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, a decrease of 10 (−0.3%) from the 2010 census count of 3,036, which in turn reflected a decline of 169 (−5.3%) from the 3,205 counted in the 2000 census. 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
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, which is now National Park. The fort was named in honor of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer who died earlier that year at the Battle of Princeton. A park, monument, and museum commemorate the fort 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 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.
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.
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 name probably originated in 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 km2), including 1.01 square miles (2.61 km2) of land and 0.43 square miles (1.12 km2) of water (30.14%). The borough borders West Deptford Township and the Delaware River. The Delaware River shore faces the southern end of Philadelphia, across from the mouth of the Schuylkill River and Fort Mifflin.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 3,036 people, 1,092 households, and 816 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,153 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 96.28% (2,923) White, 1.35% (41) Black or African American, 0.16% (5) Native American, 0.59% (18) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.13% (4) from other races, and 1.48% (45) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.04% (62) of the population.
Of the 1,092 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18; 52.5% were married couples living together; 15.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 25.3% were non-families. Of all households, 20.2% were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.18.
23.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.2 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $65,852 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,987) and the median family income was $70,341 (+/− $8,049). Males had a median income of $51,886 (+/− $2,493) versus $32,788 (+/− $5,594) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,699 (+/− $2,574). About 4.1% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 3,205 people, 1,111 households, and 865 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 98.35% White, 0.09% Black, 0.25% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.