Montville Township, New Jersey

Montville Township is a Township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 20,839.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 49.5 km² (19.1 mi²). 48.9 km² (18.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.7 km² (0.3 mi²) of it (1.36%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 20,839 people, 7,380 households, and 5,867 families residing in the township. The population density was 426.4/km² (1,104.3/mi²). There were 7,541 housing units at an average density of 154.3/km² (399.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 84.95% White, 0.93% African American, 0.04% Native American, 12.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.55% of the population.

There were 7,380 households out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 16.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $94,557, and the median income for a family was $105,394. Males had a median income of $71,356 versus $45,427 for females. The per capita income for the township was $43,341. About 2.6% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

The Township of Montville is headed by 5 elected officials who constitute the Township Committee (also referred to as the "governing body") which establishes laws and policies for the Township. The Mayor is a member of the Township Committee and is elected annually by the Committee.

The Township Administrator serves as the chief administrative and executive officer for the organization and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of all municipal departments.

Montville's Township Council consists of Mayor Steve Moscone (Term expires December 31, 2007), Deputy Mayor Art Daughtry (2007), Jean Bader (2006), Deb Nielson (2008) and Jim Sandham (2008)Montville Township Committee, accessed July 5, 2006.

Federal, state and county representation

Montville Township is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th Legislative District.

History

The area now known as Montville Township was first settled by Dutch farmers who migrated from a similarly named town in Connecticut. The region, originally called “Uyle-Kill” (the Dutch pronunciation of “Owl-Kill”), was the name given to the creek and valley which run through the region. By the 1740s, the settlement had grown in size and construction of the first road was begun. The early road, now know as U.S. Route 202, connected various farms with Montville’s first gristmill.

During the American Revolutionary War, Montville was one of the major military routes from Morristown to the Hudson River. General George Washington’s troops often took this route and Washington stayed in Montville in June 1780. The French troops also passed through Montville on their way to the War’s final victory at Jamestown, Virginia.

The construction of the Morris Canal in this area was completed in 1828, bringing commercial navigation to the Montville area. It was about this same time that the area adopted the more recognizable English name of “Montville.” The mid-19th century saw the development of two smaller village centers set apart from Montville: Pine Brook, a fertile agricultural area in the Township’s southern end and Whitehall (later called Towaco), situated on the Morris Canal. In 1867, the Township of Montville was formally chartered from 19 square miles of territory set off from what had been part of Pequannock Township.

Education

The Montville Township School District is comprised of the following schools (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics).

The district includes five Kindergarten to fifth grade elementary schools — Cedar Hill Elementary School with 404 students, Hilldale Elementary School with 357 students, Valley View Elementary School with 433 students, William Mason Elementary School with 383 students and Woodmont Elementary School serving 362 students — Robert R. Lazar Middle School with about 1,039 students in grades 6 - 8 (as of the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year), and Montville High School with an enrollment of 1,098 students in grades 9 - 12. MTHS's mascot is the Mustang and motto is "You can't hide from Mustang Pride!"

Montville Extended Day Learning Center is available at all the elementary schools in the district.

Private Schools include St. Pius X School and Trinity Christian School.

Transportation

As part of its MidTOWN DIRECT expansion program, New Jersey Transit, with supplemental funding from the Township of Montville, renovated the Towaco Train Station using a design harkening back to the early 1900s. Commuters may now go from Towaco to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via a transfer in Montclair rather than transferring to the PATH in Newark.

References

Noted residents

Some noted current and former residents:

Pete Yorn - Singer-songwriter

External links

Morris County, New Jersey | New Jersey District Factor Group I | Townships in New Jersey

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