Harding Township, New Jersey


Harding Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. Harding Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 1, 1922, from portions of Passaic Township, based on the results of a referendum passed on May 9, 1922.
The 07976 ZIP Code for New Vernon was named one of the "25 Richest Zip Codes" in the United States by Forbes magazine in 2006. Many relatively unchanged large country estates that have been passed down through several generations attest to the wealth of many of its residents. Some have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and some of those have nonprofit support organizations that assure the retention of the original nature of the properties.
Harding Township had a per capita income of $109,472 and was ranked first in New Jersey based on data from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey from the United States Census Bureau, more than triple the statewide average of $34,858.

History

After the retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier, a mighty glacial lake called Glacial Lake Passaic formed in this area that, about 15,000 to 11,000 years ago, extended for in length and was wide. The lake finally drained when a blockage of the Passaic River reopened. The Great Swamp is the remnant of the lake bottom and portions of the swamp lay in what now is the township. Once the lake drained, higher areas became a wooded area that was used for hunting, fishing, and farming by Native Americans. At the time of colonization by the Dutch it belonged to the Lenape tribes, but British colonists did their best to displace them westward.
Much of what now is known as Harding was an agricultural community with roots stretching as far back as the early 18th century. Bypassed by colonial turnpikes, revolution era canals, and railroads laid in the Victorian era, the area remained a rural backwater. For almost two centuries of European occupation, its open and rolling landscapes reflected its agricultural use, as land had been cleared for cattle pastures, orchards, and fields of grain. The Great Swamp, the wooded slopes of the Watchung Mountains, and those near Jockey Hollow also were used by local farmers for wood supply. The communities of Green Village, Logansville, New Vernon, and Pleasantville were the village centers in this agricultural community.
Wealthy urban residents from Manhattan and Newark bought farmland, enlarged old farmhouses, and landscaped the grounds. The movement to establish Harding Township was driven by local property owners who wanted to maintain a bucolic community without suburban development.
The township was created in 1922 from the northern half of what was then Passaic Township and it was named after the incumbent President of the United States, Warren G. Harding.
The New Vernon Neighborhood Restrictive Agreement was established in 1928 by estate owners under which they agreed to voluntarily place restrictive covenants on their land that would require future owners of the properties to maintain the rural nature of the area. This voluntary effort to limit development and save the pastoral qualities of over across Harding Township influenced subsequent zoning codes, which emerged several decades later, and helped preserve the landscape to the present day.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 20.441 square miles, including 19.915 square miles of land and 0.526 square miles of water.
The township includes unincorporated communities, a portion of Green Village and all of New Vernon, both of which have origins as colonial settlements that predate the American Revolution. The governmental offices for the township are in New Vernon.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Baileys Mill, Dickson Mill, Glen Alpin, Jockey Hollow Park, Logansville, Mount Kemble Lake, Olmstead Mills, Osborn Mill, Pleasantville, Sugar Loaf and Van Dorens Mill.
The township borders Mendham Township to the west, Chatham Township to the east, Morris Township to the north, and Long Hill Township to the southeast in Morris County and Bernardsville to the southwest and Bernards Township to the south in Somerset County.

Demographics

Population

As of the 2010 United States Census, the population of the township was 3,838, reflecting an increase of 658 from the 3,180 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 460 from the 3,640 counted in the 1990 Census.

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $168,365 and the median family income was $185,647. Males had a median income of $123,854 versus $66,131 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $109,472. About 6.8% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.5% of those under age 18 and 3.3% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,180 people, 1,180 households, and 940 families residing in the township. The population density was 155.6 people per square mile. There were 1,243 housing units at an average density of 60.8 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 97.20% White, 0.41% African American, 1.07% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.79% of the population.
There were 1,180 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.3% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 17.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 32.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $111,297, and the median income for a family was $128,719. Males had a median income of $95,737 versus $57,308 for females. The per capita income for the township was $72,689. None of the families and 1.1% of the population were living below the poverty line, including none under eighteen and 3.3% of those over 64.

Government

Local government

Harding Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee consists of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At an annual reorganization meeting held during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving terms of one year.
Eleven standing committees are appointed at the reorganization meeting including planning, zoning and legal; finance and insurance; public safety; public works and building; personnel; recreation commission; freeholder liaison; Glen Alpin Steering liaison; school board liaison; open space liaison; and board of health liaison. Two members of the township committee serve on each standing committee and provide oversight to the departments.
, members of the Harding Township Committee are Mayor Christopher M. Yates, Deputy Mayor Timothy D. Jones, M. Nanette DiTosto, Devanshu L. Modi and Nicolas Platt.<

Federal, state and county representation

Harding Township is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 27th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Harding Township had been in the 21st state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,025 registered voters in Harding Township, of which 466 were registered as Democrats, 1,443 were registered as Republicans and 1,115 were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 70.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 28.6%, and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 2,295 ballots cast by the township's 3,195 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 61.9% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.7% and other candidates with 0.9%, among the 2,449 ballots cast by the township's 3,139 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 66.8% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 32.1% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 2,421 ballots cast by the township's 3,040 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.6.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 82.0% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 16.6%, and other candidates with 1.3%, among the 1,476 ballots cast by the township's 3,200 registered voters, for a turnout of 46.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 20.5%, Independent Chris Daggett with 10.5% and other candidates with 0.3%, among the 1,871 ballots cast by the township's 3,099 registered voters, yielding a 60.4% turnout.

Education

The Harding Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Harding Township School. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprising one school, had an enrollment of 283 students and 38.4 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 7.4:1.
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Madison High School in Madison, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Madison Public Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 879 students and 69.6 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Morris County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Interstate 287 is the most prominent highway within Harding Township, though there are no exits within the township. The nearest exits, 30 and 33, are both just outside the township in neighboring Bernards Township and Morris Township, respectively. U.S. Route 202 is the main highway providing local access to Harding Township.

Public transportation

had provided local bus service on the MCM8 route until 2010, when subsidies were eliminated to the local service provider as part of budget cuts.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Harding Township include: