Hackettstown, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Hackettstown is a town
in Warren County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 9,724. The town is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley
.
Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 9, 1853, from portions of Independence Township
. Portions of territory were exchanged with Mansfield Township
in 1857, 1860, 1872 and 1875.
Hackettstown houses the headquarters of Mars Chocolate USA, the American division of Mars, Incorporated
, makers of Milky Way, Mars
, M&M's
, Twix
and Snickers
candy bars, as well as pet foods (such as the well-known Whiskas
and Pedigree brands), human foods (including Uncle Ben's
) and non-confectionery snack foods (including Combos
).
It is believed that Hackettstown was named after Samuel Hackett, a prominent landowner who is said to have "contributed liberally to the liquid refreshments on the christening of a new hotel, in order to secure the name which, before this, had been Helms' Mills or Musconetcong".
Hackettstown was named #72 of the top 100 towns in the United States to Live and Work In by Money
Magazine in 2005; it has not been included since.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), all of it land. It is located in a valley along the banks of the Musconetcong River
.
Upper Pohatcong Mountain
extends northeast of Washington
approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) to the vicinity of Paris.
Hackettstown borders the townships of Washington
, Mansfield
, Allamuchy
, Mount Olive Township
and Independence
.
of 2000, there were 10,403 people, 4,134 households, and 2,530 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,809.5 people per square mile (1,085.6/km2). There were 4,347 housing units at an average density of 1,174.0 per square mile (453.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 90.25% White, 2.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.91% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races
, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.01% of the population.
There were 4,134 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,955, and the median income for a family was $64,383. Males had a median income of $44,420 versus $31,110 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $24,742. About 2.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
adopted by the New Jersey Legislature
and approved by the voters in 1970.
The governing body consists of a strong mayor and six councilpersons all elected at large.
The Mayor is elected for a three year term and serves as the chief executive officer of the Town. The Mayor presides over Town meetings, Supervises Town departments and Town employees, Presents a proposed budget for consideration by the Town Council, (and, unless otherwise provided for by state or local law) hires all employees with the advise and consent of the Town Council.
The Mayor does not vote on any matter, except in the event of a tie vote. However, the Mayor has the power to veto any ordinance. A Mayor’s veto may be overridden by the vote of four council members.
The six-member Town Council serve for three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two Council seats up for vote at each election. The Council exercises the legislative power of the Town along with any other powers designated to the governing body by State or local law. The Council adopts all ordinances and regulations along with budget. Council members also serve on three member Council Committees that include Fire, Sanitation, Police, Welfare, Lighting, Recreation, Printing, License and Franchise, Public Works, Ordinance and Finance. These committees conduct research and detailed reviews of issues on behalf of the Town.
, the Mayor
of Hackettstown is Michael B. Lavery (R
, term ends December 31, 2011). The Hackettstown Town Council consists of Joseph Bristow (R, 2011), Gerald DiMaio, Jr. (Alternate Acting Mayor; R, 2013), Maria DiGiovanni (Acting Mayor; R, 2011), Scott Sheldon (R, 2012), John Stout (R, 2013) and Paul Wallace (R, 2012).
serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Hatchery Hill School (K-4; 243 students),
Willow Grove School (K-4; 240),
Hackettstown Middle School (5-8; 437) and
Hackettstown High School
(9-12; 937). Students from the townships of Allamuchy
, Independence
, and Liberty
, attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationship
s.
For the 2001-02 school year, Hackettstown Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award
from the United States Department of Education
, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.
Centenary College of New Jersey, a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church
, is located in Hackettstown.
station is the western terminus of the New Jersey Transit
Morristown Line
and the Montclair-Boonton Line
, which both provide service to Hoboken Terminal
with connections to Pennsylvania Station
in Midtown Manhattan
via Midtown Direct
trains.
Passing through Hackettstown are U.S. Route 46
, Route 57, and County Route 517
Route 182 exists completely within the boundaries of Hackettstown.
