Buena, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Buena is a borough
in Atlantic County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,603.
Landisville
and Minotola are unincorporated areas located within Buena Borough, both of which had postal facilities established with those names in 1871 and 1897, respectively.
was a land developer who was the driving force behind the creation of Hammonton
and Vineland
. Landis also had a hand in establishing other small towns, including Landisville, in Buena Borough. He planned to make it county seat of a new county called Landis County, which would incorporate land from the surrounding counties. However, the locals were against this, and began calling him "King Landis".
Buena was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on September 1, 1948, from portions of Buena Vista Township
. The borough was reincorporated on May 18, 1949.
In 1979, local resident Madeline Barrale authored a 115-page book illustrating the Borough's history. Buena Borough celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1999 with the 1st Annual "Buena Day" at Bruno Melini Park. In 2002, the St. Padre Pio Shrine
was erected by Italian-American farmers in the Landisville section of Buena and has attracted what was described by The New York Times
as a "steady stream of Catholics" who come to pray at the site.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²), all of it land.
Unexpected Road was named the seventh wackiest street name according to a 2006 poll by Car Connection website.
of 2000, there were 3,873 people, 1,454 households, and 978 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 509.1 people per square mile (196.5/km2). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 204.1 per square mile (78.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 77.28% White, 7.64% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 10.53% from other races
, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.65% of the population.
As of the 2000 census, 33.5% of Buena residents were of Italian
ancestry, the 22nd-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and ninth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.
There were 1,454 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,679, and the median income for a family was $44,352. Males had a median income of $37,985 versus $23,788 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $16,717. About 11.8% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
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.
, the Mayor
of Buena Borough is Joseph Baruffi. Members of the Buena Borough Council (with their committee assignments listed in parentheses) are Patricia Andaloro (D
, Recycling), Rosalie Baker (R
, Finance), Edward Cugini (R, Public safety/street lights), Frank DeStefano (R, Buildings/grounds/improvements), Joseph Santagata (R, Streets and Roads) and David Zappariello (R, Recreation).
The Chief of Police in Buena Borough is David Sherma, who was sworn into the Chief position in 2010 on an acting basis and took over the post officially at the start of 2011.
based on the results of the 2010 Census. The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.
, together with children from Buena Vista Township
and Newfield
, a non-operating school district. Students are sent to the district's high school for grades 9 - 12 from both Estell Manor City
and Weymouth Township
as part of sending/receiving relationships with the respective school districts. Newfield, however, has recently decided to sever its ties with the Buena Regional School District, and, instead, begin a relationship with Delsea Regional School District
, a plan approved in 2009 by the New Jersey Department of Education
under which students attending grades 10-12 at Buena Regional High School as of the 2010-11 school year would finish their education there.
Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are four elementary schools —
Collings Lakes (230 students; grades K-5)
William B. Donini (194; K-3),
Edgarton Memorial (189; K-5) and
John C. Milanesi (494; PreK-5) —
Buena Regional Middle School (536; 6-8) and
Buena Regional High School
(928; 9-12).
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Atlantic County
Atlantic County, New Jersey
-National protected areas:* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge * Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River -Demographics:...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,603.
Landisville
Landisville, New Jersey
Landisville is a neighborhood within Buena borough in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08326....
and Minotola are unincorporated areas located within Buena Borough, both of which had postal facilities established with those names in 1871 and 1897, respectively.
History
Charles K. LandisCharles K. Landis
Charles Kline Landis was a property developer in South Jersey, who was the founder and developer of Vineland and Sea Isle City....
was a land developer who was the driving force behind the creation of Hammonton
Hammonton, New Jersey
Hammonton is a town in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 14,791. It is located directly between Philadelphia and the resort town of Atlantic City, along a former route of the Pennsylvania Railroad currently used by New Jersey...
and Vineland
Vineland, New Jersey
Vineland is a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 60,724...
. Landis also had a hand in establishing other small towns, including Landisville, in Buena Borough. He planned to make it county seat of a new county called Landis County, which would incorporate land from the surrounding counties. However, the locals were against this, and began calling him "King Landis".
Buena was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on September 1, 1948, from portions of Buena Vista Township
Buena Vista Township, New Jersey
Buena Vista Township is a township located in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 7,570....
. The borough was reincorporated on May 18, 1949.
