Vineland

History

Charles K. Landis purchased of land in 1861 and an additional in 1874, near Millville, along what would become the West Jersey and Seashore Railroad line, which provided service between Camden and Cape May. He intended to establish an alcohol-free, utopian community based on agriculture and progressive ideals. The first houses were constructed in 1862, and rail service connected the settlement to Philadelphia and New York City. The population reached approximately 5,500 by 1865 and grew to 11,000 by 1875. Vineland was an early temperance town in which the sale of alcohol was prohibited. Landis required land purchasers to build a house on their property within one year of acquisition, to clear and cultivate of the often heavily wooded land each year, and to leave adequate space between houses and roads for the planting of flowers and shade trees along the town’s thoroughfares. Landis Avenue was constructed as a wide and approximately long road running east–west through the center of the community, with narrower streets intersecting it at right angles. After determining that the soil in Vineland was well suited for grape cultivation (hence the city’s name), Charles K. Landis began advertising to attract Italian grape growers to the area. He offered land, on the condition that it be cleared and planted with grapevines. Thomas Bramwell Welch, founder of Welch's Grape Juice, purchased locally grown grapes to produce what he described as “unfermented wine,” or grape juice. Vineland Poultry Laboratories was founded by Arthur Goldhaft. Goldhaft is credited with helping to popularize the phrase “a chicken in every pot” through his development of a fowl pox vaccine that saved millions of chickens from death. His work at Vineland Poultry Laboratories in Vineland…

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 68.99 square miles (178.68 km2), including 68.39 square miles (177.14 km2) of land and 0.60 square miles (1.54 km2) of water (0.86%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Clayville, Hances Bridge, Leamings Mill, Menantico, North Vineland, Parvins Branch, South Vineland, Willow Grove and Pleasantville. That last community (adjacent to Newfield Boro) is not to be confused with the City of Pleasantville in Atlantic County. Vineland borders the municipalities of Deerfield Township, Millville and Maurice River Township in Cumberland County; Buena and Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County; Franklin Township and Newfield Boro in Gloucester County; and Pittsgrove Township in Salem County. The city is approximately from the Atlantic Ocean.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,768
• Carolina Wren

  Thryothorus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) · Aves
  2,481
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  2,464
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,450
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,394
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  2,351
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,343
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,199

Largest nearby schools

• Vineland Senior High School
  High · VINELAND · 2,780 students · 15.6:1 ratio
• Millville Senior High School
  High · MILLVILLE · 1,640 students · 23.4:1 ratio
• Cumberland County Technical Education Center
  High · Millville · 1,084 students · 12.2:1 ratio
• Lakeside Middle School
  Middle · MILLVILLE · 987 students · 10.6:1 ratio
• Thomas W. Wallace Jr. Middle School
  Middle · VINELAND · 778 students · 15.3:1 ratio
• Sgt. Dominick Pilla Middle School
  Middle · Vineland · 714 students
• Gloria M Sabater Elementary School
  Elementary · VINELAND · 713 students · 12.3:1 ratio
• Veterans Memorial Middle
  Middle · VINELAND · 638 students · 13:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 4.1 — 2017-11-30
  3 km NNE of Little Creek, Delaware
• M 2.64 — 2015-01-25
  4 km ESE of Downingtown, Pennsylvania
• M 2.78 — 2009-07-01
  3 km ESE of Pennsville, New Jersey