| Branchburg Township, New Jersey | |||
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| — Township — | |||
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| Map of Branchburg Township in Somerset County. Inset: Location of Somerset County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. | |||
| Census Bureau map of Branchburg Township, New Jersey | |||
| Coordinates: | |||
| Country | United States | ||
| State | New Jersey | ||
| County | Somerset | ||
| Incorporated | April 5, 1845 | ||
| Government[1] | |||
| • Type | Township (New Jersey) | ||
| • Mayor | Thomas Young | ||
| • Administrator | Gregory J. Bonin[2] | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 20.3 sq mi (52.5 km2) | ||
| • Land | 20.3 sq mi (52.5 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) | ||
| Elevation[3] | 200 ft (61 m) | ||
| Population (2010 Census)[4] | |||
| • Total | 14,459 | ||
| • Density | 712.3/sq mi (275.4/km2) | ||
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | ||
| ZIP code | 08853, 08876 | ||
| Area code(s) | 908 | ||
| FIPS code | 34-07180[5][6] | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0882175[7] | ||
| Website | http://www.branchburg.nj.us/ | ||
Branchburg Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 14,459.[4]
Branchburg Township has a history antedating the American Revolutionary War, and was incorporated on April 5, 1845, from portions of Bridgewater Township.[8]
Branchburg ranks seventh in size among Somerset County's 21 municipalities, and covers a total area of 20.3 square miles (53 km2), being 11 miles (18 km) long and approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) across at its widest point. The hamlets of North Branch and Neshanic Station are included within Branchburg Township.
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The land that is now known as Branchburg Township was originally inhabited by the Raritans, a tribe of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. By 1686 most of the land was purchased from the Lenape by the Lords Proprietors of East Jersey, who sold the land in small parcels to numerous settlers, mostly of Dutch or English extraction.[9] With the 1688 redrawing of the boundary between East and West Jersey, the Branchburg region was split between Essex County to the north and the newly-formed Somerset County to the south. With Somerset's acquisition of territory from Essex and Middlesex Counties in 1741, Branchburg lay entirely within the County where it is presently located.[10]
Bridgewater Township was chartered in 1749. In 1845 the residents of the part of Bridgewater west of the Raritan River petitioned the New Jersey State Legislature for incorporation as a separate township, which was granted by an act dated April 5 of that year.[11]
The first town meeting was held April 14, 1845, in White Oak Tavern, a stagecoach stop and local meeting place along the Old York Road.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 20.3 square miles (53 km2), all of it land.
The Township is bordered on the west by Hunterdon County; on the north by Bedminster Township and on the south by Bridgewater Township and Hillsborough Township. The main watercourses are the Lamington River on the north, the North Branch of the Raritan River on the east and the South Branch of the Raritan River on the east and south. These rivers along with small streams and brooks are excellent for fishermen who enjoy trout stocked streams and rivers. Branchburg is in Raritan Valley ( a line of cities in central NJ). Branchburg lies in the western division of Raritan Valley along with Bridgewater and Raritan.
| Bedminster Twp | Bernards Twp | |||
| Readington Twp | Bridgewater Township | |||
| Branchburg | ||||
| Hillsborough Twp |
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,084 |
|
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| 1940 | 1,231 | 13.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,958 | 59.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,741 | 91.1% | |
| 1970 | 5,742 | 53.5% | |
| 1980 | 7,846 | 36.6% | |
| 1990 | 10,888 | 38.8% | |
| 2000 | 14,566 | 33.8% | |
| 2010 | 14,459 | −0.7% | |
| Population 1930–1990.[4][12] | |||
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 14,566 people, 5,272 households, and 4,064 families residing in the township. The population density was 719.1 people per square mile (277.6/km²). There were 5,405 housing units at an average density of 266.8 per square mile (103.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.44% White, 1.95% African American, 0.10% Native American, 6.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.
There were 5,272 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $96,864, and the median income for a family was $110,268. Males had a median income of $70,726 versus $47,786 for females. The per capita income for the township was $41,241. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Branchburg Township is governed by a five-member Township Council. Councilmembers are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. A mayor and deputy mayor are selected from among the council from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting.[13][14]
As of 2011[update], members of the Township Committee are Mayor Thomas Young, Deputy Mayor John Sanford, Robert Bouwman, Jim Leonard and Kate Sarles.[15]
Branchburg Township is in the 7th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.[16] Branchburg remained in the 16th legislative district following redistricting after the 2010 Census, though the district was changed significantly>2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed June 7, 2011.</ref>
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
16th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R, Neshanic Station) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Peter J. Biondi (R, Hillsborough Township) and Denise Coyle (R, Basking Ridge).[17] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[18] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[19]
Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.[20] As of 2011, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert Zaborowski (Franklin Township, term ends December 31, 2011)[21], Freeholder Deputy Director Patricia L. Walsh (Green Brook Township, 2013)[22], Jack Ciattarelli (Hillsborough Township, 2012)[23], Peter S. Palmer (Bernardsville, 2011)[24] and Patrick Scaglione (Bridgewater Township, 2012).[25][26]
Branchburg Township is served by three major Emergency Services; a full-time Police Department, an all-volunteer Emergency Medical & Rescue Services department, and four all-volunteer Fire Departments.
The Branchburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian R. Fitzgerald, was started on June 16, 1980. The Department currently has 26 full-time sworn officers, two civilian employees, seven crossing guards, and 13 Emergency Management volunteers. The Department has specialized units of officers who have taken on duties in addition to their patrol or detective work. These include the Detective Bureau, Juvenile Officer, School Resources, Traffic Safety, Community Policing, Services, Bike Patrol, First-Aid, Explorers program and Emergency Management.[27]
A clerk called officers about a suspicious person at the Quick Chek store at 1296 Easton Turnpike in Branchburg on January 26, 2010.[28] Officers arrested Lloyd Woodson, and found in his possession and in his motel room a large weapons cache that included illegal weapons and ammunition, a detailed map of Fort Drum, and a traditional red-and-white Middle Eastern headdress. He was charged on multiple state and federal weapons charges.[29] Branchburg Police Chief Brian Fitzgerald awarded the Exceptional Duty Award to three Branchburg police officers who responded to the Woodson report: patrolmen Steven Cronce, Robert Farrigan, and Robert Stober, during a township committee meeting,[30] for what he referred to as the most significant arrest in the department's history.[30] “It was good to see something we had done had made the national news media for all the right reasons,” Stober said.[30]
Emergency Medical Services and Rescue Services are provided throughout the Township by the Branchburg Rescue Squad. The Squad was formed in October 1955 and continues to serve the residents and business on an all-volunteer basis. 2011 officers include President Liz Davis and Chief Bucky Buchanan. The Branchburg volunteers rely solely on donations received from the community. Services provided include Basic Life Support Emergency Medical Services (BLS/EMS), NFPA Technician Level: Vehicle Extrication, Water Rescue, Confined Space, Rope Rescue, High Angle Rescue NFPA Operations Level: Ice Rescue NFPA Awareness Level: Trench Collapse, Building & Structural Collapse. Operating out of Station 74 Rescue at 113 River Road are 3 BLS Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue Services Unit, 1 Rescue Services Unit, 1 First Responder/Command Unit and 2 Inflatable Rescue Boats.
The Township of Branchburg is covered by four volunteer Fire Departments. In the North, North Branch Vol Fire Company, to the West, Readington Vol Fire Department, South, Neshanic Vol Fire Department, and Central area is covered by the Country Hills Vol Fire Department.
Branchburg Township is centrally located with access to major roadways and highways. U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 22 travel through the township with easy passage to Interstate 78, Interstate 287 and Route 206, enabling residents to travel to New York City and Philadelphia within one hour.
Bus service between New York City and Allentown, Pennsylvania on the Transport of New Jersey bus line is available on a daily service. New Jersey Transit offers bus service to Newark on the 65 line, with local service on the 884 bus route.[31]
Service between Clinton, New Jersey and New York City, at the North Branch station (located on Station Road) offers limited daily service and no weekend trains. New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line has weekly service from North Branch Station to Newark. At Newark Penn Station, connections can be made to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan.
There is also bus service between New Hope, Pennsylvania and New York City, with a stop at the Municipal Park-and-Ride facility on Route 202 North on a daily basis.
Newark Liberty International Airport is located approximately 35 miles (56 km) northeast of Branchburg. Also within driving distance are Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE, formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport) near Allentown, Pennsylvania, John F. Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airport in New York, as well as the Trenton-Mercer Airport near Trenton and Princeton in Mercer County.
The Branchburg Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade, Schools in the district (with 2005–06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[32]) are: Whiton Elementary School (644 students) for grades K-3 Stony Brook School (329) for grades 4–5 and Branchburg Central Middle School (657) for grades 6–8.
The public secondary school serving Branchburg for grades 9–12 is Somerville High School, which students attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Somerville Public Schools.[33]
Midland School is a non-profit special education school serving the individual social, emotional, academic and career needs of children with developmental disabilities. The school serves 245 students, ranging in age from 5 to 21 years old, from central and northern New Jersey.[8]
Branchburg Township is the home of the main campus of Raritan Valley Community College
Branchburg Township is the home to the 31 Tannery Project which serves as the corporate headquarters for Ferreira Construction, the Ferreira Group, and Noveda Technologies. The 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m2) office and shop building was constructed in 2006 and is the 1st building in the state of New Jersey to meet New Jersey's Executive Order 54. The building is also the first Net Zero Electric Commercial Building in the United States.
Branchburg Township is also home to the Little Red Schoolhouse located on South Branch Road. This one room schoolhouse was built in 1873.[34] "This school house is noteworthy for being the last one-room school house in use in Somerset County."[35] Its purpose was to educating children in grades 1-8 from Branchburg and Hillsborough townships. It was closed down in 1965. In 2007 the schoolhouse was renovated to add the bell tower back onto the top of the building. The Little Red Schoolhouse is now owned by the township of Branchburg. Famous people who attended the Little Red Schoolhouse include opera star and Edison protégé, Anna Case and Marion Van Fleet, the mother of actor Lee Van Cleef.[36]
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