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Chester Borough, New Jersey

Chester Borough is a borough in southwestern Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,681, an increase of 32 (+1.9%) from the 2010 census count of 1,649, which in turn reflected an increase of 14 (+0.9%) from the 1,635 counted in the 2000 census. Chester's name is derived from the township, which was named for Chestershire in England.

Chester Borough is located within the Raritan Valley region and is periodically recognized as part of the Somerset Hills. The borough is completely surrounded by Chester Township, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

In the Forbes magazine's rankings of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, Chester was ranked 288th in 2006 (with a median sale price of $775,000) and 321st in 2010 (with a median price of $823,691).

History
Chester Township was established as a separate political entity on April 1, 1799, including the area of both the Township and the downtown settlement which came to be the borough. The Borough of Chester was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1930, based on the results of a referendum held on April 25, 1930, and is today a separate municipality surrounded entirely by Chester Township.

The borough's name is derived from the township, which was named for Chestershire in England.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.59 square miles (4.13 km2), including 1.59 square miles (4.12 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km2) of water (0.13%).

The borough is completely surrounded by Chester Township. making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,649 people, 615 households, and 438 families in the borough. The population density was 1,034.8 per square mile (399.5/km2). There were 647 housing units at an average density of 406.0 per square mile (156.8/km2). The racial makeup was 90.78% (1,497) White, 1.03% (17) Black or African American, 0.49% (8) Native American, 2.30% (38) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 3.21% (53) from other races, and 2.18% (36) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.46% (222) of the population.

Of the 615 households, 34.0% had children under the age of 18; 60.0% were married couples living together; 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.8% were non-families. Of all households, 25.9% were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

27.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $86,705 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,175) and the median family income was $133,250 (+/− $8,752). Males had a median income of $84,167 (+/− $38,424) versus $50,341 (+/− $9,122) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,565 (+/− $4,792). About none of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 1,635 people, 609 households, and 426 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,063.0 people per square mile (409.9/km2). There were 627 housing units at an average density of 407.6 per square mile (157.2/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.68% White, 0.80% African American, 1.71% Asian, 2.02% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.85% of the population.

There were 609 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% 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 3.15.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $80,398, and the median income for a family was $106,260. Males had a median income of $76,772 versus $45,833 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,564. About 2.1% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 5.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation
Dense forests and hiking trails surround the town of Chester. It was named one of the top ten most beautiful towns in New Jersey in 2016. There are various recreational state parks, such as Hacklebarney State Park and Black River County Park, which contains a popular tourist site called the Nathan Cooper Gristmill. These parks serve as quintessential family activities, especially going on hikes and observing the foliage during the fall. Willowwood Arboretum, operated by the Morris County Park Commission, covers 131 acres of gardens, meadows and walking / hiking trails.

Local government
Chester is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Chester is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Chester is Republican Janet G. Hoven, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Chester Borough Council are Karen L. Ferrone (R, 2025), Russell Goodwin (R, 2025), Elizabeth Gugliemini (R, 2023), Christopher K. Heil (R, 2024), Kyle J. Holman (R, 2024) and Gary W. Marshuetz (R, 2023).

Merger discussion with Chester Township
In 2007, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine created incentives for small towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants to combine with other cities. The goal was to reduce the overall cost of government and thereby offer some tax relief. "New Jersey has 21 counties, 566 municipalities and 616 school districts, and property taxes average $6,800 per homeowner, or twice the national average."

Chester Borough had originally split from Chester Township in 1930 over the creation of sewer and water infrastructure in the more densely settled center of the municipality. The residents of the rural portions of the Township did not wish to financially support the construction and maintenance of a public sewer or water utility. Since that time rural Chester Township has relied upon individual private wells for water and septic systems for wastewater treatment while the borough is primarily, although not entirely, served by public sewer and water. Concerns over the extension of utilities into the rural Township with the resultant potential for large scale growth served as an impediment to consolidation. The prohibition of utility extensions supported by the New Jersey state plan and codified in the Highlands Water Protection Act, along with the development restrictions contained in the Highlands Act have lessened those concerns. Additionally, an aggressive land conservation program in the Township has resulted in over 40% of the 29 sqmi Township being placed into permanent preservation, further lessening worries about potential overdevelopment. The two municipalities currently share a common K–8 school district, volunteer fire department, library, first aid squad and other municipal services. Some residents are concerned about the unknown costs of a merger and a disproportionate allocation of those costs.

The two mayors had publicly endorsed a cost–benefit analysis of a merger. As two previous efforts had failed, the two municipalities have taken and deliberate approach to determine the savings, if any.

A merger vote planned for November 2010 was delayed for at least a year after Governor Christie's elimination of equalization funds that would ensure some taxpayers do not pay more due to the merger, as an analysis by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs estimated that township residents would see an annual increase of $128 on their property taxes while those in the borough would see an average decline of $570 in their taxes.

Federal, state and county representation
Chester Borough is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,038 registered voters in Chester, of which 188 (18.1%) were registered as Democrats, 500 (48.2%) were registered as Republicans and 350 (33.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.4% of the vote (506 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.7% (273 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (7 votes), among the 789 ballots cast by the borough's 1,092 registered voters (3 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 60.6% of the vote (517 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.7% (322 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (10 votes), among the 853 ballots cast by the borough's 1,102 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 66.7% of the vote (570 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 31.7% (271 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (13 votes), among the 855 ballots cast by the borough's 1,122 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.2.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 79.9% of the vote (437 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 18.8% (103 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (7 votes), among the 556 ballots cast by the borough's 1,110 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.7% of the vote (439 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 21.6% (136 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.1% (45 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (6 votes), among the 630 ballots cast by the borough's 1,079 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% turnout.

Houses of worship
The First Congregational Church, at 30 Hillside Road, has been active since 1740. This historic church building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the oldest congregational denomination west of the Hudson River.

Grace Bible Chapel, located at 100 Oakdale Road in Chester, is a non-denominational fellowship of evangelical Christians.

St. Lawrence the Martyr Roman Catholic Church, formed in the mid-1950, has about 1,200 families as congregants.

Education
Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Chester School District, together with children from Chester Township. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,047 students and 106.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Dickerson Elementary School with 317 students in grades Pre-K–2, Bragg Elementary School with 325 students in grades 3–5 and Black River Middle School with 402 students in grades 6–8. Dickerson and Bragg Schools are located on County Route 510, east of Chester Borough; Black River Middle School is on County Route 513 (North Road), north of Chester Borough. As a consolidated school district, all residents in the two constituent municipalities vote for board of education members who represent the entire district, not just the municipality in which they reside.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades in both communities attend West Morris Mendham High School, which serves students from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township. The high school is part of the West Morris Regional High School District, which also serves students from Washington Township, who attend West Morris Central High School As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,142 students and 91.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. The nine seats on the board of education are allocated based on the populations of the constituent municipalities, with one seat assigned to Chester Borough.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 12.06 mi of roadways, of which 8.37 mi were maintained by the municipality, 2.58 mi by Morris County and 1.11 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Chester is located at the point where County Route 513 (also known as old Route 24) and U.S. Route 206 intersect.

Public transportation
NJ Transit local bus service was provided on the MCM4 and MCM5 routes until June 2010, when NJ Transit pulled the subsidy.

Points of interest

 * Chester House Inn, at the corner of Main Street and Hillside Road, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Chester Borough include:

 * Lois Barker (1923–2018), utility player who played for the Grand Rapids Chicks of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the 1950 season
 * Alex Cable, optical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur who founded optical equipment manufacturer Thorlabs in his parents' basement in Chester
 * Lester H. Clee (1888–1962), clergyman and politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and served as the mayor of Chester
 * Matt Flanagan (born 1995), tight end for the Washington Redskins
 * Fran Hopper (1922–2017), comic book artist active during the 1930s–1940s period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books, who was one of the earliest women in the field
 * Larry W. Maysey (1946–1967), United States Air Force Pararescueman who was posthumously awarded the Air Force Cross, the Air Force's second-highest decoration
 * Jared Stroud (born 1996), footballer who plays as a midfielder for St. Louis City SC in the Major League Soccer

title: Chester Borough, New Jersey


text:
Chester Township, New Jersey

Chester Township is a township in southwestern Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 7,713, a decrease of 125 (−1.6%) from the 2010 census count of 7,838,  which in turn reflected an increase of 556 (+7.6%) from the 7,282 counted in the 2000 census. The township's name is derived from Chestershire in England.

Periodically recognized as part of the Somerset Hills,    Chester Township is located in the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan area. It is known as the "doughnut" around Chester Borough since it completely surrounds it, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Located about 40 mi west of New York City, Chester Township is a semi-rural residential community known for its agricultural and equestrian farms along with its country estates. The township is characterized by undeveloped, residentially zoned areas that largely contain vast amounts of open space comprised of farmland — much of which is preserved — in addition to public parks.

The township has been one of the state's highest-income communities. Based on data from the 2014–2018 American Community Survey, the township residents had a median household income of $160,625, more than double the statewide median of $79,363. In 2010, Forbes ranked Chester Township at 321st in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes," with a median home price of $823,691.

History
The earliest records of individuals settling in the area date back to deeds dated in 1713, for properties located near a point where two Lenape Native American trails crossed at an area called Black River. With the arrival of the Rogerenes in 1730, the area developed as an agricultural community, producing applejack, flax and wool, as well as raising cattle. The Township was created from portions of Roxbury Township and Washington Township on April 1, 1799, following a local referendum. A burst of economic activity occurred starting in 1875 with the discovery of iron ore in the area, which led to the construction of dozens of mines, a blast furnace and many of the commercial and residential structures in the township date to that era. The discovery of far more abundant and productive mining sites in Minnesota's Mesabi Range ended that boom after nearly 15 years. Chester returned to its farming roots in the 20th Century.

It was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 1, 1799, from portions of both Roxbury and Washington Townships, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Additional territories were acquired from Randolph Township (in 1806) and Washington Township (1840 and 1853). Portions of the township were taken on April 3, 1930, to form Chester Borough, a separate municipality surrounded entirely by Chester Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 29.22 square miles (75.67 km2), including 29.13 square miles (75.45 km2) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.22 km2) of water (0.29%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Hacklebarney, Horton, Milldale, Milltown, Mount Paul, Pleasant Hill and Upper Ironia.

The township completely surrounds Chester Borough, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders Mendham Township to the east, Randolph and Roxbury to the northeast, Mount Olive to the northwest, and Washington Township to the west, all of which are located in Morris County, while the Somerset County municipalities of Bedminster and Peapack-Gladstone, located in the Somerset Hills lie to the south and Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County to the southwest.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,838 people, 2,592 households, and 2,201 families in the township. The population density was 266.8 /sqmi. There were 2,697 housing units at an average density of 91.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 93.31% (7,314) White, 1.05% (82) Black or African American, 0.03% (2) Native American, 3.50% (274) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.54% (42) from other races, and 1.57% (123) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.35% (341) of the population.

Of the 2,592 households, 43.4% had children under the age of 18; 76.5% were married couples living together; 5.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 15.1% were non-families. Of all households, 11.6% were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.27.

30.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $162,188 (with a margin of error of +/− $17,186) and the median family income was $168,942 (+/− $15,109). Males had a median income of $147,109 (+/− $13,523) versus $67,647 (+/− $9,800) for females. The per capita income for the township was $77,787 (+/− $8,389). About 3.1% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.0% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.

Based on data from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey, Chester Township had a per capita income of $77,787 (ranked 16th in the state), compared to per capita income in Morris County of $47,342 and statewide of $34,858.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,282 people, 2,323 households, and 2,014 families residing in the township. The population density was 248.3 PD/sqmi. There were 2,377 housing units at an average density of 81.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 95.12% white, 1.15% African American, 0.01% Native American, 2.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.

Of the 2,323 households, 46.0% feature children under the age of 18, 79.6% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.3% were non-families. 10.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.05 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township the population was spread out, with 30.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $117,298, and the median income for a family was $133,586. Males had a median income of $91,841 versus $52,076 for females. The per capita income for the township was $55,353. About 2.4% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Of the township's 29.8 sqmi, 42%, or about 12 sqmi, is permanently protected from development. There are nature reserves and parkland, but also agricultural property that is deed restricted under the state Farmland Preservation Program, which buys the development rights while allowing the farmer to retain title and continue working the land. Chester has been described as a rural environment that caters to "agritourism." The township has developed this reputation by preserving farmland through public investment in open spaces.

The township's parks and preserves are free and open to the public. Parks include:
 * Chubb Park: An 85 acre area with playing fields, skating, ponds, and sledding.
 * Tiger Brook Park: Purchased with the assistance of the New Jersey Green Acres Program in 1980, this 270 acre preserve contains a 10 acre reservoir.
 * Hacklebarney State Park: This 890 acre park was established in 1924 with the donation of 32 acre. The Black River, which bisects the park, is one of the premier trout fishing streams in New Jersey.
 * Black River Fish and Wildlife Management Area: This area consists of 3020 acre in the northern portion of the Township. It was purchased under the Green Acres Acquisition Program for recreational activities, including fishing, hunting, canoeing, cross-country skiing and hiking.
 * Highlands Ridge Park: Former Bell Laboratories Outdoor Research Lab. Site of the 'Telephone Pole Farm' and current headquarters of the New Jersey Highlands Council, a 15-member appointed body tasked with implementation of the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act of 2004.

Development is highly constrained due to state and township ordinances. The entire township is located in the New Jersey Highlands with approximately 86% of the land area designated as part of the more highly constrained Highlands Preservation Area. This environmentally sensitive area supplies drinking water to two-thirds of the state's residents. In 2004, the state passed the Highlands Preservation Act to limit development. In 2005, 27 new homes were built and 16 in 2006.

Local government
In 1958, Chester Township changed its form of government from the Township form to a Faulkner Act form, Small Municipality, Plan C. The township is one of 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government, which is available to municipalities with fewer than 12,000 residents at the time of adoption. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and four councilmembers, all elected at-large for three-year terms on a staggered basis as part of the November general election, with two seats coming up for election in consecutive years followed by the mayoral seat in the third year of the cycle. The candidates run on a partisan basis at regular primary and general election times. Independent candidates, having declared their intentions at primary time, run only in the general election.

Chester Township's form of government features a strong mayor, who acts as the township's executive, overseeing the creation of a budget, preparing an annual financial report and the enforcement of state and local laws, and is responsible for hiring most township officials (with approval of the Council). The Council, which is the township's legislative body, selects one of its members to serve as president to preside when the mayor is not present. The mayor participates and votes in Council sessions and makes committee assignments to Councilmembers. The mayor and a member of the Council serve on the Planning Board.

, the Mayor of Chester Township is Republican Timothy Drag Members of the Chester Township Council are John Butkus (R, 2024), Joseph DiPaolo (R, 2023), Tara Schellhorn (R, 2023), and Timothy Russell (R, 2024).

Merger discussion with Chester Borough
In 2007, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine created incentives for municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants to combine with other communities. The goal was to reduce the overall cost of government and thereby offer some tax relief. "New Jersey has 21 counties, 566 municipalities and 616 school districts, and property taxes average $6,800 per homeowner, or twice the national average."

Chester Borough split from Chester Township in 1930 over the creation of sewer and water infrastructure in the more densely settled center of the municipality. The residents of the rural portions of the Township did not wish to financially support the construction and maintenance of a public sewer or water utility. Since that time rural Chester Township has relied upon individual private wells for water and septic systems for wastewater treatment while the Borough is primarily, although not entirely, served by public sewer and water. Concerns over the extension of utilities into the more rural Township with the resultant potential for large scale growth served as an impediment to consolidation. The prohibition of utility extensions supported by the NJ State Plan and codified in the Highlands Water Protection Act, along with the development restrictions contained in the Highlands Act have lessened those concerns. Additionally, an aggressive land conservation program in the Township has resulted in over 40% of the 29 sqmi Township being placed into permanent preservation, further lessening worries about potential overdevelopment. The two municipalities currently share a common K–8 school district, volunteer fire department, library, first aid squad and other municipal services.

Governor Corzine's plan to reduce or eliminate state aid had residents considering recombining towns. The two mayors publicly endorsed a cost/benefit analysis of a merger. However, a merger vote planned for November 2, 2010, was delayed until 2011 due to Governor Christie's elimination of equalization funds that would ensure some taxpayers do not pay more due to the merger, as an analysis by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs estimated that township residents would see an annual increase of $128 on their property taxes while those in the borough would see an average decline of $570 in their taxes.

Federal, state and county representation
Chester Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,435 registered voters in Chester Township, of which 807 (14.8%) were registered as Democrats, 2,608 (48.0%) were registered as Republicans and 2,018 (37.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 67.2% of the vote (2,579 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 32.2% (1,235 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (25 votes), among the 3,854 ballots cast by the township's 5,757 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 62.7% of the vote (2,821 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.1% (1,623 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (39 votes), among the 4,499 ballots cast by the township's 5,748 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 65.5% of the vote (2,840 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 33.3% (1,445 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (37 votes), among the 4,336 ballots cast by the township's 5,654 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 81.2% of the vote (2,280 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 17.4% (488 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (41 votes), among the 2,848 ballots cast by the township's 5,714 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.1% of the vote (2,381 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 19.0% (628 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.0% (264 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (10 votes), among the 3,302 ballots cast by the township's 5,601 registered voters, yielding a 59.0% turnout.

Education
Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Chester School District, together with children from Chester Borough. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,047 students and 106.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.9:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Dickerson Elementary School with 317 students in grades PreK-2, Bragg Elementary School with 325 students in grades 3-5 and Black River Middle School with 402 students in grades 6-8. Dickerson and Bragg Schools are located on County Route 510, east of Chester Borough; Black River Middle School is on County Route 513 (North Road), north of Chester Borough. As a consolidated school district, all residents in the two constituent municipalities vote for board of education members who represent the entire district, not just the municipality in which they reside.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades in both communities attend West Morris Mendham High School, which serves students from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough and Mendham Township. The high school is part of the West Morris Regional High School District, which also serves students from Washington Township, who attend West Morris Central High School. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,142 students and 91.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1. The district's board of education is comprised of nine members who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. The nine seats on the board of education are allocated based on the populations of the constituent municipalities, with two seats assigned to Chester Township.

Gill St. Bernard's School, established in 1900, is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational, college preparatory day school, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, located on a 200 acres campus along the Somerset-Morris county line between Peapack-Gladstone and Chester Township.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 12.06 mi of roadways, of which 8.37 mi were maintained by the municipality, 2.58 mi by Morris County and 1.11 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 206 and CR 513 (otherwise known as Old Route 24 or North Road depending on the area) are the main north–south roads through the township while CR 510 (usually referred to as Old Route 24) acts as the east–west road.

No limited access roads run through Chester, but they are accessible in neighboring communities, such as Interstate 80 in Roxbury and Mount Olive, and both Interstate 287 and Interstate 78 in Bedminster.

Public transportation
NJ Transit local bus service was provided on the MCM4 and MCM5 routes until June 2010, when NJ Transit pulled the subsidy.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Chester Township include:
 * Ralph Barkman (1907–1998), American football player who played in the NFL for the Orange Tornadoes
 * Jim Breuer (born 1967), comedian who resided in the town from 2005 to 2021
 * Alex Buzbee (born 1985), defensive end for the Washington Redskins of the NFL
 * Robert L. Clifford (1924–2014), associate justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court
 * Nathan A. Cooper (1802–1879), landowner and businessman, owner of the Nathan Cooper Gristmill and the General Nathan Cooper Mansion
 * John J. Degnan (born 1944), former Attorney General of New Jersey who became Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 2014
 * Louise Fatio (1904–1993), writer of children's books, best known for her picture book The Happy Lion, with her illustrator husband Roger Duvoisin
 * James Gandolfini (1961–2013), actor
 * Martha Brookes Hutcheson (1871–1959), landscape architect, lecturer and author
 * Dave Levey, finalist on Hell's Kitchen
 * Rick Porcello (born 1988), pitcher who played for the New York Mets
 * William Segal (1904–2000), magazine publisher and self-taught artist whose work often reflected his interest in Eastern philosophies and religions
 * Peter Stroud (born 2002), professional soccer player who plays as an midfielder for Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls
 * Michael Yamashita (born 1949), National Geographic photographer and documentary filmmaker

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Chester Township, New Jersey


text:
Denville Township, New Jersey

Denville Township is a township in Morris County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a commuter town of New York City in the New York metropolitan area, located 35 mi west of Manhattan. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 17,107, an increase of 472 (+2.8%) from the 2010 census count of 16,635,  which in turn reflected an increase of 811 (+5.1%) from the 15,824 counted in the 2000 census. Located at the center of the county, Denville's access to major transportation routes has made it known as the Hub of Morris County. The township's location in Morris County has contributed to the growth of its "eclectic downtown", along with four membership lake communities developed a century ago as summer colonies.

NJ Transit rail service is available at the Denville station, a large three-platform station serving both the Morristown and the Montclair-Boonton train lines, with service to Hoboken Terminal or to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via Midtown Direct.

Denville was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1913, from portions of Rockaway Township.

History
Lenape Native Americans were known to travel the Minisink Trail for centuries before Europeans arrived in New Jersey. Part of that trail cut across what is now southern Denville, roughly following the course of Route 10 and Mount Pleasant Turnpike. Some research has indicated that there was a Lenape campsite along the trail in Denville, on or near the Ayres / Knuth Farm Historic Site along Route 10.

When Dutch and English settlers began to arrive in the new world in the early 17th century, the Minisink Trail was the likely route they traveled to explore the interior. Daniel Denton, one of the purchasers of what is known as the Elizabethtown Tract in 1664, led an expedition into the interior of northern New Jersey. In 1670, he wrote the first English language description of the area. Some researchers conclude that the name "Denville" derives from Denton.

Some researchers have suggested that European settlers began to come to the Denville area as early as 1690. These early settlers were primarily Dutch and English from Long Island, Quakers from Philadelphia, and Germans. William Penn and several other proprietors began to survey and stake out lands in the Denville area around 1715. These surveys are the first documentation of Denville. Between 1730 and 1760, several forges and mills were erected in Denville along the Rockaway River and the Denbrook. A number of communities associated with the forges and mills began to emerge. Ninkey and Franklin in southern Denville developed around the forges there of the same names. Denville village developed around the Job Allen Iron Works. Early developers of Denville, such as the Hussa family and A.B Crane & Co., were intrinsic in shaping the residential and lake communities.

An alternative explanation for the derivation of the township's name came from a letter from early Denville settler John Hinchman in the year 1800, in which he recounted some of the oral history of Denville from 50 years earlier, as stated to him by some of the elders of the time. Hinchman explains in his letter that the naming of Denville can be traced to a "den" of wild animals located in the swampy regions along the Denbrook and Rockaway River. The animals would bask on a knoll that juts out into the meadows where they were hunted by the native Lenape. This "den", Hinchman wrote, was the basis for the name of Denville and the Denbrook.

Geography
The township had a total area of 12.74 square miles (32.99 km2), including 11.99 square miles (31.06 km2) of land and 0.75 square miles (1.94 km2) of water (5.86%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Lake, Cooks Pond, Cooper Lake, Franklin, Indian Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Estling, Lake Openaka, Openaka Lake, Rock Ridge, Snake Hill, and Union Hill.

The township borders the Morris County municipalities of Mountain Lakes and Parsippany-Troy Hills to the east, Morris Township to the South, Randolph to the south and west, Rockaway Borough to the west, Rockaway Township to the north and west, and Boonton Township to the north and east.

Denville has 11 named bodies of water within township limits. The four major residential lake communities are Cedar Lake, Indian Lake, Rock Ridge and Lake Arrowhead (including Great Bay and Bay of Deep Waters). Estling Lake is a private summer community. The three minor lakes are Cooper Lake, Hollstein Lake, and Openaki Lake. The town also has Cooks Pond, a recreational lake available for public use by membership.

Most residents of Denville live in the non-lake communities in the township, including Bald Hill, Beacon Hill and Union Hill.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 16,635 people, 6,432 households, and 4,509 families in the township. The population density was 1401.8 /sqmi. There were 6,734 housing units at an average density of 567.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 89.49% (14,887) White, 1.42% (236) Black or African American, 0.12% (20) Native American, 6.52% (1,084) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.78% (129) from other races, and 1.67% (278) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.31% (883) of the population.

Of the 6,432 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18; 59.8% were married couples living together; 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.9% were non-families. Of all households, 25.6% were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.

23.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $103,435 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,379) and the median family income was $122,600 (+/− $7,473). Males had a median income of $85,571 (+/− $9,730) versus $61,382 (+/− $2,135) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $49,990 (+/− $3,235). About none of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 1.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 15,824 people, 5,990 households, and 4,312 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,307.1 PD/sqmi. (in the 2010 Census there are 16,635 people). There were 6,178 housing units at an average density of 510.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 92.64% White, 1.14% African American, 0.08% Native American, 4.64% Asian, (in the 2010 Census it was 1,084 or 6.5%), 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.44% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.64% of the population.

There were 5,990 households, out of which 33.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the township, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $76,778, and the median income for a family was $90,651. Males had a median income of $63,413 versus $42,392 for females. The per capita income for the township was $38,607. About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
In 2003, the Shoppes at Union Hill, a 92000 sqft outdoor lifestyle center, opened along Route 10.

Sports
The game of American flag rugby was first played in Denville, introduced to the township by resident Tom Feury.

Parks and recreation
The Tourne county park is in portions of Denville, Boonton Township and Mountain Lakes. The park covers more than 540 acres of undeveloped land and offers a view of the New York City skyline from its peak standing 897 ft high.

Local government
Denville Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under Mayor-Council plan F, as implemented as of January 1, 1972, based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the seven-member township council, all elected to four-year terms of office on a partisan basis in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election. Four members are elected together, one council member from each of four wards, and two years later, the three at-large and the mayoral seats are up for election at the same time.

, the mayor of Denville Township is Republican Thomas W. Andes, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Denville Township Council are Gary Borowiec (2025; Ward 4), Glenn R. Buie (R, 2025; Ward 3), Angela Coté (R, 2027; at-large), Christopher Golinski (R, 2025; Ward 2), Chrissy Kovacs (R, 2025; Ward 1), Louis R. Maffei (R, 2027; at-large) and Robbie Simpson (R, 2027; at-large).

In February 2020, the township council selected former councilmember Christopher Golinski to fill the Second Ward seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Brian Bergen until he resigned from office in November 2019 after being elected to a seat in the General Assembly. Golinski served on an interim basis until the November 2020 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state and county representation
Denville is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 11,789 registered voters in Denville Township, of which 2,288 (19.4%) were registered as Democrats, 4,951 (42.0%) were registered as Republicans and 4,542 (38.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.5% of the vote (4,898 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.1% (3,805 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (116 votes), among the 8,863 ballots cast by the township's 12,128 registered voters (44 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 54.5% of the vote (5,266 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.7% (4,230 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (118 votes), among the 9,670 ballots cast by the township's 12,226 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 58.5% of the vote (5,214 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 40.5% (3,606 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (68 votes), among the 8,914 ballots cast by the township's 11,605 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.8.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.9% of the vote (3,758 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.7% (1,489 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (132 votes), among the 5,462 ballots cast by the township's 12,145 registered voters (83 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.3% of the vote (4,092 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.0% (1,934 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.3% (554 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (31 votes), among the 6,673 ballots cast by the township's 12,070 registered voters, yielding a 55.3% turnout.

Chamber of Commerce
The chamber is focused on making the community and business districts a better place for businesses, residents and visitors. Each year a pair of teenagers are crowned as Mr. and Miss Denville. They are participants in a winter holiday parade and weekend-long celebration. They are chosen for their volunteer work in Denville, and overall hard work.

Education
The Denville Township School District serve public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,629 students and 152.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Lakeview Elementary School with 649 students in grades Pre-K–5, Riverview Elementary School with 382 students in grades K–5 and Valleyview Middle School with 587 students in grades 6–8. Riverview Elementary School was one of nine schools in New Jersey honored in 2020 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which recognizes high student achievement.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades typically attend Morris Knolls High School, which is located in Denville, but has a Rockaway address, along with most students from Rockaway Township. The high school is part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District, which also serves the residential communities of Rockaway Borough and Wharton. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,434 students and 128.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1.

Morris Catholic High School is a four-year comprehensive Roman Catholic regional high school that was founded in 1957, which is operated as part of the Diocese of Paterson.

Assumption College for Sisters is a two-year Roman Catholic women's college. Founded in 1953 through an affiliation with Seton Hall University, Assumption is run by the Sisters of Christian Charity. Primarily designed to prepare women for work in religious vocations, Assumption specializes in theological studies and the liberal arts. It is the last remaining sisters' college, or college primarily designed to educate nuns, in the United States. In 2014, the school relocated to a convent on the campus of Morris Catholic High School.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 94.01 mi of roadways, of which 83.83 mi were maintained by the municipality, 2.60 mi by Morris County and 7.58 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 10, Route 53, U.S. Route 46 and Interstate 80 pass through the Township.

Public transportation
The Denville station offers train service to Hoboken Terminal or to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via Midtown Direct on NJ Transit's Morristown Line and Montclair-Boonton Line. Denville is actually two stations located within the same property. The Morristown Line station is two platforms located on a curve while the Montclair-Boonton Line station is a single platform next to the closed Denville Tower.

NJ Transit offers local bus service on the 875 and 880 routes, which replaced service that had been offered on the MCM2 and MCM10 routes until June 2010, when NJ Transit pulled the subsidy.

Denville is served by Lakeland Bus Lines with frequent service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Newark Liberty International Airport, is located 27.5 mi southeast of Denville in Newark, New Jersey. Other nearby airports include LaGuardia Airport (43 miles from Denville) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (54 miles from Denville), both of which are in Queens, New York City.

Popular culture

 * The farm scene from the film version of Torch Song Trilogy was filmed at the Knuth Farm.
 * Saint Clare's Hospital was where Tony and Christopher were taken after their accident in episode 83 of The Sopranos, "Kennedy and Heidi".
 * Married to Jonas, starring Kevin Jonas and wife Danielle, was filmed at their house in the township.

Community

 * Our Hometown: Celebrating Denville's Centennial, a feature-length documentary about the history of the township, was released in June 2013, in conjunction with Denville's centennial celebration. It features audio interviews with local historians, business leaders, and politicians.

Climate
The lowest recorded temperature in Denville is −20 °F (−32 °C), and the highest recorded temperature is 102 °F (39 °C).

