Hillsborough Township, New Jersey

History

On May 31, 1771, Hillsborough was officially granted a Charter incorporating it as a Township. A revised charter was issued on September 12, 1771. The records of Hillsborough Township are complete from their inception in 1746 and there are ten volumes, each some several hundred pages, kept in the Special Collections Department of the Rutgers University Library along with the Charter.

Hillsborough Township quickly took its place in history as the path General George Washington and his troops traveled from the Battle of Princeton to winter quarters in Morristown. While the British were encamped in the valley below awaiting an opportunity to attack, it is said that Washington drilled his troops on the Sourland Mountain around a spring near the top using different formations and corn stalks for guns. As the sun caught the stalks, the British thought Washington had received reinforcements and fresh supplies. The British troops, thinking that they were outnumbered, slipped off to New Brunswick leaving Washington to continue to Morristown.

The township was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798.

Hillsborough is the home of the Belle Mead GSA depot, or Belle Mead General Depot, which was a storage site for materials during World War II, along with housing Italian and German prisoners of war. It continued storing materials until the 1980s, and various contaminants have leaked into the ground and surrounding area during that time. Efforts are under way to convert the site into a mixed recreation and R&D complex.

Hillsborough is home to Duke Gardens and Duke Farms, a 2,700 acres (11 km²) estate in the north-eastern quadrant of the town that was originally owned by tobacco and electric energy tycoon James "Buck" Duke and then passed down to daughter Doris Duke, and is now one of the few remaining "preserved" natural areas in Hillsborough Township.

In Money magazine's 2013 Best Places to Live rankings, Hillsborough was ranked 16th in the nation, the third-highest among the three places in New Jersey included in the top 50 list. In the magazine's 2007 rankings, the township was ranked as the 23rd best place to live in the nation.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 55.001 square miles (142.453 km²), including 54.536 square miles (141.248 km²) of land and 0.465 square miles (1.204 km²) of water (0.85%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Amwell, Belle Mead, Blackwells Mills, Champlain, Cloverhill, Clover Mill, Flagtown, Frankfort, Hamilton, Higgins Mills, Montgomery, Neshanic, Pleasant View, Royce Field, Royce Valley, South Branch, Woods Tavern and Zion.

The township borders Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Franklin Township, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery Township, Raritan and Somerville in Somerset County; and East Amwell Township, Raritan Township and Readington Township in Hunterdon County.

Redevelopment

After the three and three quarter mile U.S. Route 206 Bypass is completed, the town plans to design a town center along the old Business Route 206. Construction for the bypass began in 2010 and is expected to be completed by 2017, with the old section of US-206 intended to become "main street" for the township and be zoned for commercial and residential use.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 38,303 people, 13,573 households, and 10,424 families residing in the township. The population density was 702.3 per square mile (271.2/km²). The township contained 14,030 housing units at an average density of 257.3 per square mile (99.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.61% (30,109) White, 4.59% (1,757) Black or African American, 0.12% (46) Native American, 12.38% (4,743) Asian, 0.04% (15) Pacific Islander, 2.18% (834) from other races, and 2.09% (799) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 7.55% (2,893) of the population.

Out of a total of 13,573 households, 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the township, 26.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.0 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 91.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $105,429 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,892) and the median family income was $119,750 (+/- $2,852). Males had a median income of $81,807 (+/- $5,320) versus $52,366 (+/- $1,804) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,029 (+/- $1,701). About 0.8% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 36,634 people, 12,649 households, and 9,802 families residing in the township. The population density was 669.9 people per square mile (258.6/km²). There were 12,854 housing units at an average density of 235.0 per square mile (90.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 85.96% White, 7.31% Asian, 3.76% African American, 0.09% American Indian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.28% from other races, and 1.53% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 4.75% of the population.

There were 12,649 households out of which 44.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them . said– 67.6% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88, and the average family size was 3.31.

In the township, the population was spread out with 29.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 6.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $83,290, and the median income for a family was $93,933. Males had a median income of $62,273 versus $42,052 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,091. About 2.1% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 3.5% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Hillsborough Township is governed under the Township Commission 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. The mayor and deputy mayor are chosen by the Township Committee from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting, each serving a one-year term.

