Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey

:"For other Washington Townships elsewhere in New Jersey see: Washington Township, New Jersey"

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Washington Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250 px
map_caption = Washington Township highlighted in Morris County. Inset



mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Morris
government_footnotes =
government_type = Township (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Tracy Tobin
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = April 2, 1798

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 116.2
area_land_km2 = 116.2
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 44.9
area_land_sq_mi = 44.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 18691
population_density_km2 = 151.4
population_density_sq_mi = 392.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882198|Township of Washington, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 332
elevation_ft = 1089
latd = 40 |latm = 47 |lats = 43 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 47 |longs = 27 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 07853 - Long Valley
area_code = 908
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-77240GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882198GR|3
website = http://www.washtwpmorris.org
footnotes =

Washington Township is a Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 17,592.

Washington Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1798, from portions of Roxbury Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Chester Township as of April 1, 1799."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 197.]

Washington Township has the distinction of occupying the largest area of any municipality in Morris County. U.S. Route 46, County Route 513, and County Route 517 pass through town. Interstate 80 is only minutes away in the neighboring community of Mount Olive.

Long Valley is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Washington Township. The Long Valley section — the heart of the township — was called German Valley when it was first settled in the 1700s by people from Saxony, in Germany.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 44.9 square miles (116.2 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=1615
1940=1870
1950=2147
1960=3330
1970=6962
1980=11402
1990=15592
2000=17592
estimate=18691
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3402777240&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34025%7C06000US3402574900&_street=&_county=Washington+Township&_cityTown=Washington+Township&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Washington township, Morris County] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 20, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 17,592 people, 5,755 households, and 4,874 families residing in the township. The population density was 392.1 people per square mile (151.4/km²). There were 5,890 housing units at an average density of 131.3/sq mi (50.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.16% White, 0.83% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.21% of the population.

There were 5,755 households out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.1% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.3% were non-families. 12.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.31.

In the township the population was spread out with 30.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $97,763, and the median income for a family was $104,926. Males had a median income of $76,791 versus $41,759 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,489. About 1.8% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Washington Township is governed under the Township form of government with a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 110.] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Vice Mayor.

The members of the Washington Township Committee are Mayor Tracy Tobin (2009), Vice Mayor Kenneth Short (2009), Kevin Nedd (2008), Howard Popper (2010) and Kevin Walsh (2010). [ [http://www.washtwpmorris.org/government/government.html Washington Township Local Government] , Washington Township. Accessed August 16, 2008.]

The 2008 property tax rate for Washington Township is $1.957 per $100 of assessed value. [ [http://www.wtmorris.org/departments/tax/tax.html Tax Department] , Washington Township. Accessed August 16, 2008.]

Federal, state and county representation

Washington Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 65. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Washington Township Schools is a public school district that includes five schools and a central office. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3417130 Data for the Washington Township Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed July 16, 2008.] ) are [http://www.wtschools.org/ofrs/ Old Farmers Road School] , which serves the southern section of the district in grades K-5 (499 students), [http://www.wtschools.org/wjks/ Walter J. Kossmann School] for grades K-2 (596), [http://www.wtschools.org/frs/ Flocktown Road School] for grades 3-5 (450) and [http://www.wtschools.org/lvms/ Long Valley Middle School] for grades 6-8 (1,374). [http://www.wtschools.org/bac/ Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School] housing grades K-4 opened in September of 2006. Students in grades 9-12 attend West Morris Central High School, which is located in Chester Township and is part of the West Morris Regional High School District. Students in the district come from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and from Washington Township. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/27/5660/27-5660-000.html West Morris Regional High School District 2007 Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 17, 2008. "Established in 1958, the West Morris Regional High School District operates two schools, West Morris Central High School and West Morris Mendham High School. The district serves the students of five Morris County communities, Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township, in grades 9 through 12. Students from Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School, and students from the Chesters and the Mendhams attend West Morris Mendham High School."]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Washington Township include:
*Larry Cutrone (entertainer) Inducted NJ AM Radio History Museum (music/comedy show) Screenplay writer The Pat Galo Story - Ovation guitar endorsee.
*Larry Gonsky (musician) - Former keyboardist for the band Looking Glass during the 1970s
*Jamie Smith (1972-1993), U.S. Army Ranger who was one of the 18 casualties of the Battle of Mogadishu. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=980CE4D9103FF935A35753C1A965958260 "THE SOMALIA MISSION; Pentagon Identifies Fatalities in Somalia"] , "The New York Times", October 6. 1993. Accessed December 26, 2007. "SMITH, Spc. James E., 21, Long Valley, N.J."]

Local Media

Radio station WRNJ has studios, offices and its transmitter in Washington Township, broadcasting at 1510 AM. The station is licensed to nearby Hackettstown.

References

External links

* [http://www.washtwpmorris.org Washington Township website]
* [http://www.wtschools.org Washington Township Schools]
*NJReportCard|27|5520|0|Washington Township Schools
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3416080 Data for the Washington Township Schools] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.wmrhsd.org/ West Morris Regional High School District]