McKee City, New Jersey
McKee City, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
McKeetown Fire Tower | |
McKee City Location within Atlantic County. Inset: Location of Atlantic County within New Jersey. McKee City McKee City (New Jersey) McKee City McKee City (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 39°27′01″N 74°38′27″W / 39.45028°N 74.64083°W | |
| 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 | 0.015 sq mi (0.04 km2) |
| Elevation | 69 ft (21 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 9,758 |
| • Density | 2,024.8/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.
As of the 2020 census, McKee City had a population of 9,758.[7]
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.[8]
History
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.[9] 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.[10]
Upon his death, Colonel McKee made a bequest of $2 million (equivalent to $74.4 million in 2025), 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..."[11] However, the will was disputed by McKee's family, the funds were not distributed, and the facilities Colonel McKee envisioned were not built.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,758 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[12] 2020[2] | |||
McKee City was first listed as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. census.[13]
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[14] | 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 4,287 | 43.93% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,276 | 23.32% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 3 | 0.03% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 892 | 9.14% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 61 | 0.63% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 374 | 3.83% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,864 | 19.10% |
| Total | 9,758 | 100.00% |
As of 2020, the population was 9,758.[2]
Education
The CDP is within two school districts: Hamilton Township School District (elementary) and Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District.[15] The zoned high school for Hamilton Township is Oakcrest High School, which is a part of the Greater Egg Harbor district.[16]
References
- ^ "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.
- ^ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2026.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – McKee City CDP, New Jersey". 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