Phillipsburg, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Phillipsburg, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Warren |
| Incorporated | March 8, 1861 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) |
| - Mayor | Harry L. Wyant, Jr. |
| - Administrator | Michele D. Broubalow[1] |
| Area | |
| - Total | 3.3 sq mi (8.6 km²) |
| - Land | 3.2 sq mi (8.4 km²) |
| - Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²) |
| Elevation [2] | 295 ft (90 m) |
| Population (2006)[3] | |
| - Total | 14,831 |
| - Density | 4,703.6/sq mi (1,816.1/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08865 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-58350[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885350[5] |
| Website: http://phillipsburgnj.org | |
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 15,166.
Phillipsburg was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1861, from portions of Phillipsburg Township (now Lopatcong Township).[6]
The town is located in western New Jersey, on the border of Pennsylvania, and is considered the eastern border of the region's Lehigh Valley.
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[edit] Geography
Phillipsburg is located at (40.689474, -75.185340)[7].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.7 km²), of which, 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (3.29%) is water.
Pohatcong Mountain is a ridge, approximately 6 mi (10 km) long, in the Appalachian Mountains that extends from Phillipsburg northeast approximately to Washington.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 19,255 |
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| 1940 | 18,314 | −4.9% | |
| 1950 | 18,919 | 3.3% | |
| 1960 | 18,502 | −2.2% | |
| 1970 | 17,849 | −3.5% | |
| 1980 | 16,647 | −6.7% | |
| 1990 | 15,757 | −5.3% | |
| 2000 | 15,166 | −3.8% | |
| Est. 2006 | 14,831 | [3] | −2.2% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 15,166 people, 6,044 households, and 3,946 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,703.6 people per square mile (1,818.5/km²). There were 6,651 housing units at an average density of 2,062.8/sq mi (797.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 91.84% White, 3.47% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.02% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.38% of the population.
There were 6,044 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.4% were married couples living together, 16.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $37,368, and the median income for a family was $46,925. Males had a median income of $37,446 versus $25,228 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,452. About 9.9% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Industrial history
Situated at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers, Phillipsburg used to benefit from being a major transportation hub. Long gone is the era of canal shipping and many of the important freight railways that served the area have gone bankrupt or bypass the city on long distance routes.
Phillipsburg served as the western terminus of the Morris Canal for approximately 100 years from the 1820s to 1920s, which connected the city by water to the industrial and consumer centers of the New York City area, with connections westward via the Lehigh Canal across the Delaware.
[edit] Economic revival
Most of the manufacturing jobs have left Warren County's largest city. In 1994, the New Jersey Legislature designated Phillipsburg as an Urban Enterprise Zone community. This zoning offers tax incentives and other benefits to Phillipsburg-based businesses, as well as a 3½% sales tax rate, reduced from the 7% rate charged statewide.
In recent years, some businesses have begun to move into the center of the city. Rising real estate prices indicate that these legislative stimulants have been somewhat effective. Phillipsburg also has been selected as a site for the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Heritage Center (jointly with Netcong), a museum designed to help preserve and showcase the state's transportation history.[9]
[edit] Railway
The Belvidere and Delaware River Railway still serves the city's remaining industry and connects to the national rail network via a connection with Norfolk Southern in the city.
As of the fall of 2007, New Jersey Transit is conducting a study to determine if re-establishing a commuter rail extension of the Raritan Valley Line to Phillipsburg is economically feasible.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Phillipsburg is governed under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act by a mayor and a five-member Town Council. Councilmembers are elected at large to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats up for election every other year.[10][11]
The Mayor of Phillipsburg is Harry L. Wyant, Jr. (R, term of office ends December 31, 2007). He is a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition,[12] 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.
Town Council Members are Council President David DeGerolamo (D, 2011), Council Vice President, James P. Stettner (D, 2011), John Damato (D, 2009), William M. Merrick (D, 2009) and James M. Shelly (D, 2009).[13][1]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Phillipsburg is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[14]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 23rd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township).[15] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[16]
Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2008, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John DiMaio (term ends December 31, 2009), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (2008) and Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain (2010).[17]
[edit] Education
The Phillipsburg School District serves public school students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 Abbott Districts statewide.[18]
The schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[19]) are Green Street School (Grades PreK-5; 645 students), Barber School (Grades 1&2; 187), Freeman School (Grades 1&2; 197), Andover-Morris School (Grades 3-5; 246) and Phillipsburg Middle School (Grades 6-8; 608). A recently constructed building, The Early Childhood Learning Center, serves preschool children in the area. Students in grades 9-12 attend Phillipsburg High School (1,720) which serves students from the town of Phillipsburg and from five neighboring communities at the secondary level: Alpha, Bloomsbury (in Hunterdon County), Greenwich Township, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township, who attend as part of sending/receiving relationships.[20] Although the school sports an historic attractive building, a multi-million dollar football stadium and sport training facility, and one of the state's biggest football powerhouses, it remains as one of the lowest performing public schools in the state in academics and suffers from chronic overcrowding. The school district, which has struggled for over a decade to build a new school, continues to use a building which lacks up-to-date facilities and some handicap amenities and will soon introduce its 32nd temporary trailer to help its lack of classroom space. The state of New Jersey has owed the town of Phillipsburg funds for the construction of a new school for several decades but has delayed on payment.
