Paulsboro is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

situated on the banks of 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 ...

in Gloucester County, in the

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

, within the

Philadelphia metropolitan area 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 ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,196, an increase of 99 (+1.6%) from the 6,097 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn had reflected a decline of 63 (−1.0%) from the 6,160 counted in the 2000 census. Paulsboro and surrounding Gloucester County constitute part of

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, ...

. Paulsboro was formed as a borough 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 2, 1904, from portions of Greenwich Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 140. Accessed May 30, 2024. It was named for Samuel Phillip Paul, son of a settler.

History

18th century

Paulsboro is the home of

Fort Billingsport Fort Billingsport, referred to as Fort Billings in some sources, was a Continental Army fort in Billingsport in Paulsboro, New Jersey in Gloucester County, New Jersey, during the American Revolutionary War. The site of the fort is now a public pa ...

, the first land purchase made by the United States, acquired on July 5, 1776, the day after the signing of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

.Colimore, Edward. , ''

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 ...

'', December 10, 2007. Accessed September 16, 2015. "Identified on a British map 230 years ago as a "rebel fort," the site was the nation's first federal land purchase, made the day after the Declaration of Independence."

19th century

Paulsboro is the location of the Tinicum Island Rear Range Light house, first lit on the night of December 31, 1880.

20th century

In 1997, a local citizens' group was established with the purpose of providing tours and public access to the structure. The lighthouse is one of New Jersey's few publicly accessible aids to navigation and is the centerpiece of Paulsboro's cultural revitalization. The East Jefferson Street Railroad Bridge over

Mantua Creek Mantua Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Mantua Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Mantua Creek's headwaters are near Glassboro, flowing northwest for 18.6 miles (29.9 kilometers) to the Delaware River at the Port of Paulsboro ...

was built in 1917Automation of Movable Bridges Presentation by Conrail

American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way Association (AREMA) is a North American railway industry group. It publishes recommended practices for the design, construction and maintenance of railway infrastructure, which are used in th ...

. Accessed November 10, 2019. and rebuilt in 1940 for the

Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines The Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines was a railroad that operated in South Jersey in the 20th century. It was created in 1933 as a joint consolidation venture between two competing railroads in the region: the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Rea ...

(PRSL). It is now part of Conrail's

Penns Grove Secondary Penns Grove Secondary is a rail freight line in the Delaware Valley in the southwestern part of New Jersey. Part of Conrail's South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets it runs for approximately between its southern terminus at Penns Grove and ...

21st century

On November 30, 2012, the East Jefferson Street Railroad Bridge buckled, causing seven cars of a freight train to derail. One of the four tanker cars that fell into the creek was punctured, leaking thousands of gallons of

vinyl chloride Vinyl chloride is an organochloride with the formula H2C =CHCl. It is also called vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) or chloroethene. It is an important industrial chemical chiefly used to produce the polymer polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Vinyl chloride is a ...

. Homes in the borough had to be evacuated and dozens of people went to hospitals as a precautionary measure due to exposure to the chemicals. Some residents in the area have filed suit against

Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busine ...

and

CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...

in Pennsylvania State Court having "complained about respiratory and bronchial related illnesses, headaches, eye and skin irritations and multiple other symptoms." In March 2013, Conrail announced that the bridge would be replaced with an expected September 2014 operational date. Normally, between March 1 and November 30 the bridge is left in the open position for maritime traffic and closed when trains approach. It will remain locked in the closed position until the bridge is replaced.Kotzker, Dari
"Bridge Damaged in Paulsboro Derailment Will Be Replaced"

NJTV NJ PBS (known as NJTV prior to 2021) is a public television network serving the U.S. state of New Jersey. The network is owned by the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (NJPBA), an agency of the New Jersey state government which owns the ...

, March 4, 2013. Accessed November 10, 2019. In September 2013, another less serious derailment took place along the border of

Gibbstown Gibbstown or Gibstown or Gibbston may refer to several places: Ireland * Gibstown, County Louth, a townland; see List of townlands of County Louth * Baile Ghib, County Meath, a village ** Gibstown, County Meath, a townland; see List of townlands ...