In 1979, local resident Madeline Barrale authored a 115-page book illustrating the Borough's history. Buena Borough celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 1999 with the 1st Annual "Buena Day" at Bruno Melini Park. In 2002, the St. Padre Pio Shrine
St. Padre Pio Shrine
The St. Padre Pio Shrine is an outdoor Roman Catholic shrine in Buena, New Jersey dedicated to the 20th century Italian saint Padre Pio. The shrine was erected in 2002 by Italian-American farmers in Buena, and consists of a four-story monument and three statutes on twelve acres of land...
was erected by Italian-American farmers in the Landisville section of Buena and has attracted what was described by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
as a "steady stream of Catholics" who come to pray at the site.
Geography
Buena is located at 39.523475°N 74.945736°W (39.523475, -74.945736).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²), all of it land.
Unexpected Road was named the seventh wackiest street name according to a 2006 poll by Car Connection website.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,873 people, 1,454 households, and 978 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 509.1 people per square mile (196.5/km2). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 204.1 per square mile (78.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 77.28% White, 7.64% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 10.53% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.65% of the population.
As of the 2000 census, 33.5% of Buena residents were of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
ancestry, the 22nd-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and ninth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.
There were 1,454 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the borough the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $35,679, and the median income for a family was $44,352. Males had a median income of $37,985 versus $23,788 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $16,717. About 11.8% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.1% of those under age 18 and 14.1% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Buena Borough is governed under the BoroughBorough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
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.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Buena Borough is Joseph Baruffi. Members of the Buena Borough Council (with their committee assignments listed in parentheses) are Patricia Andaloro (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, Recycling), Rosalie Baker (R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, Finance), Edward Cugini (R, Public safety/street lights), Frank DeStefano (R, Buildings/grounds/improvements), Joseph Santagata (R, Streets and Roads) and David Zappariello (R, Recreation).
The Chief of Police in Buena Borough is David Sherma, who was sworn into the Chief position in 2010 on an acting basis and took over the post officially at the start of 2011.
Federal, state and county representation
Buena Borough is in the 2nd Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 1st state legislative district. The borough was relocated to the 2nd state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment CommissionNew Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...
based on the results of the 2010 Census. The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.
Education
Students in public school for grades K - 12 in Buena Borough attend the Buena Regional School DistrictBuena Regional School District
The Buena Regional School District is a comprehensive regional school district serving approximately 2,100 students in grades K - 12 from two communities in Atlantic County, New Jersey. Municipalities served by the district are Buena Borough and Buena Vista Township...
, together with children from Buena Vista Township
Buena Vista Township, New Jersey
Buena Vista Township is a township located in Atlantic County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 7,570....
and Newfield
Newfield, New Jersey
Newfield is a Borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,616.Newfield was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1924, from portions of Franklin Township, based on the results of a...
, a non-operating school district. Students are sent to the district's high school for grades 9 - 12 from both Estell Manor City
Estell Manor, New Jersey
Estell Manor is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 1,735.Estell Manor was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1925, from portions of Weymouth Township.-Geography:Estell Manor is...
and Weymouth Township
Weymouth Township, New Jersey
Weymouth Township is a township in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 2,715....
as part of sending/receiving relationships with the respective school districts. Newfield, however, has recently decided to sever its ties with the Buena Regional School District, and, instead, begin a relationship with Delsea Regional School District
Delsea Regional School District
The Delsea Regional School District is a regional public school district serving students from two communities in Gloucester County, New Jersey...
, a plan approved in 2009 by the New Jersey Department of Education
New Jersey Department of Education
The New Jersey Department of Education administers state and federal aid programs affecting more than 1.4 million public and non-public elementary and secondary school children in the state of New Jersey. The department is headquartered in Trenton.The Department is responsible for ensuring that...
under which students attending grades 10-12 at Buena Regional High School as of the 2010-11 school year would finish their education there.
Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are four elementary schools —
Collings Lakes (230 students; grades K-5)
William B. Donini (194; K-3),
Edgarton Memorial (189; K-5) and
John C. Milanesi (494; PreK-5) —
Buena Regional Middle School (536; 6-8) and
Buena Regional High School
Buena Regional High School
Buena Regional High School is a comprehensive regional public high school founded in 1971 to serve students in grades 9 - 12 from five communities in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Buena Regional School District. Municipalities served by the district are Buena...
(928; 9-12).
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Buena include:- Sharif MobleySharif MobleySharif Mobley is a suspected al-Qaeda and al-Shabab member who was arrested in Yemen in March 2010 by counter-terrorism officers following a shooting in which he was allegedly the perpetrator. Mobley had moved to Yemen two years prior...
(born 1984), suspected member of al-QaedaAl-QaedaAl-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
.
External links
- Buena Borough Official Website
- Buena Regional School District
- Data for the Buena Regional School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...