Lopatcong Township, New Jersey

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

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of Lopatcong Township in Warren County. Inset: LOcation of Warren County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.


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 = Faulkner Act (Small Municipality)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Douglas Steinhardt (R, 2008)
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = March 7, 1851

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 18.5
area_land_km2 = 18.3
area_water_km2 = 0.2
area_total_sq_mi = 7.1
area_land_sq_mi = 7.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 8439
population_density_km2 = 314.5
population_density_sq_mi = 814.6

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882252|Township of Lopatcong, Geographic Names Information System, accessed November 29, 2007.]
elevation_m = 119
elevation_ft = 390
latd = 40 |latm = 42 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 9 |longs = 50 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08865
area_code = 908
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-41490GR|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 = 0882252GR|3
website = http://www.lopatcongtwp.com
footnotes =

Lopatcong Township (pronEng|loʊˈpætkɒŋ) is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 5,765. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.

Lopatcong Township is a suburb that was featured in a 2003 article in "The New York Times" which discussed problems of public school financing in suburban communities and various strategies communities have adopted to deal with the problem. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/08/13/nyregion/13SUBU.html?th "Great Haven for Families, but Don't Bring Children"] , "The New York Times" August 13, 2003.]

History

What is now Lopatcong Township was created as Phillipsburg Township on March 7, 1851, by an act approved by the New Jersey Legislature, and contained portions of Greenwich Township and Harmony Township. After Phillipsburg was incorporated as an independent municipality on March 8, 1861, the township changed its name to Lopatcong as of March 18, 1863, after a creek in the area."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 247.] [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) p.682]

The name of the creek and township — Lopatcong — came from four words of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans — "Lowan peek achtu onk," which meant "winter water place for deer". [ [http://www.lopatcongtwp.com/history.html History of Lopatcong] , accessed April 10, 2006.]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.5 km²), of which, 7.1 square miles (18.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (0.84%) is water.

Lopatcong is made up of several neighborhoods, including Morris Park, Delaware Park, Rosehill Heights, Brakeley Park, Lows Hollow, Country Hills and Overlook.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930=1269
1940=1450
1950=1737
1960=2703
1970=3144
1980=4998
1990=5052
2000=5765
estimate= 8439
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US3451810&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3451810&_street=&_county=lopatcong&_cityTown=lopatcong&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Lopatcong township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 12, 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 5,765 people, 2,143 households, and 1,523 families residing in the township. The population density was 814.6 people per square mile (314.4/km²). There were 2,429 housing units at an average density of 343.2/sq mi (132.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.27% White, 1.13% African American, 0.07% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.49% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.99% of the population.

There were 2,143 households out of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the township the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 85.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $50,918, and the median income for a family was $65,545. Males had a median income of $52,540 versus $30,967 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,333. About 4.7% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Lopatcong Township is governed by the Faulkner Act (Small Municipality) form of government. The Faulkner Act allows municipalities to adopt a Small Municipality form of government only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member Township Council, with all positions elected at large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that one or two seats come 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.]

The Lopatcong Township Committee consists of Mayor Douglas Steinhardt (R, term ends December 31, 2008), Council President Victor Camporine (R, 2007), William W. Baker, Sr. (D, 2009), H. Matthew Curry (R, 2007) and James Mengucci (R, 2009). [ [http://www.lopatcongtwp.com/governing.html Lopatcong Township Governing Body] , Lopatcong Township. Accessed April 22, 2007.] [ [http://www.co.warren.nj.us/mun/lopatcong.html Township of Lopatcong profile] , Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed April 22, 2007.]

Federal, state and county representation

Lopatcong 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. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The Lopatcong Township School District serves public school students in grades K-8. 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=3409000 Data for the Lopatcong Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed march 8, 2008.] ) are [http://www.lopatcongschool.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=27&Itemid=64 Lopatcong Elementary School] (K-4, 206 students) and [http://www.lopatcongschool.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=28&Itemid=65 Lopatcong Middle School] (5-8, 399 students). Before the Middle School opened in 2003, students would attend the Elementary School through eighth grade.

Public school students in grade 9 - 12 attend Phillipsburg High School in Phillipsburg, which serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg as part of the Phillipsburg School District. The high school also serves students from five communities as part of sending/receiving relationships: Alpha, Bloomsbury (in Hunterdon County), Greenwich Township, Lopatcong Township and Pohatcong Township. [ [http://www.pburg.k12.nj.us/AboutheDistrict/AboutthePhillipsburgSchoolDistrict.htm About the District] , Phillipsburg School District. Accessed March 8, 2008. "The district serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg and five sending communities at the secondary level: Alpha, Bloomsbury, Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong Townships."]

Students in grades 9-12 can also attend Warren County Technical School in Washington, which also serves students from all of Warren County.

Transportation

New Jersey Transit bus service is provided on the 890 and 891 routes. [ [http://www.njtransit.com/sf_tp_rc_warren.shtml Warren County Bus/Rail Connections] , New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 3, 2007.]

Film community

Lopatcong Township was the primary location for the independent film "Several Ways to Die Trying". The film's writer/director as well as members of the cast and crew are residents of the township.

References

External links

* [http://www.lopatcongtwp.com/index.html Lopatcong Township website]
* [http://www.co.warren.nj.us/mun/lopatcong.html Warren County page for Lopatcong Township]
* [http://www.lopatcongschool.org Lopatcong Township School District]
*NJReportCard|41|2790|0|Lopatcong Township School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3409000 Data for the Lopatcong Township School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.pburg.k12.nj.us/PHS/index.html Phillipsburg High School]