(in Greenwich Township) and Paulsboro, with one car leaving the tracks on a train consisting mostly of empty tanker cars.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the borough had a total area of 2.63 square miles (6.81 km²), including 1.92 square miles (4.98 km²) of land and 0.71 square miles (1.83 km²) of water (26.81%).

Unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

, localities and place names located partially or completely in the borough include Billingsport. Paulsboro borders the Gloucester County municipalities of East Greenwich Township, Greenwich Township, and West Deptford Township. It also borders the

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 6,097 people, 2,286 households, and 1,591 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,533 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 54.49% (3,322)

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 ...

, 36.72% (2,239) Black or African American, 0.34% (21)

Native American Native Americans or Native American usually refers to Native Americans in the United States. Related terms and peoples include: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North, South, and Central America ...

, 0.71% (43) Asian, 0.07% (4)

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 ...

, 2.35% (143) from

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

, and 5.33% (325) from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 8.89% (542) of the population. Of the 2,286 households, 33.9% had children under the age of 18; 33.7% were married couples living together; 28.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.4% were non-families. Of all households, 25.7% were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.16. 28.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 82.4 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 In economics, nominal value refers to value measured in terms of absolute money amounts, whereas real value is considered and measured against the actual goods or services for which it can be exchanged at a given time. Real value takes into acco ...

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 $43,846 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,449) and the median family income was $61,147 (+/− $5,392). Males had a median income of $51,923 (+/− $6,640) versus $37,826 (+/− $5,863) 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 $21,061 (+/− $2,252). About 8.2% of families and 12.9% 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 13.6% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 6,160 people, 2,353 households, and 1,614 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 2,628 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 63.56%

, 31.64%

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 ...

, 0.24%

, 0.32% Asian, 0.10%

, 1.31% from

, and 2.82% 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 4.35% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Paulsboro borough, 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 November 7, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Paulsboro borough, Gloucester County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 7, 2012. There were 2,353 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.0% 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, 24.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.9% of all households 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 2.61 and the average family size was 3.15. In the borough, the population was spread out, with 28.8% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.7 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $35,569, and the median income for a family was $41,359. Males had a median income of $32,313 versus $24,779 for females. The

for the borough was $16,368. About 14.6% of families and 17.7% of the population were below the

, including 27.0% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Paulsboro is governed under the

form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough 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. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''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 The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 19. The borough form of government used by Paulsboro is a "

weak mayor Weak may refer to: Songs * "Weak" (AJR song), 2016 * "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011 * "Weak" (SWV song), 1993 * "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995 * "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013'' Television episodes * "Weak" (''Fe ...

/ strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...

ordinances subject to an

override Override may refer to: Technology * Manual override, a function where an automated system is placed under manual control * Method overriding, a subclassing feature in object-oriented programming languages. Media * ''Override'' (film), a 1994 sci ...

by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , 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 the Borough of Paulsboro is

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

John Giovannitti, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Paulsboro Borough Council are Council President Tahje Thomas (D, 2026), Karen Armistead (D, 2027), Kyana Evans (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Theodore D. Holloway II (D, 2025; elected to serve an unexpired term), Eric Singleton (D, 2026) and Jennifer Turner (D, 2027).Governing Body
Borough of Paulsboro. Accessed January 25, 2025.''Gloucester County 2024 Official Directory''

Gloucester County, New Jersey Gloucester County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 14th-most populous county

. Accessed January 1, 2025.General Election November 5, 2024 Unofficial Results

, updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.General Election November 7, 2023 Unofficial Results

, November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Unofficial Results

Clerk, November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023. In October 2024, Kyana Evans was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that was vacated by Eric DiTonno. Gary Stevenson was chosen in January 2012 to fill the vacant council seat of W. Jeffery Hamilton expiring in 2013, who left his seat after being sworn in as mayor. Alfonso Giampola was appointed in May 2012 to fill the vacant seat of Paul Morina for a term ending in 2014. In January 2016, the borough council selected Eric DiTonno to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that was vacated by Gary C. Stevenson when he took office as mayor. In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $3,997, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $6,851 in Gloucester County and $8,767 statewide. The borough had the 21st-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.427% in 2020, compared to 3.212% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

Federal, state, and county representation

Paulsboro is located in the First Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

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

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

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

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,635 registered voters in Paulsboro, of which 1,866 (51.3%) were registered as Democrats, 251 (6.9%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 1,516 (41.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either

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. In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: ...

, 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 78.8% of the vote (1,945 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 20.3% (501 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (21 votes), among the 2,489 ballots cast by the borough's 3,817 registered voters (22 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 65.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 76.0% of the vote (2,059 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 ...

with 21.6% (586 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (33 votes), among the 2,708 ballots cast by the borough's 3,958 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.4%. 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 71.6% of the vote (1,806 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 ...

with 27.4% (691 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (16 votes), among the 2,524 ballots cast by the borough's 3,796 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 66.5. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

received 55.0% of the vote (741 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.9% (592 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (14 votes), among the 1,467 ballots cast by the borough's 3,630 registered voters (120 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

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

received 63.2% of the vote (1,031 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 23.3% (381 votes), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 6.3% (102 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (11 votes), among the 1,632 ballots cast by the borough's 3,814 registered voters, yielding a 42.8% turnout.

Education

The Paulsboro Public Schools serves 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 ...

. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,186 students and 101.0 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 11.7:1.District information for Paulsboro 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

) are Billingsport Early Childhood Center with 304 students in grades PreK-2, Loudenslager Elementary School with 351 students in grades 3-6, Paulsboro Junior High School with 131 students in grades 7-8, and

Paulsboro High School Paulsboro High School is a comprehensive community six-year public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grade from Paulsboro, in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the sole secondary school of th ...

with 351 students in grades 9-12. Students in

ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...

through

s from Greenwich Township attend the district's high school as part of a

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 ...

with the Greenwich Township School District. Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend

Gloucester County Institute of Technology The Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) is a four-year vocational-technical public high school located in Deptford Township in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Established in 1971, the school operates as part o ...

, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school. The

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

oversees Guardian Angels Regional School, which has a 4–8 campus in Paulsboro while its Pre-K–3 campus is in

. Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in Paulsboro.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester 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 ...

. Several major roadways pass through the borough. Interstate 295 and

U.S. Route 130 U.S. Route 130 (US 130) is a United States Numbered Highway System, U.S. Highway that is a spur route of U.S. Route 30 in New Jersey, U.S. Route 30, located completely within the state of New Jersey. It is signed with north and south cardinal di ...

pass through the southern tip of Paulsboro and Route 44 also traverses the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...

bus service is available between Pennsville Township and

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

402 __NOTOC__ Year 402 ( CDII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Arcadius and Honorius (or, less frequently, year 1155 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 4 ...

route, with local service offered on the

455 __NOTOC__ Year 455 ( CDLV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valentinianus and Anthemius (or, less frequently, year 1208 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomin ...

route between

Cherry Hill Mall The Cherry Hill Mall is an indoor shopping center located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, within the unincorporated namesake neighborhood and census-designated place (CDP) of Cherry Hill Mall, New Jersey. The mall opened on October 11, 1961, as ...

and Woodbury. The borough operates shuttle bus service throughout the day.

Port of Paulsboro

The Port of Paulsboro is located on the

and

in and around Paulsboro. It is traditionally one of the nation's busiest for

marine transfer operations Marine Transfer Operations are conducted at many ports around the world between tanker ships, barges, and marine terminals. Specifically, once the marine vessel is secure at the dock a loading arm or transfer hose is connected between a valve hea ...

petroleum products Petroleum products are materials derived from crude oil (petroleum) as it is processed in oil refineries. Unlike petrochemicals, which are a collection of well-defined usually pure organic compounds, petroleum products are complex mixtures. Most ...

