Vernon Township, New Jersey


Vernon Township is a township in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located about a one-hour drive from New York City and is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,358, a decrease of 1,585 from the 2010 census count of 23,943, which in turn reflected a decline of 743 from the 24,686 counted in the 2000 census. It is both the most populous municipality and the largest in area in the county.
Vernon is home to Mountain Creek, a ski resort and water park as well as the Crystal Springs Resort's Minerals Hotel and Elements Spa. The Hidden Valley ski resort, which opened in 1976 and occupied a property that included one of New Jersey's three remaining downhill skiing facilities, closed at the end of the 2013 season and could find no buyers at an auction held that year; it has since reopened as the National Winter Activity Center. The Great Gorge Playboy Club was located in the Vernon community of McAfee, but was sold and turned into a hotel called the Legends Resort & Country Club. Opened in 1972 at a cost of $20 million, featuring 700 rooms and 27 holes of golf, the hotel was sold to Americana in 1982 and later was resold to Metairie Corp. which branded the property as the Legends Resort and Country Club. In 2017, the township started eviction proceedings against low-income residents who had been living in the defunct resort on a permanent basis.
WWW vernontwp.com

History

The independent township of Vernon was established on April 8, 1793, from portions of Hardyston Township, and the township was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798. The which marked the town's borders over 200 years ago have not changed since. However, the population of Vernon, which was 1,548 people as recently as 1950, has steadily grown since the 1960s, when the ski industry was introduced to the area. Additional growth has come as home prices have soared in the inner suburbs of New York City and property buyers seek the better values available from real estate developments in the area.
Iron mining in the town of Vernon was prevalent during the mid-to-late 19th century. Mines such as the Canistear Mine, Williams Mine, and the Pochuk Mine created industry which spawned local businesses, and brought rail travel to the town.
It is not known how Vernon Township got its name, but a number of theories have been offered by author Ronald J. Dupont Jr.:
  • Admiral Edward Vernon. Dupont writes that this is very possible because of two things: 1. the township was created in 1792, the year that George Washington was reelected as president, and 2. because Vernon Township's first Masonic Lodge in 1820 was named Mount Vernon, likely after Washington's Virginia residence. The residence, in turn, got its name because Washington's brother Lawrence Washington served with Admiral Vernon.
  • A family named Vernon. Not likely, Dupont says, although he notes that a Nathaniel Vernon was a licensed tavernkeeper in Sussex County in 1756. However, the tavern was likely elsewhere, and not in what is now Vernon.
  • The Latin root "Vernus." One form of "vernus" is "vernal," as in vernal equinox, and so Vernon "had connotations of spring: green, lush, fresh, fertile, etc., and hence was an attractive name for a place."
Dupont Jr. also writes that in the late 19th century two places named Vernon existed, one in Sussex County and another in Essex County. When the Essex County community was granted a post office, they found out that another Vernon existed, and so they eventually named the community Verona.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 69.96 square miles, including 67.60 square miles of land and 2.36 square miles of water.
Highland Lakes, Upper Greenwood Lake, Vernon Center, and Vernon Valley are unincorporated communities and census-designated places located entirely or partially within Vernon Township.
The township is bordered by the municipalities of Hardyston Township and Wantage Township in Sussex County; West Milford in Passaic County; and Warwick in Orange County.
Elevation varies greatly due to the valleys, rolling hills, and mountains. The United States Geological Survey places Glenwood at, McAfee at, and Highland Lakes at.
The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.
The City of Newark in Essex County owns of land in the township that are part of their Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city from a total area of that also includes portions of Hardyston Township, Jefferson Township, Kinnelon, Rockaway Township and West Milford.

Communities and neighborhoods

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include:
  • Barry Lakes
  • Canistear Reservoir
  • Cedar Ridge
  • Cliffwood Lake
  • DeKays
  • Glenwood
  • Great Gorge
  • High Breeze
  • Highland Lakes
  • Independence Corners
  • Kampe P.O.
  • Lake Conway
  • Lake Panorama
  • Lake Pochung
  • Lake Wanda
  • Lake Wallkill
  • Lake Wilderwood
  • Maple Grange
  • McAfee
  • Mud Pond
  • Owens
  • Pleasant Valley Lake
  • Prices Switch
  • Scenic Lake
  • Vernon Village "Town Center"
  • Vernon Valley a.k.a. "The Valley"
  • Vernon Valley Lake
  • Wawayanda
  • Wawayanda Lake
Glenwood and McAfee are located in the western portion of the township, McAfee to the South and Glenwood to the North. Highland Lakes is in the Eastern portion of the township. Pleasant Valley Lake is in the southwest portion of the township. Four of these sections have a post office. Vernon also has many developments.
Vernon is home to many lake communities, including Highland Lakes, Barry Lakes, Cliffwood Lake, High Breeze, Lake Conway, Lake Wanda, Laurel Lake, Lake Wildwood, Lake Panorama, Lake Pochung, Lake Wallkill, Pleasant Valley Lake, Scenic Lakes, and Vernon Valley Lake.
The township's largest housing complex is Great Gorge Village. Originally built as a slope-side vacation housing development with 1,356 units, the village is no longer affiliated with the ski resort and is operated by real estate investor Andrew Mulvihill. Village residents, who pay $5.5 million in condominium fees to cover services, have argued that Mulvihill and affiliated businesses have used their control of the community's board of directors to direct contracts to affiliated vendors.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 23,943 people, 8,622 households, and 6,596 families in the township. The population density was. There were 10,958 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 95.18% White, 1.39% Black or African American, 0.17% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.10% from other races, and 1.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.41% of the population.
Of the 8,622 households, 35.6% had children under the age of 18; 63.0% were married couples living together; 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.5% were non-families. Of all households, 19.0% were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.18.
24.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 102.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 101.2 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $81,129 and the median family income was $87,215. Males had a median income of $62,462 versus $41,917 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,649. About 3.2% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 24,686 people, 8,368 households, and 6,610 families residing in the township. The population density was. There were 9,994 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the township was 96.56% White, 0.76% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.60% of the population.
There were 8,368 households, out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.35.
In the township the population was spread out, with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,566, and the median income for a family was $72,609. Males had a median income of $50,084 versus $33,292 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,250. About 2.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The primary satellite uplink earth terminal facility for Sirius XM Radio is located in Vernon, as is the Vernon Valley uplink facility for SES Worldcom.

