TEWKSBURY TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Tewksbury Township' is a Township located in the northeastern corner of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,541.
Tewksbury Township was first mentioned as holding a township meeting on March 11, 1755, as having been formed partly from the now-defunct 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."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 154
Tewksbury Township is situated in the northeastern corner of Hunterdon County and borders on both Morris and Somerset Counties. 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 charming 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.^[1] In more recent years, Tewksbury is experiencing a large influx of Italian Americans and Irish Catholics as well as a thriving population of Latin American immigrants from Ecuador.
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.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Transportation

Notable residents

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 82.0 km² (31.6 mi²). 81.9 km² (31.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.06%) is water.
Tewksbury Township borders Readington Township, Clinton Township, Lebanon Township, and Califon Borough. Tewksbury Township also borders Morris County and Somerset County.
The township also includes the communities of Pottersville, Cokesbury and Mountainville.

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 5,541 people, 1,986 households, and 1,662 families residing in the township. The population density was 67.6/km² (175.2/mi²). There were 2,052 housing units at an average density of 25.0/km² (64.9/mi²). 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 1,986 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 96.0 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.

Government

Local government

The Township of Tewksbury is governed by a five member Township Committee, with one member selected annually to serve as Mayor for a one-year term. Township Committee members are elected at large and serve staggered three-year terms, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.
The members of the Tewksbury Township Committee are Mayor Shaun C. Van Doren, Deputy Mayor George Tauber, Louis DiMare, William Mennen and William Voyce.^[2]

Federal, state and county representation

Tewksbury Township is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District.^[3]

Education

The Tewksbury Township Schools is a K - 8 public school district, which operates two schools serving 747 students. Currently, Tewksbury Elementary School houses K - 4 students and the Old Turnpike School serves students in prekindergarten and grades 5 - 8. 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).

Transportation

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 residents

Notable current and former residents of Tewksbury Township include:

★ John Amos - Actor

★ Charlie Murphy - Actor and Comedian

★ Pat Pacillo- Former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds

References

1. Hunterdon County webpage for Tewksbury Township, accessed March 21, 2007
2. Township of Tewksbury Elected Officials, Tewksbury Township. Accessed January 30, 2007.
3. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 65. Accessed August 30, 2006.

External links

★ Tewksbury Township website

★ Tewksbury Open Records website-not Town sponsored

★ Hunterdon County webpage for Tewksbury Township

★ Tewksbury Township Schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Tewksbury Township Schools

★ North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District

★ Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance

★ Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center

★ Tewksbury Rescue Squad 'STATION 24'