Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Washington Township, New Jersey
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Township
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Trimmer-Dufford Farmstead
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Location in Morris County and the state of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey
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 Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in Morris County, New Jersey
Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Washington Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County |  Morris |
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| Incorporated | April 2, 1798 | |
| Named for | George Washington | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Township | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 44.90 sq mi (116.28 km2) | |
| • Land | 44.58 sq mi (115.47 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.31 sq mi (0.81 km2) 0.70% | |
| Area rank | 42nd of 565 in state 2nd of 39 in county |
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| Elevation | 988 ft (301 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 18,197 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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18,212 | |
| • Rank | 149th of 565 in state 11th of 39 in county |
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| • Density | 408.2/sq mi (157.6/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 457th of 565 in state 36th of 39 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07853 – Long Valley
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| Area code(s) | 908 | |
| FIPS code | 340277240 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882198 | |
Washington Township is a community located in the southwestern part of Morris County, in the state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 18,197 people lived here. This number was a little less than in 2010, but more than in 2000.
It's in the far west of Morris County, right next to Hunterdon and Warren counties. It's part of the Raritan Valley region. There are six places in New Jersey named "Washington," and this is one of them. Interestingly, Washington Borough is only about 10 miles away. That town is surrounded by another place also called Washington Township, but that one is in Warren County.
Washington Township is known for being one of New Jersey's wealthier communities. From 2014 to 2018, the average household income was around $150,682. This was almost double the average income for the entire state of New Jersey.
Contents
History of Washington Township
Washington Township was officially created on April 2, 1798. It was formed from parts of Roxbury Township. A year later, in 1799, a section of it was used to create Chester Township. The township was named after George Washington, the first president of the United States. Many other towns in New Jersey are also named after him.
In 1798, Morris County's Washington Township was the first to be officially formed in New Jersey. By 1894, there were 18 towns or communities across the state named Washington or Washingtonville. In 1983, there was an attempt to change the name of Washington Township to Long Valley, but the idea was voted down.
Geography and Local Areas
Washington Township covers about 44.77 square miles (115.96 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Long Valley: A Key Community
Long Valley is an important community within Washington Township. In 2010, about 1,879 people lived there. When it was first settled in the 1700s by people from Saxony, Germany, it was called German Valley. The name was changed around 1917 to Long Valley due to feelings against Germany after World War I.
Other Local Spots
Other small communities and places in the township include Bartley, Beattystown, Drakestown, Fairmount, Four Bridges, Lake George, Middle Valley, Naughright, Parker, Pleasant Grove, Pottersville, Scrappy Corner, Springtown, and Stephensburg.
Schooley's Mountain is another community in Washington Township. It's named after the Schooley family, who owned a lot of land there in the 1790s. In the 1800s, natural springs in the area made Schooley's Mountain a popular place for visitors.
Neighboring Towns
Washington Township shares borders with several other towns. These include Chester Township to the east and Mount Olive to the north, both in Morris County. To the south and southwest are Tewksbury Township and Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County. To the west and northwest are Mansfield Township and Hackettstown in Warren County. There's also a small border with Bedminster Township in Somerset County to the southeast.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1810 | 1,793 | — | |
| 1820 | 1,876 | 4.6% | |
| 1830 | 2,188 | 16.6% | |
| 1840 | 2,451 | 12.0% | |
| 1850 | 2,502 | 2.1% | |
| 1860 | 2,504 | 0.1% | |
| 1870 | 2,484 | −0.8% | |
| 1880 | 2,681 | 7.9% | |
| 1890 | 2,367 | −11.7% | |
| 1900 | 2,220 | −6.2% | |
| 1910 | 1,900 | −14.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,779 | −6.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,615 | −9.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,870 | 15.8% | |
| 1950 | 2,147 | 14.8% | |
| 1960 | 3,330 | 55.1% | |
| 1970 | 6,962 | 109.1% | |
| 1980 | 11,402 | 63.8% | |
| 1990 | 15,592 | 36.7% | |
| 2000 | 17,592 | 12.8% | |
| 2010 | 18,533 | 5.3% | |
| 2020 | 18,197 | −1.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 18,212 | −1.7% | |
| Population sources: 1810–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, the United States census counted 18,533 people living in Washington Township. There were 6,237 households, which are groups of people living together. Most of the people (93.06%) were White. About 3.30% were Asian, and 1.39% were Black or African American. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 4.57% of the population.
Many households (43.4%) had children under 18 years old. Most households (73.7%) were married couples. The average household had about 2.95 people. The average family had about 3.27 people.
About 28.7% of the population was under 18 years old. About 11.4% were 65 years or older. The average age in the township was 43.0 years.
Education in Washington Township
The Washington Township Schools district provides public education for students from pre-kindergarten up to eighth grade. In the 2020–21 school year, the district had four schools and about 1,938 students. This means there was about one teacher for every 9.8 students.
The schools in the district are:
- Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School (PreK-5)
- Flocktown-Kossmann School (PreK-5)
- Old Farmers Road School (K-5)
- Long Valley Middle School (6–8)
For high school, students attend West Morris Central High School. This school is located in Washington Township but has a Chester mailing address. It's part of the West Morris Regional High School District. This district also serves students from nearby towns like Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, and Mendham Township. In 2020–21, the high school had 1,098 students. There was about one teacher for every 11.6 students. The school board has nine members who are elected by voters. Four of these seats are for Washington Township.
Getting Around Washington Township
The township has about 149.44 miles of roads. Most of these roads (129.99 miles) are maintained by the township itself. The county maintains 18.25 miles, and the state maintains 1.20 miles.
Major roads that go through Washington Township include U.S. Route 46, County Route 513, and County Route 517. For faster travel, major highways like Interstate 80 are nearby in Mount Olive. Interstate 78 is also close by in Tewksbury Township. U.S. Route 206 can be reached in nearby Bedminster and Chester townships.
Public bus service was once offered by NJ Transit on the MCM5 route, but this service ended in 2010.
Local Media
Washington Township is home to the studios and offices of radio station WRNJ. This station broadcasts on 1510 AM and other FM stations in nearby towns. Its main license is for Hackettstown.
The official newspaper for the township is the Daily Record. There is also a weekly newspaper called The Observer-Tribune. This paper covers news for Washington Township and other communities in western Morris County.
Famous People from Washington Township
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Washington Township. Here are a few:
- Wesley Addy (1913–1996), an actor.
- Walt Ader (1913–1982), a race car driver. He finished 22nd in the 1950 Indianapolis 500.
- Michael Burton (born 1992), a football player for the Denver Broncos.
- Dolan Twins (born 1999), a popular comedy duo.
- Guy R. Gregg (born 1949), a politician who served in the New Jersey government.
- Celeste Holm (1917–2012), an actress who won an Oscar award.
- Jacob W. Miller (1800–1862), a politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate.
- Henry Muhlenberg (1711–1787), known as the founder of Lutheranism in America. He started a church in German Valley.
- Andrew Politi (born 1996), a professional baseball pitcher.
- Mike Rossi (born 1994), a freestyle skier who performs aerial tricks.
- Shannon Sohn (born 1974), a TV news reporter. She was the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy Award.
- Bill Stepien (born 1978), a political campaign manager.
- Lisa Unger (born 1970), an author of modern fiction books.
- Charles Wuorinen (born 1938), a composer who won a Pulitzer Prize for his music.
Images for kids
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Trimmer-Dufford Farmstead
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Location in Morris County and the state of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey
