Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =


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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Cherry Hill Township in Camden County. Inset; Location of Camden County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.


mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Camden
government_type = Faulkner Act Mayor-Council
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Bernard A. Platt
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = February 28, 1844, as Delaware Township
established_title2 = Renamed
established_date2 = November 7, 1961, to Cherry Hill Township
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 63.1
area_total_sq_mi = 24.4
area_land_km2 = 62.8
area_land_sq_mi = 24.2
area_water_km2 = 0.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 71586
population_density_km2 = 1113.9
population_density_sq_mi = 2884.9
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 39 |latm = 55 |lats = 39 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 1 |longs = 24 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 25
elevation_ft = 82
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882155|Township of Cherry Hill, Geographic Names Information System, accessed April 12, 2007.]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08002, 08003, 08034, 08358
area_code = 856
website = http://www.cherryhill-nj.com
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-12280GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882155GR|3
footnotes = Cherry Hill Township is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. In the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 69,965, making it the 13th-largest municipality in New Jersey. As of 2006, the township had an estimated population of 71,586. Cherry Hill is in the Delaware Valley coastal plain about five miles outside Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Cherry Hill is considered an edge city of Philadelphia. [Cassell, Andrew. [http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-9524108.html "Andrew Cassel column"] , "The Philadelphia Inquirer", July 29, 2005. Accessed May 19, 2007. "A bunch of outlets cluster in Center City, with the rest scattered between the Main Line, Chestnut Hill and our "edge city" suburbs from King of Prussia to Cherry Hill."]

History

The area now known as Cherry Hill was originally settled by the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans who coexisted peacefully with the first settlers from England, Quaker followers of William Penn who arrived in the late 1600s. [http://www.cherryhill-nj.com/about/default.asp About Cherry Hill Township - official site] ] The first settlement was a small cluster of homes named Colestown, in the perimeters of what is now the Colestown Cemetery on the corner of Route 41 (King's Highway) and Church Road. The municipality was founded on February 25, 1844, in Gloucester County as Delaware Township from half of the area of Waterford Township, and became part of Camden County at its creation some two weeks later on March 13, 1844."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 103 re Camden County, p. 104 re Cherry Hill Township, p. 105 re Delaware Township.]

The township underwent explosive growth in the post-World War II era, with continued population growth until the 1980s. Today, the municipality's population remains stable with new development generally occurring in small pockets of custom luxury homes or through the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of existing commercial and industrial areas.

Origin of the name "Cherry Hill"

The name "Cherry Hill" was chosen by the township's citizens in a non-binding referendum in 1961, and was officially adopted November 7, 1961. Cherry Hill had been the name of Abraham Browning's farm on Kaighn Avenue (now called Route 38) opposite the site where the Cherry Hill Mall would be built. The farm property was approximately what became Eugene Mori's Cherry Hill Inn, the RCA-Cherry Hill campus, and Cherry Hill Estates; and is now an AMC-Loews movie theater complex.

Mori, the largest developer in the town from the 1940s to the '60s, used the Cherry Hill name on many of his properties, including the Cherry Hill Inn, Cherry Hill Lodge (now a nursing home), Cherry Hill Apartments (now renovated as the Cherry Hill Towers), and the Cherry Hill Estates housing development, where all but two of the streets are named after thoroughbred race courses. Thus, it has been suggested he (Mori) had a vested interest in getting the town named Cherry Hill.

Another motivation for the name change was a desire for the township to have its own post office. However, there were other places in New Jersey named Delaware, New Jersey. The postal service suggested a name change, and Mayors Christian Weber and John Gilmour, whose administrations came during the renaming decision, agreed.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 24.4 square miles (63.1 km²), of which, 24.2 square miles (62.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.45%) is water.

Seven census-designated places or unincorporated areas are located within the township: Ashland, Barclay-Kingston, Cherry Hill Mall, Erlton-Ellisburg, Golden Triangle, Greentree and Springdale.

Cherry Hill's eastern border with Burlington County is defined by the Pennsauken Creek. The creek separates Cherry Hill from the communities of Maple Shade Township, Evesham Township (or colloquially, 'Marlton'), and Mount Laurel Township.

The Cooper River forms the southern border with Haddon Township, Haddonfield Borough, and Lawnside Borough, through the Maria Barnaby Greenwald Park and parallel to the east-west Route 70.

To the north, Cherry Hill borders Merchantville Borough and Pennsauken Township, while Voorhees Township shares its southern border along County Route 544 (Evesham Road).

