Hardyston Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Hardyston Township is a Township
in Sussex County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,171.
, the township has a total area of 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²), of which, 32.1 square miles (83.1 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (1.68%) is water.
In terms of physical geography
, nearly all of Hardyston (excluding the portion of the Township west of Hamburg along Route 94) lies within the New York-New Jersey Highlands, part of the greater Crystalline Appalachians that extend as far south as the Blue Ridge Mountains
. Hardyston is home to portions of Hamburg Mountain (east of Franklin) and Pochuck Mountain
(near Scenic Lakes) within this region. The remaining northwestern portion of the township lies within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians
. The prominent feature in the ridge-and-valley portion of the Township is the Wallkill Valley, through which the Wallkill River
flows northeast to New York state.
by Royal Charter
on February 25, 1762. It was named after Josiah Hardy
, who was royal governor of New Jersey from 1761–1763. The original British spelling of Hardiston was Americanized to Hardyston after the American Revolutionary War
.
Hardyston was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
as one of New Jersey's original 104 townships on February 21, 1798. Over the centuries, portions of the township were taken to form Vernon Township
(April 8, 1793), Sparta Township
(April 14, 1845), Franklin
(March 18, 1913) and Hamburg
(March 19, 1920).
It includes named places of Stockholm, Beaver Run, Beaver Mountain (not shown on maps), North Church, Big Springs, Holland (or Holland Mountain), Hardistonville, Rudeville, and Monroe. Postal ZIP code
s covering Hardyston Township are 07460 Stockholm
, 07416 Franklin Borough, 07419 Hamburg Borough, and a small part of 07848 Lafayette Township
.
Hardyston was serviced first by the New Jersey Midland Railway, which built the station in Stockholm. However, there was a dispute over the name as that area was known as Snufftown because of the snuff factory along the Pequannock River
, which provide the water power. Through a series of events between the residents of Stockholm and the railroad, the area eventually changed the name from Snufftown to Stockholm. Later, it was the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
, who provided service into the early 1960s when a mud slide removed a large section of trackage in West Milford Township and coupled with low productivity, the line was not repaired and service was disconnected. Today, the New York Susquehanna and Western Railway runs freight through Hardyston. The main highways are Route 23 and Route 94. A large eastern portion of the township is part of the Pequannock Watershed, which is owned by the City of Newark
in Essex County
for their water supply.
of 2000, there were 6,171 people, 2,319 households, and 1,716 families residing in the township. The population density
was 192.3 people per square mile (74.2/km2). There were 2,690 housing units at an average density of 83.8 per square mile (32.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.56% White, 0.84% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.49% from other races
, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population.
There were 2,319 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples
living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,511, and the median income for a family was $72,199. Males had a median income of $51,503 versus $32,319 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $28,457. About 2.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
granted by the New Jersey Legislature
. The government consists of a five-member Township Council elected at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members.
, the members of the Hardyston Township Council are Mayor
Stanley J. Kula, Deputy Mayor
Carl Miller, Leslie Hamilton, Kenneth P. Kievit, and Wayne Ross.
Hardyston Township is in the
. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are Hardyston Township School (grades K-5, 495 students) and those in grades 6 - 8 attend Hardyston Middle School (grades 6-8, 251 students).
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend Wallkill Valley Regional High School
which is also serves Franklin Borough
, Hamburg Borough
and Ogdensburg Borough
, and is part of the Wallkill Valley Regional High School District.
In 2008 Hardyston lost superintendent of schools and middle school principal Dennis Tobin, who left to become principal of Sparta High School (New Jersey)
.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,171.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 township has a total area of 32.6 square miles (84.4 km²), of which, 32.1 square miles (83.1 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (1.68%) is water.
In terms of physical geography
Physical geography
Physical geography is one of the two major subfields of geography. Physical geography is that branch of natural science which deals with the study of processes and patterns in the natural environment like the atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere, as opposed to the cultural or built environment, the...
, nearly all of Hardyston (excluding the portion of the Township west of Hamburg along Route 94) lies within the New York-New Jersey Highlands, part of the greater Crystalline Appalachians that extend as far south as the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains
The Blue Ridge Mountains are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains range. This province consists of northern and southern physiographic regions, which divide near the Roanoke River gap. The mountain range is located in the eastern United States, starting at its southern-most...
. Hardyston is home to portions of Hamburg Mountain (east of Franklin) and Pochuck Mountain
Pochuck Mountain
Pochuck Mountain is a ridge in the New York-New Jersey Highlands region of the Appalachian Mountains. Pochuck Mountain's summit and most of its peaks lie within Vernon Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, although the south-western portion of the ridge lies within Hardyston Township, and the...
(near Scenic Lakes) within this region. The remaining northwestern portion of the township lies within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians
Ridge-and-valley Appalachians
The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from southeastern New York through northwestern New...
. The prominent feature in the ridge-and-valley portion of the Township is the Wallkill Valley, through which the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
flows northeast to New York state.
History
Hardyston Township was set off from portions of Newton TownshipNewton Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
Newton Township is a defunct township that existed within Sussex County, New Jersey, United States, from 1751 through 1864.Newton Township was created on March 27, 1751, while the area was still part of Morris County and became part of the newly-created Sussex County upon its creation June 8, 1753...
by Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
on February 25, 1762. It was named after Josiah Hardy
Josiah Hardy
Josiah Hardy was a British merchant and colonial administrator who served as Governor of New Jersey between 1761 and 1763. He was succeeded in the post by William Franklin.He came from a naval family and was the brother of Admiral Charles Hardy....
, who was royal governor of New Jersey from 1761–1763. The original British spelling of Hardiston was Americanized to Hardyston after the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
.
