Deptford Township (pronounced DEP-ford) is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

in Gloucester County in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 30,561, reflecting an increase of 3,798 (+14.2%) from the 26,763 counted in the 2000 census. Deptford Township was formed June 1, 1695 and was known initially as Bethlehem. It was incorporated as a township by an act of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

on February 21, 1798, as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships formed under its new Township Act. Over the centuries, portions of the township were taken to create Washington Township (February 17, 1836), Woodbury Borough (March 27, 1854; now Woodbury City), West Deptford Township (March 1, 1871), Wenonah (March 10, 1883), Westville (April 7, 1914), and Woodbury Heights (April 6, 1915).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 138. Accessed August 22, 2012. Deptford is a southeastern suburb of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

, located on the eastern side of the

Walt Whitman Bridge The Walt Whitman Bridge is a single-level suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia in the west to Gloucester City in Camden County, New Jersey in the east. The bridge is named after the poet Walt Whitman, who resided i ...

, one of several bridge conduits that joins

South Jersey South Jersey comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey located between the lower Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation of South Jersey with a distinct toponym is a colloquialism rather than an administrative ...

with Philadelphia. It is located southeast of Philadelphia and northwest of

Atlantic City Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...

. The township is part of the South Jersey region of the state.

History

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

explorer

Cornelius Jacobsen May Cornelis Jacobsen Mey (in Dutch often rendered as Cornelius Jacobsz. May) was a Dutch explorer, captain and fur trader. Cape May, Cape May County, and the city of Cape May, New Jersey, are named after him.Russell Shorto, ''The Island at the Center ...

led some of the earliest European settlement in the area. May was followed by settlers from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

and

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

before coming under

British colonial rule The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts est ...

. When the township was first formed in 1695, it initially covered an area of that included today's Deptford Township along with present-day Monroe Township, Washington Township, West Deptford Township, Westville,

Woodbury Woodbury may refer to: Geography Antarctica *Woodbury Glacier, a glacier on Graham Land, British Antarctic Territory Australia * Woodbury, Tasmania, a locality in Australia England * Woodbury, Bournemouth, an area in Dorset *Woodbury, East Devo ...

, and Woodbury Heights.Township History
Deptford Township. Accessed November 7, 2019. "The old township, incorporated in 1695, comprised some 106 square miles and included what today is West Deptford, Washington Township, Monroe, Westville, Woodbury and Woodbury Heights.... It was settled in 1623 by the Dutch under Cornelius Jacobse Mey and was later claimed by the Swedes and the Finns before coming under British control.... Today, Deptford is many sections, including Almonesson, Jericho, New Sharon, Oak Valley, Westville Grove, Cooper Village, Blackwood Terrace, Hammond Heights, Lake Tract, Woodbury Terrace, Woodbury Gardens, Country Club Estates and Good Intent." Deptford Township is named after the English port of

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home to Deptford Dock ...

, located on

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

Clement Oak The Clement Oak was a large old white oak tree in Deptford Township, New Jersey. It is believed to have sprouted between 1555 and 1615, and was destroyed by a storm in the early 21st century. The Clement Oak was located behind the Deptford Wal-Ma ...

in Deptford, an old

oak tree An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

estimated to have sprouted between 1555 and 1615, was the site of the first

hot air balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carries ...

landing in North America when

Jean-Pierre Blanchard Jean-Pierre rançoisBlanchard (4 July 1753 – 7 March 1809) was a French inventor, best known as a pioneer of gas balloon flight, who distinguished himself in the conquest of the air in a balloon, in particular the first crossing of the Englis ...

completed his flight to Deptford from

in 1793. During his flight, Blanchard carried a personal letter from

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

to be delivered to the owner of whatever property Blanchard happened to land on, making the flight the first delivery of

airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...

in the U.S. Deptford Township was hit by a strong EF3 tornado on September 1, 2021 with winds up to produced by the remnants of

Hurricane Ida Hurricane Ida was a deadly and extremely destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane in 2021 that became the second-most damaging and intense hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of Louisiana on record, behind Hurricane Katrina in 200 ...