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=5734
1940=5811
1950=10358
1960=31522
1970=64395
1980=68785
1990=69348
2000=69965
estimate=71586
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3400712280&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3421840&_street=&_county=cherry+hill&_cityTown=cherry+hill&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Cherry Hill township] , United States Census Bureau, accessed July 28, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990 [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 69,965 people, 26,227 households, and 19,407 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,884.9 people per square mile (1,114.0/km²). There were 27,074 housing units at an average density of 1,116.4/sq mi (431.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 84.67% White, 8.87% Asian, 4.46% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.70% from other races, and 1.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.

There were 26,227 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.2 males.

According to a 2006 estimate, the median income for a household in the township was $81,289, and the median income for a family was $95,559. Males had a median income of $62,577 versus $51,991 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,284. About 2.6% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over. [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US3402320230&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34023%7C06000US3402320230&_street=&_county=cherry+hill&_cityTown=cherry+hill&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2005_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=]

Government

Local government

Created as Delaware Township in 1844, the community was first governed by a Township Committee. On May 19, 1951, the citizens adopted, in a special election, a Walsh Act Commission form of government, consisting of a three-member Board of Commissioners. In 1962, the Township's population passed the 30,000 mark and two additional Commissioners were elected. Following a study made by a Citizen's Advisory Committee, a special election was held in 1962. [http://www.cherryhill-nj.com/about/gov-structure.asp About Us: Government Structure] , Cherry Hill Township. Accessed January 6, 2007.]

The Township voted to change its form of government to the Council-Manager Plan A under the Faulkner Act. Five Council members were elected at-large in a May election to serve concurrent four-year terms. The Council members elected one of their own as Mayor, but a Township Manager served as the Chief Administrator of the Township.

By 1975, after a Charter Study Commission report, Cherry Hill was ready for another change. After a ballot referendum, the citizens adopted the Council-Manager Plan B form of government. Two features of the government were changed: council members were to be elected every two years for overlapping terms of four years and the number of Council members would increase from five to seven.

After a 1981 referendum, the government changed yet again, this time to a Mayor-Council Plan B form of government. A full-time 'strong' mayor was elected directly by the people and seven Council members were elected at-large for staggered four-year terms. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 32.]

The most recent change, resulting from a ballot referendum in November 1986, changed the elections from a non-partisan May election to a partisan November election.

The current Mayor of Cherry Hill is Bernard A. Platt (D). [ [http://www.cherryhill-nj.com/government/default.asp About Mayor Bernie Platt] , accessed January 6, 2007.] Members of the Township Council are (all Democrats) Council President Frank Falcone (term ends 2010), Council Vice President N. John Amato (term ends 2012), Shelley Adler (2010, married to State Senator John H. Adler), Dennis Garbowski (2012), Joyce Kurzweil (2010), Sara Lipsett (2012) and Steve Polansky (2010). [ [http://www.cherryhill-nj.com/government/council.asp Cherry Hill Township Council Members] , Cherry Hill Township. Accessed July 10, 2008.]

Former mayors include Arthur Simons, Susan Bass Levin, Maria Barnaby Greenwald, Howard Gall, John Gilmour, and John Holden.

Federal, state and county representation

Cherry Hill Township is in the Third Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 6th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , p. 55, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

Public Schools

The Cherry Hill Public Schools system is made up of 19 schools: an early childhood center, twelve elementary schools, three middle schools, two traditional high schools, and an alternative high school program. It is the twelfth-largest school district in the state of New Jersey and one of the largest suburban districts. This year, the district will top 11,800 students and enrollments continue to grow. The district has grown by about 2,000 students in the last 12 years. The system has 1,400 employees, including 1,000+ teachers.