. From 1998 to early 2011, the

Valero Energy Corporation Valero Energy Corporation is an American-based Petroleum industry, fuels producer mostly involved in manufacturing and marketing transportation fuels and other petrochemical, related products. It is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, United ...

operated an oil refinery here, which it sold in a 2010 deal to

PBF Energy PBF Energy Inc. is a petroleum refining and logistics company that produces and sells transportation fuels, heating oils, lubricants, petrochemical feedstocks, and other petroleum products. The company owns and operated 6 refineries throughout th ...

for $360 million. The bridge over Mantua Creek was the site of the 2012 Paulsboro train derailment, resulting in a tank car leaking 23,000 gallons of

into the air. The port is being redeveloped as an adaptable ''omniport'' able to handle a diversity of bulk,

break bulk cargo In shipping, break-bulk, breakbulk, or break bulk cargo, also called general cargo, are goods that are stowed on board ships in individually counted units. Traditionally, the large numbers of items are recorded on distinct bill of lading, bil ...

and

shipping containers A shipping container is a container with strength suitable to withstand shipment, storage, and handling. Shipping containers range from large reusable steel boxes used for intermodal shipments to the ubiquitous corrugated boxes. In the context of ...

. Studies completed in 2012 concluded that the port is well-suited to become a center for the manufacture, assembly, and transport of

wind turbine A wind turbine is a device that wind power, converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. , hundreds of thousands of list of most powerful wind turbines, large turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over ...

s and platforms for the development of

Atlantic Wind Connection Atlantic Wind Connection (AWC) was a proposed electrical transmission backbone by Trans-Elect Development Company that could be constructed off the East Coast of the United States to service off-shore wind farms. Google Energy, the investment fi ...

The port has also been home to America's largest

asphalt Asphalt most often refers to: * Bitumen, also known as "liquid asphalt cement" or simply "asphalt", a viscous form of petroleum mainly used as a binder in asphalt concrete * Asphalt concrete, a mixture of bitumen with coarse and fine aggregates, u ...

refinery, scheduled to close in 2017.

Popular culture

The 2004 film '' Jersey Girl'' is set in the

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore, commonly called the Shore by locals, is the coast, coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The term encompasses about of shore, oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Perth Amboy in the n ...

community of

Highlands Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau. Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to: Places Africa * Highlands, Johannesburg, South Africa * Highlands, Harare, Zimbab ...

but was filmed in Paulsboro.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Paulsboro include: *

Flipper Anderson Willie Lee "Flipper" Anderson Jr. (born March 7, 1965) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Los Angeles Rams. He played college f ...

(born 1965 as Willie Lee Anderson Jr.), wide receiver who played in the NFL for nine seasons for four different teams * John J. Burzichelli (born 1954), member of the

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

who was also a long-time mayor of Paulsboro * Russell Carter (born 1985), a ''First Team All-

Big East The Big East Conference (stylized as BIG EAST) is a collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference that competes in National Collegiate Athletic Association, NCAA NCAA Division I, Division I in 10 men's sports and 12 women's sports. H ...

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player at the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...

in 2006–2007 *

Julién Davenport Julién Raymond Davenport (born January 9, 1995) is an American professional football offensive tackle. He played college football at Bucknell and was selected by the Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Davenport has also ...

(born 1995),

offensive tackle Offensive may refer to: * Offensive (military), type of military operation * Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative * Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...

for the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division. Since the 2008 India ...

* Gerald Hodges (born 1991), linebacker who has played in the NFL for the

Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. The Vikings compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. Founded in 1960 as ...

Isaac F. Hughes Isaac Fremont Hughes (July 29, 1861 – January 17, 1931) was an American miller, grocer, and businessman who was the first representative of Los Angeles City Council District 3 after a new city charter went into effect in 1925. He served for tw ...

(1861–1931), member of the

Los Angeles City Council The Los Angeles City Council is the Legislature, lawmaking body for the Government of Los Angeles, city government of Los Angeles, California, the second largest city in the United States. It has 15 members who each represent the 15 city council ...

