Morris Township, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the Township of Morris in New Jersey. Other places in New Jersey with similar names are Morris Plains, New Jersey, Morristown, New Jersey, and Moorestown Township, New Jersey.
| Morris, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Morris |
| Formed | March 25, 1740 |
| Incorporated | February 21, 1798 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| - Mayor | Robert E. Nace |
| Area | |
| - Total | 15.8 sq mi (40.9 km²) |
| - Land | 15.8 sq mi (40.8 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²) |
| Elevation [1] | 361 ft (110 m) |
| Population (2006)[2] | |
| - Total | 21,796 |
| - Density | 1,383.0/sq mi (534.0/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07961 - Convent Station |
| Area code(s) | 973 |
| FIPS code | 34-48090[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882193[4] |
| Website: http://www.morristwp.com | |
Morris Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, USA. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 21,796. It is known as the "doughnut" around Morristown since it completely encapsulates it, and has at least five times the area. Though, near Morris Plains the width of Morris Township is less than a mile.
Morris Township was originally formed as of March 25, 1740. Portions of the township were taken on December 24, 1740, to form Roxbury Township, and on March 29, 1749, to form Mendham Township. Morris Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Chatham Township (February 12, 1806), Passaic Township (now Long Hill Township, on March 23, 1866) and Morristown (April 6, 1865).[5]
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 15.8 square miles (40.9 km²), of which, 15.8 square miles (40.8 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.32%) is water.
Convent Station is an unincorporated area within Morris Township.
Fairchild is another section of the town near (and crossing) the border with Morris Plains. The section is named for the Fairchild family, which previously owned much of the land before houses and businesses were built [1]. The Fairchild section has a fire department of the same name [2],[3]. The Morris Plains post office services this part of town.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 5,565 |
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| 1940 | 6,107 | 9.7% | |
| 1950 | 7,432 | 21.7% | |
| 1960 | 12,092 | 62.7% | |
| 1970 | 19,414 | 60.6% | |
| 1980 | 18,486 | -4.8% | |
| 1990 | 19,952 | 7.9% | |
| 2000 | 21,796 | 9.2% | |
| Est. 2006 | 21,374 | [2] | -1.9% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[6] | |||
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 21,796 people, 8,116 households, and 5,949 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,383.0 people per square mile (534.0/km²). There were 8,298 housing units at an average density of 526.5/sq mi (203.3/km²). There were 8,116 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $101,902, and the median income for a family was $116,866. Males had a median income of $80,946 versus $50,864 for females. The per capita income for the township was $54,782. About 2.1% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
The Morris Township Council has five members, elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor. Members of the Morris Township Council are Mayor Robert E. Nace (whose term ends December 31, 2008), Deputy Mayor Richard A. Watson (2008), Jeffrey R. Grayzel (2009), Kathleen G. Hyland (2007), H. Scott Rosenbush (2009).[7]
[edit] Federal, state, and county representation
Morris Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th Legislative District.[8]
New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 25th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony Bucco (R, Boonton) and in the Assembly by Michael Patrick Carroll (R, Morris Plains) and Richard A. Merkt (R, Brookside).[9] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[10]
Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two or three seats up for election each year.[11] As of 2008, Morris County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Margaret Nordstrom, Deputy Freeholder Director Gene F. Feyl, Douglas R. Cabana, William J. Chegwidden, John J. Murphy, James W. Murray and Jack J. Schrier.[12]
[edit] Education
The Morris School District serves public school students in the communities of Morristown and Morris Township (grades K-12) and Morris Plains (9-12) for a total student population of approximately 4,700. Within the District there are three primary schools (K-2), three intermediate schools (3-5), one multiage magnet school (K-5), one middle school (6-8), and one high school, Morristown High School. The high school serves students from Morristown and Morris Township, along with students from Morris Plains, who attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.[13]
The Academy of St. Elizabeth is a private high school for girls located in the Convent Station area. The school has an enrollment of 230 students and is the oldest school for girls in New Jersey.
The College of Saint Elizabeth is a private Roman Catholic, four-year, liberal arts college for women, located in Convent Station. The college was founded in 1899 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth of New Jersey.
[edit] Transportation
Convent Station is a New Jersey Transit rail station on the Morristown Line, located on the grounds of the College of Saint Elizabeth.
The Morris County Traction Company began trolley service in downtown Dover in July of 1904, and expanded over the years until the system was completed in 1914 all the way to Newark, via Morristown, New Jersey and Summit, New Jersey, including service in Morris Township. The trolleys were replaced with buses in 1928.
A few major roads pass through the community. Those include Route 124, Route 24, CR 510, U.S. Route 202, and Interstate 287.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Morris Township include:
- Michael Patrick Carroll (1958-), represents the 25th legislative district in the New Jersey General Assembly.[14]
- Klaus Peter Löbbe, chairman and CEO of BASF.[15]
[edit] References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Morris, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for Morris township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 17, 2007.
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 194.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Morris Township Committee, Morris Township. Accessed August 17, 2007.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 61. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ What is a Freeholder?, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ Meet the Freeholders, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed February 6, 2008.
- ^ Morristown High School 2007 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 23, 2008. "It is composed of 1503 ethnically diverse students representing more than 31 different languages from Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains."
- ^ Assembly Member Michael Patrick Carroll, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 17, 2007.
- ^ Deutsch, Claudia H. "Diplomacy Over Diplomas", The New York Times, April 9, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Morris Township website
- Morris School District
- Morris School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Morris School District
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