Hammonton is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

Atlantic County Atlantic County is a County (United States), county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.

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 ...

, that has been referred to as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". As of the 2020 U.S. census, the town's population was 14,711, a decline of 80 from the 2010 census count of 14,791,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Hammonton town, 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 t ...

. Accessed May 15, 2012.Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Hammonton town
,

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission is an independent body within the New Jersey state government under the auspices of t ...

. Accessed May 15, 2012. which reflected an increase of 2,187 (+17.4%) from the 12,604 counted in the 2000 Census. Hammonton was settled in 1812 and was named for John Hammond Coffin, a son of one of the community's earliest settlers, William Coffin, with the "d" in what was originally Hammondton disappearing over time. It was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1866, from portions of Hamilton Township and Mullica Township. The town is located directly between

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad with

Hammonton station Hammonton is a train station in Hammonton, New Jersey, United States. It serves NJ Transit trains on the Atlantic City Line, local buses, and the Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach. Its Amtrak station code is HTN. Eastbound service is offered to Atlant ...

directly in the downtown area. The route is now used by

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 ...

Atlantic City Line The Atlantic City Line (ACL) is a commuter rail line operated by NJ Transit (NJT) in the United States between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Atlantic City, New Jersey, operating along the corridor of the White Horse Pike. It runs over trackage ...

. It is part of the South Jersey region of the state.

History

Little is known of the area of Hammonton before European contact. Stone tools have been found in digs in the area probably dating from the Woodland period, so there was some population, but further details have not been ascertained. At the time of European contact, the general area was inhabited by the

Unalachtigo Lenape The Unalachtigo were a purported division of the Lenape ( Delaware Indians), a Native American tribe whose homeland ''Lenapehoking'' was in what is today the Northeastern United States. They were part of the Forks Indians.Goddard, "Delaware," 236 ...

. As European settlement continued, the Lenape in the area declined from disease, loss of land to Europeans, and emigration elsewhere. The West Jersey Society was granted rights over a large tract of land in the English

Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1783. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland but came under English rule after t ...

to parcel out in 1748, including the territory of future Hammonton. The Society sold a parcel of what would become future Hammonton in 1805, with the territory passing through several hands. William Coffin and his family came to the land in 1812 to build a home and operate a sawmill for John R. Coates; Coffin purchased the land and mill outright in 1814. The mill was not in the exact location of the modern downtown, but rather by the shore of Hammonton Lake and stretching to the north and east of the current town. The town was initially called "Hammondton" after Coffin's son John Hammond Coffin; later town governments would drop the "d", leading to the modern name of Hammonton. In 1817, Coffin opened a glass factory in the area, as the glass industry was a major South Jersey industry at the time due to the availability of cheap timber and bog iron; the

Mullica River The Mullica River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the ''Little Egg Ha ...

was used to transport the finished products in an era before railroads. Trading stores and homes for workers were built as well. The early Old Hammonton settlement was still quite tiny, and the glass industry began to fade in importance. It was replaced by farming, especially of strawberries and blueberries. The Camden and Atlantic Railroad began service in 1854, running to the west of Old Hammonton. Developer Charles K. Landis and Philadelphia banker Richard Byrnes formed a partnership in 1856, Landis & Byrnes, which purchased large tracts of land near the recently built railroad; they then advertised the town of Hammonton and began to sell off small parcels for development. This had the result of moving the settlement to the modern location of Hammonton, away from the river, the old method of bulk transportation; it was now closer to the railroad, with the Hammonton Railroad Station was established in 1858. In 1861, Landis and Byrnes had a falling-out; Byrnes remained in Hammonton while Landis left to found the cities of

Vineland ''Vineland'' is a 1990 novel by Thomas Pynchon, a postmodern fiction set in California, United States in 1984, the year of Ronald Reagan's reelection.Knabb 2002 Through flashbacks by its characters, who have lived the sixties in their youth, th ...

and

Sea Isle City Sea Isle City is a city in Cape May County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Ocean City metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's year-round population was 2,104, a decrease of 10 (−0.5 ...

