The Townships of Hunterdon County
So Much To Choose From
Alexandria Township
Alexandria Township, New Jersey is located in scenic Hunterdon County in western New Jersey.
Settled by Europeans in the early 1700s, the township was named for James Alexander who purchased 10,000 acres in this locale in 1744. Alexandria includes the historic villages of Everittstown, Mt. Pleasant, Little York and part of Pittstown. Measuring 28.1 square miles, the township presently has less than 5,000 residents. Farming still plays an important role in the life of residents. Crop, dairy and horse farms continue to dot the countryside.
Little changed by time, the Villages of Mount Pleasant, Little York and Everittstown are rich in history. Everittstown as well as Little York have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bethlehem Township
Bethlehem is one of the northwest townships of the County and was incorporated in 1798. Its original boundaries encompassed the present township of Kingwood, Alexandria, Franklin, Union and Holland. The Musconetcong River forms its northern border with Warren County. The northern half of the Township consists of the beautiful Musconetcong Valley while the southern half is covered by the Musconetcong Mountains.
It has been determined that the first settlers of the Township were mainly Hollanders and they came here in the early part of the last century. Many of the descendents of these settlers still retain properties or portions of the original purchases made by their ancestors.
The Borough of Bloomsbury
http://www.bloomsburynewjersey.com/
Bloomsbury is located on the south side of the Musconetcong River in the northwest corner of Hunterdon County. The name is derived from the Bloom family influential in the early history of the town. It was once part of Bethlehem Township, but was incorporated as a separate borough in 1905.
The Borough was originally known as "Johnson's Iron Works", named after the charcoal work of Robert Johnson on the north bank of the river. In colonial days, ore from the Musconetcong Mountain was carried down to the river and made into "blooms", masses of wrought iron from the forge. This is another theory of how the Borough received its name.
Bloomsbury is the third smallest municipality in Hunterdon County. The 20th century has seen some expansion of Bloomsbury residential area, basically following the extensions of the existing street patters. However, the general character of Bloomsbury as a quiet, tree-lined, small town still remains today.
The Borough of Califon
Califon was a station on the High Bridge Railroad, and although the mills were there for some time, it was quite a while before growth became evident in the mid-nineteenth century. It was first called California, from Jacob Neighbor's enthusiasm in the milling business about the time the California gold-fever broke out. The Borough was formed officially from Lebanon and Tewksbury Townships in 1918.
The Califon Historical Society registered 170 structures with the national Register of Historic Places. A charming Victorian Village. The houses are marked with the names of the builders and their dates of establishment rather than with street numbers.
The Town of Clinton
The Town of Clinton is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River. In the late 1700's this area was known as Hunt's Mill for Daniel Hunt who built several mills on one side of the river and for his son, Ralph, who built a woolen mill on the other side. When the post office was established in 1929 the town was named for Dewitt Clinton, Governor of New York and sponsor of the newly completed Erie Canal.
The Township of Clinton
The Township of Clinton lies a little to the northeast of the center of Hunterdon County. It was formed from Lebanon Township in 1841. A portion of the Township was separated off in 1871 to form High Bridge. At the same time a portion of Tewksbury Township was annexed to Clinton Township. Rich limestone deposits assured good farmland throughout the Township.
The Township of Delaware 
www.delawaretwpnj.org
The Township of Delaware lies along the Delaware River forming the western boundary of the County. It was created from old Amwell Township in 1838. The Delaware and Raritan Canal has its origins near the settlement of Raven Rock. The sole remaining historic covered bridge (abutments constructed in 1750 - bridge built in 1872 - click for additional information) ) in New Jersey can be found crossing the Wickecheoke Creek between Sergeantsville and Rosemont.
North of the Delaware the Township remains much as it looked in the 1700s. The rolling fields and picturesque barns belong to farms that have changed little in the last two hundred years. Delaware lies on the western border of the County and is bounded north and east by Raritan and East Amwell Townships, south by West Amwell Township, and northwest by Kingwood and Franklin Townships and west by the Borough of Stockton. Resting in the midst of serene farmland is the village of Sergeantsville. The Village was first settled by a Mr. Thatcher in 1700, and was later named for Charles Sergeant, a revolutionary soldier. A twenty-five year tradition in the town, is Sergeantsville's "Thanksgiving in the Country" house tour. This tour takes four or five different homes each year, that have historical, architectural or cultural qualities.
