INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Independence Township' is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,603. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.
Independence Township was originally created from Hardwick Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County. Hardwick Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Most of Independence Township became part of the newly-created Warren County on November 20, 1824, with the remainder becoming part of Green Township in Sussex County. Portions of the township were taken to form Hackettstown (March 9, 1853) and Allamuchy Township (April 4, 1873)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246.
Great Meadows-Vienna (2000 Census population of 1,264) is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Independence Township.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

History

Education

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 51.5 km² (19.9 mi²). 51.4 km² (19.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.25%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 5,603 people, 2,146 households, and 1,489 families residing in the township. The population density was 109.0/km² (282.4/mi²). There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 43.0/km² (111.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 94.98% White, 1.16% African American, 0.05% Native American, 1.73% Asian, 0.79% from other races, and 1.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.
There were 2,146 households out of which 36.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.18.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,247, and the median income for a family was $79,819. Males had a median income of $59,688 versus $37,643 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,555. About 1.2% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Independence Township Committee consists of Mayor Robert Giordano (R, term ends December 31, 2007), Deputy Mayor Bonnie Kelsey (R, 2009), Steve Crawford (R, 2008), John Cummins (R, 2008), Gary Janiszewski (R, 2007).^[1]

Federal, state and county representation

Independence Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.^[2]

History

The Township of Independence was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature in 1782. This occurred through the division of Hardwick Township which at that time made it a section of Sussex County. Next through another act of the State Legislature in 1825, it was one of the seven large southerly townships, formerly in Sussex County, which together comprised the area that became Warren County. As the seven townships gradually were subdivided, Independence was reduced to half its original size through the loss of Hackettstown in 1853 and Allamuchy Township in 1873. The population thereby decreased to around one thousand, having the boundaries that it has today. It is roughly eight miles long from the northwest to the southeast corners, about six miles across its widest point and covers an area of 20.4 square miles.
Through the Township the major brooks and the Great Meadows drain into the Pequest River which winds slowly from northeast to southwest to flow on through the County and eventually into the Delaware River at Belvidere. Part of the eastern land drains under the Morris Canal bed and south into the Musconetcong River just below the boundary with Mansfield Township. The hillsides are steep, layered with rock and limestone while the valleys still hold soil deposited here from the receding glaciers. Mastodon bones and a few relics of the early Indian dwellers still occasionally can be found as well as coveys of game birds, some while tail deer, and small game.
This area at first was settled and cleared as farmland for growing hay and grain or as pastureland. Here timber was cut for lumber, grain was milled into flour, and some iron ore was mined from the Jenny Jump Mountain area during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The mining of iron ore which attracted the early settlers, the later iron foundries, and many of the early industries have disappeared as has the Morris Canal and the railroads as the major means of shipping freight. After many attempts the Great Meadow was drained with the water channeled to permit successful development of commercial vegetable production. Shipping over the years has been by wagon, small trucks, rail freight, and then by large trailer trucks.

Education

Public school students in grades K through 8 attend the Great Meadows Regional School District. The district consists of two schools serving grades K - 4 — Independence Central School serves 321 students and Liberty School serves 208 students — while Great Meadows Middle School serves 509 students on grades 5 - 8.
Students attending public school for grades 9-12 attend Hackettstown High School which serves students from Hackettstown, as well as students from the townships of Allamuchy, Independence and Liberty, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Hackettstown School District.^[3]

References

1. Independence Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed June 15, 2007.
2. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.
3. Hackettstown High School 2005-06 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 15, 2007. "Hackettstown High School is a four year comprehensive High School with an enrollment of 951 students in grades 9-12 who come from the communities of Allamuchy, Hackettstown, Independence, and Liberty Township."

External links

★ Independence Township website

★ Warren County page for Independence Township

★ Great Meadows Regional School District

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★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Great Meadows Regional School District

★ Hackettstown High School