Not to be confused with Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey.

Hamilton Township is a Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 87,109. The township is located right next to the city of Trenton, the capital of New Jersey.

Hamilton was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1842, from portions of the now-defunct Nottingham Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Chambersburg borough (April 1, 1872, annexed by Trenton in 1888) and Wilbur borough (April 24, 1891, annexed by Trenton in 1898).^[1] Hamilton Township derives it name from the village of Hamilton Square, which was named for Alexander Hamilton.^[2]

In 2006, Hamilton Township was ranked by Morgan Quitno as the eighteenth safest "city" in the United States, out of 369 cities nationwide.^[3] In the company's 2005 survey, the Township was ranked 15th safest of 354 cities surveyed nationwide.^[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 40.4 square miles (104.6 kmē), of which, 39.5 square miles (102.2 kmē) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 kmē) of it (2.28%) is water.

Hamilton Township borders Trenton, Lawrence Township, West Windsor Township, Robbinsville Township, Bordentown Township, Chesterfield Township, Upper Freehold Township and, across the Delaware River, Falls Township, Pennsylvania.

Although Hamilton is one of the largest townships in New Jersey it doesn't have a true "downtown", but a number of former "villages" from smaller commercial centers. These include Hamilton Square, Mercerville, Yardville, White Horse and Groveville. Mercerville-Hamilton Square, White Horse and Yardville-Groveville are all census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Hamilton Township.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 87,109 people, 33,523 households, and 23,667 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,208.0 people per square mile (852.5/kmē). There were 34,535 housing units at an average density of 875.4/sq mi (338.0/kmē). The racial makeup of the township was 85.15% White, 8.16% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.56% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.13% of the population.

There were 33,523 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.3% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% 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 3.10.

In the township the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $57,110, and the median income for a family was $66,986. Males had a median income of $46,360 versus $33,673 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,441. About 2.8% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.

As of late 2005, much of the new residential development in Hamilton has been geared to accommodating the aging baby boomer generation. Retirement communities and assisted-living facilities outpace that of traditional residential communities. Such construction has been spurred by several factors. The first being that school budgets have always been kept low. Hamilton voters have a proven track record for vetoing school budgets in their yearly elections to keep taxes low. As a result, the planning board has been reluctant to authorize construction of housing that will increase the student population. Another reason is the recent spate of improvements to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The hospital is now a highly respected source of care in the state. It is situated next to where most of the undeveloped land in the township used to be, land that is now home to the active older-adult communities.

Government

Local government

Hamilton Township is governed under the Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government under the Faulkner Act.^[5]

The Mayor of Hamilton Township is John F. Bencivengo (R). Members of the Township Council are Council President Dennis A. Pone (R), Council Vice President Kelly Yaede (R), Thomas Goodwin (R), David Kenny (R), and Kevin Meara (R).^[6]

The Current Council was taken over in the majority by Republicans in a full sweep for three members, Dennis Pone, Dave Kenny, and Thomas Goodwin, on November 2, 2005 The Republicans continued their trend in 2006 when Kelly Yaede defeated John Kroschwitz for the seat vacated by Sharon Cenci. John Bencivengo, Hamilton Township Republican Chairman announced his intentions to seek the nomination as the Republican candidate for mayor in the 2007 mayoral race.^[7]

Federal, state and county representation

Hamilton Township is in the Fourth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 14th Legislative District.^[8]

Education

The Hamilton Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[9] are 17 K-5 elementary schools: Alexander (401 students), Greenwood (225), Kisthardt (247), Klockner (266), Kuser (354), Lalor (283), Langtree (425), McGalliard (284), Mercerville (408), Morgan (418), Robinson (432), Sayen (277), Sunnybrae (360), University Heights (397), Wilson (367), Yardville (341) and Yardville Heights (276); Three middle schools serving grades 6-8: Crockett Middle School (961), Grice Middle School (963) and Reynolds Middle School (1,201); Three high schools for grades 9-12: Steinert High School (East; 1,647), Nottingham High School (North; 1,408) and Hamilton High School (West; 1,405); and the Hamilton Educational Program (HEP) at Willey Campus.

Transportation

Hamilton, NJ station

With the addition of the modern Hamilton train station located on Sloan Avenue just off I-295 at Exit 65B on New Jersey Transit's Northeast Corridor Line, the township has attracted more New York City-based commuters to the area. The station offers service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan and to Trenton station. In Trenton station, there is a SEPTA R7 Regional Rail Line train to and from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Located in Hamilton Township is the neighborhood of White Horse, which includes the White Horse Circle, a traffic circle on U.S. Route 206.

The New Jersey Turnpike passes through Hamilton Township. The Turnpike's Woodrow Wilson service area is located between Interchanges 7 and 7A northbound at milepost 58.7.^[10] The Richard Stockton service area is located between Interchanges 7A and 7 southbound at milepost 58.7.^[11]

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTPA) is planning to widen the Turnpike (with the "dual-dual" configuration) between Exit 6 (in Mansfield Township) and Exit 8A (in Monroe Township). This widening would probably require the condemnation of part of the Richard Stockton Service Area and the Woodrow Wilson Service Area. New entrance & exit ramps would be constructed as well to access the service areas.

New Jersey Transit also provides public bus service in Hamilton Township.

Major news events

• The Megan Kanka case, for whom Megan's Law was named, occurred in Hamilton Township.^[12]
• Some letters involved in the 2001 anthrax attacks were processed through the United States Postal Service Regional Mail Facility in Hamilton Township. The facility was closed for four years while it was decontaminated.

Points of interest

• Hamilton hosts one of the largest recreational parks in the state, and borders another. Veterans Park is and is housed entirely in the township. Mercer County Park borders the township to the North and encompasses 2,500 acres (10 kmē) of land that was shared from Hamilton Township along with neighboring Lawrence Township and West Windsor Township.^[13] This park contains one of the largest man-made lakes in the state. The lake was built as a result of a Princeton University grant as a place for the University's crew team to practice and compete.

on the Grounds For Sculpture, located in Hamilton, NJ

• The Grounds for Sculpture is a 53 acre sculpture park which houses more than 230 sculptures, gardens, water features, and other nature scenes. The organization's mission is to promote the appreciation of arts and sculpture.
• Sayen Park Botanical Garden

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Hamilton Township include:

• Samuel Alito (born 1950), Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, grew up in Hamilton and attended Steinert High School, near the colonial village of Hamilton Square.^[14]
• Dan Donigan (born 1966), retired United States soccer forward and current head coach of Saint Louis University Men's Soccer team.^[15]
• Colin Ferrell (born 1984), defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts, who played collegiate football at Kent State University.^[16]
• Janice Harsanyi (1930-2007), soprano singer and college professor
• Dahntay Jones (born 1980), professional basketball player, currently playing for the Sacramento Kings.^[17]
• Megan Kanka (c. 1987-1994), whose murder inspired Megan's Law.^[18]
• Tad Kornegay (born 1982) defensive back for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the Canadian Football League.^[19]
• George R. Robbins (1814-1875), represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1855 to 1859.^[20]
• Eddie Gaven (1986), an American soccer player who plays for the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer.

References

External links

• Hamilton Township website
• Hamiltons Internet Radio
• Hamilton Township Public Schools
• Data for the Hamilton Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Hamilton Township Election and Polling Place information
• Cub Scout Pack 87, Hamilton Township