National Park is a borough in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 3,026, Despite its name, National Park is neither a national park nor associated with one.

National Park had the 18th-highest property tax rate in New Jersey in 2020, with an equalized rate of 4.446% compared to 3.212% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

History

The community was historically known as Red Bank, for the color of the soil. It was established by the Whitall family and others. The county court met here in 1686.

American Revolutionary War

thumb|The Red Bank Battle Monument, dedicated in 1906

In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Army under command of George Washington constructed two forts on the Delaware River to block the approach to Philadelphia: Fort Mifflin on the Pennsylvania side and Fort Mercer on the New Jersey side. The fort was named in honor of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, who died earlier that year in the Battle of Princeton. A park, monument, and museum commemorate Fort Mifflin on its original site.

On October 22, 1777, in the Battle of Red Bank, an attack by 900 Hessian troops, serving under British Major General William Howe, who then occupied Philadelphia, was repelled, with heavy losses on the Hessian side, including the death of their commander, Colonel Carl Emil Kurt von Donop, by the 600 Continental Army defenders under Colonel Christopher Greene. After the loss of Fort Mifflin, Fort Mercer was abandoned without a fight when Lord Charles Cornwallis landed 2,000 British troops nearby on November 18.

19th century

In 1895, the area began to be commercially developed as a religious retreat for members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and called National Park on the Delaware. The founder, the Rev. James E. Lake, also created Ocean City, New Jersey.

20th century

National Park was formally established as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 15, 1902, from portions of West Deptford Township. The town's name likely originated as a reference to the county park at Red Bank Battlefield.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.44 square miles (3.73&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 1.01 square miles (2.61&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.43 square miles (1.12&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (30.14%).

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, National Park had a population of 3,026. The median age was 40.5 years. 21.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.4 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,127 households in National Park, of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.3% were married-couple households, 17.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 21.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,

There were 1,111 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.2% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.1% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.24. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by National Park is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of National Park is Democrat Dennis Burke, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Jason Bish (D, 2026), Sean D. Grannan Sr. (D, 2027), Aimee Hart (D, 2025), Julie MacDonald (D, 2025), Ronald Sparks Jr. (D, 2027) and Kate Wadsworth (D, 2026).

Aimee Hart was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Joy Gunn.

Joy Hibbs Gunn was selected by the borough council in August 2014 from three names nominated by the municipal Democratic committee to fill the vacant seat of Dennis Mehaffey, who resigned in the previous month due to conflicts with his work schedule. in the November 2014 general election, Hibbs was elected to serve the balance of the term though December 2016.

Federal, state, and county representation

National Park is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,045 registered voters in National Park, of which 1,021 (49.9%) were registered as Democrats, 213 (10.4%) were registered as Republicans and 811 (39.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

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In the 2020 Presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 823 votes and Democrat Joe Biden received 717 votes. In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 627 votes, ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 550 votes. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 63.8% of the vote (819 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 34.4% (442 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (23 votes), among the 1,301 ballots cast by the borough's 2,064 registered voters (17 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.5% of the vote (892 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 37.3% (560 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (26 votes), among the 1,500 ballots cast by the borough's 2,164 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.9% of the vote (868 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 37.6% (536 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (15 votes), among the 1,426 ballots cast by the borough's 2,069 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 68.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.6% of the vote (469 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 32.0% (232 votes), and other candidates with 3.4% (25 votes), among the 746 ballots cast by the borough's 2,041 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 46.2% of the vote (408 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 40.2% (355 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 10.2% (90 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (7 votes), among the 883 ballots cast by the borough's 2,095 registered voters, yielding a 42.1% turnout.

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Education

The National Park School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at National Park Elementary School. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 283 students and 28.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1.

Students in public school for seventh through twelfth grades attend Gateway Regional High School, which serves students from the boroughs of National Park, Wenonah, Westville and Woodbury Heights as part of the Gateway Regional High School District. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 836 students and 82.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.1:1.

Students are also eligible to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. Because GCIT is a public school, its students do not pay tuition.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Camden operated St. Matthews School, which had campuses in National Park and the Verga section of West Deptford Township, New Jersey. In 2007 it was consolidated into Holy Trinity Regional School, in Deptford Township. In 2017, it was moved to the former St. Patrick's Building in Woodbury due to the superior condition of that building, according to the archdiocese. It opened as Holy Angels Catholic School which still operates. Guardian Angels Regional School is a K-8 school that operates under the auspices of the Diocese of Camden, and accepts students from National Park. Its PreK-3 campus is in Gibbstown while its 4-8 campus is in Paulsboro.

Transportation

thumb|upright=1.1|[[County Route 642 (Gloucester County, New Jersey)|County Road 642 entering National Park]]

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Gloucester County.

County Route 642, Interstate 295, and U.S. Route 130 pass just outside the borough in neighboring West Deptford Township.

Public transportation

NJ Transit local bus service is available on the 455 route operating between Cherry Hill Mall and Paulsboro.

Notable people

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

  • Dennis Coralluzzo (1953–2001), professional wrestling promoter for the New Jersey division of the National Wrestling Alliance
  • Nick Gage (born 1980), professional wrestler
  • Sue Lowden (born 1952), Miss New Jersey 1973 winner who is a former chairwoman of the Nevada Republican Party and a former state senator in Nevada
  • Eleanor Vadala (1923–2023), chemist, materials engineer and balloonist

References

  • Official National Park website