Knowlton Township, New Jersey

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

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imagesize =
image_caption = An old barn in Knowlton Township


image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Knowlton Township in Warren County


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Warren
government_footnotes =
government_type = Township (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Frank Van Horn (2009)
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Royal Charter
established_date = February 23, 1763
established_title1 = Incorporated
established_date1 = February 21, 1798

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 65.6
area_land_km2 = 64.2
area_water_km2 = 1.4
area_total_sq_mi = 25.3
area_land_sq_mi = 24.8
area_water_sq_mi = 0.5

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3180
population_density_km2 = 46.4
population_density_sq_mi = 120.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882241|Township of Knowlton, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 167
elevation_ft = 548
latd = 40 |latm = 55 |lats = 24 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 3 |longs = 57 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 07832 - Columbia
07833 - Delaware
area_code = 908
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-37320GR|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 = 0882241GR|3
website = http://www.knowlton-nj.com
footnotes =

Knowlton Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 2,977. It is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.

Knowlton Township was created by Royal Charter on February 23, 1763, from portions of Oxford Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County. Knowlton Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, and then became part of the newly-created Warren County on November 20, 1824. Portions of the township were taken to form Hope Township (April 8, 1839) and Blairstown Township (April 14, 1845)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246.]

Knowlton is named after its "natural features or the appearance of its surface"Snell, James P. (1881) "History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers". (Centennial ed., Harmony, NJ: Harmony Press, 1981) pgs. 623, 625] (a corruption of the word knoll). The town is organized into two postal ZIP Codes under Columbia (07832) and Delaware (07833), although a small number of Knowlton residents receive postal deliveries via the Blairstown Township post office. The town comprises several small hamlets such as Polkville, Hainesburg, Mount Pleasant, Warrington, Centerville and Knowlton itself.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 25.3 square miles (65.6 km²), of which, 24.8 square miles (64.2 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.4 km²) of it (2.09%) is water.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=1049
1940=1084
1950=1260
1960=1442
1970=1738
1980=2074
1990=2543
2000=2977
estimate= 3180
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=06000US3404133930&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34041%7C06000US3404133930&_street=&_county=Knowlton&_cityTown=Knowlton&_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 Knowlton township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 21, 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 2,977 people, 1,028 households, and 816 families residing in the township. The population density was 120.1 people per square mile (46.4/km²). There were 1,135 housing units at an average density of 45.8/sq mi (17.7/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.45% White, 0.40% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.47% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.85% of the population.

There were 1,028 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.1% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.6% were non-families. 15.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the township the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 101.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $63,409, and the median income for a family was $72,130. Males had a median income of $46,250 versus $35,326 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,631. About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 1.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Knowlton Township Committee consists of Mayor Frank Van Horn (D, term ends December 31, 2009), Deputy Mayor Ronald Farber (R, 2008), George James (D, 2010), René Mathez (D, 2010) and Scott Odorizzi (R, 2008). [ [http://www.knowlton-nj.com/members.html Township Committee Members] , Knowlton Township. Accessed March 14, 2008.] [ [http://76.162.120.189/mun/knowlton.html Township of Knowlton] , Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed March 14, 2008.]

Federal, state and county representation

Knowlton Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd 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

Children in grades K through 6 for public school attend the Knowlton Township Elementary School, which served 318 students as of the 2005-06 school year. [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3408070 Data for the Knowlton Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 12, 2008.]

Public school students in grades 7 through 12 attend the North Warren Regional High School (1,044 students) in Blairstown, a public high school, serving students from the townships of Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, and Knowlton Township. [ [http://www.northwarren.org/aboutnwr/School_Profile.htm School Profile] , North Warren Regional High School. Accessed March 12, 2008. "North Warren Regional is a public secondary school district, serving students in grades 7-12 in the townships of Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, and Knowlton. The district covers 96.8 square miles bordering the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in scenic Warren County."]

Recreation

Tunnel Field is the primary recreational site in the township with several baseball and softball diamonds and soccer fields. Tunnel also has a play area (including swings and play area), a basketball court and concession stand. The field is located by Route 94 and is divided by the Lackawanna Cut-Off and is connected through an old tunnel (hence the name).

Transportation history

Much of Knowlton's development from about 1850 on can be traced to the presence of the five railroad lines that criss-crossed the township: the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad's Old Road and, later, the Lackawanna Cut-Off; the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway; the Lehigh & New England Railroad; and the Blairstown Railway. Ironically, all of these rail lines have since been abandoned. In their heyday, however, two rail lines and three railroads served the town of Delaware: the New York, Susquehanna and Western (formerly Blairstown) Railway; and the Old Road of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (which also had granted trackage rights to the Pennsylvania Railroad--technically a sixth railroad). The town of Columbia was also served by the NYS&W (Hainesburg also had a station), with the Lehigh and New England Railroad also passing through town.

In more recent years, the development within Knowlton has been tied to the presence of U.S. Route 46 and, since the early 1970s, Interstate 80. Indeed, many Knowlton residents use Route 80 to commute to their jobs either further east in New Jersey or further west in Pennsylvania. Route 94 crosses through the township. Two bridges cross the Delaware River, connecting the township to Pennsylvania; the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge connects Route 94 to Pennsylvania Route 611 in Portland, Pennsylvania, as does the Portland-Columbia Pedestrian Bridge.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Knowlton Township include:
*Philip Johnson (1818-1867), represented Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives from 1861 to 1867. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=J000168 Philip Johnson] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed October 11, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.knowlton-nj.com/ Knowlton Township website]
* [http://www.co.warren.nj.us/mun/knowlton.html Warren County page for Knowlton Township]
*NJReportCard|41|2470|0|Knowlton Township School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3408070 Data for the Knowlton Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.northwarren.org/ North Warren Regional School District]
*NJReportCard|41|3675|050|North Warren Regional High School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3409550 Data for the North Warren Regional High School] , National Center for Education Statistics