Casino Connection Atlantic City

Linwood

South Jersey’s little gem

by Beth Joseph

Tucked between neighboring Northfield, Egg Harbor Township and Somers Point, Linwood is one of the state’s little gems. With luxury residential housing, manicured lawns and blooming landscapes, it is a true family town with all the amenities.

“On our city seal are printed the words education, recreation and family,” said Mayor Richard DePamphilis III. “I moved here 23 years ago for the same reasons that bring new residents to Linwood today—a friendly residential community with safe streets and an excellent school system.”

The 3.8-square-mile town is a close-knit community with much of the population consisting of families. Just nine miles west of Atlantic City, Linwood is sometimes overlooked. However, its stores, sports and schooling are top in the state.

 “This is where the doctors, lawyers and casino executives live,” said Sherry McCord, owner of Trinkets in Cornerstone Commerce Center. “It’s beautiful, it’s a great location and the town’s got everything.”

Everything anyone would need is packed into the two main downtown districts, Cornerstone and Central Square, with specialty shops, a gym, offices, boutiques and eateries. Walking between stores, shoppers can find unique gifts and merchandise while avoiding the mainstream chain stores found at local malls.

“There are a lot of people who live in the town who don’t want to shop at the malls,” said Roberta Barr, owner of Quality Chocolates in Central Square. “The thing that makes the Linwood stores great is the personal service at every shop.”

Directly across from Cornerstone Commerce Center is the Mainland Regional High School, ranked in the top 5 percent among United States public schools by Newsweek magazine. Linwood’s public schools brought in awards in chorus, mock trial, volunteering, essay contests and various sports during the 2006-2007 school year.

After school, the recreational opportunities from organized sports to playgrounds offer residents a chance to enjoy the outdoors. All Wars Memorial Park contains football, baseball, soccer and basketball facilities available for the public as well as league teams and tournaments. Linwood also has a hockey rink and bike path. The 2.4-mile bike path running through the middle of town paved the way for neighboring communities such as Northfield to add their own bicycle transportation routes.

While Linwood lacks big-city grandeur, the local housing from Country Club Drive to Hamilton Avenue makes the town ideal suburban living. Mainly single-family homes, the community consists of a mix of casino employees, executives, business professionals, at-home mothers and elderly.

Pairing upscale living, shopping and schooling, the city of Linwood sets the precedent for the state’s little communities. As the mayor explains, “You cannot find a better place than Linwood to live and raise a family.”

City Hall Address

400 Poplar Ave.

Linwood, NJ 08221

609-927-4108

Mayor: Richard L. DePamphilis III

City Council: Donna Taylor, Eliot C. Beinfest, Ralph Paolone, Nancy L. Ridgway, Tim Tighe, Alexander Marino, Eugene Maier

Population: 7,172 Tax Rate (per $100): 3.244

Schools: Seaview School (K-4) Belhaven Avenue School (5-8) Mainland Regional High School (9-12) Gospel of Grace Christian School (K-12)

Fun Facts

There are only three traffic lights in the city, located at Central and Oak, Central and New Road, and the final light at Poplar and New Road. An additional traffic light lies on the border of Somers Point at Ocean Heights and New Road.

Nearly 400 Linwood residents work in the casino industry.

The city is widely known for African violets grown at Fischer Farms and orchids from Brighton Farms. Also, the Linwood Convalescent Center is one of the largest facilities of its type in the state.

Weeks before opening, the Bake Works, in Cornerstone Commerce Center, was forced to alter an old city ordinance stating that no commercial bakeries were permitted in Linwood.