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Branchburg Township, New Jersey

Branchburg Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 14,566.

Branchburg Township has a history dating back to before the American Revolutionary War, and was incorporated on April 5, 1845, from portions of Bridgewater Township.

Branchburg ranks seventh in size among Somerset County's twenty-one municipalities, and covers a total area of 20.3 square miles, being eleven miles long and approximately 2 miles across at its widest point. The hamlets of North Branch and Neshanic Station are included within Branchburg Township, which brings the ambiance of small villages and charm to the area.

History

The land now known as Branchburg Township was originally inhabited by the Raritans, a tribe of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. By 1686 most of the land was purchased from the Lenape by the Lords Proprietors of East Jersey, who sold the land in small parcels to numerous settlers, mostly of Dutch or English extraction. With the 1688 redrawing of the boundary between East and West Jersey, the Branchburg region was split between Essex County to the north and the newly-formed Somerset County to the south. With Somerset's acquisition of territory from Essex and Middlesex Counties in 1741, Branchburg lay entirely within the County where it is presently located.

Bridewater Township was chartered in 1749. In 1845 the residents of the part of Bridgewater west of the Raritan River petitioned the New Jersey State Legislature for incorporation as a separate township, which was granted by an act dated April 5 of that year.

The first town meeting was held April 14, 1845, in White Oak Tavern, a stagecoach stop and local meeting place along the old York Road.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 20.3 square miles (52.5 km²), all of it land.

The Township is bordered on the west by Hunterdon County; on the north by Bedminster Township and on the south by Bridgewater Township and Hillsborough Township. The main watercourses are the Lamington River on the north, the North Branch of the Raritan River on the east and the South Branch of the Raritan River on the east and south. These rivers along with small streams and brooks are excellent for fishermen who enjoy trout stocked streams and rivers.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,566 people, 5,272 households, and 4,064 families residing in the township. The population density was 719.1 people per square mile (277.6/km²). There were 5,405 housing units at an average density of 266.8/sq mi (103.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.44% White, 1.95% African American, 0.10% Native American, 6.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.

There were 5,272 households out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% 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 3.19.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $96,864, and the median income for a family was $110,268. Males had a median income of $70,726 versus $47,786 for females. The per capita income for the township was $41,241. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Members of the Township Committee are Mayor John Sanford (term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor James Leonard (2010), Robert Bouwman (2008), and Kate Sarles (2009), Thomas Young (2010).

Federal, state and county representation

Branchburg Township is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th Legislative District.

Emergency Services

Branchburg Township is served by 3 major Emergency Services; a full-time Police Department, an all-volunteer Emergency Medical & Rescue Services department, and 4 all-volunteer Fire Departments.

Police Department

The Branchburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief Brian R. Fitzgerald, was started on June 16, 1980. the Department currently has 26 fulltime-sworn officers, 2 civilian employees, 7 crossing guards, and 13 Emergency Management volunteers. The Department has specialized units of officers who have taken on duties in addition to their patrol or detective work. These include the Detective Bureau, Juvenile Officer, School Resources, Traffic Safety, Community Policing, Services, Bike Patrol, First-Aid, Explorers program and Emergency Management.

EMS & Rescue Squad

Emergency Medical Services and Rescue Services are provided throughout the Township by the Branchburg Rescue Squad The Squad was formed in October 1955 and continues to serve the residents and business on an all-volunteer basis. 2008 officers include President John Bartruff and Chief Paul Malarcher The Branchburg volunteers rely solely on donations received from the community. Services provided include Basic Life Support Emergency Medical Services (BLS/EMS), Technician Level Rescue Services including Vehicle Extrication, Water Rescue, Ice Rescue and Rope Rescue, and operational level Rescue Services in Confined Space, Trench Collapse, Building & Structural Collapse and High Angle Rescue. Operating out of Station 74 Rescue at 113 River Road are 3 BLS Ambulances, 1 Heavy Rescue Services Unit, 1 Rescue Services Unit, 1 First Responder/Command Unit and 2 Inflatable Rescue Boats.

Fire Departments

The Township of Branchburg is covered by four volunteer Fire Departments. In the North, North Branch Vol Fire Company, to the West, Readington Vol Fire Department, South, Neshanic Vol Fire Department, and Central area is covered by the Country Hills Vol Fire Department.

Transportation

Branchburg Township is centrally located with access to major roadways and highways. U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 22 travel through the township with easy passage to Interstate 78, Interstate 287 and Route 206, enabling residents to travel to New York City and Philadelphia within one hour.

Bus service between New York City and Allentown, Pennsylvania on the Transport of New Jersey bus line is available on a daily service. New Jersey Transit offers bus service to Newark on the 65 line, with local service on the 884 bus route.

Service between Clinton, New Jersey and New York City, at the North Branch station (located at Milltown Road in adjacent Bridgewater Township) offers limited daily service and no weekend trains. New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line has weekly service from North Branch Station to Newark and to Phillipsburg, New Jersey. At Newark Penn Station, connections can be made to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan.

There is also bus service between New Hope, Pennsylvania and New York City, with a stop at the Municipal Park-and-Ride facility on Route 202 North on a daily basis.

Newark Liberty International Airport is located approximately 35 miles northeast of Branchburg. Also within driving distance are Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE, formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport) near Allentown, Pennsylvania, John F. Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airport in New York, as well as the Trenton-Mercer Airport near Trenton and Princeton in Mercer County.

Education

The Branchburg Township School District serves public school students in kindergarten through eighth grade, Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are: Whiton Elementary School (644 students) for grades K-2, both Old York School (344) and Stony Brook School (329) for grades 3-5 and Branchburg Central Middle School (657) for grades 6-8.

The public secondary school serving Branchburg for grades 9-12 is Somerville High School, which students attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Somerville Public Schools.

Midland School is a non-profit special education school serving the individual social, emotional, academic and career needs of children with developmental disabilities. The school serves 245 students, ranging in age from 5 to 21 years old, from central and northern New Jersey.

Branchburg Township is the home of the main campus of Raritan Valley Community College