The Township of East Amwell
East Amwell Township is located in the southeastern corner of the County where it borders both Somerset and Mercer Counties. Amwell Township was established by a royal patent from Queen Anne in 1708. Its territory comprised 200 square miles and included the present day Delaware, Raritan, Readington, East and West Amwell Townships and portions of Clinton, Lebanon and Tewksbury Townships. In 1846, Amwell was split into East and West Amwell and in 1954 a final adjustment was made to the two township's boundary lines.
The Borough of Flemington
The land that comprises Flemington was originally the territory of the Lenni-Lenape Indians, as was all of Hunterdon County. In 1712, as part of a land parcel of 9170 acres, the Flemington acreage was acquired by William Penn and Daniel Coxe.
Flemington is surrounded by the Township of Raritan and is located in the near geographic center of the Township. The Borough is also the County Seat of Hunterdon. In 1756, Samuel Fleming purchased part of this land, and built his home which still stands on Bonnell Street, and "Fleming's Town" was born.
The surrounding fertile farmland dictated that the beginnings of Flemington should be essentially agricultural. Early German and English settlers engaged in industries dependent on farm products. As time passed poultry and dairy farms superseded crops in agricultural importance.
In 1785, Flemington was chosen as the County Seat of Hunterdon. Fire destroyed the old courthouse in 1826 and the City of Lambertville made an attempt to have the Seat moved, to no avail. Flemington remained the County Seat and the Courthouse which stands today on Main Street was built.
The Union Hotel, across the street from the Courthouse was built in 1814 by Neal Hart. After Hart's death in 1837, the hotel was purchased by his son and then in 1850 the partnership of Bartles, Bonnell and Fleming. It was during this ownership that the business became known by its current name.
By 1980 sixty-five percent of Flemington borough had been included on the New Jersey State Register of Historic Places and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1856, the Hunterdon County Agricultural society purchased 40 acres of land that would accommodate the people, exhibits and livestock for the County (Flemington) Fair. The purpose of this Fair was to promote competition between farmers, stock raisers and machinery manufacturers. In the year 2003, the County Fair found a new home in Raritan Township.
The most dramatic change in Flemington was its transformation into a major factory outlet center, which is called Liberty Village and Turntable Junction. With over sixty-five stores, it has become one of the finest high quality manufactures outlet shopping complexes in the Country.
Historic Flemington is a community which maintains many faces from the Flemington Fair to Liberty Village, from art and craft shows to stock car racing, from small family owned businesses to large industrial enterprises and it is all maintained in a quaint country atmosphere.
The Township of Franklin
Franklin Township is centrally located in Hunterdon County. It was established in 1845 when it was created from Kingwood Township. In its early days Franklin was a Quaker settlement. The most reliable records that are available about the early days of the Township are found in the minutes of the Friends' Meeting in Quakertown. From these documented facts concerning the old families have been gathered, but they do not go back as far as the first settlement.
The Capoolong Creek, which runs through the village of Pittstown, was an attraction to early settlers and they soon established three of the oldest churches in present day Hunterdon: Thomas Episcopal, established in 1723, Bethlehem Presbyterian, organized in 1730 and the Quaker Church in 1733.
Just outside of Pittstown is the Sky Manor Airport, a busy country airport which offers a wide range of activities such as sky diving and hot air ballooning.
The Borough of Frenchtown
Borough of Frenchtown Home Page
Frenchtown Borough is located along the banks of the Delaware River. Various names have been applied to this settlement after the many ferry operators residing on both sides of the river. Alexandria Ville and Frenchtown were the official names by which this community was known. The Borough was formed from Alexandria Township in 1867.
The first bridge across the Delaware at Frenchtown was built in 1844, and the town's prosperity increased as it became a gateway to Pennsylvania.
Surrounding the antique shops, art galleries, craft shops, restaurants and cafes on Race and Bridge Streets is a charming small town with many beautiful old homes, the natural beauty of the river and a walking path, which let you slip away to the past.
The Borough of Glen Gardner
Glen Gardner is located at the extreme western border of Lebanon Township and was formed from Lebanon and Bethlehem Townships in 1919. Known for many years as Eveland's Tavern for John Eveland who kept a tavern here, it later became known as Spruce Run Mills and Sodom. The village and post office were officially changed to Glen Gardner in 1871 in honor of the Gardner Brothers who established a chair and frame factory here.
The Borough of Hampton
This charming riverside village on the banks of the Musconetcong River slipped into the twentieth century with little changed since its settlement in 1800. In 1880, the town was comprised of a store, hotel, cabinet manufacturer, blacksmith, wheelwright shop, grist mill, school house and about 25 dwellings. Hampton was once known as Junction because the New Jersey Central and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroads crossed through here.