Hackettstown is located 49.3 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport
in Newark
, Elizabeth
. Lehigh Valley International Airport
near Allentown, Pennsylvania
is 39.0 miles away. A small general aviation airport, named Hackettstown Airport
and holding the official database designation of is in adjoining Mansfield Township
, only a few hundred yards from the municipal border with Hackettstown proper.
Tillie Smith, an 18-year-old kitchen worker from a poverty-stricken family, was raped, murdered and left lying in an open field on the campus of the Centenary Collegiate Institute in Hackettstown, where she worked in 1886.
A maintenance worker at the school named James Titus was tried and convicted of the rape and murder. He was sentenced to hang, but he signed a confession and served 19 years of hard labor and then lived from 1904 to 1952 in Hackettstown, among many of the same residents who championed his conviction. The conviction was based on circumstantial evidence, and the public opinion was shaped by the newspapers in New York, Trenton and Philadelphia.
In 1925, a train wreck in the town killed 27 people and injured about 50 others en route to New York City from Chicago. The derailment occurred on Rockport road in the early morning at approximately 3:30AM. The event made national headlines and stands as the deadliest event in Warren county ever.
Town (New Jersey)
A Town in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government...
in Warren County
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 9,724. The town is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
.
Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on March 9, 1853, from portions of Independence Township
Independence Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,603 people, 2,146 households, and 1,489 families residing in the township. The population density was 282.4 people per square mile . There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 111.4 per square mile...
. Portions of territory were exchanged with Mansfield Township
Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,653 people, 2,334 households, and 1,750 families residing in the township. The population density was 222.3 people per square mile . There were 2,415 housing units at an average density of 80.7 per square mile...
in 1857, 1860, 1872 and 1875.
Hackettstown houses the headquarters of Mars Chocolate USA, the American division of Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
, makers of Milky Way, Mars
Mars Bar
Mars is a chocolate bar manufactured by Mars, Incorporated. It was first manufactured in Slough, Berkshire in the United Kingdom in 1932 as a sweeter version of the US Milky Way bar which Mars, Inc. produced...
, M&M's
M&M's
M&M's are dragée-like "colorful button-shaped candies" produced by Mars, Incorporated...
, Twix
Twix
Twix is a chocolate bar made by Mars, Inc., consisting of a biscuit finger, topped with caramel and coated in milk chocolate. Being somewhat smaller in width than other confectionery bars, Twix bars are typically packaged in pairs...
and Snickers
Snickers
Snickers is a brand name chocolate bar made by Mars, Incorporated. It consists of peanut nougat topped with roasted peanuts and caramel, enrobed in milk chocolate. Snickers has annual global sales of $2 billion....
candy bars, as well as pet foods (such as the well-known Whiskas
Whiskas
Whiskas is a brand of cat food sold throughout the world. It is owned by the American group Mars, Incorporated. It is available either as meat-like pieces in cans, pouches, or dry biscuits. Most packaging is a recognisable purple colour.-History:...
and Pedigree brands), human foods (including Uncle Ben's
Uncle Ben's
Uncle Ben's is a brand name for parboiled rice and related food products. The brand was introduced by Converted Rice Inc., which was later bought by Mars, Inc....
) and non-confectionery snack foods (including Combos
Combos
Combos, officially called Combos Snacks, invented in the mid 1970s, are a snack food created and distributed by Mars, Incorporated, and sold throughout North America...
).
It is believed that Hackettstown was named after Samuel Hackett, a prominent landowner who is said to have "contributed liberally to the liquid refreshments on the christening of a new hotel, in order to secure the name which, before this, had been Helms' Mills or Musconetcong".
Hackettstown was named #72 of the top 100 towns in the United States to Live and Work In by Money
Money (magazine)
Money is published by Time Inc. Its first issue was published in October 1972. Its articles cover the gamut of personal finance topics ranging from investing, saving, retirement and taxes to family finance issues like paying for college, credit, career and home improvement...
Magazine in 2005; it has not been included since.
