Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey


Upper Freehold Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 6,902, reflecting an increase of 2,620 from the 4,282 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,005 from the 3,277 counted in the 1990 Census.

History

Upper Freehold Township dates back to 1731, when it was formed from portions of Freehold Township. It was formally incorporated as a township by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Over the years, portions of the township have been taken to form Millstone Township, Jackson Township and Allentown. The name of the township derives from Freehold Township, which in turn comes from the word freehold, an English legal term describing fee simple property ownership.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 47.235 square miles, including 46.419 square miles of land and 0.816 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities within the township include Arneytown, Cooleys Corner, Coxs Corner, Cream Ridge, Davis, Ellisdale, Emleys Hill, Fillmore, Hayti, Homes Mills, Hornerstown, Imlaystown, Kirbys Mills, Nelsonville, New Canton, New Sharon, Polhemustown, Prospertown, Pullentown, Red Valley, Robinsville, Sharon, Shrewsbury, Spring Mill, Walnford and Wrightsville.
The township borders Allentown, Millstone Township and Roosevelt in Monmouth County; North Hanover Township in Burlington County; East Windsor Township, Hamilton Township and Robbinsville Township in Mercer County; and Jackson Township and Plumsted Township in Ocean County.
Farming and other agricultural uses have been primary uses of land in the area since the time that the township was first formed. The township has of land protected from development as part of a Farmland Preservation Program. Voters were the first in the county to approve a dedicated portion of property taxes to fund farmland preservation, which was increased by a 2001 referendum to four cents per $100 of assessed value, split between farmland preservation and the costs associated with purchasing and developing land for recreational uses.
The Assunpink Wildlife Preservation Area, of which more than of the preserve's are located in the township, as well as in portions of Millstone Township, Roosevelt and Robbinsville Township, offers wetlands and lakes for viewing migratory birds, in addition to mountain biking trails, bridle paths and hiking trails, operated under the supervision of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $122,525 and the median family income was $126,849. Males had a median income of $100,583 versus $65,183 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,665. About 2.3% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,282 people, 1,437 households, and 1,198 families residing in the township. The population density was 91.4 people per square mile. There were 1,501 housing units at an average density of 32.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 94.70% White, 1.05% African American, 0.14% Native American, 1.40% Asian, 0.84% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.53% of the population.
There were 1,437 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.6% were non-families. 11.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.96 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.8% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 32.1% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $71,250, and the median income for a family was $78,334. Males had a median income of $55,987 versus $35,221 for females. The per capita income for the township was $29,387. About 4.3% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 11.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

The Horse Park of New Jersey was conceived by equestrian enthusiasts concerned about the dwindling amount of land dedicated to their interests and activities. The Horse Park opened in 1987 on land initially purchased by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection with Green Acres funds, based on the input of the state's Equine Advisory Board, and is centrally located in Monmouth County's equine-oriented countryside.
Monmouth County parks in the township include Clayton Park, a passive recreation area with woodlands and hiking trails covering a total of of land that dates back to a purchase of land in 1978 from an area farmer who sold the land to the county below market value to ensure that the land would be preserved.
Historic Walnford includes a restored Georgian style house, working mill, carriage house and cow barn that were all part of an industrial community dating back almost 200 years that was developed by the Waln family on a site that covers. The Crosswicks Creek Greenbelt includes of land in the township, as part of a corridor running along the Crosswicks Creek from Fort Dix in Burlington County towards the Delaware River along the border between Burlington and Mercer County, traveling through Upper Freehold Township and including Historic Walnford.
A bond ordinance passed in 2000 provides for the development of soccer fields, baseball fields and basketball courts at the Byron Johnson Recreation Area and other township parks. The Byron Johnson site adjoins Allentown High School near the Allentown border, and is owned by Monmouth County and administered by the township, developed using municipal funds and monies contributed by developers.

Government

Local government

Upper Freehold 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 is comprised 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, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
, members of the Upper Freehold Township Committee are Mayor Stephen J. Alexander, Deputy Mayor LoriSue H. Mount, Robert J. Faber Sr., Dr. Robert A. Frascella and Stanley Moslowski Jr..

Federal, state and county representation

Upper Freehold Township is located in the 4th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Upper Freehold Township had been in the 30th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,686 registered voters in Upper Freehold Township, of which 722 were registered as Democrats, 2,218 were registered as Republicans and 1,741 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 61.9% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.1%, and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 3,723 ballots cast by the township's 4,818 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 60.3% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.7% and other candidates with 1.0%, among the 3,878 ballots cast by the township's 4,893 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.2% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 35.6% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 3,409 ballots cast by the township's 4,203 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.1.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.0%, and other candidates with 1.6%, among the 2,442 ballots cast by the township's 4,893 registered voters, for a turnout of 49.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.5% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 23.8%, Independent Chris Daggett with 5.4% and other candidates with 0.7%, among the 2,836 ballots cast by the township's 4,737 registered voters, yielding a 59.9% turnout.

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the Upper Freehold Regional School District, which serves students from Allentown Borough and Upper Freehold Township. Millstone Township sends students to the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Millstone Township Schools. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 2,300 students and 196.1 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.7:1. Schools in the district are
Newell Elementary School with 513 students in pre-kindergarten through 4th grade,
Stone Bridge Middle School with 518 students in grades 5 - 8 and
Allentown High School with 1,245 students in grades 9 - 12. The operations of the district are overseen by a nine-member board of education, with the board's trustees elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election each year. The nine seats are allocated to the two constituent municipalities based on population, with five assigned to Upper Freehold Township and four to Allentown.

Transportation

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
A portion of the Central Jersey Expressway goes through Upper Freehold, making it an important artery for residents of the township. Exit 11 leads to the Horse Park of New Jersey. Exit 8 leads to County Route 539 to Hightstown, or towards the Garden State Parkway south to Atlantic City. County Route 524 heads across the township, mostly to the north of Interstate 195, from Hamilton Township in Mercer County to the east and Millstone Township to the west. County Route 526 heads from Allentown in the east to Millstone Township in the west, paralleling Interstate 195 to the north. County Route 537 runs for along the township's southern borders with the Ocean County municipalities of Plumsted Township and Jackson Township.
In addition, Interstate 95 is minutes away along I-195 in neighboring Robbinsville Township and not too far also in bordering East Windsor.

Points of interest

The Cream Ridge Winery is located in the township.

Notable people

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