Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
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- For the municipality of the same name in Cumberland County, see Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey.
| Lawrence, New Jersey | |
 |
|
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Mercer |
| Government | |
| - Type | Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) |
| Area | |
| - Total | 22.2 sq mi (57.4 km²) |
| - Land | 22.1 sq mi (57.3 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²) |
| Elevation | 102 ft (31 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 29,159 |
| - Density | 1,317.0/sq mi (508.5/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| FIPS code | 34-39510[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882126[2] |
| Website: http://www.lawrencetwp.com | |
Lawrence Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,159.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.2 square miles (57.4 km²), of which, 22.1 square miles (57.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.18%) is water.
Area residents often refer to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township. This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Postal Service (which is in Lawrenceville) instructs many Lawrence Township residents to use Lawrenceville, Princeton or Trenton in their mailing address, and not Lawrence Township.
Lawrence Township is located in central Mercer County north of the City of Trenton, which is the county seat and capital of New Jersey. Ewing and Hopewell Townships lie to the west of Lawrence, Princeton and West Windsor Townships to the north and east, and Hamilton Township to the east and south. Lawrence is located midway between New York City and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which is why many commuters choose to live in this area.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 6,293 |
|
|
| 1940 | 6,522 | 3.6% | |
| 1950 | 8,499 | 30.3% | |
| 1960 | 13,665 | 60.8% | |
| 1970 | 19,567 | 43.2% | |
| 1980 | 19,724 | 0.8% | |
| 1990 | 25,787 | 30.7% | |
| 2000 | 29,159 | 13.1% | |
| Est. 2006 | 32,081 | [3] | 10.0% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[4] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 29,159 people, 10,797 households, and 7,233 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,317.0 people per square mile (508.5/km²). There were 11,180 housing units at an average density of 504.9/sq mi (195.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.22% White, 9.28% African American, 0.08% Native American, 7.91% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 1.79% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.61% of the population.
There were 10,797 households out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the township the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,959, and the median income for a family was $82,704. Males had a median income of $56,681 versus $38,468 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,120. About 2.6% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
Lawrence Township is a Democratic stronghold and they hold the majority on the Township Council
[edit] Local government
Mount Holly Township operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government.[5] The Township of Lawrence is governed by a Council consisting of a Mayor and four Council Members. The Mayor is not elected directly by the people, but is selected by the Council from among its members to serve a term of one year.
The Lawrence Township Council consists of Bob Bostock, Mark W. Holmes, Rick Miller, Pamela Mount and Mike Powers. The Township's Municipal Manager is Richard S. Krawczun.[6]
Recent mayors of Lawrence Township include:
- 2003 - Greg Puliti (D)
- 2004 - Mark Holmes (D)
- 2005 - Pamela Mount (D)
- 2006 - Michael Powers (D)
- 2007 - Greg Puliti (D)
- 2008 - Mark Holmes (D)
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Lawrence Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th 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 15th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner (D, Lawrenceville) and in the Assembly by Reed Gusciora (D, Borough of Princeton) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).[8] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[9]
Mercer County has a County Executive form of government, in which the County Executive performs executive functions and a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders acts in a legislative capacity. As of 2008, the County Executive is Brian M. Hughes.[10] Members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders are elected at-large to serve three-year staggered terms, with a Freeholder Chair and Vice-Chair selected on an annual basis from among its members.[11] County Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Lucylle R. S. Walter (term ends December 31, 2008; Ewing Township), Freeholder Vice Chair Elizabeth Maher Muoio (2009; Pennington Borough), Ann M. Cannon (2009; East Windsor Township), Anthony P. Carabelli (2010; Trenton), Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr. (2009; Lawrenceville), Keith V. Hamilton (2010; Hamilton Township) and Tony Mack (2008; Trenton).[12]
[edit] Education
The Lawrence Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has four elementary schools — Eldridge Park, Lawrenceville Elementary, Ben Franklin, and Slackwood — Lawrence Intermediate School, Lawrence Middle School, and Lawrence High School.
Lawrence Township is home to two parochial schools: Notre Dame High School is a coeducational, Roman Catholic, college preparatory school for students in grades 9-12; and Saint Ann School, which serves 341 students in pre-3 through eighth grade.
Lawrenceville is home to the Lawrenceville School, a coeducational, independent boarding school for grades 9-12, founded in 1810. Other private schools in the township include Princeton Junior School, Chapin School, and The French American School of Princeton.
Rider University is a private university with its main campus just south of Lawrenceville.
[edit] History
What is now Lawrence Township was originally formed as Maidenhead Township on February 20, 1697, while the area was still part of Burlington County in West Jersey. The township was named by the early Quaker settlers after Maidenhead, a Thames River village west of London. It became part of the newly-created Hunterdon County on March 11, 1714. Maidenhead Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798.[13]
On January 24, 1816, the municipality was renamed Lawrence Township, in honor of Captain James Lawrence — commander of the frigate USS Chesapeake and one of the naval heroes of the War of 1812 — best known for his dying command of "Don't Give up the Ship." Lawrence Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Millham Township (February 10, 1882, annexed by Trenton in 1888).[13]
On September 23, 2003, at approximately 8:25am, a series of F1 tornadoes ripped through Lawrence Township. This has become known as the Lawrence Township Tornado Outbreak. The Tornado followed a path along Princeton Pike and caused widespread damage to homes. There were no fatalities.[14]
[edit] Business and commerce
Lawrence Township is home to the headquarters of:
- Bristol-Myers Squibb's Pharmaceutical Research Institute (the corporate headquarters of BMS is in New York City)
- The Lenox division of Department 56 (which has announced plans to move to Pennsylvania)
- Educational Testing Service.
