Bernards Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bernards Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Van Dorn's Mill in Franklin Corners
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Location of Bernards Township in Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
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Census Bureau map of Bernards Township, New Jersey
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 Bernards Township, New Jersey
Location in Somerset County, New Jersey
Bernards Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Bernards Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County |  Somerset |
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| Royal charter | May 24, 1760 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Named for | Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Township | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 24.33 sq mi (63.01 km2) | |
| • Land | 24.20 sq mi (62.68 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.13 sq mi (0.33 km2) 0.52% | |
| Area rank | 112th of 565 in state 6th of 21 in county |
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| Elevation | 249 ft (76 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 27,830 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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28,100 | |
| • Rank | 89th of 565 in state 4th of 21 in county |
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| • Density | 1,150.0/sq mi (444.0/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 368th of 565 in state 11th of 21 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code | ||
| Area code(s) | 908 | |
| FIPS code | 3403505560 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882174 | |
Bernards Township is a community in Somerset County, New Jersey. It's a great place to live, with a population of about 27,830 people as of 2020. This number has grown steadily over the years.
The township is located in the eastern part of the Somerset Hills area. It's considered a "bedroom suburb" of New York City. This means many people who live here travel to New York City for work.
Contents
History of Bernards Township
Bernards Township has a long and interesting history. It was first officially created on May 24, 1760. This happened through a special document called a royal charter. Back then, it was known as Bernardston Township.
Later, on February 21, 1798, it became Bernards Township. This was part of New Jersey's first group of 104 townships. Over time, some parts of Bernards Township became separate towns. These include Warren Township in 1806, Far Hills in 1921, and Bernardsville in 1924.
The township is named after Sir Francis Bernard, 1st Baronet. He was the governor of New Jersey at the time. In May 2010, Bernards Township celebrated its 250th anniversary!
Geography and Location
Bernards Township covers about 24.33 square miles (63.01 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
The township has natural borders. These include the Watchung Mountains to the southwest. The Dead River swamp is to the south. The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and Passaic River are to the east.
Several smaller communities are part of Bernards Township. These include Basking Ridge, Franklin Corners, Green Knoll, and Liberty Corner. Other areas are Lyons, Madisonville, and Mount Horeb.
Bernards Township shares borders with several other towns. To the west are Bedminster Township and Far Hills. Bernardsville is to the northwest. Bridgewater Township is to the southwest. Warren Township is to the southeast. It also borders Harding Township and Long Hill in Morris County.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1790 | 2,377 | — | |
| 1810 | 1,876 | — | |
| 1820 | 2,063 | 10.0% | |
| 1830 | 2,062 | 0.0% | |
| 1840 | 3,986 | 93.3% | |
| 1850 | 2,267 | −43.1% | |
| 1860 | 2,471 | 9.0% | |
| 1870 | 2,369 | −4.1% | |
| 1880 | 2,622 | 10.7% | |
| 1890 | 2,558 | −2.4% | |
| 1900 | 3,066 | 19.9% | |
| 1910 | 4,608 | 50.3% | |
| 1920 | 4,243 | −7.9% | |
| 1930 | 2,293 | * | −46.0% |
| 1940 | 4,512 | 96.8% | |
| 1950 | 7,487 | 65.9% | |
| 1960 | 9,018 | 20.4% | |
| 1970 | 13,305 | 47.5% | |
| 1980 | 12,920 | −2.9% | |
| 1990 | 17,199 | 33.1% | |
| 2000 | 24,575 | 42.9% | |
| 2010 | 26,652 | 8.5% | |
| 2020 | 27,830 | 4.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 28,100 | 5.4% | |
| Population sources: 1790–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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As of the 2010 United States census, Bernards Township had 26,652 people. There were 9,783 households living in the area. The population density was about 1,113 people per square mile.
Many families live in Bernards Township. About 40% of households had children under 18. Most households (61.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.65 people.
The population is diverse. About 81.8% of residents were White. About 13.8% were Asian. Other groups included Black or African American, Native American, and Pacific Islander. About 3.95% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The median age in the township was 43.1 years old. This means half the people were older than 43.1, and half were younger.
Economy and Businesses
Bernards Township is home to several important company headquarters. These include:
- Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, which sells books for college students.
- Fedders, a company that used to make air conditioners.
- Hitachi Power Systems USA, a part of a large Japanese company.
- Verizon Wireless, a major cell phone service provider.
Verizon Communications also has many operations here. These are in buildings that used to be the world headquarters for AT&T.
Education in Bernards Township
Students in Bernards Township attend public schools from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The Bernards Township School District manages these schools. In the 2020–21 school year, the district had about 4,874 students.
The district has six schools:
- Cedar Hill Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Liberty Corner Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Mount Prospect Elementary School (grades PreK-5)
- Oak Street Elementary School (grades K-5)
- William Annin Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Ridge High School (grades 9-12)
The district also has a special program for children with autism. This program helps them learn using specific teaching methods.