Phillipsburg High School has an athletic rivalry with neighboring Easton, Pennsylvania's Easton Area High School, which celebrated its 100th anniversary game on Thanksgiving Day 2006. Phillipsburg lost the game.[21]
[edit] Transportation
Many major highways pass through Phillipsburg, including U.S. Route 22, Route 122, and Interstate 78.
New Jersey Transit bus service is provided on the 890 and 891 routes.[22]
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Philipsburg include:
- Charlie Berry (1860-1940), former professional baseball player, Union Association, and father of Charlie Berry.
- Charlie Berry (1902-1972), former professional baseball and football player and umpire in Major League Baseball.[23]
- William F. Birch (1870-1946) represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district from 1918 to 1919.[24]
- Ned Bolcar. Played football for Notre Dame, and was twice a tri-captain for the Irish. [25]
- Wayne Dumont (1914-1992), former New Jersey Senate Majority Leader and Senate President.[26]
- Fiona (1961-), rock singer.
- Terry Kitchen, folk singer.[27]
- Martin O. May (1922-1945), U.S. Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.[28]
- Helen Stevenson Meyner (1929-1997), U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1975 to 1979.[29]
- Lou Reda, documentary filmmaker.[30]
- Jim Ringo (1931-2007), former professional football player, Green Bay Packers.[31]
- Sheetal Sheth (1976-), actress.[32]
- Charles Sitgreaves, (1803-1878), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1865 to 1869, and served as the mayor of Phillipsburg in 1861 and 1862.[33]
- Yvonne Zima (1989-), actress, "Rachel Greene" on NBC's ER.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Warren County page for Phillipsburg, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed April 10, 2008.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Town of Phillipsburg, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Phillipsburg town, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 25, 2007.
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 248.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Phillipsburg's Historic CNJ Station, accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Phillipsburg Form of Government, Town of Phillipsburg. Accessed July 25, 2006.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
- ^ Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members.
- ^ About the Council..., Town of Phillipsburg. Accessed April 10, 2008.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2008.
- ^ Abbott Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Phillipsburg School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 10, 2008.
- ^ About the District, Phillipsburg School District. Accessed March 8, 2008. "The district serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg and five sending communities at the secondary level: Alpha, Bloomsbury, Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong Townships."
- ^ "High school rivals are like family", USA Today, September 21, 2005.
- ^ Warren County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 3, 2007.
- ^ "Jack's Facts: A Closer Look at the Easton/Phillipsburg Rivalry", The Morning Call, November 21, 2006, accessed April 13, 2007. "The Garnet's Charlie Berry would score all Phillipsburg's points in a 14-7 win. Berry after graduating from PHS went on to have outstanding career at Lafayette College and later became an American League baseball umpire and officiated in the NFL."
- ^ William Fred Birch biographic profile, United States Congress. Accessed July 25, 2007.
- ^ Article at the official Notre Dame website ,<ref>
- [[Tom Brennan]], [[radio]] and [[television]] [[sportscaster]] and former men's [[basketball]] [[Coach (sport)|head coach]], most notably at the [[University of Vermont]] from 1986 to 2005.<ref>[http://www.uvm.edu/~sportspr/mens_basketball/coaches/brennan.html The Brennan Era At Vermont], [[University of Vermont]], accessed [[April 6]], [[2007]]. "The 54-year old Brennan is a native of Phillipsburg, NJ who graduated as the all-time leading scorer at Phillipsburg Catholic High School."</li>
[edit] External links
- Phillipsburg Official Web Site
- Warren County page for Phillipsburg
- Phillipsburg School District
- Phillipsburg School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Phillipsburg School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- Phillipsburg Area Chamber Of Commerce
- Phillipsburg, New Jersey is at coordinates Coordinates:
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