Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

for other New Jersey townships with the same name see Franklin Township, New Jersey
Franklin Township, New Jersey
—  Township  —
Map of Franklin Township in Hunterdon County. Inset; Location of Hunterdon County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Hunterdon
Incorporated April 7, 1845
Government[1]
 • Type Township (New Jersey)
 • Mayor Scott Bauman
Area
 • Total 22.9 sq mi (59.4 km2)
 • Land 22.9 sq mi (59.2 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km2)
Elevation 653 ft (199 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 3,195
 • Density 139.5/sq mi (54.0/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08867 - Pittstown, New Jersey
Area code(s) 908
FIPS code 34-24870[2][3]
GNIS feature ID 0882184[4]
Website http://www.franklin-twp.org

Franklin Township is a Township in central Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 3,195. Most of the township lies on the Hunterdon Plateau with only the eastern section along the South Branch Raritan River being on the lower part of the Newark Basin.

Franklin Township was established by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1845, when it was created from portions of Kingwood Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of the township were taken to form Clinton town on April 5, 1865.[5] In its early days, Franklin was a Quaker settlement. The most reliable records that are available about the early days of the Township are found in the minutes of the Friends' Meeting in Quakertown.

The Capoolong Creek, which runs through the community of Pittstown, was an attraction to early settlers and they soon established three of the oldest churches in present day Hunterdon: Thomas Episcopal, established in 1723, Bethlehem Presbyterian, organized in 1730 and the Quaker Church in 1733.

Contents

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 22.9 square miles (59 km2), of which, 22.9 square miles (59 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.17%) is water.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1930 1,100
1940 1,211 10.1%
1950 1,255 3.6%
1960 1,777 41.6%
1970 2,154 21.2%
1980 2,294 6.5%
1990 2,851 24.3%
2000 2,990 4.9%
2010 3,195 6.9%
Population 1930 - 1990.[6]

As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 2,990 people, 1,091 households, and 890 families residing in the township. The population density was 130.7 people per square mile (50.5/km²). There were 1,125 housing units at an average density of 49.2 per square mile (19.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.53% White, 0.40% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.77% Asian, 0.33% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.24% of the population.

There were 1,091 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.8% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.4% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $91,364, and the median income for a family was $96,320. Males had a median income of $66,667 versus $44,779 for females. The per capita income for the township was $39,668. About 1.5% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Franklin 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.[1] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2011, members of the Franklin Township Committee are Scott Bauman, Deputy Robert McGeary, Vigdis Austad, Susan Campbell and Steven Tarshis.[7]

Federal, state and county representation

Franklin Township is in the 12th Congressional district. New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District is represented by Rush D. Holt, Jr. (D, Hopewell Township).[8] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

Franklin 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).[9]

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a staggered basis.[10] As of 2011, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Matt Holt (Clinton Town), Freeholder Deputy Director Robert Walton (Hampton), William Mennen (Tewksbury Township),George B. Melick (Tewksbury Township), and Ronald Sworen (Frenchtown).[11]

Education

The Franklin Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The Franklin Township School served an enrollment of 379 students as of the 2005-06 school year.[12]

Students in grades 9 through 12 attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. North Hunterdon High School serves students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township.[13]

Transportation

County roads that pass through include: CR 513 (which doesn't exactly pass through, but borders Franklin with Alexandria/Union) and CR 579.

Route 12 passes through for just less than ½ mile. Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22 traverse through for a fifth of a mile with an interchange (Exit 15) at the northern tip of the township (which is the eastern overlapping end of Route 173).

References

  1. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
  2. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  3. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  4. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 155.
  6. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  7. ^ Franklin Township Committee, Franklin Township. Accessed March 14, 2011.
  8. ^ Municipalities, Congressman Rush D. Holt, Jr. Accessed June 29, 2008.
  9. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-07-25. 
  10. ^ About the Board, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed January 5, 2011.
  11. ^ Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed February 9, 2011.
  12. ^ Data for the Franklin Township School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 18, 2008.
  13. ^ About the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed June 26, 2008. "North Hunterdon High School educates students from: Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Union Township"

External links