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Long Hill Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Long Hill
Boyle–Hudspeth-Benson House in Millington
Boyle–Hudspeth-Benson House in Millington
Location in Morris County and the state of New Jersey.
Location in Morris County and the state of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Long Hill Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Long Hill Township, New Jersey
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Morris
Incorporated March 23, 1866 (as Passaic Township)
Renamed November 3, 1992 (as Long Hill Township)
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Committee
Area
 • Total 12.06 sq mi (31.22 km2)
 • Land 11.80 sq mi (30.55 km2)
 • Water 0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)  2.14%
Area rank 192nd of 565 in state
15th of 39 in county
Elevation
325 ft (99 m)
Population
 • Total 8,702
 • Estimate 
(2019)
8,430
 • Rank 263rd of 566 in state
22nd of 39 in county
 • Density 734.3/sq mi (283.5/km2)
 • Density rank 410th of 566 in state
31st of 39 in county
Time zone UTC– 05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC– 04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes
07933 – Gillette
07946 – Millington
07980 – Stirling
Area code 908
FIPS code 3402741362
GNIS feature ID 0882196

Long Hill Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 8,702, reflecting a decline of 75 (−0.9%) from the 8,777 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 951 (+12.2%) from the 7,826 counted in the 1990 Census.

The township is situated in the southernmost part of Morris County bordering both Somerset and Union counties. It is bounded by the Passaic River to the south and west and to the north by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge which covers 7,455 acres (3,017 ha) of land overseen by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Refuge lands also lie within neighboring Chatham and Harding townships.

Originally incorporated as Passaic Township in the 1860s, residents voted to change the town's name to Long Hill Township in 1992. It includes the villages of Gillette, Stirling and Millington in addition to the hamlet of Meyersville. NJ Transit rail service is available at the Gillette, Millington and Stirling stations.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.136 square miles (31.432 km2), including 11.851 square miles (30.693 km2) of land and 0.285 square miles (0.739 km2) of water (2.35%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Gillette, Millington, and Stirling, and the hamlet of Meyersville. Homestead Park is a subdivision that was first developed in the 1920s.

The township is located in the most southern part of Morris County. It is bounded by the Passaic River on the south and west and by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on the north. It borders both Union and Somerset counties.

The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge covers 7,455 acres (3,017 ha) of land overseen by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and includes portions east of New Vernon Road that is unmanaged and accessible by visitors, while areas west of New Vernon Road are managed intensively and are not available to the public.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1870 1,624
1880 1,896 16.7%
1890 1,821 −4.0%
1900 2,141 17.6%
1910 2,165 1.1%
1920 2,373 9.6%
1930 2,149 −9.4%
1940 2,664 24.0%
1950 3,429 28.7%
1960 5,537 61.5%
1970 7,393 33.5%
1980 7,275 −1.6%
1990 7,826 7.6%
2000 8,777 12.2%
2010 8,702 −0.9%
2019 (est.) 8,430 −3.1%
Population sources:
1870–1920 1870
1880–1890 1890–1910
1910–1930 1930–1990
2000 2010

Census 2010

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,702 people, 3,105 households, and 2,434 families residing in the township. The population density was 734.3 per square mile (283.5/km2). There were 3,226 housing units at an average density of 272.2 per square mile (105.1/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 90.61% (7,885) White, 0.62% (54) Black or African American, 0.09% (8) Native American, 5.98% (520) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.06% (92) from other races, and 1.63% (142) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.06% (614) of the population.

There were 3,105 households out of which 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.6% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 18.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% 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 3.19.

In the township, the population was spread out with 25.6% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 94.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $120,691 (with a margin of error of ± $11,097) and the median family income was $142,059 (± $14,704). Males had a median income of $91,509 (± $24,098) versus $75,558 (± $11,204) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $54,508 (± $4,818). About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 8,777 people, 3,139 households, and 2,457 families residing in the township. The population density was 726.8 people per square mile (280.5/km2). There were 3,206 housing units at an average density of 265.5 per square mile (102.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 92.75% White, 0.39% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 3,139 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% 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 3.19.

In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $84,532, and the median income for a family was $103,037. Males had a median income of $71,827 versus $46,100 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,613. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Library

The Long Hill Township Library began about 1880 in what was then known as Passaic Township. At the time a group of women in Millington formed a reading club purchasing a small number of books to trade amongst themselves. A similar group was established in Meyersville. In 1920, when the Morris County Library was built, the groups joined the county system and books on loan from the county were housed in the homes of the associations' members.

