East Amwell Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| East Amwell, New Jersey | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Hunterdon |
| Area | |
| - Total | 28.7 sq mi (74.4 km²) |
| - Land | 28.7 sq mi (74.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 246 ft (75 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 4,455 |
| - Density | 155.3/sq mi (60.0/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08551, 08559 |
| Area code(s) | 908, 609 |
| FIPS code | 34-18820[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882180[2] |
East Amwell Township is a Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 4,455.
East Amwell Township is located in the southeastern corner of Hunterdon County where it borders both Somerset and Mercer Counties. Amwell Township was established by a royal patent from Queen Anne in 1708. Its territory comprised 200 square miles and included present day Delaware Township, Raritan Township, Readington Township, East Amwell Township and West Amwell Township and portions of Clinton, Lebanon and Tewksbury Townships. In 1846, Amwell was split into East and West Amwell and in 1954 a final adjustment was made to the two township's boundary lines.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 28.7 square miles (74.4 km²), of which, 28.7 square miles (74.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.14%) is water.
East Amwell Township borders Delaware Township, Raritan Township, and West Amwell Township. East Amwell Township also borders Mercer County and Somerset County.
[edit] History
During the American Revolutionary War, a small but important skirmish occurred in East Amwell when local militia under Capt. John Schenck ambushed a party of British dragoons near Larison's Corner. The "Ambush of Geary" helped rein in British scouting parties in Hunterdon County in the crucial weeks before Washington's crossing of the Delaware on December 25, 1776.[3]
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,210 |
|
|
| 1940 | 1,218 | 0.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,525 | 25.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,981 | 29.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,568 | 29.6% | |
| 1980 | 3,468 | 35.0% | |
| 1990 | 4,332 | 24.9% | |
| 2000 | 4,455 | 2.8% | |
| Est. 2006 | 4,557 | [4] | 2.3% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[5] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 4,455 people, 1,581 households, and 1,305 families residing in the township. The population density was 155.3 people per square mile (60.0/km²). There were 1,624 housing units at an average density of 56.6/sq mi (21.9/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.97% White, 0.72% African American, 0.13% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 1,581 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 13.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 31.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $85,664, and the median income for a family was $90,000. Males had a median income of $60,945 versus $39,306 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,187. About 1.8% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
East 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 five members who are elected for three-year staggered terms in partisan elections from the Township at large. There is an election of at least one member every year.
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 East Amwell Township Committee are Mayor Larry Tatsch (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor Kathleen Machnik (2007), Kurt Hoffman (2008), Linda Lenox (2009) and Richard J. Spiegel (2007).[6]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
East Amwell Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[7]
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).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 23rd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township).[8] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[9]
Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. As of 2008, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Erik Peterson (Milford), Freeholder Deputy Director William Mennen (Tewksbury Township), Matt Holt (Clinton Town), George B. Melick (Tewksbury Township) and Ronald Sworen (Frenchtown).[10]
[edit] Education
The East Amwell Township School serves public school students in preschool through eighth grade, with an enrollment of 486 students as of the 2005-06 school year.[11]
Public school students in grade 9 - 12 attend the Hunterdon Central High School, part of the Hunterdon Central Regional High School District, which serves over 3,000 students in central Hunterdon County. Students from Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington Borough, Raritan Township and Readington Township attend Hunterdon Central High School.[12]
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of East Amwell Township include:
- Andrew Maguire (1939-), represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 1975 to 1981.[13]
- James Buchanan (1839-1900) represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district from 1885 to 1893.[14]
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Amwell Skirmish", Nature's Grapevine of Washington Crossing State Park, Winter 2006. Accessed June 11, 2007. "On December 14th, a patrol of eight dragoons under the"
- ^ Census data for East Amwell township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2007.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Township of East Amwell, East Amwell Township. Accessed June 11, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 56,. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders, accessed February 22, 2008.
- ^ Data for the East Amwell Township School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 9, 2008.
- ^ Hunterdon Central Regional High School 2007 Report card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 9, 2008. "Located in beautiful, historic Hunterdon County in central New Jersey, Hunterdon Central Regional High School serves the five municipalities of Delaware Township, East Amwell Township, Flemington Borough, Raritan Township, and Readington Township."
- ^ Gene Andrew Maguire, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed June 10, 2007.
- ^ James Buchanan, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 27, 2007.
[edit] External links
- East Amwell Township website
- Hunterdon County web page for East Amwell Township
- East Amwell Township School
- East Amwell Township School's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the East Amwell Township School, National Center for Education Statistics
- Hunterdon Central Regional High School District
- Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
