Lebanon Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Township
|
||
Lebanon Township Museum
|
||
|
||
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
|
||
 Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Location in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Lebanon Township, New Jersey
Location in 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.
Contents
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
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
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
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], 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 was provided by NJ Transit on the 884 route, until it was discontinued in 2010. Train service on the Raritan Valley Line is available at the High Bridge station, located just outside of the township.
The Hunterdon County LINK provides bus service on Route 15, which passes through the western part of the township along Route 31.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lebanon Township include:
- Adrienne Adams (1906–2002), children's book illustrator
- Lonzo Anderson (1905–1993), children's author
- Alvah A. Clark (1840–1912), lawyer and politician who represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1877 to 1881
- Julie Culley (born 1981), member of the 2012 US Olympic Team for the women's 5000m competition
- Mary Decker (born 1958), former track athlete
- Merv Griffin (1925–2007), television producer owned a farm in Lebanon Township, though it had a Califon mailing address
- Daniel Morgan (1735–1802), pioneer, soldier and politician, who was one of the most respected battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1797 to 1799
- Joe Piscopo (born 1951), comedian, actor, musical entertainer and nationally syndicated radio talk show host best known for his work on Saturday Night Live
- Helen Walulik (1929–2012), pitcher and an outfield/infield utility who played for three seasons in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
- Bernie Worrell (1944–2016), keyboardist and founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Lebanon (Nueva Jersey) para niños