. In 1866, Hammonton's leaders petitioned the legislature to separate Hammonton from Mullica Township and Hamilton Township which it was then part of.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 69. Accessed May 15, 2012. Hammonton was directly incorporated by act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 5, 1866 as a "

Town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

", an unusual form of government of which Hammonton is the only example in Atlantic County. A census taken at time of incorporation counted 1422 inhabitants of the town. A major factor in the history of Hammonton after incorporation was a wave of Italian immigration to the town. Salvador Calabrasce, an Italian immigrant who served in the Union Navy in the Civil War, married a New Jerseyan and moved to Hammonton. He sent letters back to his friends in

Gesso Gesso (; "chalk", from the la, gypsum, from el, γύψος) is a white paint mixture consisting of a binder mixed with chalk, gypsum, pigment, or any combination of these. It is used in painting as a preparation for any number of substrates suc ...

on Sicily which attracted immigrants to come to Hammonton. The efforts of Calabrasce and others saw a growing population of

Italian-American Italian Americans ( it, italoamericani or ''italo-americani'', ) are Americans who have full or partial Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeast and industrial Midwestern metropolitan areas, ...

s in the town who would go on to make up a substantial portion of the town's overall population. Hammonton was briefly host to a major racing track, the

Atlantic City Speedway The Atlantic City Speedway was a board oval racing track located near Hammonton, New Jersey. The track was built in 1926, and hosted eight American Automobile Association American Automobile Association (AAA – commonly pronounced as "T ...

. Races were held from 1926–1928 on the wooden track built, complete with a direct rail connection. The owners had hoped to compete with the major racetracks of the era, but were unable to continue. The track served as a test track for Studebaker from 1928 to 1933 before it was demolished and the timber used to build it repurposed for other buildings. The first Hammonton Blueberry Festival was held in 1953, embracing the area's identity as a grower of blueberries.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Hammonton had a total area of 41.32 square miles (107.01 km²), including 40.75 square miles (105.54 km²) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.46 km²) of water (1.37%). The town borders Folsom borough, to the southwest, and both Hamilton and Mullica townships to the southeast in Atlantic County; Shamong Township and Washington Township in Burlington County to the northeast; and Waterford Township and Winslow Township in Camden County to the northwest. It is located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain, so is largely flat, though the highest point in Atlantic County is located along the Pennsylvania Railroad within the borders of Hammonton. The town is located almost exactly halfway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City.

Unincorporated communities 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 ...

, localities and place names located completely or partially within the town include Barnard, Bellhurst, Caldwell Crossing, Dacosta, Dutchtown, Great Swamp, Murphy, Rockford, Rockwood, Rosedale and West Mills.

Pine Barrens

The town is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the

New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve (also known as Pinelands National Reserve) is a national reserve that encompasses the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The Pinelands is a unique location of historic villages and berry farms amid the vast oa ...

, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering , that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve. All of the town is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Atlantic County, along with areas in Burlington, Camden,

Cape May Cape May consists of a peninsula and barrier island system in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is roughly coterminous with Cape May County and runs southwards from the New Jersey mainland, separating Delaware Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. The so ...

, Cumberland,

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

and

Ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...

counties. Due to its location in the

Pine Barrens Pine barrens, pine plains, sand plains, or pineland areas occur throughout the U.S. from Florida to Maine (see Atlantic coastal pine barrens) as well as the Midwest, West, and Canada and parts of Eurasia. Perhaps the most well known pine-barre ...

, the soil is largely sandy, making it ideal for growing blueberries. Low, marshy areas, often within the Pine Barrens are also used for cranberry cultivation. On June 19, 2022 a fire broke out in the Wharton State Forest in a remote area in the northern part of Hammonton. The Mullica River Fire consumed more than 15,000 acres of protected land and became the largest wildfire in the state in 15 years. The cause of the fire is believed to be caused by an illegal campfire.