As of 2016, members of the Hillsborough Township Committee are Mayor Frank DelCore (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2016), Deputy Mayor Carl Suraci (R, term on committee ends 2018; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), Greg Burchette (R, 2018), Gloria McCauley (R, 2017) and Douglas Tomson (R, 2017).

Based on the results of a Charter Study Commission, a recommendation was listed on the November 2007 general election ballot proposing that the township adopt a Mayor-Council form of government under the Faulkner Act. At the election, 58% of those voting chose to reject the proposed change, leaving Hillsborough's traditional township form of government unchanged.

Federal, state and county representation

Hillsborough Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton 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 16th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher Bateman (R, Branchburg) and in the General Assembly by Jack Ciattarelli (R, Hillsborough Township) and Andrew Zwicker (D, South Brunswick). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2016, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Patricia L. Walsh (R, Green Brook Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer (R, Bernardsville, 2017), Patrick Scaglione (R, Bridgewater Township, 2018), Mark Caliguire (R, Skillman in Montgomery Township, 2018), and Brian D. Levine (R, Franklin Township, 2017), Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Brett A. Radi (R, Somerville, 2017), Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano (R, Raritan, 2016) and Surrogate Frank Bruno (R, Branchburg, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 24,841 registered voters in Hillsborough Township, of which 5,575 (22.4% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 5,507 (22.2% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 13,745 (55.3% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.9% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 88.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 49.8% of the vote (9,071 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 48.5% (8,842 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (301 votes), among the 18,319 ballots cast by the township's 26,570 registered voters (105 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.9%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 9,507 votes (49.8% vs. 52.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 9,218 votes (48.2% vs. 46.1%) and other candidates with 250 votes (1.3% vs. 1.1%), among the 19,107 ballots cast by the township's 23,926 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.9% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 9,246 votes (53.0% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 7,965 votes (45.7% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 176 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 17,433 ballots cast by the township's 21,152 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.4% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.2% of the vote (7,855 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.1% (3,298 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (190 votes), among the 11,493 ballots cast by the township's 26,883 registered voters (150 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 7,436 votes (59.9% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 3,765 votes (30.3% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 1,046 votes (8.4% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 96 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 12,416 ballots cast by the township's 24,456 registered voters, yielding a 50.8% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).

Education

The Hillsborough Township School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Students from Millstone attend the district's schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2011-12 school year, the district's nine schools had an enrollment of 7,316 students and 611.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.96:1. Schools in the district (with 2011-12 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are six elementary schools for students in Kindergarten to fourth grade — Amsterdam Elementary School (502 students), Hillsborough Elementary School (524), Sunnymead Elementary School (389), Triangle Elementary School (419), Woodfern Elementary School (383) and Woods Road Elementary School (442) — Auten Road Intermediate School (1,101 students; grades 5-6), Hillsborough Middle School (1,135; 7-8) and Hillsborough High School (2,421; 9-12).

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 211.92 miles (341.05 km) of roadways, of which 185.42 miles (298.40 km) were maintained by the municipality, 19.79 miles (31.85 km) by Somerset County and 6.71 miles (10.80 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 206 is the main road that passes through the township. A new alignment of US 206, the 1.66-mile (2.67 km) US 206 Bypass, was completed through Hillsborough in 2015 to bypass the congested stretch of the road. The road is named for Peter J. Biondi, a former Hillsborough mayor and member of the General Assembly.

Main county roads that pass through are CR 514 which runs for 10.24 miles (16.48 km) through the township, and CR 533. Interstate 287 is outside the municipality in bordering Bridgewater and Franklin Townships. Part of the proposed routing of Interstate 95 through central New Jersey included Hillsborough; this project was ultimately canceled in the 1980s.

Rail

NJ Transit has proposed a new West Trenton Line that would stretch for 27 miles (43 km) from the West Trenton station in Ewing Township to a connection with the Raritan Valley Line at Bridgewater Township, and from there to Newark Penn Station in Newark. The plan would include stations at both Belle Mead and Hillsborough.

The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through Hillsborough Township.

Notable people

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