By the 1950s, the Millington Association's Library had relocated to the Town Hall and the Meyersville group occupied one room in the town's Central School. In 1956, however, the Township asked the Millington Association to find other quarters, and the Central School location had steadily become less than satisfactory due to increasing enrollment. A referendum in the amount of $25,000 for the construction of a new building was submitted to the community. The measure passed by two votes. The new library opened in 1958 on Central Avenue in Stirling as the Passaic Township Free Public Library with a paid director and several volunteers.

By 1968, the library's collection had grown substantially and plans were made for a new addition to the building. Another $25,000 was raised and the addition was completed in 1972. A later addition followed in the 1980s. The library remained on Central Avenue until 2005 when an entirely new building was dedicated in April of that year. After the township formally changed its name to Long Hill Township in 1992, the Passaic Township Free Public Library was renamed as the Long Hill Township Free Public Library.

The Long Hill Township Library now occupies a site in Gillette, adjacent to Township Hall. The library contains 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2) of space and has a capacity for 72,000 books. The library is a member of the Morris Automated Information Network consortium, which offers residents of Long Hill Township have access to library materials at 37 area libraries. It also hosts a professional concert series.

Transportation

2018-08-07 10 33 53 View west along Morris County Route 512 (Valley Road) at Morris County Route 606 (Plainfield Road) in Long Hill Township, Morris County, New Jersey
County Route 512 westbound in Long Hill Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 59.57 miles (95.87 km) of roadways, of which 46.31 miles (74.53 km) were maintained by the municipality and 13.26 miles (21.34 km) by Morris County.

No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Long Hill Township. The most prominent roads within the township are county routes, including County Route 512 and County Route 531. However, Interstate 78 and Interstate 287 are both nearby and cross adjacent municipalities.

Public transportation

NJ Transit rail service is available at the Gillette, Millington and Stirling stations, offering service on the Gladstone Branch to Newark Broad Street Station and Hoboken Terminal.

NJ Transit offered service on the MCM8 route until 2010, when subsidies offered to the local provider were eliminated as part of budget cuts.

Lakeland Bus Lines provides Route 78 rush-hour service from Bedminster to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Long Hill Television

A Government-access television (GATV) cable TV channel is available for citizens of Long Hill Township that has important news updates, local activities, local weather, storm warnings, etc. It is on Comcast channel 29 (all programming) and Verizon FiOS channels 37 (public meetings and programs) and 38 (community bulletin board).

Education

The Long Hill Township School System serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 894 students and 80.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Gillette School with 223 students in grades PreK-1, Millington School with 397 students in grades 2-5 and Central Middle School with 269 students in grades 6-8.

Long Hill Township's high school students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township. Students from Long Hill Township and from the neighboring communities of Green Brook Township, Warren Township and Watchung (in Somerset County) attend the school. As of the 2019–20 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,948 students and 160.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. The high school district's board of education has nine members, who are elected directly by the voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for each year. Of the nine elected seats, three are allocated to Long Hill Township.

St. Vincent de Paul School was a Catholic school in Stirling that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school closed in June 2016 in the wake of declining enrollment and financial challenges. The school was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence in 2012.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Long Hill Township, New Jersey

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Long Hill Township include:

  • Jessie Baylin (born 1984), singer-songwriter.
  • David Bird (c. 1959–2014), journalist and longtime reporter at The Wall Street Journal, whose work "was instrumental in the expansion of energy markets reporting in the 1990s.
  • George B. Cooper (1808–1866), politician who was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1858, but left office after a year when Congress awarded the seat to his opponent in 1860.
  • George Estock (1924–2010), MLB pitcher who played for the Boston Braves in 1951.
  • Eugenio Fernandi (1922–1991), operatic tenor.
  • Gina Genovese (born 1959), businesswoman and politician who has served as mayor of the township and ran for State Senate.
  • Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945), Medal of Honor recipient in 1969 for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War.
  • Robert Tappan Morris (born 1965), computer scientist and entrepreneur best known for creating the Morris Worm in 1988, considered the first computer worm on the Internet.
  • Bill Murray, defensive tackle for the New England Patriots.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Long Hill (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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