Lumberton was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1860, from portions of Medford, Southampton and Eastampton townships. Portions of Lumberton were taken on March 12, 1924, to form Hainesport Township.[22] The township was named for its early lumber industry, with pine trees cut down to supply wood used in Philadelphia.[23][24]
In March 2007, Lumberton was identified as having the most active community of eBay buyers and sellers on a per-capita basis in the United States, with 46,000 items posted on the site over a three-week period by members based in the Lumberton ZIP code 08048.[25][26]
History
The LenapeNative Americans were the earliest inhabitants in what is now known as Lumberton. By the 17th century, European colonists began to settle the southwestern part of the township. They cleared wooded areas and established farms centered around Fostertown, an unincorporated community. Eayrestown was founded by Richard and Elizabeth Eayres in the late 1600s and became the first significant settlement in the area. It also served as the center of commerce, thanks to its sawmill. The village of Lumberton emerged from these two neighboring communities.
The history of some homes in Lumberton can be traced back to the times of slavery. The township's earliest settlers and their descendants held various views on slavery. These perspectives varied from supporting and tolerating it to passive and active opposition. Over the years, many locals became advocates for the abolition of slavery, first in New Jersey, and then across the entire nation.
One notable historical site is a house on Creek Road. Built in 1824 by D.B. Cole, a descendant of the founders of Old Colestown, New Jersey, this house played a crucial part in the Underground Railroad. The property's deed dates back to 1806 when the Coles bought it from the Moores of Moorestown. Charles Blockson's Hippocrene Guide to the Underground Railroad documents that a fake well in the backyard once served as a refuge for enslaved people. They would slide down into it to hide from their masters as they made their way to Canada.[27]
During the Cold War, the town served as a site for Project Nike. In the event of a nuclear war, Nike Ajax and Hercules missiles would have been deployed from bases in Lumberton and other neighboring bases. This strategy aimed to deter the Soviet Union from bombing the Delaware Valley.[28]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 13.01 square miles (33.71 km2), including 12.88 square miles (33.37 km2) of land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km2) of water (1.01%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Brown, Eayrestown, Fostertown and Newbolds Corner.[33]
Of the 4,540 households, 38.7% had children under the age of 18; 56.2% were married couples living together; 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.7% were non-families. Of all households, 24.0% were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.28.[19]
27.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.1 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $82,250 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,344) and the median family income was $102,276 (+/− $7,854). Males had a median income of $71,475 (+/− $6,369) versus $54,452 (+/− $5,969) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,294 (+/− $1,882). About 5.6% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.[46]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 10,461 people, 3,930 households, and 2,731 families residing in the township. The population density was 813.0 inhabitants per square mile (313.9/km2). There were 4,080 housing units at an average density of 317.1 per square mile (122.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 78.31% White, 13.75% African American, 0.23% Native American, 3.38% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.90% from other races, and 2.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.15% of the population.[44][45]
There were 3,930 households, out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.5% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% 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 3.17.[44][45]
In the township the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.[44][45]
The median income for a household in the township was $60,571, and the median income for a family was $70,329. Males had a median income of $46,045 versus $32,431 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,789. About 2.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 5.9% of those age 65 or over.[44][45]
Government
Local government
Lumberton is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.[47] The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[6][48] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
As of 2023[update], members of the Lumberton Township Committee are Mayor Terrance Benson (D, terms on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Deputy Mayor Gina LaPlaca (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Lori Faye (D, 2025), Kendra Hatfield (D, 2024) and Robert Rodriguez (D, 2024).[3][49][50][51][52]
In 2020 Gina LaPlaca and Terrance Benson were elected to township committee, giving Democrats a 5-0 majority for the first time in Lumberton history. LaPlaca and Benson received a record number of votes for a municipal candidate.
Federal, state and county representation
Lumberton is located in the 3rd Congressional District[53] and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.[54][55][56]
Burlington County's Constitutional Officers are:
Clerk Joanne Schwartz (D, Southampton Township, 2028)[71][72]
Sheriff James H. Kostoplis (D, Bordentown, 2025)[73][74] and
Surrogate Brian J. Carlin (D, Burlington Township, 2026).[75][76]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,481 registered voters in Lumberton, of which 2,406 (32.2% vs. 33.3% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,827 (24.4% vs. 23.9%) were registered as Republicans and 3,241 (43.3% vs. 42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 7 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[77] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 59.6% (vs. 61.7% in Burlington County) were registered to vote, including 82.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.3% countywide).[77][78]
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,508 votes here (57.4% vs. 58.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,504 votes (41.0% vs. 40.2%) and other candidates with 53 votes (0.9% vs. 1.0%), among the 6,108 ballots cast by the township's 7,956 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.8% (vs. 74.5% in Burlington County).[79][80] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,756 votes here (59.5% vs. 58.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 2,476 votes (39.2% vs. 39.9%) and other candidates with 53 votes (0.8% vs. 1.0%), among the 6,315 ballots cast by the township's 7,661 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.4% (vs. 80.0% in Burlington County).[81] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,924 votes here (52.1% vs. 52.9% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 2,637 votes (46.9% vs. 46.0%) and other candidates with 42 votes (0.7% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,617 ballots cast by the township's 6,832 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.2% (vs. 78.8% in the whole county).[82]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,173 votes here (62.2% vs. 61.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 1,235 votes (35.4% vs. 35.8%) and other candidates with 41 votes (1.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,493 ballots cast by the township's 7,917 registered voters, yielding a 44.1% turnout (vs. 44.5% in the county).[83][84] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,847 votes here (49.6% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,650 votes (44.3% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 174 votes (4.7% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.9% vs. 1.2%), among the 3,724 ballots cast by the township's 7,656 registered voters, yielding a 48.6% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[85]
