Delaware Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

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Delaware Township, New Jersey redirects here. For other meanings, see Delaware, New Jersey.

Map of Delaware Township in Hunterdon County

Delaware Township is a Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 4,478. The historic community of Sergeantsville is located within Delaware Township.

Delaware was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1838, from portions of the now-defunct Amwell Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. Portions of the township have been take to form Stockton borough (April 14, 1898).^[1]

The Township of Delaware lies along the Delaware River forming the western boundary of Hunterdon County. It was created from old Amwell Township in 1838. The Delaware and Raritan Canal parallels the Delaware River on the southern border of the township. The sole remaining historic covered bridge (abutments constructed in 1750; bridge built in 1872) in New Jersey crosses the Wickecheoke Creek between Sergeantsville and Rosemont.^[2]

North of the Delaware the Township remains much as it looked in the 1700s. The rolling fields and picturesque barns belong to farms that have changed little in the last two hundred years. In the this farmland is the settlement of Sergeantsville. The community was first settled by a Mr. Thatcher in 1700, and was later named for Charles Sergeant, an American Revolutionary War soldier. A twenty-five year tradition in the town, is Sergeantsville's "Thanksgiving in the Country" house tour. This tour takes four or five different homes each year, that have historical, architectural or cultural qualities.^[2]

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Government
- 3.1 Local government
- 3.2 Federal, state and county representation
4 Education
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 95.9 km² (37.0 mi²). 95.2 km² (36.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (0.76%) is water.

Delaware Township borders Kingwood Township, Franklin Township, Raritan Township, East Amwell Township, West Amwell Township, the City of Lambertville, and Stockton Borough.

Delaware Township also borders the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Delaware Township is connected to Solebury Township, Pennsylvania by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission's Lumberville-Raven Rock Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge over the Delaware River.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1930	1,704		–
1940	1,756		3.1%
1950	2,031		15.7%
1960	2,485		22.4%
1970	3,249		30.7%
1980	3,816		17.5%
1990	4,512		18.2%
2000	4,478		-0.8%
Est. 2005	4,720	^[3]	5.4%
Population 1930 - 1990.^[4]

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,478 people, 1,643 households, and 1,302 families residing in the township. The population density was 47.1/km² (121.9/mi²). There were 1,701 housing units at an average density of 17.9/km² (46.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.70% White, 0.40% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.14% of the population.

There were 1,643 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 32.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $80,756, and the median income for a family was $90,842. Males had a median income of $61,701 versus $48,780 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,285. 3.4% of the population and 2.3% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 1.2% are under the age of 18 and 12.2% are 65 or older.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Delaware Township uses the Township form of government which is one of the oldest forms of government in New Jersey. The governing body is a township committee of five members who are elected for three-year staggered terms in partisan elections from the Township at large. There is an election of at least one member every year.

The Township Committee annually chooses one of the Committee to serve as mayor for that year. The mayor presides at Township Committee meetings and votes as a member of the Committee, but has no veto power or other special powers except to officiate at weddings. All legislative and executive powers are exercised by the committee as a whole.

Members of the 2007 Delaware Township Committee are Mayor Kristin McCarthy, Alan Johnson, Susan D. Lockwood, Richard W. Madden and James F. McCue.^[2]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Delaware Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.^[5]

New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District, covering all of Hunterdon County and portions of Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, and Somerset County, is represented by Rush D. Holt Jr. (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 23rd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Flemington) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. As of 2007, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director George D. Muller, Freeholder Deputy Director Erik C. Peterson, Matthew Holt, George B. Melick and Ronald Sworen.

[edit] Education

The Delaware Township School District serves students in grades kindergarten through grade eight. The school is located on a twenty-six acre site adjacent to the community of Sergeantsville and three miles from the Delaware River.

Students in grade 9 - 12 attend the Hunterdon Central High School, part of the Hunterdon Central Regional High School District, which serves almost 2,800 students in central Hunterdon County. Students from Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington Borough, Raritan Township and Readington Township attend Hunterdon Central High School.

[edit] References

^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154
^ ^a ^b ^c Hunterdon County web page for Delaware Township, accessed March 17, 2007
^ Census data for Delaware township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 64, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

v • d • e Municipalities of Hunterdon County, New Jersey (County seat: Flemington)
Boroughs	Bloomsbury \| Califon \| Flemington \| Frenchtown \| Glen Gardner \| Hampton \| High Bridge \| Lebanon \| Milford \| Stockton
City	Lambertville
Town	Clinton
Townships	Alexandria \| Bethlehem \| Clinton \| Delaware \| East Amwell \| Franklin \| Holland \| Kingwood \| Lebanon \| Raritan \| Readington \| Tewksbury \| Union \| West Amwell
CDPs and communities	Annandale \| Raven Rock \| Ringoes \| White House Station