Vernon Township, New Jersey
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Vernon is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey and is about 1 hour from New York City and is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 24,686.
Vernon is the home to ski resort and water park, Mountain Creek (formerly Great Gorge and Vernon Valley), the Hidden Valley ski resort, as well as Crystal Springs Resort's Minerals Hotel and Elements Spa. The Great Gorge Playboy Club was located in the Vernon community of McAfee, and was sold and turned into a hotel, now called the Legends Hotel and Resort.
Highland Lake and Vernon Valley are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Vernon Township.
Vernon is bordered by Hardyston, Sussex, Wantage Township, and Hamburg Borough which are all within Sussex County. Vernon borders Orange County with the Town of Warwick. Also Vernon shares a border with Passaic County with West Milford Township.
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[edit] History
The independent township of Vernon was established on November 19, 1792. The 68 square miles which marked the town's borders over 200 years ago have not changed since. However, the population of Vernon, which was a mere 1,548 people as recently as 1950, has steadily grown since the 1960s, when the ski industry was introduced to the area. Additional growth has come as home prices have soared in the near suburbs of New York City and property buyers seek the better values available from real estate developments in the area.
Iron mining in the town of Vernon was prevalent during the mid to late 1800's. Mines such as the Canistear Mine, Williams Mine and the Pochuk Mine created industry which spawned local businesses, and brought rail travel to the town.
It is unknown as to how Vernon Township got its name, but author Ronald J. Dupont, Jr., posits that the township could have been named after:
- Admiral Edward Vernon. Dupont writes that this is very possible because of two things: 1) the township was created in 1792, the year that George Washington was reelected as President, and 2) because Vernon Township's first Masonic Lodge in 1820 was named Mount Vernon (Washington was also a Freemason during his life), likely after Washington's Virginia residence. The residence, in turn, got its name because Washington's brother Lawrence Washington served with Admiral Vernon.[1]
- A family named Vernon. Not likely, Dupont says, although he notes that a Nathaniel Vernon was a licensed tavernkeeper in Sussex County in 1756. However, the tavern was likely elsewhere, and not in what is now present-day Vernon.[1]
- The Latin root "Vernus." One form of "vernus" is "vernal," as in vernal equinox ("spring"), and so Vernon "had connotations of spring: green, lush, fresh, fertile, etc., and hence was an attractive name for a place."[1]
Dupont, Jr., writes of an interesting sidebar. In the late 1800s two places named Vernon existed -- the one in Sussex County and another in Essex County. When the Essex County village got a post office, they found out that another Vernon existed, and so they eventually named the town Verona.[2]
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 182.7 km² (70.5 mi²)(42% of which are federal or state preserved property - property dedicated to the preservation of open space, natural resources, and wildlife habitat). 177.1 km² (68.4 mi²) of it is land and 5.5 km² (2.1 mi²) of it (3.03%) is water.
Elevation varies greatly due to the valleys, rolling hills, and mountains. The United States Geological Survey places Glenwood at 580ft, McAfee at 435ft, and Highland Lakes at 1260ft.
[edit] Communities and neighborhoods
Communities and neighborhoods in Vernon Township include the following sections:
- Vernon Village/"Town Center"
- Highland Lakes
- Pleasant Valley Lake
- Glenwood
- McAfee
Glenwood and McAfee exist in the Western portion of the township, McAfee to the South and Glenwood to the North. Highland Lakes is in the Eastern portion of the township. Pleasant Valley Lake is in the South West portion of the township. Four of these sections have a post office. Vernon also has many developments.
Vernon is home to many lake communities, including Highland Lakes, Barry Lakes, Cliffwood Lake, High Breeze, Lake Conway, Lake Wanda, Laurel Lake, Lake Wildwood, Lake Glenwood, Lake Panorama, Lake Pochung, Lake Wallkill, Pleasant Valley Lake, Scenic Lakes, and Vernon Valley Lake.
Other name places are Owens, Glenwood, De Kays, Prices Switch, Maple Grange, Independence Corners, Sand Hills, Waywayanda, Vernon, Cherry Ridge, and the lost village of Canistear (now under the Canistear Reservoir). Portions of the township are owned by the City of Newark, Essex County, for their Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city.
[edit] Major Roads
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 24,686 people, 8,368 households, and 6,610 families residing in the township. The population density was 139.4/km² (360.9/mi²). There were 9,994 housing units at an average density of 56.4/km² (146.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.56% White, 0.76% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.60% of the population.
There were 8,368 households out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the township the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,566, and the median income for a family was $72,609. Males had a median income of $50,084 versus $33,292 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,250. About 2.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Members of the Vernon Township Committee are Mayor Janet Morrison, Deputy Mayor Neil Desmond Austin Carew, Glenn McLaughlin and James Oroho.[3].
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Vernon Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th 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 24th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Robert Littell (R, Franklin) and in the Assembly by Guy R. Gregg (R, Flanders) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Sparta). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Sussex County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Sussex County's Freeholders are Director Gary R. Chiusano (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Director Harold J. Wirths (2007), Steven V. Oroho (2007), Glen Vetrano (2006) and Susan M. Zellman (2006).
[edit] Politics
There are 14,249 registered voters in Vernon. Of registered voters, 77% turned out to cast ballots in the 2004 Presidential election. On the national level, Vernonites lean strongly toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 62% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 36%[5].
[edit] Education
The Vernon Township School District serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district include Walnut Ridge Primary School (grades K-1), Cedar Mountain Primary School (grades 2-4), Rolling Hills Primary School (grades 2-4), Lounsberry Hollow Middle School (grades 5&6), Glen Meadow Middle School (grades 7&8) and Vernon Township High School (grades 9-12) [1]. New Jersey Teacher of the Year 2004-2005, Peggy Stewart, teaches at Vernon Township High School (VTHS).
[edit] Corporate residents
The primary satellite uplink earth terminal facility for Sirius Satellite Radio is located in Vernon.
[edit] Notable residents
- Danny Kass (former resident) - 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics Snowboard Halfpipe Silver Medalist
- Peggy Stewart - 2004-2005 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year
[edit] Places of interest
[edit] Attractions
- Mountain Creek Ski Resort and Mountain Creek Waterpark
- Hidden Valley Resort
- Elements Spa
[edit] Hotels
- Minerals Hotel
- Days Inn
- Legends Hotel and Resort
- Appalachian Motel
- Alpine Haus Bed & Breakfast
- Apple Valley Inn Bed & Breakfast
- Mountain Creek is currently in the process of building The Appalachian hotel and plans to build more.
- Crystal Springs Resort, the owners of Elements Spa and Minerals Hotel also have plans to build 2 more hotels.
[edit] Churches
Churches in Vernon Township include Glenwood Baptist Church, Christ Community Church, Holy Counselar Lutheran Church, Hope Evangelical Free Church, McAfee Bible Church, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Vernon United Methodist Church, Faith with Love Fellowship Church and St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Dupont, Jr., Ronald J. Vernon 200--A Bicentennial History of the Township of Vernon, New Jersey: 1792-1992. (The Friends of the Dorothy E. Henry Library, McAfee, NJ, 1992) pg. 53
- ^ Verona New Jersey Historical Photographs and History, accessed June 13, 2006
- ^ Vernon Township Council Members, accessed November 14, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 65, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Sussex County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004
[edit] External links
- Vernon Township website
- Vernon Township School District
- Vernon Township School District's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Vernon Township School District
- Pleasant Valley Lake's website
- VernonWeb
- Mountain Creek
- The Appalachian by Mountain Creek
- Crystal Springs Resort
- Vernon NJ Business Directory
- Abandoned Mines of New Jersey
