West Cape May, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = West Cape May, New Jersey
settlement_type = Borough
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption = Sign indicating West Cape May


image_

image_

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = West Cape May Borough highlighted in Cape May County. Inset



mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of West Cape May, New Jersey

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cape May
government_footnotes =
government_type = Walsh Act (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Pamela Kaithern
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = April 17, 1884

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 3.1
area_land_km2 = 3.1
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.2
area_land_sq_mi = 1.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 1007
population_density_km2 = 356.6
population_density_sq_mi = 923.5

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|885435|Borough of West Cape May, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 3
elevation_ft = 10
latd = 38 |latm = 56 |lats = 29 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 56 |longs = 15 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08204
area_code = 609
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-78530GR|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 = 0885435GR|3
website = http://www.westcapemay.us/
footnotes =

West Cape May is a Walsh Act borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,095.

West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1900, and again on May 4, 1897."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 116.]

Geography

West Cape May is located at coor dms|38|56|19|N|74|55|58|W|city (38.938621, -74.932708)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.

West Cape May borders Lower Township and Cape May City

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 1048
1940= 934
1950= 897
1960= 1030
1970= 1005
1980= 1091
1990= 1026
2000= 1095
estimate=1007
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US3400974810&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34009%7C06000US3400974810&_street=&_county=west+cape+may&_cityTown=west+cape+may&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for West Cape May borough] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 11, 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 1,095 people, 507 households, and 302 families residing in the borough. The population density was 923.5 people per square mile (355.3/km²). There were 1,004 housing units at an average density of 846.8/sq mi (325.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 84.11% White, 14.52% African American, 0.37% Native American, 0.55% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.

There were 507 households out of which 21.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the borough the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $37,500, and the median income for a family was $47,031. Males had a median income of $36,375 versus $29,583 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,663. About 4.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Borough of West Cape May has operated under the Walsh Act Commission form of government since 1948. [ [http://www.njstatelib.org/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF The Commission Form of Municipal Government] , p. 53. Accessed August 11, 2007.] The Board of Commissioners consists of three members, who are elected at-large in non-partisan elections and serve four-year, concurrent terms. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 8.]

Once the Commissioners take office, they divide up responsibility for the municipal departments. Each Commissioner becomes a Department Director and holds all the executive, administrative, judicial and legislative powers. There is no single chief executive.

In West Cape May, the Departments are currently distributed as follows: [ [http://www.westcapemay.us/formofgovernment.asp West Cape May Form of Government] , Borough of West Cape May. Accessed April 30, 2008.] [ [http://www.westcapemay.us/directory.asp Directory of Offices and Hours] , Borough of West Cape May. Accessed April 30, 2008.]
*Pamela Kaithern - Mayor and Commissioner of Revenue and Finance
*Dick Rigby - Deputy Mayor and Commissioner of Public Works, Parks and Public Property
*Peter Burke - Commissioner of Public Affairs and Public Safety

Federal, state and county representation

West Cape May is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 66. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The West Cape May Elementary School serves students in Prekindergarten through sixth grade. The school had an enrollment of 56 students in the 2005-06 school year [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417400 Data for West Cape May Elementary School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 30, 2008.] , making it one of the schools with the smallest enrollment in the state.Fact|date=April 2008

For grades 7 - 12, public school students attend the schools of the Lower Cape May Regional School District, which serves students from Cape May City, Lower Township and West Cape May, along with students from Cape May Point who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship. [ [http://lcmrschool.org/lcm/lcmr/index.html Lower Cape May Regional - High School] . Accessed April 16, 2008. "Lower Cape May Regional High School is a four year public school that serves students from four communities including Cape May, Lower Township, West Cape May and Cape May Point."] Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3409090 Data for the Lower Cape May Regional High School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 27, 2008.] ) are [http://lcmrschool.org/lcmr/RMT_Main/rmt.htm Richard M. Teitelman School] (grades 7 and 8; 647 students) and
Lower Cape May Regional High School (grades 9-12; 1,195).

History

The Borough's history goes back to the time of the Lenape Native Americans and several buildings date to the Colonial period. The area has a rich agricultural history which continues to be celebrated each year with a summer farmers' market, and strawberry, tomato and lima bean festivals. It was once known as the "Lima Bean Capital of the World." [ [http://www.capemay.com/capemayarchives/2000/LimaBeanFestival.html America's Best (and only) Lima Bean Festival] , accessed March 7, 2007]

West Cape May, formerly known as Eldredge, is one of the four jurisdictions that comprise Cape Island in Cape May County. West Cape May was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1884, from portions of Lower Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier. The borough was reincorporated on April 11, 1890, and again on May 4, 1897."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 116.]

The Borough has reported ties to the Underground Railroad.

From 1881 to 1931, the Hastings Goldbeating Company was located in the Borough employing women to pound one-inch strips of gold into gossamer-thin sheets used for decorative arts. Women still did the "booking" of gold leaf sheets until 1961. A plaque indicating the location of the factory can be found on Goldbeaten Alley. It was this business along with real estate speculation and subdivision of the land that led to the Borough's incorporation in 1884.

The historic core of the Borough was placed on the National Register of Historic Places along with sections of the City of Cape May in 1976.

References

External links

* [http://www.westcapemay.us/ West Cape May NJ website]
* [http://wcm.capemayschools.com/ West Cape May Elementary School]
*NJReportCard|09|5610|050|West Cape May Elementary School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417400 Data for West Cape May Elementary School] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://lcmrschool.org/lcmr/index.htm Lower Cape May Regional School District]
* [http://thecapemaygazette.com The Cape May Gazette] - Weekly newspaper covering West Cape May