Bloomsbury is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 870, reflecting a decline of 16 (-1.8%) from the 886 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 4 (-0.4%) from the 890 counted in the 1990 Census.
Bloomsbury is part of the Lehigh Valley metropolitan area.
Bloomsbury was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 30, 1905, from portions of Bethlehem Township.
The Borough of Bloomsbury was once known as "Johnson's Iron Works", owned by Robert Johnson, on the north bank of the river. The current name is derived either from the Bloom family, influential in the early history of the town, or from the iron ore processed into masses of wrought iron that are known as "blooms".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.96 square miles (2.49 km2), including 0.93 square miles (2.41 km2) of land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) of water (3.23%).
The borough borders the municipalities of Bethlehem Township in Hunterdon County; and Franklin Township, Greenwich Township and Pohatcong Township in Warren County. Bloomsbury is located on the south side of the Musconetcong River in the northwest corner of Hunterdon County and is the third-smallest municipality in Hunterdon County.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $98,571 (with a margin of error of +/- $19,026) and the median family income was $106,324 (+/- $11,687). Males had a median income of $71,000 (+/- $9,149) versus $50,417 (+/- $7,595) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,141 (+/- $6,038). About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 886 people, 322 households, and 252 families residing in the borough. The population density was 975.5 people per square mile (375.9/km2). There were 342 housing units at an average density of 376.6 per square mile (145.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.19% White, 0.34% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.47% of the population.
There were 322 households, out of which 45.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 15.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 38.4% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $64,375, and the median income for a family was $67,500. Males had a median income of $51,053 versus $33,750 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,392. About 4.8% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Bloomsbury is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 565) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Bloomsbury is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the Mayor of Bloomsbury is Republican Vicky Papics, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Todd Dangelo (R, 2022), Louise Gerace (D, 2021), Scott McClaymont (R, 2022), Chris Smith (R, 2021), Al Stiehler (R, 2020) and Eric Weger (R, 2020).
Federal, state and county representation
Bloomsbury is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 546 registered voters in Bloomsbury, of which 120 (22.0%) were registered as Democrats, 227 (41.6%) were registered as Republicans and 199 (36.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.3% of the vote (223 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.7% (172 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (8 votes), among the 404 ballots cast by the borough's 561 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 72.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 55.0% of the vote (254 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.6% (197 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (8 votes), among the 462 ballots cast by the borough's 551 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.1% of the vote (302 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 33.5% (158 votes) and other candidates with 1.6% (9 votes), among the 471 ballots cast by the borough's 563 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.7.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.0% of the vote (189 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.1% (65 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (5 votes), among the 260 ballots cast by the borough's 551 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 47.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.1% of the vote (210 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 22.2% (75 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 12.4% (42 votes) and other candidates with 1.8% (6 votes), among the 338 ballots cast by the borough's 549 registered voters, yielding a 61.6% turnout.
Education
The Bloomsbury School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Bloomsbury Public School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 94 students and 11.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.4:1. In the 2016–17 school year, the district had the 11th-smallest enrollment of any school district in the state. The district participates in the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, having been approved on November 2, 1999, as one of the first ten districts statewide to participate in the program. Seats in the program for non-resident students are specified by the district and are allocated by lottery, with tuition paid for participating students by the New Jersey Department of Education.
Public school students from Bloomsbury in ninth through twelfth grades attend Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg in Warren County, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Phillipsburg School District. The high school also serves students from four other sending communities: Alpha, Greenwich Township, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,650 students and 126.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.0:1.
Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Hunterdon County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Several major roads run through the borough. Interstate 78 / U.S. Route 22 pass through the north and connects Bloomsbury at Exit 7 with Route 173.
The major county road that passes through is CR 579.
Public transportation
Public transportation is limited to The LINK, a public bus service which serves Hunterdon County. Funding for operation of the Hunterdon County LINK System is provided by Hunterdon County, NJ Transit and the Federal Transit Administration.
Rail / Lehigh Line
Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through the southwest part of Bloomsbury along the border with Bethlehem Township on its way to Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bloomsbury include:
John T. Bird (1829–1911), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1869 to 1873.
Jen Ponton (born 1984), actress, screenwriter and producer, best known for portraying Rubi in the AMC series Dietland.
