Hammonton is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Atlantic County, in the

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

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 ...

, that has been referred to as the "Blueberry Capital of the World". As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 14,711, a decrease of 80 (−0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 14,791, which in turn reflected an increase of 2,187 (+17.4%) from the 12,604 counted in the 2000 census. Geographically, the town, and all of Atlantic County, is part of the

South Jersey South Jersey, also known as Southern New Jersey, comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located between Pennsylvania and the lower Delaware River to its west, the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Delaware to its south, ...

region of the state and of the

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

-Hammonton metropolitan statistical area, which in turn is included in the

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 ...

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of symbols, often specifically those of a written language, by means of Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifacete ...

- Camden combined statistical area and the

Delaware Valley The Philadelphia metropolitan area, also known as Greater Philadelphia and informally called the Delaware Valley, the Philadelphia tri-state area, and locally and colloquially Philly–Jersey–Delaware, is a major metropolitan area in the Nor ...

. The first European settlement of Hammonton was in 1812. It 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 The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on March 5, 1866, from portions of Hamilton Township and Mullica Township. The town is located directly between

and the

resort town A resort town, resort city or resort destination is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding area. Sometimes ...

, along a former route of the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad ( reporting mark PRR), legal name as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, also known as the "Pennsy," was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At its ...

with Hammonton station directly in the downtown area. The route is now used by NJ Transit's Atlantic City Line.

History

Little is known about the area of Hammonton prior to European contact. Archaeological evidence, including stone tools likely dating back to the Woodland period, suggests some form of prehistoric habitation, though the details remain unclear. At the time of European contact, the region was inhabited by the Unalachtigo Lenape people. As European settlement progressed, the Lenape population in the area declined due to disease, loss of land to European settlers, and emigration. In 1748, the West Jersey Society was granted rights over a large tract of land within the English

Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial history of the United States, Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1776. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherla ...

, which included the territory that would later become Hammonton. In 1805, the Society sold a parcel of what would eventually become Hammonton, with the land passing through several owners. In 1812, William Coffin and his family migrated to the area, building a home and managing a sawmill for John R. Coates. Coffin purchased the land and the mill in 1814. The sawmill was situated adjacent to Hammonton Lake and extended north and east of the present-day town, rather than being located within the current downtown. Originally named "Hammondton" after Coffin's son, John Hammond Coffin, the name was later simplified to Hammonton. In 1817, Coffin established a glass factory in the area, taking advantage of the abundance of cheap timber and bog iron that supported South Jersey's glass industry at the time. Finished products were transported via the Mullica River before the advent of railroads, with trading stores and workers' housing established nearby. The early settlement of Old Hammonton was small and experienced a shift from glass production to farming, particularly the cultivation of strawberries and blueberries. The arrival of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad in 1854, which ran to the west of Old Hammonton, prompted further development. In 1856, developer

Charles K. Landis Charles Kline Landis (March 16, 1833 – June 12, 1900) was a property developer in South Jersey, who was the founder and developer of Vineland, New Jersey, Vineland and Sea Isle City, New Jersey, Sea Isle City. Career His first foray as ...

and Philadelphia banker Richard Byrnes formed Landis & Byrnes, acquiring large plots of land near the newly constructed railroad. They promoted and sold smaller parcels for development, moving the settlement closer to the railway. The Hammonton Railroad Station was established in 1858. In 1861, Landis and Byrnes had a falling-out; Byrnes remained in Hammonton, while Landis went on to establish Vineland and Sea Isle City. In 1866, Hammonton's leaders petitioned the

to separate from Mullica Township and Hamilton Township, and Hammonton was officially incorporated as a

on March 5, 1866. At the time of incorporation, the population was recorded as 1,422.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 28, 2024. A significant development in Hammonton's history following incorporation was a wave of Italian immigration. Salvador Calabrasce, an Italian immigrant and former Union Navy serviceman, moved to Hammonton after marrying a New Jersey native. He corresponded with friends in Gesso,

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

, which attracted more immigrants to Hammonton. Through the efforts of Calabrasce and others, the town saw a growing population of

Italian-American Italian Americans () are Americans who have full or partial Italians, Italian ancestry. The largest concentrations of Italian Americans are in the urban Northeastern United States, Northeast and industrial Midwestern United States, Midwestern ...

s, who would eventually make up a substantial portion of the town's overall population. Hammonton briefly featured a major racing track, the Atlantic City Speedway. Races were held from 1926 to 1928 on the wooden track that was 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 Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers Man ...

from 1928 to 1933 before it was demolished, and the timber used in its construction was repurposed for other buildings. The first Hammonton Blueberry Festival was held in 1953, embracing the area's identity as a major producer 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 Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

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 The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

, 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, 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, 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. Th ...