The Borough of High Bridge
High Bridge Borough is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the north central part of the County. Water from the South Branch was a valuable power source for the first iron works in the United States which was established in the vicinity by William Allen and Joseph Turner of Philadelphia. The New Jersey Central Railroad built a high bridge across the river from which structure the locality ultimately took its name. The Borough was officially formed from the former High Bridge Township in 1898.
The Township of Holland
Holland Township is located in the northwestern part of the County. The Delaware River forms its boundary with Pennsylvania and the Musconetcong River its boundary with Warren County. It was created from Alexandria Township in 1874. In 1876 it was remerged with Alexandria Township and separated as a municipality of its own again in 1879.
The Volendam Windmill Museum on Adamic Hill Road is well worth the trip in to this rural area of the County. The windmill is a living museum which demonstrates an authentic model of a mill driven by wind, used for grinding raw grain into flour. The sixty foot structure is seven stories high with sail arms sixty-eight feet from tip to tip.
The Musconetcong Gorge Nature Preserve is a rugged undeveloped park under the direction of the Hunterdon County Parks and Recreational System. The Preserve is comprised of 379 acres of steeply wooded terrain overlooking the Musconetcong River. This beautiful gorge includes many spring fed streams, a variety of plant species and wildlife. While the body of the area is a challenge to the seasoned hiker, a diverse trail system is being developed to provide accessibility for the less seasoned hiker.
The Township of Kingwood
Kingwood Township is one of the western townships of the County. It is shaped like a keystone or a wedge with the narrow end to the south. It was originally established around 1746 when it was separated from Bethlehem Township. Its present boundaries were established when Franklin was separated off in 1845 and when part was given to the Borough of Frenchtown in 1876.
The City of Lambertville
www.lambertvillenj.org
Lambertville is located on the Delaware River in the southwestern portion of the county. During the 1700's, the City was named after various operators of ferries across the river to Pennsylvania, ultimately becoming known as Coryell's Ferry, after Emanuel Coryell who owned the Ferry. Coryell's Ferry was the western terminus of the New Jersey portion of the York Road (which is now known as Route 202) connecting New York and Philadelphia. The City was named Lambertville in 1814 when the post office was established and honored the Honorable John Lambert, a local resident and United States Senator.
The Delaware River and the Delaware/Raritan Canal were instrumental in the posterity of Lambertville. In June 1834, the opening of the canal was celebrated with a barge ride from Trenton to Lambertville. The canal's completion was not without hardship. 4000 Irish immigrants were hired to dig the canal with pick and shovel. During the construction an epidemic of Cholera broke out and dozens of men were buried along the banks of the canal and the Delaware River.
After nearly 40 years as a defeating operation, the canal was taken over by the State. In 1974 the canal became a State Park administered by the Delaware/Raritan Canal Commission.
Lambertville was the home of James Marshall who found gold at Sutters Mill, California, and has been credited as starting the Gold Rush. The Marshall Home is maintained by the Lambertville Historical Society and is open for tours on Sundays in May through October. The Marshall House is located at 62 Bridge Street. (See map for further directions and additional City landmarks). Other tours available include the Annual House Tour (held on the 3rd Sunday in October) and the Garden Tour (held on June 1st), both showcasing the victorian elegance of the City. Contact the Historical Society for additional information at 609-397-0770.
Lambertville is known for its many galleries, antique shops and restaurants. This contributes to a sense that Lambertville continues to be a small American City. Perhaps the most notable fact in Lambertville that the new growth has not replaced the old community charm. Here, where industry thrived before much of the nation had broken ground, we can find country atmosphere mixed with city convenience and sophistication.
The 225 anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth occurred in 2003. In 1778 General George Washington crossed the Delaware from Pennsylvania into Lambertville with 10,000 men. The soldiers stopped at the "Ferry House" (now a Japanese Restaurant) to drink from the well there. Washington and his officials were entertained by the Holcombe family at the home now owned by the Clossen Family - Homestead Market.
The Borough of Lebanon
Lebanon is located north of Round Valley reservoir and east of Clinton. It was known in the early part of the 19th century as Jacksonville and later as Lebanonville, Lebanonville Depot and finally Lebanon - a station on the Central Railroad. The Borough was officially formed from Clinton Township in 1926.
A charming small village, the center of Lebanon has changed little in the past century. The Dutch Reformed Church is one of the oldest churches in the County. Records of the church begin in 1769, however, the church is cited at 1747.
The Township of Lebanon
Lebanon Township is the extreme northern township of Hunterdon County. It borders on both Warren and Morris Counties. Old Lebanon Township was created in 1731. Its original borders were from the Musconetcong River all the way down to Readington Township. Out of this large township were formed the townships of Clinton and Tewksbury as well as High Bridge, Clinton and Glen Gardner Boroughs.
The Borough of Milford
www.milfordnj.org
Milford, New Jersey, is located on the Delaware River in the northwestern portion of Hunterdon County, New Jersey. The Borough dates to the mid-18th century when a grist mill was established here. After the mill was destroyed by fire in 1769, the settlement became known as Burnt Mills. The town became commonly known as "Millford" by the beginning of the 19th century but by 1844 had lost one "l". It was incorporated in 1911 but the official incorporation was not registered until 1925.
A special town in its present day, Milford maintains its sense of reality and hometown charm. Many local businesses are family owned and operated. The whole community invites visitors and neighbors to share their pride in "Milford on the Delaware", its heritage and its culture.
The Township of Raritan
Raritan Township comprises only a little more than one fourth of the old Amwell Township (embracing the territory of the townships of Raritan, Delaware, East and West Amwell) which was purchased from the Indians in 1703. Raritan was formed from Amwell in 1838. One of the eastern townships of central Hunterdon County, Raritan is rhombic shaped resulting in its extreme northern and western points reaching far into the townships adjoining it to the north and west.
The Township of Readington
Created by Royal Charter of King George II "Readings" Township was formed July 15, 1730. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon became a county. Containing almost forty-eight square miles, it remains the largest township in the County. Bounded on the north by the Lamington River and Rockaway Creek; east Somerset County; south, the South Branch of the Raritan River; and west by the old West Jersey Society's line which crosses the Cushetunk Mountains. Early settlement was mainly of Dutch origin.
The Borough of Stockton
Stockton, New Jersey - 300 Years of History
Stockton, located along the Delaware River north of Lambertville, was first known as Reading Ferry and subsequently Howell's Ferry. With the arrival of the railroad, the name was changed to Centre Bridge Station which corresponded to the post office and hamlet on the Pennsylvania side of the river. With the establishment of its own post office in 1851, the village was renamed Stockton. The Borough was incorporated in 1898, having been separated from Delaware Township.
The tiny town remains today as it was in the eighteenth century. for all its small size and charm, the town is presided over by an old inn. The Stockton Inn (formally known as Colligan's Stockton Inn), established in 1710, is the inn that was immortalized by Richard Rodgers in the song "There's a small hotel with a wishing well", sung in the Broadway play "On Your Toes". The inn was first built as a private residence and it is believed to have been converted in 1832.
The Delaware River Mill Society was formed to preserve and promote the buildings and site known as the Prallsville Mills. John Prall, Jr., became the owner of the site in 1794 and with his settlement the area became known as Prallsville.
Also in Stockton you will find the oldest, established in 1872, three room school house in New Jersey that is still in operation today. The school has been educating students in Stockton in grades kindergarten through the sixth grade for the past 165 plus years. Stockton School is well known for its small classes that give individual attention to each student and is compared frequently with local private schools.
The Township of Tewksbury
Tewksbury Township is situated in the northeastern corner of the County and borders on both Morris and Somerset Counties. It was formed from Lebanon Township and the first township meeting was held on March 11, 1755. The original settlers were of English extraction. However, a large German contingent settled here around 1749 and theirs became the strongest influence when Tewksbury became a township. Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick (formerly New Germantown) is the oldest German Lutheran parish in New Jersey.
Oldwick, with a charming mixture of Victorian, Federal, New England and Georgian style homes is protected by historic legislation.
The Township of Union
Union Township was formed from the southern part of Bethlehem Township in 1853. It was named for Union Furnace which was producing iron as early as 1700. Union Furnace and its forge produced cannon balls for the Revolution and shoes for horses and oxen, as well as farm implements. Forests gave way to farm fields as trees were cut down to stoke the furnace. A farm community then developed along with the accompanying industries of basket making and tanning.
The Township of West Amwell
http://www.westamwelltwp.org
West Amwell Township was originally part of Amwell Township which was formed in 1708 when Hunterdon County was still part of Burlington County. West Amwell split from East Amwell in 1846. The Delaware Indians had a path through the woods from Lambertville through Mount Airy, Ringoes and Reaville to Newark upon which the Old York Road was subsequently laid.