Salem, New Jersey


Salem is a city in Salem County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 5,146, reflecting a decrease of 711 from the 5,857 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 1,026 from the 6,883 counted in the 1990 Census, an overall drop of more than 25% over the two decades. It is the county seat of Salem County, the state's most rural county. The name "Salem", in both the city and county, is derived from the Hebrew word shalom, meaning "peace".
The town and colony of Salem was laid out in 1675 by John Fenwick and the community was given permission to choose officers in October 1693. It was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as part of the initial group of 104 townships established by the New Jersey Legislature. On February 25, 1858, it was reincorporated as Salem City.

History

Salem was founded by John Fenwick, a Quaker. Fenwick had been involved in a financial dispute with an Edward Byllynge, another Quaker, who had received the undivided portion of New Jersey territory that James Stuart, Duke of York had granted to Lord John Berkeley in 1664. Berkeley had sold his share to Byllynge in 1675 for 1,000 pounds, but Byllynge had become bankrupt and so had the property turned over to Fenwick to hold for Byllynge and his assigns in trust. Byllynge and Fenwick came to disagree over the property.
William Penn was asked to adjudicate the matter and he awarded 90% of the claim to Byllynge and the remaining 10% and a cash settlement to Fenwick for his share. Fenwick was dissatisfied with Penn's judgement and refused to abide by the decision; essentially Fenwick had no assurance that a previously bankrupt man would convey ten percent of the net proceeds of the future venture since he had not even paid the adjudicated cash settlement. So Fenwick organized a colony of settlers and sailed to the Delaware Bay where he settled as Patroon on the eastern shore near the abandoned Swedish settlement of Fort Nya Elfsborg and set himself up as the local governor of the fifth Tenth, issuing land patents and enforcing his own laws in defiance of Byllynge and Penn. Byllynge countered by suing Fenwick, causing uncertainty in the chain of land title. The economic damages to those who controlled property within and near Salem caused many injured persons over the next decade to declare a long line of complaints and lawsuits in the colonial courts. To preserve Salem, its inhabitants and their property, Fenwick remained under arrest for months until copies of documents proving his claims were obtained from England. Fenwick ultimately proved the right of his claim in the court of Dominion Governor Andros, and returned to govern the Salem tenth by 1689. Salem remained as a settlement and continued growing.
In 1778, the British launched an assault against the local American militia in what became known as the Salem Raid. During that assault, Judge William Hancock of the King's Court who was presiding at the County Courthouse at the beginning of the American Revolutionary War, was accidentally killed by the British troops as part of the assault that became known as the Hancock House Massacre. After the war concluded, treason trials were held at the county courthouse where suspected Loyalists were put on trial for having allegedly aided the British raid of Salem. Four men were convicted and sentenced to death for treason; however, they were pardoned by Governor William Livingston and exiled from New Jersey.
Salem was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships by the New Jersey Legislature's Township Act of 1798.
The Old County Courthouse was the site of the legend of Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson proving the edibility of the tomato. According to legend, Colonel Johnson stood upon the courthouse steps in 1820 and ate tomatoes in front of a large amazed crowd assembled to watch him do so. However, the legend did not appear in print until 1948 and modern scholars doubt the veracity of this story.

Historical buildings

The Old Salem County Courthouse serves today as the administrative offices for Salem City. It is the oldest active courthouse in New Jersey and is the second-oldest courthouse in continuous use in the United States. The Courthouse was erected in 1735 during the reign of King George II using locally manufactured bricks. The building was enlarged in 1817 and additionally enlarged and remodeled in 1908. Its distinctive bell tower is essentially unchanged and the original bell sits in the courtroom.

Geography

Salem is located along the Salem River. According to the United States Census Bureau, Salem city had a total area of 2.815 square miles, including 2.343 square miles of land and 0.472 square mile of water.
The city borders the Salem County municipalities of Elsinboro Township, Lower Alloways Creek Township, Mannington Township, Pennsville Township and Quinton Township.

Climate

The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Salem has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $25,682 and the median family income was $38,286. Males had a median income of $47,708 versus $32,236 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $17,733. About 26.5% of families and 28.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.4% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 5,857 people, 2,383 households, and 1,463 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,244.3 people per square mile. There were 2,863 housing units at an average density of 1,097.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the city was 37.46% White, 56.77% African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 1.38% from other races, and 3.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.88% of the population.
There were 2,383 households, out of which 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.7% were married couples living together, 29.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the city the population was spread out, with 31.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,846, and the median income for a family was $29,699. Males had a median income of $35,389 versus $24,354 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,559. About 24.7% of families and 26.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.3% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Salem is governed under the City form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor, who is elected at-large to a three-year term of office. The City Council is made up of eight members, with four members representing one of two wards, East and West. Council members are elected on a staggered basis to four-year terms of office, with one seat from each ward up for election each year. All members of the governing body are chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election.
, the Mayor of Salem is Democrat Charles Washington Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2021. Washington first took office as mayor in January 2013. Members of the City Council are Council President Earl R. Gage, Council President Pro Tempore Timothy H. Gregory Jr., Ruth Ann Carter, Robert L. Davis, Vaughn Groce, Sharon K. Kellum, Gail Slaughter and James Smith.
Ruth Carter was named in October 2013 to fill the seat vacated in the previous month by Bob Johnson, who resigned due to family obligations. Carter served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election, when she was elected to fill the balance of the term of office through December 2016. Vaughn Groce was chosen in January 2013 to fill the seat of Charles Washington Jr., expiring in December 2013 that was vacated when he took office as mayor.

Federal, state and county representation

Salem City is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,975 registered voters in Salem, of which 1,502 were registered as Democrats, 229 were registered as Republicans and 1,244 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 57.8% were registered to vote, including 80.5% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 83.4% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 15.4%, and other candidates with 1.2%, among the 2,022 ballots cast by the city's 3,322 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,635 votes, ahead of Republican John McCain with 390 votes and other candidates with 18 votes, among the 2,074 ballots cast by the city's 3,141 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 1,266 votes, ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 506 votes and other candidates with 16 votes, among the 1,799 ballots cast by the city's 2,957 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.8%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 55.3% of the vote, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 41.0%, and other candidates with 3.7%, among the 1,061 ballots cast by the city's 3,201 registered voters, for a turnout of 33.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 731 ballots cast, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 241 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 73 votes and other candidates with 35 votes, among the 1,103 ballots cast by the city's 3,101 registered voters, yielding a 35.6% turnout.

Education

The Salem City School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide, which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.
As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprising three schools, had an enrollment of 1,218 students and 118.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.3:1. Schools in the district are
John Fenwick Academy with 455 students in grades PreK-2,
Salem Middle School with 381 students in grades 3-8 and
Salem High School with 334 students in grades 9-12.
Public school students from Elsinboro, Lower Alloways Creek Township, Mannington Township and Quinton Township attend the district's high school for grades 9–12 as part of sending/receiving relationships.

Transportation

The Port of Salem was designated by the British Crown in 1682 as a port of entry on the Salem River accessible via the Delaware River. It handles a variety of bulk cargo, notably of construction aggregate, break bulk cargo, and containers for clothing, fishing apparel, agricultural produce, and other consumer goods. South Jersey Port Corporation operates the Salem Terminal on a 22-acre complex located west of downtown.
The Glass House Spur of the Salem Branch begins at the Port of Salem and is operated by the Southern Railroad of New Jersey with connections to Conrail's South Jersey/Philadelphia Shared Assets Area operations at Swedesboro.

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Salem County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
State highways passing through Salem include Route 45, which has its southern terminus at its intersection with Route 49. Nearby highways and structures include Interstate 295, the New Jersey Turnpike and the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

Public transportation

offers bus service between the city and Philadelphia on the 401 route and local service on the 468 route.
The Delaware City–Salem Ferry was a seasonal service operating between Barber's Basin and Delaware City, Delaware, until it was rerouted to Fort Mott in 2015 and became the Forts Ferry Crossing.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Salem include: