Hardwick Township is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 1,696, reflecting an increase of 232 (+15.8%) from the 1,464 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 209 (+16.7%) from the 1,255 counted in the 1990 Census.
The township was created around 1713 through a royal patent. The township was created by Royal charter on January 22, 1750, from Greenwich Township, while the area was part of Morris County. It became part of the newly created Sussex County on June 8, 1753. Parts of Hardwick Township were taken on November 11, 1782, to form Independence Township. Hardwick Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. On November 20, 1824, most of Hardwick Township was transferred to form part of Warren County, with the remainder staying in Sussex County as parts of Green Township and Stillwater Township, which were both created as of December 27, 1824. Frelinghuysen Township was created March 7, 1848, from portions of the township. The township was named for Philip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke.
The now-defunct Pahaquarry Township was dissolved and absorbed by Hardwick Township on July 2, 1997. Pahaquarry Township had been created on March 14, 1825, and received its name from the word “Pahaquarra”, which was a derivation of the Native American word Pahaqualong used by the Lenape meaning “termination of two mountains” (describing the mountain or mountainous area that was the area’s southern border) or “the place between the mountains beside the waters”.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 37.923 square miles (98.221 km2), including 36.601 square miles (94.797 km2) of land and 1.322 square miles (3.425 km2) of water (3.49%). The part of the township east of the Kittatinny Ridge (the part excluding the now defunct Pahaquarry Township) is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches for 700 miles (1,100 km) from Canada to Alabama. The defunct Pahaquarry section of the Township which borders the Delaware River is located in the Minisink Valley that extends from the Delaware Water Gap north to Port Jervis, New York.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bass Lake, Franklin Grove, Hardwick, Hardwick Center, Millbrook, Newbakers Corner, Sand Pond, Squares Corner and White Pond.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,696 people, 573 households, and 453.2 families residing in the township. The population density was 46.3 per square mile (17.9/km2). There were 619 housing units at an average density of 16.9 per square mile (6.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.99% (1,645) White, 0.94% (16) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.65% (11) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.71% (12) from other races, and 0.71% (12) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.95% (67) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