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is an area of North West England which was historically a county. The county was bordered by Northumberland to the north-east, County Durham to the east, Westmorland to the south-east, Lancashire to the south, and the Scottish ...

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

and

Ocean The ocean is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of Earth. The ocean is conventionally divided into large bodies of water, which are also referred to as ''oceans'' (the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Indian, Southern Ocean ...

counties. Due to its location in the Pine Barrens, 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 A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

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

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 14,791 people, 5,408 households, and 3,759 families in the town. 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 5,715 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 81.67% (12,080)

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 ...

, 3.00% (444) Black or African American, 0.28% (42) Native American, 1.37% (203) Asian, 0.01% (2)

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 ...

, 10.81% (1,599) from other races, and 2.85% (421) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.93% (3,096) of the population. Of the 5,408 households, 31.9% had children under the age of 18; 51.5% were married couples living together; 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.5% were non-families. Of all households, 25.0% were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.19. 23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 95.2 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 $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 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 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 ...

, 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 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%

, 1.74%

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 ...

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

, 7.83% from other races, and 1.27% 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 14.88% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hammonton town, 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 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, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

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

Johnston, Rhode Island Johnston is a New England town, town in Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 29,568 at the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census. Johnston is the site of the Clemence Irons House (1 ...

, 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 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, 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.

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 The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

Ebbets Field Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush, Brooklyn, Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York City, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the History of the Brooklyn Dodgers, Brooklyn Dodgers baseball tea ...

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

Government

Local government

Hammonton is governed under the

Town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

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 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 ...

on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected to a four-year term. The Town Council includes 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 ( ), 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. 49. , 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 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 Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

Steve DiDonato, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Hammonton Town Council are Deputy Mayor Tom Gribbin (I, 2023), Steven Furgione (I, 2024), Jonathan Oliva (I, 2023), Renee Rodio ( R, 2024), Sam Rodio (I, 2024) and Ed Wuillermin (I, 2023).Mayor & Council
Town of Hammonton. Accessed June 6, 2023Municipal Government
,

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,2022 General Election Results - Amended
Atlantic County Clerk, updated December 5, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,November 3, 2020 General Election Official Results

Atlantic County, New Jersey Atlantic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census, the county was the state's 15th-most-populous county,Plan Components Report

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 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 ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Atlantic

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...

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, 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 ...

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, 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 ...

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 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 ...

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 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 ...

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 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 ...

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 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 ...

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 served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

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 Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Guadagno was the Republican nominee ...

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 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 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 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

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (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 ...

attend the Hammonton Public Schools. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 3,326 students and 255.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 13.0:1.District information for Hammonton 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 December 15, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the

) are Early Childhood Education Center with 387 students in grades PreK–1, Warren E. Sooy Elementary School with 719 students in grades 2–5, Hammonton Middle School with 834 students in grades 6–8 and Hammonton High School with 1,318 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 relationship A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...

s 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 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 in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township or the Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts, located in Somers Point. Hammonton was home of the

Catholic school Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...

s St. Joseph Regional Elementary School (for Pre-K–8) and St. Joseph High School (for grades 9–12) which operated 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, 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. St. Joseph High School reopened in September 2020 as the independent St. Joseph Academy, which operates separately from the Camden Diocese and leases the building from the Hammonton Public Schools, which had acquired the building.

Media

Television stations

* WPSJ-CD Channel 8 Hammonton (

)

Newspapers

*'' Hammonton Gazette'' *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, New Jersey, Pleasantville, it is the primary newspaper for southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore. The Designated marke ...

'' a major daily newspaper in South New Jersey. *''

Philadelphia Daily News ''Philadelphia Daily News'' is a tabloid newspaper that serves Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper is owned by The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC, which also owns ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', a daily newspaper in Philadelphia. The ''Dail ...

'' a major daily newspaper based in

. *''

The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'', often referred to simply as ''The Inquirer'', is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Founded on June 1, 1829, ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is the third-longest continuously operating da ...

'' 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 transport ...

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 South Jersey, southern New Jersey counties: Atlantic County, New Jersey, ...

. The

Atlantic City Expressway The Atlantic City Expressway, officially numbered, but Unsigned highway, unsigned, as Route 446 and abbreviated A.C. Expressway, ACE, or ACX, and known locally as the Expressway, is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roa ...

, U.S. Route 30, 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 Hammonton station of NJ Transit provides passenger rail service between the Atlantic City Rail Terminal in

and

30th Street Station 30th Street Station, officially William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, is a major intermodal passenger transport, intermodal transit station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The station opened in 1933 as Pennsylvania Station– ...

and intermediate points on the Atlantic City Line. NJ Transit provides bus service in Hammonton on the 554 route between Lindenwold station and Atlantic City.

Airport

Hammonton Municipal Airport is located northeast of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

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. Hammonton and the surrounding Atlantic County produce upwards of 50 million pounds of blueberries each year thanks to traveling bands of labor from outside of the United States, though often the farms employing these undocumented workers are largely supportive of stricter border policies.

Presidential visits

Ronald Reagan Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...

visited Hammonton during his 1984 re-election campaign. Reagan's speech highlighted Hammonton's status as "

Blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' with the genus ''Vaccinium''. Commercial blueberries—both wild (lowbush) ...

Capital of the World" and then extolled the virtues of New Jersey native

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Nicknamed "the Boss", Springsteen has released 21 studio albums spanning six decades; most of his albums feature th ...

. 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 Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States, serving from 1869 to 1877. In 1865, as Commanding General of the United States Army, commanding general, Grant led the Uni ...

and

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. (October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), also known as Teddy or T.R., was the 26th president of the United States, serving from 1901 to 1909. Roosevelt previously was involved in New York (state), New York politics, incl ...

, 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 ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United St ...

'', 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 The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children (primarily boys) aged 10 to 12 years old, held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for th ...

, 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 ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...

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, and Tomasello Winery. On June 7, 2013, the Eagle Theatre in Hammonton became the first theater in New Jersey to sell alcoholic beverages and allow spectators to drink wine during the show. Under an arrangement reached under the authority of the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, 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'', about the hunt for the Jersey Devil, was filmed in Hammonton. A 2011 episode of ''

Supernatural Supernatural phenomena or entities are those beyond the Scientific law, laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin 'above, beyond, outside of' + 'nature'. Although the corollary term "nature" has had multiple meanin ...

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

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American Music competition, singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle (company), Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It a ...

'' 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" by Carrie Underwood, 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 rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...

. 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 Television documentary, 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". ...

'', 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: * Ashante "Thee" Adonis (born 1990), professional wrestler with SmackDown * Tyler Bellamy (born 1988), soccer player * Jill Biden (born 1951), educator and

First Lady of the United States First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is a title typically held by 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 been Code of law, codified or offici ...

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 III ( ; born October 9, 1945) is an American-Canadian sexologist who researches pedophilia, sexual orientation and Transgender, gender identity. He has found that men with more older brothers are more likely to be gay than m ...

(born 1945), sexologist * Reverend Gary Davis (1896–1972), blues and gospel singer who was also proficient on the banjo, guitar and harmonica * J. D. DiRenzo (born 1988),

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

offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...

for the

Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The t ...

* Anthony Durante (1967–2003), professional wrestler * Ace Enders (born 1982), musician * Marie Howland (1836–1921), feminist writer * Johnnie O. Jackson (born 1971), professional bodybuilder and powerlifter * Nelson Johnson (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 '' Boardwalk Empire'' *

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

(1901–1978), cultural anthropologist who did some of her first research in Hammonton * Victor Moore (1876–1962), actor *

Rita Myers Rita Myers (born 1947) is an American video installation artist. Her work is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Early life and education Myers was born in Hammonton, New Jersey,. and attended Saint Joseph High Schoo ...

(born 1947), video installation artist. * 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 * Thomas Ricca (Tom Ricca, born 1968) former professional WWE wrestler * Andrew Rider (1866–1898), founder of

Rider University Rider University is a private university in Lawrence Township, New Jersey, United States. It consists of three academic units: the Norm Brodsky College of Business, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which includes Westminster Choir Coll ...

, who lived and was buried in Hammonton * Nicodemo Scarfo (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 terms Italian Mafia and Italian Mob apply to ...

who was Boss of the

Philadelphia crime family The Philadelphia crime family, also known as the Bruno–Scarfo crime family,< ...

, who spent summers working in Hammonton as blueberry picker * Tony Siscone (born 1949), professional race car driver * Alma Joslyn Whiffen-Barksdale (1916–1981), mycologist who discovered cycloheximide * Gary Wolfe (born 1967), professional wrestler

Sister city

* San Gregorio da Sassola, Province of Rome, 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."

References

External links

Hammonton Town website

Hammonton Public Schools
*
Data for the Hammonton Public Schools

Hammonton Lions Club

Hammonton United Services Association

Hammonton Area Ministerium

MainStreet Hammonton

St. Joseph Regional High School

Hammonton First

Hammonton Republican Club

Hammonton Democratic Club

The Hammonton Gazette
– Hammonton's local newspaper. The print edition is published on Wednesdays. Website updated weekly with selected content from print edition.
The Hammonton News
– The print edition is published on Wednesdays. Website updated Wednesday mornings, with full stories from paper edition. {{Authority control 1866 establishments in New Jersey Italian-American culture in New Jersey Populated places in the Pine Barrens (New Jersey) Populated places established in 1866 Town form of New Jersey government Towns in New Jersey Towns in Atlantic County, New Jersey