Rockaway Township, New Jersey
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| Rockaway Township, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Morris |
| Incorporated | April 8, 1844 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) |
| - Mayor | Louis S. Sceusi |
| Area | |
| - Total | 46.0 sq mi (119.1 km²) |
| - Land | 42.8 sq mi (110.9 km²) |
| - Water | 3.2 sq mi (8.2 km²) |
| Elevation [1] | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Population (2006)[2] | |
| - Total | 25,789 |
| - Density | 535.5/sq mi (206.8/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | Various |
| Area code(s) | 973 |
| FIPS code | 34-64080[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882209[4] |
| Website: http://www.rockawaytownship.org/ | |
Rockaway Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 22,930.
Rockaway Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1844, from portions of Hanover Township and Pequannock Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Rockaway Borough (June 19, 1894), Port Oram (June 26, 1895, now Wharton) and Denville Township (April 14, 1913).[5]
A large part of the township consists of Picatinny Arsenal, a United States Army base, used mainly for the development of new weapons technologies, especially concerning anti-terrorism.
Lake Telemark (2000 Census population of 1,202) and White Meadow Lake (9,052) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Rockaway Township. Hibernia, site of the Hibernia mines, is an unincorporated community within the township.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 46.0 square miles (119.1 km²), of which, 42.8 square miles (110.9 km²) of it is land and 3.2 square miles (8.2 km²) of it (6.89%) is water.
Rockaway Township and its sister town, Rockaway Borough, and the area around the two municipalities are home to some scenic areas. These areas include lakes, rivers, and expansive ranges of mountains, covered with trees and wildlife and hiking trails. The township is home of the Farny State Park, Wildcat Ridge WMA, and Mount Hope Historical Park, Splitrock Reservoir and Newark's Pequannock Watershed which is administered by the Newark Watershed Development Corporation. The river keepers for the Pequannock River is the Pequannock River Coalition.
In addition, two sites on the National Register of Historic Places can be found in Rockaway Township: Split Rock Furnace, a Civil War era iron ore furnace which is still intact, and the Ford-Faesch Manor House, a 1768 stone mansion that figured prominently during the Revolutionary War and in the 250-year history of Morris County iron industry.
Green Pond is a lake and an accompanying residential community in the township. Splitrock Reservoir is 625 acres of wilderness located in northern New Jersey on the borders of Rockaway Township and Kinnelon.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 3,178 |
|
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| 1940 | 2,423 | -23.8% | |
| 1950 | 4,418 | 82.3% | |
| 1960 | 10,356 | 134.4% | |
| 1970 | 18,955 | 83.0% | |
| 1980 | 19,850 | 4.7% | |
| 1990 | 19,572 | -1.4% | |
| 2000 | 22,930 | 17.2% | |
| Est. 2006 | 25,789 | [2] | 12.5% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[6] | |||
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 22,930 people, 8,108 households, and 6,380 families residing in the township. The population density was 535.5 people per square mile (206.8/km²). There were 8,506 housing units at an average density of 198.7/sq mi (76.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 88.86% White, 2.46% African American, 0.10% Native American, 5.65% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.60% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.28% of the population.
