Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township’s population was 16,126, reflecting an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 2,403 (+17.9%) from the 13,400 counted in the 1990 Census.

Created by Royal charter of King George II, “Reading” Township was formed on July 15, 1730, from portions of Amwell Township. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon became a county. The township was incorporated as Readingtown Township, one of New Jersey’s initial group of 104 townships, on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were annexed by Tewksbury Township in 1832 and 1861. The township was named for John Reading, the first native-born governor of the British Province of New Jersey.

Covering more than 48 square miles (120 km2), it is the largest township in the county, covering almost 11% of the county’s area. Over 8,000 acres (32 km2) of land have been preserved. Readington Township is bounded on the north by the Lamington River and Rockaway Creek; to the east by Somerset County, which existed as the boundary between East and West Jersey from 1688–1695; to the south, the South Branch of the Raritan River; and to the west by the old West Jersey Society’s line which crosses the Cushetunk Mountains.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 48.039 square miles (124.421 km2), including 47.736 square miles (123.636 km2) of land and 0.303 square miles (0.784 km2) of water (0.63%).

Whitehouse Station (2010 Census population of 2,089) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Readington Township.

The township borders Clinton Township, Raritan Township and Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County; and Branchburg and Hillsborough Township in Somerset County.

Cushetunk Mountain is a ring-shaped mountain located in Clinton Township. Once an active volcano, the diabase mountain was formed 160 million years ago. The Lenape called the mountain “Cushetunk” meaning “place of hogs”. In the 1960s, the valley was filled with water to create Round Valley Reservoir, at 180 feet (55 m) in depth the second-deepest in the state.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Backers Island, Higginsville, McCrea Mills, Riverside, Rockfellows Mills, Round Mountain, Stovers Mills and Wood Church, as well as the following:

  • Barley Sheaf, a former hamlet within Readington Township, also known as Campbellsville and Farmersville
  • Centerville, a hamlet that was located on the halfway point on the Swift Sure Stage route between New York City and Philadelphia
  • Cushetunk was a village near Cushetunk Mountain and the railroad line
  • Darts Mills, a hamlet centered around a former mill complex on the South Branch Raritan River
  • Dreahook, a former community near Readington Road and Main Street that was taken from the Dutch word for triangle because of the configuration of the roads at the time
  • Holcomb Mills was a community along the South Branch Raritan River
  • Mechanicsville, the eastern section of Whitehouse Village on the Jersey Turnpike
  • New Bromley, was a small community on the Rockaway Creek that was once home to William Paterson
  • Pleasant Run, a small community along Pleasant Run (formerly Campbell’s Brook)
  • Potterstown, a small community at the western edge of the township
  • Readington Village, the oldest settled community in the township, along Holland Brook
  • Rowland’s Mills, a deserted community on the South Branch Raritan River
  • Stanton, a small community near Round Mountain that has carried the names of Mount Pleasant, Housel’s Hill, Waggoner’s Hill and Stanton
  • Stilwells, a hamlet one and a half miles south of Whitehouse Station named after the Stilwell family
  • Three Bridges, small community that once had a passenger rail station
  • Whitehouse, a community on the old Jersey Turnpike, north of Whitehouse Station
  • Whitehouse Station, a community in the western section of Readington near Cushetunk Mountain and the location of the township’s railroad station

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16,126 people, 5,971 households, and 4,496 families residing in the township. The population density was 337.8 per square mile (130.4/km2). There were 6,191 housing units at an average density of 129.7 per square mile (50.1/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 93.09% (15,011) White, 1.33% (214) Black or African American, 0.11% (18) Native American, 3.60% (581) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.77% (124) from other races, and 1.10% (177) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.93% (633) of the population.

Source: Wikipedia

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