Parks and recreation

Government

Local government

In a November 2010 referendum, 70% of voters approved a change from the Faulkner Act (council–manager) form of government to the mayor–council form. Under the new plan, a mayor directly elected by the voters oversees the day-to-day operation of the township with the aid of a business manager, subject to the oversight of a five-member Township Council. The Mayor and Council took office after elections in May 2011, replacing the previously existing council. The township is one of 42 municipalities statewide that use this form of government. Under the terms of an ordinance passed in August 2011, the township's elections were shifted from May to November, with the council citing savings from eliminating the standalone municipal election.
The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council, who are directly elected by the voters on an at-large basis to staggered four-year terms of office on a non-partisan basis, with either two or three seats up for election in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election. Three council seats come up for election together and the two other council seats and the mayoral seat are up for vote together two years later. Under the current plan, Vernon has a "strong mayor" system of government in which the mayor heads the executive branch, overseeing township functions, enforcing all ordinances and other regulations, appoints department heads and prepares a budget, with the assistance of a business administrator. The Township Council is the legislative branch, responsible for enacting ordinances, approving the mayor's department head appointments, can remove employees for cause and can modify the mayor's budget by majority vote, though budget increases require a two-thirds majority. The mayor has the option to attend and speak at council meetings but is not given a vote.
, the Mayor is Anthony L. Rossi, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Vernon Township Council are Council President William J. Higgins, Council Vice President Sandra Ooms, Patrick Rizzuto, Bradley Sparta, and Carl Contino, who is the youngest official to serve on the Council.
In February 2023, Peg Distasi was appointed to the seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Bryan Lynch; the seat will come up for election in November 2023 for the balance of the term. In the November 2023 general election, Jessica DeBenedetto was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.
In November 2022, the council appointed Joe Tadrick to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Harry Shortway the previous month due to health issues.
In October 2021, the Township Council selected Michael Furrey to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Kelly Weller until she stepped down from office earlier that month after announcing that she was moving out of the township. Furrey served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election, when Bradley D. Sparta was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.
The Township Council selected Toni Cilli in January 2021 to fill the seat held by Jean Murphy running to December 2021.
Andrew Pitsker took office in July 2020 after being chosen to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held until Mark Van Tassel left office the previous month. Pitsker served on an interim basis until the November 2020 general election, when he was elected to serve the remainder of the term.
Four members of the governing body were elected in May 2011 and took office on July 1, 2011, Jean Murphy was elected in November 2014 just beating Edward Dunn.

Emergency services

Vernon Township is serviced by the Vernon Police Department, one ambulance squad and four fire departments. All of the emergency services are made up of volunteers, except for the police department.
Vernon Fire Department covers a significant portion of "the Valley", Highland Lakes Fire Department covers "the mountain", McAfee Fire Department covers the Pleasant Valley Lake area and Pochuck Valley covers most of the Glenwood section.
Since 2024, Vernon Emergency Medical Services is split between three stations buildings situated to best serve the township.

Federal, state and county representation

Vernon Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 15,476 registered voters in Vernon Township, of which 2,425 were registered as Democrats, 5,489 were registered as Republicans and 7,538 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 24 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.6% were registered to vote, including 85.4% of those ages 18 and over.

Education

The Vernon Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 2,941 students and 236.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.5:1. Schools in the district are
Walnut Ridge School with 89 students in PreK,
Cedar Mountain Primary School with 424 students in grades K–1,
Rolling Hills Primary School with 406 students in grades 2–3,
Lounsberry Hollow School with 428 students in grades 4–5,
Glen Meadow Middle School with 640 students in grades 6–8 and
Vernon Township High School with 912 students in grades 9–12.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Sussex County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
The main highway serving Vernon Township is Route 94. Other significant roads passing through Vernon Township include County Route 515, County Route 517 and County Route 565. County Route 644 and County Route 641 also pass through the township. In addition, direct access to Interstate 80 is offered via Route 94 and County Route 565 to Route 23 to Interstate 84 in New York.
Vernon is the site of a wrong-way concurrency at the intersection of Route 94 and County Route 517 in McAfee.

Public transportation

The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway passes through Vernon, but only freight service is offered.

In popular culture

Notable people

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