Geography
Hackettstown is located at 40°51.2′N 74°49.8′W (40.8532, -74.8293).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.6 km²), all of it land. It is located in a valley along the banks of the Musconetcong River
Musconetcong River
The Musconetcong River is a tributary of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey in the United States. It flows through the rural mountainous country of northwestern New Jersey. Part of it is a National Wild and Scenic River....
.
Upper Pohatcong Mountain
Upper Pohatcong Mountain
Upper Pohatcong Mountain is a ridge in the Appalachian Mountains of northwestern New Jersey in the United States. It is located in eastern Warren County, and extends northeast of Washington approximately 6 mi to the vicinity of Hackettstown...
extends northeast of Washington
Washington, New Jersey
Washington is a borough in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,461. The borough is located in the eastern most region of the Lehigh Valley....
approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) to the vicinity of Paris.
Hackettstown borders the townships of Washington
Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey
Washington Township is a Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 18,533. It's one of six municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name Washington. Washington, New Jersey, in fact is only away...
, Mansfield
Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,653 people, 2,334 households, and 1,750 families residing in the township. The population density was 222.3 people per square mile . There were 2,415 housing units at an average density of 80.7 per square mile...
, Allamuchy
Allamuchy Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,877 people, 1,692 households, and 1,133 families residing in the township. The population density was 188.8 people per square mile . There were 1,774 housing units at an average density of 86.4 per square mile...
, Mount Olive Township
Mount Olive Township, New Jersey
-Transportation:The major roads that pass through include U.S. Route 46 through the center, U.S. Route 206 in the east and northeast part and Interstate 80 in the north .-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 24,193 people, 9,068 households, and 6,374 families residing in the...
and Independence
Independence Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,603 people, 2,146 households, and 1,489 families residing in the township. The population density was 282.4 people per square mile . There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 111.4 per square mile...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,403 people, 4,134 households, and 2,530 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,809.5 people per square mile (1,085.6/km2). There were 4,347 housing units at an average density of 1,174.0 per square mile (453.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 90.25% White, 2.18% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.91% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.00% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.01% of the population.
There were 4,134 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.10.
In the town the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $51,955, and the median income for a family was $64,383. Males had a median income of $44,420 versus $31,110 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $24,742. About 2.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
The Town of Hackettstown operates under a Mayor-Council form of government. It was created by a Special CharterSpecial Charter (New Jersey)
A Special Charter allows a New Jersey municipality to operate under a charter that differs from those of the traditional forms of government or the many options available under the Faulkner Act...
adopted by the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
and approved by the voters in 1970.
The governing body consists of a strong mayor and six councilpersons all elected at large.
The Mayor is elected for a three year term and serves as the chief executive officer of the Town. The Mayor presides over Town meetings, Supervises Town departments and Town employees, Presents a proposed budget for consideration by the Town Council, (and, unless otherwise provided for by state or local law) hires all employees with the advise and consent of the Town Council.
The Mayor does not vote on any matter, except in the event of a tie vote. However, the Mayor has the power to veto any ordinance. A Mayor’s veto may be overridden by the vote of four council members.
The six-member Town Council serve for three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two Council seats up for vote at each election. The Council exercises the legislative power of the Town along with any other powers designated to the governing body by State or local law. The Council adopts all ordinances and regulations along with budget. Council members also serve on three member Council Committees that include Fire, Sanitation, Police, Welfare, Lighting, Recreation, Printing, License and Franchise, Public Works, Ordinance and Finance. These committees conduct research and detailed reviews of issues on behalf of the Town.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Hackettstown is Michael B. Lavery (R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, term ends December 31, 2011). The Hackettstown Town Council consists of Joseph Bristow (R, 2011), Gerald DiMaio, Jr. (Alternate Acting Mayor; R, 2013), Maria DiGiovanni (Acting Mayor; R, 2011), Scott Sheldon (R, 2012), John Stout (R, 2013) and Paul Wallace (R, 2012).
Federal, state and county representation
Hackettstown is in the 5th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.Education
The Hackettstown School DistrictHackettstown School District
The Hackettstown School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Hackettstown, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States...
serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Hatchery Hill School (K-4; 243 students),
Willow Grove School (K-4; 240),
Hackettstown Middle School (5-8; 437) and
Hackettstown High School
Hackettstown High School
Hackettstown High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Hackettstown in Warren County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Hackettstown School District...
