Location of Egg Harbor City in
Atlantic County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Atlantic County in
New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
The city had the seventh-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 5.044% in 2020, compared to 2.560% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.[23]
History
The area home to Egg Harbor City was settled by Europeans in 1614, when the
Dutch vessel Fortuyn landed at the
Mullica River.[24] The first settlers named the area "Eyren Haven" after the large number of gull eggs in the area.[25][26]
In 1854, the
Camden and Atlantic Railroad opened. On December 14, 1854, a group of prominent
German Americans from
Philadelphia, including William and Henry Schmoele and Philip Mathias Wolsieffer, incorporated the "Gloucester Farm and Town Association", which purchased approximately 38,000 acres of woodland north of the railroad to serve as a refuge for those being persecuted in the anti-immigrant violence known as the
Know-Nothing movement.[27] The corporation planned two cities: a four-square-mile city called "Pomona" closest to the railroad, and another city called "Gloucester" to the north. However, the twin city scheme was dropped in favor of one seven-mile-long metropolis called "Egg Harbor City". The development's layout contained an urban "city core" containing 100x150-foot lots bounded by New York Avenue to the west and Baltimore Avenue to the east, while the remainder of the land was divided into separate 20-acre farm parcels. The corporation issued stocks at $300 per share; with each share, stockholders would acquire one residential building lot and one farm parcel.[27] The city was marketed heavily in cities containing large German American populations, including
Baltimore,
Buffalo,
Cleveland,
Milwaukee, and
St. Louis.[27]
The land was divided and plotted from the railroad north to the Mullica River, west ending at Hanover Avenue, and the easternmost land being the home of the present-day
Stockton University.[28] The north-south streets were named for cities with large German populations, while the east-west streets were named for notable Germans, starting with
Agassiz Avenue (current-day
White Horse Pike) to the south, and
Zschokke Avenue to the north. The city was planned to include ample public green space; both New York Avenue and Baltimore Avenue were platted with wide medians to accommodate garden plats, Landing Creek would have been dammed to create an
artificial lake called "Gloucester Lake", and Egg Harbor City Lake would have been made into a reservoir at the center of a large urban park containing landscaped gardens, an
arboretum, and a
model farm.[27][29] The Mullica River was proposed to be made navigable for commercial vessels, and the northern edge of the street grid along the river was to contain canals and
wharfs for ships to dock.[27]
Egg Harbor City was officially incorporated as a city by an Act of the
New Jersey Legislature on June 14, 1858, from portions of
Galloway Township and
Mullica Township. The city was reincorporated on February 13, 1868.[30] The city's growth was slowed due to an economic crisis in 1857, and then further during the
Civil War. Though the city did not grow to the size as originally proposed, it grew in population steadily in the 1870s, and remained a virtual island of
German language and culture in
South Jersey for more than 50 years.[31]
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 11.42 square miles (29.58 km2), including 10.85 square miles (28.10 km2) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.48 km2) of water (4.99%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Clarks Landing, Gloucester Furnace and Gloucester Lake.[32]
The city is one of 56 South Jersey municipalities that are included within the
New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve, a protected natural area of unique ecology covering 1,100,000 acres (450,000 ha), that has been classified as a United States Biosphere Reserve and established by Congress in 1978 as the nation's first National Reserve.[36] All of the city is included in the state-designated Pinelands Area, which includes portions of Atlantic County, along with areas in
Burlington,
Camden,
Cape May,
Cumberland,
Gloucester and
Ocean counties.[37]
Of the 1,593 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18; 39.0% were married couples living together; 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.5% were non-families. Of all households, 25.3% were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.13.[20]
24.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.9 males.[20]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $52,893 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,582) and the median family income was $67,654 (+/− $6,555). Males had a median income of $35,182 (+/− $7,553) versus $33,994 (+/− $2,214) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $22,294 (+/− $3,702). About 11.3% of families and 20.9% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 36.2% of those under age 18 and 12.7% of those age 65 or over.[48]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census[15] there were 4,545 people, 1,658 households, and 1,150 families residing in the city. The population density was 409.2 inhabitants per square mile (158.0/km2). There were 1,770 housing units at an average density of 159.4 per square mile (61.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 66.80%
