Vernon Township, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vernon Township, New Jersey
|
||
|---|---|---|
|
Township
|
||
Along CR 517 and Route 94
|
||
|
||
Map of Vernon Township in Sussex County. Inset: Location of Sussex County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
|
||
Census Bureau map of Vernon Township, New Jersey
|
||
 Vernon Township, New Jersey
Location in Sussex County, New Jersey
Vernon Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Vernon Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
|
||
| Country |  United States |
|
| State |  New Jersey |
|
| County | .png){kind=small} Sussex |
|
| Established | April 8, 1793 | |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 69.96 sq mi (181.19 km2) | |
| • Land | 67.60 sq mi (175.07 km2) | |
| • Water | 2.36 sq mi (6.12 km2) 3.38% | |
| Area rank | 15th of 565 in state 1st of 24 in county |
|
| Elevation | 571 ft (174 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
|
||
| • Total | 22,358 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
|
22,711 | |
| • Rank | 124th of 565 in state 1st of 24 in county |
|
| • Density | 330.8/sq mi (127.7/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 469th of 565 in state 12th of 24 in county |
|
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07462 (Vernon)
07422 (Highland Lakes) 07418 (Glenwood) 07428 (McAfee) |
|
| Area code(s) | 973 | |
| FIPS code | 3403775740 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882258 | |
Vernon Township is a township located in Sussex County, New Jersey. It's about an hour's drive from New York City and is part of the larger New York metropolitan area. In 2020, about 22,358 people lived here. Vernon is the largest town in Sussex County, both in terms of how many people live there and its total area.
Vernon is famous for Mountain Creek, a popular ski resort and water park. It also has the Crystal Springs Resort, which includes the Minerals Hotel and Elements Spa. Another ski area, Hidden Valley, which opened in 1976, is now the National Winter Activity Center. This center helps groups learn to ski and snowboard who might not usually get the chance.
Contents
History of Vernon Township
How Vernon Township Began
Vernon Township officially started on April 8, 1793. It was created from parts of Hardyston Township. The township became a formal town on February 21, 1798. Its borders, which cover about 68 square miles (176 square kilometers), haven't changed in over 200 years!
Growth and Industry
In 1950, only about 1,548 people lived in Vernon. But the town started to grow a lot in the 1960s. This was when the ski industry became popular in the area. More people also moved to Vernon because homes were more affordable here than in the busy areas closer to New York City.
In the mid-to-late 1800s, iron mining was a big industry in Vernon. Mines like Canistear, Williams, and Pochuk helped local businesses grow and even brought train travel to the town.
How Vernon Got Its Name
No one knows for sure how Vernon Township got its name, but there are a few ideas:
- Admiral Edward Vernon: This is a very possible reason. The township was created in 1792, the same year George Washington was re-elected as president. Vernon Township's first Masonic Lodge (a type of club) in 1820 was named Mount Vernon. This was likely named after Washington's home in Virginia. Washington's brother, Lawrence Washington, served with Admiral Vernon, which is how the home got its name.
- A Family Named Vernon: It's not very likely, but a person named Nathaniel Vernon ran a tavern in Sussex County in 1756. However, his tavern was probably not in what is now Vernon.
- The Latin Word "Vernus": This word means "spring." So, Vernon might have been chosen to mean green, fresh, and fertile.
Did you know there used to be two places named Vernon in New Jersey? One was in Sussex County (our Vernon), and the other was in Essex County. When the Essex County community wanted a post office, they found out another Vernon already existed. So, they changed their name to Verona.
Geography of Vernon Township
Size and Location
Vernon Township covers about 69.96 square miles (181.19 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 67.60 square miles (175.07 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 2.36 square miles (6.12 square kilometers), is water.
Main Communities
Several communities are located within Vernon Township:
Neighboring Towns
Vernon Township shares its borders with several other towns:
- Hardyston Township and Wantage Township in Sussex County.
- West Milford Township in Passaic County.
- The Town of Warwick in Orange County, New York.
Landscape and Water
Vernon has a varied landscape with valleys, rolling hills, and mountains. For example, Glenwood is about 580 feet (177 meters) high, McAfee is about 435 feet (133 meters) high, and Highland Lakes is about 1,260 feet (384 meters) high.
The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley. This valley is part of the larger Great Appalachian Valley, which stretches for 700 miles (1,100 kilometers) from Canada to Alabama.
The City of Newark owns a large area of land in Vernon, about 5,400 acres (2,200 hectares). This land is part of their Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to Newark.
Local Areas and Lakes
Vernon Township has many smaller communities and named places. Some of these include:
- Barry Lakes
- Glenwood
- Great Gorge
- Highland Lakes
- Lake Wanda
- McAfee
- Pleasant Valley Lake
- Scenic Lake
- Vernon Valley
Many of these are "lake communities," meaning they are built around lakes. Some of the lakes include Highland Lakes, Barry Lakes, Cliffwood Lake, Lake Conway, Lake Wanda, and Lake Wallkill.
Great Gorge Village is the township's largest housing complex. It was originally built for people vacationing at the ski resort.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 1,708 | — | |
| 1820 | 2,096 | 22.7% | |
| 1830 | 2,380 | 13.5% | |
| 1840 | 2,395 | 0.6% | |
| 1850 | 2,649 | 10.6% | |
| 1860 | 2,190 | −17.3% | |
| 1870 | 1,979 | −9.6% | |
| 1880 | 1,811 | −8.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,756 | −3.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,738 | −1.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,675 | −3.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,433 | −14.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,279 | −10.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,407 | 10.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,548 | 10.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,155 | 39.2% | |
| 1970 | 6,059 | 181.2% | |
| 1980 | 16,302 | 169.1% | |
| 1990 | 21,211 | 30.1% | |
| 2000 | 24,686 | 16.4% | |
| 2010 | 23,943 | −3.0% | |
| 2020 | 22,358 | −6.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 22,711 | −5.1% | |
| Population sources: 1810–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
|||
Who Lives in Vernon?
In 2010, there were 23,943 people living in Vernon Township. Most residents, about 95%, were White. About 1.4% were Black or African American, and 0.8% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 6.4% of the population.
Age Groups
About 24% of the people in Vernon were under 18 years old. About 8.7% were between 18 and 24. The largest group, about 34%, was between 45 and 64 years old. The average age in Vernon was 40.5 years.
Economy and Jobs
Vernon is home to important communication facilities. The main satellite station for Sirius XM Radio is located here. Also, the Vernon Valley station for SES Worldcom, another satellite company, is in the township.
Fun Things to Do
Vernon Township offers many outdoor activities and places to visit:
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail: A famous hiking trail that passes through the area.
- Mountain Creek Ski Resort and Mountain Creek Waterpark: A popular spot for skiing, snowboarding, and water fun.
- Hidden Valley Resort: This area is now the National Winter Activity Center. It teaches groups about winter sports like skiing and snowboarding.
Education in Vernon Township
Vernon Township Schools
The Vernon Township School District serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. The district has six schools:
- Walnut Ridge School (PreK)
- Cedar Mountain Primary School (Grades K–1)
- Rolling Hills Primary School (Grades 2–3)
- Lounsberry Hollow School (Grades 4–5)
- Glen Meadow Middle School (Grades 6–8)
- Vernon Township High School (Grades 9–12)
In the 2023–24 school year, there were about 2,941 students and 236 teachers in the district. This means there were about 12.5 students for every teacher.
Getting Around Vernon
Roads and Highways
_from_the_pedestrian_overpass_between_Sand_Hill_Road_and_Columbus_Drive_in_Vernon_Township,_Sussex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
As of 2010, Vernon Township had over 126 miles (203 kilometers) of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the township itself.
The main highway in Vernon Township is New Jersey Route 94. Other important roads include County Route 515, County Route 517, and County Route 565. You can also get to major highways like Interstate 80 and Interstate 84 (in New York) from Vernon.
Public Transportation
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway train tracks run through Vernon. However, these tracks are only used for moving goods (freight service), not for passengers.
Notable People from Vernon Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Vernon Township:
- Rebekah Bruesehoff (born 2007): A young activist who supports LGBTQ+ rights.
- Bobby Ellsworth (born 1959): The lead singer of the thrash metal band Overkill.
- Helena Rutherfurd Ely (1858–1920): An author who wrote about gardening and created Meadowburn Farm in Vernon.
- Daniel Haines (1801–1877): A lawyer and politician who served as the Governor of New Jersey.
- Brett Hearn (born 1958): A famous stock car driver.
- Danny Kass (born 1982): A professional snowboarder who won a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Brad Leone (born 1985): A chef known from the show It's Alive on Bon Appétit.
Images for kids
-
Along CR 517 and Route 94
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Vernon (Nueva Jersey) para niños
