Bedminster Township, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Bedminster Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Bedminster Township in Somerset County


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Somerset
government_footnotes =
government_type = Township (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Robert F. Holtaway
leader_title1 = Administrator
leader_name1 = Susan S. Stanbury [ [http://www.bedminster.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={1D23EE49-7B29-41F6-AC92-C851DC1FA3E5} Administrator] , Bedminster Township. Accessed December 20, 2007.]
established_title = Royal Charter
established_date = April 4, 1749
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = February 21, 1798

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 68.6
area_land_km2 = 68.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 26.5
area_land_sq_mi = 26.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 8449
population_density_km2 = 121.1
population_density_sq_mi = 313.6

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882176|Township of Bedminster, Geographic Names Information System, accessed December 20, 2007.]
elevation_m = 65
elevation_ft = 213
latd = 40 |latm = 40 |lats = 3 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 39 |longs = 20 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 07921
area_code = 908
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-04450GR|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 = 0882176GR|3
website = http://www.bedminster.us
footnotes =

Bedminster Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 8,302.

Bedminster Township was created by Royal Charter on April 4, 1749, from portions of the Northern precinct. It was formally incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken on March 28, 1912, to form Peapack-Gladstone."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 221.] The village of Pluckemin is also part of the township.

Bedminster was the corporate headquarters of AT&T, prior to its merger with SBC Communications (the combined company is now known as AT&T Inc.). AT&T's Global Network Operations Center is currently located in Bedminister. It was also the corporate headquarters for Verizon Wireless before it was relocated to nearby Basking Ridge in 2006.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 26.5 square miles (68.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930 = 1374
1940 = 1606
1950 = 1613
1960 = 2322
1970 = 2597
1980 = 2469
1990 = 7086
2000 = 8302
estimate= 8449
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US3400569990&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34005%7C06000US3400569990&_street=&_county=bedminster&_cityTown=bedminster&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Bedminster township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 25, 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 8,302 people, 4,235 households, and 2,100 families residing in the township. The population density was 313.6 people per square mile (121.1/km²). There were 4,467 housing units at an average density of 168.7/sq mi (65.2/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 90.05% White, 1.75% African American, 0.11% Native American, 6.41% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population.

There were 4,235 households out of which 20.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 50.4% were non-families. 44.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.96 and the average family size was 2.76.

In the township the population was spread out with 17.8% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 40.3% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 85.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $71,550, and the median income for a family was $96,890. Males had a median income of $71,136 versus $48,589 for females. The per capita income for the township was $53,549. About 1.9% of families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Bedminster 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 or two seats 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. 77.] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor. [ [http://www.bedminster.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={692B2515-3C47-483E-A052-FA604149FFCE} Your Municipal Government] , Bedminster Township. Accessed August 25, 2007.]

Members of the Bedminster Township Committee (with their term end dates listed) are Mayor Robert F. Holtaway (term ends December 31, 2009), Finn Caspersen, Jr. (2009), Jeanne Maass (2010), Bernie Pane (2010) and Sally Rubin (2008). [ [http://www.bedminster.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={2EA3CAC8-83F9-41FF-BD45-AEB4018FEBC8} 2007 Bedminster Township Committee] , Bedminster Township. Accessed August 25, 2007.]

Federal, state and county representation

Bedminster Township is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , p. 54, accessed August 30, 2006]

Education

The Bedminster Township School District serves students in kindergarten through eighth grade.As of the 2005-06 school year, Bedminster Township Public School had an enrollment of 585 students. [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401320 Data for the Bedminster Township Public School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 27, 2008.]

Public school students in grades 9-12 attend Bernards High School, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a K - 12 district serving students from Bernardsville, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone. [ [http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/schools/districts.htm Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional] , Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed April 27, 2008.]

Points of interest

*Natirar
* [http://jvanderveerhouse.com The Jacobus Vanderveer House] - a mid- 1700's refurbished home used by General Henry Knox during the Revolutionary War

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Bedminster Township include:
*John DeLorean (1925-2005), founder of the De Lorean Motor Company. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/1347391.stm Festival celebrates the De Lorean] , BBC News, May 24, 2001]
*Steve Forbes (1947-), editor-in-chief of "Forbes" magazine and president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/forbes081799.htm Steve Forbes] , "The Washington Post", August 17, 1999]
*Robert Wood Johnson IV (1947-), Owner of the New York Jets football team and great-grandson of the founder of the Johnson & Johnson Corporation. [Sandomir, Richard. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE6DB173AF931A25752C0A9669C8B63 " The Jets Fill One Opening: New Owner at $635 Million"] , "The New York Times", January 12, 2000. Accessed September 30, 2007. "Johnson, who is 52 years old, has homes in Manhattan and Bedminster, N.J."]
*Thomas Kean (1935-), former Governor of New Jersey and Chairman of the 9/11 Commission. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E6D61631F930A25752C1A962958260 WEDDINGS; Rhonda Norton, Thomas Kean Jr.] , "The New York Times", November 13, 1994]
*James Linn (1749-1821), represented ushr|New Jersey|3 in the United States House of Representatives from 1799 to 1801. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000336 James Linn] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed December 3, 2007.]
*John Van Dyke (1807-1878), represented ushr|New Jersey|4 in the United States House of Representatives from 1847 to 1851. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=V000035 John Van Dyke] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed September 1, 2007.]
*Harrison A. Williams (1919-2001), United States Senator involved in the Abscam scandal. [Martin, Douglas. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04E2DA1E3BF933A15752C1A9679C8B63 "Ex-Senator Harrison A. Williams Jr., 81, Dies; Went to Prison Over Abscam Scandal"] , "The New York Times", November 20, 2001. Accessed November 4, 2007. "Harrison A. Williams Jr., the Democratic senator from New Jersey who used his considerable power to further the interests of labor and education before being convicted of bribery and conspiracy in the Abscam scandal, died on Saturday. He was 81 and lived in Bedminster"]

References

External links

* [http://www.bedminster.us/ Bedminster Township website]
* [http://www.bedminsterschool.org/btps/site/default.asp Bedminster Township Public School]
*NJReportCard|35|0240|0|Bedminster Township Public School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3401320 Data for the Bedminster Township Public School] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.historicalsocietyofsomersethills.org/ The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills]
* [http://www.shsd.org/ Somerset Hills School District]