White, 14.19%
African American, 0.37%
Native American, 1.25%
Asian, 0.09%
Pacific Islander, 13.49% from
other races, and 3.81% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino people of any race were 24.55% of the population.[46][47]
There were 1,658 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were
married couples living together, 20.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.20.[46][47]
In the city the population was spread out, with 28.3% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 19.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.[46][47]
The median income for a household in the city was $32,956, and the median income for a family was $40,040. Males had a median income of $27,978 versus $23,560 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $15,151. About 11.7% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.[46][47]
Government
Local government
The City of Egg Harbor City is governed by the
Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the
Small Municipality Plan, which is available to communities with fewer than 12,000 residents at the time of adoption. The city is one of 15 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.[49] The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the City Council, with all elected
at-large in partisan elections as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected to a four-year term of office. The City Council is comprised of nine members, who are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis in a three-year cycle, with three seats coming up for election each year.[6][50][51]
The mayor is the statutory head of the Police department and the city's Chief Executive Officer. The City Council makes local laws, sets an agenda pertaining to the direction that the governments programs and approves budgets for various programs. The City Administrator takes the elected officials programs and sets policy and procedures in order to carry out the day-to-day operations of the municipality. The City Administrator also deals with federal, state, county and neighboring municipal officials to implement the community's needs.
As of 2023[update], the
Mayor of Egg Harbor City is
Democrat Lisa Jiampetti, whose four-year term of office ends on December 31, 2024. Members of the City Council are Council President Joseph Anthony Ricci Jr. (
R, 2024), President Pro Tempore Donna M. Heist (D, 2023), Kasey Attianese (R, 2024; elected to serve an unexpired term), Steven J. Dash (R, 2025), Nanette LoBiondo Galloway (D, 2025), Kim Hesse (D, 2024), Ingrid Nieves-Clark (R, 2025), Karl Timbers (D, 2023) and Mason Wright Jr. (D, 2023).[3][52][53][54][55][56]
Kasey Attianese was elected in November 2022 to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that became vacant following the death of Robin L. Sefton in May 2022.[57][54]
Federal, state and county representation
Egg Harbor City is located in the 2nd Congressional District[58] and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.[59]
Atlantic County is governed by a directly elected
county executive and a nine-member
Board of County Commissioners, responsible for legislation. The executive serves a four-year term and the commissioners are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an
at-large basis and five of the commissioners represent equally populated districts.[65][66] As of 2024[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (
R,
Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.[67] Members of the Board of County Commissioners are:
Atlantic County's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Joesph J. Giralo (R, 2026, Hammonton),[78][79]
Sheriff Joe O'Donoghue (R, 2026, Egg Harbor Township)[80][81] and
Surrogate James Curcio (R, 2025, Hammonton).[82][83][84]
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,562 registered voters in Egg Harbor City, of which 851 (33.2% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as
Democrats, 617 (24.1% vs. 25.2%) were registered as
Republicans and 1,093 (42.7% vs. 44.3%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[85] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 60.4% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 80.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).[85][86]
In the
2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama received 1,121 votes here (61.0% vs. 57.9% countywide), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney with 674 votes (36.7% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 27 votes (1.5% vs. 0.9%), among the 1,838 ballots cast by the city's 2,724 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.5% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County).[87][88] In the
2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 1,166 votes here (60.0% vs. 56.5% countywide), ahead of Republican
John McCain with 737 votes (38.0% vs. 41.6%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.1% vs. 1.1%), among the 1,942 ballots cast by the city's 2,969 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.4% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County).[89] In the
2004 presidential election, Democrat
John Kerry received 975 votes here (54.0% vs. 52.0% countywide), ahead of Republican
