Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey


Hopewell Township is a township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. The township is within the New York metropolitan area as defined by the United States Census Bureau, but directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the Federal Communications Commission's Philadelphia Designated Market Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 17,304, reflecting an increase of 1,199 from the 16,105 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,515 from the 11,590 counted in the 1990 Census.
The township dates back to February 20, 1700, when the area was still part of Burlington County. One of the earliest settlers before 1710 was George Woolsey, formerly of Jamaica, Queens, whose father was one of the earliest pre-1650 settlers of what was New Amsterdam. His descendants maintained the family farm for over 200 years.
The township was formerly the name for one of two portions of of land purchased in 1714 by William Trent, and was formally set off to Hunterdon County, when that county was created on March 11, 1714. Trenton Township was formed out of this estate on June 3, 1719, later to become the City of Trenton. Hopewell Township was incorporated by Royal charter on March 1, 1755, and was re-incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Hopewell Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Marion Township, the Borough of Pennington and Hopewell Borough, with additional portions of the township transferred to both Pennington and Hopewell Borough in 1915.
Hopewell Township includes the location along the east side of the Delaware River to which George Washington and the Continental Army crossed from Pennsylvania. Once in Hopewell Township, the army marched to Trenton on December 26, 1776. The Battle of Trenton followed. Today, Washington Crossing State Park commemorates this important milestone in American history.
Hopewell Township was also the location where—two months after being abducted from his home in neighboring East Amwell—the body of Charles Lindbergh Jr. was discovered on May 12, 1932.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 58.911 square miles, including 58.031 square miles of it is land and 0.880 square miles of water is water.
The township completely surrounds Hopewell Borough and Pennington, making it part of two of the 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another, and the only municipality that surrounds two others. The township borders Ewing Township, Lawrence Township and Princeton in Mercer County; East Amwell Township and West Amwell Township in Hunterdon County; Montgomery Township in Somerset County; and Solebury Township and Upper Makesfield Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, across the Delaware River.
Akers Corner, Baldwins Corner, Bear Tavern, Centerville, Coopers Corner, Federal City, Glenmoore, Harbourton, Harts Corner, Marshalls Corner, Moore, Mount Rose, Pleasant Valley, Stoutsburg, Titusville, Washington Crossing and Woodsville are unincorporated communities, localities and place names located within Hopewell Township. Some neighborhoods in the township include Hopewell Hunt, Brandon Farms and Elm Ridge.

Climate

According to the Köppen climate classification system, Hopewell Township, New Jersey has a hot-summer, wet all year, humid continental climate. Dfa climates are characterized by at least one month having an average mean temperature ≤ 32.0 °F, at least four months with an average mean temperature ≥ 50.0 °F, at least one month with an average mean temperature ≥ 71.6 °F, and no significant precipitation difference between seasons. During the summer months, episodes of extreme heat and humidity can occur with heat index values ≥ 100 °F. On average, the wettest month of the year is July which corresponds with the annual peak in thunderstorm activity. During the winter months, episodes of extreme cold and wind can occur with wind chill values < 0 °F. The plant hardiness zone at the Hopewell Township Municipal Court is 6b with an average annual extreme minimum air temperature of -0.4 °F. The average seasonal snowfall total is, and the average snowiest month is February which corresponds with the annual peak in nor'easter activity.

Ecology

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

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $132,813 and the median family income was $151,394. Males had a median income of $106,431 versus $66,285 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $55,219. About 0.6% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 16,105 people, 5,498 households, and 4,431 families residing in the township. The population density was 277.1 people per square mile. There were 5,629 housing units at an average density of 96.9 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 77.30% White, 15.83% African American, 0.12% Native American, 3.97% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.
There were 5,498 households out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.4% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% 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 3.11.
In the township the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.3 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $93,640, and the median income for a family was $101,579. Males had a median income of $66,849 versus $47,701 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,947. About 0.9% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Local government

Hopewell Township is governed under the Township form of government, one of 141 municipalities statewide governed under this form. The Township Committee has 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, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
, the members of the Hopewell Township Committee are Mayor Kristen McLaughlin, Deputy mayor Michael Ruger, Julie Blake, Kevin D. Kuchinski and Courtney Peters-Manning,.
Citing differences with local party leadership, Mayor Harvey Lester changed his party affiliation in March 2015 from Democrat to Republican. In the November 2015 general election, Democrat Julie Blake defeated incumbent Mayor Harvey Lester, with affordable housing, development and taxes as key issues in the race.
Hopewell Township is served by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station & Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, located in Trenton.

Federal, state and county representation

Hopewell Township is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 12,218 registered voters in Hopewell Township, of which 3,949 were registered as Democrats, 3,088 were registered as Republicans and 5,178 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 54.9% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 43.8%, and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 10,697 ballots cast by the township's 12,983 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 56.5% of the vote here, ahead of Republican John McCain with 41.4% and other candidates with 1.4%, among the 9,765 ballots cast by the township's 12,615 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 51.3% of the vote here, outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 46.2% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 9,698 ballots cast by the township's 11,780 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 82.3.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 61.8% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 36.5%, and other candidates with 1.7%, among the 6,322 ballots cast by the township's 12,818 registered voters, for a turnout of 49.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.9% of the vote here, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 42.9%, Independent Chris Daggett with 6.9% and other candidates with 0.5%, among the 7,158 ballots cast by the township's 12,441 registered voters, yielding a 57.5% turnout.

Neighboring municipalities

Hopewell Township surrounds both Pennington and Hopewell Borough.

Education

Public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Hopewell Valley Regional School District. The comprehensive regional public school district serves students from Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township and Pennington Borough. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district and its six schools had an enrollment of 3,572 students and 347.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.3:1. Schools in the district are
Bear Tavern Elementary School,
Hopewell Elementary School,
Stony Brook Elementary School,
Toll Gate Grammar School,
Timberlane Middle School with 841 students in grades 6-8 and
Hopewell Valley Central High School with an enrollment of 1,153 students in grades 9 - 12. The district's Board of Education is composed of nine members, which are allocated to each of the three municipalities based on population, with Hopewell Township assigned seven seats.
Eighth grade students from all of Mercer County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Mercer County Technical Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its Health Sciences Academy, STEM Academy and Academy of Culinary Arts, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which are maintained by the municipality, by Mercer County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Route 29 passes through the southwestern part of Hopewell alongside the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Route 31 is the main north–south road that goes through the township. Interstate 295 also passes through in the southern part; the highway has two interchanges in the Township: Exits 73 and 72. Major county roads that go through are County Route 518, County Route 546, County Route 569 and County Route 579.
Hopewell Township was supposed to be where the Somerset Freeway would have started in the south, ending in the north in either Piscataway or Franklin. This would have completed Interstate 95 in New Jersey. The cancellation of this project led to having the New Jersey Turnpike carry the interstate numbering instead. Originally, I-295 had extended into Hopewell and ended where the supposed Somerset Freeway interchange was to be built. Ultimately, the Somerset Freeway was canceled in 1982. I-295 was redesignated I-95 from the canceled interchange to the exit at U.S. Route 1 in 1993. In March 2018, I-95 through Hopewell Township became I-295 as part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project that completed the gap in I-95.

Public transportation

provides bus service between the township and Trenton on the 602, 606 and 608 routes.

Media

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