Lamington, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lamington, New Jersey
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Lamington Presbyterian Church
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 Lamington, New Jersey
Location in Somerset County, New Jersey
Lamington, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Lamington, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Somerset |
| Township | Bedminster |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.36 sq mi (11.30 km2) |
| • Land | 4.33 sq mi (11.20 km2) |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.09 km2) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 135 |
| • Density | 31.21/sq mi (12.05/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| FIPS code | 34-38670 |
| GNIS feature ID | 877657 2806111 |
Lamington is a small community in Somerset County, New Jersey. It's known as an "unincorporated community," which means it's a place with a shared identity but no separate local government. It's also a "census-designated place" (CDP), which is an area the U.S. Census Bureau defines for gathering population data. Lamington is part of Bedminster Township.
This historic area is home to the Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery and the Lamington Black Cemetery.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name "Lamington" comes from an old Native American word. The nearby stream was called "Allemetunck" or "Loamatong." These names meant "the place within the hills" or "the place of paint clay." Over time, the name changed, and there are 113 different ways it has been spelled! Some of these include "Alamatunk," "Lametunk," and "Lamberton."
The Historic Lamington Church
The Lamington Presbyterian Church is a very old building. The first church was built in 1740. The church you see today was built in 1826, replacing the original one.
Many different people were members of this church. They included Scots-Irish Presbyterians, Dutch and German settlers, and people who worked on farms. Lawyers, teachers, and various craftspeople like millers and weavers also attended. Even enslaved and freed Black people were part of the church community.
A Place on the National Register
The Lamington Historic District is a special area that includes the Presbyterian Church and the Lamington Black Cemetery. In 1984, this district was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historical site in the United States.
Famous People from Lamington
Many interesting people have connections to Lamington, either by being born there or living there.
Leaders and Explorers
- Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835): He was the very first President of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- John Honeyman (1729–1822): People say he was a "spy of Washington" during the American Revolutionary War. He lived in the Lamington area for his last 30 years and is buried in the Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery. You can even see his original gravestone and a document showing his church pew inside the church!
- Zebulon Pike (1779–1813): He was a brigadier general and an early explorer. A famous mountain, Pikes Peak, is named after him. Sometimes people mistakenly think he was born in Lamberton, but he was connected to Lamington.
- John Van Dyke (1807–1878): He represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1847 to 1851. This means he was a politician who helped make laws for the country.
Revolutionary War Figures
- Jane McCrea (around 1752–1777): She was a colonist who was killed during the American Revolutionary War. Her death caused a lot of anger and encouraged more people to join the American side in the fight for independence.
- James Linn (1749–1821): He was also a United States Representative from New Jersey. He was part of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1776 and fought in the Somerset County Militia during the Revolutionary War. He is buried in the Lamington Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
