lovell Wright, America's first female sculptor, was creating wax busts in King George's court in England. Later, however, Bordentown became a rabble-rousing hotbed. In addition to Joseph Borden's son (also named Joseph Borden), who became a colonel during the war, patriots
Francis Hopkinson Francis Hopkinson (October 2,Hopkinson was born on September 21, 1737, according to the then-used Julian calendar (old style). In 1752, however, Great Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar (new style) which moved Hopkinson's ...
(a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence), Colonel Kirkbride, Colonel Oakey Hoagland, and Thomas Paine resided in the area. Due to their well-published activity in Bordentown, the British retaliated. Hessians occupied the town in 1776, and the British pillaged and razed the town during May and June 1778. Other notable people who have lived in the city include
Clara Barton Clarissa Harlowe Barton (December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912) was an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher, and a patent clerk. Since nursing education was not then very ...
, who in 1852 started the first free public school in New Jersey and later founded the
American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
. A recreation of her schoolhouse stands at the corner of Crosswicks and Burlington streets. The
Bordentown School The Bordentown School (officially titled the Manual Training and Industrial School for Colored Youth, the State of New Jersey Manual Training School and Manual Training and Industrial School for Youth, though other names were used over the years) ...
operated from 1894 to 1955.


Joseph Bonaparte

Several years after the banishing of his family from France in 1816, arriving under vigilant disguise as the Count de Survilliers, Joseph Bonaparte, former King of Naples and Spain and brother to
Napoleon I of France Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
, purchased the Point Breeze Estate near Bordentown from American revolutionary,
Stephen Sayre Stephen Sayre (1736–1818) was a member of a thousand-strong American community living in London at the time of the outbreak of the War of Independence in 1775. A close associate of John Wilkes, the radical Lord Mayor of London, Sayre, a merchant ...
. He lived there for 17 years, entertaining guests of great fame such as
Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
, Daniel Webster and the future 6th U.S. President, John Quincy Adams. The residents of Bordentown nicknamed the Count, "The ''Good'' Mr. Bonaparte" (''Good'' to distinguish him from his younger brother). He built a lake near the mouth of Crosswicks Creek that was about wide and long. On the bluff above it he built a new home, "Point Breeze". The current Divine Word Mission occupies its former site along Park Street. Today only vestiges of the Bonaparte estate remain. Much of it is the remains of a formerly Italinate building remodeled in English Georgian Revival style in 1924 for Harris Hammon, who purchased the estate at Point Breeze as built in 1850 by
Henry Becket Henry may refer to: People * Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal ...
, a British consul in Philadelphia. In addition to the rubble of this mansion and some hedges of its elaborate gardens, only the original tunnel to the river (broken through in several places) and the house of Bonaparte's secretary remain. Many descendants of Joachim Murat, King of Naples and brother in law of the Bonapartes executed in 1815, also were born or lived in Bordentown, having followed their uncle Joseph there. After the Bonaparte dynasty was restored by Napoleon III, they moved back to France and were recognized as princes. In August 1831, master mechanic
Isaac Dripps Isaac Dripps (April 17, 1810 – December 28, 1892) was an American machinist and inventor. He worked on the locomotive ''John Bull'' and built seven locomotives. Dripps was a superintendent and partner of various railroad machinery shops. He has ...
of Bordentown re-assembled (without blueprints or instructions) the locomotive John Bull (originally called "The Stevens") in just 10 days. It was built by Robert Stephenson and Company, in England, and was imported into Philadelphia by the Camden and Amboy Railroad. The next year it started limited service, and the year after that regular service, to become one of the first successful locomotives in the United States. The John Bull is preserved at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. In 1866, Susan Waters moved into what is now one of the larger properties on Mary Street. This was a base from which she taught and produced over 50 of her works, many of which are painting of animals in natural settings and pastoral scenes. She was also an early photographer. In 1876 she was asked to exhibit several of her works at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. In 1881, Rev. William Bowen purchased the old Spring Villa Female Seminary building (built on land purchased from the Bonapartes in 1837) and reopened it as the
Bordentown Military Institute The Bordentown Military Institute was a private high school in Bordentown, New Jersey, United States, from 1881 to 1973. History The institute was created in 1881, when Reverend William Bowen (minister), William Bowen purchased the Spring Villa Fem ...
. In 1886, African-American Rev. Walter A. Rice established a private school for African-American children, the Manual Training and Industrial School for Colored Youth, in a two-story house at 60 West Street, which later moved to Walnut Street on the banks of the Delaware, and became a public school in 1894 under Jim Crow laws. The school, which was known as the
Bordentown School The Bordentown School (officially titled the Manual Training and Industrial School for Colored Youth, the State of New Jersey Manual Training School and Manual Training and Industrial School for Youth, though other names were used over the years) ...
, came to have a , 30-building campus with two farms, a vocational/ technical orientation, and a college preparatory program. In 1909, the religious order Poor Clares established a convent in the former Motherhouse of the Sisters of Mercy on Crosswicks Street. The building still stands and is used as an assisted living community called The Clare Estate. The Order of Poor Clares moved to a new facility outside Bordentown City.


Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 0.97 square miles (2.52 km2), including 0.93 square miles (2.42 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of water (4.02%). The City of Bordentown is surrounded on three sides by Bordentown Township and on the western side by the juncture of the
Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...
and Crosswicks Creek, which is the border with Hamilton Township in Mercer County. It is bounded on the east by
U.S. Route 130 U.S. Route 130 (US 130) is a U.S. Highway that is a spur route of U.S. Route 30, located completely within the state of New Jersey. It is signed with north and south cardinal directions, following a general northeast–southwest diagonal path, wi ...
and
U.S. Route 206 U.S. Route 206 (US 206) is a north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile (800 m) of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delawa ...
, on the south by Black's Creek and Interstate 295, and on the north by the Mile Hollow Run. Across the Delaware River is Falls Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.


Demographics


Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value is measured in terms of money, whereas real value is measured against goods or services. A real value is one which has been adjusted for inflation, enabling comparison of quantities as if the prices of goods had not c ...
dollars) median household income was $66,557 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,567) and the median family income was $90,165 (+/− $11,644). Males had a median income of $52,652 (+/− $10,201) versus $48,906 (+/− $9,108) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,814 (+/− $3,714). About 1.7% of families and 3.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.


Census 2000

As of the
2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...
there were 3,969 people, 1,757 households, and 989 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,884 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.25% White, 13.08% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.91%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 2.82% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Bordentown city, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 8, 2013.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Bordentown city, Burlington County, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 8, 2013.
There were 1,757 households, out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.2% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.7% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $47,279, and the median income for a family was $59,872. Males had a median income of $39,909 versus $31,780 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,882. About 4.0% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Downtown Bordentown has many book, record and antique stores lining its streets, with Italian and American restaurants. The restaurants are primarily Italian, but there are also restaurants and diners that specialize in American food, Chinese food, and more recently Japanese and Latin-American food.


Government


Local government

Bordentown has been governed under the Walsh Act since 1913. The city is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this commission form of government. The governing body is comprised of three commissioners, one of whom is selected to serve as Mayor. Each commissioner is assigned a specific department to oversee during their term in office. Members are elected
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
to four-year concurrent terms of office on a non-partisan basis as part of the May municipal election.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 135. , Bordentown's commissioners are Mayor Jennifer L. Sciortino (Director of Revenue and Finance), Deputy Mayor Joe Myers (Director of Public Property, Streets and Water) and Commissioner James L. Lynch Jr. (Director of Public Safety and Affairs), all serving terms of office that end on May 13, 2025.Administration Directory
, City of Bordentown. Accessed May 23, 2022.


