Salem, New Jersey

Salem, New Jersey
Name	Salem
Settlement type	City
Nickname	"The Holly City"
Subdivision type	Country
Subdivision name	United States
Subdivision type1	State
Subdivision name1	New Jersey
Subdivision type2	County
Subdivision name2	Salem
Government type	City
Leader title	Mayor
Leader name	Jody Veler
Established title	Founded
Established date	1675
Established title1	Incorporated
Established date1	February 21, 1858
Area total km2	7.66
Area total sq mi	2.96
Area land km2	7.40
Area land sq mi	2.86
Area water km2	0.26
Area water sq mi	0.10
Population as of	2020
Population total	4702
Population density km2	635.4
Population density sq mi	1645.5
Timezone	EST
Utc offset	-5
Timezone DST	EDT
Utc offset DST	-4
Coordinates	39, 34, 17, N...
Elevation ft	10
Postal code type	ZIP Code
Postal code	08079
Area code	856
Blank name	FIPS code
Blank info	34-65520
Blank1 name	GNIS feature ID
Blank1 info	0885401
Website	www.cityofsalemnj.org

Salem, New Jersey is a city in and the county seat of Salem County. One of the oldest English-speaking settlements in West Jersey, it was founded in 1675 by John Fenwick and a group of Quaker colonists. Strategically located on the navigable Salem River, it became an early center for trade and government, playing a role in events from the American Revolutionary War to the Industrial Revolution.

History

The area was originally inhabited by the Lenape people before European settlement. In 1675, John Fenwick established a colony here under the auspices of the West Jersey proprietorship, making it one of the first permanent English settlements in the region. During the American Revolutionary War, the Battle of Quinton's Bridge and the Affair at Hancock's Bridge occurred nearby, and the city was briefly occupied by Hessian troops following the Battle of Red Bank. In the 19th century, Salem thrived as a port and industrial center, with industries like shipbuilding, glassmaking, and canning driving its economy, and it was formally incorporated as a city in 1858. The Salem Oak, a historic white oak tree under which Fenwick reportedly signed a treaty with the Lenape, stood for centuries before its collapse in 2019.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.96 square miles, of which 2.86 square miles is land and 0.10 square miles is water. It is situated on the eastern bank of the Salem River, a tributary of the Delaware River, approximately 40 miles southwest of Philadelphia and 50 miles southeast of Wilmington, Delaware. The topography is generally flat, characteristic of the Inner Coastal Plain region of New Jersey, with the river providing a deep-water channel that historically supported maritime commerce.

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 4,702, representing a decline from previous decades. The Census data shows a racial composition that is diverse, with significant African American and Hispanic or Latino communities. The median household income has historically been below the state average, and a notable portion of the population lives below the poverty line. The population density is approximately 1,645 people per square mile.

Economy

Historically centered on the Salem River port and related industries, the modern economy has shifted. The Salem Nuclear Power Plant, operated by PSEG, is a major employer and economic driver in the region. Other significant sectors include health care, with facilities like the Salem Medical Center, and logistics, leveraging proximity to Interstate 295 and the Delaware River. The Port of Salem continues to handle commercial cargo, and efforts are ongoing to revitalize the downtown business district.

Government

Salem operates under the City form of government under the Faulkner Act, with a Mayor and a four-member City Council elected at-large. The current mayor is Jody Veler. The city is part of New Jersey's 2nd congressional district, represented in the U.S. House by Jeff Van Drew, and is located in the 3rd Legislative District for the New Jersey Senate and New Jersey General Assembly. Essential services are provided by the Salem Police Department and the Salem Fire Department.

Notable people

Notable individuals born in or closely associated with the city include John Fenwick, its founder; William J. Hughes, former U.S. Congressman and Ambassador; and Joshua L. Howell, a Union Army brigadier general killed during the Civil War. Bassist Norman "Tiny" Bradshaw was born here, and the city was also the longtime home of James Still, the noted 19th-century "Black Doctor of the Pines." Captain James Lawrence, famous for the command "Don't give up the ship," spent part of his childhood in Salem.

Category:Cities in New Jersey Category:Salem County, New Jersey Category:County seats in New Jersey Category:Populated places established in 1675 Category:1675 establishments in New Jersey