Climate

Hammonton lies in the northern reaches of the humid subtropical climate zone, and, similar to inland southern New Jersey, is characterized by brisk winters, hot summers, and plentiful precipitation spread evenly throughout the year. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Hammonton's climate is abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey 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 o ...

was $59,085 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,242) and the median family income was $62,354 (+/− $3,893). Males had a median income of $47,110 (+/− $4,411) versus $36,615 (+/− $3,549) 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 $25,292 (+/− $1,528). About 8.4% of families and 10.2% 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 13.1% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

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 cen ...

there were 12,604 people, 4,619 households, and 3,270 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,843 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 87.85%

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 o ...

, 1.74%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.14% Native American, 1.14% Asian, 0.02%

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 ...

, 7.83% 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 1.27% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 14.88% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hammonton town, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 10, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hammonton town, Atlantic County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed July 10, 2013. As of the 2000 Census, 45.9% of town residents were of

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

ancestry, the second-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States (behind

Johnston, Rhode Island Johnston is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,568 at the 2020 census. Johnston is the site of the Clemence Irons House (1691), a stone-ender museum, and the only landfill in Rhode Island. Incorpora ...

, at 46.7%), and highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry. News reports have said Hammonton leads the nation in Italian-Americans per capita. There were 4,619 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.6% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14. In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.2% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males. The median income for a household in the town was $43,137, and the median income for a family was $52,205. Males had a median income of $36,219 versus $27,900 for females. The

for the town was $19,889. About 5.7% of families and 9.1% of the population were below the

, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Musical groups from the town include the rock band

The Early November The Early November is an American rock band from New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 2001 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. , they have released two EPs: ''For All of This'' (2002) and '' The Acoustic EP'' (2005). They have ...

Sports

In 1997, Gabriel Donio (founder and publisher of ''The Hammonton Gazette'') proposed a minor-league baseball team called the Hammonton Blueberries, going so far as to create a team logo and a prototype uniform, as well as purchasing a 20-acre tract of land for $200,000. Donio planned to build on the site a 3,500-seat, six-million-dollar ballpark, which he described as "a rough miniature of the Brooklyn Dodgers'

Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five pro ...

". In 1999, the Northern League announced that they would form a six-team developmental circuit and include Hammonton as one of the clubs; however, this did not happen, and the proposed ballpark was not built, putting an end to the Blueberries. (Since Hammonton is less than 75 miles from Philadelphia, any pro baseball team there would either need permission from the

Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has been Citize ...

or play in an independent league, outside of MLB's jurisdiction.)

Government

Local government

Hammonton is governed under the

form of New Jersey municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the Town Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term. The Town Council is comprised of six members elected to serve two-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats coming up for election each year.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

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

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 49. , the

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 ...

of Hammonton is

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

Steve DiDonato, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Hammonton Town Council are Deputy Mayor Tom Gribbin (I, 2024), Steve Furgione (I, 2023), Bill Olivo (I, 2023), Jonathan Oliva (I, 2024), Sam Rodio (I, 2023) and Ed Wuillermin (I, 2024).Mayor & Council
Town of Hammonton. Accessed July 19, 2022Municipal Government

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located along the southern coast of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county had a population of 274,534.Plan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 8th 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. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Hammonton had been in the 9th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 58, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015. Atlantic County is governed by a directly elected

county executive A county executive, county manager or county mayor is the head of the executive branch of government in a United States county. The executive may be an elected or an appointed position. When elected, the executive typically functions either as a ...

and a nine-member Board of County Commissioners, responsible for legislation. The executive serves a four-year term and the commissioners are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an at-large basis and five of the commissioners represent equally populated districts.Atlantic County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Atlantic County, New Jersey. Accessed June 5, 2018. , Atlantic County's Executive is

Republican 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 ...

Dennis Levinson, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Board of County Commissioners are: Ernest D. Coursey, District 1, including Atlantic City (part),

Egg Harbor Township Egg Harbor Township is a township in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The U.S. Census Bureau in the 2020 census reported the population as 47,842, an increase of 4,519 over the 43,323 counted in the previous decade in the 201 ...

(part), and Pleasantville (D, 2022, Atlantic City), Chair Maureen Kern, District 2, including Atlantic City (part),

(part),

Linwood Linwood may refer to: Places Many of the place names for Linwood come from the presence of linden trees. Australia *Linwood, South Australia * Linnwood, Guildford, 11-35 Byron Road, Guildford, New South Wales Canada * Linwood, Ontario * Linwood, ...

, Longport, Margate City, Northfield, Somers Point and Ventnor City (R, 2024, Somers Point), Andrew Parker III, District 3, including

(part) and Hamilton Township (part) (R, Egg Harbor Township, 2023), Richard R. Dase, District 4, including Absecon, Brigantine, Galloway Township and Port Republic (R, 2022, Galloway Township), James A. Bertino, District 5, including Buena, Buena Vista Township, Corbin City,

Egg Harbor City Egg Harbor City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 4,396, an increase of 153 from the 2010 Census.Estell Manor, Folsom, Hamilton Township (part), Hammonton, Mullica Township and Weymouth Township (R, 2018, Hammonton), Caren L. Fitzpatrick, At-Large (D, 2023,

), Frank X. Balles, At-Large (R, Pleasantville, 2024) Amy L. Gatto, Freeholder (R, 2022, Hamilton Township) and Vice Chair John W. Risley, At-Large (R, 2023, Egg Harbor Township) Atlantic County's constitutional officers are: County Clerk Joesph J. Giralo (R, 2026, Hammonton), Sheriff Eric Scheffler (D, 2024, Northfield) and Surrogate James Curcio (R, 2025, Hammonton).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 8,556 registered voters in Hammonton, of which 1,851 (21.6% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,627 (30.7% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 4,076 (47.6% vs. 44.3%) were registered as unaffiliated. There were 2 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.Voter Registration Summary - Atlantic
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 24, 2014. Among the town's 2010 Census population, 57.8% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 75.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide). In the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...

, Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

received 3,859 votes (60.08% vs 44.64% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

with 2,366 votes (36.84% vs 51.61%) and other candidates with 198 votes (3.08% vs 3.76%). A total of 6,423 ballots were cast. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 3,420 votes here (54.4% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of 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 ...

with 2,777 votes (44.1% vs. 57.9%) and other candidates with 57 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 6,290 ballots cast by the town's 8,951 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.3% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,509 votes here (54.0% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,894 votes (44.5% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 89 votes (1.4% vs. 1.1%), among the 6,502 ballots cast by the town's 9,090 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.5% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,218 votes here (54.1% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of 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, he ...

with 2,600 votes (43.7% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 47 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,947 ballots cast by the town's 7,913 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.2% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county). In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican Kim Guadagno received 2,425 votes (56.38% vs 42.46% countywide) ahead of Democrat Phillip Murphy with 1,726 votes (40.13% vs 55.14%), and other candidates with 150 votes (3.49% vs 2.41%). There were a total of 4,301 votes cast. 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 3,234 votes here (68.7% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 1,229 votes (26.1% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 60 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,709 ballots cast by the town's 9,033 registered voters, yielding a 52.1% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county). In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,588 votes here (53.7% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of 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 ...

with 1,773 votes (36.8% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 204 votes (4.2% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 93 votes (1.9% vs. 1.2%), among the 4,822 ballots cast by the town's 8,724 registered voters, yielding a 55.3% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).

Education

Students in

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...

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 ...

attend the Hammonton Public Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 3,566 students and 249.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.3:1.District information for Hammonton School District
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Early Childhood Education Center with 355 students in grades K–1, Warren E. Sooy Elementary School with 873 students in grades 2–5, Hammonton Middle School with 879 students in grades 6–8 and Hammonton High School with 1,393 students in grades 9–12. Students from Folsom Borough (grades 9–12) and Waterford Township in Camden County (7–12) attend the Hammonton schools as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Folsom Borough School District and the Waterford Township School District. In the wake of the dissolution of the

Lower Camden County Regional School District The Lower Camden County Regional School District was a regional public school district serving students in seventh through twelfth grades in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. The district served the constituent communities of Berlin Towns ...

