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Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 56,271. Vineland, Millville and Bridgeton are the three principal New Jersey cities of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses those three cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes. Of all the municipalities in New Jersey to hold the label of 'city,' Vineland is the largest in total area.
Geography Vineland is located at (39.480415, -75.014013). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 178.7 km² (69.0 mi²). 177.9 km² (68.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.8 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (0.42%) is water. Vineland has the largest land area of any city or town in New Jersey. Additionally, Vineland is home to the largest farmer's cooperative on the east coast, the Vineland Produce Auction. Vineland was also the birth place of Welch's Grape Juice and previously had the Palace of Depression until it was burnt down. The Palace is currently being rebuilt. Vineland borders Deerfield Township, Millville, and Maurice River Township. Vineland also borders Salem County, Gloucester County, and Atlantic County. The main street in Vineland is Landis Avenue. The traditional downtown area is located several blocks east and west of the intersection of Landis Avenue and the Boulevard. The Boulevard is a pair of roads that flank the main north/south railroad which connected Vineland with Cape May to the south and Camden/Philadelphia to the north. After many years of decline there has been much recent activity to restore the vitality of "The Avenue" and the center city area. New construction includes a new transportation center, courthouse, post office, elementary school / community center and sidewalk upgrades. In 2006, Vineland was designated a Main Street Community and, through the work of this group, money has been earmarked to continue this improvement through property and facade improvements, business retention and marketing. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 56,271 people, 19,930 households, and 14,210 families residing in the city. The population density was 316.3/km² (819.2/mi²). There were 20,958 housing units at an average density of 117.8/km² (305.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.47% White, 13.62% African American, 0.54% Native American, 1.16% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 14.01% from other races, and 3.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 30.00% of the population. There were 19,930 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% 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 3.17. In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $40,076, and the median income for a family was $47,909. Males had a median income of $35,195 versus $25,518 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,797. About 9.8% of families and 13.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over. Local government The City of Vineland is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government under New Jersey’s Optional Municipal Charter Law, commonly called the Faulkner Act. There are two separate and co-equal branches of government, each directly elected by the people: the mayor, who serves as chief executive; and the City Council, which functions in a legislative role. Municipal elections are non-partisan. The next municipal election is scheduled for May 31, 2008. The Mayor and Council serve four-year terms of office elected concurrently. The current Mayor of Vineland is Perry D. Barse, whose term of office ends on June 30, 2008 (along with all members of the City Council). Members of the Vineland City Council are John Barretta, Jim Forcinito, Sheena Santiago, Barbra Sheftall and Robert Smith. Federal, state and county representation Vineland is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 1st Legislative District. Education Vineland Public Schools operates Vineland's public schools. The district is an Abbott District. The district is comprised of three kindergarten schools (Butler Avenue School, Oak and Main Elementary School and South Vineland Elementary School), seven K-4 primary schools (except as noted) — Dane Barse School, Cunningham School (grades 1-4), Marie Durand School, Johnstone School, Max Leuchter School, Dr. William Mennies School and John H. Winslow School — five grade 5-8 middle schools (except as noted) — Solve E. D'Ippolito School, Maurice Fels School (grades 6-8), Landis School, Veterans Memorial School and Anthony Rossi School — and both Vineland Senior High School North (grades 9-10) and Vineland Senior High School South (grades 11-12). The Ellison School is a private, nonsectarian coeducational day school located in Vineland, serving students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school has a total enrollment of 111 students. The Cumberland Christian School is a large K-12 private school. The city is also home to two Catholic Elementry Schools (St. Francis/St. Isidore and Sacred Heart) and to Sacred Heart High School. Located nearby, in Richland (in Buena Vista Township), is St. Augustine College Preparatory School, an all-male Roman Catholic four-year high school with an enrollment of approximately 550 students in ninth through twelfth grade. The city is also home to the main campus of Cumberland County College which has undergone several expansions over the last several years. Drive In Theater Vineland has the only remaining drive-in theater in the state of New Jersey, the state in which they were created in 1932. It is located on Route 47 (Delsea Drive) north of County Route 552. Importance Vineland was formerly the poultry capital of the United States. A huge percentage of the United States' chicken supply came from Vineland. Vineland Poultry Laboratories, which has been since sold several times and is now Lohman Animal Health, was started by Arthur Goldhaft. Dr. Goldhaft is credited with putting "a chicken in every pot" after developing the fowl pox chicken vaccine that saved millions of chickens from death. Without Dr. Goldhaft’s work at Vineland Poultry Laboratories in Vineland, the world’s chicken supply would have greatly diminished from the fowl pox disease. Vineland also has quite a few registered historical sites, with some on the National Register of Historic Places, including: Aubrey Louis Hanford House - 1894, Coney's Tavern, Daniel R. Morrill House 1868, First Baptist Church, Garrison Hall, Gittone Stadium - 1938, Henry Hartson House, The - 1870, Judge Elias G. Doughty House - ca. 1867, Landis Intermediate School 1928, Myron Kimball House, The - 1895, New Jersey Memorial Home - 1868 (Vineland Soldiers Home)(Torn down in 2005), Research Laboratory, The - (Josiah Wistar Hospital), Sacred Heart Church - 1874, Site of Dr. Thomas B. Welsh Home and Home Factory, Theophilus French House - 1871, Vineland Historical & Antiquarian Society Building - 1910 Vineland's First House, and Vineland's First Post Office. Additionally, Vineland had New Jersey’s first school for mental health, the Vineland Developmental Center, which is now called The New Jersey Training School. Henry H. Goddard, an American psychologist, coined the term "Moron" while directing the Research Laboratory at the Training School for Backward and Feeble-minded Children in Vineland. Also of architectural interest is the Kimball Glass Headquarters, designed by William Lescaze, the architect for the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society building in Philadelphia. Vineland's founder, Charles K. Landis is also credited by Cyrus Dezfuli in his doctoral disertation from the University of Pennsylvania, with being the orginator of the idea to construct the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. | ||||||||
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