West Amwell Township, New Jersey
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West Amwell Township is a Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 2,383.
West Amwell Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1846, when Amwell Township was split, also creating East Amwell Township at the same time. Portions of the township were taken to form Lambertville town on March 1, 1849.[1]
The Delaware Native Americans had a path through the woods from Lambertville through Mount Airy, Ringoes and Reaville to Newark upon which the Old York Road was subsequently laid.[2]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 56.7 km² (21.9 mi²). 56.3 km² (21.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (0.82%) is water.
West Amwell Township borders the City of Lambertville, Delaware Township, and East Amwell Township. West Amwell Township also borders Hopewell Township in Mercer County.
The Delaware River separates West Amwell Township from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 788 |
|
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| 1940 | 975 | 23.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,213 | 24.4% | |
| 1960 | 1,683 | 38.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,142 | 27.3% | |
| 1980 | 2,299 | 7.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,251 | -2.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,383 | 5.9% | |
| Est. 2005 | 2,931 | [3] | 23.0% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[4] | |||
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 2,383 people, 949 households, and 696 families residing in the township. The population density was 42.4/km² (109.7/mi²). There were 984 housing units at an average density of 17.5/km² (45.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.07% White, 0.63% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.71% Asian, 0.04% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.
There were 949 households out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $73,380, and the median income for a family was $79,605. Males had a median income of $49,539 versus $33,333 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,877. About 0.6% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 1.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
West Amwell 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 three members who are elected for three-year staggered terms in partisan elections from the Township at large.
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 other special powers under the township form of government law. All legislative and executive powers, including the power of appointments, are exercised by the committee as a whole.
Members of the West Amwell Township Committee are Mayor Ron Shapella, Deputy Mayor Bill Corboy and Gary W. Bleacher.[5]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
West Amwell Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd 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 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 West Amwell Township School serves students in grades kindergarten through grade six.
Students in grade 7 - 12 attend the South Hunterdon Regional High School in Lambertville, part of the South Hunterdon Regional High School District, which serves over 300 students in southern Hunterdon County. Students from Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell Township attend South Hunterdon Regional 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. 158.
- ^ Hunterdon County webpage for West Amwell Township, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ Census data for West Amwell township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Township Committee, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 66, accessed August 30, 2006
[edit] External links
- West Amwell Township website
- West Amwell Township School
- West Amwell Township School's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the West Amwell Township School
- South Hunterdon Regional High School
- Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance
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(County seat: Flemington) |
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| 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 | |