Quaker Bridge Mall is a two-level, indoor shopping center located in Lawrenceville on U.S. 1, near Interstate 295. The mall opened in 1975, and has over 100 retail establishments. The mall's anchor stores include J.C. Penney, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Sears and Old Navy. The mall has a gross leasable area of 1,102,000 ft².[15]
The business district of Lawrenceville is small, but stable. The Lawrence Shopping Center and other businesses along U.S. Route 1 provide additional commercial clusters in the township.
The transmitter for WKXW-FM, better known as New Jersey 101.5, is located near the Quaker Bridge Mall.
[edit] Transportation
Two major transportation routes traverse the Township. Part of the Interstate Highway network, Interstate 95 and Interstate 295, describe a semi-circle through Lawrence. The Interstate route numbers change at the highway's intersection with U.S. Route 1, the other major highway bisecting the municipality. U.S. 1 is in effect three different roads: the original route from Trenton to New Brunswick in the southern half of the Township, the limited access Trenton Freeway, and the combined road in the northern half that serves as a regional arterial linking the Interstate and the New Jersey Turnpike and Interstate 287. County Route 533, County Route 546 and County Route 569.
When it comes to "confusion of the Interstates," Lawrence houses the "abrupt ending" of Interstate 95. This resulted from politics in Somerset County that eliminated its planned connection of the Somerset Freeway to the 287 freeway. Motorists are then forced to find an alternate route, either by taking US 1 north, or (are directed by signs) to take the 295 expressway, to the Central Jersey Expressway (I-195) to the New Jersey Turnpike.
U.S. Route 206 is the main artery within the township itself, running from Trenton to Princeton roughly north-to-south. It is a segment of the historic Lincoln Highway, and before that, it was part of the main New York-Philadelphia Post road.
The main Amtrak and New Jersey Transit Northeast Corridor rail line runs on the eastern edge of the township. The nearest stations are at Hamilton and Princeton Junction.
A rail spur used to run to Lawrenceville from Trenton, but was discontinued in the 1970's and is now a bicycle trail. From Lawrenceville, a trolley line to Princeton existed from 1900 to 1941, but was dismantled before World War II, and the right-of-way largely has reverted to neighboring landowners.[16]
The nearest airport with passenger service is Trenton-Mercer Airport, formerly known as the Mercer County Airport, in Ewing. Lawrence Township is roughly equidistant to Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.
[edit] Points of interest
The Port Mercer Canal House is located at 4378 Quakerbridge Road, along the Delaware and Raritan Canal near the border of West Windsor Township and Princeton Township. The house was built in the 1830s as housing for the bridgetender and his family. The bridgetender was needed to open the swing bridge when canal boats came through, then close it to allow traffic to cross over the canal.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal has an intact walking towpath for most of its length. Additional walking trail areas in the township include Shipetaukin Woods, Carson Road Woods, and part of Rosedale Park. Lawrence Township is part of the Lawrence-Hopewell Trail[17], currently under development.[18]
Jasna Polana was the home of John Seward Johnson I of Johnson & Johnson. His widow converted it into Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana golf course.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Lawrence Township include:
- David Brearley (1745-1790), signer of the United States Constitution and Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1779-1789.[19]
- George H. Brown (1810-1865), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1853 to 1855.[20]
- Scott Lee Brunner, American football quarterback in the NFL who played for the New York Giants from 1980 to 1983.[21]
- Sam DeCavalcante was a well known mafia boss who resided in Lawrence Township
- Norman Schwarzkopf, Sr., first superintendent of the New Jersey State Police
- Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., retired United States Army General who was commander of the Coalition Forces in the Gulf War of 1991.[22]
- Jon Stewart of The Daily Show was raised in Lawrence Township.[23]
[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.
- ^ Census data for Lawrence township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 1, 2007.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 73.
- ^ Lawrence Township Council, Lawrence Township. Accessed February 19, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. 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.
- ^ County Executive, Mercer County, New Jersey. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ What is a Freeholder?, Mercer County, New Jersey. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ Meet the Freeholders, Mercer County. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ 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. 162-163.
- ^ Tornado damages homes and power lines in Lawrence Twp., The Daily Princetonian, September 24, 2003.
- ^ International Council of Shopping Centers: Quaker Bridge Mall, accessed September 21, 2006.
- ^ East Meets West (and South) at RCN, Lawrence Greenway News, Fall 2000.
- ^ Lawrence Hopewell Trail
- ^ Professor Pathfinder's Princeton map, Hedberg Maps, Inc. ©2006
- ^ The Founding Fathers: New Jersey - David Brearly, National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed November 27, 2007.
- ^ George Houston Brown, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 1, 2007.
- ^ Katz, Michael. "THE EDUCATION OF QUARTERBACK BRUNNER", The New York Times, September 20, 1982. Accessed October 23, 2007. "Scott, who was born in Sellersville, Pa., grew up in Middletown, N.Y.; West Chester, Pa., and Lawrenceville, N.J.... The family moved to Lawrenceville just before Scott's junior year in high school."
- ^ "Schwarzkopf returns to a hero's welcome Lawrence Township honors its favorite son", The Star-Ledger, May 25, 1997. "The hero at the Lawrence Township parade was also a favorite son - Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Army (Ret.). Schwarzkopf, 62, the commander of the U.S.-led coalition in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, lived in Lawrence Township until he was 13."
- ^ America's Anchors: Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert faked it until they made it. Now they may truly be the most trusted names in news, Rolling Stone
[edit] External links
- Lawrence Township website
- Lawrence Township Public Schools
- Lawrence Township Public Schools's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Lawrence Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
- Friends of Carson Road Woods
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