Emergency services

Hope Hose Humane Fire Company 1 dates its founding to 1767, making it the nation's second-oldest volunteer fire service, having taken its current name from the combination in 1976 of the Hope Hose and the Humane fire companies. Consolidated Fire Association dates back to the 1966 merger of three separate volunteer fire companies.


Environmental Commission

The Bordentown City Environmental Commission (BCEC) is a volunteer group of Bordentown City residents. The Commission is an official body, and its chair answers to the Mayor. The BCEC advises local officials and the Planning Board regarding environmental issues and is a watchdog for environmental problems and opportunities. It is designed to inform elected officials and the public, serve on committees, research issues, develop educational programs and advocate for sound environmental policies. Local issues include preservation of open space, promoting walking and bicycling trails and the River Line, protection of wetlands and water quality, recycling and energy conservation, and environmental education. The BCEC's most current efforts have focuses upon a bicycle and pedestrian circulation study, the City's open space plan, and the development of a set of local
greenways Greenway or Greenways may refer to: * Greenway (landscape), a linear park focused on a trail or bike path * Another term for bicycle boulevards in some jurisdictions People * Greenway (surname) Places Australia * Electoral Division of Greenway ...
(Thorntown and Black Creek).


State government facilities

The New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission operates two
juvenile detention centers In criminal justice systems, a youth detention center, known as a juvenile detention center (JDC),Stahl, Dean, Karen Kerchelich, and Ralph De Sola. ''Abbreviations Dictionary''. CRC Press, 20011202. Retrieved 23 August 2010. , . juvenile de ...
in the Johnstone Campus in Bordentown: Johnstone Campus Juvenile Female Secure Care and Intake Facility, which houses the state's adjudicated girls, and Juvenile Medium Security Facility-North Compound (JMSF-N) and the Juvenile Medium Security Facility-South Compound (JMSF-S) for boys.


Federal, state and county representation

Bordentown City is located in the 3rd Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
and is part of New Jersey's 7th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...
. Accessed February 1, 2020.
''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Bordentown City had been in the 30th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 55, New Jersey
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
. Accessed May 22, 2015.
Prior to the 2010 Census, Bordentown City had been part of the , a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.
Burlington County Burlington County is a county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by area in New Jersey. Its county seat is Mount Holly.
is governed by a
Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
comprised of five members who are chosen
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...
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; at an annual reorganization meeting, the board selects a director and deputy director from among its members.Board of County Commissioners
Burlington County, New Jersey. Accessed February 26, 2022.
,
Burlington County Board of County Commissioners The Burlington County Board of County Commissioners (formerly called ''The Burlington County Board of Chosen Freeholders'') is a board of five people who govern Burlington County, New Jersey. The board is headed by two people: the director and ...
are Commissioner Director Daniel J. O'Connell ( D, Delran Township; term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as director ends 2022) Commissioner Deputy Director Tom Pullion (D, Edgewater Park, term as commissioner ends 2023; term as deputy director ends 2022), Allison Eckel (D, Medford, 2022; appointed to fill an unexpired term), Felicia Hopson (D, Willingboro Township, 2024) and
Balvir Singh Balvir Singh is a teacher and Democratic politician from Burlington Township, New Jersey who has served on the Burlington County Board of County Commissioners since 2018.Levinsky, David"Burlington County Democrats gain ground with election wins" ...
(D, Burlington Township, 2023). Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are
County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...
Joanne Schwartz (R, Southampton Township, 2023), Sheriff Anthony Basantis (D, Burlington Township, 2022) and
Surrogate A surrogate is a substitute or deputy for another person in a specific role and may refer to: Relationships * Surrogacy, an arrangement where a woman agrees to carry and give birth to a child for another person who will become its parent at bi ...
Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).


Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,493 registered voters in Bordentown City, of which 906 (36.3% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 500 (20.1% vs. 23.9%) were registered as
Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
and 1,085 (43.5% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or
Greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...
.Voter Registration Summary - Burlington
New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 25, 2014.
Among the city's 2010 Census population, 63.5% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 77.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide). In the
2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...
, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,298 votes (66.4% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...
with 605 votes (31.0% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.7% vs. 1.0%), among the 1,954 ballots cast by the city's 2,634 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,305 votes (64.8% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...
with 669 votes (33.2% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 25 votes (1.2% vs. 1.0%), among the 2,015 ballots cast by the city's 2,543 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.2% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 1,151 votes (58.7% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
with 778 votes (39.7% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 17 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 1,961 ballots cast by the city's 2,488 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 661 votes (51.0% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 579 votes (44.7% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 30 votes (2.3% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,295 ballots cast by the city's 2,658 registered voters, yielding a 48.7% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 714 ballots cast (50.1% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 553 votes (38.8% vs. 47.7%), Independent
Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...
with 86 votes (6.0% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 54 votes (3.8% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,424 ballots cast by the city's 2,567 registered voters, yielding a 55.5% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).


Education


Public schools

Public school students in
pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through twelfth grades attend the schools of the Bordentown Regional School District, which serves students from Bordentown City, Bordentown Township and Fieldsboro Borough. As of the 2020–2021 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,373 students and 194.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 12.2:1.District information for Bordentown Regional School District
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
. Accessed February 15, 2022.
Schools in the district (with 2020–2021 enrollment data from the
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...
) are Clara Barton Elementary School with 235 students in grades K–2 (generally serves Bordentown City and the Holloway Meadows section of Bordentown Township), Peter Muschal Elementary School with 522 students in grades Pre-K–5 (generally serves remainder of Bordentown Township and the Borough of Fieldsboro), MacFarland Intermediate School with 243 students in grades 3–5, Bordentown Regional Middle School with 576 students in grades 6–8 and Bordentown Regional High School with 766 students in grades 9–12. The district's
board of education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...
is comprised of nine members, who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year. The board's nine seats are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats assigned to Bordentown City. The New Hanover Township School District, consisting of New Hanover Township (including its
Cookstown Cookstown ( ga, An Chorr Chríochach, IPA: anˠˈxoːɾˠɾˠˈçɾʲiːxəx is a small town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the fourth largest town in the county and had a population of 11,599 in the 2011 census. It, along with Maghe ...
area) and Wrightstown Borough, sends students to Bordentown Regional High School on a tuition basis for
ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
through twelfth grades as part of a sending/receiving relationship that has been in place since the 1960s, with about 50 students from the New Hanover district being sent to the high school. As of 2011, the New Hanover district was considering expansion of its relationship to send students to Bordentown for middle school for grades 6–8. Students from Bordentown, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the
Burlington County Institute of Technology The Burlington County Institute of Technology (BCIT) is a county-wide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level in Burlington County, New Jersey, Uni ...
, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton Township.


Private schools

Saint Mary School was a
Catholic school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...
serving students in Pre-K–8, that operated for over 100 years under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. The school closed its doors in June 2013 due to the school's financial challenges in the face of enrollment that was half of the 220 students needed to remain financially viable. The
Bordentown Military Institute The Bordentown Military Institute was a private high school in Bordentown, New Jersey, United States, from 1881 to 1973. History The institute was created in 1881, when Reverend William Bowen (minister), William Bowen purchased the Spring Villa Fem ...
was located in the city from 1881 to 1972. The
Society of the Divine Word The Society of the Divine Word ( la, Societas Verbi Divini), abbreviated SVD and popularly called the Verbites or the Divine Word Missionaries, and sometimes the Steyler Missionaries, is a Catholic Church, Catholic clerical religious congregation ...
fathers operated a minor seminary in Bordentown from 1947 to 1983. One of its more notable alumni Douglas Palmer was the four-term mayor of Trenton, New Jersey, leaving office in 2009.


