Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey

:"see also: the Borough of Hopewell, New Jersey, Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey"

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Township of Hopewell, New Jersey
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Hopewell Township in Mercer County. Inset: Location of Mercer County highlighted in the state of New Jersey


mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_name2 = Mercer
government_type = Township
settlement_type = Township
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Vanessa Sandom
leader_title1 = Administrator
leader_name1 = Paul Pogorzelski [ [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/staff_listing.html Staff Members] , Hopewell Township. Accessed June 3, 2007.]
established_title = Founded
established_date = February 20, 1700
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = February 21, 1798
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi = 58.7
area_total_km2 = 151.9
area_land_sq_mi = 58.1
area_land_km2 = 150.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5
area_water_km2 = 1.4
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 17968
population_metro =
population_urban =
population_density_km2 = 107.0
population_density_sq_mi = 277.1
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 40 |latm = 20 |lats = 00 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 48 |longs = 59 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 66
elevation_ft = 217
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882129|Township of Hopewell, Geographic Names Information System, accessed June 3, 2007.]
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08560
area_code = 609
website = http://www.hopewelltwp.org
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-33180GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882129GR|3
footnotes =

Hopewell Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 16,105.

Hopewell Township dates back to February 20, 1700, when the area was still part of Burlington County. It was formerly the name for one of two portions of convert|800|acre|km2 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 incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Hopewell Township became part of Mercer County at its creation on February 22, 1838. Portions of the township were taken to form Marion Township (February 22, 1838, reverted back to Hopewell Township on February 14, 1839), Pennington (January 31, 1890) and Hopewell Borough (April 14, 1891), with additional portions of the township transferred to both Pennington and Hopewell Borough in 1915."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 162.]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 58.7 square miles (151.9 km²), of which, 58.1 square miles (150.5 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (0.92%) is water.

Hopewell Township borders Ewing Township, Lawrence Township, Princeton Township, Hunterdon County, Somerset County, and the Delaware River.

Pennington Borough and Hopewell Borough are both independent municipalities surrounded entirely by Hopewell Township.

Titusville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Hopewell Township.

Washington Crossing State Park is located in the western part of the township.

Some neighborhoods in the township include Hopewell Hunt, Brandon Farms, and Elm Ridge.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 3907
1940= 3738
1950= 4731
1960= 7818
1970= 10030
1980= 10893
1990= 11590
2000= 16105
estimate= 17968
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3402133180&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3431620&_street=&_county=hopewell&_cityTown=hopewell&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Hopewell township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 9, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, 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 (107.0/km²). There were 5,629 housing units at an average density of 96.9/sq mi (37.4/km²). 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.

Government

Local government

Hopewell Township is governed under the Township form of government with a five-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. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. [ [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/form_gov.html THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE FORM OF GOVERNMENT] , Hopewell Township. Accessed August 25, 2006.]

As of 2008, members of the Hopewell Township Committee are
Mayor [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/sandom.html Vanessa Sandom] ,
Deputy Mayor [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/john_murphy.html John Murphy] , [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/burd.html James Burd] , [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/markulec.html Michael Markulec] and [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/sandahl.html David Sandahl] . [ [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/tcmembers.html Hopewell Township Committee] , Hopewell Township. Accessed June 16, 2008.]

Hopewell Township is served by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station & Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Mercer County, located in Trenton. [ [http://njaes.rutgers.edu/county/quickinfo.asp?Mercer Cooperative Extension of Mercer County] , Rutgers University. Accessed October 12, 2007.]

Federal, state and county representation

Hopewell Township is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

Students in public school for kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Hopewell Valley Regional School District, a comprehensive regional public school district serving (as of 2005) nearly 4,000 students from Hopewell Borough (371 students), Hopewell Township (2,998 students), and Pennington Borough (497 students). Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3407530 Data for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 11, 2008.] ) include four Elementary Schools (K-5) — [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/beartavern Bear Tavern Elementary School] with 532 students, [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/hopewell Hopewell Elementary School] with 522 students, [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/stonybrook Stony Brook Elementary School] with 522 students, [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/tollgate Toll Gate Grammar School] with 310 students — [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/timberlane Timberlane Middle School] with 952 students in grades 6 -8, and Hopewell Valley Central High School, which has an enrollment of 1,152 students in grades 9 - 12.

The Hopewell Project

Hopewell is home to an experimental renewable energy project called The Hopewell Project, which uses solar power to generate hydrogen that is used to provide 100% of a home's heating, cooling and electrical needs. The Hopewell Solar-Hydrogen Residence was dedicated on October 20, 2006.

Media

*"Hopewell Valley News"
*"Town Topics"
*"Pennington Post"

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Hopewell Township include:
*Val Ackerman, first president of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), serving from 1996-2005.
*John Hart, signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000288 Biography of John Hart] , United States Congress. Accessed June 17, 2007.]
*James W. Marshall, sawmill operator, whose 1848 discovery of gold in the American River in California set the stage for the California Gold Rush.

References

External links

* [http://www.hopewelltwp.org/ Hopewell Township web site]
* [http://www.hvrsd.k12.nj.us/district/index.htm Hopewell Valley School District]
*NJReportCard|21|2280|0|Hopewell Valley Regional School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3407530 Data for the Hopewell Valley Regional School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.hopewelltwpfire.org/ Hopewell Township Fire District]