| Washington, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Map of Washington in Warren County. Inset: Location of Warren County in New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Washington, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Warren |
| Incorporated | February 20, 1868 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) |
| • Mayor | Scott McDonald (2012) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.0 sq mi (5.1 km2) |
| • Land | 2.0 sq mi (5.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 6,461 |
| • Density | 3,230.5/sq mi (1,266.9/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07882 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-77270[1][2] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0881552[3] |
| Website | http://www.washingtonboro-nj.org |
Washington is a borough in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,461. The borough is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley.
Washington was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 20, 1868, from portions of Washington Township.[4]
Contents |
Washington is located at (40.760532, -74.979231).[5]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2), all land.
Pohatcong Mountain is a ridge, approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) long, in the Appalachian Mountains that extends from west Phillipsburg northeast approximately to Washington. Upper Pohatcong Mountain extends northeast of Washington approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) to the vicinity of Hackettstown. The two ridges are sometimes called "Pohatcong Mountain" collectively.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 4,410 |
|
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| 1940 | 4,643 | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,802 | 3.4% | |
| 1960 | 5,723 | 19.2% | |
| 1970 | 5,943 | 3.8% | |
| 1980 | 6,429 | 8.2% | |
| 1990 | 6,474 | 0.7% | |
| 2000 | 6,712 | 3.7% | |
| 2010 | 6,461 | −3.7% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[6] | |||
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 6,712 people, 2,724 households, and 1,686 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,429.9 people per square mile (1,322.2/km2). There were 2,876 housing units at an average density of 1,469.6 per square mile (566.5/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 91.45% White, 3.89% African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.45% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.17% of the population.
There were 2,724 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the borough the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $47,000, and the median income for a family was $61,379. Males had a median income of $41,436 versus $31,880 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,166. About 5.0% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.
Washington operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government.[7]
As of 2011[update], members of the Washington Borough Council are Mayor Scott McDonald (D, term ends December 31, 2012), Deputy Mayor Deputy Mayor Patrick Boyle (R, 2012), Jeanine Gleba (R, 2014), David Higgins (R, 2014), Justin Jewell (R, 2014), Robert Torres (R, 2014) and John Valentine (D, 2012).[8][9]
Washington Borough 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).
Washington 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).[10]
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).[11]
Washington Borough separated from Washington Township, which completely surrounds it, in 1868. The community grew during the 19th century as a result of the transportation routes that ran through or near the borough. The Morris Canal ran along the north end of town and two rail lines of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad crossed within the borough. Intersecting in the center of the borough are two major roadways, which today are Route 31 and Route 57. The "Washington House", a tavern built by Revolutionary War Col. William McCollough in 1811 and destroyed by fire in 1869, would give the borough its name.[12]
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the borough became a mecca of musical instruments manufacturers, the manufacture of organs in particular. A bustling downtown developed around these businesses. Many of the Victorian style houses in the borough, as well as Taylor Street School and Warren Hills Middle School (formerly Washington High School) were built during this period.
The advent of the automobile brought Washington closer to both the Lehigh Valley and New York City. In the years following World War II, the population increased, and there were many new houses and apartment complexes built. A portion of the Downtown area was devastated by a major fire in 1962. Education at the Middle and High School level was regionalized in 1968, and a new elementary school was also built (Memorial School).
The 1990s saw a population boom in Warren County, which continues today, as high real estate prices and property taxes in New Jersey’s northeastern counties push buyers to look further west. Although the borough itself does not have much room to grow, it has benefited from the growth of the nearby townships. Efforts are underway to revitalize the downtown with new residential and retail properties.
Students in grades K - 6 attend the schools of the Washington Borough Public Schools. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[13]) are Taylor Street School with 247 students in grades K - 2 and Memorial School, with 293 students in grades 3 - 6.
Students in public school for grades 7 and up attend the schools of the Warren Hills Regional School District. Warren Hills is a Grade 7-12 district that serves students from the municipalities of Washington Borough, Washington Township, Mansfield Township, Franklin Township and Oxford Township (for 9-12 only).[14] Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[15] are Warren Hills Regional Middle School (grades 7 and 8; 643 students) located in Washington Borough and Warren Hills Regional High School (grades 9 - 12; 1,387 students) located in Washington Township.
Notable current and former residents of Washington include:
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