There were 8,108 households out of which 40.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.5% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 17.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $80,939, and the median income for a family was $89,281. Males had a median income of $58,027 versus $40,038 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,184. About 1.4% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 3.6% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Rockaway Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.[7]
The Mayor of Rockaway Township is Louis S. Sceusi.[8]
The Rockaway Township Council consists of nine members, with three elected at-large and six elected from wards. Members of the Township Council for 2008 are:[9]
- John DiMaria, Jr., Council-At-Large
- Joseph O'Connor, Council-At-Large
- Paul Minenna, Council-At-Large
- Michael Dachisen, Ward 1
- John J. Quinn, Ward 2
- Barbara Grimaldi, Ward 3
- Alexander Gellman, Ward 4
- David Press, Ward 5
- Stephen Antonelli, Ward 6
[edit] Federal, state, and county representation
Rockaway Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.[10]
New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding 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 25th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony Bucco (R, Boonton) and in the Assembly by Michael Patrick Carroll (R, Morris Plains) and Richard A. Merkt (R, Brookside).[11] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[12]
Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two or three seats up for election each year.[13] As of 2008, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Margaret Nordstrom, Deputy Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl, Douglas R. Cabana, William J. Chegwidden, John J. Murphy, James W. Murray and Jack J. Schrier.[14]
[edit] Education
The Rockaway Township Public Schools are made up of five elementary schools and one middle school. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[15]) are five Kindergarten through 5th grade schools — Birchwood (383 students), Catherine A. Dwyer (335 students), Dennis B. O'Brien (358 students), Katherine D. Malone (388 students) and Stony Brook (410 students) — and Copeland Middle School for grades 6 through 8 (970 students).
Students in grades 9 - 12 attend Morris Hills High School in Rockaway Borough or Morris Knolls High School in Denville Township, depending where in the township they live. The high schools are part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District, which also serves the residential communities of Rockaway Borough and Wharton.
[edit] Transportation
- Route 15, Route 23, U.S. Route 46, and Interstate 80 all pass through the township.
New Jersey Transit bus service is provided on the MCM5, MCM7 and MCM10 local routes.[16]
[edit] Points of interest
- Picatinny Arsenal, a military research and manufacturing facility.
- Rockaway Townsquare Mall, which currently has a gross leasable area of 1,250,000 ft²,[17] has recently begun a significant expansion project. An AMC 16-screen movie theater has recently been built along with stores such as, Target, Pier 1 Imports, Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy and Borders Books. Other plans include the renovation of the outer mall's buildings' facades, construction of new wing of the main mall complex, and new stores within the mall itself, but those plans have not been finalized.
[edit] Popular culture
- The 2003 American independent film, The Station Agent, was partially filmed at various locations in the northern part of the township.
- The North Jersey Lakers, an Eastern Basketball Alliance team, play in Newfoundland.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Rockaway Township include:
- Lou Benfatti (1971-), former defensive tackle for the New York Jets (1994-1996).[18][19]
- Raymond T. Odierno (1954-), Lieutenant General, United States Army and Commander US III Corps. A key officer in Operation Iraqi Freedom.[20]
[edit] References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Rockaway, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Rockaway township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 2, 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. 197.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 116.
- ^ Office of the Mayor, Rockaway Township. Accessed August 2, 2007.
- ^ Council Members, Rockaway Township. Accessed August 2, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 63. 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.
- ^ What is a Freeholder?, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ Meet the Freeholders, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ Data for the Rockaway Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 3, 2008.
- ^ Morris County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
- ^ Rockaway Townsquare Mall, International Council of Shopping Centers. Accessed September 21, 2006.
- ^ Lange, Randy. "CRUSHING HALT TO JETS CAREER: BROKEN NECK KOS BENFATTI", The Record (Bergen County), April 8, 1997. Accessed August 2, 2007. "Benfatti hides his turmoil well behind a calm demeanor that has been his trademark at Morris Knolls High School, at Penn State, and as a third-round draft pick of the Jets in 1994."
- ^ Lou Benfatti, Morris Knolls High School. Accessed August 2, 2007.
- ^ Cloud, David S. "U.S. Military Leader in Iraq Talks of ‘Thinning the Lines’", The New York Times, May 26, 2007. Accessed February 27, 2008. "“We’ll do this in a very deliberate and slow way,” General Odierno, a 1976 West Point graduate from Rockaway, N.J., said in an interview here."
[edit] External links
- Rockaway Township website
- Rockaway Township Public Schools
- Rockaway Township Public Schools's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the Rockaway Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
- Historical Society of the Rockaways website
- Abandoned Mines of Rockaway Township & the NJ Highlands
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