| Tewksbury Township, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
| Map of Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County. Inset: Location of Hunterdon County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Tewksbury Township, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Hunterdon |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Peter Melick |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31.6 sq mi (82.0 km2) |
| • Land | 31.6 sq mi (81.9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation[1] | 636 ft (194 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 5,993 |
| • Density | 189.7/sq mi (73.2/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07830 - Califon |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-72510[2][3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882190[4] |
| Website | http://www.tewksburytwp.net |
Tewksbury Township is a Township located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey and is located within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 5,993. The township is named after Tewkesbury, England, and the two established a sister city relationship in 2003.[5]
Tewksbury Township was first mentioned as holding a township meeting on March 11, 1755, as having been formed partly from Lebanon Township, though the exact circumstances of its formation by charter are unknown. Tewksbury was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been take to form Califon borough (April 2, 1898). Portions of the township were acquired from Readington Township in 1832 and 1861, and portions were transferred to Clinton Township in 1871 and 1891.[6]
The original settlers were of English extraction. However, a large German contingent settled in the area around 1749 and theirs became the strongest influence when Tewksbury became a township. The enclave of Oldwick, with a mixture of Victorian, Federal, New England and Georgian style homes is protected by historic legislation. Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick (formerly New Germantown) is the oldest German Lutheran parish in New Jersey.[7]
Oldwick is also home to the Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center, a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) Premier Accredited Center for Therapeutic horseback riding.
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According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 31.6 square miles (82 km2), of which, 31.6 square miles (82 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.06%) is water.
The township includes the communities of Oldwick, Pottersville, Cokesbury and Mountainville.
| Lebanon Twp and Califon |
Washington Twp | Chester Twp | ||
| Bedminster Twp | ||||
| Tewksbury | ||||
| Clinton Twp | Readington Twp |
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,119 |
|
|
| 1940 | 1,200 | 7.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,439 | 19.9% | |
| 1960 | 1,908 | 32.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,959 | 55.1% | |
| 1980 | 4,094 | 38.4% | |
| 1990 | 4,803 | 17.3% | |
| 2000 | 5,541 | 15.4% | |
| 2010 | 5,993 | 8.2% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 5,541 people, 1,986 households, and 1,662 families residing in the township. The population density was 175.2 people per square mile (67.6/km2). There were 2,052 housing units at an average density of 64.9 per square mile (25.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.82% White, 0.52% African American, 1.88% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 1,996 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.2% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. 12.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.2% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 33.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $135,649, and the median income for a family was $150,189. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $57,500 for females. The per capita income for the township was $65,470. About 1.6% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 1.5% of those age 65 or over.
Tewksbury 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.[9] 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[update], members of the Tewksbury Township Committee are Mayor Peter Melick, Deputy Mayor Dana Desiderio, Louis DiMare, Shaun C. Van Doren and William Voyce.[10]
Tewksbury Township is in the 7th Congressional district. 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).
Tewksbury is in the 24th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Gary R. Chiusano (R, Augusta) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Franklin).[11]
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.[12] 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).[13]
The Tewksbury Township Schools is a K - 8 public school district, which operates two schools serving 753 students. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[14]) are Tewksbury Elementary School for grades K - 4 (429 students) and Old Turnpike School for prekindergarten and grades 5 - 8 (324 students). The original elementary school, Sawmill, opened in 1951 and has subsequently been sold.
Public school students in grades 9 through 12 attend Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Voorhees High School serves students from Califon Borough (67 students), Glen Gardner Borough (75 students), Hampton Borough (87 students), High Bridge Borough (217 students), Lebanon Township (404 students) and Tewksbury Township (235 students).[15]
Interstate 78 passes through the Township, and is accessible via Oldwick Road (County Route 523) at Exit 24. County Route 517 also passes through the Township.
Notable current and former residents of Tewksbury Township include:
Wally
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