Millstone, New Jersey


Millstone is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough was originally known as Somerset Courthouse and was the county seat. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 448, an increase of 30 from the 2010 census count of 418, which in turn reflected an increase of 8 from the 410 counted in the 2000 census.
Millstone was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 14, 1894, from portions of Hillsborough Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The borough was reincorporated on March 12, 1928. The borough was named for the Millstone River, whose name derives from an incident in which a millstone was dropped into it.
A historic district in Millstone, including 58 buildings, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The borough possesses a military significance for 1700–1749, 1750–1799, 1850–1874.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Millstone as its 7th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.
WWW Official Site

History

Millstone, then called Somerset Courthouse, was the county seat of Somerset County from 1738 until the British burned it to the ground in 1779 during the American Revolutionary War. After the victory at Princeton on January 3, 1777, General George Washington headquartered at the Van Doren house, while the army camped nearby that night. The next day, they marched to Pluckemin on the way to their winter encampment at Morristown.
Millstone was briefly connected to the Pennsylvania Railroad when the Mercer and Somerset Railway was extended to the town in the 1870s and connected via a bridge across the Millstone River to the Pennsylvania Railroad's Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad, but that arrangement did not last into the 1880s. Remnants of the railroad bridge can still be seen.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.70 square miles, including 0.68 square miles of land and 0.02 square miles of water.
The borough borders Franklin Township and Hillsborough Township.

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Millstone would have an Appalachian Oak vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest vegetation form.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 418 people, 162 households, and 118 families in the borough. The population density was 566.5 per square mile. There were 167 housing units at an average density of 226.3 per square mile. The racial makeup was 95.69% White, 1.20% Black or African American, 0.00% Native American, 1.67% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.96% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.
Of the 162 households, 30.9% had children under the age of 18; 58.0% were married couples living together; 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.2% were non-families. Of all households, 22.2% were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.03.
23.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $97,500 and the median family income was $102,708. Males had a median income of $73,250 versus $50,625 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $37,678. About none of families and 0.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 410 people, 169 households, and 126 families residing in the borough. The population density was. There were 173 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the borough was 97.56% White, 0.98% African American, 0.98% Asian, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.17% of the population.
There were 169 households, out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the borough the population was spread out, with 19.3% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 34.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $76,353, and the median income for a family was $83,118. Males had a median income of $60,156 versus $36,406 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,694. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Millstone is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Millstone is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the mayor of Millstone Borough is Democrat Raymond Heck, whose term of office ends December 31, 2022. Members of the Millstone Borough Council are Council President Mandy Coppola, Robert Galli, Alan Kidd, Karin Kidd, Kristen Ross and Johnathan Stashek.
In January 2019, the borough council selected Vincent Biviano from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been won, but never filled, by Merry Emmich.

Federal, state, and county representation

Millstone is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district
Prior to the 2010 Census, Millstone had been part of the, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 309 registered voters in Millstone, of which 107 were registered as Democrats, 85 were registered as Republicans and 117 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.9% were registered to vote, including 96.9% of those ages 18 and over.

Education

Several classical schools operated in the Millstone area. Queens College was relocated to Millstone in 1780 during the war. In 1814, a two-story building called the Academy was established as a co-ed public school on the lot owned by Daniel Disborough. In 1860, the school was relocated to a newly constructed building later to be known as the Millstone Borough Schoolhouse, which then operated until 1940, after which it was known as Millstone Borough Hall. Another classical school focusing on Latin started in 1826 at the home of Dominie Zabriskie. Joseph P. Bradley, who would later become a U.S. Supreme Court Justice, also taught at a classical school in Millstone after graduating at Rutgers in 1836 and before attending law school where he was barred in 1839.
There are no public schools currently operating in Millstone Borough; students attend public school in the Hillsborough Township School District, in Hillsborough Township as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of nine schools, had an enrollment of 7,457 students and 645.4 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.

Transportation

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Somerset County.
No Interstate, U.S. or state highways directly serve Millstone. The most prominent roads in the borough are County Route 514 and County Route 533.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Millstone include: