Princeton Township, New Jersey
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See also: the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey and Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton Township is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 16,027.
Princeton was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1838, from portions of West Windsor Township in Middlesex County and Montgomery Township in Somerset County. The Borough of Princeton — created on February 11, 1813 within the area that later became Princeton Township — became a fully independent municipality circa 1894. Portions of territory were ceded to the Borough of Princeton on January 4, 1928 and August 21, 1951.[1]
The township is the home of the Institute for Advanced Study, a private research institution that has been an academic home to Albert Einstein, Kurt Gödel, and many other famous and prize-winning scientists. Princeton University is located mostly within the Borough of Princeton, but parts of the campus extend into Princeton Township.
Areas within the Borough of Princeton and the Princeton Township have "Princeton, New Jersey" mailing addresses. Together the two municipalities are thought of as "Princeton."
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 43.0 km² (16.6 mi²). 42.4 km² (16.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (1.38%) is water.
Princeton Township borders Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, and West Windsor Township in Mercer County; Montgomery Township in Somerset County; and Plainsboro Township and South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County.
Princeton Borough is an independent municipality completely surrounded by Princeton Township.
Princeton North is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Princeton Township.
The Princeton Airport is situated less than a mile across the Somerset County border, located in Montgomery Township, New Jersey, though it is within Princeton's postal district.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,738 |
|
|
| 1940 | 3,251 | 18.7% | |
| 1950 | 5,407 | 66.3% | |
| 1960 | 10,411 | 92.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,651 | 31.1% | |
| 1980 | 13,683 | 0.2% | |
| 1990 | 13,198 | -3.5% | |
| 2000 | 16,027 | 21.4% | |
| Est. 2005 | 17,247 | [2] | 7.6% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[3] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 16,027 people, 6,044 households, and 4,357 families residing in the township. The population density was 377.8/km² (978.2/mi²). There were 6,224 housing units at an average density of 146.7/km² (379.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.91% White, 5.32% African American, 0.12% Native American, 9.98% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.11% from other races, and 2.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.28% of the population.
There were 6,044 households out of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 2.98.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $94,580, and the median income for a family was $123,098. Males had a median income of $77,845 versus $41,563 for females. The per capita income for the township was $56,360. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
The Township of Princeton governing body is a Committee form of government chartered by the State of New Jersey. The Township form of government is the oldest form of municipal government in the State of New Jersey originating with the Township Act of 1798. This form of municipal government patterned after the New England Township meeting, was modified numerous times throughout the 19th century. At the end of the 19th century, the law was modified to abolish the township meeting and replace it with a township committee that was vested with all municipal powers.
Under the current township government laws as they apply to Princeton Township, five Committee members are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve staggered three-year terms. The Mayor is elected by the Committee and serves a one-year term as does the Deputy Mayor. The Mayor serves as the Chairperson of the Committee and exercises executive powers vested in the Mayor's Office by law. All legislative powers are assigned to the Committee. 105 of the 566 municipalities in New Jersey operate with a five-member Committee form of local government.
An Administrator is also empowered by ordinance to serve in an executive capacity and direct the day-to-day operations of the Township.
Members of the Princeton Township Committee are:[4]
- Mayor Phyllis L. Marchand
- Deputy Mayor Bernard P. Miller
- Vicky Bergman
- Chad Goerner, who took office on July 17, 2006, filling the seat vacated by Bill Hearon[5]
- Lance Liverman
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Princeton Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th Legislative District.[6]
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 15th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner (D, Ewing) and in the Assembly by Reed Gusciora (D, Trenton) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Trenton). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Mercer County's County Executive is Brian M. Hughes. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Mercer County's Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Keith V. Hamilton, Freeholder Vice Chair Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr., Ann M. Cannon, Anthony P. Carabelli, Tony Mack, Elizabeth Maher Muoio and Lucylle R. S. Walter.
[edit] Education
For grades K through 12, public school students attend the Princeton Regional Schools, a regional school district shared with the Borough of Princeton, or the Princeton Charter School (grades K-8), located in the township.
Four elementary schools (Community Park, Johnson Park, Littlebrook, and Riverside) and Witherspoon Middle School are located in the township and serve the borough and township.
Princeton High School is located in the borough of Princeton and serves the borough and the township, and Cranbury Township, New Jersey, as part of a sending/receiving relationship.
There are also several private schools in the area. Hun School of Princeton and Princeton Day School are located in the township. Stuart Country Day School is an independent all-girls Catholic school that enrolls 550 students from pre-school through grade 12.
[edit] Colleges and universities
Part of Princeton University, including most of the athletic facilities, is in the township. Most university buildings are in the borough. The rest of the university's land is across Carnegie Lake in West Windsor Township.
The Princeton Theological Seminary and the Institute for Advanced Study are in the township.
Westminster Choir College is located mainly in the borough; a small part is in the township.
[edit] Points of interest
- Stony Brook Quaker Meeting House Cemetery is the burial site of Richard Stockton (signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Governor of New Jersey Charles Smith Olden.
- Delaware and Raritan Canal - Runs along the eastern bank of Carnegie Lake in eastern Princeton Township.
[edit] See also
[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. 164.
- ^ Census data for Princeton township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Princeton Governing Body, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ Goerner takes township seat, Princeton Packet, July 18, 2006
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 63, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- Official township web site
- Princeton Regional Schools
- Princeton Regional Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Princeton Regional Schools
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(County seat: Trenton) |
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| Boroughs | Hightstown | Hopewell | Pennington | Princeton |  |
| City | Trenton | |
| Townships | East Windsor | Ewing | Hamilton | Hopewell | Lawrence | Princeton | Washington | West Windsor | |
| CDPs and communities |
Grover's Mill | Lawrenceville | Mercerville-Hamilton Square | Princeton Junction | Princeton North | Robbinsville | Titusville | Twin Rivers | White Horse | Windsor | Yardville-Groveville | |