George W. Bush with 779 votes (43.1% vs. 46.2%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.2% vs. 0.8%), among the 1,806 ballots cast by the city's 2,626 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.8% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).[90]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 659 votes here (59.3% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 385 votes (34.7% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 16 votes (1.4% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,111 ballots cast by the city's 2,700 registered voters, yielding a 41.1% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county).[91][92] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat
Jon Corzine received 576 ballots cast (46.4% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 520 votes (41.9% vs. 47.7%), Independent
Chris Daggett with 58 votes (4.7% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 27 votes (2.2% vs. 1.2%), among the 1,242 ballots cast by the city's 2,677 registered voters, yielding a 46.4% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[93]
Students in
ninth through
twelfth grades attend
Cedar Creek High School, which is located in the northern section of Egg Harbor City and opened to students in September 2010.[102] As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 962 students and 77.8 classroom teachers (on an
FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1.[103] The school is one of three high schools operated as part of the
Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, which also includes the constituent municipalities of Egg Harbor City,
Galloway Township,
Hamilton Township and
Mullica Township, and participates in
sending/receiving relationships with
Port Republic and
Washington Township (Burlington County).[104][105] Cedar Creek High School is zoned to serve students from Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Port Republic and Washington Township, while students in portions of Galloway and Hamilton townships have the opportunity to attend Cedar Creek through the school of choice program or through attendance in magnet programs offered at Cedar Creek.[106][107] Seats on the nine-member board are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with one seat assigned to Egg Harbor City.[108][109]
The
Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden formerly maintained the St. Nicholas School in Egg Harbor. It closed in 2007 with a private elementary school opening in its place.[113]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the city had a total of 50.09 miles (80.61 km) of roadways, of which 34.05 miles (54.80 km) were maintained by the municipality, 14.46 miles (23.27 km) by Atlantic County and 1.58 miles (2.54 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[114]
U.S. Route 30 (the White Horse Pike) is the most significant highway passing through Egg Harbor City. Egg Harbor City also features the northern terminus of
New Jersey Route 50, which ends at an intersection with US 30 near the center of the city.[115] Major county routes passing through the city include
County Route 561 and
County Route 563.
Peace Pilgrim (1908–1981, born Mildred Lisette Norman), peace activist honored in Egg Harbor City by Peace Pilgrim Park and by a birthday celebration each year in July[126]
Captain
Charles Saalmann (1838–1909), infantry captain in the Civil War, Acting Commissary of Subsistence in General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea, vintner[130]
^"Here are the 30 N.J. towns with the highest property tax rates", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, March 15, 2021. Accessed January 19, 2022. "The average equalized tax rate in New Jersey was 2.279 in 2020, according to data from the Department of Community Affairs. Here is the list of 30 New Jersey towns with the highest property tax rates.... 7. Egg Harbor City Equalized tax rate in Egg Harbor City, Atlantic County, was 5.044 in 2020 Average equalized tax rate in Atlantic County: 2.560"
^"Egg Harbor City". Atlantic County, New Jersey. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
^Cunz, Dieter (1956).
"Egg Harbor City: New Germany In New Jersey". The Society for the History of the Germans in Maryland. pp. 9–30.
Archived from the original on April 16, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2019 – via westjersey.org.
^Raum, John O.
The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 273, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed July 10, 2013. "Egg Harbor City is between Galloway and Mullica townships, and contained in 1860, 789 inhabitants and in 1870 1,311. It is a thriving German settlement in which grapes and strawberries are extensively cultivated."
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Schools, Egg Harbor City School District. Accessed March 2, 2023. "Egg Harbor City Public School District is comprised of 2 schools. Charles L. Spragg Elementary School, Egg Harbor City Community School"
^Cedar Creek High School 2013 Report Card Narrative,
New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 14, 2016. "Cedar Creek High School opened its doors for the first time September 7, 2010 with only 9th and 10th grade students. For the 2011/2012 school year, we grew to include grades 9 through 11. Serving students from six communities within the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District, Cedar Creek graduated its first class at the conclusion of the 2012/2013 school year."
^Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed March 30, 2020. "The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades nine through twelve in the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Composition: The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township, Hamilton Township and Mullica Township."
^Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District 2016 Report Card NarrativeArchived September 27, 2017, at the
Wayback Machine,
New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 6, 2017. "The Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District serves the communities of Galloway Township, Hamilton Township, Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township and participates in receiving relationships with Port Republic and Washington Township. The geographic area of the district is the largest in the state, covering 324 square miles. The student body of each of the district's three comprehensive high schools, Absegami High School, Cedar Creek High School, and Oakcrest High School, reflects the socioeconomic and ethnic diversity of this geographic area."
^Student PopulationArchived October 29, 2013, at the
Wayback Machine, Cedar Creek High School. Accessed November 27, 2014. "We will serve as the high school for the communities of Mullica Township, Egg Harbor City, Port Republic, and the Green Bank area of Washington Township. Students from specific geographic areas of Galloway and Hamilton Townships (School of Choice Program) and the entirety of Galloway and Hamilton Townships through the Magnet Programs (Engineering and Environmental Sciences) will have the option of attending CCHS."
^Policy 5120 Assignment of Pupils,
Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed May 26, 2020. "Pupils shall attend the school located in the attendance area of their residence. The attendance areas for the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District shall be as follows: 1. Pupils who reside in Egg Harbor City shall attend Cedar Creek High School. 2. Pupils who reside in Galloway Township shall attend Absegami High School. 3. Pupils who reside in Hamilton Township shall attend Oakcrest High School 4. Pupils who reside in Mullica Township shall attend Cedar Creek High School 5. Pupils who reside in Port Republic and Washington Township shall attend Cedar Creek High School."
^Greater Egg Harbor Regional Board of Education District Policy 0141 - Board Member Number and Term, Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District. Accessed March 30, 2020. "The Board of Education shall consist of nine members. The constituent districts of this regional district and the members to which each is entitled are: Egg Harbor City: one member; Galloway Township: four members; Hamilton Township: three members; Mullica Township: one member. The term of a Board member shall be three years."
^Frequently Asked Questions Archived April 24, 2017, at the
Wayback Machine,
Atlantic County Institute of Technology. Accessed May 17, 2017. "What does it cost to attend ACIT? As a public school, there is no cost to Atlantic County residents of high school age. New Jersey Title 18A:54-20.1 entitles students the right to choose ACIT for their high school education."
^Lou Bauer,
Baseball Almanac. Accessed October 28, 2013. "Lou Bauer was born on Wednesday, November 30, 1898, in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Bauer was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on August 13, 1918, with the Philadelphia Athletics."
^Kent, Spencer.
"Former Miss New Jersey, longtime Hollywood actress dies at 87", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, April 27, 2017. Accessed April 27, 2017. "Crowley, who graduated from Egg Harbor City High School in 1946, was a finalist in the 1949 Miss America contest in Atlantic City and was awarded the 'Miss Congeniality' title.... After 20 years in the acting business, she settled down with her husband John Rubsam and returned to the Green Bank section of Washington Township in Burlington County, where the couple raised their son, Matthew."
^"Louis 'Commodore' Kuehnle", Atlantic City Free Public Library, The Atlantic City Experience. Accessed October 28, 2013. "Born New York City on December 25, 1857, Louis Kuehnle (pronounced 'coon-lee') was the son of Louis and Katrina Kuehnle. A year after his birth, the Kuehnle family moved to Egg Harbor City, New Jersey to enter the hotel business. In 1875, the family moved to Atlantic City to open a hotel in the blossoming resort."
^"Peace Pilgrim walk July 18 in Egg Harbor"Archived 2010-01-15 at the
Wayback Machine, Shore News Today, June 17, 2009. Accessed January 4, 2010. "The event will be held July 18, the 101st anniversary of the birth of Peace Pilgrim, an Egg Harbor City woman who devoted her adult life to spreading her simple, but profound message of peace."