Cranbury, New Jersey

History

A deed for a sale of land and improvements dated March 1, 1698, is the earliest evidence of buildings constructed in present-day Cranbury. A home in Cranbury was used by Alexander Hamilton and the Marquis de Lafayette as a headquarters during the American Revolutionary War, and they were visited by General George Washington on June 26, 1778. As part of orders issued during the Presidency of George Washington, maps of Cranbury were made showing the presence of a church, a mill and 25 other buildings. During its earliest years, the location was usually spelled as "Cranberry". Rev. Joseph G. Symmes argued in 1857 that the name was spelled improperly and that the suffix "bury" was more appropriate, leading the name of the community and brook to be changed to "Cranbury" in 1869. The name has been attributed to wild cranberries that grew in the area.

The so-called Hightstown rail accident occurred in or near Cranbury, in 1833. According to John Quincy Adams, who was aboard the train and who wrote in his diary about it, the train was 3 miles (4.8 km) from Hightstown when the disaster struck, putting the accident near what is now Cranbury Station. Among the passengers aboard were Tyrone Power and Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Cranbury was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 7, 1872, from portions of both Monroe Township and South Brunswick Township. Portions of the township were taken on April 1, 1919, to form Plainsboro Township.

George Washington's headquarters were located in Cranbury while planning for the Battle of Monmouth, a major turning point during the Revolutionary War.

Many buildings on Cranbury's Main Street and in the surrounding area date to the 18th or 19th century. The entire downtown area is designated as a Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 as District #80002502.

The township celebrated its tricentennial in 1998.

Updike Parsonage Barn was relocated and reconstructed in 2010.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 13.397 square miles (34.697 km²), including 13.247 square miles (34.309 km²) of land and 0.150 square miles (0.389 km²) of water (1.12%).

Cranbury CDP (2010 Census population of 2,181) is a unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Cranbury Township. Despite the match between the name of the Township and the CDP, the two are not one and the same, as was the case for most paired Township / CDP combinations (i.e., a CDP with the same as its parent township) before the 2010 Census, when most such paired CDPs were coextensive with a township of the same name.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Brain Grove Lake, Cranbury Station, Wescott and Wyckoffs Mills.

The township borders Plainsboro Township, Monroe Township and South Brunswick Township in Middlesex County; and East Windsor Township in Mercer County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 3,857 people, 1,320 households, and 1,060 families residing in the township. The population density was 291.2 per square mile (112.4/km²). The township contained 1,371 housing units at an average density of 103.5 per square mile (40.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 80.53% (3,106) White, 3.45% (133) Black or African American, 0.10% (4) Native American, 13.74% (530) Asian, 0.03% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.36% (14) from other races, and 1.79% (69) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.57% (99) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,320 households, 41.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.3% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the township, 27.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 15.1% from 25 to 44, 35.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.2 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 88.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $131,667 (with a margin of error of +/- $21,076) and the median family income was $146,250 (+/- $24,045). Males had a median income of $122,566 (+/- $25,917) versus $60,781 (+/- $22,066) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $55,236 (+/- $5,718). About 3.1% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% 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 3,227 people, 1,091 households, and 877 families residing in the township. The population density was 240.6 people per square mile (92.9/km²). There were 1,121 housing units at an average density of 83.6 per square mile (32.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 88.78% White, 2.26% African American, 7.41% Asian, 0.22% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.70% of the population.

There were 1,091 households out of which 46.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were married couples living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the township the population was spread out with 30.4% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $111,680, and the median income for a family was $128,410. Males had a median income of $94,683 versus $44,167 for females. The per capita income for the township was $50,698. About 0.7% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Cranbury Township is governed under the Township form of 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, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. In 1990, the Cranbury Township Committee was expanded from three to five members and the position of Township Administrator by ordinance.

