Pequest River Valley farms in Independence Township, April 2013
Seal
Location of Independence Township in
Warren County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Warren County in
New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Independence Township, New Jersey
Independence Township was originally created on November 11, 1782, from
Hardwick Township, while the area was still part of
Sussex County, and was incorporated as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships 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).[21] The township was named for
American independence.[22]
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 white tail deer and small game.
This area was initially settled and cleared as farmland for growing hay and grain or as pastureland. 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.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 19.98 square miles (51.75 km2), including 19.83 square miles (51.36 km2) of land and 0.15 square miles (0.39 km2) of water (0.76%).[1][2]
Of the 2,234 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18; 55.8% were married couples living together; 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.6% were non-families. Of all households, 26.9% were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.13.[18]
23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 33.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.3 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $89,844 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,094) and the median family income was $104,808 (+/− $8,796). Males had a median income of $72,719 (+/− $6,017) versus $58,413 (+/− $7,006) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $36,372 (+/− $2,731). About 1.6% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.[44]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census[15] there were 5,603 people, 2,146 households, and 1,489 families residing in the township. The population density was 282.4 inhabitants per square mile (109.0/km2). There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 111.4 per square mile (43.0/km2). 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.[41][42]
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.[41][42]
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.[41][42]
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.[41][42]
Government
Local government
Independence Township is governed under the
Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.[45] The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters
at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[6][46] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
As of 2022[update], members of the Independence Township Committee are
Mayor Robert M. Giordano (
R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2022), Glenn Cougle (R, 2024), Kathleen Gesumaria (R, 2023), Bonnie Kelsey (R, 2023) and Michael S. Pennington (R, 2022).[3][47][48][49][50]
Federal, state, and county representation
Independence Township is located in the 7th Congressional District[51] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[52]
Warren County is governed by a three-member
Board of County Commissioners, who are chosen
at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Commissioner Director and other as Deputy Director.[58] As of 2024[update], Warren County's Commissioners are:
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,789 registered voters in Independence Township, of which 691 (18.2% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as
Democrats, 1,384 (36.5% vs. 35.3%) were registered as
Republicans and 1,709 (45.1% vs. 43.1%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as
Libertarians or
Greens.[70] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 66.9% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 87.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).[70][71]
In the
2012 presidential election, Republican
Mitt Romney received 1,500 votes (58.8% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama with 964 votes (37.8% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 51 votes (2.0% vs. 1.7%), among the 2,550 ballots cast by the township's 3,836 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.5% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County).[72][73] In the
2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain received 1,559 votes (55.7% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,159 votes (41.4% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 49 votes (1.8% vs. 1.6%), among the 2,797 ballots cast by the township's 3,784 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County).[74] In the
2004 presidential election, Republican
George W. Bush received 1,763 votes (64.4% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry with 927 votes (33.9% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 35 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,736 ballots cast by the township's 3,518 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.8% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).[75]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 72.5% of the vote (1,037 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 26.3% (376 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (17 votes), among the 1,450 ballots cast by the township's 3,879 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 37.4%.[76][77] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,176 votes (63.8% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Jon Corzine with 435 votes (23.6% vs. 25.7%), Independent
Chris Daggett with 182 votes (9.9% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.3% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,842 ballots cast by the township's 3,733 registered voters, yielding a 49.3% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).[78]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 46.85 miles (75.40 km) of roadways, of which 32.70 miles (52.63 km) were maintained by the municipality, 9.26 miles (14.90 km) by Warren County and 4.89 miles (7.87 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[94]
CR 517 passes through in the eastern part of the township[95] while
U.S. Route 46 traverses 4.89 miles (7.87 km) across the southern part of the municipality.[96]
The Great Meadows Railroad Station, along the abandoned Lehigh and Hudson Railway, is the only nineteenth-century station to remain preserved with all its structures. It was placed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places in 1989.[98]
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Governmental Structure, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022. "Warren County operates under the County Commissioner form of county government. The Board of County Commissioners consists of three Commissioners each elected at large for staggered terms of three years. The Commissioner Director is chosen by the full board at the board's annual reorganization meeting in January. The Commissioners supervise, direct and administer all county services and functions through the various departments, autonomous boards, agencies, and commissions. Reporting to the Board of County Commissioners is an appointed County Administrator."
^Jason J. Sarnoski, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Lori Ciesla, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^James R. Kern III, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Great Meadows Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Great Meadows Regional School District. Accessed April 14, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through eight in the Great Meadows Regional School District. Composition: The Great Meadows Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Great Meadows."
^Great Meadows Regional School District 2014 Report Card Narrative,
New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 16, 2017. "Great Meadows Regional is a K-8 school district with an enrollment of approximately 900 students. High school students attend Hackettstown High School as part of a sending/ receiving agreement. Great Meadows Regional consists of the contiguous townships of Independence and Liberty, is located in central Warren County and encompasses 32.35 square miles."
^Novak, Stephen J.
"State court says Liberty Township cannot withdraw from Great Meadows school district"Archived 2011-07-13 at the
Wayback Machine, The Express-Times, April 2, 2009. Accessed June 6, 2013. "Formed in 1993, Great Meadows has three schools: Liberty Elementary, Independence Township Central School and Great Meadows Regional Middle School. Both townships send students to Hackettstown High School for grades nine through 12. Liberty Township sought to break from Independence Township in 2004 after a contentious budget season."
^F.A.Q., Ridge and Valley Charter School. Accessed November 14, 2016. "Enrollment is open, on a space available basis, to all K-8 students residing in N.J. with priority given to students residing in the districts of Blairstown, Hardwick, Knowlton, Frelinghuysen, and North Warren Regional School."
^Williams, Alex.
"Bobby Caldwell, Silky-Voiced R&B Crooner, Dies at 71", The New York Times, March 15, 2023. Accessed March 15, 2023. "Bobby Caldwell, a singer-songwriter whose sultry R&B hit “What You Won’t Do for Love” propelled his debut album to double-platinum status in 1978 and was later covered by chart-toppers like Boyz II Men and Michael Bolton, died on Tuesday at his home in Great Meadows, N.J. He was 71."
^Craig, Kyle.
"This Warren County, Parkettes gymnast is vying for an Olympic spot Friday", The Express-Times, July 7, 2016. Accessed May 16, 2017. "Desiderio, who's from Independence Township, placed 12th in the all-around scoring during the P&G Gymnastics Championships in St. Louis last month, earning a spot at the Olympic Trials and place on the senior national team."
^Conner, Collins; Troyer, Kit; and Dewitt, Dan.
"Suspect remembered as a child full of rage", Tampa Bay Times, October 18, 1993, updated October 10, 2005. Accessed January 21, 2023. "Kaprat began running away from home _ a three-bedroom, red-brick house on a wooded hillside in Great Meadows, just west of Hackettstown, N.J."
^via
Associated Press.
"Cole Kimball claimed on waivers by Toronto Blue Jays", The Express-Times, November 16, 2011. Accessed September 3, 2019. "Kimball, 26, appeared in 12 games for Washington last season, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings, his first season in the Major Leagues. The Great Meadows, New Jersey native held opponents to a .174 average and had scoreless outings in 10 of his 12 appearances."