Hardyston was incorporated 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...
as one of New Jersey's original 104 townships on February 21, 1798. Over the centuries, portions of the township were taken to form Vernon Township
Vernon Township, New Jersey
-Communities and neighborhoods:Communities and neighborhoods in Vernon Township include the following sections:*Vernon Village "Town Center"*Vernon Valley a.k.a...
(April 8, 1793), Sparta Township
Sparta Township, New Jersey
Sparta Township is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 19,722...
(April 14, 1845), Franklin
Franklin, New Jersey
Franklin is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,045.Franklin, known as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World," is located over a rich ore body containing more than 150 minerals, many of them fluorescent and...
(March 18, 1913) and Hamburg
Hamburg, New Jersey
Hamburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 3,277.In 1753, when Sussex County was formed, Hamburg was part of New Town; on February 25, 1762, it became part of the newly established Hardyston Township...
(March 19, 1920).
It includes named places of Stockholm, Beaver Run, Beaver Mountain (not shown on maps), North Church, Big Springs, Holland (or Holland Mountain), Hardistonville, Rudeville, and Monroe. Postal ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s covering Hardyston Township are 07460 Stockholm
Stockholm, New Jersey
Stockholm, New Jersey is an unincorporated area, located in the southeastern part of Hardyston Township in Sussex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its ZIP Code is 07460...
, 07416 Franklin Borough, 07419 Hamburg Borough, and a small part of 07848 Lafayette Township
Lafayette Township, New Jersey
Lafayette Township is a Township located in the Skylands Region of Sussex County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 2,300....
.
Hardyston was serviced first by the New Jersey Midland Railway, which built the station in Stockholm. However, there was a dispute over the name as that area was known as Snufftown because of the snuff factory along the Pequannock River
Pequannock River
The Pequannock River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 20 miles long, located in northern New Jersey in the United States....
, which provide the water power. Through a series of events between the residents of Stockholm and the railroad, the area eventually changed the name from Snufftown to Stockholm. Later, it was the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
, who provided service into the early 1960s when a mud slide removed a large section of trackage in West Milford Township and coupled with low productivity, the line was not repaired and service was disconnected. Today, the New York Susquehanna and Western Railway runs freight through Hardyston. The main highways are Route 23 and Route 94. A large eastern portion of the township is part of the Pequannock Watershed, which is owned by the City of 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...
in Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
for their water supply.
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 6,171 people, 2,319 households, and 1,716 families residing in the township. 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 192.3 people per square mile (74.2/km2). There were 2,690 housing units at an average density of 83.8 per square mile (32.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.56% White, 0.84% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.49% 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 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population.
There were 2,319 households out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $65,511, and the median income for a family was $72,199. Males had a median income of $51,503 versus $32,319 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 township was $28,457. About 2.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Hardyston Township operates under 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...
granted 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...
. The government consists of a five-member Township Council elected at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held after each election, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members.
, the members of the Hardyston Township Council are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Stanley J. Kula, Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
Carl Miller, Leslie Hamilton, Kenneth P. Kievit, and Wayne Ross.
Federal, state and county representation
Hardyston Township is in the 5th Congressional district.Hardyston Township is in the
Education
Public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade attend the schools of the Hardyston Township School DistrictHardyston Township School District
The Hardyston Township School District is a community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through eighth grade from Hardyston Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States....
. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 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 Hardyston Township School (grades K-5, 495 students) and those in grades 6 - 8 attend Hardyston Middle School (grades 6-8, 251 students).
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend Wallkill Valley Regional High School
Wallkill Valley Regional High School
Wallkill Valley Regional High School is a four-year public high school and regional school district in New Jersey serving students in grades 9-12 from four municipalities in Sussex County, approximately forty miles northwest of New York City...
which is also serves Franklin Borough
Franklin, New Jersey
Franklin is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,045.Franklin, known as the "Fluorescent Mineral Capital of the World," is located over a rich ore body containing more than 150 minerals, many of them fluorescent and...
, Hamburg Borough
Hamburg, New Jersey
Hamburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 3,277.In 1753, when Sussex County was formed, Hamburg was part of New Town; on February 25, 1762, it became part of the newly established Hardyston Township...
and Ogdensburg Borough
Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
, and is part of the Wallkill Valley Regional High School District.
In 2008 Hardyston lost superintendent of schools and middle school principal Dennis Tobin, who left to become principal of Sparta High School (New Jersey)
Sparta High School (New Jersey)
Sparta High School is a four-year public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Sparta Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sparta Township Public School District...
.
Cemetery
The town contains North Church Cemetery / North Hardyston Cemetery. Notable burials there include:- Samuel Fowler (1779–1844), who served in the House of Representatives from 1833 to 1837.
- Samuel Fowler (1851–1919), represented New Jersey's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th congressional districtNew Jersey's 4th Congressional District elects one member of congress by the first past the post method, it is currently represented by Republican Chris Smith. He has represented the district since 1981....
from 1893–1895. - Daniel HainesDaniel HainesDaniel Haines was an American jurist who served as the 14th Governor of New Jersey.Daniel Haines was born in New York City, the nephew of Governor Aaron Ogden. He graduated from The College of New Jersey in 1820, and went on to practice law in Newton and Hamburg...
(1801–1877) 14th Governor of New JerseyGovernor of New JerseyThe Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
, from 1843 to 1845, and from 1848 to 1851. - John LinnJohn Linn (politician)John Linn was a U.S. Representative from New Jersey from 1817 to 1821.Born near Johnsonburg, Hardwick Township, New Jersey, Linn moved with his father to Sussex County, New Jersey.He attended the common schools....
(1763–1821) was a U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from New JerseyNew JerseyNew 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...
from 1817 to 1821.
Further reading
- Truran, William R. Franklin, Hamburg, Ogdensburg, and Hardyston (Images of America). (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004).