Logan Township, New Jersey
Logan Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 6,042, reflecting an increase of 10 from the 6,032 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 885 from the 5,147 counted in the 1990 Census.
Logan Township was originally formed as West Woolwich Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1877, from portions of Woolwich Township. That name lasted just less than a year, as the name was changed to Logan Township as of March 6, 1878.
The community is named for John Alexander "Black Jack" Logan, a Union Army General who was behind the establishment of Memorial Day as a national holiday.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 26.929 square miles, including 21.925 square miles of land and 5.004 square miles of water.Beckett is an unincorporated community and census-designated place located within Logan Township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bridgeport, Cadwalader, Center Square, Cooper Wharf, Coopers, Flood Gates, New Bridge, Nortonville, Prospect, Raccoon Island and Repaupo. The township is home to Pureland Industrial Complex, a industrial park that is one of the largest in the nation.
The township borders the Gloucester County municipalities of Greenwich Township and Woolwich Township. Logan Township also borders the Delaware River. Oldmans Creek serves as its border with Oldmans Township in Salem County. Raccoon Creek branches off from the Delaware River in Logan Township.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $87,209 and the median family income was $100,688. Males had a median income of $67,192 versus $49,914 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,587. About 1.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 6,032 people, 2,001 households, and 1,610 families residing in the township. The population density was 266.7 people per square mile. There were 2,077 housing units at an average density of 91.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 82.00% White, 13.51% African American, 0.13% Native American, 1.77% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.21% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.74% of the population.There were 2,001 households out of which 48.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.5% were non-families. 15.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.38.
In the township the population was spread out with 32.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,148, and the median income for a family was $70,771. Males had a median income of $48,415 versus $34,864 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,853. About 3.0% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Pureland Industrial Complex was established in the early 1970s when 45 farms comprising were assembled in Logan Township. Under the ownership of State Mutual Life Assurance Company of America, environmental studies were undertaken by Jack McCormick, the first scientist with a doctorate in environmental science. In 1971, The New York Times described the project as "the nation's first ecologically planned industrial complex".In 1973, the Pureland Association was formed and Declaration of Environmental Standards were established and recorded in Gloucester County. Approximately were placed in an environmental reserve in perpetuity and rigid environmental controls were established, prior to the establishment of the United States Environmental Protection Agency or the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. These restrictive covenants protect property owners' value and are enforced by the Pureland Association which consist of property owners.
In 1976, the initial infrastructure was established with public water, sewer and rail servicing Pureland.
In 1977, Center Square Real Estate Development Company took over management of Pureland for State Mutual Life Assurance Company of America.
In 2000, Center Square Real Estate Development Company purchased the undeveloped land from State Mutual and continues to manage and develop Pureland today.
Pureland consists of of space and houses in excess of 180 companies employing over 8,500 people, mostly in the arena of warehousing and distribution. Pureland is the largest industrial complex in New Jersey.
Logan Township was the proposed location for the Crown Landing LNG Terminal, a liquefied natural gas off-loading and processing facility to be sited along the Delaware River. The facility would have included an off-loading pier that would technically enter the waters of the state of Delaware. Delaware opposed the project and filed a lawsuit in federal court to stop the project from going forward on the basis that they control the waters in which part of the pier would be situated; a lawsuit the State of Delaware lost. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the Crown Landing LNG Terminal on June 15, 2006. In 2009, long after the project should have been completed, Hess Energy acquired the project after BP failed to get plans approved and construction started. On January 6, 2012, Hess Energy surrendered its authorization to construct and operate the terminal. In a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Hess said it determined that the terminal would not be profitable, saying that "significant increases in natural gas production from North American shale resources" would affect prices and demand for natural gas.
Government
Local government
Logan Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Small Municipality form of New Jersey municipal government, enacted by direct petition as of January 1, 1984. The township is one of 18 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Township Council, with all positions elected at-large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The four members of the Township Council are elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year.This governing body, comprised of five members, oversees the operation of the township, passing resolutions and ordinances, as well as assessing and collecting taxes. Meetings of the Mayor and Township Council are held on a monthly basis and are open to the public. All Legislative powers of the Township are exercised by the Mayor and Council.
, the Mayor of Logan Township is Democrat Frank Minor, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Logan Township Council are Deputy Mayor Bernadine E. Jackson, Doris Hall, Christopher Morris and Arthur Smith.
Mayor Minor is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition, a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets." The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Federal, state and county representation
Logan Township is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,029 registered voters in Logan Township, of which 1,652 were registered as Democrats, 695 were registered as Republicans and 1,678 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were four voters registered to other parties.In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.7% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 38.9%, and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 2,997 ballots cast by the township's 4,214 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.3% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain with 38.7% and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 3,151 ballots cast by the township's 4,142 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 54.2% of the vote, outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 44.4% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 2,952 ballots cast by the township's 3,820 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 77.3.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.6% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35.6%, and other candidates with 1.8%, among the 1,703 ballots cast by the township's 4,133 registered voters, for a turnout of 41.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 49.8% of the vote, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 39.5%, Independent Chris Daggett with 8.6% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 1,886 ballots cast by the township's 4,103 registered voters, yielding a 46.0% turnout.
Education
The Logan Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 857 students and 88.4 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.7:1. Schools in the district areCenter Square School on Peachwood Drive with 247 students in grades PreK - 1,
Logan Elementary School located on School Lane with 372 students in grades 2-5 and
Logan Middle School with 236 students in grades 6-8.
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades are educated at Kingsway Regional High School under a sending/receiving relationship in which tuition is paid on a per-pupil basis to the Kingsway Regional School District, which serves students in seventh through twelfth grades from East Greenwich Township, South Harrison Township, Swedesboro and Woolwich Township. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 2,782 students and 210.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1. Schools in the district are
Kingsway Regional Middle School with 985 students in grades 7-8 and
Kingsway Regional High School with 1,752 students in grades 9-12. Under a 2011 proposal, Kingsway would merge with its constituent member's K-6 districts to become a full K-12 district, with various options for including Logan Township as part of the consolidated district.
Transportation
Roads and highways
The Commodore Barry Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Delaware River from Chester, Pennsylvania to Bridgeport in Logan Township. Owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority, construction of the bridge began in 1969 and the bridge opened to traffic in February 1974. The bridge is named for the American Revolutionary War hero and Philadelphia resident, John Barry., the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Passing through the township are U.S. Route 130, U.S. Route 322/County Route 536, Route 324 and Interstate 295.