, the Hammonton board of education voted in 1999 to begin accepting an estimated 800 students from Waterford Township for grades 7–12 starting as of 2002, with the tuition paid by students from Waterford helping to lower overall costs to Hammonton taxpayers. Borough public school students are also eligible to attend the

Atlantic County Institute of Technology The Atlantic County Institute of Technology (ACIT) is a four-year countywide vocational public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Atlantic County Vocatio ...

in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the

Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts is a public charter high school for students in ninth through twelfth grades in Somers Point, Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, that focuses on education in the performing arts. The sch ...

, located in Somers Point. Hammonton is home of the Catholic schools St. Joseph Regional Elementary School (for Pre-K–8) and St. Joseph High School (for grades 9–12) which operate under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Camden. In April 2020, the Diocese of Camden announced that despite its status as a football powerhouse, St. Joseph was one of five Catholic schools in New Jersey which would close permanently at the end of the school year on June 30, 2020."Five Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Camden to close at end of school year"

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 ...

, April 17, 2020. Accessed September 2, 2020. "The Diocese of Camden announced today that five schools in the diocese will close, effective the end of the current school term on June 30, 2020. The three elementary schools and two high schools are: Good Shepherd Regional Elementary School in Collingswood; Saint Joseph Regional Elementary School in Hammonton; Cape Trinity Catholic Elementary School in Wildwood; Saint Joseph High School in Hammonton; Wildwood Catholic High School in Wildwood" St. Joseph Regional Elementary was to permanently close at the end of the school year as well.

Media

Television stations

* WPSJ-CD Channel 8 Hammonton (

)

Newspapers

*''

Hammonton Gazette The Hammonton Gazette is a weekly local newspaper located in Hammonton, New Jersey. It was founded in 1997 by the then-23-year-old Gabriel J. Donio. The first print edition was published on July 2, 1997. Gabriel J. Donio is the publisher of The ...

'' *Hammonton News Hammonton is served by other newspapers: *''

The Press of Atlantic City ''The Press of Atlantic City'' is the fourth-largest daily newspaper in New Jersey. Originally based in Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The newspaper designated market runs from Ware ...

'' a major daily newspaper in South New Jersey. *'' Philadelphia Daily News'' a major daily newspaper based in

. *''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Pennsy ...

'' a major daily newspaper based in Philadelphia.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Atlantic County and 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 transporta ...

and by the

South Jersey Transportation Authority The South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) is a quasi-private agency created by the New Jersey Legislature in 1991 to manage transportation-related services in the six southern New Jersey counties: Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, G ...

. The

Atlantic City Expressway The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but unsigned, as Route 446 and abbreviated A.C. Expressway, ACE, or ACX, and known locally as the Expressway, is a long toll road in the U.S. state of New Jersey, managed and operated by ...

U.S. Route 30 U.S. Route 30 or U.S. Highway 30 (US 30) is an east–west main route in the system of the United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. With a length of , it is the third longest ...

, U.S. Route 206 and Route 54 all pass through Hammonton, as do County Route 536, County Route 542, County Route 559 and County Route 561.

Public transportation

The

provides passenger rail service between the

Atlantic City Rail Terminal The Atlantic City Rail Terminal is Atlantic City, New Jersey's train station, located inside of the Atlantic City Convention Center. It has five tracks served by three platforms and functions as the easternmost terminus of the NJ Transit Atlanti ...

in Atlantic City and

30th Street Station 3 (three) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 2 and preceding 4, and is the smallest odd prime number and the only prime preceding a square number. It has religious or cultural significance in many societie ...

and intermediate points on the

. NJ Transit provides bus service in Hammonton on the

554 __NOTOC__ Year 554 ( DLIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 554 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...

route between Lindenwold station and Atlantic City.

Airport

Hammonton Municipal Airport is located northeast of the central business district.

Community

Blueberry capital

Hammonton is known as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". Since the 1980s, the Red, White and Blueberry Festival has celebrated Hammonton's status as the nation's blueberry capital. A farm in the town is Northeast's largest blueberry grower.

Presidential visits

Ronald Reagan visited Hammonton during his 1984 re-election campaign. Reagan's speech highlighted Hammonton's status as " Blueberry Capital of the World" and then extolled the virtues of New Jersey native Bruce Springsteen. Bruce soon disassociated himself from the politics and the use of his song "Born in The U.S.A." Hammonton has also been visited by Ulysses S. Grant and

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

, who made whistle stops in the town.

Festivals

Every year Hammonton hosts the Red, White and Blueberry festival, Our Lady of Mount Carmel festival and the Hammonton wine festival. Mount Carmel's Italian Festival dates back to 1875 and is considered the oldest such continuously run festival in the United States.DiUlio, Nick
"NJ's Most Italian TownIt started with a single Sicilian farmer in 1863. Now Hammonton has the highest percentage of Italians in the Garden State."
'' New Jersey Monthly'', January 17, 2012. Accessed May 29, 2013. "But the standout event on the calendar is the annual Italian Festival sponsored by the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Society. What began in 1875 as a traditional Roman Catholic two-mile long procession of saints has evolved into the longest running Italian festival in the country, with a weeklong carnival and festivities erupting every July.... The town is home to three celebrated South Jersey vineyards: Plagido's Winery, DiMatteo Vineyards and Tomasello Winery, which was started by one of the town's oldest Italian families and has been making wine for almost 80 years." Other festivals include; Hammonton Fall Beer Festival, Teen Arts Festival, Hammonton Food Truck Festival, Hammonton Green Day Festival, and Crusin Main Street.

Downtown

Hammonton's downtown district has been growing for the past 20 years. The downtown area includes Bellevue Avenue, Central Avenue, Vine street, Second Street, Third Street, Twelfth Street, Egg Harbor Road, Front Street, West End Avenue, Railroad Avenue and Washington Street. The downtown includes art galleries, restaurants, wine and sports bars, banks, clothing stores, offices, a theatre, a park, and a college satellite campus, attracting shoppers from South Jersey. Every year the downtown has three parades. The Halloween and Christmas parades are the two major parades that happen in downtown. In May, there is a smaller Memorial Day parade. The Downtown also hosts the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, which is a large celebration that includes the lighting of a large tree on the corner of Bellevue and Central Avenue, Christmas carolers, a music show, carriage rides, a live nativity and the arrival of Santa. During these events the downtown stores are open late. On the third Thursday of every month, the downtown host the "Third Thursday Events", with a different theme each month. Stores offer discounts, and people perform on the street. The downtown was one of the finalist for the Great American Main Street Award in 2013. The award recognizes three communities each year for their successful revitalization efforts, based on documented economic impact, small-business development, historic preservation, volunteer involvement, public/private cooperation and success over time.

Events

In 1949, Hammonton was the winner of the Little League World Series, after finishing third in the tournament in both 1947 and 1948. The Hammonton team was the first official team located outside of Pennsylvania. Longest Line of Cakes Guiness Record in Hammonton New Jersey

Longest Line of Cakes Guiness Record in Hammonton New Jersey

On July 24, 2011, Ricca's Italian Bakery set a Guinness World Record for the Longest Line of Cakes topped with fresh blueberries donated by local farmers. This received recognition from the

Steve DiDonato and all members of the Hammonton Town Council. The Hammonton Town Council Deputy Mayor Tom Gribbin announced the recognition during a town council meeting on local TV in 2011 August. In November 2014, in a study conducted by CreditDonkey.com, Hammonton was ranked second-happiest city in New Jersey. The ranking was based on restaurants, crime rate, commute, departure time, income, divorce rate, and housing.

Wineries and alcohol consumption

Hammonton has three active wineries – DiMatteo Vineyards,

Plagido's Winery Plagido's Winery is a winery located in Hammonton in Atlantic County, New Jersey.Tomasello Winery Tomasello Winery is a winery located in Hammonton in Atlantic County, New Jersey.New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control The New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (Division of ABC or, simply, ABC) is an agency of the government of the state of New Jersey that regulates commerce in alcoholic beverages in that state. The 21st Amendment to the United Stat ...

, Sharrott Winery will be able to sell patrons bottles of wine that can be consumed during shows at the theater. Hammonton has also seen a growth in the craft beer industry. Since 2015, three breweries have opened in town, Tomfoolery Brewing Company, Three 3's Brewing Company, and Vinyl Brewing.