Transportation


Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Burlington County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
U.S. Route 130 U.S. Route 130 (US 130) is a U.S. Highway that is a spur route of U.S. Route 30, located completely within the state of New Jersey. It is signed with north and south cardinal directions, following a general northeast–southwest diagonal path, wi ...
and
U.S. Route 206 U.S. Route 206 (US 206) is a north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile (800 m) of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the Delawa ...
run through very briefly and intersect at County Route 528 in the city. In addition to CR 528's western terminus in Bordentown, County Route 545 has its northern terminus in the city. The
New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...
(
Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
) passes through neighboring Bordentown Township with access at interchange 7 to U.S. Route 206, which is signed as Bordentown- Trenton. Interstate 295 also passes through Bordentown Township and has two interchanges that take travelers into Bordentown: exit 56 and exit 57.


Public transportation

The
Bordentown station Bordentown is a station on NJ Transit's River Line light rail system, located on West Park Street in Bordentown, in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is ava ...
at Park Street offers service between the
Trenton Rail Station Trenton Transit Center is the main passenger train station in Trenton, New Jersey. It is the southernmost stop in New Jersey on the Northeast Corridor. It is the terminus for NJ Transit trains to and from New York City and SEPTA Trenton Line ...
in Trenton and the Walter Rand Transportation Center (and other stations) in
Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...
, on NJ Transit's
River Line The River Line (stylized as River LINE) is a hybrid rail (light rail with some features similar to commuter rail) line in southern New Jersey that connects the cities of Camden and Trenton, New Jersey's capital. It is so named because its rout ...
Light rail system. NJ Transit provides bus service in the township between Trenton and Philadelphia on the
409 __NOTOC__ Year 409 ( CDIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Honorius and Theodosius (or, less frequently, yea ...
route.


Religion

Bordentown City's one square mile is home to more than 10 houses of worship, including: American Presbyterian Church, B'nai Abraham Synagogue, Christ Episcopal Church, Dorothea Dix Unitarian Universalist Community, Ebenezer Full Gospel Community Church, First Baptist Church of Bordentown, First Presbyterian Church, Mount Zion AME Church, Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Shiloh Baptist Church, Trinity United Methodist Church and Union Baptist Church.


Points of interest

The city has become a destination for weekend dining as well as for the casual perusal of its book and record stores, historical sites and art galleries. The active downtown business association sponsors an annual Iris Festival & Art Show in early May, an annual Street Fair in mid- to late May, and an annual Cranberry Festival in early October. The Bordentown Historical Society sponsors events, such as the Holiday House Tour and Peach Social. The Historical Society hosts exhibits at the Bordentown Friends Meeting House each year, and the 2022 exhibition consists of artifacts collected from Joseph Bonaparte which led to a visit from Philippe Étienne, the ambassador of France to the United States.
Crosswicks Creek Site III The Crosswicks Creek Site III is a historical archaeological site in the vicinity of Bordentown in Burlington County and Hamilton Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. It encompasses the remains of Revolutionary War-era ships that were sunk ...
, an archaeological site from the American Revolutionary War era, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990 for its significance in military and maritime history. Point Breeze, the former estate of Joseph Bonaparte, was added to the NRHP in 1997 for its significance in architecture, landscape architecture, and politics/government. File:Crosswicks Creek, Bordentown, NJ - site III.jpg,
Crosswicks Creek Site III The Crosswicks Creek Site III is a historical archaeological site in the vicinity of Bordentown in Burlington County and Hamilton Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. It encompasses the remains of Revolutionary War-era ships that were sunk ...
File:Point Breeze estate, Bordentown, NJ.jpg, Point Breeze


