Lopatcong Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Lopatcong Township is a Township
in Warren County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 8,014. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley
.
Lopatcong Township is a suburb
that was featured in a 2003 article in The New York Times
which discussed problems of public school financing in suburban communities and various strategies communities have adopted to deal with the problem.
, and contained portions of Greenwich Township
and Harmony Township
. After Phillipsburg
was incorporated as an independent municipality on March 8, 1861, the township changed its name to Lopatcong as of March 18, 1863, after a creek in the area.
The name of the creek and township — Lopatcong — came from four words of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans
— Lowan peek achtu onk, which meant "winter water place for deer
".
, the township has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²), of which, 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.84%) is water.
Lopatcong is made up of several neighborhoods, including Morris Park, Delaware Park, Rosehill Heights, Brakeley Park, Lows Hollow, Country Hills, Meadow View, Scott's Mountain, and Overlook.
of 2000, there were 5,765 people, 2,143 households, and 1,523 families residing in the township. The population density
was 814.6 people per square mile (314.4/km²). There were 2,429 housing units at an average density of 343.2 per square mile (132.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.27% White, 1.13% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.49% from other races
, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 2,143 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples
living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,918, and the median income for a family was $65,545. Males had a median income of $52,540 versus $30,967 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $24,333. About 4.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
form of government. The Faulkner Act
allows municipalities to adopt a Small Municipality form of government only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member Township Council, with all positions elected at large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. The current Mayor is The Honorable Douglas J. Steinhardt. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that one or two seats come up for election each year.
, the Lopatcong Township Committee consists of Mayor
Douglas Steinhardt (R
, term ends December 31, 2011), Council President Victor Camporine (R, 2013), William W. Baker, Sr. (D
, 2012), H. Matthew Curry (R, 2013) and James Mengucci (D, 2012).
Lopatcong Township is in the
serves public school students in grades K-8. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are Lopatcong Elementary School (preK-4, 474 students) and Lopatcong Middle School (5-8, 398 students). Before the Middle School opened in 2003, students would attend the Elementary School through eighth grade.
Public school students in grade 9 - 12 attend Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg
, which serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg as part of the Phillipsburg School District
. The high school also serves students from five communities as part of sending/receiving relationship
s: Alpha
, Bloomsbury
(in Hunterdon County
), Greenwich Township
, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township
.
Students in grades 9-12 can also attend Warren County Technical School
in Washington
, which also serves students from all of Warren County.
which passes through in the eastern part. Route 57 traverses towards the center and has its western end at US 22
which also also passes through in the southern section of the township.
New Jersey Transit
bus service is provided on the 890 and 891 routes.
Several Ways to Die Trying
. The film's writer/director as well as members of the cast and crew are residents of the township.
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 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 8,014. The township is part of the eastern 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...
.
Lopatcong Township is a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
that was featured in a 2003 article in The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
which discussed problems of public school financing in suburban communities and various strategies communities have adopted to deal with the problem.
History
What is now Lopatcong Township was created as Phillipsburg Township on March 7, 1851, by an act approved by the New Jersey LegislatureNew 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 contained portions of Greenwich Township
Greenwich Township, Warren County, New Jersey
Greenwich Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 5,712. The township is located in the far eastern region of the Lehigh Valley....
and Harmony Township
Harmony Township, New Jersey
-Transportation:The only major road that traverses Harmony is CR 519 which leads to U.S. Route 22 to the south and U.S. Route 46 to the north.The closest limited access road is Interstate 78 which is in neighboring Greenwich and Franklin.- Local government :...
. After Phillipsburg
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
was incorporated as an independent municipality on March 8, 1861, the township changed its name to Lopatcong as of March 18, 1863, after a creek in the area.
The name of the creek and township — Lopatcong — came from four words of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
— Lowan peek achtu onk, which meant "winter water place for deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
".
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 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²), of which, 7.1 square miles (18.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.84%) is water.
Lopatcong is made up of several neighborhoods, including Morris Park, Delaware Park, Rosehill Heights, Brakeley Park, Lows Hollow, Country Hills, Meadow View, Scott's Mountain, and Overlook.
