Phillipsburg is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States, a sister city to its industrial partner of Easton, Pennsylvania across the Delaware River.
The town is located along the Delaware River in western New Jersey, on the border with Pennsylvania, and is considered part of the Delaware Valley region and the eastern border of the Lehigh Valley region. The Norfolk Southern Railway’s Lehigh Line (formerly the main line of the Lehigh Valley Railroad with a mix of main line trackage combined long leased to the Central Railroad of New Jersey by its builder Lehigh Coal & Navigation Company), runs through Phillipsburg on its way cross river to Easton, Pennsylvania. The Belvidere Delaware Railroad was leased (1871) and later acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad connecting the lower Poconos to Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
As of 2010 United States Census, the town’s population was 14,950, reflecting a decline of 216 (-1.4%) from the 15,166 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 591 (-3.8%) from the 15,757 counted in the 1990 Census.
The town grew from a sleepy agricultural village (in 1824), and was transformed into a transportation hub and shipping center as the Delaware terminus of the Morris Canal (1829-1924), the first transportation infrastructure project (of several, each eventually) giving the community a direct connection 107 miles (172 km) to New York City. The Central Railroad of New Jersey would soon follow with a connection, but the community’s growth (and for a long while, its importance) was that it reached the canal terminals of both the Delaware Canal and the Lehigh Canal by its cross-river cable ferry system to Easton, PA. In 1853, the Lehigh Valley Railroad connected across the river with the CNJ and a passenger shortline railroad, the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, as well as the Morris Canal, all within Phillipsburg. Rapid growth followed quickly.
Phillipsburg was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 8, 1861, from portions of Phillipsburg Township (now Lopatcong Township). The town was named for William Phillips, an early settler of the area.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 3.311 square miles (8.575 km2), including 3.193 square miles (8.270 km2) of land and 0.118 square miles (0.305 km2) of water (3.56%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the town include Andover Furnace, Delaware Park, Lopatcong Heights, Shirmers and Warren Heights.
Pohatcong Mountain is a ridge, approximately 6 mi (9.7 km) long, in the Appalachian Mountains that extends from Phillipsburg northeast approximately to Washington.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,950 people, 5,925 households, and 3,786 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,682.1 per square mile (1,807.8/km2). There were 6,607 housing units at an average density of 2,069.2 per square mile (798.9/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 83.44% (12,475) White, 7.49% (1,120) Black or African American, 0.17% (26) Native American, 1.53% (228) Asian, 0.05% (8) Pacific Islander, 3.92% (586) from other races, and 3.39% (507) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.82% (1,767) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
