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Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Township
Lebanon Township Museum
Lebanon Township Museum
Official seal of Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Seal
Location of Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Location of Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey is located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Location in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey is located in the United States
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Hunterdon
First mention October 26, 1731
Incorporated February 21, 1798
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Committee
Area
 • Total 31.68 sq mi (82.05 km2)
 • Land 31.43 sq mi (81.40 km2)
 • Water 0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2)  0.80%
Area rank 81st of 565 in state
7th of 26 in county
Elevation
925 ft (282 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 6,195
 • Estimate 
(2023)
6,212
 • Rank 339th of 565 in state
5th of 26 in county
 • Density 197.1/sq mi (76.1/km2)
 • Density rank 504th of 565 in state
18th of 26 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07830, 07865, 07882, 08809, 08826, 08827
Area code(s) 908
FIPS code 3401939660
GNIS feature ID 0882191
Website

Lebanon Township is the northernmost township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,195, a decrease of 393 (−6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 6,588, which in turn reflected an increase of 772 (+13.3%) from the 5,816 counted in the 2000 census.

Located within the Raritan Valley region, the township is situated in the northernmost part of Hunterdon County bordering both Morris and Warren counties. When Lebanon Township was created in 1731, its original borders extended from the Musconetcong River to Readington Township.

History

Lebanon Township was first mentioned on October 26, 1731, as having been formed partly from the now-defunct Amwell Township, though the exact circumstances of its formation are unknown. Lebanon Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Tewksbury Township (March 11, 1755), Clinton Township (April 12, 1841), High Bridge borough (February 19, 1898), Junction borough (February 20, 1895, now known as Hampton borough), Califon borough (April 2, 1898) and Glen Gardner borough (March 26, 1919).

Spruce Run Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church, a member of the New Jersey Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was established in 1774 by a group of 13 families. The church's current facility was constructed in 1870. The Mt. Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church and Cemetery, popularly known as the Swack Church, is a historical Lutheran church; the burial ground of which houses plots dating as early as 1801.

In April 2024, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck New Jersey, with its epicenter in Lebanon Township.

Geography

2013-05-06 17 29 22 Stream and forest along Turkey Top Road in northern Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Natural landscape along Turkey Top Road in northern Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.68 square miles (82.05 km2), including 31.43 square miles (81.40 km2) of land and 0.25 square miles (0.66 km2) of water (0.80%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Anthony, Bunnvale, Changewater, Hampton Junction, Hoffmans, Little Brook, Lower Valley, Mount Lebanon, New Hampton, Newport, Penwell, Red Mill, Saint Nicholas Village, Scrappy Corner, Spruce Run, Stone Mill, The Point and Woodglen.

The township borders Bethlehem Township, Califon, Clinton Township, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Tewksbury Township and Union Township in Hunterdon County; Washington Township in Morris County; and Mansfield Township and Washington Township in Warren County.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1810 2,419
1820 2,817 16.5%
1830 3,436 22.0%
1840 3,849 12.0%
1850 2,128 * −44.7%
1860 2,495 17.2%
1870 3,561 42.7%
1880 2,699 −24.2%
1890 2,337 −13.4%
1900 2,253 * −3.6%
1910 2,179 −3.3%
1920 1,083 * −50.3%
1930 1,269 17.2%
1940 1,437 13.2%
1950 1,971 37.2%
1960 2,841 44.1%
1970 4,235 49.1%
1980 5,459 28.9%
1990 5,679 4.0%
2000 5,816 2.4%
2010 6,588 13.3%
2020 6,195 −6.0%
2023 (est.) 6,212 −5.7%
Population sources:
1810–1920 1840 1850–1870
1850 1870 1880–1890
1890–1910 1910–1930
1940–2000 2000
2010 2020
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 6,588 people, 2,296 households, and 1,761 families in the township. The population density was 209.4 per square mile (80.8/km2). There were 2,439 housing units at an average density of 77.5 per square mile (29.9/km2). The racial makeup was 95.01% (6,259) White, 1.68% (111) Black or African American, 0.06% (4) Native American, 1.47% (97) Asian, 0.11% (7) Pacific Islander, 0.59% (39) from other races, and 1.08% (71) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.11% (205) of the population.

Of the 2,296 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18; 66.7% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.3% were non-families. Of all households, 18.4% were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.11.

22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $96,489 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,123) and the median family income was $110,893 (+/− $29,973). Males had a median income of $78,056 (+/− $22,457) versus $56,346 (+/− $14,410) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,424 (+/− $5,347). About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Musical groups from the township include the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, a bluegrass trio of the Mizzone brothers: Jonny (banjo), Robbie (fiddle) and Tommy (guitar)

Parks and recreation

Lebanon Township hosts part of a rail trail that was created out of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey High Bridge Branch. The trail is maintained by Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation and is called the Columbia Trail, which includes a scenic area known as the Ken Lockwood Gorge.

Education

The Lebanon Township Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 624 students and 64.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.7:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Valley View School with 310 students in grades Pre-K–4 and Woodglen School with 320 students in grades 5–8. Both schools are located in Lebanon Township, but have a Califon mailing address.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Voorhees High School, which also serves students from Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge and Tewksbury Township. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 982 students and 83.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. The school is part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District, which also includes students from Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township who attend North Hunterdon High School in Annandale.

Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Lebanon Township is also home to the Hunterdon Learning Center, an alternative education school founded by James Butters in 1975.

Points of interest

New Hampton, NJ - information signs
New Hampton Historic District

The New Hampton Historic District, including the New Hampton Pony Pratt Truss Bridge, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Lebanon Township Museum, built c. 1825, is a contributing property of the district. It includes a memorial to General Daniel Morgan, who was born here and served in the American Revolutionary War.

Transportation

2018-06-14 11 05 42 View north along New Jersey State Route 31 at Van Syckels Road in Lebanon Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Route 31 northbound in Lebanon Township

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 89.89 miles (144.66 km) of roadways, of which 75.20 miles (121.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 12.96 miles (20.86 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.73 miles (2.78 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 31 passes through the township, providing access to Interstate 78.

Public transportation

Local bus service is provided by NJ Transit on the 884 route, with train service on the Raritan Valley Line available at the High Bridge station.

The Hunterdon County LINK provide bus service on Routes 17 and 18, which operate between Milford and Clinton.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Lebanon Township, New Jersey

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lebanon Township include:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Lebanon (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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