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 5,765 people, 2,143 households, and 1,523 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 814.6 people per square mile (314.4/km²). There were 2,429 housing units at an average density of 343.2 per square mile (132.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.27% White, 1.13% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.63% 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 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.
There were 2,143 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% 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, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the township the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $50,918, and the median income for a family was $65,545. Males had a median income of $52,540 versus $30,967 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 $24,333. About 4.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Lopatcong Township is governed by the Faulkner Act (Small Municipality)Faulkner Act (Small Municipality)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Small Municipality form of government...
form of government. The Faulkner Act
Faulkner Act (New Jersey)
The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H...
allows municipalities to adopt a Small Municipality form of government only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member Township Council, with all positions elected at large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. The current Mayor is The Honorable Douglas J. Steinhardt. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that one or two seats come up for election each year.
, the Lopatcong Township Committee consists of Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Douglas Steinhardt (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), Council President Victor Camporine (R, 2013), William W. Baker, Sr. (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, 2012), H. Matthew Curry (R, 2013) and James Mengucci (D, 2012).
Federal, state and county representation
Lopatcong Township is in the 5th Congressional district.Lopatcong Township is in the
Education
The Lopatcong Township School DistrictLopatcong Township School District
The Lopatcong Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade from Lopatcong Township, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States...
serves public school students in grades K-8. 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 Lopatcong Elementary School (preK-4, 474 students) and Lopatcong Middle School (5-8, 398 students). Before the Middle School opened in 2003, students would attend the Elementary School through eighth grade.
Public school students in grade 9 - 12 attend Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
, which serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg as part of the Phillipsburg School District
Phillipsburg School District
The Phillipsburg School District is a comprehensive public school district in Phillipsburg, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. The district serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has a population of 16,000 people and an area of on the Delaware River...
. The high school also serves students from five communities 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: Alpha
Alpha, New Jersey
Alpha is a borough in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,369.Alpha was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature and signed by Governor Woodrow Wilson on June 26, 1911, from portions of Pohatcong...
, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury, New Jersey
Bloomsbury is a Borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 870.Bloomsbury was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 30, 1905, from portions of Bethlehem Township.The Borough of...
(in Hunterdon County
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
), Greenwich Township
Greenwich Township, Warren County, New Jersey
Greenwich Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 5,712. The township is located in the far eastern region of the Lehigh Valley....
, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township
Pohatcong Township, New Jersey
Pohatcong Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States, located in the easternmost region of the Lehigh Valley. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 3,339....
.
Students in grades 9-12 can also attend Warren County Technical School
Warren County Technical School
Warren County Technical School is a technical and vocational public high school serving students in grades 9-12 and adult learners, located in Washington, and serving the entire Warren County, New Jersey, United States community, as part of the Warren County Vocational School District.As of the...
in 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....
, which also serves students from all of Warren County.
Transportation
The main county road that passes through is County Route 519County Route 519 (New Jersey)
County Route 519 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Daniel Bray Highway in Delaware Township to the New York state line in Wantage Township...
which passes through in the eastern part. Route 57 traverses towards the center and has its western end at US 22
U.S. Route 22 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 22 is a U.S. highway stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In New Jersey, the route runs for from the Easton-Phillipsburg Toll Bridge over the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, Warren County to Interstate 78 , US 1/9, and Route 21 at the Newark...
which also also passes through in the southern section of the township.
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...
bus service is provided on the 890 and 891 routes.
Film community
Lopatcong Township was the primary location for the independent filmIndependent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Several Ways to Die Trying
Several Ways to Die Trying
Several Ways to Die Trying is an independent film made in 2005 by a group of college students and recent graduates.The film was mostly shot in Lopatcong Township, New Jersey, United States...
. The film's writer/director as well as members of the cast and crew are residents of the township.
External links
- Lopatcong Township website
- Warren County page for Lopatcong Township
- Lopatcong Township School District
- Data for the Lopatcong Township 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...
- Phillipsburg High School