Cherry Hill is a
township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
within
Camden County, in the
U.S. state of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. As a
suburb
A suburb (more broadly suburban area) is an area within a metropolitan area. They are oftentimes where most of a metropolitan areas jobs are located with some being predominantly residential. They can either be denser or less densely populated ...
of
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, the township is part of the
South Jersey and
Delaware Valley regions. Cherry Hill Township grew during the mid-20th century
suburbanization
Suburbanization (American English), also spelled suburbanisation (British English), is a population shift from historic core cities or rural areas into suburbs. Most suburbs are built in a formation of (sub)urban sprawl. As a consequence ...
, becoming one of the Delaware Valley's main commercial centers, including the
Cherry Hill Mall. As of the
2020 United States census, the township's population was 74,553.
[
]
History
The area now known as Cherry Hill was originally settled by the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans before being displaced by the first settlers from England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
, namely Quaker followers of William Penn
William Penn ( – ) was an English writer, religious thinker, and influential Quakers, Quaker who founded the Province of Pennsylvania during the British colonization of the Americas, British colonial era. An advocate of democracy and religi ...
who arrived in the late 17th century. The first settlement was a small cluster of homes named Colestown, in the perimeters of what is now the Colestown Cemetery on the corner of Route 41 (King's Highway) and Church Road. The municipality was founded on February 25, 1844, in Gloucester County as Delaware Township from half of the area of Waterford Township and became part of Camden County at its creation some two weeks later on March 13, 1844.[Snyder, John ]
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 103 re Camden County, p. 104 re Cherry Hill Township, p. 105 re Delaware Township. Accessed March 14, 2012. Portions of the township were taken to form Stockton Township (February 23, 1859) and Merchantville (March 3, 1874).[ At its territorial peak, Delaware Township included all of modern-day Cherry Hill Township, as well as the neighborhood of North Camden and the municipalities of Merchantville and Pennsauken (including Petty's Island in the ]Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
).
The township's population grew rapidly after World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and continued to increase until the 1980s. Today, the municipality's population is stable, with new development generally occurring in pockets of custom luxury houses or through the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of commercial and industrial areas.
Origin of the name
Cherry Hill was a 19th-century farm on Kaighn Avenue ( Route 38), owned by Capt. Abraham M. Browning. The farm property, named Cherry Hill because of the cherry trees growing on the property, later became the Cherry Hill Inn (now an AMC Theatres
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (doing business as AMC Theatres, originally an abbreviation for American Multi-Cinema; often referred to simply as AMC) is an American movie theater chain founded in Kansas City, Missouri, and now headquartered ...
Cherry Hill 24 movie theater
A movie theater (American English) or cinema (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English), also known as a movie house, cinema hall, picture house, picture theater, the movies, the pictures, or simply theater, is a business ...
complex), as well as an RCA office campus (now a shopping center with big-box retailers and Target), and today's Cherry Hill Towers and Cherry Hill Estates housing developments.
Adding to the prevalence of the Cherry Hill name and leading to the official name change from Delaware Township to Cherry Hill Township, developer Eugene Mori branded several properties using the name, starting with the Cherry Hill Inn and Cherry Hill Lodge hotels. Cherry Hill Shopping Center (now known as Cherry Hill Mall) opened in 1961 opposite the old Cherry Hill Farm site, featuring 75 stores within a single enclosed space.[Moser, Nick]
"The Passing Parade"
'' Reading Eagle'', December 20, 1961. Accessed July 17, 2011. "We, too, paid a visit to the Cherry Hill Shopping Center, which is an innovation in modern shopping. There are nearly 75 stores under one roof, lining an indoor mall where tropical plants grow and tropical birds play."
When the township sought a new post office, another New Jersey municipality in Hunterdon County was using the name Delaware Township. The United States Postal Service insisted on a name change, suggesting "Deltown". Delaware Township mayors Christian Weber and John Gilmour pursued public write-in campaigns to select possible titles and chose Cherry Hill from suggestions that included Chapel Hill, Cherry Valley and Delaware City. The name "Cherry Hill" was chosen by the township's citizens in a non-binding referendum
A referendum, plebiscite, or ballot measure is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate (rather than their Representative democracy, representatives) on a proposal, law, or political issue. A referendum may be either bin ...
in 1961 and was officially adopted on November 7, 1961.[
]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 24.20 square miles (62.67 km2), including 24.07 square miles (62.35 km2) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.32 km2) of water (0.51%).