(9-12; 937). Students from the townships of Allamuchy
Allamuchy Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 3,877 people, 1,692 households, and 1,133 families residing in the township. The population density was 188.8 people per square mile . There were 1,774 housing units at an average density of 86.4 per square mile...
, Independence
Independence Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 5,603 people, 2,146 households, and 1,489 families residing in the township. The population density was 282.4 people per square mile . There were 2,210 housing units at an average density of 111.4 per square mile...
, and Liberty
Liberty Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,765 people, 980 households, and 750 families residing in the township. The population density was 234.3 people per square mile . There were 1,088 housing units at an average density of 92.2 per square mile...
, attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
s.
For the 2001-02 school year, Hackettstown Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
from the United States Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.
Centenary College of New Jersey, a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
, is located in Hackettstown.
Transportation
The HackettstownHackettstown (NJT station)
Hackettstown Station is a New Jersey Transit station in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The station is located at the intersection of Valentine Street and Beatty Street and is the western terminus of the Morristown Line and the Montclair-Boonton Line, which both provide service to Hoboken Terminal or to...
station is the western terminus of the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
Morristown Line
Morristown Line
The Morristown Line is one of New Jersey Transit's commuter lines and is one of two branches that run along the Morris and Essex Lines. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbound trains use the Kearny Connection to Secaucus Junction and New York Penn...
and the Montclair-Boonton Line
Montclair-Boonton Line
The Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Montclair Branch, which ran from Hoboken Terminal to Bay Street,...
, which both provide service to Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal
Hoboken Terminal is one of the New York Metropolitan area's major transportation hubs. The commuter-oriented intermodal facility, is located on the Hudson River in Hoboken, New Jersey...
with connections to Pennsylvania Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
via Midtown Direct
Kearny Connection
The Kearny Connection in Kearny, New Jersey, allows suburban passenger trains from New Jersey Transit's Morris and Essex Lines to run to New York Penn Station,instead of their traditional ferry terminal on the river in Hoboken. New Jersey Transit dubbed the new service Midtown Direct; the...
trains.
Passing through Hackettstown are U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
, Route 57, and County Route 517
County Route 517 (New Jersey)
County Route 517 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Lamington Road in Tewksbury Township to the New York state line in Vernon Township where it continues as Orange County Route 26. It mainly traverses through small, rural communities and unincorporated...
Route 182 exists completely within the boundaries of Hackettstown.
Hackettstown is located 49.3 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, Elizabeth
Elizabeth, New Jersey
Elizabeth is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 124,969, retaining its ranking as New Jersey's fourth largest city with an increase of 4,401 residents from its 2000 Census population of 120,568...
. Lehigh Valley International Airport
Lehigh Valley International Airport
Lehigh Valley International Airport , formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport, is a public airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania....
near Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
is 39.0 miles away. A small general aviation airport, named Hackettstown Airport
Hackettstown Airport
Hackettstown Airport is a public-use airport located in the Beattystown area of Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey, United States, three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Hackettstown. The airport is privately owned. Although most U.S...
and holding the official database designation of is in adjoining Mansfield Township
Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,653 people, 2,334 households, and 1,750 families residing in the township. The population density was 222.3 people per square mile . There were 2,415 housing units at an average density of 80.7 per square mile...
, only a few hundred yards from the municipal border with Hackettstown proper.
History
William Johnson (1817 - 1891) was a prime mover in getting the town incorporated in 1853. He and his brother George (1815 - 1889) were successful merchants in the town beginning in 1839 when they began operating the W.L. & G.W Johnson dry good store. The two men were very active in community affairs. George was a member of First Presbyterian Chuch, a director of the Hackettstown National Bank, and a member of the Hackettstown Water Board. Both men were involved in the establishment of the Union Cemetery.Tillie Smith, an 18-year-old kitchen worker from a poverty-stricken family, was raped, murdered and left lying in an open field on the campus of the Centenary Collegiate Institute in Hackettstown, where she worked in 1886.
