Denville Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 16,635, reflecting an increase of 811 (+5.1%) from the 15,824 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,012 (+14.6%) from the 13,812 counted in the 1990 Census.
Denville is known as the “Hub of Morris County” for its location along major transportation routes at the center of the county. In 1988, as part of the town’s 75th anniversary celebration, a time capsule was buried that contained “artifacts” from that era.
Denville was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1913, from portions of Rockaway Township.
Native Lenape Native Americans were known to travel the Minisink Trail for centuries before Europeans arrived in New Jersey. Part of that trail cut across what is now southern Denville, roughly following the course of Route 10 and Mount Pleasant Turnpike. Some research has indicated that there was a Lenape campsite along the trail in Denville, on or near the Ayres / Knuth Farm Historic Site along Route 10.
When Dutch and English settlers began to arrive in the new world in the early 17th century, the Minisink Trail was the likely route they traveled to explore the interior. Daniel Denton, one of the purchasers of what is known as the Elizabethtown Tract in 1664, led an expedition into the interior of northern New Jersey. In 1670, he wrote the first English language description of the area. Some researchers conclude that the name “Denville” derives from Denton.
Some researchers have suggested that European settlers began to come to the Denville area as early as 1690. These early settlers were primarily Dutch and English from Long Island, Quakers from Philadelphia, and Germans. William Penn and several other proprietors began to survey and stake out lands in the Denville area around 1715. These surveys are the first documentation of Denville. Between 1730 and 1760, several forges and mills were erected in Denville along the Rockaway River and the Denbrook. A number of communities associated with the forges and mills began to emerge. Ninkey and Franklin in southern Denville developed around the forges there of the same names. Denville village developed around the Job Allen Iron Works. Early developers of Denville, such as the Hussa family and A.B Crane & Co., were intrinsic in shaping the residential and lake communities.
A letter from early Denville settler John Hinchman in the year 1800, recounts some of the oral history of Denville from 50 years earlier, as stated to him by some of the elders of the time. Hinchman explains in his letter that the naming of Denville can be traced to a “den” of wild animals located in the swampy regions along the Denbrook and Rockaway River. The animals would bask on a knoll that juts out into the meadows where they were hunted by the native Lenape. This “den”, Hinchman states, was the basis for the name of Denville and the Denbrook.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 12.641 square miles (32.741 km2), including 11.867 square miles (30.736 km2) of land and 0.774 square miles (2.005 km2) of water (6.12%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Lake, Cooks Pond, Cooper Lake, Franklin, Indian Lake, Lake Arrowhead, Lake Estling, Lake Openaka, Openaka Lake, Rock Ridge, Snake Hill and Union Hill.
Neighboring towns include Morris County communities Mountain Lakes and Parsippany-Troy Hills to the east, Randolph to the south and west, Rockaway Borough to the west and Rockaway Township to the north and west as well as Boonton Township to the north.
The Tourne county park is in portions of Denville, Boonton Township and Mountain Lakes. The park covers more than 540 acres (220 ha) of undeveloped land and offers a view of the New York City skyline from its peak standing 897 feet (273 m) high.
Denville has 11 named bodies of water within township limits. The four major residential lake communities are Cedar Lake, Indian Lake, Rock Ridge and Lake Arrowhead (including Great Bay and Bay of Deep Waters). Estling Lake is a private summer community, which has some full year residents. The three minor lakes are Cooper Lake, Hollstein Lake, and Openaki Lake. The town also has Cooks Pond, a recreational lake available for public use by membership.
Most residents of Denville live in the non-lake communities in the township, including Bald Hill, Union Hill, and Beacon Hill communities.
The game of American flag rugby was first played in Denville, introduced to the town by resident Tom Feury.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16,635 people, 6,432 households, and 4,509 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,401.8 per square mile (541.2/km2). There were 6,734 housing units at an average density of 567.4 per square mile (219.1/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 89.49% (14,887) White, 1.42% (236) Black or African American, 0.12% (20) Native American, 6.52% (1,084) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.78% (129) from other races, and 1.67% (278) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.31% (883) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
