Downe Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 1,585, reflecting a decline of 46 (-2.8%) from the 1,631 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 71 (-4.2%) from the 1,702 counted in the 1990 Census.
What is now Downe Township was formed by Royal charter on January 19, 1748, as Downes Township, from portions of Fairfield Township. Downe Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey’s initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Commercial Township on February 27, 1874. Downe Township is a dry township where alcohol cannot be sold.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 54.268 square miles (140.552 km2), including 48.606 square miles (125.888 km2) of land and 5.662 square miles (14.664 km2) of water (10.43%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beadons Point, Beaver Dam, Dividing Creek, Dragston, Egg Island Point, False Egg Island Point, Fortescue, Gandys Beach, Little Neck, Money Island (surrounded by the Gandy’s Beach nature preserve), Nantuxent Point, Newport, Newport Landing, Newport Neck, Newport Station, Shaws Mill, The Glades and Turkey Point.
Fortescue is known as the “weakfish capital of the world”.
The township borders Lawrence Township, Millville, Commercial Township, and the Delaware Bay.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,585 people, 646 households, and 434.8 families residing in the township. The population density was 32.6 per square mile (12.6/km2). There were 996 housing units at an average density of 20.5 per square mile (7.9/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 92.62% (1,468) White, 2.59% (41) Black or African American, 0.50% (8) Native American, 0.25% (4) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.64% (26) from other races, and 2.40% (38) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.85% (61) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