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Denville include:

 * Pete Abrams (born 1970), cartoonist; writer and illustrator of Sluggy Freelance
 * Marthina Aguirre (born 2001), footballer who plays as a midfielder for college team South Alabama Jaguars and the Ecuador women's national team
 * Frank Stephen Baldwin (1838–1925), calculating machine designer
 * Trevor Baptiste (born 1996), professional lacrosse midfielder for the Boston Cannons
 * Brian Bergen (born 1979), politician who represents the 25th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly
 * Bill Bradley (born 1943), former pro basketball player and U.S. Senator
 * Johnny Cardoso (born 2001), soccer midfielder who plays for Internacional
 * Neal Casal (1968–2019), guitarist, singer, songwriter and photographer; has performed with the Chris Robinson Brotherhood and Hard Working Americans
 * Todd Coolman (born 1954), jazz bassist and music professor
 * Jerome Corsi (born 1946), author and conspiracy theorist
 * Jermaine Eluemunor (born 1994), offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens
 * Russ Flanagan (1974–2008), journalist
 * Lexie Fyfe (born 1969 as MaryBeth Bentley), professional wrestler
 * Janice Huff (born 1960), meteorologist on WNBC Channel 4 in New York City
 * Danielle Jonas (born 1986), reality television personality, social media influencer and hairdresser, known for starring on the E! Entertainment network's reality show Married to Jonas, alongside her husband Kevin Jonas
 * Kevin Jonas (born 1987), actor/musician of the Jonas Brothers; appears on E!'s Married to Jonas with his wife, Danielle Deleasa
 * Robert Lazzarini (born 1965), artist
 * John Lees (born 1943), contemporary expressionist artist and art professor
 * Shea Morenz (born 1974), former football and baseball player; current CEO of Stratfor Global Intelligence
 * Vickie Paynter (born 1971), former professional tennis player
 * Lisa Rieffel (born 1975), actress, best known for her role as Emily Weston on Empty Nest
 * Babe Ruth (1895–1948), baseball player, vacationed in the summer at a house on Cedar Lake
 * Morton Salkind (1932–2014), politician; Mayor of Marlboro Township, 1969–1975; served in the New Jersey General Assembly, 1974–1976
 * Marvin R. Sambur (born 1946), former Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition)
 * Laura San Giacomo (born 1962), actress who played the role of Maya Gallo on the TV sitcom Just Shoot Me!
 * Ketch Secor (born 1978), front man of the Old Crow Medicine Show and co-author (with Bob Dylan) of the song "Wagon Wheel"
 * Tom Verlaine (1949-2023), singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the frontman of the rock band Television
 * Kevin Walker (born 1965), linebacker who played in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals

title: Denville Township, New Jersey


text:
East Hanover Township, New Jersey

East Hanover Township is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 11,105, a decrease of 52 (−0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 11,157,  which in turn reflected a decline of 236 (−2.1%) from the 11,393 counted in the 2000 census.

Located between the Passaic and Whippany rivers, East Hanover shares a border with four Essex County municipalities; but only has roadways that connect the township with neighboring Livingston and Roseland.

East Hanover is notably home to the North American headquarters of Mondelez International (parent company of Nabisco) and the pharmaceutical company Novartis.

History
The Township of Hanover was established on December 7, 1720, and named in honor of the British King George I of the German dynastic House of Hanover. The boundaries of East Hanover are defined by the joining of two rivers, the Whippany River to the west and north and the Passaic River to the east and north. This geographic effect led to the early name of East Hanover, "Hanover Neck." Since the creation of Hanover Township in 1720, its size has been considerably decreased as the population of the area has increased. Originally encompassing large portions of Morris County and parts of both Sussex and Warren County, Hanover Township became too unwieldy for a single local government and municipalities split off from the township over time.

East Hanover was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1928, from portions of Hanover Township, based on the results of a referendum held on May 9, 1928, that split off both East Hanover Township and Parsippany–Troy Hills from Hanover Township.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 8.10 square miles (20.98 km2), including 7.88 square miles (20.40 km2) of land and 0.23 square miles (0.58 km2) of water (2.79%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cooks Bridge, Hanover, Hanover Neck and Swinefield Bridge.

The township borders the Morris County municipalities Florham Park, Hanover Township, Montville, Parsippany–Troy Hills; and the Essex County municipalities Fairfield Township, Livingston, Roseland, and West Caldwell.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 11,157 people, 3,893 households, and 3,149 families in the township. The population density was 1413.7 /sqmi. There were 3,976 housing units at an average density of 503.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 85.11% (9,496) White, 0.83% (93) Black or African American, 0.08% (9) Native American, 11.92% (1,330) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.94% (105) from other races, and 1.11% (124) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.38% (600) of the population.

Of the 3,893 households, 31.2% had children under the age of 18; 69.4% were married couples living together; 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.1% were non-families. Of all households, 16.3% were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.22.

21.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.9 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $116,528 (with a margin of error of +/− $16,406) and the median family income was $122,074 (+/− $5,756). Males had a median income of $74,054 (+/− $9,723) versus $42,500 (+/− $12,460) for females. The per capita income for the township was $49,755 (+/− $5,660). About 2.5% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 11,393 people, 3,843 households, and 3,212 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,396.6 PD/sqmi. There were 3,895 housing units at an average density of 477.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the township was 87.08% White, 0.58% African American, 0.03% Native American, 11.14% Asian, 0.24% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.74% of the population.

As of the 2000 Census, 35.6% of East Hanover residents were of Italian ancestry, the 15th-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and sixth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 3,843 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.6% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the township the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 28.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $82,133, and the median income for a family was $88,348. Males had a median income of $58,333 versus $36,069 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,129. About 1.3% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
East Hanover operates within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under Small Municipality plan 3 form of New Jersey municipal government, as implemented as of January 1, 1992, based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission. The township is one of 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government, which is only available to municipalities with fewer than 12,000 residents at the time of adoption. The governing body under the Small Municipality plan is comprised of the Mayor and the Township Council. The mayor is elected to a four-year term and four councilmembers are elected to three-year terms, all elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. Councilmembers are elected on a staggered basis in a three-year cycle, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year.

, East Hanover's Mayor is Republican Joseph Pannullo, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. The Township Council is comprised of Council President Carolyn M. Jandoli (R, 2024), Brian T. Brokaw Sr. (R, 2025), Frank A. DeMaio Jr. (R, 2026) and Michael Martorelli (R, 2026).

In February 2023, the mayor and the four council members, all of whom had been elected as Democrats, changed their political affiliation and became Republicans.

