Palmyra, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Palmyra, New Jersey
settlement_type = Borough
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

---

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Palmyra highlighted in Burlington County. Inset



mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of Palmyra, New Jersey

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Burlington
government_footnotes =
government_type = Borough (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = John J. Gural. Jr.
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = April 19, 1894

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 6.3
area_land_km2 = 5.1
area_water_km2 = 1.1
area_total_sq_mi = 2.4
area_land_sq_mi = 2.0
area_water_sq_mi = 0.4

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 7598
population_density_km2 = 1384.9
population_density_sq_mi = 3586.9

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|885339|Borough of Palmyra, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 3
elevation_ft = 10
latd = 40 |latm = 00 |lats = 07 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 02 |longs = 04 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08065
area_code = 856
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-55800GR|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 = 0885339GR|3
website = http://www.boroughofpalmyra.com
footnotes =

Palmyra is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 7,091.

Palmyra was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 19, 1894, from portions of Cinnaminson Township and Riverton. On February 20, 1923, Palmyra was reincorporated as a borough."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 98.]

Geography

Palmyra is located at coor dms|40|0|10|N|75|1|35|W|city (40.002780, -75.026263)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.1 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km²) of it (18.18%) is water.

Palmyra borders Riverton, Cinnaminson Township, Camden County, and the Delaware River. Across the Delaware, it borders the Tacony section of Philadelphia to which it is connected via Route 73 by the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, which is named for the two communities connected by the bridge.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 4968
1940= 5178
1950= 5802
1960= 7036
1970= 6969
1980= 7085
1990= 7056
2000= 7091
estimate=7598
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US3400553070&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34005%7C06000US3400553070&_street=&_county=palmyra&_cityTown=palmyra&_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 Palmyra borough] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 1, 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 7,091 people, 3,004 households, and 1,853 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,586.9 people per square mile (1,382.8/km²). There were 3,219 housing units at an average density of 1,628.3/sq mi (627.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 80.99% White, 14.34% African American, 0.30% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.41% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.23% of the population.

There were 3,004 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the borough the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 33.5% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,150, and the median income for a family was $57,192. Males had a median income of $42,910 versus $31,445 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,454. About 2.2% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area that is now Palmyra was settled in the late 17th century by Swedes, marking the northernmost border of New Sweden. A farmhouse built in 1761 by the third generation settlers still remains as the oldest house in Palmyra. It remained a farming area until after the building of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1834, after which railroad workers bought lots along the railroad and built their homes there. The community was originally known as Texas, but a local landowner, Isaiah Toy, a descendant of the original Swedish settlers, wanted to have a post office established, and felt the name Texas undignified. Toy, a stockholder in the Camden and Amboy Railroad, convinced the railroad to change the name of the station in 1849 to Palmyra, which came from his love of ancient history. The post office was established in 1851. Palmyra, along with Bordentown, Burlington, Moorestown, and Mount Holly, established its high school in the late 1890s, making it one of the oldest high schools in Burlington County and in New Jersey.

The town was laid out in 1850, when Joseph Souder's land was broken up into building lots to pay his debts. The street names match those of Center City Philadelphia - Market, Arch, Race, and Vine (from south to north), and Front Street and numbered streets from the Delaware River.

What is now Palmyra was part of Chester Township, one of the original townships in Burlington County. Palmyra became a part of Cinnaminson Township when that township was set off from Chester in 1860. Palmyra Township was set off from Cinnaminson in 1894, and Palmyra was incorporated as a borough in 1923.

Government

Local government

Palmyra is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 38.]

The Mayor of Palmyra Borough is John J. Gural, Jr. Members of the Palmyra Borough Council are Council President Robert Bostock, Gregory Benson, Michele Dobbs, David Dorworth, Karen Scheffler and Theodore Scott. [ [http://www.boroughofpalmyra.com/index.php?page=Mayor_and_Borough_Council Palmyra Mayor and Borough Council] , Palmyra Borough. Accessed June 14, 2008.]

Federal, state and county representation

Palmyra is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 7th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Palmyra Public Schools serves residents of Palmyra, and those from Beverly and Riverton who attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationships. [ [http://www.burlco.lib.nj.us/test/new/schools/hsdistricts.shtml High School Sending Districts] , Burlington County Library System. Accessed January 24, 2008.] 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=3412390 Data for the Palmyra Public Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 14, 2008.] ) are a preschool handicapped program at [http://www.palmyra.k12.nj.us/dela_ave.html Delaware Avenue Elementary School] (33 students), [http://www.palmyra.k12.nj.us/charlest.html Charles Street Elementary School] for grades K-6 (456 students), and Palmyra High School for grades 7-12 (600 students).

Transportation

The Palmyra station on the River Line light rail system is located on East Broad Street. The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is available to Camden, New Jersey. Northbound service is available to the Trenton Rail Station with connections to New Jersey Transit trains to New York City, SEPTA trains to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Amtrak trains. Transfer to the PATCO Speedline is available at the Walter Rand Transportation Center.

New Jersey Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 317 line. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/sf_tp_rc_burlington.shtml Burlington County Bus/Rail Connections] , New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 15, 2007.]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Palmyra include:
*Frank A. Mathews, Jr. (1904-1964), represented ushr|New Jersey|4 in the United States House of Representatives from 1945 to 1949. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000233 Frank Asbury Mathews, Jr.] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed September 10, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.boroughofpalmyra.com/ Palmyra Borough website]
* [http://www.palmyra.k12.nj.us/index.html Palmyra Public Schools]
*NJReportCard|05|3920|0|Palmyra Public Schools
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412390 Data for the Palmyra Public Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics