Piscataway Township, New Jersey

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Piscataway Township highlighted in Middlesex County
Piscataway Township highlighted in Middlesex County

Piscataway Township (IPA pronunciation: [pɪs'kætəˌweɪ]) is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 50,482.

Piscataway Township was formed on October 31, 1693, and officially incorporated on February 21, 1798.[1] The community, the fifth oldest municipality in New Jersey[2], has grown from Native American territory, through a colonial period and is one of the links in the earliest settlement of the Atlantic Ocean seacoast that ultimately led to the formation of the United States. Over the years, portions of Piscataway were taken to form Raritan Township (March 17, 1870, now Edison), Dunellen (October 28, 1887), Middlesex (April 9, 1913) and South Plainfield (March 10, 1926).[1]

Piscataway is in Central Jersey with easy access to major highways, including Interstate 287, the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike.

Society Hill is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Piscataway Township.

Piscataway has advanced educational and research facilities due to the presence of Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Rutgers Stadium is in Piscataway.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 49.1 km² (19.0 mi²). 48.6 km² (18.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.05%) is water.

Piscataway is bordered by nine municipalities in Middlesex County, Union County, and Somerset County: Plainfield on the northeast, Dunellen on the north, Middlesex on the northwest, South Bound Brook and Franklin Township on the west across the Raritan River, New Brunswick on the south (across the river), Highland Park and Edison on the southeast, and South Plainfield on the east.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1930 5,865
–
1940 7,243 23.5%
1950 10,180 40.5%
1960 19,890 95.4%
1970 36,418 83.1%
1980 42,223 15.9%
1990 47,089 11.5%
2000 50,482 7.2%
Est. 2005 52,694 [3] 4.4%
Population 1930 - 1990.[4]

As of the census² of 2000, there were 50,482 people, 16,500 households, and 12,325 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,037.9/km² (2,688.6/mi²). There were 16,946 housing units at an average density of 348.4/km² (902.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 48.81% White, 20.31% African American, 0.21% Native American, 24.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 3.08% from other races, and 2.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.93% of the population.

As of the 2000 census, 12.49% of Piscataway's residents identified themselves as being of Indian American ancestry, which was the fourth highest of any municipality in the United States and the third highest in New Jersey — behind Edison (17.75%) and Plainsboro Township (16.97%) — of all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.[5]

There were 16,500 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.3% were non-families. 19.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 14.1% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $68,721, and the median income for a family was $75,218. Males had a median income of $47,188 versus $36,271 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,321. About 2.7% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

In November, 1966, Piscataway voters, under the Faulkner Act, approved a Charter Study and elected a Charter Study Commission to recommend the form of Government best suited to Piscataway's needs. The Commission recommended Mayor-Council Plan F, and in November 1967, the voters approved, and the new form of government was inaugurated on January 1, 1969. Under Plan F the Mayor is the administrator and the Council is the legislative body. A full time business administrator, appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the Council, and responsible to the Mayor, supervises the day-by-day operation of municipal government. Terms of office for the Mayor and Council members are four years, on a staggered schedule. There are seven Council members, one representing each of four wards, and three At-Large members.[6]

The Mayor of Piscataway is Brian C. Wahler. Members of the Township Council are:[7]

  • Council President Mark Hardenburg (Ward 1)
  • Council Vice President Loretta Keimel (Ward 2)
  • Kenneth Armwood (At Large)
  • Millie Scott (At Large)
  • James Huben (At Large)
  • Steven D. Cahn (Ward 3)
  • Michelle Lombardi (Ward 4)

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Piscataway is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 17th Legislative District.[8]

New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, covering portions of Middlesex County and Monmouth County, is represented by Frank Pallone (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 17th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Bob Smith (D, Piscataway) and in the Assembly by Upendra J. Chivukula (D, Somerset) and Joseph V. Egan (D, New Brunswick). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Middlesex County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Middlesex County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel (Milltown), Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina (Fords), Camille Fernicola (Piscataway), H. James Polos (Highland Park), John Pulomena (South Plainfield), Christopher D. Rafano (South River) and Blanquita B. Valenti (New Brunswick).

[edit] Education

The Piscataway Township Schools serves almost 7,000 students in grades kindergarten through 12 under the leadership of Superintendent of Schools, Robert L. Copeland. In addition to its high school, there are four schools that educate students in kindergarten through third grade, two intermediate schools serving grades 4-5, and three middle schools for students in grades six, seven, and eight.

Schools in the district (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are:

Elementary Schools (Grades K-3)

Intermediate Schools (Grades 4-5)

Middle Schools (Grades 6-8)

High School (Grades 9-12)

Piscataway Private Schools include:

[edit] Points of interest

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 172.
  2. ^ Welcome to Piscataway, NJ, accessed February 8, 2007
  3. ^ Census data for Piscataway township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
  4. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
  5. ^ Asian-Indian Communities, Epodunk, accessed February 18, 2007
  6. ^ Piscataway Township Government, accessed December 14, 2006
  7. ^ Piscataway Mayor and Council, accessed March 18, 2007
  8. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 62, accessed August 30, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Middlesex County, New Jersey
(County seat: New Brunswick)
Boroughs Carteret | Dunellen | Helmetta | Highland Park | Jamesburg | Metuchen | Middlesex | Milltown | Sayreville | South Plainfield | South River | Spotswood
Cities New Brunswick | Perth Amboy | South Amboy
Townships Cranbury | East Brunswick | Edison | Monroe | North Brunswick | Old Bridge | Piscataway | Plainsboro | South Brunswick | Woodbridge
CDPs and communities Clearbrook Park | Avenel | Brownville | Colonia | Concordia | Dayton | Deans | Fords | Heathcote | Hopelawn | Iselin | Keasbey | Kendall Park | Kingston | Laurence Harbor | Madison Park | Menlo Park Terrace | Monmouth Junction | Plainsboro Center | Port Reading | Princeton Meadows | Raritan Landing | Rossmoor | Sewaren | Society Hill | Whittingham
Historic houses Buccleuch Mansion | Cornelius Low House | Henry Guest House | James Buckelew Mansion | Joyce Kilmer House | Metlar/Bodine House | Rockingham
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