Ewing Township, New Jersey
Ewing Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township falls within the Trenton-Princeton metropolitan statistical area, which is part of the New York combined statistical area as defined by the United States Census Bureau. It borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 37,264, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 1,474 from the 35,790 recorded at the 2010 census, which in turn reflected an increase of 83 from the 35,707 counted in the 2000 census.
History
The earliest inhabitants of present-day Ewing Township in the historic era were Lenni Lenape Native Americans, who lived along the banks of the Delaware River. Their pre-colonial subsistence activities in the area included hunting, fishing, pottery-making, and simple farming. European settlers, mostly from the British Isles, began to colonize the area in 1699. One of the earliest European settlers was William Green, and his 1717 farmhouse still stands on the campus of The College of New Jersey.The area that is now Ewing Township was part of Hopewell Township in what was a very large Burlington County at the beginning of the 18th century. In 1714 Hopewell was removed from Burlington County and added to Hunterdon County. By 1719, the area which was to become Ewing Township had been removed from Hopewell Township and added to the newly created Trenton Township. Portions of Trenton Township were incorporated as Ewing Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 22, 1834, posthumously honoring Charles Ewing for his work as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. The township became part of the newly created Mercer County on February 22, 1838. After incorporation, Ewing Township received additional territory taken from Lawrence Township and the city of Trenton in 1858. In 1894 the city of Trenton took back some of that territory, annexing more in 1900.
When Ewing Township was incorporated in the 19th century, it was primarily farmland with a handful of scattered hamlets, including Carleton, Cross Keys, Birmingham and Greensburg. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the township has developed as a suburb of Trenton. The sections near the city border are distinctly urban, but most of the township is suburban residential development. The main commercial district extends along North Olden Avenue Extension, originally constructed to connect north Trenton residences with the now-closed General Motors Inland Fisher Guide Plant. Ewing Township today is the location of The College of New Jersey, the Community Blood Council of New Jersey, New Jersey State Police headquarters, the Jones Farm State Correction Institute, the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital, the New Jersey Department of Transportation headquarters, the Maria H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf and Trenton-Mercer Airport.
From 1953 until 1997, Ewing was the home of Naval Air Warfare Center Trenton, encompassing on Parkway Avenue. It was used by the United States Navy as a jet engine test facility until its closure based on the recommendations of the 1993 Base Closure and Realignment Commission. Nearly 700 civilian positions were eliminated, most of which were relocated to other facilities in Maryland and Tennessee. The base's Marine operations were transferred to Fort Dix, which has since become Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. A charity to end homelessness acquired the base at no cost in October 2013 in a process involving the United States Department of Defense, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Mercer County and Ewing Township.
The first industrial robot used to replace human workers was deployed at Ewing's Inland Fisher Guide Plant in 1961, a facility that operated in the township for 1938 to 1998, after which the plant was demolished and targeted for redevelopment.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 15.56 square miles, including 15.21 square miles of land and 0.35 square miles of water.The highest elevation in Ewing Township is above mean sea level just southeast of Interstate 295 and just west of Trenton-Mercer Airport, while the lowest point is just below AMSL along the Delaware River near the border with Trenton.
The largest body of water completely within the township is Lake Sylva, a man-made lake covering that was created in the 1920s when an earthen dam was constructed across the Shabakunk Creek. The lake is located on the campus of The College of New Jersey. Watercourses in Ewing include the Delaware River along its western boundary and the Shabakunk Creek in the eastern and central portions of the township.
The township has a number of distinct neighborhoods, including Agasote, Altura, Arbor Walk, Braeburn Heights, Briarcrest, Briarwood, Cambridge Hall, Churchill Green, Delaware Rise, Ewing, Ewing Park, Ewingville, Fernwood, Ferry Road Manor, Fleetwood Village, Glendale, Green Curve Heights, Hampton Hills, Heath Manor, Hickory Hill Estates, Hillwood Lakes, Hillwood Manor, Mountainview, Parkway Village, Prospect Heights, Prospect Park, Scudders Falls, Shabakunk Hills, Sherbrooke Manor, Somerset, Spring Meadows, Spring Valley, Village on the Green, Weber Park, West Trenton, Whitewood Estates, Wilburtha and Wynnewood Manor. Some of these existed before suburbanization, while others came into existence with the suburban development of the township in the 20th century.
The township borders the municipalities of Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Trenton in Mercer County; and Lower Makefield Township, Upper Makefield Township and Yardley in Bucks County across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.
Demographics
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 35,790 people, 13,171 households, and 7,982 families in the township. The population density was. There were 13,926 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 63.14% White, 27.62% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 4.30% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.24% from other races, and 2.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.62% of the population.Of the 13,171 households, 22.3% had children under the age of 18; 43.0% were married couples living together; 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 39.4% were non-families. Of all households, 30.5% were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.97.
16.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 20.0% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 88.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 85.9 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $69,716 and the median family income was $86,875. Males had a median income of $56,308 versus $52,313 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,489. About 4.7% of families and 10.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 35,707 people, 12,551 households, and 8,208 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 12,924 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 69.02% White, 24.82% African American, 0.15% Native American, 2.27% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.83% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.44% of the population.There were 12,551 households, out of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the township the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 17.3% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $57,274, and the median income for a family was $67,618. Males had a median income of $44,531 versus $35,844 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,268. About 3.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
According to the Köppen climate classification system, Ewing Township has a Hot-summer Humid continental climate.Ecology
According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Ewing Township would have a dominant vegetation type of Appalachian Oak with a dominant vegetation form of Eastern Hardwood Forest.Economy
In May 2013, Church & Dwight relocated its corporate headquarters from Princeton to Ewing. In mid–2013, Celator Pharmaceuticals established an office presence in Ewing.Government
Local government
Ewing Township is governed under the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Mayor-Council plan 2 form of New Jersey municipal government, as implemented as of January 1, 1995, based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission. The township is one of 71 municipalities statewide governed under this form. The township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council, all of whom are elected by the voters at-large to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis. with either three seats up for election or two seats and the mayoral seat up together in even-numbered years as part of the November general election., the Mayor of Ewing Township is Democrat Bert H. Steinmann, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Ewing Township Council are Council President Kevin Baxter, Vice President Jennifer L. Keyes-Maloney, David P. Schroth, Sarah Steward and Kathy Culliton Wollert.