Hope Township, New Jersey
| Hope Township | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
 |
|
 |
|
| Coordinates: 40°54′55″N 74°58′12″W / 40.91528°N 74.97°WCoordinates: 40°54′55″N 74°58′12″W / 40.91528°N 74.97°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Warren |
| Incorporated | April 8, 1839 |
| Government[1][2] | |
| • Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Timothy C. McDonough (2012) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 18.7 sq mi (48.4 km2) |
| • Land | 18.5 sq mi (47.9 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) |
| Elevation[3] | 528 ft (161 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 1,952 |
| • Density | 105.5/sq mi (40.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07844 |
| Area code(s) | 908 Exchange: 459 |
| FIPS code | 34-33060[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882242[6] |
| Website | http://www.hopetownship.com |
Hope Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 1,952. The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the 700 mile long Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.
Hope Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1839, from portions of Knowlton Township and Oxford Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Liberty Township was created March 25, 1926, from portions of the township.[7]
Contents |
[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 18.7 square miles (48 km2), of which, 18.5 square miles (48 km2) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) of it (0.96%) is water.
 |
Blairstown Twp | Frelinghuysen Twp | |
|
| Knowlton Twp |  |
Independence Twp | ||
 Hope Township  |
||||
 |
||||
| White Twp | Liberty Twp |
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 1,891 people, 697 households, and 538 families residing in the township. The population density was 102.2 people per square mile (39.5/km²). There were 747 housing units at an average density of 40.4 per square mile (15.6/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 98.25% White, 0.42% African American, 0.42% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.
There were 697 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $61,319, and the median income for a family was $68,750. Males had a median income of $48,750 versus $34,038 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,902. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over. The Township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is calculated by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.
[edit] History
Hope Township is one of the earliest planned communities in the United States, having been established by German Moravians in 1769. They knew what they wanted to achieve, which is shown on several early planning maps, which detail streets, homes, wells, businesses, farms, a school, tavern and church.
Prior to the arrival of the Moravians, there was no distinct town, but several families farmed on Jenny Jump Mountain, to the south of Hope, in surrounding area and on John Samuel Green, Jr.’s farm in the center of what is now the Village. Throughout the 1760s, Moravians from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania traveled through this area on their way to New England to establish new communities. They lodged overnight with the Green Family who became very impressed with their religion and way of life.
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 553 |
|
|
| 1940 | 646 | 16.8% | |
| 1950 | 681 | 5.4% | |
| 1960 | 833 | 22.3% | |
| 1970 | 1,140 | 36.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,468 | 28.8% | |
| 1990 | 1,719 | 17.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,891 | 10.0% | |
| 2010 | 1,952 | 3.2% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
The Moravians were a religious group whose formal name was the “Unitas Fratrum” or Unity of the Brethren. They were followers of Jan Hus, the reformer from Prague who protested against the Roman Catholic Church in 1415 and was finally burned at the stake for his rebellion. These followers continued to practice his views in Moravia and Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic, hence the common name “The Moravians”. In the late 17th century this group began to be persecuted and sought shelter away from Bohemia. Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf offered them refuge on his lands east of Dresden, Germany and provided a base for them to regroup and pursue their religion. That settlement which remains as the center of the worldwide Moravian religion is called Herrnhut or “The Lord's Watch" inhabitants were not only "under the Lord's watchful care" but were also to be "on watch for the Lord". With the support of Count von Zinzendorf, the Church established over 200 missionary settlements.
After a formal survey of the Village completed on November 26, 1774, the community was officially accepted by The Moravian Church and the name was changed by drawing lots on February 8, 1775 from Greenland to Hope.
After almost 40 years of the Moravian “experiment” in Hope, the community was sold and almost all of the Moravians returned to Bethlehem or Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The basic reason for closing the community was that it was never self-supporting and had declined from its height of population of 147 to under 100 people by the early 19th century. The Church in Germany could no longer subsidize such a small village. Moravians worldwide were selling possessions and even some other entire communities to pay off debts incurred years earlier by Count von Zinzendorf, who heavily mortgaged his lands to give them opportunity back in Germany. Disease and a competitive gristmill also contributed to Moravian Hope's decline.[9]
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Hope Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year.[1] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
The Hope Township Committee consists of Mayor Timothy C. McDonough (Independent; term ends December 31, 2012), Deputy Mayor George Beatty (Republican; 2011) and M. John Koonz (Republican; 2010).[2][10]
Constitutional Officers are: Clerk Mary Pat Quinn, Chief Financial Officer Kathleen Reinalda, Tax Collector Stephen Lance, and Tax Assessor Richard Motyka.[2]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Hope Township is in the 5th Congressional district. New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
Hope Township is in the The 24th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Steve Oroho (R, Franklin) and in the General Assembly by Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township) and Alison Littell McHose (R, Franklin).[11]
Warren County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders whose three members are elected at-large on a staggered basis with one seat coming up for election each year. As of 2011, Warren County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Everett A. Chamberlain (Belvidere, term ends December 31, 2012), Freeholder Deputy Director Richard D. Gardner (Asbury, 2011) and Freeholder Jason Sarnoski (Lopatcong Township, 2013).[12]
[edit] Education
The Hope Township School District served 213 students in prekindergarten through eighth grade, as of the 2008-09 school year.[13]
Students in grades nine through twelve from Harmony Township, Hope Township and White Township attend Belvidere High School in Belvidere as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Belvidere School District.[14]
[edit] Transportation
Interstate 80 (the Bergen-Passaic Expressway) passes through the township, with access via Exit 12 to Hope-Blairstown Road (County Route 521). CR 519 also passes through Hope, and can be accessed by CR 521.
[edit] Points of interest
- Land of Make Believe is an amusement park centered around "Safe and wholesome recreation", with entertaining rides and attractions that are enjoyed by people of all ages but not so extreme that it scares off younger children.[15]
- Hope, New Jersey, was the location for two scenes in the horror movie Friday the 13th, with the Moravian Cemetery (see photograph to the right) and Hartung's General Store appearing in the film.[16]
[edit] References
- ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.
- ^ a b c Hope Township, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of Hope, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 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. 246.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ History of Hope Township, Hope Township. Accessed September 10, 2006.
- ^ Township Committee, Hope Township. Accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ Legislative Roster 2012-2013 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2012.
- ^ Board of Chosen Freeholders, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed January 6, 2011.
- ^ Data for Hope Township School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 15, 2011.
- ^ Belvidere High School 2010 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 15, 2011. "Belvidere High School is a small Group I school of approximately 560 students, encompassing grades nine through twelve. Students arrive from the Belvidere K-12 district and three surrounding K-8 districts; Hope, Harmony and White."
- ^ About Us, Land of Make Believe (amusement park). Accessed June 26, 2008.
- ^ Friday the 13th filming locations, accessed November 25, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Official Hope Township Informational Website
- Hope Township Fire Department
- Warren County page for Hope Township
- Hope Township School
- Hope Township School's 2009–10 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for Hope Township School, National Center for Education Statistics
- {http://www.hopeanddreams.com/ Hope and Dreams Film Festival
- Hope Streetball Court
- Warren County Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Warren County Convention & Visitors Bureau
- Warren County Economic Development Corporation
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