Ashland (2010 population of 8,302), Barclay (4,428), Cherry Hill Mall (14,171), Ellisburg (4,413), Golden Triangle (4,145), Greentree (11,367), Kingston Estates (5,685) and Springdale (14,518) are unincorporated communities and census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), 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 counte ...
s (CDPs) located within the township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities, neighborhoods, and place names located partially or completely within the township include Coffins Corner, Colwick, Cooperstown, Deer Park, Erlton, Freeman, Greenbrier, Huttons Hill, Locust Grove, Old Orchard, Point of Woods and Woodcrest.
The township's eastern border with Burlington County is defined by the Pennsauken Creek. The creek separates Cherry Hill from the communities of Maple Shade Township, Evesham Township, and Mount Laurel Township. The Cooper River forms the southern border with Collingswood, Haddon Township, Haddonfield Borough, Lawnside Borough and Somerdale, through the Maria Barnaby Greenwald Park and parallel to the east-west Route 70. To the north, Cherry Hill borders Merchantville Borough and Pennsauken Township, while Voorhees Township shares its southern border along County Route 544 (Evesham Road).
Demographics
Since 2010, the population increased after several decades of slow growth. As of 2020, the township was the state's 12th most populous municipality, and the largest in Camden County, after having been the state's 14th most-populous municipality and the county's second largest in the 2010 Census,[Table1. New Jersey Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships: 2020 and 2010 Censuses]
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed December 1, 2022. having surpassed both Brick Township, as well as nearby Camden, within the previous decade, and was ranked 13th in 2000.[The Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships in 2010 in New Jersey: 2000 and 2010]
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed November 21, 2016.
The Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans with ancestry from the continent of Asia (including naturalized Americans who are immigrants from specific regions in Asia and descendants of those immigrants).
Although this term had historically been used fo ...
population in Cherry Hill is experiencing rapid growth, increasing by 25% from 7,661 in 2010 to 9,587 in the 2013–2017 American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
, compared to 0.3% growth for the township as a whole during the same period. An extensive array of businesses owned by Korean Americans
Korean Americans () are Americans of full or partial Korean ethnicity, Korean ethnic descent. While the broader term Overseas Korean in America () may refer to all ethnic Koreans residing in the United States, the specific designation of Kore ...
has emerged along Marlton Pike (Route 70) in Cherry Hill since 2010, with signage in Hangul
The Korean alphabet is the modern writing system for the Korean language. In North Korea, the alphabet is known as (), and in South Korea, it is known as (). The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs ...
ubiquitous along this stretch.
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 71,045 people, 26,882 households, and 19,301 families in the township. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 28,452 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 78.06% (55,459) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 6.14% (4,360) Black or African American, 0.11% (78) Native American, 11.69% (8,304) Asian, 0.02% (13) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 1.83% (1,302) from other races, and 2.15% (1,529) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.64% (4,005) of the population.[
Of the 26,882 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18; 58.6% were married couples living together; 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.2% were non-families. Of all households, 24.2% were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.][
23.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 23.1% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.4 males.][
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 ]American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two 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 und ...
was $88,183 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,748) and the median family income was $105,786 (+/− $2,321). Males had a median income of $72,128 (+/− $2,699) versus $48,937 (+/− $3,321) for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the township was $41,252 (+/− $1,504). About 3.0% of families and 4.2% 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 ...
, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 69,965 people, 26,227 households, and 19,407 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 27,074 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 84.67% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 8.87% Asian, 4.46% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.10% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.70% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.[Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Cherry Hill township, Camden County, New Jersey]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed January 9, 2012.[DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Cherry Hill township, Camden County, New Jersey]
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed October 4, 2012.
There were 26,227 households, out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.
According to a 2010 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $87,392, and the median income for a family was $104,983. Males had a median income of $82,325 versus $49,129 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,192. About 2.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
Cherry Hill features a temperate, humid subtropical climate, with mild winters, and receives approximately 58% of total possible sunshine annually. However, the weather is subject to changeable conditions. Occasional ice and significant snowfall usually melt within hours to days of falling. Summers are long, hot, and humid. The area can feel effects from Atlantic tropical storms. Precipitation is plentiful in all seasons.
