BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY

'Bernards Township' is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 24,575.
What is now Bernards Township was originally formed by Royal Charter as 'Bernardston Township' from remaining portions of Northern precinct. It was incorporated as Bernards Township as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Warren Township (March 5, 1806), Far Hills (April 7, 1921) and Bernardsville (March 6, 1924)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 222.
Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, Lyons and West Millington are ZIP codes and unincorporated areas located within Bernards Township. Martinsville is an unincorporated area split between Bernards Township and Bridgewater Township.

Contents

Geography

History

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Education

Points of Interest

Notable residents

References

External links

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 62.2 km² (24.0 mi²). 62.2 km² (24.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.
It is roughly bounded by the Second Watchung Mountain in the southwest, the Dead River swamp on the south, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, Passaic River, and Millington Gorge in the East.

History

Demographics

As of the census² of 2000, there were 24,575 people, 9,242 households, and 6,487 families residing in the township. The population density was 395.4/km² (1,023.8/mi²). There were 9,485 housing units at an average density of 152.6/km² (395.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.20% White, 1.44% African American, 0.05% Native American, 7.85% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.
There were 9,242 households out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.0% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% 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 3.17.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 3.2% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $107,204, and the median income for a family was $135,806. Males had a median income of $95,758 versus $60,865 for females. The per capita income for the township was $56,521. About 0.6% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Bernards Township Committee consists of five members, elected by the public for three-year terms of office. In the Township Committee form of government, all legislative and executive powers of the Township are the responsibility of the Township Committee, except in matters of health. The Mayor is elected by the committee from among its members at the annual Reorganization meeting held in January. In the Township Committee form of government, all members have equal power and may vote on all issues.
Members of the Township Committee are Mayor Mary Pavlini, Deputy Mayor John Carpenter, Ali Chaudry, Carolyn Kelly, and John Malay.^[1]

Federal, state and county representation

Bernards Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th Legislative District.^[2]

Education

Students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade are educated by the Bernards Township School District. The schools in the district (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) include four K-5 elementary schools — Cedar Hill Elementary School, with 624 students; Liberty Corner Elementary School, with 608 students; Mount Prospect Elementary School, with 628 students; and Oak Street Elementary School, with 608 students (including pre-K) — William Annin Middle School, with 1,198 students in grades 6 - 8; and Ridge High School, with 1,335 students in grades 9 - 12.
The high school mascot is the Ridge Red Devil. Ridge High School was listed in 116th place, the second highest ranked school in New Jersey, in ''Newsweek's'' May 8, 2006, issue, listing the Top 1000 High Schools in The United States.^[3] The school was ranked as Number 91 in Newsweek's 2005 survey.^[4] Ridge High School was the 11th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 316 schools statewide, in ''New Jersey Monthly'' magazine's September 2006 cover story on the state's ''Top Public High Schools''.^[5]
Pingry School, a private coeducational college preparatory day school, has its upper campus, for grades 7 to 12, located in Martinsville.

Points of Interest

★ The Devil's Tree - A solitary, somewhat sickly-looking oak tree in a field off Mountain Road in the southern corner of the township. The subject of several stories in ''Weird NJ'' magazine, it is supposedly the site of hangings and lynchings in the past. Those who do it harm are said to come to it themselves shortly thereafter.

★ The township houses the corporation headquarters of Fedders.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Bernards Township include:

★ Samuel Lewis Southard (1787-1842), served as U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, and the 10th Governor of New Jersey.^[6]

References

1. Bernards Township Committee, Bernards Township. Accessed January 25, 2007.
2. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 54. Accessed August 30, 2006.
3. Top 1000 High Schools in The United States, ''Newsweek'' May 8, 2006.
4. "America's Best High Schools", ''Newsweek'', August 5, 2005.
5. Top Public High Schools in New Jersey, ''New Jersey Monthly'', September 2006
6. Samuel Lewis Southard profile, United States Congress. Accessed July 29, 2007.

External links

★ Bernards Township official web site

★ Bernards Township School District

★ The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Bernards Township School District