Ridge High School has won the National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence twice. This is a very high honor for American schools. Mount Prospect Elementary School and Liberty Corner School have also received this award.
Ridge High School is often ranked as one of the best high schools in New Jersey. Newsweek magazine ranked it 37th best in America in 2015.
There are also private schools in the area. Pingry School is a private school for grades 6 to 12. Saint James School is a Catholic elementary school. It also won a National Blue Ribbon School award in 2024.
Transportation
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Bernards Township has many roads. As of 2010, there were about 138.86 miles of roads. Most of these are maintained by the township itself.
Major highways that pass through Bernards Township include Interstate 78, Interstate 287, and U.S. Route 202. These roads help people travel easily to other parts of New Jersey and beyond.
For public transportation, NJ Transit offers train service. You can catch a train at the Basking Ridge station and Lyons station. These trains go to places like Gladstone and Hoboken Terminal.
Lakeland Bus Lines also provides bus service. During rush hour, you can take a bus from nearby Bedminster to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
Points of Interest
Bernards Township has many interesting places to visit:
- Alward Farmhouse – A historic farmhouse.
- Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church and Cemetery – A historic church listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Brick Academy – This building was once a prep school for students hoping to go to Princeton University. Today, it's home to the Historical Society of the Somerset Hills.
- Town Hall and Astor Estate – The local government building and a historic estate.
- Franklin Corners Historic District – This area includes Van Dorn's Mill and the Grain House Restaurant.
- Liberty Corner Village – A charming historic village.
- Lyons VA Medical Center – A hospital for veterans with beautiful old brick buildings.
- The Devil's Tree – A famous oak tree with many local legends. It's been featured in Weird NJ magazine.
- Kennedy–Martin–Stelle Farmstead – A historic farm that is now an arts center.
- Boudinot–Southard Farmstead – Also known as the Ross Farm, another historic farm.
- Southard Park and Mountain Park – Local parks for recreation.
- USGA Museum – A museum dedicated to the history of golf in the United States.
Community Efforts
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita hit the New Orleans area, Bernards Township helped out. The local Chamber of Commerce sent trucks full of supplies to Houma, Louisiana.
A few years later, in 2007, the community in Louisiana returned the kindness. The Terrebonne High School Marching band traveled to Bernards Township. They marched in the Holiday Parade and performed a Christmas concert.
Notable People from Bernards Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Bernards Township:
- William Alexander, Lord Stirling (1726–1783), a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
- John Jacob Astor VI (1912–1992), a socialite and businessman from the famous Astor family.
- J. C. Chandor (born 1974), an Academy Award-nominated writer and director.
- Chris Daggett (born 1950), a leader of a foundation who ran for governor of New Jersey.
- Marc Del Gaizo (born 1999), a professional ice hockey player for the Nashville Predators.
- Scott Fischer (1955–1996), a famous climber who died trying to climb Mount Everest.
- Patricia Lee Gauch (born 1934), an author of many children's literature books.
- Jarryd Goldberg (born 1985), a former professional soccer player.
- Jeff Grace, a comedian, screenwriter, and film director.
- Jon Gutwillig (born 1974), the guitarist for the band Disco Biscuits.
- Tobin Heath (born 1988), a soccer player who won a gold medal with the U.S. women's national team in the 2008 Olympics.
- Jared Isaacman (born 1983), an entrepreneur, pilot, and even a commercial astronaut.
- Vincent R. Kramer (1918–2001), a Marine Corps colonel who was a guerrilla warfare expert.
- Peter Kuhn (1955–2009), a race car driver who won championships in 1980.
- George Ludlow Lee Sr. (1901–1966), who was the head of the company Red Devil, Inc.
- Philip Lindsley (1786–1855), a minister and educator who was acting president of Princeton University.
- Kelly-Anne Lyons (born 1985), an actress, TV presenter, and model.
- Max Mahoney (born 1998), a professional basketball player.
- Page McConnell (born 1963), the keyboardist for the rock band Phish.
- Robert Mulcahy (1932–2022), a former athletic director at Rutgers University.
- Akshay Nanavati (born 1984), a Marine Corps veteran, speaker, and author.
- Jasbir Puar (born 1967), a professor at Rutgers University.
- Perry Scott (1917–1988), an American football player and coach.
- J. Robert Sims (born c. 1941), an engineer and inventor.
- Samuel Lewis Southard (1787–1842), a U.S. Senator and the 10th Governor of New Jersey.
- Mike Tannenbaum (born 1969), a former general manager for the New York Jets football team.
- LaDainian Tomlinson (born 1979), a famous former NFL running back.
- Kelly Williford (born 1994), a professional tennis player.
- Zip the Pinhead (c. 1842–1926), a famous sideshow performer.
Images for kids
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Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church
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Boudinot–Southard Farmstead
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Lyons VA Medical Center
