McKee City, New Jersey
McKee City, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| McKeetown Fire Tower McKeetown Fire Tower | |
McKee City is located in Atlantic County, New Jersey McKee City McKee City Location within Atlantic County. Inset: Location of Atlantic County within New Jersey. Show map of Atlantic County, New JerseyMcKee City is located in New Jersey McKee City McKee City McKee City (New Jersey) Show map of New JerseyMcKee City is located in the United States McKee City McKee City McKee City (the United States) Show map of the United States | |
| Coordinates: 39°27′01′′N 74°38′27′′W / 39.45028°N 74.64083°W / 39.45028; -74.64083 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Atlantic |
| Township | Hamilton |
| Founded | 1884 |
| Named after | Colonel John McKee |
| Area | |
• Total | 4.83 sq mi (12.52 km2) |
| • Land | 4.82 sq mi (12.48 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 9,758 |
| • Density | 2,024.90/sq mi (781.79/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (EDT) |
| FIPS code | 34-42420 [3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 878219[4] |
McKee City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[5] located near the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[6] The community was named after Colonel John McKee (1821–1902), an African American property speculator. Although its name includes the word "city", McKee City is not an actual city — it is currently a crossroads of commerce that has replaced tenant farmers with retail stores and residential neighborhoods.
McKee City was the site of the former Atlantic City Race Course, and is home to numerous commercial businesses, including the Hamilton Mall, which opened in 1987.[7]
History
[edit ]McKee City was founded by Colonel John McKee in 1884. It was originally a farming community, along with a sawmill, a schoolhouse, a general store, a community hall, and several farms near the former Pennsylvania-Reading Railroad (currently the site of the Black Horse Pike). Colonel McKee intended to build a 4,000-acre (1,600 ha) planned community where African Americans from the south could settle after the Civil War. A number of dormitory-type houses were built without frills like inside plumbing or heating.[8] Leases were carefully designed to ensure that the tenants improved the land. The Colonel had great plans for this settlement, but he died before they could all be realized.[9]
Upon his death, Colonel McKee made a bequest of 2ドル million (equivalent to 72ドル.7 million in 2024), to be administered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia headed by Archbishop Patrick John Ryan, to be partly used "to build a Catholic church, rectory and convent in McKee City..."[10] However, the will was disputed by McKee's family, the funds were not distributed, and the facilities Colonel McKee envisioned were not built.
Demographics
[edit ]| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,758 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 2020[2] | |||
McKee City was first listed as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. Census.[12]
As of 2020, the population was 9,758.[2]
Education
[edit ]The CDP is within two school districts: Hamilton Township School District (elementary) and Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District.[13] The zoned high school for Hamilton Township is Oakcrest High School, which is a part of the Greater Egg Harbor district.[14]
References
[edit ]- ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- ^ a b c QuickFacts McKee City CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 24, 2023.
- ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed June 9, 2023.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: McKee City, New Jersey
- ^ State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 1, 2022.
- ^ Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed June 9, 2016.
- ^ Jim Waltzer; Tom Wilk (2001). Tales of South Jersey: Profiles and Personalities. Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-3007-5 . Retrieved July 6, 2011.
- ^ Byles, Samantha (October 1, 2012). "Colonel John McKee, Unsung Hero of Fatherless Boys in Need Of Scholarships, Finally Gets Tombstone". The Philadelphia Inquirer; Good Black News. Archived from the original on October 17, 2014. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
- ^ Taylor, Grace (November 11, 2007). "McKee City". eht.com (Egg Harbor Township). Archived from the original on October 23, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ Ryan, Patrick (February 26, 2010). Archbishop Patrick John Ryan His Life and Times: Ireland - St. Louis - Philadelphia 1831-1911. AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4389-9822-0 . Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
- ^ "2020 Geography Changes". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Atlantic County, NJ" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved March 1, 2025. - Text list
- ^ "Magnet Programs". Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District . Retrieved March 1, 2025.
Students in Hamilton Township are assigned to Oakcrest High School
- African-American history of New Jersey
- Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey
- Census-designated places in Atlantic County, New Jersey
- Census-designated places in New Jersey
- Unincorporated communities in Atlantic County, New Jersey
- Unincorporated communities in New Jersey
- African-American Roman Catholicism
- Populated places in New Jersey established by African Americans