Pennsauken Township is a township in Camden County, in the US state of New Jersey, and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 35,885, reflecting an increase of 148 (+0.4%) from the 35,737 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 999 (+2.9%) from the 34,738 counted in the 1990 Census.
Pennsauken Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 18, 1892, from portions of the now-defunct Stockton Township.
The exact origin of the name Pennsauken is unclear, but it probably derives from the language of the Lenni Lenape people (a Native American group which once occupied the area) from “Pindasenauken”, the Lenape language term for “tobacco pouch”. Alternatively, the “Penn” in the township’s name refers to William Penn, while “sauk” is a water inlet or outlet.
Pennsauken was home to America’s first drive-in movie theater, created in 1933 with the opening of the Camden Drive-In in Pennsauken.[24] It featured the comedy Wives Beware, released in the theaters as Two White Arms.
For 50 years, the township was the home to the Pennsauken Mart, a large multi-vendor indoor market, which was closed in January 2006 to make way for a sports arena/conference complex, however that did not materialize. In its place in 2018 a new high-end luxury apartment complex will be built-Haddon Point. Most of the vendors moved to the Grand Market Place in Willingboro Township.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.082 square miles (31.291 km2), including 10.435 square miles (27.027 km2) of land and 1.647 square miles (4.264 km2) of water (13.63%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Amon Heights, Bethel, Biedemon, Delair, Delair Station, Delaware Gardens, Dudley, East Pennsauken, Fish House, Hillcrest, Homesteadville, Jordantown, Merchantville Park, Morris, Morrisville, North Pennsville and Wellwood.
The township includes Petty’s Island, a 392-acre (1.59 km2) island in the Delaware River although most of the island actually sits across a narrow strait from neighboring Camden. Once an oil storage and distribution facility, the island is now the site of a container cargo shipping operation and nesting bald eagles. Petty’s Island is currently in the process of being turned over to the State of New Jersey by Citgo to be transformed to a new state park and nature center .
Pennsauken borders Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The two municipalities are connected across the Delaware River by the Betsy Ross Bridge which is owned and operated by the Delaware River Port Authority. In New Jersey, Pennsauken borders Camden, Cherry Hill, Collingswood and Merchantville in Camden County, and Cinnaminson Township, Maple Shade Township and Palmyra in Burlington County.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 35,885 people, 12,633 households, and 8,995 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,438.9 per square mile (1,327.8/km2). There were 13,275 housing units at an average density of 1,272.2 per square mile (491.2/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 47.60% (17,081) White, 26.87% (9,644) Black or African American, 0.59% (210) Native American, 7.72% (2,770) Asian, 0.04% (15) Pacific Islander, 13.59% (4,877) from other races, and 3.59% (1,288) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.91% (9,657) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