As of 2016, members of the Cranbury Township Committee are Mayor Daniel P. Mulligan, III (R, term of office on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy mayor Glenn R. Johnson (D, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2016), David W. Cook (D, 2018), Susan J. Goetz (D, 2017) and James M. Taylor (D, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Cranbury Township is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 14th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing 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 14th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Linda R. Greenstein (D, Plainsboro Township) and in the General Assembly by Daniel R. Benson (D, Hamilton Township, Mercer County) and Wayne DeAngelo (D, Hamilton Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Middlesex County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects from among its members a Freeholder Director and Deputy Director. As of 2015, Middlesex County's Freeholders (with party affiliation, term-end year, residence and committee chairmanship listed in parentheses) are Freeholder Director Ronald G. Rios (D, term ends December 31, 2015, Carteret; Ex-officio on all committees), Freeholder Deputy Director Carol Barrett Bellante (D, 2017; Monmouth Junction, South Brunswick Township; County Administration), Kenneth Armwood (D, 2016, Piscataway; Business Development and Education), Charles Kenny ( D, 2016, Woodbridge Township; Finance), H. James Polos (D, 2015, Highland Park; Public Safety and Health), Charles E. Tomaro (D, 2017, Edison; Infrastructure Management) and Blanquita B. Valenti (D, 2016, New Brunswick; Community Services). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Elaine M. Flynn (D, Old Bridge Township), Sheriff Mildred S. Scott (D, 2016, Piscataway) and Surrogate Kevin J. Hoagland (D, 2017; New Brunswick).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,768 registered voters in Cranbury Township, of which 836 (30.2%) were registered as Democrats, 684 (24.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,246 (45.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 52.0% of the vote (1,076 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 46.9% (971 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (22 votes), among the 2,082 ballots cast by the township's 2,839 registered voters (13 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 53.0% of the vote (1,153 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 45.3% (986 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (29 votes), among the 2,176 ballots cast by the township's 2,777 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.8% of the vote (1,044 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 48.0% (987 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (23 votes), among the 2,055 ballots cast by the township's 2,510 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.9.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.1% of the vote (941 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 31.3% (439 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (22 votes), among the 1,421 ballots cast by the township's 2,850 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 54.6% of the vote (901 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 35.5% (585 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.7% (144 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (11 votes), among the 1,649 ballots cast by the township's 2,711 registered voters, yielding a 60.8% turnout.

Education

The Cranbury School District serves children in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Cranbury School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 765 students and 55.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.9:1. For the 1996-97, 2009–10 and 2016–17 school years, Cranbury School was formally designated as a National Blue Ribbon School, the highest honor that an American public school can achieve. During the 2009-10 school year, Cranbury School was awarded the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence a second time, and a third time for the 2016-17 school year.

For ninth through twelfth grades, students move on to Princeton High School in Princeton, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Princeton Public Schools. Cranbury Township is granted a non-voting seat on the Princeton Regional Schools Board of Education, with the designated representative only voting on issues pertaining to Princeton High School and district-wide issues. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,519 students and 126.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1.

Public libraries

The Cranbury Public Library serves Cranbury residents, sharing a facility with the Cranbury School.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 51.25 miles (82.48 km) of roadways, of which 31.08 miles (50.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 12.85 miles (20.68 km) by Middlesex County and 3.16 miles (5.09 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 4.16 miles (6.69 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

A few county routes traverse through Cranbury: 535, 539, 615, and 614.

Cranbury hosts U.S. Route 130 and a 4-mile (6.4 km) section of Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike). Cranbury is accessible by the Turnpike in neighboring East Windsor Township (Exit 8) and Monroe Township (Exit 8A). The Molly Pitcher Service Area is located at mile marker 71.7 on the southbound side.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority widened the Turnpike (with the "dual-dual" setup) between Exit 6 in Mansfield Township and Exit 8A in Monroe Township in late 2014. New entrance and exit ramps were constructed to access the service area.

Public transportation

Middlesex County offers the M6 MCAT shuttle route providing service to Jamesburg and Plainsboro Township.

Corporate residents

Cranbury is host to many warehouses along Route 130 and the roads leading to the NJ Turnpike. A company making the Boy Scout Pinewood Derby cars is also here. Cranbury was noted for a used Rolls-Royce dealership located in the center of town, but it has gone out of business. The alternative energy business Blacklight Power, which occupies a building formerly occupied by Creative Playthings, is in fact located in East Windsor, in an area served by the Cranbury Post Office.

The Associated University Presses is an academic publishing company supplying textbooks to colleges and universities.

Notable people

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