SALEM COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

'Salem County' is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 64,285. Its county seat is Salem⁶. This county is considered part of the Delaware Valley area.
The Old Salem County Courthouse, situated on the same block as the Salem County Courthouse, serves as the court for Salem City and is tied for being the second oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States, the others being King William County Courthouse (1725) and Hanover County Courthouse (1735) in Virginia. It replaced an earlier wooden courthouse built in 1692, making the property the oldest courthouse site in continuous use in the nation. The present courthouse was built in 1735 during the reign of King George II using locally manufactured bricks. The building was enlarged in 1817 and enlarged and remodeled in 1908. Its distinctive bell tower is essentially unchanged and the original bell sits in the courtroom. The courthouse was the scene of the "treason trials" of 1778, wherein suspected Loyalists were put on trial for having allegedly aided the British during the Salem Raid in February and March of that same year. Four men were convicted and sentenced to death for treason; however, they were pardoned by Governor William Livingston and exiled from New Jersey. The courthouse is also the site of the legend of Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson proving the edibility of the tomato. Before 1820, Americans often assumed tomatoes were poisonous. In 1820, Colonel Johnson, according to legend, stood upon the courthouse steps and ate tomatoes in front of a large amazed crowd assembled to watch him do so.^[1]

Contents

Geography

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

Government

Municipalities

References

External link

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 965 km² (373 mi²). 875 km² (338 mi²) of it is land and 90 km² (35 mi²) of it (9.31%) is water.
The terrain is almost uniformly flat coastal plain, with minimal relief. The highest elevation in the county has never been determined with any specificity, but is likely one of seven low rises in Upper Pittsgrove Township that exceed 160 feet (48.7 m) in elevation. Sea level is the lowest point.

Adjacent Counties

★ Gloucester County, New Jersey - northeast

★ Cumberland County, New Jersey - southeast

★ Kent County, Delaware- southwest¹

★ New Castle County, Delaware - west
¹''across Delaware Bay; no land border''

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 73/km² (190/mi²). There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 30/km² (77/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 81.19% White, 14.77% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.57% from other races, and 1.46% from two or more races. 3.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 16.0% were of German, 13.2% Irish, 12.8% Italian, 11.1% English and 7.7% American ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 24,295 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were married couples living together, 13.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.50% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,573, and the median income for a family was $54,890. Males had a median income of $41,860 versus $27,209 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,874. About 7.20% of families and 9.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.30% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Salem County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders consisting of seven members. Freeholders are elected at large by the voters of Salem County in partisan elections and serve staggered three-year terms. As of 2007, Salem County's Freeholders are:^[2]

★ Lee R. Ware - Freeholder Director (term ends 2007)

★ Bruce L. Bobbitt - Freeholder Deputy Director (2008)

★ Julie Acton (2007)

★ Jeffrey J. Hogan (2009)

★ David Lindenmuth (2008)

★ Chuck Sullivan (2008)

★ Beth Timberman (2009)

Municipalities

The following municipalities are located in Salem County. The municipality type is listed in parentheses after the name, except where the type is included as part of the name. Other, unincorporated areas in the county are listed below their parent municipality (or municipalities, as the case may be). Most of these areas are census-designated places that have been created by the United States Census Bureau for enumeration purposes within a Township. Other communities and enclaves that exist within a municipality are marked as 'non-CDP' next to the name.


★ Alloway Township

★
★ Alloway CDP

★ Carneys Point Township

★
★ Carneys Point CDP

★ Elmer (borough)

★ Elsinboro Township

★ Lower Alloways Creek Township

★ Mannington Township

★ Oldmans Township

★ Penns Grove (borough)

★ Pennsville Township

★
★ Pennsville CDP

★ Pilesgrove Township

★ Pittsgrove Township

★
★ Olivet

★ Quinton Township

★ Salem (city)

★ Upper Pittsgrove Township

★ Woodstown (borough)

References

1. "The Story of Robert Gibbon Johnson and the Tomato", ''The history Highway'' of the Salem County Historical Society. May 2005. Accessed August 13, 207.
2. Salem County 2007 Board of Chosen Freeholders, Salem County. Accessed August 25, 2007.

External link

★ Salem County official website