. More than 100 homes in the township were damaged in the tornado outbreak.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township had a total area of 17.57 square miles (45.50 km²), including 17.33 square miles (44.89 km²) of land and 0.24 square miles (0.61 km²) of water (1.35%). The township borders the municipalities of Mantua Township, Washington Township, Wenonah, West Deptford Township, Westville,

, and Woodbury Heights in Gloucester County, and Bellmawr,

Gloucester Township Gloucester Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the township had a total population of 64,634, reflecting an increase of ...

, and Runnemede in Camden County. Oak Valley, with a 2010 census population of 3,483,) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

(CDP) located within Deptford Township. Other unincorporated communities, localities, and places located partially or completely within the township include Almonesson, Blackwood Terrace, Clements Bridge, Cooper Village, Country Club Estates,

Good Intent "Good Intent" is a song by New Zealand singer/guitarist Kimbra from her debut studio album, ''Vows'' (2011). The song was released in New Zealand and Australia on 15 August 2011 as the third single from the album. The single peaked at number 98 o ...

, Hammond Heights, Jericho, Lake Tract, New Sharon, Oak Valley, Salina, Westcottville, Westville Grove, Woodbury Gardens, Woodbury Park, and Woodbury Terrace.

Demographics

2010 census

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 dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

was $66,833 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,897) and the median family income was $76,303 (+/− $2,216). Males had a median income of $52,310 (+/− $2,247) versus $46,532 (+/− $4,525) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the borough was $30,476 (+/− $1,269). About 6.9% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 13.7% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of 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 ...

, there were 26,763 people, 10,013 households, and 7,079 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 10,647 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 83.44%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 12.38%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

, 0.21% Native American, 1.53%

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 Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.99% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 1.41% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

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 2.86% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Deptford township, New Jersey
,

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

. Accessed October 31, 2016.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Deptford township, Gloucester County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed August 22, 2012. There were 10,013 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.12. In the township, the age distribution of the population showed 23.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $50,147, and the median income for a family was $56,642. Males had a median income of $40,641 versus $28,986 for females. The

for the township was $21,477. 5.9% of the population and 4.3% of families were below the

. Out of the total population, 6.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Deptford Mall, which is located in the township, is the largest mall in the

region of the state; it has a

gross leasable area In architecture, construction, and real estate, floor area, floor space, or floorspace is the area (measured as square feet or square metres) taken up by a building or part of it. The ways of defining "floor area" depend on what factors of the buil ...

of .

Macerich Macerich ( ) is a real estate investment trust that invests in shopping centers. It is the third-largest owner and operator of shopping centers in the United States. As of December 31, 2020, the company owned interests in 52 properties comprisi ...

purchased the mall in 2007 for $241 million. The mall is surrounded by an eight-screen movie theater, twelve strip malls, bars, restaurants, and stores.

Parks and recreation

Tall Pines State Preserve is a nature preserve that opened in November 2015 as Gloucester County's first state park, located along the border of Deptford Township and Mantua Township. Originally a forest that was turned into an asparagus field and then a golf course, the land was preserved through the efforts of the South Jersey Land and Water Trust, the Friends of Tall Pines, Gloucester County Nature Club, and the New Jersey Green Acres Program.

Government

Local government

Deptford Township operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Council-Manager form of municipal government. The township is one of 42 of 564 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of a seven-member Township Council, whose members are elected on an at-large basis in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either three or four seats coming up for election in odd-numbered years.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 28. The council then selects a mayor and a deputy mayor to serve two-year terms from among its members during the reorganization meeting in January. There are no term limits for council, mayor or deputy mayor, and elected officials can remain in those offices as long as they continue to be nominated by the council every two years and as long as they win their council elections every four years. The council hires an independent manager to serve as the chief administrative official of the township. The Township Manager is Rob Hatalovsky. , the members of the Deptford Township Council are

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Paul Medany ( D, term on committee and ends December 31, 2023; term as mayor ends 2022), Deputy Mayor Tom Hufnell (D, term on committee ends 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), Kenneth Barnshaw (D, 2025), MacKenzie Belling (D, 2023), Bill Lamb (D, 2025), Wayne Love (D, 2025) and Phillip Schocklin (D, 2025).Mayor & Council
Deptford Township. Accessed April 12, 2022.''Gloucester County 2022 Official Directory''

Gloucester County, New Jersey Gloucester County () is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 302,294. Gloucester County is located approximately southeast of Philadelphia and northwest of Atlantic City. ...

