Pompton Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Pompton Township is a defunct township
in Passaic County
, New Jersey
.
, and incorporated on February 21, 1798.
When Passaic County, New Jersey
was established on February 7, 1837, it included Pompton Township.
The borough of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
was formed on February 26, 1895, during the peak of the "Boroughitis
" phenomenon, and was the first municipality to split from the township. The township was divided on February 23, 1918, into three boroughs
: Bloomingdale
Ringwood
and Wanaque
, with the remaining portion passing to Pompton Lakes. This ended the existence of the township.
According to news accounts at the time of the split, local leaders from the various communities felt that the population growth within the township was a hindrance to the ability of the Township Committee to govern. Citizens of Haskell (now in Wanaque) had begun to discuss the formation of their own borough and this prompted citizens in the other sections to follow their lead. A significant portion of the land was sparsely populated and the split off a village would leave a larger tax burden on those that remained.
A meeting was called for January 12, 1918, to discuss the pros and cons of splitting the township. From that, a committee representing the various sections was formed and eventually three boroughs were agreed on, the boundaries established and finances settled (share of debt, distribution of assets). In addition, the township school district was similarly divided into the separate districts for each borough. The vote to split was approved in all three sections in February.
The final Township Committee meeting took place on May 14, 1918 in Midvale to finalize the disbursement of cash in the township treasury to the three boroughs and pay off remaining debt owed to the county.
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 Passaic County
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
, 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...
.
History
It was originally formed on April 10, 1797, from portions of Saddle River Township and Franklin Township in Bergen CountyBergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, and incorporated on February 21, 1798.
When Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
was established on February 7, 1837, it included Pompton Township.
The borough of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,097....
was formed on February 26, 1895, during the peak of the "Boroughitis
Boroughitis
Boroughitis was a political phenomenon that spread throughout the U.S. state of New Jersey in the late 19th century, which led groups of residents to unite to form boroughs from within and among the many townships that were the prevalent form of local government at the time. This phenomenon was...
" phenomenon, and was the first municipality to split from the township. The township was divided on February 23, 1918, into three boroughs
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
: Bloomingdale
Bloomingdale, Passaic County, New Jersey
Bloomingdale is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 7,656.-Geography:Bloomingdale is located at ....
Ringwood
Ringwood, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 12,396 people, 4,108 households, and 3,446 families residing in the borough. The population density is 491.0 people per square mile . There are 4,221 housing units at an average density of 167.2 per square mile...
and Wanaque
Wanaque, New Jersey
Wanaque is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,116.Wanaque was incorporated as an independent Borough on February 23, 1918, when Pompton Township was split up into three Boroughs, along with Bloomingdale and...
, with the remaining portion passing to Pompton Lakes. This ended the existence of the township.
According to news accounts at the time of the split, local leaders from the various communities felt that the population growth within the township was a hindrance to the ability of the Township Committee to govern. Citizens of Haskell (now in Wanaque) had begun to discuss the formation of their own borough and this prompted citizens in the other sections to follow their lead. A significant portion of the land was sparsely populated and the split off a village would leave a larger tax burden on those that remained.
A meeting was called for January 12, 1918, to discuss the pros and cons of splitting the township. From that, a committee representing the various sections was formed and eventually three boroughs were agreed on, the boundaries established and finances settled (share of debt, distribution of assets). In addition, the township school district was similarly divided into the separate districts for each borough. The vote to split was approved in all three sections in February.
The final Township Committee meeting took place on May 14, 1918 in Midvale to finalize the disbursement of cash in the township treasury to the three boroughs and pay off remaining debt owed to the county.
Sources
- Argus Newspaper, Jan 10, 1918 & May 17, 1918