Economy
Cherry Hill is a corporate
A corporation or body corporate is an individual or a group of people, such as an association or company, that has been authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law as "born out of s ...
and employment hub. The township is the headquarters of TD Bank, N.A., whose US$350 billion in deposits in 2021 made it the eighth-largest American bank by deposits. On February 28, 2022, TD Bank, N.A. announced plans to acquire Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
–based First Horizon Corp for US$13.4 billion. The combined entity will be based in Cherry Hill, and will constitute a Top 6 US bank. The deal is expected to close in 2023, pending approval by regulators in both the United States and Canada. The post-merger bank will have approximately US$600 billion in assets.
Melitta USA has its coffee roasting
Roasting coffee transforms the chemical and physical properties of Coffee processing, green coffee beans into roasted coffee products. The roasting process produces the characteristic flavor of coffee by causing the green coffee beans to change ...
plant in the township. The '' Courier-Post'', the fifth-largest New Jersey–based newspaper, is published in Cherry Hill. Subaru of America's headquarters was also located in the township until 2018. Cherry Hill Mall, a principal shopping center in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, was the first enclosed shopping mall
A shopping mall (or simply mall) is a large indoor shopping center, usually Anchor tenant, anchored by department stores. The term ''mall'' originally meant pedestrian zone, a pedestrian promenade with shops along it, but in the late 1960s, i ...
in the eastern United States, opening in October 1961.[Woronowicz, Alexa. "50 fun facts about Cherry Hill. Just what makes this township so fascinating? It's much more than a mall", '' Courier-Post'', June 23, 2011. "The Cherry Hill Mall was the East Coast's first enclosed shopping mall. It opened in 1961 near the old location of the Cherry Hill Farm."]
Many residents of Cherry Hill also work elsewhere. Cherry Hill is an edge city within a half-hour commute to Philadelphia, Camden, Trenton or Princeton.
Food and dining
Chick's Deli is a deli best known for hoagies and cheesesteaks, notable for having a single retail location, which is in Cherry Hill. Marlton Pike also features numerous Korean restaurants.
In popular culture
* " Cherry Hill Park", a 1969 hit song by Billy Joe Royal, takes its title from Cherry Hill. Royal came up with the title after a friend mentioned seeing Cherry Hill on a visit to Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. The song appears on a 1969 album also titled '' Cherry Hill Park''.
* The 86th episode of the crime drama
Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...
'' Criminal Minds'', "A Shade of Gray", which aired on April 22, 2009, was set in Cherry Hill.
* The Latin Casino was a nightclub that showcased popular entertainers from the time it relocated to Cherry Hill in 1960 until it was demolished in the early 1980s. Singer Jackie Wilson suffered a heart attack at the club in 1975.
* In the movie '' Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle'', Cherry Hill is the location of the White Castle franchise Harold and Kumar ultimately visit. There are, in fact, no White Castle locations in Cherry Hill, nor does the movie's representation of Cherry Hill accurately reflect the dense, suburban nature of the town or its proximity to Philadelphia. Rather, it depicts Cherry Hill as rural farmland.
* In the movie '' The Freshman'', Clark Kellogg ( Matthew Broderick) is sent to Cherry Hill to deliver a Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon (''Varanus komodoensis''), also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large reptile of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo (island), Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Dasami, and Gili ...
.
Community
* The Carol Neulander murder occurred in Cherry Hill. Rabbi Fred Neulander was convicted of paying two men to carry out a "hit" on his wife Carol Neulander, who was murdered in the family home in the Old Orchard Neighborhood in 1994. He was sentenced to a prison term of 30 years to life; and is serving his sentence at the Trenton State prison.
* Springdale Farms is Cherry Hill's only working farm on both sides of Springdale Road south of Route 70, receiving massive property tax breaks as it is zoned agricultural.[
* Barclay Farm House, a farm house constructed in 1816 and listed on the National and New Jersey registers of historic places.
* Cherry Hill was the home of four of the five members of the Fort Dix 5, who were convicted in federal court in Camden on December 22, 2008, on a plot to kill soldiers at Fort Dix. The Cherry Hill members are Dritan Duka, 30, Shain Duka, 27, and Eljvir Duka, 25, as well as Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, 23. Ages were at the time of conviction.