, 1925–1927 * Henry C. Loudenslager (1852–1911), represented

New Jersey's 1st congressional district New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995 * "New" (Daya song), 2017 * "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...

from 1893 to 1911 *

Seth Lundy Seth Xavier Lundy (born April 2, 2000) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract with the San Diego Clippers of the NBA G League ...

(born 2000), NBA player * Tony Montanaro (1927–2002),

mime artist A mime artist, or simply mime (from Greek language, Greek , , "imitator, actor"), is a person who uses ''mime'' (also called ''pantomime'' outside of Britain), the acting out of a story through body motions without the use of speech, as a the ...

who switched to the art from stage acting after seeing

Marcel Marceau Marcel Marceau (; born Marcel Mangel; 22 March 1923 – 22 September 2007) was a French mime artist and actor most famous for his stage persona, "Bip the Clown". He referred to mime as the "art of silence", performing professionally worldwide ...

's 1956 performances in New York City *

Isaac Redman Isaac Redman (born November 10, 1984) is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college ...

(born 1984),

running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...

for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...

* Kevin Ross (born 1962), Paulsboro High and Temple University graduate, played in the National Football League for 14 seasons for three different teams * Anthony Scirrotto (born 1986), football

safety Safety is the state of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards in order to achieve an acceptable level of risk. Meanings The word 'safety' entered the English language in the 1 ...

* Larry Sharpe (born 1951), former professional wrestler who operates the Monster Factory training school in Paulsboro *

Alex Silvestro Alexander Allen Silvestro (born November 15, 1988) is an American former professional American football, football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights f ...

(born 1988),

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

, who has played in the NFL for the

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...

and

Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its home g ...

Edwin H. Simmons Edwin Howard Simmons (August 25, 1921 – May 5, 2007) was a United States Marine Corps brigadier general. He was a career officer who served in combat during three wars — including landing at Inchon and fighting at the Chosin Reservoir in ...

(1921–2007), highly decorated

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

officer *

Bhayshul Tuten Bhayshul Tuten (born February 14, 2002) is an American professional football running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Virginia Tech Hokies and the North Carolina A&T Agg ...

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 ...

for the

Virginia Tech Hokies football The Virginia Tech Hokies football team represents Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in the sport of American football. The Hokies compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of th ...

team *

Joan Weber Joan Weber (December 12, 1935 – May 13, 1981) was an American popular music singer. Early years Weber was raised in Paulsboro, New Jersey, and married to George Verfaillie, a young bandleader. She was pregnant in 1954 when she was introduc ...

(1935–1981), singer who became a one-hit wonder with her 1954 song "

Let Me Go, Lover! "Let Me Go, Lover!", a popular song, was written by Jenny Lou Carson and Al Hill, a pen name used by Fred Wise, Kathleen Twomey, and Ben Weisman. It is based on an earlier song called " Let Me Go, Devil", about alcoholism. Background "Let ...

" *

Chazz Witherspoon Chazz Witherspoon (born September 16, 1981) is an American former professional boxer. The second cousin of former boxing champion Tim Witherspoon, he emerged as a talented boxer in the 2000s. He won the 2004 National Golden Gloves finals in Kansas ...

(born 1981),

professional boxer Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional fights are supervised by a regulatory auth ...

Weinberg, David
"Paulsboro's Chazz Witherspoon back in ring Saturday in A.C."
''

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 ...

'', Marc 9, 2018. Accessed September 26, 2021. "Witherspoon, a former basketball standout at Paulsboro High School and a Saint Joseph’s University graduate, is 6-0 with six knockouts since suffering a third-round TKO loss to former prospect Seth Mitchell at Boardwalk Hall in 2012."

References

External links

Borough of Paulsboro website

Paulsboro Public Schools
*
School Data for the Paulsboro Public Schools

{{Authority control 1904 establishments in New Jersey Borough form of New Jersey government Boroughs in New Jersey Boroughs in Gloucester County, New Jersey New Jersey populated places on the Delaware River Populated places established in 1904 Port cities and towns in New Jersey