Location of Wantage Township in Sussex County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Sussex County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Wantage Township, New Jersey.
Wantage Township was formed as a precinct on May 30, 1754, from portions of Newton Township. It was incorporated as a township on February 21, 1798, as part of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Boundary exchanges were made with Frankford Township in both 1826 and 1834. Portions of the township were taken on October 14, 1891 to form the Borough of Deckertown (renamed Sussex borough in 1902).[21] The township was named for Wantage, England.[22]
Geographyedit
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 67.48 square miles (174.78 km2), including 66.76 square miles (172.91 km2) of land and 0.72 square miles (1.87 km2) of water (1.07%).[1][2] The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches for 700 miles (1,100 km) from Canada to Alabama.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beemerville, Colesville, Hanford, Lake Neepaulin, Lake Rutherford, Lewisburg, Libertyville, Martins, Mount Salem, Papakating, Plumbsock, Quarryville, Rockport, Roys and Woodbourne.[23]
Rutan Hill, also called Volcanic Hill, located near the Beemerville section of Wantage Township, is New Jersey's only volcanic site that was last active over 440 million years ago.[24]
Rivers and streams in Wantage are tributaries in the Wallkill River watershed, and include:
Of the 3,910 households, 34.7% had children under the age of 18; 66.8% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 20.3% were non-families. Of all households, 15.8% were made up of individuals and 6.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.25.[18]
25.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 22.5% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 98.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.7 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,270 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,478) and the median family income was $78,934 (+/− $9,462). Males had a median income of $55,509 (+/− $8,605) versus $41,013 (+/− $3,999) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,266 (+/− $2,047). About 4.3% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.[40]
2000 censusedit
As of the 2000 United States census[14] there were 10,387 people, 3,441 households, and 2,856 families residing in the township. The population density was 154.8 inhabitants per square mile (59.8/km2). There were 3,663 housing units at an average density of 54.6 per square mile (21.1/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.10% White, 0.65% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.67% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.89% of the population.[38][39]
There were 3,441 households, out of which 43.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.0% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.33.[38][39]
In the township the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.[38][39]
The median income for a household in the township was $58,440, and the median income for a family was $65,339. Males had a median income of $42,697 versus $30,160 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,488. About 4.2% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.[38][39]
Governmentedit
Local governmentedit
Wantage Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.[41] The governing body is comprised of the Township Committee, whose three members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[6][42] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
As of 2022[update], members of the Wantage Township Committee are Mayor Jon Morris (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Deputy Mayor William Gaechter (R, term on committee ends 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2023) and Ronald Bassani (R, 2025).[3][43][44][45][46]
Federal, state and county representationedit
Wantage Township is located in the 5th Congressional District[47] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[48][49][50]
Sussex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Commissioner Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator.[57] As of 2024[update], Sussex County's Commissioners are:
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are:
Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026),[63]
Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2025)[64] and
Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township, 2028).[65]
Politicsedit
As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,397 registered voters in Wantage Township, of which 969 (13.1% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,315 (44.8% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 3,104 (42.0% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[66] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.1% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 86.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).[66][67]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 3,269 votes (62.8% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,800 votes (34.6% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 119 votes (2.3% vs. 2.1%), among the 5,203 ballots cast by the township's 7,467 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.7% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County).[68] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,454 votes (62.2% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,987 votes (35.8% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 74 votes (1.3% vs. 1.5%), among the 5,551 ballots cast by the township's 7,319 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County).[69] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,300 votes (67.0% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,564 votes (31.7% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 48 votes (1.0% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,928 ballots cast by the township's 6,500 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).[70]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.0% of the vote (2,107 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.0% (812 votes), and other candidates with 3.0% (89 votes), among the 3,038 ballots cast by the township's 7,582 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%.[71][72] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,602 votes (63.7% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 999 votes (24.5% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 388 votes (9.5% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 59 votes (1.4% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,084 ballots cast by the township's 7,192 registered voters, yielding a 56.8% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).[73]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 172.15 miles (277.05 km) of roadways, of which 119.72 miles (192.67 km) were maintained by the municipality, 35.31 miles (56.83 km) by Sussex County and 17.12 miles (27.55 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[89]
^ abMayor & Committee, Wantage Township. Accessed April 23, 2023. "Wantage Township is governed by three elected committee members. The mayor is selected by the committee members each year."
^ abAnnual Estimates of the Resident Population for Minor Civil Divisions in New Jersey: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2022, United States Census Bureau, released May 2023. Accessed May 18, 2023.
^Melisurgo, Len. "Here's the right way to pronounce 25 N.J. town names everyone botches", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, June 23, 2017. Accessed June 22, 2023. "Wantage (Sussex County) The locals call it WHAN-tij. But out-of-towners often say WHAN-toj, almost like wonton soup."
^ abcdeDP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Wantage township, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^ abSnyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 233. Accessed October 25, 2012.
^Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 25, 2015.
^Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed December 21, 2014.
^Lewis, J. Volney and Kümmel, Henry B. (1940). Bulletin 50: Geologic Series. The Geology of New Jersey. Trenton, New Jersey: Bureau of Geology and Topography. : 109.
^DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.
^Home Page, Wantage Township. Accessed March 11, 2020. "The township completely surrounds Sussex borough and borders the municipalities of Frankford Township, Hardyston Township, Lafayette Township, Montague Township, Sandyston Township, and Vernon Township in Sussex County; and Greenville and Minisink in Orange County, New York."
^Compendium of censuses 1726-1905: together with the tabulated returns of 1905, New Jersey Department of State, 1906. Accessed May 23, 2013.