]
Sports
In 1973–1974, the Cherry Hill Arena hosted a WHA hockey team, the New Jersey Knights, and from 1964 to 1971, an Eastern Hockey League team, the Jersey Devils (unrelated to the present NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The club w ...
).
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and social activist. A global cultural icon, widely known by the nickname "The Greatest", he is often regarded as the gr ...
purchased a house at 1121 Winding Drive in Cherry Hill's Voken Tract in 1971, living there with his family until 1974.
Parks and recreation
Cherry Hill has more than 50 municipal public parks, plus three parks owned by Camden County. Most parks have playground equipment, basketball courts, tennis courts, walking paths, and athletic fields.
Croft Farm, which was originally a working mill and farm, was built in 1753 and is a historic landmark in Cherry Hill. The farmhouse underwent many changes throughout the years, including an expansion in 1816. The property was sold to the township in 1985 and transformed into the Cherry Hill Arts Center in 1995, which serves the community for art classes, seminars, and concerts produced by the Cherry Hill Recreation Department.
Toward the last two weeks of April, one can see a two-mile avenue of continuous rows of cherry blossoms on Chapel Avenue between Haddonfield Road and Kings Highway. The avenue of cherry blossoms was conceived by a group of residents who wanted to unify the townspeople of Cherry Hill to participate in a community-wide celebration of the diverse community of Cherry Hill. This effort started in 1972 and cherry trees are still being planted every year by the Cherry Hill Fire Department and community volunteers.
Golf courses
Merchantville Country Club is a private 9-hole country club in Cherry Hill established in 1892. Woodcrest Country Club is a private 18-hole golf course located in the Woodcrest section. The course was founded in 1929 as a 9-hole course. An additional 9 holes were added in 1931. It was sold at a bankruptcy auction in spring 2013, and is a private club as of 2020.
Emergency services
Police
The Cherry Hill Police Department (CHPD) is the third-largest police department in the tri-county area, employing more than 130 sworn officers as well as 21 civilians. The current chief of the department is Robert Kempf. The department's TRT (Tactical Response Team) responds to requests for the service of high risk warrants, the resolving of barricaded and/or hostage situations, and dealing with suicidal individuals just to name a few of their assignments. TRT responds to requests for mutual aid throughout the tri-county area as needed. CHPD is home to its own 9-1-1 public safety answering point (PSAP), when a resident of the township dials 9-1-1 they are routed directly to the CHPD, which provides a significant advantage in response time to the caller, the 9-1-1 center is the hub of the department's 800 MHz trunked radio system, as well as an advanced CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) system, and RMS (Records Management System). Both systems work together to provide patrol units up to date information directly to their patrol car computers. CHPD's Community Policing Unit provides many services for residents including child fingerprinting, neighborhood watches, and drug & alcohol awareness seminars.
Fire Department and EMS
The Cherry Hill Fire Department is a career department. It also has two volunteer units, the Cherry Hill Fire Police and the Special Services Unit ("Rehab 13"), which provides on scene support for the Cherry Hill Fire Department as well as departments throughout Southern New Jersey. In December 2016, the department was awarded with a Class 1 designation by the Insurance Services Office, a classification held by 130 of the 30,000 fire departments in the United States, and only three in New Jersey. Also in 2016, the department was accredited by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). The Fire Chief is Wade Houlihan.
The department also provides emergency medical services (EMS). The only hospital in Cherry Hill is Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital, an extension of Philadelphia's Jefferson Health, located on Chapel Avenue. Residents also have access to nearby Virtua Hospitals in Voorhees Township, Marlton and Berlin
Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
as well as Cooper University Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center
Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital is a teaching hospital in Camden, New Jersey that opened on July 1, 1950. It became part of the Virtua Health system in July 2019 following an acquisition and is now the hub for tertiary (advanced) care and proc ...
in Camden.
Fire companies
Fire stations in Cherry Hill are:
* Engine 22 is located on North Kings Highway and Chelton Parkway. It was built in 2005 and began operating in 2006, making it Cherry Hill's newest fire station. It houses Engine 22.
* Station 2 (built by Erlton Fire Company 1) is located on Route 70. It was established in 1927 and houses Ladder 24.
* Station 3 & Headquarters (original headquarters for Deer Park Fire Company) is located on Marlkress Road off Route 70. It was built in 1972 and replaced in 2010. It houses Ladder 34, Rescue 13, and the technical rescue unit.
* Station 4 (known as Springdale Station and built by Ashland Fire Co. No. 2) is located at 1000 Springdale Road and was established in October 1976. The station was renovated and expanded in 2009. It houses Squrt 41.
* Station 5 (built by Church Road Fire Co.) is located at Route 38 and Church Road. It was built in 1926 and was renovated in the 1950s. It houses Squrt 51.
* Station 6 (built by Woodcrest Fire Co.) is located on Burnt Mill Road and Haddonfield-Berlin Road. It was built in 1967 and replaced in 2010. It houses Squad 13, the hazmat unit, and the foam tender.
* Woodland Fire Company, just north of Route 38 on Woodland Ave.
* Station 8 (built by Deer Park Fire Company) is located on Cropwell Road. It was built in 1968 with outbuildings added in 2006 and 2014. Currently, it houses the Deer Park Fire Company Special Services and Rehab unit.
Civil Air Patrol
The Jack Schweiker Composite Squadron, located at the Cherry Hill Army National Guard Armory is the Cherry Hill component of the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) is a Congressional charter, congressionally chartered, federally supported Nonprofit corporation, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliaries, auxiliary of the United States Air Force (USAF). CA ...
, a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. The Squadron has about 60 members, 40 of which are cadets and 20 of which are senior members.
Public library
At , the Cherry Hill Public Library is among the largest municipal libraries in New Jersey. The current facility was completed in December 2004 to replace the 1966 Malcolm Wells-designed structure at 1100 King's Highway North. The library is an agency of the Township's municipal government.
Government
Local government
Created as Delaware Township in 1844, the community was first governed by a Township Committee. On May 19, 1951, the citizens adopted, in a special election, a Walsh Act Commission form of government, consisting of a three-member Board of Commissioners. In 1962, the Township's population passed the 30,000 mark and two additional Commissioners were elected. Following a study made by a Citizen's Advisory Committee, a special election was held in 1962.[About Us: Government Structure]
Cherry Hill Township, backed up by the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
as of February 29, 2012. Accessed September 4, 2015. The township voted to change its form of government to the Council-Manager Plan A under the Faulkner Act. Five Council members were elected at-large in a May election to serve concurrent four-year terms. The Council members elected one of their own as Mayor, and a Township Manager served as the Chief Administrator of the Township.[
By 1975, after a Charter Study Commission report and the passage of a ballot referendum, the township adopted the Council-Manager Plan B form of government. Two features of the government were changed: council members were to be elected every two years for overlapping terms of four years and the number of Council members would increase from five to seven.][
After a 1981 referendum, the government changed yet again, this time to a Mayor-Council Plan B form of government. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of a full-time 'strong' mayor who is elected directly by the people and seven council members who are elected ]at-large
At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
for staggered four-year terms, with either three or four seats up for election in odd-numbered years.[''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', ]Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 32.[ After the passage of a ballot referendum in November 1986, voting or the mayor and council was shifted from a non-partisan May election to a partisan November election.][
, the ]Mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, 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 responsibilitie ...
of Cherry Hill is Democrat David Fleisher, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.[Mayor's Office]
Cherry Hill Township. Accessed March 14, 2024. Members of the Township Council are Council President William Carter (D, 2025), Council Vice President Michele Golkow (D, 2027), Jennifer Apell (D, 2027), Daniel V. DiRenzo Jr. (D, 2025; appointed to fill an unexpired term), Sangeeta Doshi (D, 2025), Jill Hulnick (D, 2027; appointed to fill an unexpired term) and Carole Roskoph (D, 2025).[Township Council]
Cherry Hill Township. Accessed March 14, 2024.[Official Election Results 2023 General Election November 7, 2023]
Camden County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.[2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Election Results]
Camden County, New Jersey, update November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.
In January 2024, the Township Council selected Jill Hulnick to fill the council seat expiring in December 2027 that became vacant when David Fleisher took office as mayor and appointed Daniel DiRenzo to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that was vacated after Brian Baurele resigned to take the position as the mayor's chief of staff; both will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election, when voters will choose candidates to serve the balance of the two terms of office.
In January 2016, the Township Council selected Carolyn Jacobs from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that became vacant when Susan Shin Angulo took office as a Camden County Freeholder.
