Oxford Township, New Jersey | |
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— Township — | |
Map of Oxford Township in Warren County. Inset: Location of Warren County in New Jersey. | |
Census Bureau map of Oxford Township, New Jersey | |
Coordinates: | |
Country | United States |
State | New Jersey |
County | Warren |
Established | May 30, 1754 |
Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
Government[1][2][3] | |
• Type | Township (New Jersey) |
• Mayor | Donald Niece (R, 2012) |
Area | |
• Total | 6.0 sq mi (15.6 km2) |
• Land | 5.9 sq mi (15.4 km2) |
• Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
Elevation[4] | 466 ft (142 m) |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 2,514 |
• Density | 426.1/sq mi (163.2/km2) |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
ZIP code | 07863 |
Area code(s) | 908 |
FIPS code | 34-55530[5][6] |
GNIS feature ID | 0882247[7] |
Website | http://www.oxfordnj.org |
Oxford Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 2,514. It part of the eastern-most region of the Lehigh Valley.
Oxford is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located entirely within Oxford Township.
Oxford Township was formed from portions of Greenwich Township on May 30, 1754, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Mansfield Township became part of the newly formed Warren County on November 20, 1824. Over the centuries since its creation, portions of the township were taken to form Knowlton Township (February 23, 1763), Franklin Township, Harmony Township and Hope Township (all on April 8, 1839), Belvidere (April 7, 1845) and White Township (April 9, 1913).[8]
The origin of the name and the exact date of the township's creation is in dispute. One source says that the township was named after the university in England, and was formed in either 1753 or 1755,[9] but another source claims that the township was named after an early settler named John Axford, who came to settle in the area with others between 1735 and 1739, and affirms that the township's creation was in 1755.[10]
Oxford Furnace, built in 1741, it was the third furnace in Colonial New Jersey and the first constructed at a site where iron ore was mined. Other furnaces used ore extracted from bogs in South Jersey, impure deposits called bog iron. Oxford Furnace operated the longest of any of the Colonial Furnaces, not being "blown out" until 1884. In 1835, it was the site of America's first successful use of the hot blast in which preheated air was blown into the furnace, cutting production time. Though worn down by time, much of the site still stands. Oxford Furnace is listed on the State and the National Register of Historic Places.
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According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 6.0 square miles (16 km2). 5.9 square miles (15 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (1.33%) is water. Oxford borders the townships of Washington, Mansfield, White and Liberty.
Historical populations | |||
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Census | Pop. | %± | |
1930 | 1,723 |
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1940 | 1,548 | −10.2% | |
1950 | 1,489 | −3.8% | |
1960 | 1,657 | 11.3% | |
1970 | 1,742 | 5.1% | |
1980 | 1,659 | −4.8% | |
1990 | 1,790 | 7.9% | |
2000 | 2,307 | 28.9% | |
2010 | 2,514 | 9.0% | |
Population 1930 - 1990.[11] |
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,307 people, 886 households, and 618 families residing in the township. The population density was 388.7 inhabitants per square mile (150.0/km²). There were 938 housing units at an average density of 158.0 per square mile (61.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.58% White, 1.21% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.52% Asian, 0.65% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.47% of the population.
There were 886 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.1% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 35.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $53,359, and the median income for a family was $63,750. Males had a median income of $45,667 versus $31,210 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,515. About 2.6% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Oxford Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-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 seat coming up for election each year.[1] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor.
Members of the Oxford Township Committee are Mayor Donald Niece (R, 2012), Deputy Mayor Bonnie Riley (D, term ends December 31, 2011), Keith Gibbons (R, 2013).[2][3]
Oxford Township is in the 5th Congressional district. New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
Oxford Township is in the 23rd Legislative District (New Jersey) of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township).[12]
Warren County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose three members are elected at-large on a staggered basis with one seat coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Everett A. Chamberlain (Belvidere, term ends December 31, 2012), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (Asbury, 2011) and Freeholder Jason Sarnoski (Lopatcong Township, 2013).[13]
The Oxford Township School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. Oxford Central School had an enrollment of 291 students as of the 2008-09 school year.[14]
Students in grades 9 and up for public school attend Warren Hills Regional High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship. The Warren Hills Regional School District also serves students in grades 7-12 from the municipalities of Washington Borough, Washington Township, Mansfield Township, and Franklin Township.[15] Schools in the district (with 2007-08 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[16] are Warren Hills Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8; 675 students) located in Washington Borough and Warren Hills Regional High School (grades 9 - 12; 1,364 students) located in Washington Township.
Notable current and former residents of Oxford Township include:
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