Blackwells Mills Canal House in the Somerset section of Franklin Township
Franklin Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 50,903. Traditionally a farming community, it has become a fast-growing suburb with massive development in the later 20th Century and into the 21st Century. It is also quite a diverse community, even by New Jersey's rather liberal standards, with a melting pot of races, religions and cultures. In 2008, Franklin Township ranked #5 on Money Magazine's list of America's Top 100 Best Places to Live.[1]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 46.8 square miles (121.3 kmē), of which, 46.8 square miles (121.1 kmē) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 kmē) of it (0.15%) is water.
The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township. While they have their own separate identities, they are all unincorporated areas.
As of the census of 2000, there were 50,903 people, 19,355 households, and 12,987 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,088.3 people per square mile (420.2/kmē). There were 19,789 housing units at an average density of 423.1/sq mi (163.4/kmē). The racial makeup of the township was 55.11% White, 25.98% African American, 0.18% Native American, 12.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.56% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.11% of the population.
There were 19,355 households out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,923, and the median income for a family was $78,177. Males had a median income of $52,351 versus $41,101 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,209. About 3.1% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
The Township of Franklin is chartered under the Faulkner Act as Council-Manager, Plan D.[3][4] The Township Council consists of nine members - a Mayor elected from the Township at large, five elected for each of the five wards and three elected from the Township at large.
The Mayor is the Chief Legislative Officer of the Township and is elected by the voters to serve for a four-year term. The Township Manager is the Chief Executive Officer of the Township, provides for the administration of the Township's daily operations, and is hired by and serves at the pleasure of the Township Council. Council elections are held at the June Primary and November General Elections in odd numbered years.[5]
Robert Mettler, 3rd Ward (2009). Mettler replaced Ellen E. Ritchie, who was recalled by a margin of 1,165 to 291 in a special election held on September 11, 2007.[7]
Willis "Rickey" Sumter, 4th Ward (2009)
Federal, state and county representation
Franklin Township is split between the 6th and 12th Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 17th Legislative District.[8]
Culture and history
It has been unclear if the Township was named for founding father Benjamin Franklin or for his illegitimate son William Franklin, a Loyalist and the last Royal Governor of New Jersey (from 1763 to 1776). In 2000, after considering the evidence set forth by William B. Brahms in his books Images of America: Franklin Township (1997)[9] and Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History [10], commissioned by the Franklin Township Public Library, 1998, Chapter 12, Municipal Government, The Case for William Franklin and The Case for Benjamin Franklin), the Township Council chose the theory that the Township was indeed named for Benjamin Franklin.
Franklin Township was very much a part of Revolutionary War history and the scene of many raiding parties along Route 27, then known as the King's Highway. In fact, two British generals, Cornwallis and DeHeister, tried to lure GeneralGeorge Washington and his Continental Army into battle on the plains of Middlebush and East Millstone. Washington, however, kept his troops at Chimney Rock, just north of Franklin, until the British withdrew. Several of the prosperous Middlebush farms were destroyed by the British soldiers during their retreat. Washington's farewell address was delivered to his army in Rocky Hill in 1783.
One of the most important developments for Franklin was the building of the Delaware & Raritan Canal in 1834. Twenty-two miles of this continuous water route from New York to Philadelphia run through the Township. During the Civil War, up to 200,000 tons of freight were hauled by mule and horse-drawn barges, a great economic boon for the area. The building of the railroads led to the decline of this once successful mode of transportation. Today the canal is the source of drinking water and provides recreation for area residents and visitors to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park.
Franklin Township enjoyed passenger and freight railroad service during the later half of the 19th century via the Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad (M&NB) which opened in 1854. The railroad was built and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), from a junction with the PRR mainline at Jersey Avenue in New Brunswick, New Jersey to East Millstone, New Jersey. The M&NB is now known as the Conrail Millstone Secondary Branch. The branch line is still operated by Conrail up to just west of Clyde Road in Somerset, New Jersey, serving local industry in the industrial section of Somerset[11].
In 1922, the infamous Hall-Mills Murder took place in Franklin Township, in the area adjacent to New Brunswick known as Somerset.
Points of interest
The Blackwells Mills Canal House, located at Blackwells Mills Road and Canal Road (598 Canal Road, Somerset) on the Delaware and Raritan Canal, was built around 1835, at the same time as the canal. It was constructed to house the bridge tender, who would open the swing bridge when canal boats came through, then close it to allow traffic to cross over the canal. The building is leased from the State and is maintained and operated by the Blackwells Mills Canal House Association in conjunction with the Meadows Foundation.
Colonial Park, part of the Somerset County Park System, is a facility located in the western portion of Franklin Township near East Millstone. The park offers many recreational activities, including picnicking, hiking, biking, fishing, golf and tennis. It features a Arboretum, a leash-free dog area, a fitness parcourse, paddleboat rentals, a unique 18-hole putting course, the 18 hole championship Spooky Brook Golf Course, 3 stocked fishing ponds, softball fields, tennis center, playground, nature trail, a Perennial Garden, the Rufolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, an accredited All-America Rose Selections (AARS) display garden, and the Fragrance and Sensory Garden, designed to be of special interest to visitors who are visually or physically impaired.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park runs along much of the western and northern border of Franklin Township. The canal offers many recreational activities, from hiking and biking to boating.
The John W. Flemer Preserve is a preserve adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Kingston that features a trail on the east bank of the Canal that offers a connection to the tow path on the west side of the Canal for a round trip hike.
The Franklin Inn, at 2371 Amwell Road (Route 514), East Millstone, NJ a farmhouse built c. 1752 by Cornelius Van Liew, it has also been known as Annie Van Liew's House and, after being remodeled into a tavern and inn, the Franklin House Hotel. [12] The building is currently operated as a used book store by the Meadows Foundation.
The Hageman Farm, at 209 South Middlebush Road, is a c. 1861 historic farm. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation.
The William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest, a 500+ acre natural preserve that includes a 65 acre virgin old growth forest designated a National Natural Landmark, is located at 2150 Amwell Rd. (Route 514) about 3/4 of a mile east of East Millstone.
The Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve is a preserve located between Bennets Lane and Skillmans Lane in the Somerset section that features of grassland, forest and scrubland and a wetland attracting migratory birds and amphibians with over of pedestrian trails, bird boxes and interpretive signage.
Six Mile Reservoir Site, part of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, is located in the central portion of Franklin Township. The park is largely undeveloped and consists of land that is set aside for future water resource needs, and offers numerous hiking trails. Assess is provided via the former D&R Canal Main Office parking area off Canal Road just south of Blackwells Mills Road.
Spieden & Hoebel Farms, Little Valley Natural Area is a area at 1327 and 1345 Canal Road with several miles of trails through forest and along field edges. Across Canal Road is access to the Delaware and Raritan Canal tow path and the Millstone River and flood plain.
Ten Mile Run Greenway is a greenway over in length running between Canal Rd. south of Bunker Hill Road in Griggstown and S. Middlebush Road near Old Vliet Road in Franklin Park. It features four sections including:
Bunker Hill Natural Area, accessed from the north side of Bunker Hill Road near the intersection of Rt. 27 features trails through mature forest and meadows and along Ten Mile Run stream. Trails connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the Catalpa Farm areas.
Catalpa Farm, Old Vliet Road offers trails along field edges and a small forest that connect to the Bunker Hill Natural Area.
Environmental Education Center, 255 Bunker Hill Road (parking is available at 287 Bunker Hill Road), is a 95-area the features a deciduous forest known as Graeber Woods, a one-mile (1.6 km) self-guided nature trail and the ?Glass House?, a home that has been renovated and is now used as a classroom and conference center to provide a wide range of instructional, hands-on activities in natural habitats, and a 20' climbing tower and a high ropes course adventure area. The Environmental Education Center is a cooperative effort of the Township of Franklin, the Franklin Township Board of Education, and the Green Acres Program. A trail connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the rest of the Ten Mile Run Greenway.
Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve accessed from Canal Road in Griggstown (1091 Canal Road) has over of grassland and hundreds of acres of forest and features over of mapped trails. Trails connect to the other sections of the Ten Mile Run Greenway.
Tulipwood, at 1165 Hamilton Street, is a c. 1892 designed by J. August Lienau, the son of Detlef Lienau for his brother-in-law Stephen Guion Williams who's family owned the Williams & Guion Black Star Line. Owned by Franklin Township, the site is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation.
The Ukrainian Cultural Center at 135 Davidson Avenue, serves as the headquarters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and includes at the site (some open by appointment only):
St. Sophia Seminary and Library, founded in 1975,
St. Andrew Memorial Church, completed and consecrated in 1967 in memory of the 7-14 million people who died in the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33 is an unique example of Ukrainian Cossak Baroque architecture in the area,
St. Andrew Cemetery, founded in 1952,
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Museum, founded in 1972, which contains priceless treasures of Ukrainian cultural, historical, social, religious, literary and political life including Easter eggs, lacework, hand embroidery, statuary and church vessels.
The Ukrainian Cultural Center, dedicated in 1985,
St. Andrew Ukrainian School, founded in 1962 and located in the Cultural Center,
St. Andrew Bookstore and Ecclesiastical Supply, founded in 1992,
The historic Fisher Homestead, built in 1688, the home of Heinrich Fisher, New Jersey's delegate to the Continental Congress, and the site of the Fisher Family Cemetery.
The Van Liew-Suydam House, at 280 South Middlebush Road, was built in the 1700s by Peter Van Liew. Joseph Suydam later built the part of the house that is visible today. The newest and largest portion of the house was built in 1875. Although the most recent long term owner of the house was named French, the house has been named after its two initial owners. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation which holds an open house the second Sunday of the month.
The Van Wickle House, at 1289 Easton Avenue is a historic house built c. 1722 by Symen Van Wickle. Operated by the Meadows Foundation which holds special annual events and an open house the second Sunday of the month here.
The William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest, a 500+ acre natural preserve that includes a 65 acre virgin old growth forest designated a National Natural Landmark, is located at 2150 Amwell Rd. (Route 514) about 3/4 of a mile east of East Millstone.
Hendrick Fisher (1697-1778), represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Colonial Assembly, was one of three delegates representing New Jersey at the First Colonial Congress ("The Stamp Act Congress") in New York in 1765, was elected to New Jersey's Committee of Correspondence, served as a member of the Committee of Safety, was President of the Colonial Assembly, was the first President of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1775, was labeled an arch traitor and "Enemy of the Crown", and a founder and first President of the board of trustees of Queen's College (Now Rutgers University). His homestead and grave are currently located on the grounds of the Ukrainian Cultural Center on Easton Avenue west of Davidson Avenue in the Somerset section.[16]
Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville (1776-1857), French aristocrat, diplomat, and politician who resided in Franklin Township between 1811 and 1814 on a farm on Easton Avenue in the area of the current Neuville Drive.[17],
Matthew Leydt (1755-1853), the first graduate of Queen's College (now Rutgers College of Rutgers University) in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
John Wyckoff Mettler (1878-1952), former President and founder of Interwoven Stocking Company, at the time the largest male hosiery company in the world.
Middlebush Giant (1837-1889), most commonly known as Colonel Routh Goshen, a stage name created by P. T. Barnum, he was billed as the tallest man in the world at , 11 inches and 620 pounds.[20]
Michael J. Pappas (born 1960), former U.S. Congressman known for securing the release of the battleship USS New Jersey to the state of New Jersey as a museum, and his infamous singing of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Kenneth Starr" on the House floor, former Mayor of Franklin Township. [22]
Charlie Weis (born 1956), Head coach of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, former Offensive coordinator for New England Patriots during Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX, Football coach for Franklin High School during 1989 state championship season.[24]
Bishop Alma Bridwell White (1862-1946), founder of the Pillar of Fire Church and Zarephath community, first consecrated woman Bishop in the United States.[26]
Bruce Williams (born 1932), radio talk show host; currently the longest running talk show in history. Member of Radio Hall of Fame, former Mayor of Franklin Township from 1967-1975.[27][28]
Encyclopedia
top
