Skillman, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Skillman, New Jersey
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Skillman as seen from the intersection of Camp Meeting Avenue and Fairview Road
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 Skillman, New Jersey
Location in Somerset County, New Jersey
Skillman, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Skillman, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New Jersey |
| County | Somerset |
| Township | Montgomery |
| Named for | Skillman family |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.48 sq mi (3.82 km2) |
| • Land | 1.47 sq mi (3.80 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) 0.69% |
| Elevation | 138 ft (42 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 237 |
| • Density | 161.66/sq mi (62.40/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code |
08558
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| Area code(s) | 609/640 and 732/848 |
| FIPS code | 34-67860 |
| GNIS feature ID | 02584029 |
Skillman is a small community in Montgomery Township, located in Somerset County, New Jersey. It is known as a census-designated place (CDP), which means it's an area identified by the government for statistics. In 2020, about 237 people lived here.
The United States Postal Service uses the ZIP Code 08558 for Skillman. However, this postal area is much larger than the CDP itself. The Skillman postal address covers about half of Montgomery Township, serving around 23,000 residents. So, the small CDP called Skillman and the larger area known as Skillman (because of the post office) are not the same place.
The Skillman postal area is home to big companies like Johnson & Johnson's Consumer Products division and Bloomberg L.P. Financial offices. All the public schools for Montgomery Township, including elementary, middle, and high schools, are also located in the Skillman postal area.
Contents
The History of Skillman
Skillman gets its name from the Skillman family. The first Skillmans were Dutch and lived in England before moving to Brooklyn in 1664.
How Skillman Got Its Name
In 1729, Thomas Skillman bought about 500 acres of farmland near the Millstone River for his sons, Jan and Isaac. This was the Skillman family's first connection to Montgomery. The area became known as Skillman when railroads arrived in the 1870s.
A man named Joseph A. Skillman helped railroad workers lay tracks. Their horses got stuck in thick mud, but Joseph A. Skillman used his strong mules to help. Railroad officials also visited another Skillman family home nearby. Because of this, the new train station was named after the Skillman family.
Growth of the Village
A post office opened at the train station. Soon, a small village grew around it, with businesses like a hay press, a feed store, and a hardware store. This village also took the Skillman name. Even though the train station is gone, parts of the old village still exist where Camp Meeting Avenue and Skillman Road meet. Today, a business that sells clay and sculpting supplies uses some of these old buildings.
Skillman's Past Institutions
Skillman was also home to the New Jersey State Village for Epileptics. This large complex, opened around 1900, covered about 250 acres. It had its own dairy farm, laundry, and even a movie theater. Visitors would arrive by train, making Skillman a busy country spot. In 1910, Montgomery Township had 1,637 residents. Today, it has over 23,000 residents. The community now has more traffic, fewer farms, and more houses.
In 2011, the remaining parts of the North Princeton Developmental Center (also called Skillman Village) were sold to Somerset County. The buildings were later taken down.
Geography of Skillman
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Skillman CDP covers about 1.48 square miles. Most of this area is land (1.47 square miles), with a very small amount of water (0.01 square miles).
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 2010 | 240 | — | |
| 2020 | 237 | −1.2% | |
| Population sources: 2010 | |||
Skillman's Population in 2010
The 2010 United States census counted 242 people living in Skillman. There were 87 households and 72 families. The population density was about 165 people per square mile.
Most of the people (91.32%) were White. A small number were Asian (2.48%), Black or African American (0.41%), or Native American (0.41%). About 2.89% were from other races, and 2.48% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 6.20% of the population.
In the households, 35.6% had children under 18 years old. Most households (72.4%) were married couples living together. About 12.6% of households were single individuals. The average household had 2.78 people.
The age groups in Skillman in 2010 were:
- Under 18: 23.1%
- 18 to 24: 3.3%
- 25 to 44: 20.2%
- 45 to 64: 38.8%
- 65 or older: 14.5%
The average age in Skillman was 47.0 years.
Notable People from Skillman
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Skillman:
- Sara Josephine Baker (1873–1945): A pioneering doctor who lived at Trevenna Farm.
- Ira Black (1941–2006): A brain scientist and stem cell researcher. He was the first director of the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey.
- Yvonne Brill (1924–2013): A famous rocket scientist.
- Louis Gambaccini (1931–2018): A government official who worked a lot in transportation.
- John Sheridan (1942–2014): A former New Jersey Transportation Commissioner and head of Cooper Health System.
- I. A. R. Wylie (1885–1959): A popular writer who also lived at Trevenna Farm with Sara Josephine Baker.
See also
In Spanish: Skillman para niños
