Long Hill Township, New Jersey


Long Hill Township is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 8,629, a decrease of 73 from the 2010 census count of 8,702, which in turn reflected a decline of 75 from the 8,777 counted in the 2000 census.
The township is situated in the southernmost part of Morris County bordering both Somerset and Union counties. It is bounded by the Passaic River to the south and west and to the north by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge which covers of land overseen by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Refuge lands also lie within neighboring Chatham and Harding townships.
Originally incorporated as Passaic Township in the 1860s, residents voted to change the town's name to Long Hill Township in 1992. It includes the communities of Gillette, Stirling, Millington, Meyersville and Homestead Park. NJ Transit rail service is available at the Gillette, Millington and Stirling stations.
WWW longhillnj.gov

History

Long Hill Township was incorporated as Passaic Township on March 23, 1866. On September 1, 1922, part of what was then Passaic Township was taken to form Harding Township. On November 3, 1992, by a 1,901 to 1,821 margin, the voters elected to change the name of the municipality to Long Hill Township, a change largely driven by the desire to avoid confusion with the City of Passaic, some away.
Garden State Fireworks, a firm based in Millington that dates back to 1890, has produced the annual July 4 fireworks show in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall. The Raptor Trust is a wild bird rehabilitation center located in Millington.
Clover Hill Swimming Club a club surrounding a lake in Millington, was the subject of lawsuit in which the Supreme Court of New Jersey ruled in 1966 that the club could not discriminate against an African American applicant for membership on the basis of the club being private.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.06 square miles, including 11.80 square miles of land and 0.26 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Gillette, Millington, Stirling, Meyersville and Homestead Park a subdivision that was first developed in the 1920s.
The Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge covers of land overseen by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and includes portions east of New Vernon Road that is unmanaged and accessible by visitors, while areas west of New Vernon Road are managed intensively and are not available to the public.
The township is located in the most southern part of Morris County. It is bounded by the Passaic River on the south and west and by the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge on the north. It borders both Somerset and Union counties. The township borders the municipalities of Chatham Township and Harding Township in Morris County; Bernards Township and Warren Township in Somerset County, and Berkeley Heights in Union County.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 8,629 people in 3,021 households. The median household income was $136,542.
Race / EthnicityPop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010
White alone 7,9167,3856,57690.19%84.87%76.21%
Black or African American alone 3148730.35%0.55%0.85%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 10460.11%0.05%0.07%
Asian alone 4205206934.79%5.98%8.03%
Pacific Islander alone 1140.01%0.01%0.05%
Some Other Race alone 314660.03%0.16%0.76%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial 931162991.06%1.33%3.47%
Hispanic or Latino 3036149123.45%7.06%10.57%
Total8,7778,7028,629100.00%100.00%100.00%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 8,702 people, 3,105 households, and 2,434 families in the township. The population density was 734.3 per square mile. There were 3,226 housing units at an average density of 272.2 per square mile. The racial makeup was 90.61% White, 0.62% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 5.98% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.06% of the population.
Of the 3,105 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18; 67.6% were married couples living together; 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 21.6% were non-families. Of all households, 18.3% were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.19.
25.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 20.3% from 25 to 44, 33.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94.7 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $120,691 and the median family income was $142,059. Males had a median income of $91,509 versus $75,558 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $54,508. About 1.7% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,777 people, 3,139 households, and 2,457 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 3,206 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 92.75% White, 0.39% African American, 0.17% Native American, 4.79% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.
There were 3,139 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.7% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.1 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $84,532, and the median income for a family was $103,037. Males had a median income of $71,827 versus $46,100 for females. The per capita income for the township was $42,613. About 2.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Long Hill Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting held during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as deputy mayor.
, the members of the township committee are Mayor Matthew C. Dorsi, Deputy Mayor Guy Thomas Piserchia, Scott Lavender, Aubrey Reichard-Eline and Victor T. Verlezza.

Federal, state, and county representation

Long Hill Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.

Education

The Long Hill Township School System serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 894 students and 80.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. Schools in the district are
Gillette School with 223 students in grades Pre-K–1,
Millington School with 397 students in grades 2–5 and
Central Middle School with 269 students in grades 6–8.
Long Hill Township's high school students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township. Students from Long Hill Township and from the neighboring communities of Green Brook Township, Warren Township and Watchung attend the school. As of the 2019–20 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,948 students and 160.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. The high school district's board of education has nine members, who are elected directly by the voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for each year. Of the nine elected seats, three are allocated to Long Hill Township.
St. Vincent de Paul School was a Catholic school in Stirling that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school closed in June 2016 in the wake of declining enrollment and financial challenges. The school was recognized with the Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence in 2012.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Morris County.
No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Long Hill Township. The most prominent roads within the township are county routes, including County Route 512 and County Route 531. Interstate 78 and Interstate 287 are both nearby and cross adjacent municipalities.

Public transportation

NJ Transit rail service is available at the Gillette, Millington and Stirling stations, offering service on the Gladstone Branch to Newark Broad Street Station and Hoboken Terminal.
NJ Transit offered service on the MCM8 route until 2010, when subsidies offered to the local provider were eliminated as part of budget cuts.
Lakeland Bus Lines provides Route 78 rush-hour service from Bedminster to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Communications

Long Hill is in Area code 908. The legacy exchange is 908–647, is one of the last manual offices in New Jersey converted dial operation in the early 1960s.
The current cable company serving the area is Comcast which provides local TV, internet, and phone service. Most of Long Hill now also has access to Verizon's FiOS service. Original cable company Patriot Media was sold to Comcast in early 2008.
Long Hill Township operates a public service television channel on Comcast and Verizon.

Long Hill Television

A Government-access television cable TV channel is available for citizens of Long Hill Township that has important news updates, local activities, local weather, storm warnings, etc. It is on Comcast channel 29 and Verizon FiOS channels 37 and 38.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Long Hill Township include: