Palmyra, New Jersey
Palmyra is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2022 Census, the borough population was 7,470.
Palmyra was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 19, 1894, from portions of Cinnaminson Township and Riverton. On February 20, 1923, Palmyra was reincorporated as a borough.
Geography
Palmyra is located at 40°00′10″N 75°01′35″W/ 40.002780°N 75.026263°W / 40.002780; -75.026263 (40.002780, -75.026263).[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km2), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.1 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.1 km2) of it (18.18%) is water.
Palmyra borders Riverton, Cinnaminson Township, Camden County, and the Delaware River. Across the Delaware, it borders the Tacony section of Philadelphia to which it is connected via Route 73 by the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, which is named for the two communities connected by the bridge.
Demographics
Read more demographics from the latest census at the US Census Bureau Quick Facts here.
History
The area that is now Palmyra was settled in the late 17th century by Swedes, marking the northernmost border of New Sweden. A farmhouse built in 1761 by the third generation settlers still remains as the oldest house in Palmyra. This remained a farming area until after the building of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1834, after which railroad workers bought lots along the railroad and built their homes there. The community was originally known as Texas, but a local landowner, Isaiah Toy, a descendant of the original Swedish settlers, wanted to have a post office established, and felt the name Texas undignified. Toy, a stockholder in the Camden and Amboy Railroad, convinced the railroad to change the name of the station in 1849 to Palmyra, which came from his love of ancient history. Palmyra was the name of an important city in ancient times located in central Syria. The post office was established in 1851. Palmyra, along with Bordentown, Burlington, Moorestown, and Mount Holly, established its high school in the late 1890s, making it one of the oldest high schools in Burlington County and in New Jersey.[9]
The town was laid out in 1850, when Joseph Souder’s land was broken up into building lots to pay his debts. The street names match those of Center City Philadelphia – Market, Arch, Race, and Vine (from south to north), and Front Street and numbered streets from the Delaware River. What is now Palmyra was part of Chester Township, one of the original townships in Burlington County. Palmyra became a part of Cinnaminson Township when that township was set off from Chester in 1860. Palmyra Township was set off from Cinnaminson in 1894, and Palmyra was incorporated as a borough in 1923.
Government
Local government
Palmyra is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[10]
As of 2024, the Mayor of Palmyra is Gina Ragomo Tait. Council President is Tim Howard and the other members of Borough Council are John Liebe, Michelle McCann, Jessica O’Connor, Natashia Latimore and Dr. Laura Craig Cloud.
Federal, state and county representation
Palmyra is in the First Congressional District and is part of New Jersey’s 7th Legislative District.
New Jersey’s First Congressional District, covering portions of Burlington County, Camden County and Gloucester County, is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Corey Booker (D, Newark) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the current Legislative Session, the 7th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Troy Singleton and in the Assembly by Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy. The Governor of New Jersey is Phil Murphy.
Burlington County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis.
Education
The Palmyra Public Schools serves residents of Palmyra, and those from Beverly and Riverton who attend the district’s high school as part of sending/receiving relationships. Schools in the district (with enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Charles Street Elementary School for grades PK-5 (373 students), Palmyra Middle School for grades 6-8 (193 students).and Palmyra High School for grades 9-12 (405 students).
Transportation
The Palmyra station on the River Line light rail system is located on East Broad Street. The station opened on March 15, 2004. Southbound service from the station is available to Camden, New Jersey. Northbound service is available to the Trenton Rail Station with connections to New Jersey Transit trains to New York City, SEPTA trains to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Amtrak trains. Transfer to the PATCO Speedline is available at the Walter Rand Transportation Center.
New Jersey Transit provides bus service to Philadelphia on the 317 line.