Pequannock Township, New Jersey

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

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

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



mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of Pequannock Township, New Jersey

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Morris
government_footnotes =
government_type = Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Nicholas Kapotes
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Formed
established_date = March 25, 1740 as "Poquanock Township"
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = February 21, 1798 as "Pequanack Township"

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 18.7
area_land_km2 = 18.3
area_water_km2 = 0.4
area_total_sq_mi = 7.2
area_land_sq_mi = 7.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2007
population_footnotes =
population_total = 16769
population_density_km2 = 758.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1965.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882208|Township of Pequannock, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 64
elevation_ft = 210
latd = 40 |latm = 57 |lats = 37 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 17 |longs = 50 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 07440
area_code = 973
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-58110GR|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 = 0882208GR|3
website = http://www.peqtwp.org/
footnotes =

Pequannock Township is a Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 13,888.

Pequannock Township includes neighborhoods known as Pequannock and Pompton Plains, each of which is served by their own separate post office.

Pequannock (in the name of the Township and of the Pequannock River) is thought to have been derived from the Lenni Lenape Native American word "Paquettahhnuake", meaning, "cleared land ready or being readied for cultivation". [ [http://www.co.morris.nj.us/generalHTML/DB33_Profiles_PequannockTwp.pdf Morris County profile of Pequannock Township] , accessed November 9, 2006.] Pompton has been cited by some sources to mean "a place where they catch soft fish." [ [http://www.northcentralnj.com/new/private/town_details.php?tID=129 Town Information - Pequannock] , accessed November 9, 2006.]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 7.2 square miles (18.7 km²), of which, 7.1 square miles (18.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (1.94%) is water.

The Township of Pequannock is located in eastern Morris County, along Route 23, approximately five miles north of the interchange of Route 23 with Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 46. Interstate 287 crosses the northwest corner of the Township, with a full interchange just north of the Township in the Borough of Riverdale.

History

The name for the area goes back at least as far as March 1, 1720, when it was referred to as "Poquanick", a precinct in Hunterdon County. Formed as "Poquanock Township" on March 25, 1740 as one of the largest townships in the region, this 6.96 square mile bedroom community composed of Pompton Plains in its northern portion and old Pequannock in its southern was once a vast 176-square-mile region of rural farmland settled by the Dutch after its purchase by Arent Schuyler and associates in 1695 & 1696. The township was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships on February 21, 1798."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 196.]

Over time, several municipalities were split off from the township:
*Jefferson Township on February 11, 1804
*Rockaway Township on April 8, 1844
*Boonton Township on April 11, 1867
*Montville Township on April 11, 1867
*Butler Borough on March 13, 1901
*Kinnelon Borough on March 21, 1922
*Lincoln Park Borough on April 25, 1922
*Riverdale Borough on April 17, 1923

During the American Revolutionary War, both Comte de Rochambeau & George Washington's troops camped on what is now the site of the Pequannock Valley Middle School. While Washington stayed at the Schuyler-Colfax House in nearby Pompton, unproven oral history states that he attended church services in the First Reformed Church located in Pompton Plains, also known as the Pompton Meeting House, which had been constructed in 1771. The Mandeville Inn, located on the site of where the soldiers had camped during the war, was built in 1788 and was once owned by Garret Hobart, later Vice President of the United States. The stone with the engraved date is now located inside the Pequannock Valley Middle School when the Inn was demolished and replaced with the school in 1950.

During the Civil War, Pequannock was a stop on the underground railroad. The Giles Mandeville House (also built in 1788), a field and quarry-stone structure located at 515 Newark-Pompton Turnpike, which served as a waypoint for many runaway slaves, still stands today in use as the Manse of the adjacent First Reformed Church since 1953.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=2104
1940=2856
1950=5254
1960=10553
1970=14350
1980=13776
1990=12844
2000=13888
estimate= 16769
estyear=2007
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US3403520&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3403520&_street=&_county=pequannock&_cityTown=pequannock&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Pequannock township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 5, 2008.]
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 13,888 people, 5,026 households, and 3,829 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,965.1 people per square mile (758.4/km²). There were 5,097 housing units at an average density of 721.2/sq mi (278.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.60% White, 0.30% African American, 0.12% Native American, 1.91% Asian, 0.50% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.94% of the population.

There were 5,026 households out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $72,729, and the median income for a family was $84,487. Males had a median income of $61,093 versus $38,523 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,892. About 2.5% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Since 1957, the Township operates under a Council-Manager Plan E form of government under the Faulkner Act. The Council consists of five members elected at large to three-year terms in office on a staggered basis with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the members of the Council elect one of their members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor. The Township Council hires a Township Manager, who serves as the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the Township. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20061026131009/http://www.pequannocktownship.org/Pequannock/about.htm About Pequannock Township] , Pequannock Township, backed up by the Internet Archive as of October 26, 2006. Accessed March 3, 2008.] "2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 121.]

Pequannock's Township Council consists of Mayor Nicholas Kapotes (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor Joseph L. Jorgensen (2010), Ed Engelbart (2008), Louis A. Skvarca (2010) and Joel D. Vanderhoff (2007). [ [http://www.peqtwp.org/Cit-e-Access/TownCouncil/?TID=60&TPID=5922 Township Council 2007] , Pequannock Township. Accessed March 3, 2008. Source shows 2007 term-end date for Vanderhoff as of date accessed.]

Federal, state and county representation

Pequannock Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Pequannock Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. 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=3412900 Data for the Pequannock Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed October 5, 2008.] are three K-5 elementary schools — [http://sjg.pequannock.org/ Stephen J. Gerace] (366 students), [http://hillview.pequannock.org/ Hillview] (399 students) and [http://boulevard.pequannock.org/ North Boulevard] (364 students) — one middle school grades 6-8 [http://pvms.pequannock.org/ Pequannock Valley Middle School] (612 students), and
Pequannock Township High School for grades 9-12 (790 students).

[http://www.holyspiritschoolpequannock.org/ Holy Spirit] is a Catholic school serving grades K-8 operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. [ [http://www.patersondiocese.org/moreinfo.cfm?Web_ID=43 Morris County Elementary / Secondary Schools] , Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Accessed July 26, 2008.] . In addition, there is a Netherlands Christian Reformed School and Chancellor Academy.

Transportation

Two major roadways exist within the township; Interstate 287 crosses the northwest corner and Route 23 runs near the eastern boundary. The Mountain View and Lincoln Park New Jersey Transit stations both serve Pequannock, offering service on the Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal or on Midtown Direct trains to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction.

Bus service is provided by New Jersey Transit on the 193, 194 and 197 lines to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, the 75 line to Newark and local service on the 748 route. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/sf_tp_rc_passaic.shtml Passaic County Bus/Rail Connections] , New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 19, 2007.]

Downtown Pompton Plains is 19.8 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark / Elizabeth, 14.1 miles from Teterboro Airport, 13.7 miles from Morristown Municipal Airport in Hanover Township, 11.5 miles from Greenwood Lake Airport in West Milford, 6.6 miles from Essex County Airport and 1.6 miles from Lincoln Park Airport in Lincoln Park Borough.

Notable residents

Some notable former and current residents include:
*Jason Biggs (born 1978), actor, "American Pie" - born in Pompton Plains. [Kirkland, Bruce. [http://slam.canoe.ca/AllPopMovies/010806_pie-can.html "Jason Biggs proud of American Pie films"] , "Toronto Sun", August 6, 2001. Accessed July 21, 2007. "Biggs, who was born May 12, 1978, in Pompton Plains, N.J., is the son of Gary Biggs, the manager of a shipping firm, and Angela Biggs, a nurse."]
*Peter Cameron (born 1959), author. [ [http://www.peter-cameron.com/bio.htm Biography of Peter Cameron] , accessed January 3, 2007.]
*Derek Jeter (born 1974), shortstop for the New York Yankees - born in Pequannock. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2002-09-17-jeter-file_x.htm The Derek Jeter File] , "USA Today", September 17, 2002.]
*Danny Kass (born 1982), Olympic snowboarder, born in Pompton Plains. [ [http://www.usskiteam.com/public/team.php?sN=2&dId=7&aId=115 Danny Kass profile] , United States Ski Team. Accessed June 3, 2007.]
*Davana Medina, figure competitor. [Pasquale, Don. [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0801/is_12_66/ai_n15861402 "Pro advice: Davana Medina reveals her secret formula for sexy BI's and TRI's"] , "Muscle & Fitness", December 2005. Accessed June 3, 2007. "CURRENT RESIDENCE Pompton Plains, New Jersey"]
*Susan Misner (born 1971), actress who has appeared on films and television, including roles in "The Bronx Is Burning", "Rescue Me" and "Chicago". [Rohan, Virginia. [http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTY3NDA4 "Pompton Plains native is having fun as risqué ex-nun"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", July 17, 2007. Accessed July 19, 2007. "'I loved growing up in Pompton Plains. It really was a lovely small town. It's not small anymore,' says Misner, who studied dance, from age 11 to 18, with Nancy King at the King Centre for the Performing Arts in Wanaque."]
*Criss Oliva (1963-1993), lead guitarist and co-founder of Savatage, born in Pompton Plains
*Ryan Ward, actor, "Far From Heaven" - born in Pequannock
*Karen Young (born 1958), actress. [Dicker, Ron. [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/27/PKG3LKLK0R1.DTL&type=movies "Young's Stae Rises in Midlife"] , "San Francisco Chronicle", August 27, 2006. Accessed July 21, 2007. "A Pequannock, N.J., native and graduate of Douglass College, the women's school at Rutgers University, Young got her start on a film called 'Deep in the Heart' (1983)."]

References

External links

* [http://www.peqtwp.org/ Pequannock Township Official Website]
* [http://www.pequannock.org/ Pequannock Township School District]
*NJReportCard|27|4080|0|Pequannock Township School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3412900 Data for the Pequannock Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.pequannocklacrosse.org/ Pequannock Lacrosse Club]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/njpequa.htm Revolutionary Petition of Patriots (May 1776)]
* [http://www.pequannockdems.org/ Pequannock Democratic Club]
* [http://www.geocities.com/pequannockhistory/ Pequannock Historical Society]