Popular culture

The 2002 direct-to-video horror film ''

13th Child ''13th Child'' (or ''The 13th Child: Legend of the Jersey Devil'') is a 2002 direct-to-video horror film directed by Thomas Ashley and Steven Stockage. It is inspired by the Jersey Devil. The screenplay was written by Michael Maryk and Cliff Rober ...

'', about the hunt for the

Jersey Devil In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying ...

, was filmed in Hammonton. A 2011 episode of ''

Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

'', "How to Win Friends and Influence Monsters" about the Jersey Devil, is set in Hammonton, though it wasn't filmed there. Hammonton made a cameo appearance in the first two episodes of the HBO series ''

Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter and broadcast on the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s and ...

'', with a scene towards the end of both episodes showing the town sign "Welcome to Hammonton, The Blueberry Capital of the World". The

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

TV show ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

'' aired its first episode of its 12th season in January 2013 with a performance by Sarah Restuccio, a seventeen-year-old girl from Hammonton. The judges enjoyed her rendition of "

Mama's Song "Mama's Song" is a song recorded by American country music singer Carrie Underwood, co-written by her along with Kara DioGuardi, Marti Frederiksen, and Luke Laird. It was released in September 2010 as the fourth and final single from her third st ...

" by

Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of ''American Idol'' in 2005. Her single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the only country artist to debut atop the ''Bill ...

, but she impressed them when they asked her to sing something else and she rapped " Super Bass" by

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...

. The show featured a short clip about Sarah's life, which included showing her everyday life in Hammonton. In October 2013 the MTV reality show ''

True Life ''True Life'' is an American documentary television series that aired on MTV from March 31, 1998 to June 21, 2017. Each episode follows a particular topic, such as heroin addiction as in the first episode – "Fatal Dose". The show is created by ...

'', featured the episode "True Life Presents: My Dad Is A Bro" about a girl in her twenties and her father in his fifties, who both party. The episode takes place throughout Hammonton. In the summer of 2013, scenes from the independent film ''The Honour'' were filmed in Hammonton. In May 2015, a commercial for the male clothing brand, Chubbies Shorts, was filmed on South Second Street in Hammonton.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hammonton include: * Tyler Bellamy (born 1988), soccer player *

Jill Biden Jill Tracy Jacobs Biden (born June 3, 1951) is an American educator and the current first lady of the United States since 2021, as the wife of President Joe Biden. She was the second lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017 when her hus ...

(born 1951), educator and

First Lady of the United States The first lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never ...

LaBan, Craig
"Blueberries to tacos: South Jersey town's shift de cuisine"
''

'', September 28, 2012. Accessed October 22, 2012. "It's the birthplace of the vice president's wife, Jill Biden, not to mention the hometown of pro wrestler Gary 'The Pitbull' Wolfe." *

Ray Blanchard Ray Milton Blanchard ( ; born October 9, 1945) is an American-Canadian sexologist, best known for his research studies on transsexualism, pedophilia and sexual orientation. He found that men with more older brothers are more likely to be gay tha ...

(born 1945), sexologist *

Reverend Gary Davis Reverend Gary Davis, also Blind Gary Davis (born Gary D. Davis, April 30, 1896 – May 5, 1972), was a blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica. Born in Laurens, South Carolina and blind since infancy ...

(1896–1972), blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica *

Anthony Durante Anthony Durante (July 26, 1967 – September 25, 2003) was an American professional wrestler best known under the ring name "Pitbull #2" as one half of the tag team The Pitbulls, with "Pitbull #1" Gary Wolfe. The team is best known for their ti ...

(1967–2003), professional wrestler *

Ace Enders Arthur Carl "Ace" Enders (born April 19, 1982, in Hammonton, New Jersey) is an American musician. Enders is the lead singer and guitarist of the band The Early November. He is also the lead musician, songwriter and co-producer in his band, I ...

(born 1982), musician *

Marie Howland Marie Stevens Case Howland (1836 – September 18, 1921) was an American feminist writer of the nineteenth century, who was closely associated with the utopian socialist movements of her era. Marie Stevens had to leave school and support her ...

(1836–1921), feminist writer *

Johnnie O. Jackson Johnnie Otis Jackson (born January 30, 1971, in Hammonton, New Jersey) is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and powerlifter. Jackson has been said to have one of the best developed upper bodies in professional bodybuilding in the world. ...

(born 1971), professional bodybuilder and powerlifter *

Nelson Johnson Nelson C. Johnson (born 1948) is an American author and former judge, lawyer and historian, best known for his 2002 ''New York Times'' bestseller, ''Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City''. His book served as ...

(born 1948), former Atlantic County Superior Court Judge and author of ''Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times, and Corruption of Atlantic City'', a chapter of which about Enoch L. "Nucky" Johnson—"Atlantic City's Godfather"—became the basis for the series ''

'' *

Margaret Mead Margaret Mead (December 16, 1901 – November 15, 1978) was an American cultural anthropologist who featured frequently as an author and speaker in the mass media during the 1960s and the 1970s. She earned her bachelor's degree at Barnard Co ...

(1901–1978), cultural anthropologist who did some of her first research in Hammonton *

Victor Moore Victor Fred Moore (February 24, 1876 – July 23, 1962) was an American actor of stage and screen, a major Broadway star from the late 1920s through the 1930s. He was also a writer and director, but is best remembered today as a comedian, play ...

(1876–1962), actor * George Washington Nicholson (1832–1912), landscape painter who retired to Hammonton around 1902 and lived there until his death in 1912 * Ron Previte (born 1943), former member of the Philadelphia crime family * Andrew Rider (1866–1898), founder of

Rider University Rider University is a private university in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. It consists of four academic units: the Norm Brodsky College of Business, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Education and Human Services, and West ...

, who lived and was buried in Hammonton *

Nicodemo Scarfo Nicodemo Domenico "Little Nicky" Scarfo Sr. (March 8, 1929 – January 13, 2017) was a member of the American Mafia who became the boss of the Philadelphia crime family after the deaths of Angelo Bruno and Phil Testa. During his criminal car ...

(born 1929), member of the

American Mafia The American Mafia, commonly referred to in North America as the Italian American Mafia, the Mafia, or the Mob, is a highly organized Italian American criminal society and organized crime group. The organization is often referred to by its membe ...

who was

Boss Boss may refer to: Occupations * Supervisor, often referred to as boss * Air boss, more formally, air officer, the person in charge of aircraft operations on an aircraft carrier * Crime boss, the head of a criminal organization * Fire boss, ...

of the

Philadelphia crime family The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Philadelphia Mafia, the Philly Mob or Philly Mafia, the Philadelphia-South Jersey Mafia, or Bruno-Scarfo family is an Italian-American Mafia family based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed and ...

, who spent summers working in Hammonton as blueberry picker * Tony Siscone (born 1949), professional race car driver *

Alma Joslyn Whiffen-Barksdale Alma Joslyn Whiffen-Barksdale (October 25, 1916 – July 5, 1981) was an American mycologist who discovered ''cycloheximide''. She was born in Hammonton, New Jersey. She received a bachelor's degree from Maryville College (1937). Her Masters (bot ...

(1916–1981), mycologist who discovered cycloheximide * Gary Wolfe (born 1967), professional wrestler * Thomas Ricca (Tom Ricca, born 1968) former professional WWE wrestler

Sister City

San Gregorio da Sassola San Gregorio da Sassola is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Metropolitan City of Rome in the Italian region Latium, located about east of Rome. San Gregorio da Sassola borders the following municipalities: Capranica Prenestina, Casape, Castel M ...

Province of Rome The Province of Rome ( it, Provincia di Roma) was one of the five provinces that formed part of the region of Lazio in Italy. It was established in 1870 and disestablished in 2014. It was essentially coterminous with the Rome metropolitan area. T ...

, Staff
"Italian Heritage On Parade"
''

'', August 25, 2008. Accessed May 15, 2012. "Residents stepped out Saturday, formalizing their 'sister city' relationship between San Gregorio da Sassola, Italy, and Hammonton, which brands itself as the most Italian town in the United States."