| Hillsborough Township, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
| Map highlighting Hillsborough Township's location within Somerset County. Inset: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Hillsborough Township, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Somerset |
| Royal Charter | September 12, 1771 |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Mayor | Gloria McCauley (term ends 2011)[1] |
| • Administrator | Michael Merdinger[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 54.8 sq mi (141.9 km2) |
| • Land | 54.7 sq mi (141.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km2) |
| Elevation[3] | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Population (2010 Census)[4] | |
| • Total | 38,303 |
| • Density | 699/sq mi (269.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08844 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-31890[5][6] |
| Website | http://hillsborough-nj.org |
Hillsborough Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 38,303.[4]
Hillsborough Township was originally created by Royal Charter on September 12, 1771, from portions of Western precinct. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's original 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Millstone (May 14, 1894) and Manville (April 1, 1929).[7]
Contents |
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 54.8 square miles (142 km2); 54.7 square miles (142 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.18%) is water. In terms of area, it is the largest township in Somerset County.
Unincorporated communities located within Hillsborough Township are Belle Mead, Blackwells Mills, Flagtown, Neshanic, and South Branch.[8] Part of Blackwells Mills is located in Franklin Township.
| Branchburg Twp and Readington Twp |
Raritan, Somerville and Bridgewater Township |
Manville | ||
| East Amwell Twp | Franklin Township | |||
| Hillsborough Twp | ||||
| Montgomery Twp |
| Climate data for Hillsborough Township, NJ | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 74 (23) |
76 (24) |
86 (30) |
94 (34) |
99 (37) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
105 (41) |
105 (41) |
92 (33) |
84 (29) |
73 (23) |
105 (41) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 38 (3) |
41 (5) |
50 (10) |
61 (16) |
72 (22) |
80 (27) |
85 (29) |
83 (28) |
76 (24) |
64 (18) |
54 (12) |
42 (6) |
62.2 (16.8) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 18 (−8) |
20 (−7) |
27 (−3) |
36 (2) |
46 (8) |
56 (13) |
61 (16) |
60 (16) |
52 (11) |
40 (4) |
31 (−1) |
23 (−5) |
39.2 (4.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −16 (−27) |
−12 (−24) |
−1 (−18) |
16 (−9) |
26 (−3) |
34 (1) |
44 (7) |
38 (3) |
29 (−2) |
12 (−11) |
5 (−15) |
−10 (−23) |
−16 (−27) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 3.59 (91.2) |
2.84 (72.1) |
3.94 (100.1) |
4.09 (103.9) |
4.33 (110) |
4.35 (110.5) |
4.83 (122.7) |
3.98 (101.1) |
4.26 (108.2) |
4.21 (106.9) |
3.59 (91.2) |
3.84 (97.5) |
47.85 (1,215.4) |
| Source: [9] | |||||||||||||
After the three and three quarter mile US 206 bypass is completed, the town plans to design a town center along the old Business Route 206.[10] Construction for the bypass is expected to begin in 2009 and be complete by 2012.[11] The old section of US-206 will become the main street for the township and will be zoned for commercial and residential use.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,283 |
|
|
| 1940 | 2,645 | 15.9% | |
| 1950 | 3,875 | 46.5% | |
| 1960 | 7,584 | 95.7% | |
| 1970 | 11,061 | 45.8% | |
| 1980 | 19,061 | 72.3% | |
| 1990 | 28,808 | 51.1% | |
| 2000 | 36,634 | 27.2% | |
| 2010 | 38,303 | 4.6% | |
| Population sources: 1930-1990[12] 2000[13] 2010[4] |
|||
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 36,634 people, 12,649 households, and 9,802 families residing in the township. The population density was 669.9 people per square mile (258.6/km²). There were 12,854 housing units at an average density of 235.0 per square mile (90.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.96% White, 7.31% Asian, 3.76% African American, 0.09% American Indian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.75% of the population.[13]
There were 12,649 households out of which 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them – 67.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.31.[13]
In the township, the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.[13]
The median income for a household in the township was $83,290, and the median income for a family was $93,933. These figures had risen to $100,674 and $113,055 respectively as of a 2007 estimate.[14] Males had a median income of $62,273 versus $42,052 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,091. About 2.1% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.[13]
On May 31, 1771, Hillsborough was officially granted a Charter incorporating it as a Township. A revised charter was issued on September 12, 1771.[7] The records of Hillsborough Township are complete from their inception in 1746 and there are ten volumes, each some several hundred pages, kept in the Special Collections Department of the Rutgers University Library along with the Charter.
Hillsborough Township quickly took its place in history as the path General George Washington and his troops traveled from the Battle of Princeton to winter quarters in Morristown. While the British were encamped in the valley below awaiting an opportunity to attack, it is said that Washington drilled his troops on the Sourland Mountain around a spring near the top using different formations and corn stalks for guns. As the sun caught the stalks, the British thought Washington had received reinforcements and fresh supplies. The British troops, thinking that they were outnumbered, slipped off to New Brunswick leaving Washington to continue to Morristown.
Hillsborough Township was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798.[7]
Hillsborough is the home of the Belle Mead GSA depot, or Belle Mead General Depot, which was a storage site for materials during World War II, along with housing Italian and German prisoners of war. It continued storing materials until the 1980s, and various contaminants have leaked into the ground and surrounding area during that time, said Tom Miller, counsel for Somerset County.
Hillsborough is also home to Duke Gardens and Duke Farms, a 2,700 acres (11 km2) estate in the north-eastern quadrant of the town. Originally owned by tobacco and electric energy tycoon James "Buck" Duke and then passed down to daughter Doris Duke, Duke Farms is now one of the few remaining "preserved" natural areas in Hillsborough Township.
In 2007, Hillsborough was ranked as the No. 23 best place to live in the United States by Money magazine.[15]
Hillsborough Township is governed under the Township form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters 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.[16] The mayor and deputy mayor are chosen by the Township Committee from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting, each serving a one-year term.
As of 2011[update], members of the Hillsborough Township Committee are Mayor Gloria McCauley (term ends December 31, 2011), Deputy Mayor Carl Suraci (2012), Frank DelCore (2013), Anthony Ferrera (2011) and Bob Wagner (2012).[17]
Based on the results of a Charter Study Commission, a recommendation was listed on the November 2007 general election ballot proposing that the township adopt a Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) form of government.[18] At the election, 58% of those voting chose to reject the proposed change, leaving the longtime Township form of government unchanged.[19]
Hillsborough Township is in the 7th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.[20]
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).[21] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[22] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[23]
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.[24] As of 2011, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert Zaborowski (Franklin Township, term ends December 31, 2011)[25], Freeholder Deputy Director Patricia L. Walsh (Green Brook Township, 2013)[26], Jack Ciattarelli (Hillsborough Township, 2012)[27], Peter S. Palmer (Bernardsville, 2011)[28] and Patrick Scaglione (Bridgewater Township, 2012).[29][30]
U.S. Route 206 is the main road that passes through the township. (A new alignment of US 206 is being built to bypass the current congested stretch of the road.)
Main county roads that pass through are CR 514 and CR 533.
I-287 is outside the municipality in bordering Bridgewater and Franklin Townships.
The Hillsborough Township School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Students from Millstone attend the district's schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[31]
Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics):[32]
There are six elementary schools for Kindergarten to 4th grade.
Notable current and former residents of Hillsborough Township include:
|
||||||||||||||||||||