Federal, state and county representation
East Hanover Township is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 8,055 registered voters in East Hanover Township, of which 2,708 (33.6%) were registered as Republicans, 2,034 (25.3%) were registered as Democrats, and 3,313 (41.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 68.4% of the vote (4,150 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 31.1% (1,888 votes), and other candidates with 0.5% (33 votes), among the 6,107 ballots cast by the township's 8,331 registered voters (36 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 67.9% of the vote (4,452 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 30.8% (2,017 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (44 votes), among the 6,553 ballots cast by the township's 8,380 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 67.5% of the vote (4,258 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 31.5% (1,988 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (34 votes), among the 6,312 ballots cast by the township's 8,357 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.5.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.5% of the vote (3,075 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.6% (1,017 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (38 votes), among the 4,253 ballots cast by the township's 8,193 registered voters (123 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.2% of the vote (3,222 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 24.8% (1,189 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.9% (282 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (21 votes), among the 4,792 ballots cast by the township's 8,208 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% turnout.

Education
The East Hanover School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 908 students and 94.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.6:1. The schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Frank J. Smith Elementary School with 322 students in grades Pre-K–2, Central Elementary School with 289 students in grades 3–5 and East Hanover Middle School with 289 students in grades 6–8.

Students in ninth through twelfth grades for public school are served by the Hanover Park Regional High School District, attending Hanover Park High School in East Hanover, together with students from Florham Park. The district also serves students from the neighboring community of Hanover Township at Whippany Park High School in the Whippany section of Hanover Township. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 642 students and 58.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with East Hanover Township assigned three seats.

Saint Rose of Lima Academy was a Catholic school for students in preschool through eighth grade that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school was closed at the end of the 2015–2016 school year.

Roads and highways
, the township had a total of 58.58 mi of roadways, of which 47.53 mi were maintained by the municipality, 7.61 mi by Morris County and 3.44 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Interstate 280 is the most prominent highway within East Hanover Township, though there are no exits within the township. The nearest exits, 1 and 4, are both just outside the township in neighboring Parsippany-Troy Hills and Roseland, respectively. Route 10 is the main highway providing local access to East Hanover.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service to Newark on the 73 route, with local service on the 872 route.

The Whippany Line of the Morristown and Erie Railway, a small freight line, traverses the township. Established in 1895, the line runs from Morristown and runs through East Hanover Township and Hanover Township to Roseland.

Since 2016, Taiwanese airline EVA Air, provides a private bus service to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for customers based in New Jersey. It stops in East Hanover.

Places of interest

 * Gate of Heaven Cemetery, operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, was established in 1937.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with East Hanover include:
 * Melanie Adams (born 1969), educator and museum administrator, who is director of the Anacostia Community Museum in Washington, D.C.
 * Jerry Della Salla (born 1969), decorated combat soldier who fought in the Battle of Abu Ghraib, and later co-starred in the Matt Damon war film Green Zone
 * Jedd Fisch (born 1976), football coach who didn't play football in high school or college
 * Mary Jane Marcasiano (born 1955), fashion and costume designer, film producer, and social entrepreneur
 * Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi (born 1987), reality star of Jersey Shore and its spin-off, Snooki & JWoww
 * Stephanie Pollack, engineer and lawyer, Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation since 2015
 * Frank Saul (1924–2019), National Basketball Association player
 * Frank Sowinski, former professional basketball player.
 * Buddy Valastro (born 1977), owner of Carlo's Bakery, as featured on Cake Boss

title: East Hanover Township, New Jersey


text:
Florham Park, New Jersey

Florham Park is a borough in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,585, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 889 (+7.6%) from the 11,696 recorded at the 2010 census,  which in turn reflected an increase of 2,839 (+32.1%) from the 8,857 counted in the 2000 census.

Florham Park was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1899, from portions of Chatham Township. In 2012, Forbes.com listed Florham Park as 440th in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $675,107.

The National Football League's New York Jets relocated their main headquarters in 2008 to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center, located in Florham Park. The Jets relocated to Florham Park from their old facilities at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The team holds its day-to-day operations during the year in Florham Park, while relocating during July and August to Cortland, NY for training camp. Florham Park beat out Berkeley Heights, Jersey City, Millburn, South Amboy, and Wood-Ridge, which had all been finalists contending to be the host of the new facility.

History
First occupied by the Lenape tribe of Native Americans, the area that is now Florham Park was first settled by European settlers of English and Dutch origin sometime between 1680 and 1700, and the community was long recognized as a prime farming area. The area was known for the manufacture of quality brooms, which was the source of one of its town names, Broomtown. At various times during its history, the area was known as Hoppingtown, Broomtown, Columbia, Afton, and finally Florham Park. It was part of Hanover Township, then Chatham Township before being incorporated as Florham Park in 1899.

Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly (1854–1952), granddaughter of Cornelius Vanderbilt, renowned as the richest man in America, and her husband, financier, Hamilton McKown Twombly, came to the Morris County countryside in 1887, joining over 100 other millionaires who owned sprawling country retreats. They fancied an English-style country mansion in a stately park setting. "Florham," built on 840 acre, one of America's finest Gilded Age homes, was the result. The couple named their new estate "Florham," a combination of their first names, Florence and Hamilton. The second part to the name "Florham Park" received its name from a second mansion in town that was on about 1,000 acre of land situated where the current Brooklake Country Club is located. Owned by Leslie Ward—one of the founders of the Prudential Insurance Company and the first vice president of the company—it was named "Brooklake Park", partially because of the beautiful lake that was on the property.

Both of these families were supporters of many civic projects including the petitioning of the State of New Jersey to create their own municipality. After the legislature voted on March 9, 1899, the governor signed the bill on March 20, making Florham Park a borough. The new town was named after Florence and Hamilton Twombly's and Ward's estates.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 7.48 square miles (19.36 km2), including 7.31 square miles (18.93 km2) of land and 0.17 square miles (0.43 km2) of water (2.23%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Columbia Ridge.

The borough is located in southeastern Morris County and is bordered to the south by Madison and Chatham Boroughs; to the north by Hanover and East Hanover Townships; to the west by Morris Township; and on the east by the Passaic River where it borders Essex County communities Livingston and Millburn Townships.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 11,696 people, 4,003 households, and 2,798 families in the borough. The population density was 1,604.9 per square mile (619.7/km2). There were 4,201 housing units at an average density of 576.4 per square mile (222.5/km2). The racial makeup was 86.35% (10,099) White, 4.35% (509) Black or African American, 0.07% (8) Native American, 6.37% (745) Asian, 0.07% (8) Pacific Islander, 1.10% (129) from other races, and 1.69% (198) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.08% (594) of the population.

Of the 4,003 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 58.9% were married couples living together; 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.1% were non-families. Of all households, 26.7% were made up of individuals and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.03.

19.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 18.9% from 18 to 24, 20.7% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 83.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 79.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $106,227 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,030) and the median family income was $121,316 (+/− $8,544). Males had a median income of $92,857 (+/− $17,466) versus $61,331 (+/− $12,613) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,564 (+/− $4,867). About 0.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.7% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,857 people, 3,239 households, and 2,474 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,191.3 PD/sqmi. There were 3,342 housing units at an average density of 449.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 94.00% White, 0.99% African American, 0.01% Native American, 3.87% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.

There were 3,239 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.7% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $88,706, and the median income for a family was $102,047. Males had a median income of $74,410 versus $49,551 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,133. About 2.4% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Florham Park is the North American headquarters of the BASF corporation, the world's largest chemical company. Nickel alloys producer VDM Metals USA (formerly operating under the name of ThyssenKrupp VDM USA and Precision Rolled Products) operates a melting plant in Florham Park. Business process services company Conduent is based in Florham Park.

Local government
Florham Park is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Florham Park, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body, with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Florham Park is Republican Mark Taylor, serving a term of office ending on December 31, 2027. Members of the borough council are Scott Carpenter (R, 2024), Nicholas Cicarelli (R, 2025), Glen Johnstone (R, 2026), Charles J. Malone Jr. (R, 2026), Joshua I. Marchal (R, 2024) and Kristen Santoro (R, 2025).

In May 2013, the borough council chose Council President Mark Taylor from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant mayoral seat of R. Scott Eveland, who had resigned from office in March from a term expiring in December 2015. At the same meeting, the council selected Thomas Michalowski from the list of three candidates nominated to fill the vacant council seat of David Wikstrom, who had resigned in April from a term expiring in December 2013. In April 2013, the council chose William Zuckerman from the list of three nominees to fill Mark Taylor's vacant council seat expiring in December 2016.

Federal, state and county representation
Florham Park is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district.

Politics
As of June 2024, there were a total of 9,734 registered voters in Florham Park, of which 2,926 (30.05%) were registered as Democrats, 3,791 (38.94%) were registered as Republicans and 3,017 (30.99%) were registered as Unaffiliated.

In the 2020 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 50% of the vote (3,549 cast), slightly ahead of Democrat Joseph Biden with 49% (3,457 cast), and other candidates with 1% (67 votes). In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 53.9% of the vote (3,175 cast), ahead of Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton with 43.2% (2,548 cast), and other candidates with 2.8% (170 votes). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 59.8% of the vote (3,273 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.5% (2,165 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (38 votes), among the 5,511 ballots cast by the borough's 7,810 registered voters (35 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 59.2% of the vote (3,384 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.7% (2,270 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (39 votes), among the 5,716 ballots cast by the borough's 7,330 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 61.4% of the vote (3,382 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 37.8% (2,082 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (28 votes), among the 5,509 ballots cast by the borough's 7,176 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.8.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.6% of the vote (2,674 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.5% (927 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (34 votes), among the 3,713 ballots cast by the borough's 7,664 registered voters (78 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 48.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.7% of the vote (2,410 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 29.6% (1,155 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.8% (304 votes) and other candidates with 0.1% (5 votes), among the 3,903 ballots cast by the borough's 7,118 registered voters, yielding a 54.8% turnout.

Education
The Florham Park School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 994 students and 92.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.8:1. The schools in the district (with 2018–19 school enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Briarwood Elementary School with 358 students in grades Pre-K–2, Brooklake Elementary School with 313 students in grades 3–5 and Ridgedale Middle School with 319 students in grades 6–8.

Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades are served by the Hanover Park Regional High School District, attending Hanover Park High School together with students from East Hanover Township, where the school is located. The district also serves students from the neighboring community of Hanover Township at Whippany Park High School in the Whippany section of Hanover Township. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 839 students and 76.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. The seats on the district's nine-member board of education are allocated to the constituent municipalities based on population, with Florham Park assigned three seats.

Holy Family School is a Catholic school operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school opened in 1954 with 173 students and reached a peak enrollment of 700 in the 1960s.

Portions of the Saint Elizabeth University campus are in Florham Park, including the Villa of Saint Ann, a classical Greek amphitheater built into a hillside, and the original dairy farm for the complex. Portions of the Fairleigh Dickinson University's Florham Campus, also are located in Florham Park.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 48.73 mi of roadways, of which 37.56 mi were maintained by the municipality, 8.01 mi by Morris County and 3.16 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

New Jersey Route 24 is the most prominent highway directly serving Florham Park. There is one interchange partially within the borough, Exit 2 (County Route 510), which also passes through the borough.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service from the borough to Newark on the 70 and 73 routes, with local service on the 878 route. Service had been offered on the MCM8 route, which was suspended in 2010 after subsidies to the contract provider were eliminated as part of NJ Transit budget cuts.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Florham Park include:

 * Kary Antholis (born 1962), Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
 * William Antholis (born c. 1965), political scientist, who is director and CEO of the Miller Center of Public Affairs
 * Tiki Barber (born 1975), former professional football who played for the New York Giants
 * Salvatore A. Bontempo (1909–1989), politician who served as chairman of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee
 * William Consovoy (1974–2023), attorney for conservative causes
 * John T. Cunningham (1915–2012), New Jersey's popular historian
 * Eric Duncan (born 1984), former professional baseball player
 * Mark Guiliana (born 1980), drummer, composer, and leader of the band Beat Music
 * Johan Hedberg (born 1973), former NHL goaltender
 * Ralph A. Loveys (1929–2017), politician who was elected to three terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 26th Legislative District
 * Archie Moore (born 1940), MLB player who appeared in 40 games for the New York Yankees in 1964 and 1965
 * Bill Raftery (born 1943), basketball analyst and former college basketball coach
 * Lange Schermerhorn (born 1939), career foreign service officer who served as United States Ambassador to Djibouti from December 1997 until November 2000
 * Tony Siragusa (1967-2022), former football player with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens
 * Snooki (born 1987), reality TV personality from the shows Jersey Shore and Snooki & Jwoww
 * Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly (1854–1952), heiress and a member of the Vanderbilt family
 * Hamilton McKown Twombly (1849–1910), businessman
 * Spencer Weisz (born 1995), American-Israeli professional basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League

title: Florham Park, New Jersey