Chesterfield Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 7,699, reflecting an increase of 1,744 (+29.3%) from the 5,955 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 803 (+15.6%) from the 5,152 counted in the 1990 Census.
Chesterfield has permanently preserved more than 7,000 acres (2,800 ha) of farmland through state and county programs and a township-wide transfer of development credits program that directs future growth to a designated “receiving area” known as Old York Village, which is a neo-traditional, New Urbanism community built on 560 acres (230 ha) incorporating a variety of housing types, neighborhood commercial facilities, a new elementary school, civic uses, and active and passive open space areas with preserved agricultural land surrounding the planned village. Construction began in the early 2000s and a significant percentage of the community is now complete. As of 2016 the construction is still on going and there is soon to be Chesterfield’s first retail outlet, along with more condos and homes. Old York Village was the winner of the American Planning Association’s National Outstanding Planning Award in 2004.
The land was first settled in 1677, when a group of primarily Quaker immigrants from England established the settlement of Crosswicks, the oldest of the three communities of the township. The village was named after the Crosswicks Creek that separates Burlington and Mercer counties. The other two villages were Recklesstown (now Chesterfield) and Plattsburg (now Sykesville). Recklesstown was named in honor of one of its founders, Joseph Reckless, until the community’s name was changed in 1888 at the urging of a Congressman and local resident in the face of public scorn.
Chesterfield Township was originally formed on November 6, 1688. It was named after the 2nd Earl of Chesterfield whose seat of Chesterfield was in Derbyshire, where many of the township’s earliest settlers had lived. The township was reformed by Royal charter on January 10, 1713, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey’s initial 104 townships by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form New Hanover Township (December 2, 1723) and Bordentown borough (December 9, 1825).
Crosswicks played a role during the American Revolutionary War. On June 23, 1778, British soldiers near the Crosswicks Creek shot the horse out from under Elias Dayton, a captain with the New Jersey militia. A cannonball from the period remains lodged in the side of the Friends Meeting House.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 21.52 square miles (55.735 km2), including 21.334 square miles (55.254 km2) of land and 0.186 square miles (0.481 km2) of water (0.86%).
Municipalities bordering the township are Bordentown Township, Mansfield Township, North Hanover Township, Springfield Township in Burlington County and Hamilton Township in Mercer County.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Crosswicks, Davisville and Extonville.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 7,699 people, 1,539 households, and 1,311.228 families residing in the township. The population density was 360.9 per square mile (139.3/km2). There were 1,601 housing units at an average density of 75.0 per square mile (29.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 53.98% (4,156) White, 29.12% (2,242) Black or African American, 0.51% (39) Native American, 8.35% (643) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 5.01% (386) from other races, and 3.00% (231) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.08% (1,007) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
