Independence Township is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 5,662, reflecting an increase of 59 (+1.1%) from the 5,603 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,663 (+42.2%) from the 3,940 counted in the 1990 Census. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.
Independence Township was originally created on November 11, 1782, from Hardwick Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as one of the state’s initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Most of Independence Township became part of the newly created Warren County on November 20, 1824, with the remainder becoming part of Green Township in Sussex County. Portions of the township were taken to form Hackettstown (March 9, 1853) and Allamuchy Township (April 4, 1873).
The township was named for American independence.
The Township of Independence was established by an act of the New Jersey Legislature in 1782. This occurred through the division of Hardwick Township which at that time made it a section of Sussex County. Through another act of the State Legislature in 1825, it was one of the seven large southerly townships, formerly in Sussex County, which together comprised the area that became Warren County. As the seven townships gradually were subdivided, Independence was reduced to half its original size through the loss of Hackettstown in 1853 and Allamuchy Township in 1873.[20] The population thereby decreased to around 1,000, having the boundaries that it has today. It is roughly eight miles long from the northwest to the southeast corners, about 6 square miles (16 km2) across its widest point and covers an area of 20.4 square miles (53 km2).
Through the Township the major brooks and the Great Meadows drain into the Pequest River which winds slowly from northeast to southwest to flow on through the County and eventually into the Delaware River at Belvidere. Part of the eastern land drains under the Morris Canal bed and south into the Musconetcong River just below the boundary with Mansfield Township. The hillsides are steep, layered with rock and limestone while the valleys still hold soil deposited here from the receding glaciers. Mastodon bones and a few relics of the early Indian dwellers still occasionally can be found as well as coveys of game birds, some white tail deer and small game.
This area was initially settled and cleared as farmland for growing hay and grain or as pastureland. Timber was cut for lumber, grain was milled into flour, and some iron ore was mined from the Jenny Jump Mountain area during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The mining of iron ore which attracted the early settlers, the later iron foundries, and many of the early industries have disappeared as has the Morris Canal and the railroads as the major means of shipping freight. After many attempts the Great Meadow was drained with the water channeled to permit successful development of commercial vegetable production. Shipping over the years has been by wagon, small trucks, rail freight, and then by large trailer trucks.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 19.894 square miles (51.525 km2), including 19.744 square miles (51.137 km2) of land and 0.150 square miles (0.388 km2) of water (0.75%).
Great Meadows (2010 Census population of 303) and Vienna (population of 981 as of 2010) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township. Through the 2000 United States Census, the areas were grouped together as Great Meadows-Vienna, which had a population of 1,264 as of that year.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Petersburgh.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,662 people, 2,234 households, and 1,506 families residing in the township. The population density was 286.8 per square mile (110.7/km2). There were 2,325 housing units at an average density of 117.8 per square mile (45.5/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 93.43% (5,290) White, 1.22% (69) Black or African American, 0.09% (5) Native American, 2.23% (126) Asian, 0.07% (4) Pacific Islander, 1.61% (91) from other races, and 1.36% (77) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.42% (307) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