For the 2001-02 school year, Cherry Hill High School East received the Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education. [ [http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-1982.pdf Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF)] , accessed May 11, 2006.] Three of the district's schools have been named as "Star Schools" by the New Jersey Department of Education: Cherry Hill High School East (1999-2000) [ [http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/education/ss/ss3.pl?string=id=066&maxhits=10000 Star School Award recipient detail 1999-2000 school year, Cherry Hill High School East] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 30, 2006.] , Thomas Paine Elementary School (2002-03) [ [http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/education/ss/ss3.pl?string=id=097&maxhits=10000 Star School Award recipient detail 2003-03 school year, Thomas Paine Elementary School] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 30, 2006.] and Clara Barton Elementary School (2003-04). [ [http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/education/ss/ss3.pl?string=id=104&maxhits=10000 Star School Award recipient detail 2003-04 school year, Clara Barton Elementary School] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 30, 2006.] Also, Cherry Hill High School West began offering the International Baccalaureate Program in 2001. This program remained in Cherry Hill High School West until it was phased out after the 2007-2008 school year. The district has five Best Practices Award Winners. SAT scores far exceed state and national averages, with Cherry Hill High School East's average SAT score of 1668, ranking 41st in the state, and West's 1,529 average ranking 124th in New Jersey, out of 349 schools with students taking the test that year. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/reportcard/index.ssf?/str/reportcards/rankings/print.asp?frmsql=select+dist%5Fcod%2C+sch%5Fcode%2Cco%5Fname%2C+ldistric%2C+lname%2Ctested+%2C+allpasse++as+target+from+testcube+where+sgroup+%3D+%27aTotal%27+and+year+%3D+%270506%27+and+testprg+%3D+%27SAT%27+and+subject+%3D+%27SAT+Total%27+and+tested+%3E%3D+0+and+level+%3D+%27s%27+Order+by+allpasse+desc%2C+tested+desc&frmcounty=Statewide&frmgroup=aTotal&frmyear=0506&frmtest=SAT&frmsubject=SAT%20Total&frmdfg=All&frmtested=0&frmmeasure=allpasse 2005-06 School Test Score Rankings: SAT] , "The Star-Ledger". Accessed July 3, 2007.] In 2005, the graduation rate approached 100% (99.0% for East, and 97.5% for West, in 2005-06) and approximately 95% of graduates are continuing their education at two- or four-year colleges (93.7% for East and 96.7% for West in 2005-06. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc06/dataselect.php?c=07;d=0800;s=030;lt=CD;st=CD&datasection=all Cherry Hill High School East School Report Card] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 3, 2007.] [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc06/dataselect.php?c=07;d=0800;s=040;lt=CD;st=CD&datasection=all Cherry Hill High School West School Report Card] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 3, 2007.]

Cherry Hill's school district offered the certificate and diploma program at Cherry Hill West which ended at the conclusion of the 2007-2008 school year. The IB Primary Years Programme is offered at Bret Harte, Joseph D. Sharp, James F. Cooper and Thomas Paine Elementary Schools. This program is also a part of the Middle Years Programme|Middle Years Program] (MYP) offered for grades 6-8 at Rosa International Middle School (RIMS). [ [http://www.ibo.org/school/search/index.cfm?programmes=&country=US&region=NJ&find_schools=Find Find an IB World School—results] , International Baccalaureate Organization. Accessed July 3, 2007.]

Private Schools

Camden Catholic High School is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. [http://www.stpetercelestine.org/ St. Peter Celestine] (Pre-K to 8) and [http://www.queenofheaven.org/school/ Queen of Heaven School] (K-8) are elementary schools run by the Diocese. [ [http://www.camdendiocese.org/schools/cc.html Camden County Schools] , Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden. Accessed July 10, 2008.]

The King's Christian School is a private Christian fully-accredited PreK-12 institution founded as the Christian Day School of Camden County in 1946.

[http://www.kellmanacademy.org Kellman Academy] is a private Jewish day school serving children aged 3 through 8th grade. The school was founded in 1959 in association with Congregation Beth El at Parkside in Camden.

[http://www.politz.org Politz Day School] is a private Jewish day school serving early childhood through middle school students. The school is co-located with and supported by Congregation Sons of Israel.

[http://www.baptistregional.org Baptist Regional School] is a private Christian school on two campuses, grades K-6 in Cherry Hill, and grades 7-12 in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. The schools were founded and supported by Bethel Baptist Church (Cherry Hill) and Haddon Heights Baptist Church.

Colleges and universities

Camden County College operates one of its three campuses at the William G. Rohrer Center at Route 70 East and Springdale Road.

Public Library

The Cherry Hill Public Library is an agency of the Township's municipal government. Originally called "The Cherry Hill Free Public Library", the word "Free" was dropped from the title in 2003. The current library building was completed in December 2004 to replace a 1966 structure at approximately the same location: 1100 Kings Highway North. At 72,000 square feet, Cherry Hill's library is among the largest municipal libraries in New Jersey.

Transportation

The New Jersey Turnpike passes through Cherry Hill Township. The Walt Whitman rest area (southbound at milepost 30.2) is located in the township. [ [http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/nj-vcenter-whitman.htm New Jersey Turnpike: Walt Whitman Service Area] , New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Accessed May 30, 317, 318 (Seasonal), 404, 405, 406, 407 and 409 routes, with local service on the 450, 451, 455 and 457 routes. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/sf_tp_rc_camden.shtml Camden County Bus/Rail Connections] , New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.]

Interstate 295 has three exits in the township. Exit 34A/B is Route 70 (Marlton Pike); exit 32 is CR 561 (Haddonfield-Berlin Rd.); and exit 31 goes directly to the Woodcrest station of the PATCO high-speed commuter rail line, which travels from 15-16th & Locust Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Lindenwold.

Several New Jersey Transit bus routes also pass through or stop in the township. The NJT Atlantic City Line, traveling on the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Line route, stops at the Cherry Hill station, located on the west side of the tracks between the Garden State Pavilion shopping center and the newer development on the grounds of the former Garden State Racetrack.

Notable residents and natives

Miscellaneous information

*In 2006, Cherry Hill was named among the 'Best Places to Live' in the United States by "Money" Magazine [ [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/snapshots/CS3412280.html Best Places to Live 2006] , "Money" magazine, accessed July 17, 2006.] and was ranked eighth safest place to live in the same survey. [ [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top25s/safest.html Best Places to Live 2006: cities with the lowest crime risk] , "Money" magazine, accessed July 17, 2006.]
*Cherry Hill was also named among the Best Places to Live in the Philadelphia region for 2006 by Philadelphia Magazine (see magazine print edition, October 2006).
*Subaru of America, Pinnacle Foods, and Commerce Bancorp are headquartered in Cherry Hill.
*Cherry Hill Mall, a principal shopping center in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania metropolitan area, was the first enclosed shopping mall in the eastern United States, opening in October 1961.
*The Neulander murder occurred in Cherry Hill.
*In the movie "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle," Cherry Hill is the location of the White Castle franchise Harold and Kumar ultimately visit. There are, in fact, no White Castle locations in Cherry Hill, nor does the movie's representation of Cherry Hill accurately reflect the dense, suburban nature of the town or its proximity to Philadelphia. Rather, it depicts Cherry Hill as rural farmland. [Cahillane, Kevin. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9805EEDB173FF936A2575BC0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2 "Homegrown: A Stoner Comedy Straight Out of Randolph"] , "The New York Times", August 15, 2004. Accessed February 21, 2008. "Some New Jersey moviegoers of sound mind may wonder whether Mr. Hurwitz and Mr. Schlossberg have been away too long, noting a few geographical discrepancies as the half-baked heroes drive all the way to Cherry Hill from Hoboken for their U.S.D.A.-approved meal. For one thing, there is no White Castle in Cherry Hill."]
*In the movie "The Freshman", Clark Kellogg (Matthew Broderick) is sent to Cherry Hill to deliver a Komodo dragon.
*In 1973-1974, Cherry Hill briefly had a WHA hockey team, the New Jersey Knights, and from 1964 to 1971, an Eastern Hockey League team, the Jersey Devils (unrelated to the present NHL New Jersey Devils). Both teams played at the Cherry Hill Arena.
*Muhammad Ali purchased a house on Barbara Drive in Cherry Hill's Voken Tract in 1971. [Straus, Robert. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9403E1D9113DF931A35751C1A9679C8B63 WORTH NOTING; So Ali Owned It. So What. How Many Bathrooms?] , "The New York Times", December 2, 2001.]
*Mentioned in Nerf Herder's "New Jersey Girl", the girl in question is from Cherry Hill.

References

External links

* [http://www.cherryhill-nj.com Cherry Hill Township site]
* [http://www.cherryhill.k12.nj.us/ Cherry Hill Public Schools]
*
* [http://www.cherryhill.lib.nj.us Cherry Hill Public Library] Official Website
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3403000 Data for the Cherry Hill Township Public Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.cherryhillfire.org/ Cherry Hill Fire Department]
* [http://www.cherryhillpolice.com/ Cherry Hill Police Department]
* [http://www.cherryhillfirepolice.org/ Cherry Hill Fire Police]
* [http://www.gardenstaterotary.org/ Garden State Rotary of Cherry Hill, NJ]
* [http://www.CherryHill.com Cherry Hill Online Newspaper (private)]
* [http://www.topoquest.com/map.asp?z=18&n=4418157&e=499179&s=100&size=m&datum=nad83 Topographic map] at TopoQuest
* [http://www.teach613.org/ Cherry Hill Jewish Community Information Center]