Millstone, New Jersey

History

Millstone, then called Somerset Courthouse, was the county seat of Somerset County from 1738 until the British burned it to the ground in 1779 during the American Revolutionary War. After the victory at Princeton on January 3, 1777, General George Washington headquartered at the Van Doren house, while the army camped nearby that night. The next day, they marched to Pluckemin on the way to their winter encampment at Morristown.

Millstone was briefly connected to the Pennsylvania Railroad when the Mercer and Somerset Railway was extended to the town in the 1870s and connected via a bridge across the Millstone River to the Pennsylvania Railroad's Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad, but that arrangement did not last into the 1880s. Remnants of the railroad bridge can still be seen.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.760 square miles (1.969 km²), including 0.738 square miles (1.911 km²) of land and 0.022 square miles (0.058 km²) of water (2.95%).

The borough borders Franklin Township and Hillsborough Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 418 people, 162 households, and 117.9 families residing in the borough. The population density was 566.5 per square mile (218.7/km²). The borough contained 167 housing units at an average density of 226.3 per square mile (87.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.69% (400) White, 1.20% (5) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.67% (7) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.96% (4) from other races, and 0.48% (2) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.59% (15) of the population.

Out of a total of 162 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.2% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the borough, 23.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 86.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $97,500 (with a margin of error of +/- $18,039) and the median family income was $102,708 (+/- $20,734). Males had a median income of $73,250 (+/- $8,715) versus $50,625 (+/- $15,872) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,678 (+/- $5,017). About 0.0% of families and 0.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 410 people, 169 households, and 126 families residing in the borough. The population density was 547.1 people per square mile (211.1/km²). There were 173 housing units at an average density of 230.9 per square mile (89.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 97.56% White, 0.98% African American, 0.98% Asian, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.17% of the population.

There were 169 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.79.

In the borough the population was spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $76,353, and the median income for a family was $83,118. Males had a median income of $60,156 versus $36,406 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,694. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Millstone is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Millstone, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Millstone Borough is Democrat Raymond Heck, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Millstone Borough Council are Council President Scott J. Ross (R, 2017), Sal Ciurleo (D, 2016), Merry Emmich (R, 2018), Alan Kidd (R, 2017), Denene Smerdon (R, 2016) and Johnathan Stashek (D, 2018).

Federal, state and county representation

Millstone is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Millstone had been part of the 4th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

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 309 registered voters in Millstone, of which 107 (34.6% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 85 (27.5% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 117 (37.9% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.9% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 96.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 49.8% of the vote (119 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 49.4% (118 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (2 votes), among the 240 ballots cast by the borough's 325 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 73.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 143 votes (57.0% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 104 votes (41.4% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 2 votes (0.8% vs. 1.1%), among the 251 ballots cast by the borough's 309 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 130 votes (50.6% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 123 votes (47.9% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 2 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 257 ballots cast by the borough's 304 registered voters, for a turnout of 84.5% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.0% of the vote (97 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35.2% (56 votes), and other candidates with 3.8% (6 votes), among the 159 ballots cast by the borough's 320 registered voters for a turnout of 49.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 100 votes (54.6% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 62 votes (33.9% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 18 votes (9.8% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 1 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 183 ballots cast by the borough's 303 registered voters, yielding a 60.4% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).

Education

Millstone is a non-operating school district. All public school students from Millstone attend school in the Hillsborough Township School District, in Hillsborough Township as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 4.41 miles (7.10 km) of roadways, of which 4.01 miles (6.45 km) were maintained by the municipality so 0.40 miles (0.64 km) by Somerset County

Notable people

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