Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
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- see also: the Borough of Hopewell, New Jersey, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
| Township of Hopewell, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Mercer |
| Founded | February 20, 1700 |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Township |
| - Mayor | Vanessa Sandom |
| - Township Administrator | Paul Pogorzelski[1] |
| Area | |
| - Total | 58.7 sq mi (151.9 km²) |
| - Land | 58.1 sq mi (150.5 km²) |
| - Water | 0.5 sq mi (1.4 km²) |
| Elevation [2] | 217 ft (66 m) |
| Population (2006)[3] | |
| - Total | 17,968 |
| - Density | 277.1/sq mi (107.0/km²) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08560 |
| Area code(s) | 609 |
| FIPS code | 34-33180[4] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882129[5] |
| Website: http://www.hopewelltwp.org | |
Hopewell Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 16,105.
Hopewell Township dates back to February 20, 1700, when the area was still part of Burlington County. It was formerly the name for one of two portions of 800 acres (3.2 km²) of land purchased in 1714 by William Trent, and was formally set off to Hunterdon County, when that county was created on March 11, 1714. Trenton Township was formed out of this estate on June 3, 1719, later to become the City of Trenton. Hopewell Township was incorporated by Royal Charter on March 1, 1755, and incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Hopewell Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Marion Township (February 22, 1838, reverted back to Hopewell Township on February 14, 1839), Pennington (January 31, 1890) and Hopewell Borough (April 14, 1891), with additional portions of the township transferred to both Pennington and Hopewell Borough in 1915.[6]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 58.7 square miles (151.9 km²), of which, 58.1 square miles (150.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (0.92%) is water.
Hopewell Township borders Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton Township, Hunterdon County, Somerset County, and the Delaware River.
Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough are both independent municipalities surrounded entirely by Hopewell Township.
Titusville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Hopewell Township.
Washington Crossing State Park is located in the western part of the township.
Some neighborhoods in the township include Hopewell Hunt, Brandon Farms, and Elm Ridge.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 3,907 |
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| 1940 | 3,738 | -4.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,731 | 26.6% | |
| 1960 | 7,818 | 65.3% | |
| 1970 | 10,030 | 28.3% | |
| 1980 | 10,893 | 8.6% | |
| 1990 | 11,590 | 6.4% | |
| 2000 | 16,105 | 39.0% | |
| Est. 2006 | 17,968 | [3] | 11.6% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[7] | |||
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 16,105 people, 5,498 households, and 4,431 families residing in the township. The population density was 277.1 people per square mile (107.0/km²). There were 5,629 housing units at an average density of 96.9/sq mi (37.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 77.30% White, 15.83% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.97% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.
There were 5,498 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $93,640, and the median income for a family was $101,579. Males had a median income of $66,849 versus $47,701 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,947. About 0.9% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Hopewell Township has a Township Committee form of municipal government. All Committee members are elected at large for three year terms. Each year, the Township Committee elects one of its members as Mayor.[8]
Members of the Hopewell Township Committee, with their areas of general responsibility, are:[9]
- Mayor Vanessa Sandom: Administration, Health, Environmental and Wastewater
- Deputy Mayor David Sandahl: Finance, Legal, Planning and Zoning
- Michael Markulec: Economic Development, Agriculture, Open Space Preservation
- John Murphy: Recreation, Buildings & Grounds, Parks, Public Works and Interlocal Relations
- Judy Niederer: Affordable Housing, Historic Preservation and Public Safety
Hopewell Township is served by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station & Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, located in Trenton.<ref.Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, Rutgers University. Accessed October 12, 2007.</ref>
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Hopewell Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th Legislative District.[10]
New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District, covering all of Hunterdon County and portions of Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, and Somerset County, is represented by Rush D. Holt Jr. (D). Holt is a resident of Hopewell Township. New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 15th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner (D, Lawrenceville) and in the Assembly by Reed Gusciora (D, Borough of Princeton) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).[11] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[12]
Mercer County has a County Executive form of government, in which the County Executive performs executive functions and a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders acts in a legislative capacity. As of 2008, the County Executive is Brian M. Hughes.[13] Members of the Board of Chosen Freeholders are elected at-large to serve three-year staggered terms, with a Freeholder Chair and Vice-Chair selected on an annual basis from among its members.[14] County Freeholders are Freeholder Chair Lucylle R. S. Walter (term ends December 31, 2008; Ewing Township), Freeholder Vice Chair Elizabeth Maher Muoio (2009; Pennington Borough), Ann M. Cannon (2009; East Windsor Township), Anthony P. Carabelli (2010; Trenton), Pasquale "Pat" Colavita, Jr. (2009; Lawrenceville), Keith V. Hamilton (2010; Hamilton Township) and Tony Mack (2008; Trenton).[15]
[edit] Education
Students in public school for kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, a comprehensive regional public school district serving (as of 2005) nearly 4,000 students from Hopewell Borough (371 students), Hopewell Township (2,998 students), and Pennington Borough (497 students). Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[16]) include four Elementary Schools (K-5) — Bear Tavern Elementary School with 532 students, Hopewell Elementary School with 522 students, Stony Brook Elementary School with 522 students, Toll Gate Grammar School with 310 students — Timberlane Middle School with 952 students in grades 6 -8, and Hopewell Valley Central High School, which has an enrollment of 1,152 students in grades 9 - 12.
[edit] The Hopewell Project
Hopewell is home to an experimental renewable energy project called The Hopewell Project, which uses solar power to generate hydrogen that is used to provide 100% of a home's heating, cooling and electrical needs. The Hopewell Solar-Hydrogen Residence was dedicated on October 20, 2006.
[edit] Media
- Hopewell Valley News
- Town Topics
- Pennington Post
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Hopewell Township include:
- Val Ackerman, first president of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), serving from 1996-2005.
- John Hart, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.[17]
- James W. Marshall, sawmill operator, whose 1848 discovery of gold in the American River in California set the stage for the California Gold Rush.
[edit] References
- ^ Staff Members, Hopewell Township. Accessed June 3, 2007.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Hopewell, Geographic Names Information System, accessed June 3, 2007.
- ^ a b Census data for Hopewell township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2007.
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 162.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FORM OF GOVERNMENT, Hopewell Township. Accessed August 25, 2006.
- ^ Hopewell Township Committee, Hopewell Township. Accessed March 18, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ County Executive, Mercer County, New Jersey. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ What is a Freeholder?, Mercer County, New Jersey. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ Meet the Freeholders, Mercer County. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 11, 2008.
- ^ Biography of John Hart, United States Congress. Accessed June 17, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Hopewell Township web site
- Hopewell Valley School District
- Hopewell Valley Regional School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District
- Hopewell Township Fire District
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