Walpack Township is a township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 16, reflecting a decline of 25 (-61.0%) from the 41 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 26 (-38.8%) from the 67 counted in the 1990 Census. Walpack Township was one of only four municipalities in New Jersey with a double-digit population as of the 2010 Census, and it placed third behind Tavistock (population 5) and Pine Valley (population 12), both in Camden County.
The current Walpack Township is named from a corruption of the Lenape Native American content word “wahlpeck,” which means “turn-hole,” or an eddy or whirlpool, a compound of two Native American words, “woa-lac” (a hole), and “tuppeck” (a pool), though other sources attribute the name to mean “very deep water” or “sudden bend of a stream around the base of a rock”.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Walpack Township as its 18th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the “Best Places To Live” in New Jersey.
Walpack Township dates back to October 26, 1731, when it was first mentioned as Walpake in Hunterdon County. The area covered by the present-day township was set off to Morris County upon that county’s creation in 1739, and became part of the newly formed Sussex County in 1753. As of April 15, 1754, Walpack’s boundaries were defined as a “precinct”. Walpack was formally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Montague Township (March 26, 1759), Sandyston Township (February 26, 1762) and the now-defunct Pahaquarry Township in Warren County (December 27, 1824). Territory was gained from Stillwater Township in 1935.
The Andrew Snable House was built in 1801 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 23, 1979.
Judge Joseph Stamler of New Jersey Superior Court rejected a proposal for a six-day rock festival to be held in the summer of 1970 on a 400-acre (160 ha) site in the township, leading to the passage of standards for similar events that requires planning for traffic and safety between the organizers and local authorities, and sets limits on duration. Stamler stated that any positive benefits from such an event must be weighed against the “health, safety and welfare of the young, and the potential harm to the public”.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 24.702 square miles (63.979 km2), including 24.050 square miles (62.289 km2) of land and 0.652 square miles (1.689 km2) of water (2.64%). The township 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 Dry Pond, Flat Brook, Flatbrookville, Haneys Mill, Harding Lake, Long Pond and Walpack Center.
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 16 people, 8 households, and 4.000 families residing in the township. The population density was 0.7 per square mile (0.27/km2). There were 15 housing units at an average density of 0.6 per square mile (0.23/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 93.75% (15) White, 0.00% (0) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 0.00% (0) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.00% (0) from other races, and 6.25% (1) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.00% (0) of the population.
Source: Wikipedia