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bordentown include: *
Burgiss Allison Burgiss Allison (1753–1827) was the Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives from 1816 to 1820 and a trustee of what is now George Washington University from 1821 to 1826. Allison was born in Bordentown, New Jersey. He studied ...
(1753–1827),
Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives The chaplain of the United States House of Representatives is the officer of the United States House of Representatives responsible for beginning each day's proceedings with a prayer. The House cites the first half of Article 1, Section 2, Claus ...
from 1816–1820 * Ricardo Almeida (born 1976), Brazilian-American mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappler *
Al Aronowitz Alfred Gilbert Aronowitz (May 20, 1928 – August 1, 2005) was an American rock journalist best known for introducing Bob Dylan to The Beatles in 1964. Early life and education Aronowitz was born in Bordentown, New Jersey, and earned a degree in ...
(1928–2005), rock journalist who claimed that Bob Dylan wrote his famous "
Mr. Tambourine Man "Mr. Tambourine Man" is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album '' Bringing It All Back Home''. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been includ ...
" in Aronowitz's former Berkeley Heights home *
Clara Barton Clarissa Harlowe Barton (December 25, 1821 – April 12, 1912) was an American nurse who founded the American Red Cross. She was a hospital nurse in the American Civil War, a teacher, and a patent clerk. Since nursing education was not then very ...
(1821–1912), in 1852 started the first free public school in New Jersey and later founded the
American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
* Charlotte Bonaparte (1802–1839), artist and daughter of Joseph Bonaparte, whose works included a series of landscape paintings of New Jersey scenes * Joseph Bonaparte (1768–1844), King of Naples and Sicily, King of Spain and the Indies and brother to
Napoleon I of France Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
*
Denise Borino-Quinn Denise Borino-Quinn (January 6, 1964 – October 27, 2010) was an American television actress known for her recurring role as Ginny Sacramoni, the wife of New York mob boss Johnny Sack in the television series ''The Sopranos''. Early life She wa ...
(1964–2010), actress who played the role of Ginny Sacramoni, the wife of New York mob boss Johnny Sack in '' The Sopranos'' *
Herb Conaway Herbert C. Conaway Jr. (born January 30, 1963) is an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where he represents the New Jersey's 7th legislative dist ...
(born 1963), member of the New Jersey General Assembly who has represented the 7th Legislative District since 1988 * Erica Dambach (born 1975), head coach of Penn State Nittany Lions women's soccer team * Robert Duncan (born 1948), Anglican bishop who was the first primate and
archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...
of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), serving from June 2009 to June 2014 * Dionne Farris (born 1968), singer-songwriter best known for her work as a vocalist with the hip-hop group Arrested Development *
Samuel C. Forker Samuel Carr Forker (March 16, 1821 – February 10, 1900) was a Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1871 to 1873. Early life and edu ...
(1821–1900), represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1871–1873 *
Peter Gamble USS ''Gamble'' (DD–123/DM-15) was a in the United States Navy during World War I, later converted to a minelayer in World War II. Namesakes Peter Gamble was born on 5 November 1793 in Bordentown, New Jersey. He was appointed midshipman on ...
(1793–1814), midshipman who was killed in action at the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812 * Eric Gibbons (born 1966), artist and owner of The Firehouse Gallery of Bordentown and founder of Firehouse Publications * Richard Watson Gilder (1844–1909), poet, author and editor of '' The Century Magazine'' * Eric Hamilton (born 1953), retired American football coach, who was head football coach at The College of New Jersey from 1977 through 2012 *
Francis Hopkinson Francis Hopkinson (October 2,Hopkinson was born on September 21, 1737, according to the then-used Julian calendar (old style). In 1752, however, Great Britain and all its colonies adopted the Gregorian calendar (new style) which moved Hopkinson's ...
(1737–1791), author who was one of the signers of the Declaration of IndependenceFerretti, Fred
"About New Jersey; It's Bordentown vs. the State Bureaucracy"
'' The New York Times'', February 18, 1979. Accessed June 6, 2011. "THE state, it appears, is still out to get Bordentown. But little does it realize that the place where Thomas Paine was during much of the Revolutionary War; where Francis Hopkinson, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, lived; where Clara Barton began her first public school; where the first steam locomotive was tested and where Napoleon's brother lived will not be had that easily."
* Joachim, 4th Prince Murat (1834–1901), Major-General in the French Army * Gia Maione (1941–2013), singer who was the wife of singer Louis Prima *
Joseph R. Malone Joseph R. Malone III (born October 1, 1949) is an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1993 until 2012, representing the 30th Legislative District and is a long-time mayor of the City of Bord ...
(born 1949), former member of the New Jersey General Assembly who served as Bordentown's mayor from 1973 to 1993 and 2013 to 2017 *
Edward McCall Captain Edward R. McCall (5 August 1790 – 1 August 1853) was an officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812. He was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal. Biography Born in South Carolina, McCall was appointed midshipman 1 January ...
(1790–1853), officer in the United States Navy during the War of 1812 who was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal * Joseph Menna (born 1974), sculptor *
Rob Novak Rob Novak (born March 20, 1986) is a runner who specialized in the 800 meters. He represented the United States at the 2008 NACAC U23 Championships, where he placed first overall in the men's 800 meters. He ran at the 2012 US Olympic Trials. R ...
(born 1986), runner who specialized in the 800 meters * Thomas Paine (1737–1809), American and French Revolution inspiration and author of many works, including "Common Sense" and "The Rights of Man" * Chris Prynoski (born 1971), animator *
Joshua Shaw Joshua Shaw (1776–1860) was an English American artist and inventor. Early life Joshua Shaw was born in Billingborough, Lincolnshire, England in 1776 and was orphaned at the age of 7. To survive he worked for a local farmer as a bird scare ...
(1776–1860), English-American artist and inventor *
Harry W. Shipps Harry Woolston Shipps (January 28, 1926 – November 17, 2016) was the eighth Bishop of Georgia. He was the 778th bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA). Early life and career Shipps was born in Bordentown, New Je ...
(1926–2016), eighth
Bishop of Georgia The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, USA is one of 20 dioceses that comprise Province IV of the US Episcopal Church, and is a diocese within the worldwide Anglican Communion. The current bishop is Frank S. Logue, who succeeded Scott Anson Benha ...
. * Charles Stewart (1778–1869), United States Navy admiral, resided in Bordentown at the time of his death in 1869 *
Ishod Wair Ishod-Kedar Burti Wair (born November 1, 1991) is an American professional skateboarder. Career Wair was raised in Bordentown, New Jersey, where he began skateboarding at the age of nine. Over the next few years he began to consolidate other ac ...
(born 1991), professional skateboarder who was ''Thrasher'' magazine's Skater of the Year 2013 * Susan Waters (1823–1900), painter and photographer, who was active in the suffrage movement and in animal rights causes * Joseph Wright (1756–1793), artist and engraver who is credited as the designer of the Liberty Cap Large Cent * Patience Wright (1725–1786), America's first native-born sculptor *
Joshua M. Zeitz Joshua Michael Zeitz (born 1974) is an American historian. He is the author of several books on American political and social history and has written for the ''New York Times'', ''Washington Post'', ''Los Angeles Times'', ''The New Republic'', '' ...
(born 1974), historian and writer who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2008 and served as a policy adviser to the Corzine Administration *
August Zeller August Zeller (7 March 1863, Bordentown, New Jersey – 11 January 1918, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was an American sculptor and teacher. An exceptional carver, he studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) under Thomas Eakins. He ...
(1863–1918), sculptor who was a student of Thomas Eakins and
Auguste Rodin François Auguste René Rodin (12 November 184017 November 1917) was a French sculptor, generally considered the founder of modern sculpture. He was schooled traditionally and took a craftsman-like approach to his work. Rodin possessed a uniqu ...
August Zeller
''Antiques & Fine Art Magazine''. Accessed October 16, 2019. "August Zeller (American, 1863-1918) was born in Bordentown, New Jersey in 1863."


References


External links

* {{Authority control 1825 establishments in New Jersey Cities in Burlington County, New Jersey Populated places established in 1825 Walsh Act New Jersey populated places on the Delaware River