Boonton Township, New Jersey

History

Boonton Township's recorded history began about 1710 when William Penn, the Quaker land speculator, located in the northern valley his Lot No. 48, which contained 1,430 acres (580 ha) of fields and woodlands. James Bollen, whose bordering "plantation" stretching south toward the Tourne was described as "situate on the fork of Rockaway with an Indian plantation in it," mapped his 1,507 acres (6 km²) in 1715. In 1765 David Ogden purchased from Burnet and Skinner the Great Boonton Tract. When the Township of Boonton was created as of April 11, 1867 by "An Act to Divide the Township of Pequannoc in the County of Morris" most of Penn's Lot No. 48 and parts of the Bollen and Great Boonton Tracts fell within Boonton's boundary.

The first settler of proper record was Frederick DeMouth of French Huguenot extraction. By 1758, his Rockaway Valley plantation within the Penn Lot covered 672 acres (2.72 km²), and it was on this land that the large Stickle, Bott and Kincaid farms were to prosper in the far distant future. Frederick Miller of German Palatine birth bought extensive land (later day Dixon acres) within the Bollen piece at 13 shillings per acre. These founding families were closely followed by the Hoplers, Van Winkles, Cooks, Scotts, Peers, Stickles and Kanouses.

McCaffrey Lane, the oldest recorded thoroughfare in the area, was built in 1767 by Samuel Ogden of the Great Boonton Tract. In 1822, North Main Street was "cut" along the proposed Morris Canal route. In 1824, the Morris Canal and Banking Company was chartered with John Scott of Powerville, an important commissioner. Lock Numbers 9, 10 and 11 were constructed in newly named Powerville. The Powerville Hotel, still standing, was built near Lock Number 11 to accommodate both canal and transient trade. It later gained fame as a pre-American Civil War Underground Railroad station.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 8.632 square miles (22.357 km²), including 8.242 square miles (21.347 km²) of land and 0.390 square miles (1.010 km²) of water (4.52%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Deer Pond, Dixons Pond, Powerville, Rockaway Valley and Sheep Hill.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 4,263 people, 1,575 households, and 1,150 families residing in the township. The population density was 517.2 per square mile (199.7/km²). The township contained 1,647 housing units at an average density of 199.8 per square mile (77.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.35% (3,937) White, 1.55% (66) Black or African American, 0.12% (5) Native American, 3.99% (170) Asian, 0.05% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.54% (23) from other races, and 1.41% (60) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.18% (178) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,575 households, 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.1% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township, 24.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 16.2% from 25 to 44, 35.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females the census counted 97.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 92.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $117,333 (with a margin of error of +/- $21,364) and the median family income was $135,781 (+/- $33,990). Males had a median income of $102,250 (+/- $17,348) versus $62,452 (+/- $17,486) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $61,267 (+/- $12,232). About 3.8% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 0.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,287 people, 1,476 households, and 1,157 families residing in the township. The population density was 508.9 people per square mile (196.6/km²). There were 1,510 housing units at an average density of 179.2 per square mile (69.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.00% White, 1.19% African American, 0.05% Native American, 4.08% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.

There were 1,476 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $91,753, and the median income for a family was $102,944. Males had a median income of $77,133 versus $46,302 for females. The per capita income for the township was $45,014. About 0.9% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Boonton Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government. The five-member Township Committee is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January after each election, a Mayor (formally described as Chairperson) and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Township Committee from among its members.

As of 2016, members of the Boonton Township Committee are Mayor Paul Allieri (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Thomas R. Donadio (R, 2017), William Klingener (R, 2016), Michele Rankin (R, 2018) and Robert A. Rizzo (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Boonton Township is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 25th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony Bucco (R, Boonton Town) and in the General Assembly by Tony Bucco (R, Boonton Township) and Michael Patrick Carroll (R, Morris Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. The Freeholder Board sets policies for the operation of six super-departments, more than 30 divisions plus authorities, commissions, boards and study committees. Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator, John Bonanni. As of 2016, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Kathryn A. DeFillippo (Roxbury Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Freeholder William "Hank" Lyon (Montville, 2017), Douglas Cabana (Boonton Township, 2016), John Cesaro (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, 2018), Thomas J. Mastrangelo (Montville, 2016) Christine Myers (Mendham Township, 2018), and Deborah Smith (Denville, 2018). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Ann F. Grossi (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township, 2018), Sheriff Edward V. Rochford (Morris Plains, 2016) and Surrogate John Pecoraro (Mendham Borough, 2019).

Elections

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,061 registered voters in Boonton Township, of which 558 (18.2%) were registered as Democrats, 1,386 (45.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,114 (36.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 61.4% of the vote (1,430 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.4% (870 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (28 votes), among the 2,341 ballots cast by the township's 3,185 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 59.2% of the vote (1,439 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 39.0% (949 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (27 votes), among the 2,431 ballots cast by the township's 3,199 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 62.4% of the vote (1,480 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.3% (860 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (25 votes), among the 2,372 ballots cast by the township's 3,083 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.3% of the vote (1,077 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.2% (332 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (22 votes), among the 1,454 ballots cast by the township's 3,199 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.9% of the vote (1,126 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 27.7% (480 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.2% (107 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (12 votes), among the 1,735 ballots cast by the township's 3,131 registered voters, yielding a 55.4% turnout.

Education

The Boonton Township School District serves students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Rockaway Valley School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 720 students and 41.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 17.6:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Mountain Lakes High School, in Mountain Lakes, as part of a sending/receiving relationship agreement in place with the Mountain Lakes Schools. As of the 2013-14 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 704 students and 62.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 35.59 miles (57.28 km) of roadways, of which 28.97 miles (46.62 km) were maintained by the municipality and 6.62 miles (10.65 km) by Morris County.

Notable people

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