Lopatcong Township is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 8,014, reflecting an increase of 2,249 (+39.0%) from the 5,765 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 713 (+14.1%) from the 5,052 counted in the 1990 Census. The township is part of the eastern region of the Lehigh Valley.
Lopatcong Township was featured in a 2003 article in The New York Times which discussed problems of public school financing in suburban communities and various strategies that Lopatcong and other such communities have adopted to deal with the problem.
What is now Lopatcong Township was created as Phillipsburg Township on March 7, 1851, by an act approved by the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Greenwich Township and Harmony Township. After Phillipsburg was incorporated as an independent municipality on March 8, 1861, the township changed its name to Lopatcong as of March 18, 1863, after a creek in the area.
The name of the creek and township — Lopatcong — came from four words of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans — Lowan peek achtu onk, which meant “winter watering place for deer”.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 7.159 square miles (18.541 km2), including 7.098 square miles (18.384 km2) of land and 0.061 square miles (0.157 km2) of water (0.85%).
Delaware Park (2010 Census population of 700) and Lopatcong Overlook (population 734 as of 2010) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Ingersol Heights and Union Town.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 8,014 people, 3,136 households, and 2,089 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,129.0 per square mile (435.9/km2). There were 3,420 housing units at an average density of 481.8 per square mile (186.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 87.22% (6,990) White, 6.03% (483) Black or African American, 0.14% (11) Native American, 4.18% (335) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (65) from other races, and 1.61% (129) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.99% (480) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