A maintenance worker at the school named James Titus was tried and convicted of the rape and murder. He was sentenced to hang, but he signed a confession and served 19 years of hard labor and then lived from 1904 to 1952 in Hackettstown, among many of the same residents who championed his conviction. The conviction was based on circumstantial evidence, and the public opinion was shaped by the newspapers in New York, Trenton and Philadelphia.
In 1925, a train wreck in the town killed 27 people and injured about 50 others en route to New York City from Chicago. The derailment occurred on Rockport road in the early morning at approximately 3:30AM. The event made national headlines and stands as the deadliest event in Warren county ever.
Local media
- WNTIWNTIWNTI is a non-commercial radio station owned and operated by Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey. The station first went on the air on December 8, 1958-History:...
, 91.9 on the FM dial - Centenary College radio. - WRNJ, known as "Oldies 1510 WRNJ" at 1510 on the AM dial, is licensed to Hackettstown. It is also simulcast on FM translators on FM 92.7 and FM 104.7.
- The main office for The Warren Reporter, a free weekly newspaper delivered to 42,000 households in Warren County, is on East Moore Street.
Sports
- Hackettstown High SchoolHackettstown High SchoolHackettstown High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Hackettstown in Warren County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Hackettstown School District...
is known for its sports teams, collectively known as the Tigers. The group recently moved into the Northwest New Jersey Athletic Conference. - The Centenary CollegeCentenary College of New JerseyCentenary College was founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church. Centenary has evolved from a coeducational preparatory school to a girls' preparatory school , to a Junior college for women , to a four-year women's college , to a coeducational...
teams are known as the Cyclones. - Skyland Roller Girls, founded in 2008, bout out of Excel Roller Skating Center in Hackettstown http://skylandrollergirls.com/
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Hackettstown include:- Bette CooperBette CooperBette Cooper was 1937's Miss America. She was born in Hackettstown, New Jersey.Cooper, who had earlier won the Miss Bertrand Island title, reportedly does not speak of her involvement with Miss America....
(born 1920), Miss AmericaMiss AmericaThe Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
1937 - Jim CourterJim CourterJames Andrew "Jim" Courter is an American Republican Party politician, lawyer and businessman. He is a resident of Hackettstown, New Jersey.-Biography:He was born October 14, 1941 in Montclair, New Jersey...
(born 1941), former Member of Congress. - John DiMaioJohn DiMaioJohn DiMaio is an American Republican Party politician, who was selected on February 21, 2009 to fill the New Jersey General Assembly seat for the 23rd legislative district vacated by Marcia A. Karrow, after Karrow filled the vacancy for the New Jersey Senate in the same district...
(born 1955), member of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
who served as mayor of Hackettstown from 1991 to 1999. - Brian FallonBrian FallonBrian Fallon is an American musician. Fallon is one of the founding members of the band The Gaslight Anthem. He plays guitar and provides lead vocals for the band. He is currently working on a side project called The Horrible Crowes....
(born 1980), lead singer for The Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight AnthemThe Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, consisting of Brian Fallon , Alex Rosamilia , Alex Levine and Benny Horowitz...
/The Horrible Crowes - Kristen MaloneyKristen MaloneyKristin Ann Maloney , also known as Kristen Maloney, is a retired gymnast from Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, United States, who was coached by Jack Carter in the 2000 Olympics and won bronze in the Team Event. Maloney was also the U.S...
(born 1981), former gymnastics Olympian. - Jimmi SimpsonJimmi SimpsonJames Raymond "Jimmi" Simpson is an American actor. He has had recurring roles on the television shows 24, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Psych, My Name Is Earl, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and The Late Show with David Letterman...
(born 1975), actor.
External links
- Hackettstown website
- Warren County page for Hackettstown
- Hackettstown School District
- Data for the Hackettstown School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Hackettstown Business Improvement District
- Hackettstown Life Community Web Site
- Warren County Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Warren County Economic Development Corporation
- Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau