Netcong, New Jersey

History

Netcong received its name from the Musconetcong River, named by the Lenape Native Americans and meaning "grass creek", "swamp stream", "rapid stream" or "clear stream place". Along with the river, the proximity of the old Morris and Sussex Turnpike, which passed through the region shortly after 1801, and the coming of the Morris Canal, in 1831, made the site a favorable one for development.

After becoming a borough, the residents had to elect the first governing body. The first Mayor was Abraham J. Drake, elected November 14, 1894. A census of Netcong taken July 1895 showed a population of 877 people.

Netcong derived much of its business from the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, which had its last stop in Morris County in the heart of the Borough. The DL&W's Sussex Branch to Branchville also stopped at Netcong Station, with the Sussex Branch coming into the opposite side of the station from where NJ Transit's line is today. The big railroad roundhouse in Port Morris also supplied many jobs for the town residents.

In 1968, AT&T announced that the company would be building a two-story building in the borough at the bottom of a hole 47 feet (14 m) underground. The facility, designed to connect a cable running between Boston and Miami, was designed to withstand a nuclear attack and continue 24-hour operations for as long as three weeks using supplies and generating capacity on the site.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.917 square miles (2.376 km²), including 0.844 square miles (2.187 km²) of land and 0.073 square miles (0.190 km²) of water (7.99%).

Netcong borders the municipalities of Mount Olive Township and Roxbury Township; and Stanhope in Sussex County.

2010 Census

The 2010 United States Census counted 3,232 people, 1,381 households, and 810.6 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,828.4 per square mile (1,478.2/km²). The borough contained 1,449 housing units at an average density of 1,716.4 per square mile (662.7/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 84.22% (2,722) White, 3.90% (126) Black or African American, 0.34% (11) Native American, 2.78% (90) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 6.71% (217) from other races, and 2.04% (66) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 17.70% (572) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,381 households, 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.3% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the borough, 18.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females the census counted 97.1 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 95.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $59,167 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,354) and the median family income was $72,222 (+/- $9,501). Males had a median income of $64,569 (+/- $6,401) versus $46,094 (+/- $3,857) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,135 (+/- $3,825). About 7.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,580 people, 1,008 households, and 681 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,066.8 people per square mile (1,185.9/km²). There were 1,043 housing units at an average density of 1,239.8 per square mile (479.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.30% White, 1.20% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 1.43% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.13% of the population.

The most common ancestries in Netcong is Italian (23.5%), Irish (11.4%), German (10.4%), English (6.6%), and Hungarian (3.3%)

There were 1,008 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the borough the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 32.7% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $55,000, and the median income for a family was $65,833. Males had a median income of $42,179 versus $36,458 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,472. About 2.5% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Netcong 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 Netcong, 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 Netcong is Republican Joseph A. Nametko, whose term of office ends December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Edward J. Koster Sr. (R, 2018), Patricia Butler (R, 2018), Robert E. Hathaway Jr. (D, 2016), Thomas A. Laureys (R, 2016), Elmer M. Still (R, 2017) and John "Jack" Sylvester Jr. (R, 2017).

Federal, state and county representation

Netcong is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Netcong had been in the 24th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Netcong had been part of the 11th 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 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).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,754 registered voters in Netcong, of which 385 (21.9%) were registered as Democrats, 654 (37.3%) were registered as Republicans and 715 (40.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.1% of the vote (649 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.6% (514 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (15 votes), among the 1,185 ballots cast by the borough's 1,870 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 63.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.3% of the vote (751 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 42.1% (561 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (13 votes), among the 1,334 ballots cast by the borough's 1,822 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 62.3% of the vote (778 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.5% (456 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (10 votes), among the 1,249 ballots cast by the borough's 1,784 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 70.0.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 73.6% of the vote (550 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.4% (175 votes), and other candidates with 2.9% (22 votes), among the 770 ballots cast by the borough's 1,834 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 59.0% of the vote (543 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.3% (279 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.9% (82 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (8 votes), among the 921 ballots cast by the borough's 1,787 registered voters, yielding a 51.5% turnout.

Education

Netcong is home to the Netcong School District, which serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Netcong Elementary School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 315 students and 28.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.10:1.

For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Lenape Valley Regional High School, which serves students from Netcong and from the Sussex County communities of Byram Township and Stanhope. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 824 students and 61.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. Netcong residents previously attended Netcong High School. The school closed in 1974 and the building became Netcong Elementary School.

St. Michael School is a Catholic school operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, that was founded in 1923, and staffed by the Sisters of Christian Charity of Mendham starting in 1945. The school merged with 4 other elementary schools, moved to the campus at Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, NJ, and closed at the end of the school year in June, 2016.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 10.36 miles (16.67 km) of roadways, of which 7.90 miles (12.71 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.67 miles (1.08 km) by Morris County and 1.79 miles (2.88 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Several major highways pass through Netcong, leading to the borough's motto of "All Roads Lead to Netcong". Major roadways in Netcong include Interstate 80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway), U.S. Route 46 and Route 183, the latter two highways meeting at the Netcong Circle. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) uses Netcong as a control city on directional signage on its highways throughout northern New Jersey, and as far away as the George Washington Bridge, even though less than one-tenth of a mile of Interstate 80 is in the borough (from mile markers 26.33 to 26.42). Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 206 intersect with U.S. Route 46 in the southwest corner of the borough at Exit 26.

In 2007, the New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed the elimination of the Netcong Traffic Circle, located at the intersections of U.S. Route 46 and Route 183 just north of the interchange with Interstate 80, and its replacement with a signalized intersection. The circle itself dated back to construction in 1938 and was unable to handle the 17,000 vehicles a year that used the large roadway daily. The circle was the frequent site of vehicular accidents, including a total of 81 in 2007 and 2008. The project had issues dealing with the vertical clearance of the overpass for U.S. Route 46 westbound. The removal of the circle would eliminate this bridge, and the land would go to use as the new signalized intersection, with pedestrian and bicycle fittings. The entire project cost about $13.3 million of state and local funds to construct. A temporary interchange was implemented in January 2013, with the permanent intersection configuration completed that August.

Public transportation

NJ Transit operates weekday rail service at the Netcong station to Hoboken Terminal, with service to Penn Station in New York City via Midtown Direct on the Montclair-Boonton Line and the Morristown Line.

NJ Transit used to provide local service on the MCM5 route. The Morris County Department of Transportation provides bus service along Route 46 to Dover and Mount Olive Township.

Lakeland Bus Lines provides service along Route 80 between Newton and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

In view of Netcong's rich railroad history, the borough has been named as a site for the New Jersey State Railroad and Transportation Museum (jointly with Phillipsburg). Given that the site envisioned for this museum in Phillipsburg has been sold for development as a townhouse complex and college campus annex, it is unclear what role Phillipsburg will play in this museum. Funding will need to be secured in order to build and operate this museum.

Notable people

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