^Bowen, Francis. American Almanac and Repository of Useful Knowledge for the Year 1843, p. 231, David H. Williams, 1842. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Raum, John O. The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, pp. 271-272, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed February 27, 2013. "Wantage is on the north of the county between Montague and Vernon. Population in 1850, 3,934; in 1860, 3,862; and in 1870, 3,636."
^Debow, James Dunwoody Brownson. The Seventh Census of the United States: 1850, p. 141. R. Armstrong, 1853. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Staff. A compendium of the ninth census, 1870, p. 260. United States Census Bureau, 1872. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Porter, Robert Percival. Preliminary Results as Contained in the Eleventh Census Bulletins: Volume III - 51 to 75, p. 99. United States Census Bureau, 1890. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910: Population by Counties and Minor Civil Divisions, 1910, 1900, 1890, United States Census Bureau, p. 339. Accessed February 27, 2013. Source shows a population of 2,419 as compared to the 3,412 shown in the 1890 Census. The 1910 Census broke out a population of 993 for Sussex borough, which had not been formed until 1891, after the population was enumerated for 1890.
^Fifteenth Census of the United States : 1930 - Population Volume I, United States Census Bureau, p. 719. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Table 6: New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1940 - 2000, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, August 2001. Accessed May 1, 2023.
^ abcdeCensus 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Wantage township, New Jersey Archived January 14, 2004, at the Wayback Machine, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 31, 2016.
^ abcdeDP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Wantage township, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Wantage township, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.
^"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
^2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Wantage Township. Accessed July 28, 2022.
^Sussex County, New Jersey General Election November 8, 2022, Official Results Summary Report, Sussex County, New Jersey, dated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.
^Summary Results Report November 2, 2021 General Election Official Results, Sussex County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.
^Election Summary November 3, 2020 General Election Official Amended Results, Sussex County, New Jersey, updated December 10, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Home, sweet home: Bob Menendez back in Hudson County. nj.com. Accessed April 30, 2021. "Booker, Cory A. - (D - NJ) Class II; Menendez, Robert - (D - NJ) Class I"
^About County Government, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 1, 2022. "Sussex County is governed by five (5) Commissioners who are elected by the voters of Sussex County. Each serves on the county’s Board of County Commissioners for a term of three (3) years, after which time they can seek re‐election or retire.... The Commissioners are elected at‐large to serve three‐year staggered terms. The five Commissioners elect a director from among themselves to run their meetings and to serve as a spokesperson for the board."
^Contact Us, Sussex County Clerk. Accessed May 1, 2022.
^Administration, Sussex County Sheriff's Office. Accessed May 1, 2022.
^Home Page, Sussex County Surrogate. Accessed May 1, 2022.
^ abVoter Registration Summary - Sussex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Archived February 12, 2020, at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^General Election November 6, 2012: District Report - Group Detail Archived June 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Sussex County, New Jersey Clerk, run date November 30, 2012. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^2008 Presidential General Election Results: Sussex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^2004 Presidential Election: Sussex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed February 27, 2013.
^"Governor - Sussex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. January 29, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
^"Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Sussex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. January 29, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
^Sussex-Wantage Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Sussex-Wantage Regional School District. Accessed January 22, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District. Composition: The Sussex-Wantage Regional School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Sussex Borough and Wantage Township."
^New Jersey School Directory for the Sussex-Wantage Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.
^Sussex-Wantage Regional School District 2014 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 18, 2020. "Our district serves over 1,200 students in three schools: Pre-School through Grade 2 in the Clifton E. Lawrence School, Grades 3–5 in the Wantage School, and Grades 6–8 in the Sussex Middle School. Our students attend High Point Regional High School in Grade 9, along with students from the Lafayette and Frankford Township School Districts."
^High Point Regional High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 18, 2020. "High Point Regional High School is a comprehensive high school serving the diversified needs of the five surrounding municipalities of Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, Sussex and Wantage. In addition, we are in a send/receive relationship with the Montague school district."
^"2019-20 School Profile", High Point Regional High School. Accessed June 18, 2020. "Located 63 miles northwest of Manhattan in bucolic Sussex, County NJ, High Point serves students from six municipalities: Branchville, Lafayette, Frankford, Montague, Sussex, and Wantage."
^Staff. "CNN's Lou Dobbs says wife was shot at - and blames critics of his immigration views", New York Daily News, October 30, 2009. Accessed April 2, 2011. "His wife and driver were outside the Wantage home Oct. 5 when they heard the gunshot, said State Police Sgt. Stephen Jones."
^Full Biography, United States House of Representatives. Accessed October 20, 2015. "Scott resides in Wantage Township in Sussex County with his wife, Mary Ellen, and their two daughters, Jennifer and Brittany."
^Judson Kilpatrick, Gettysburg National Military Park. Accessed October 20, 2015. "Hugh Judson Kilpatrick, more commonly referred to as Judson Kilpatrick, was born on his family farm in Wantage Township, near Deckertown, New Jersey."
^Watry, Greg, "Ex-Wantage resident is Playboy's 'Miss March'", New Jersey Herald, April 5, 2014. Accessed March 7, 2024. "Growing up in the sticks of Sussex County, Britt Linn spent her childhood like any country girl.... Now a full-time model in New York City, she recently graced the centerfold pages of Playboy as Miss March 2014. 'Growing up in Sussex County was the ideal place,' the 23-year-old former Wantage resident said."
^Harold J. Wirths; Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Labor, Governor of New Jersey. Accessed October 31, 2016. "Wirths lives in Wantage with his wife and two daughters."
External linksedit
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