. Accessed April 12, 2022.General Election November 2, 2021 Unofficial Results

, updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.General Election November 5, 2019 Summary Report Unofficial Results

Clerk, November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.

Federal, state, and county representation

Deptford Township is located in the 1st Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; t ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 5th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there was a total of 19,449 registered voters in Deptford, of whom 8,169 (42.0%) were registered as Democrats, 2,740 (14.1%) were registered as Republicans and 8,523 (43.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 17 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's enc ...

or Greens. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

received 62.3% of the vote (8,427 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 36.5% (4,938 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (168 votes), among the 13,639 ballots cast by the township's 20,488 registered voters (106 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 60.4% of the vote (8,655 cast), 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 37.1% (5,311 votes) and other candidates with 1.5% (215 votes), among the 14,332 ballots cast by the township's 20,166 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

received 58.0% of the vote (7,426 ballots cast), outpolling 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 40.8% (5,220 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (104 votes), among the 12,806 ballots cast by the township's 17,725 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.2. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in N ...

received 60.9% of the vote (4,794 cast), 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 37.7% (2,969 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (111 votes), among the 8,093 ballots cast by the township's 20,145 registered voters (219 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...

received 48.9% of the vote (4,158 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 41.0% (3,487 votes), 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 7.3% (622 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (65 votes), among the 8,500 ballots cast by the township's 19,678 registered voters, yielding a 43.2% turnout.

Education

Primary and secondary education

The township is served by Deptford Township Schools, a public school district comprised of eight schools for 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 grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

. As of the 2020–2021 school year, the district had an enrollment of 3,942 students and 329.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis) for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.District information for Deptford Township Public 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. According to 2020–2021 enrollment data from the

,) schools in the district include Central Early Childhood Center with 489 students in grades Pre-K–1, Pine Acres Early Childhood Center with 240 students in grades Pre-K–1, Good Intent School with 334 students in grades 2–6, Lake Tract School with 382 students in grades 2–6, Oak Valley School with 354 students in grades 2–6, Shady Lane School with 361 students in grades 2–6, Monongahela Middle School with 704 students in grades 7–8,

Deptford Township High School Deptford Township High School (also Deptford High School) is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades, located in Deptford Township, in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state o ...

with 1,009 students in grades 9–12, and Deptford Transitional Learning Academy, which assists students with developmental or cognitive disabilities ages 14 to 21 learn life and career skills. , Guardian Angels Regional School (Pre-K-Grade 3 campus in Gibbstown CDP and 4–8 campus in Paulsboro), managed by the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden is a Roman Catholic diocese of the Latin Church in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It consists of 62 parishes and about 475,000 Catholics in the Southern Jersey counties of Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cum ...

, also accepts students from Deptford.

Colleges and universities

Gloucester County students are eligible to apply to attend

Gloucester County Institute of Technology The Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) is a four-year vocational-technical public high school located in Deptford Township in Gloucester County, New Jersey. It operates as part of the Gloucester County Vocational-Technical Scho ...

, 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. Gloucester County College, now part of

Rowan College of South Jersey Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) is a public community college with two campuses in New Jersey, including one in Sewell (Gloucester Main Campus) and one in Vineland and Millville (Cumberland Branch Campus). The college was established in ...

, opened in Deptford Township in 1968, with classes held at Monongahela Junior High School and Deptford Township High School.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester County, by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...

, and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Several major transportation routes crisscross Deptford Township including Route 41, Route 42, Route 45, Route 47, and Route 55. County roads include County Route 534, County Route 544, County Route 551, and County Route 553. 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 ...

's passes through the area at Exit 3 at Bellmawr and Runnemede. A very short section of Interstate 295 passes through the township for .

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

bus service is available to

on the 400, 401,

402 __NOTOC__ Year 402 (Roman numerals, CDII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arcadius and Honorius (or, less frequent ...

408 __NOTOC__ Year 408 (Roman numerals, CDVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Bassus and Philippus (or, less frequentl ...

, 410, and 412 routes. Local service is provided on the 455 and

463 Year 463 ( CDLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Basilius and Vivianus (or, less frequently, year 1216 '' Ab urbe ...

routes.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or closely associated with Deptford Township include: *

Enrico Di Giuseppe Enrico Di Giuseppe (October 14, 1932 – December 31, 2005) was a celebrated American operatic tenor who had an active performance career from the late 1950s through the 1990s. He spent most of his career performing in New York City, juggling ...

(1932–2005),

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a librett ...

tic

tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...

who performed with the

New York City Opera The New York City Opera (NYCO) is an American opera company located in Manhattan in New York City. The company has been active from 1943 through 2013 (when it filed for bankruptcy), and again since 2016 when it was revived. The opera company, du ...

and the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is operat ...

Evan Edinger Evan Edinger (born July 29, 1990) is an American-British YouTuber based in London, England. Edinger is known for his "British VS American" series, in which he compares topics such as exams, healthcare systems, and taxes with guest YouTubers fr ...

(born 1990), YouTuber *

Joe Fields Joseph Charles Fields Jr. (born November 14, 1953) is a former professional American football center and guard in the National Football League for the New York Jets and the New York Giants. Raised in Deptford Township, New Jersey, Fields ...

(born 1953), former professional

American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...

center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...

and

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

who played in the NFL for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

and the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

Kenneth A. Gewertz Kenneth A. Gewertz (December 1, 1934 – December 12, 2006) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as mayor of Deptford Township, New Jersey, and in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 to 1980. His advocacy efforts on behalf ...

(1934–2006), politician who served as Mayor of Deptford Township and in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

Isaac Hopper Isaac Tatem Hopper (December 3, 1771 – May 7, 1852) was an American abolitionist who was active in Philadelphia in the anti-slavery movement and protecting fugitive slaves and free blacks from slave kidnappers. He was also co-founder of Child ...

(1771–1852), abolitionist, founder of the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...

* Michael Johns (born 1964),

health care Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health profe ...

executive, former

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

speechwriter,

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

policy analyst and writer *

Katrina Law Katrina Law is an American actress. She is known for playing the roles of Mira on the Starz television series '' Spartacus: Blood and Sand'' and '' Spartacus: Vengeance'', Nyssa al Ghul on The CW television series ''Arrow'', Karen Beach on the ...

(born ), actress * Bob Levy (born 1962), stand-up comic * Dave Rowe (born 1945), former professional football player who played for the Baltimore Colts,

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

, Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers *

Shaun T Shaun T (born May 2, 1978) is an American fitness trainer. He is best known for his home fitness programs for adults and children which include T25, Insanity, Hip-Hop Abs, Cize and Let's Get Up!. Life and career Born as Shaun Thompson in Camd ...

(born 1978), motivational speaker, fitness trainer and

choreographer Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

best known for his home fitness programs T25, Insanity and Hip-Hop Abs *

Mel Sheppard Melvin Whinfield "Peerless Mel" Sheppard (September 5, 1883 – January 4, 1942) was an American athlete, member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and winner of four gold medals and one silver medal at the 1908 Summer Olympi ...

(1883–1942), winner of four gold medals at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

and

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...

Patti Smith Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter and author who became an influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album '' Horses''. Called the "punk poe ...

(born 1946), punk rock singer-songwriter, musician, author, and poet * Gary Stuhltrager (born 1955), eight-term member of the

Crystal Waters Crystal Waters (born November 19, 1961) is an American house and dance music singer and songwriter, best known for her 1990s dance hits " Gypsy Woman", " 100% Pure Love", and 2007's " Destination Calabria" with Alex Gaudino. All three of her s ...

(born 1961),

house A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

and

dance music Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement. In terms of performance, the major categories are live dance music and recorded danc ...

singer and songwriter *

Lillian Willoughby Lillian Ruth Pemberton Willoughby (January 29, 1915''Iowa, Delayed Birth Records, 1856-1940'' – January 15, 2009) was an American Quakers, Quaker activist who advocated for world peace, founded Take Back the Night (protest), Take Back the Nigh ...

(1915–2009), Quaker activist who advocated for world peace and founded Take Back the Night

In popular culture

Deptford Township is featured briefly in the film '' Patti Smith: Dream of Life'', a 2008 documentary about rock musician

."Patti Smith: Dream of Life"
''Electric Sheep'', December 2, 2008.

References

External links

Deptford Township Official Web SiteDeptford Public LibraryDeptford Township Schools
*
School Data for the Deptford Township Schools

{{authority control 1695 establishments in New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Populated places established in 1695 Townships in Gloucester County, New Jersey