Stockton, New Jersey

History

Stockton is located along the Delaware River north of Lambertville. The community was first known as Reading Ferry and later as Howell's Ferry. The name was changed to Centre Bridge Station to match the name of the post office and hamlet on the Pennsylvania side of the river. The name became Stockton with the creation of a local post office and railroad station in 1853. The town was named in honor of U.S. Senator Robert Field Stockton, who was instrumental in the creation of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Stockton soon began to develop as an industrious town with mills and quarries sprouting in the area. In 1852 the Belvidere-Delaware Railroad reached town and accelerated its prosperity. The Borough was incorporated in 1898, having been separated from Delaware Township.

Historic locations and sightseeing

The tiny town remains today much as it was in the eighteenth century. For all its small size and charm, the town is presided over by an old inn, the Stockton Inn (formerly known as Colligan's Stockton Inn). Established in 1710, it is the inn that was immortalized by Richard Rodgers in the song "There's a Small Hotel (with a wishing well)" sung in the Broadway play On Your Toes. First built as a private residence it is believed to have been converted to an inn around 1832. The Stockton Inn is now a historic restaurant with fireside dining in winter and garden dining in season. The Stockton Inn was acquired in June 2012 by Mitch Millett.

Prallsville Mills

The Delaware River Mill Society was formed to preserve and promote the buildings and site known as the Prallsville Mills. John Prall Jr., became the owner of the site in 1794 and with his settlement the area became known as Prallsville.

The Delaware River Mill Society is a private non-profit organization responsible for the restoration, maintenance, and operation of the historic John Prall Jr. House and the Prallsville Mills Complex, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. The entire property became part of the D & R Canal State Park in 1973. In 1976 when the State of New Jersey was unable to fund the restoration of its newly acquired Prallsville Mills, local citizens formed the Delaware River Mill Society, to "restore, preserve, operate, maintain and interpret" the historic site. The Mill Society's mission is to save a segment of our past and make it a part of today's community.

Prallsville Mills has become a place of cultural and environmental events attracting widespread participation. Visitors can tour 10 historic buildings including an 1877 grist mill, a 1790 linseed oil mill, an 1850 saw mill and a 1900 grain silo. Concerts, art exhibitions, antique shows, holiday parties, school fund-raiser auctions, meetings, as well as private parties, are a source of income for restoration and maintenance of the site. The site currently includes artist Ty Hodanish's studio and gallery, known as The Art Colony, which is housed in the Linseed Mill. The Mill is also situated in the center of the Delaware River Scenic Byway.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.612 square miles (1.584 km²), including 0.535 square miles (1.386 km²) of land and 0.077 square miles (0.198 km²) of water (12.52%).

The borough borders Delaware Township in Hunterdon County and Solebury Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

Prallsville is an unincorporated community located along the border with Delaware Township.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 538 people, 237 households, and 142 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,005.6 per square mile (388.3/km²). The borough contained 259 housing units at an average density of 484.1 per square mile (186.9/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.33% (529) White, 0.00% (0) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.93% (5) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.00% (0) from other races, and 0.74% (4) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 0.56% (3) of the population.

Out of a total of 237 households, 23.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.1% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the borough, 19.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 21.4% from 25 to 44, 35.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.7 years. For every 100 females the census counted 94.2 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 96.8 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $58,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $19,736) and the median family income was $72,321 (+/- $19,152). Males had a median income of $61,250 (+/- $24,259) versus $42,273 (+/- $34,015) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,153 (+/- $7,749). About 0.0% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 560 people, 246 households, and 148 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,026.5 people per square mile (393.1/km²). There were 258 housing units at an average density of 472.9 per square mile (181.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.57% White, 0.89% Asian, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.

There were 246 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $51,406, and the median income for a family was $65,000. Males had a median income of $42,083 versus $36,250 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,712. About 1.3% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

Stockton 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 Stockton, 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 Stockton Borough is Democrat Timothy J. Nemeth, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Deputy Mayor Nic Messina (R, 2018), Anthony A. Grecco (R, 2016; elected to serve an unexpired term), Adam Juncosa (D, 2017; elected to serve an unexpired term), Aaron Lipsen (D, 2018), Kathryn "Kate" Steffanelli (D, 2017) and Donald Vandegrift (R, 2016).

Democrat Neal Esposito died in office on October 23, 2014, and was reelected posthumously for a new three-year term in the November general election. In the same election, Timothy Nemeth was elected as mayor, creating a vacancy in his seat expiring in December 2016. Democrat Adam Juncosa and Republican Anthony A. Grecco were appointed to fill the council vacancies. In the November 2015 general election, both Juncosa and Grecco were elected to serve the balance of the terms of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Stockton is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Stockton had been in the 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Stockton had been part of the 12th 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).

Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 396 registered voters in Stockton, of which 166 (41.9%) were registered as Democrats, 127 (32.1%) were registered as Republicans and 102 (25.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 58.2% of the vote (174 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 40.1% (120 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (5 votes), among the 300 ballots cast by the borough's 399 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 75.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.3% of the vote (210 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 38.1% (135 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (5 votes), among the 354 ballots cast by the borough's 405 registered voters, for a turnout of 87.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.3% of the vote (200 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 41.5% (145 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (4 votes), among the 349 ballots cast by the borough's 412 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 84.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.1% of the vote (131 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 37.2% (81 votes), and other candidates with 2.8% (6 votes), among the 221 ballots cast by the borough's 393 registered voters (3 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 56.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 45.7% of the vote (122 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 43.4% (116 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.2% (22 votes) and other candidates with 1.9% (5 votes), among the 267 ballots cast by the borough's 398 registered voters, yielding a 67.1% turnout.

Education

The South Hunterdon Regional School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell Township. Each of the three municipalities have their own school through sixth grade; public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend a shared high school in Lambertville. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its four schools had an enrollment of 961 students and 94.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lambertville Public School (244 students; grades PreK-6), Stockton Borough School (grades 2-6), West Amwell School (grades K-6) and South Hunterdon Regional High School (grades 9-12).

In a special election held in September 2013, voters from Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell Township passed referenda to dissolve the South Hunterdon Regional High School District and to combine the three existing school districts from each municipality (Lambertville City School District, Stockton Borough School District and West Amwell Township School District), with majorities in each community passing both ballot items. A single combined regional district was created, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, in which property taxes are levied under a formula in which 57% is based on property values and 43% on the number of students. The executive county superintendent appointed an interim board of education for the new regional district, which was responsible for implementing the merger.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 4.09 miles (6.58 km) of roadways, of which 2.50 miles (4.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.28 miles (0.45 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.31 miles (2.11 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge, a free bridge over the Delaware River, owned and operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, connects Pennsylvania Route 32 and Pennsylvania Route 263 in Solebury Township, Pennsylvania to Route 29 in Stockton. The original bridge, constructed at the site formerly known as Reading's Ferry, was opened to traffic in the spring of 1814. The covered bridge was destroyed in a flood on January 8, 1841, striking the Lambertville Bridge on its way down the Delaware, as part of a flood that severely damaged every bridge between Easton, Pennsylvania and Trenton.

Notable people

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