Education
For pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, public school students attend the Lumberton Township School District.[86] As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,141 students and 96.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1.[87] Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[88]) are
Ashbrook Elementary School[89] with 398 students in grades PreK-2,
Bobby's Run School[90] with 328 students in grades 3-5 and
Lumberton Middle School[91] with 378 students in grades 6-8.[92][93][94] In 2018, the district decided to close the Florence L. Walther School, which had served students in Kindergarten and first grade, at the end of the 2019-20 school year and reconfigure the grades assigned to the three remaining facilities.[95]
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Rancocas Valley Regional High School, a comprehensive regional public high school serving students from five communities encompassing approximately 40 square miles (100 km2) and comprised of the communities of Eastampton Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township, Mount Holly and Westampton.[96][97][98] As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 2,048 students and 140.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.6:1.[99] The school is located in Mount Holly Township. The high school district's board of education has nine members who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. Seats on the board are allocated based on the population of the five constituent municipalities, with three seats assigned to Lumberton Township.[100][101]
Students from Lumberton Township, and from all of Burlington County, are eligible to attend the Burlington County Institute of Technology, a countywide public school district that serves the vocational and technical education needs of students at the high school and post-secondary level at its campuses in Medford and Westampton.[102]
As of July 2015[update], Lumberton had a total of 64.82 miles (104.32 km) of roadways, of which 45.61 miles (73.40 km) were maintained by the municipality, 17.11 miles (27.54 km) by Burlington County and 2.10 miles (3.38 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[103]
^History of Lumberton Township, New Jersey, Lumberton Township. Accessed September 3, 2015. "Its name came from the fact that Pine trees were abundant in the vicinity and boats and rafts carried lumber and cord wood from the Rancocas Creek to Philadelphia and other places."
^Berr, Jonathan. "A South Jersey Town Emerges as a Hub of E-Commerce", The New York Times, March 20, 2007. Accessed November 26, 2013. "But Ms. Pfeiffer didn't recognize Lumberton's place in the Internet marketplace until November, when eBay announced that the largely white-collar town of 12,000 people had the most active community of buyers and sellers on a per-capita basis in the United States.... EBay based its ranking on transactions posted during three weeks in November, when more than 46,000 listings originated from Lumberton and its ZIP code — 08048 — for items ranging from bedding to books to camping equipment."
^"Traveling the East Coast Underground Railroad", Traveling with MJ, February 5, 2011. Accessed September 5, 2013. "New Jersey – D.B. Cole House, Creek Rd, Lumberton – Can be seen from the road, and rumored to be open by appointment – Cole used a well to hide runaway slaves by building a room with 20-foot ceilings at the bottom of the well."
^Lumberton Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Lumberton Township School District. Accessed February 28, 2023. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades K through 8 in the Lumberton Township School District. Composition: The Lumberton Township School District is comprised of all of the area within the municipal boundaries of Lumberton Township."
^Ryan, Lisa. "Lumberton district closing Florence L. Walther School", Burlington County Times, November 15, 2018. Accessed February 28, 2023. "The township school district will close the Florence L. Walther School on July 1, 2020 due to declining state aid and enrollment. The district Board of Education voted to close the kindergarten-to-first-grade school at the close of the 2019-20 school year and reorganize the district, Superintendent Joseph Langowski said.... In addition, district-wide enrollment fell from 1,776 in the 2002-2003 school year to 1,223 students in 2017-2018, according to district officials."
^History of the School, Rancocas Valley Regional High School. Accessed June 1, 2016. "The district encompasses approximately 40 square miles (100 km2) and comprises the townships of Eastampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Mount Holly, and Westampton."
^Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Rancocas Valley Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2023. Accessed May 10, 2024. "The School District is a Type II district located in the County of Burlington, State of New Jersey. As a Type II district, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education (the 'Board'). The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms. These terms are staggered so that three member's terms expire each year. The Superintendent is appointed by the Board to act as executive officer of the School District. The purpose of the School District is to educate students in grades 9 through 12 at its one school." See "Roster of Officials" on page 12.
^School Profile, p. 7. Rancocas Valley Regional High School District. Accessed May 10, 2024. "RVRHS is governed by nine Board members, comprising two representatives each from Mount Holly and Westampton, three from Lumberton, and one each from Eastampton and Hainesport. Board members are elected each November for three-year terms."
^Farrell, Joelle. "Burlco assemblyman Delany to quit in August", Burlington County Times, July 29, 2011. Accessed November 26, 2013. "Assemblyman Pat Delany (R., Burlington) announced his resignation Thursday. He had planned to seek reelection to the seat he was appointed to last year in the Eighth District. Delany, of Lumberton, said family matters demand his full attention, but he would not elaborate."
^Staff. "Gen. Clifford R. Powell, 80; Jersey Senator Led Guard", The New York Times, March 31, 1973. Accessed October 17, 2019. "Maj. Gen. Clifford R. Powell, a retired commander of the New Jersey National Guard and a former State Senator and Assemblyman, died of a heart attack a Burlington County Memorial Hospital Wednesday. He was 80 years old and lived in Lumberton."
^Hageny, John Christian. "Hockey: Where are they now? Call Lawrenceville's Sanguinetti a Hurricane", NJ.com, February 24, 2013. Accessed February 8, 2018. "Bobby Sanguinetti was born in Trenton, grew up a New York Rangers fan and even wore number 22 for a time in his career in honor of his favorite player, Brian Leetch, while skating at Lawrenceville.... Sanguinetti grew up in nearby Lumberton, N.J. and began his hockey career under Dan O'Brien while skating for the NJ Rockets."
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