Milltown is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough’s population was 6,893, reflecting a decrease of 107 (-1.5%) from the 7,000 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 32 (+0.5%) from the 6,968 counted in the 1990 Census.
Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the results of a referendum held three days earlier. The borough was reincorporated by resolution of the borough council on May 2, 1896. A portion of East Brunswick Township was annexed in 1902. Originally known as Bergen’s Mill, named for Jacob I. Bergen who owned the grist mill, the name is believed to have become “Milltown” from residents “going to the mill in town”.
As of the 2000 Census, the center of population for New Jersey was located in Milltown, at Milltown Road, just east of the New Jersey Turnpike (see map of location).
The groundbreaking anxiolytic and sedative drug Miltown (meprobamate), which became available to the public in the mid-1950s, was named for the borough.
Long before the arrival of the first Europeans, the Lenape had established settlements along the Lawrence Brook. The discovery of many artifacts in the area above today’s municipal building (now a small county park) suggests the presence of a Native American settlement. In 1678, Thomas Lawrence, a New York baker, acquired a large area around the Lawrence Brook, which likely included today’s Milltown. The Lawrence Brook was then called Piscopeek (and on later maps, Lawrence’s Brook). The names and marks of several Native Americans (Quemareck, Quesiacs, Isarick, Metapis, Peckawan and Turantaca) appear on the bill of sale. In 1769, Fulcard Van Nordstrand advertised the sale of a large gristmill on the bank of Lawrence Brook. It would soon be called Lawrence Brook Mill. The 1903 classic western film The Great Train Robbery was shot in Milltown.
In March 2010, the Milltown City Council voted against changing the name of Petain Avenue, citing the difficulties that the street’s residents would endure if the name changed. Petain Avenue is named for Philippe Pétain, a French World War I general who became the leader of the Vichy France government during World War II. The Vichy Regime willfully collaborated with Nazi Germany, taking state action against “undesirables”, including Jews, Protestants, gays, gypsies, and left-wing activists. In total, the Vichy government participated in the deportation of 76,000 Jews to German extermination camps, although this number varies depending on the account; only 2,500 survived the war. After the war, Petain was charged with perjury and sentenced to death, though this was commuted to life imprisonment due to his advanced age. France has since changed the name of every street formerly known as Petain.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Milltown borough had a total area of 1.596 square miles (4.134 km2), including 1.551 square miles (4.018 km2) of land and 0.045 square mile (0.116 km2) of water (2.80%).
The borough borders North Brunswick Township to the west and East Brunswick Township to the east. The Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, flows through the borough after exiting the Farrington Lake. The dam, under Main Street, creates a reservoir, the Mill Pond.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 6,893 people, 2,599 households, and 1,915.463 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,443.0 per square mile (1,715.5/km2). There were 2,698 housing units at an average density of 1,739.0 per square mile (671.4/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.44% (6,372) White, 1.23% (85) Black or African American, 0.13% (9) Native American, 3.37% (232) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.58% (109) from other races, and 1.25% (86) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.46% (445) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
