Oxford Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oxford Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 2,307. It part of the eastern-most region of the Lehigh Valley.
Oxford is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located entirely within Oxford Township.
The township was created out of Greenwich Township, but the origin of the name and the exact date of the township's creation is in dispute. One source says that the township was named after the university in England, and was formed in either 1753 or 1755,[1] but another source claims that the township was named after an early settler named John Axford, who came to settle in the area with others between 1735 and 1739, and affirms that the township's creation was in 1755.[2]
Oxford Furnace, built in 1741, it was the third furnace in Colonial New Jersey and the first constructed at a site where iron ore was mined. Other furnaces used ore extracted from bogs in South Jersey, impure deposits called bog iron. Oxford Furnace operated the longest of any of the Colonial Furnaces, not being "blown out" until 1884. In 1835, it was the site of America's first successful use of the hot blast in which preheated air was blown into the furnace, cutting production time. Though worn down by time, much of the site still stands. Oxford Furnace is listed on the State and the National Register of Historic Places.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.6 km² (6.0 mi²). 15.4 km² (5.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.33%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 2,307 people, 886 households, and 618 families residing in the township. The population density was 150.0/km² (388.7/mi²). There were 938 housing units at an average density of 61.0/km² (158.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.58% White, 1.21% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.65% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.47% of the population.
There were 886 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $53,359, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $45,667 versus $31,210 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,515. About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Members of the Oxford Township Committee are Mayor N. Angelo Accetturo (R; term ends December 31, 2006), Deputy Mayor Alex Lazorisak (R; 2007), Bonnie Riley (d; 2008)[3]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Oxford Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[4]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert 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).
Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Warren County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Director Richard D. Gardner (term ends 2006), Freeholder Deputy Director John DiMaio (2008) and Freeholder Everett A. Chamberlain (2007).
[edit] Education
Students in grades K - 8 attend the Oxford Central School.
Students in grades 9 and up attend Warren Hills Regional High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The Warren Hills Regional School District also serves students in grades 7-12 from the municipalities of Washington Borough, Washington Township, Mansfield Township, and Franklin Township.
[edit] References
- ^ Snell, James P. (1881) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. Vol. 2 (Centennial ed., Harmony, NJ: Harmony Press, 1981) pg. 606
- ^ Harpster, Richard E. Historical Sites of Warren County. (Warren County Tercentenary Committee and Warren County Board of Chosen Freeholders, New Jersey, 1965) pg. 127
- ^ Warren County page for Oxford Township, accessed October 18, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 62, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Oxford Township website
- Warren County page for Oxford Township
- Oxford Township Public Schools
- Oxford Township Public Schools's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Oxford Township Public Schools
- Warren Hills Regional School District
 |
Warren County, New Jersey (County Seat: Belvidere) |
|---|---|
| Townships | Allamuchy Township | Blairstown Township | Franklin Township | Frelinghuysen Township | Greenwich Township | Hardwick Township | Harmony Township | Hope Township | Independence Township | Knowlton Township | Liberty Township | Lopatcong Township | Mansfield Township | Oxford Township | Pohatcong Township | Washington Township | White Township |
| Towns | Belvidere | Hackettstown | Phillipsburg |
| Boroughs | Alpha | Washington |
| Communities | Allamuchy-Panther Valley | Beattystown | Brass Castle | Great Meadows-Vienna |
| Rivers | Bear Creek | Beaver Brook | Cory's Brook | Dead River | Delaware River | Lopatcong Creek | Musconetcong River | Paulins Kill | Pequest River | Pohatcong Creek | Pophandusing Creek | Yard's Creek |
