Union Township, Union County, New Jersey


Union Township is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 56,642, the highest recorded in any decennial census, reflecting an increase of 2,237 from the 54,405 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,381 from the 50,024 counted in the 1990 Census.

History

Settled in 1667, Union was the third English speaking settlement in New Jersey after Elizabeth and Newark, with the area that is now Union then called Connecticut Farms.
Union Township was the site of the Battle of Connecticut Farms. On June 6, 1780, British troops, led by Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, boarded boats on Staten Island bound for Elizabeth, New Jersey. At midnight, 5,000 troops started to land. They expected the Continental Army to give little resistance, believing that they were tired of the war and were poorly fed and paid. They also expected the citizens of New Jersey to welcome them. They were wrong on both counts and were unable to make their way to and through the Hobart Gap.
Union Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 23, 1808, from portions of Elizabeth Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly formed Union County on March 19, 1857. Portions of the township have been taken to form Linden Township, Roselle Park,, Kenilworth and Hillside. In 1946, a group of residents pushed for the township's name to be changed to "Connecticut Farms", citing the potential benefits to area residents and businesses from the broad awareness of the historical significance of the name.

Geography

The Township of Union is located on the northern edge of Union County and is bordered by eight municipalities: Hillside to the east, Elizabeth to the southeast, Roselle Park and Kenilworth to the south and Springfield Township to the west. Northwest of the township lies Millburn, to the north lies Maplewood and to the northeast lies Irvington, all in Essex County.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Union township had a total area of 9.092 square miles, including 9.071 square miles of land and 0.021 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Battle Hill, Connecticut Farms, Galloping Hill, Headlentown, Putnam Manor, Salem, Townley and Vauxhall.

Neighborhoods

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $73,722 and the median family income was $86,705. Males had a median income of $54,811 versus $47,144 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,135. About 3.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census of 2000, there were 54,405 people, 19,534 households, and 14,162 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,968.1 people per square mile. There were 20,001 housing units at an average density of 2,194.1 per square mile. An example of a diverse city in the United States, the racial makeup of the township was 67.66% White, 19.76% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.72% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.44% from other races, and 2.24% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.93% of the population.
There were 19,534 households out of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.5% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% 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 3.25.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.2 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $59,173, and the median income for a family was $68,707. Males had a median income of $45,299 versus $35,604 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,768. About 3.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Union Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of 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 Mayor, in addition to voting as a member of the Township Committee, presides over the meetings of the committee and carries out ceremonial duties.
, members of the Union Township Committee are Mayor Michele S. Delisfort, Deputy Mayor Joseph M. Florio, Suzette Cavadas, Manuel T. Figueiredo and Clifton People Jr..

Mayors of Union

#MayorYears in OfficePartyTermsNotes
1John Leonard1879–18831-4First term
2James A. Burnett1884–18855-6
3John Leonard18867Second term
4James B. Woodruff1887–18918-12Five Consecutive Terms
5John Tunison1892–189313-14Two consecutive terms
6Daniel H. Beach1894–189515-16Two consecutive terms
7William P. Bonnell189617
8John H. Doremus189718First term
9Daniel H. Beach189819Third term
10William A. Bainbridge189920
11John H. Doremus190021Second term
12Daniel H. Beach190122Fourth term
13John H. Doremus1902–190323-24Third and fourth terms
14Walter A. Miller1904–190525-26Two consecutive terms
15Daniel B. Wade190625First Term
16John H. Doremus190726Fourth term
17Daniel H. Beach190827
18Daniel B. Wade190928
19Gottlieb Schnabel191029
20Daniel H. Beach191130
21Howard B. Kline191231
22Gottlieb Schnabel191332
22Daniel H. Beach191433
23Cornelius E. Blanchard191534
24George A. Bashford191635
25Daniel H. Beach191736
26Harry Schmitt191837
27George A. Bashford191938
28Daniel H. Beach1920–192139-40Two consecutive terms
29George A. Bashford192241
30Ambrose B. Kline192342
31Charles W. Mink1924–192643-45Three consecutive terms
32Ambrose B. Kline1927–192846-47Two consecutive terms
33Gustav Hummel Jr.1929–193148-50Three consecutive terms
34Max A. Schoenwalder1932–193351-52Two consecutive terms
35Charles Schramm1934–193953-58Six consecutive terms. Resigned in 1939.
36Fred Edward Biertuempfel1939–1973Republican59-93Thirty-four consecutive terms.
37Samuel Rabkin1973Republican93Finished Biertuempfel's term. Rabkin field named after him.
38Anthony E. Russo1974Democrat94
39James C. Conlon1975Republican95
40John S. Zimmerman1976Democrat96
41Edward Goodkin1977Republican97
42James C. Conlon1978–1980Democrat98-99Two consecutive terms
43Edward Weber1981Democrat100
44James C. Conlon1982Republican101
45Anthony E. Russo1983-1986Democrat102
49Diane Heelan1987Republican106Union's first female mayor
50Anthony E. Russo1988-1993Democrat107
56Jerome Petti1994Democrat113
57Greg Muller1995Republican114
58Jerome Petti1996Democrat115
59Greg Muller1997Republican116
60Anthony L. Terrezza1998–1999Democrat117-118Two consecutive terms
61Joseph Florio2000Democrat119
62Peter A. Capodice2001Democrat120
63Patrick Scanlon2002Democrat121
64Brenda C. Restivo2003Democrat122
65Anthony L. Terrezza2004Democrat123
66Joseph Florio2005Democrat124
67Peter A. Capodice2006Democrat125
68Brenda C. Restivo2007Democrat126Second Term
69Clifton People Jr.2008Democrat127Union's first African-American mayor
70Anthony L. Terrezza2009–2010Democrat128-129Two consecutive terms
71Joseph Florio2011-2012Democrat130-131Two consecutive terms. Second & third terms as mayor.
72Clifton People Jr.2013-2014Democrat132-133Two consecutive terms. Second & third terms as mayor.
73Manuel T. Figueiredo2015–2016Democrat134-135Two consecutive terms.
74Suzette Cavadas2017–2018Democrat136
75Michèle S. Delisfort2019–presentDemocrat137