N. John Amato, whose 30 years of service made him the township's longest-serving council member, died in office in September 2014. At a special council meeting in October 2014, Brian Bauerle was selected to fill Amato's seat, which expired in December 2015.
Federal, state and county representation
Cherry Hill is located in the 1st Congressional District[Plan Components Report]
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 6th 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 2010 Census, Cherry Hill had been part of the , a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.[''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government'']
, p. 56, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 50,178 registered voters in Cherry Hill Township, of which 20,220 (40.3% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 8,374 (16.7% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 21,553 (43.0% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 31 voters registered to other parties.[Voter Registration Summary - Camden]
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed March 15, 2015. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 70.6% (vs. 57.1% in Camden County) were registered to vote, including 91.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).[
In the 2016 presidential election, 36,984 votes were cast with a voter turnout of 70.05% (54,146 registered). Democrat ]Hillary Clinton
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
received 64.0% of the vote (23,685 votes), beating Republican Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
who received 32.7% of the vote (12,096 votes). Other candidates received 3.25% of votes cast (1,203 votes). In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
received 60.9% of the vote (22,128 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
with 38.2% (13,872 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (353 votes), among the 36,572 ballots cast by the township's 53,628 registered voters (219 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.4% of the vote (23,765 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
, who received around 36.1% (13,966 votes), with 38,678 ballots cast among the township's 52,182 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
received 59.9% of the vote (22,734 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
, who received around 39.3% (14,923 votes), with 37,980 ballots cast among the township's 48,778 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.9.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
received 60.2% of the vote (12,035 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 38.4% (7,683 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (266 votes), among the 20,526 ballots cast by the township's 53,873 registered voters (542 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 38.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 50.8% of the vote (12,046 ballots cast), ahead of both Republican Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
with 42.7% (10,120 votes) and Independent Chris Daggett with 4.5% (1,073 votes), with 23,705 ballots cast among the township's 50,250 registered voters, yielding a 47.2% turnout.
Education
Public schools
Cherry Hill Public Schools is a public
In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
school district
A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public Primary school, primary or Secondary school, secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school dis ...
that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
. The district operates 19 schools including an early childhood center, 12 elementary schools, three middle schools, two traditional high schools and an alternative high school. Cherry Hill was the state's 12th-largest school district in 2011 and was one of the largest suburban districts. The district has grown by about 2,000 students since the late 1990s, and employs 1,400 (about 1,000 teachers plus administration and staff). The District is governed by a volunteer Board of Education which is comprised of nine citizens elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election.
As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 19 schools, had an enrollment of 10,596 students and 887.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.9:1.[District information for Cherry Hill School District]
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
. Accessed February 15, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
) are
Estelle V. Malberg Early Childhood Center (with 145 students; in PreK), Clara Barton Elementary School (462; K-5), James F. Cooper Elementary School (233; K-5), Bret Harte Elementary School (358; K-5), James H. Johnson Elementary School (436; K-5), Joyce Kilmer Elementary School (420; K-5),
Kingston Elementary School (365; K-5),
A. Russell Knight Elementary School (394; K-5),
Horace Mann Elementary School (256; K-5),
Thomas Paine Elementary School (336; K-5),
Joseph D. Sharp Elementary School (402; K-5),
Richard Stockton Elementary School (333; K-5),
Woodcrest Elementary School (330; K-5),
Henry C. Beck Middle School (853; 6–8),
John A. Carusi Middle School (846; 6–8),
Rosa International Middle School (785; 6–8),
Cherry Hill High School East (2,126; 9–12),
Cherry Hill High School West (1,362; 9–12) and
Cherry Hill Alternative High School (27; 9–12).
For the 2001–2002 school year, Cherry Hill High School East received the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the U.S. Department of Education. Three of the district's schools have been named as "Star Schools" by the New Jersey Department of Education: Cherry Hill High School East (1999–2000), Thomas Paine Elementary School (2002–2003) and Clara Barton Elementary School (2003–2004). The district has five Best Practices Award Winners. SAT
The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and Test score, scoring have changed several times. For much of its history, it was called the Scholastic Aptitude Test ...
scores far exceed state and national averages, with Cherry Hill High School East's average SAT score of 1668, ranking 41st in the state, and West's 1,529 average ranking 124th in New Jersey, out of 349 schools with students taking the test that year. In 2013, the graduation rate was 95% for East and 89% for West. ''Newsweek'' named Cherry Hill High School East 85th overall among the nearly 30,000 public high schools in the U.S. in their rankings of "America's Top High Schools 2015".
Cherry Hill's school district offered the International Baccalaureate certificate and diploma program at Cherry Hill West beginning in 2001, but phased it out at the conclusion of the 2007–2008 school year. The IB Primary Years Programme is offered at Joseph D. Sharp, James F. Cooper and Thomas Paine Elementary Schools. This program is also a part of the IB Middle Years Programme offered for grades 6–8 at Rosa International Middle School (RIMS).
Private schools
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operates Resurrection Regional Catholic School, a Pre-K to 8 elementary school resulting of the merger of St. Peter Celestine School and Queen of Heaven School, as well as Camden Catholic High School for grades 9–12, which was established in 1887.
The King's Christian School is a private Christian fully accredited Pre-K–12 institution founded as the Christian Day School of Camden County in 1946.
Politz Day School of Cherry Hill is a private Modern Orthodox Jewish day school serving early childhood through middle school students, co-located with and supported by Congregation Sons of Israel.
Colleges and universities
Camden County College operates one of its three campuses at the William G. Rohrer Center at Route 70 East and Springdale Road.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Camden 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 transport ...
and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The New Jersey Turnpike passes through Cherry Hill Township. The Walt Whitman rest area
A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, Limited-access road, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names ...
(southbound at milepost 30.2) is located in the township, but the closest interchange is exit 4 with Route 73 in neighboring Mount Laurel Township.
Interstate 295 has three exits in the township. Exit 34A/B is Route 70 (Marlton Pike); exit 32 is CR 561 (Haddonfield-Berlin Road); and exit 31 goes directly to the Woodcrest station of the PATCO high-speed commuter rail line. The other major highways in Cherry Hill include Route 38, Route 41, and Route 154.
Public transportation
NJ Transit bus service is available to and from Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
on the 317, 404, and 406 routes, with local service on the 405, 450, 451, 455, and 457 routes. FlixBus, and Chinatown bus lines provide frequent express service to and from New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, and also frequent commuter service to and from the 34th Street – Hudson Yards New York City Subway
The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system in New York City serving the New York City boroughs, boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. It is owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Tr ...
station.
NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line, traveling on the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Line route, stops at the Cherry Hill station, located on the west side of the tracks between the Garden State Pavilion shopping center and the newer development on the grounds of the former Garden State Racetrack.
The Woodcrest station of the PATCO Speedline is located in Cherry Hill, offering service between Lindenwold and 15–16th & Locust station in Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
.
, two Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
-based airlines, China Airlines
China Airlines (CAL; zh, t=中華航空, poj=Tiong-hôa Hâng-khong, p=Zhōnghuá Hángkōng, first=t, c=, s=) is the state-owned flag carrier of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan). It is one of Taiwan's two major airlines, along with E ...
and EVA Air
EVA Airways Corporation ( ; ) () is an international airline headquartered in Taoyuan City. It is one of the two largest airlines in Taiwan along with state-owned China Airlines. The privately owned airline operates passenger and dedicated c ...
, provides scheduled airport shuttle bus or van services to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in New Jersey and the Philadelphia area. These shuttle services stop in Cherry Hill.
File:PATCOTrainWoodcrestStation.JPG, A PATCO Speedline train pulls into the Woodcrest station in Cherry Hill, heading westbound to Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
File:NJ Transit Comet V 6045 EB at Cherry Hill station.jpeg, Cherry Hill station, along the NJ Transit route, connecting Philadelphia and Atlantic City
Notable people
Rankings
* In 2006, Cherry Hill was named among the "Best Places to Live" in the United States by ''Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
'' magazine and was ranked eighth safest place to live in the same survey."Best Places to Live 2006: cities with the lowest crime risk"
''Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...
'' magazine, backed up by the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
as of August 14, 2006. Accessed June 8, 2015.
* Cherry Hill was also named among the "Best Places to Live" in the Philadelphia region for 2006 by ''Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
'' magazine.
See also
* Koreatown, Philadelphia
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
1844 establishments in New Jersey
Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
Populated places established in 1844
Townships in New Jersey
Townships in Camden County, New Jersey