Federal, state and county representation

Union Township is split between the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 20th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Union Township had also been split between the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts with different boundaries, 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. The redistricting plan that took effect in 2013 placed 31,611 residents living in the central and western portions of the township into the 7th District, while 25,031 residents in a semicircle that runs along the northern, eastern and southern borders of the township were placed into the 10th District.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 31,155 registered voters in Union Township, of which 12,061 were registered as Democrats, 3,928 were registered as Republicans and 15,157 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered to other parties. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 55.0% were registered to vote, including 69.7% of those ages 18 and over.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 16,423 votes, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 6,464 votes and other candidates with 155 votes, among the 23,235 ballots cast by the township's 33,589 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 15,625 votes, ahead of Republican John McCain with 8,462 votes and other candidates with 189 votes, among the 24,505 ballots cast by the township's 32,622 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.1%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 12,751 votes, ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 8,987 votes and other candidates with 174 votes, among the 22,013 ballots cast by the township's 30,383 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.5%.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 53.4% of the vote, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 45.4%, and other candidates with 1.2%, among the 12,013 ballots cast by the township's 33,305 registered voters, for a turnout of 36.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 7,628 ballots cast, ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 5,734 votes, Independent Chris Daggett with 741 votes and other candidates with 113 votes, among the 14,397 ballots cast by the township's 31,972 registered voters, yielding a 45.0% turnout.
On October 15, 2014, President Barack Obama visited the township to attend a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee fundraising event.

Education

The Union Public School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 7,219 students and 614.7 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. The schools in the district are
Battle Hill Elementary School,
Hannah Caldwell Elementary School,
Connecticut Farms Elementary School,
Franklin Elementary School,
Livingston Elementary School,
Washington Elementary School,
Jefferson Elementary School,
Burnet Middle School,
Kawameeh Middle School and
Union High School.
Union was threatened with being the first municipality north of the Mason–Dixon line to suffer from penalties as a result of school segregation. The area of Vauxhall was primarily black and the students enrolled at Jefferson Elementary School were disproportionately black, compared to the rest of the township. Union avoided problems by converting Jefferson Elementary into a sixth-grade only school called Central 6 and bused the Jefferson students to all the other elementary schools. It was later renamed Central 5 and is now Jefferson School, which is used as a one-year school for fifth-grade students.
Union is home to several private nursery schools and the Deron School, a private school for learning disabled students ages 5–13. St. Michael's Parish School and Holy Spirit School operate under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.
Kean University, dating back to 1855, serves a total student population of almost 16,000. Called New Jersey State Teachers College when it was located in Newark, the school moved to Union in 1958, was renamed Kean College in 1973 and was granted university status in 1997.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Union County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Union is traversed by the Garden State Parkway, Interstate 78, U.S. Route 22 and Route 82.
The Parkway connects Kenilworth in the south to Hillside in the north. The Parkway includes interchanges 139A / 139B, interchanges 140 / 140A and interchange 141.

Public transportation

offers rail service at the Union train station providing service on the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station. The station opened in 2003 and includes a parking lot with over 450 spaces.
NJ Transit also provides bus service to New York City and New Jersey points on the 113, 114 and 117 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 65, 66 70 and 94 routes to Newark and local service on the 26 and 52.
Former Rahway Valley Railroad freight line, now abandoned, crosses through Union. This line, presently licensed to Morristown and Erie Railway, is in the process of revitalization after which it will link to NJ Transit's Morris and Essex Lines at Summit and connect to Staten Island.
Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately east of Union.

Notable buildings

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