Hackettstown is a
town
A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world.
Origin and use
The word "town" shares an ori ...
in
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 109,632, representing an increase of 940 (0.9%) from the 108,692 residents counted at the 2010 census. The county bord ...
. As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, the town's population was 10,248.
Hackettstown was incorporated as a town by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature on March 9, 1853, from portions of
Independence Township. Portions of territory were exchanged with
Mansfield Township in 1857, 1860, 1872 and 1875.
[Snyder, John P]
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246. Accessed July 6, 2012.
History
Founding
William Johnson (1817–1891) was a prime contributor to the incorporation of the town in 1853. He and his brother George (1815–1889) were successful merchants in the town beginning in 1839 when they began operating the W.L. & G.W Johnson dry good store. The two men were very active in community affairs. George was a member of First Presbyterian Church, a director of the Hackettstown National Bank, and a member of the Hackettstown Water Board. Both men were involved in the establishment of the Union Cemetery.
Hackettstown was named after Samuel Hackett, an early settler and large landowner. Hackett is said to have "contributed liberally to the liquid refreshments on the christening of a new hotel, in order to secure the name which, before this, had been Helms' Mills or Musconetcong."
Tillie Smith murder case
![She Died in Defence of Her Honor](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/She_Died_in_Defence_of_Her_Honor.jpg)
In 1886, Tillie Smith, a 19-year-old kitchen worker from a poverty-stricken family, was raped, murdered and left lying in an open field on the campus of the
Centenary Collegiate Institute, where she worked. James Titus, a janitor at the school, was tried and convicted of the rape and murder, based on
circumstantial evidence and public opinion shaped by
yellow journalism
Yellow journalism and yellow press are American terms for journalism and associated newspapers that present little or no legitimate, well-researched news while instead using eye-catching headlines for increased sales. Techniques may include ...
. Titus was sentenced to hang, but he signed a confession and served 19 years of hard labor. He lived from 1904 to 1952 in Hackettstown among many of the same residents who championed his conviction, the validity of which remains controversial. The killing remains a popular local legend, inspiring several books,
Weird NJ
''Weird NJ'' (sometimes abbreviated ''WNJ'') is a semi-annual magazine that chronicles local legends, purported hauntings, ghost stories, folklore, unusual places or events, and other peculiarities in New Jersey. The magazine originated in 1989 as ...
magazine articles, theatrical performances and
dark tourism ghost tours.
20th century
The Hackettstown State Fish Hatchery, a popular tourist destination, was established in 1912.
In 1925, a
train wreck
A train wreck, train collision, train accident or train crash is a type of disaster involving one or more trains. Train wrecks often occur as a result of miscommunication, as when a moving train meets another train on the same track; or an acci ...
just outside of town killed about 50 people and injured about 50 others en route to
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,690 i ...
from
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
. The derailment involved a Lackawanna Railroad train and occurred at the Hazen Road grade crossing near Rockport Road at approximately 3:30AM, as a result of debris washed downhill by a storm fouling the road crossing. The event made national headlines and stands as the deadliest event in Warren County history.
["Big Toll Taken In A New Jersey Wreck. Latest Report Shows At Least 27 Were Killed. Thunderstorm Clogged A Switch With Sand Causing A Derailment."](_blank)
''Sterling Daily Gazette'', June 16, 1925. Accessed March 17, 2015.
Fund-raising campaigns for a new hospital started as early as 1945, supported and organized by local civic and business groups including
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizati ...
, Unico International,
PTA and others, a large donation by the Seventh Day Adventists and a grant from the
United States Public Health Service
The United States Public Health Service (USPHS or PHS) is a collection of agencies of the Department of Health and Human Services concerned with public health, containing nine out of the department's twelve operating divisions. The Assistant ...
, the 106-bed Hackettstown Community Hospital was established in 1973.
In 1977, a shooting occurred in the town when a 20-year-old graduate of
Hackettstown High School and former
U.S. Marine
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...
, Emil Pierre Benoist, took random shots at passing cars over the course of about four hours and shot and killed six people, before turning his sniper rifle on himself.
In 1994, a charity BBQ picnic organized by the "Tri-County Motorcycle Club" at the
Elk's Lodge in Hackettstown was crashed by rival members of the outlaw
Pagan's Motorcycle Club
Pagan's Motorcycle Club, or simply the Pagans, is an outlaw motorcycle club formed by Lou Dobkin in 1957 in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The club rapidly expanded and by 1959, the Pagans, originally clad in blue denim jackets a ...
. "An altercation started that escalated into knives and guns being used," according to the Warren County Prosecutor. Two Pagans were killed and three other bikers were injured.
21st Century
Hackettstown was named #72 of the top 100 towns in the United States to Live and Work In by ''
Money
Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are as ...
'' Magazine in 2005; it has not been included since.
In 2011, the town council proclaimed a
sister city
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
relationship with
Hacketstown, Ireland.
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
, the town had a total area of 3.71 square miles (9.61 km
2), including 3.61 square miles (9.35 km
2) of land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km
2) of water (2.67%).
The town is located in a valley along the banks of the Musconetcong River
The Musconetcong River is a tributary of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey in the United States.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 It flows through ...
.
Upper Pohatcong Mountain extends northeast of Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
approximately .
Unincorporated communities
An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...
, localities and place names located partially or completely within the town include Warren Furnace.
Hackettstown borders the townships of Washington (Morris County) to the southeast, Mansfield to the southwest, Allamuchy to the north, Mount Olive to the northeast, and Independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
to the west.
Hackettstown is northeast of Allentown Allentown may refer to several places in the United States and topics related to them:
*Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California
*Allentown, Georgia, a town in Wilkinson County
*Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Taze ...
and northwest of New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
.
Demographics
Census 2010
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways o ...
was $62,215 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,907) and the median family income was $82,216 (+/− $10,611). Males had a median income of $51,489 (+/− $5,850) versus $41,822 (+/− $5,248) for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the borough was $29,433 (+/− $2,122). About 4.4% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census
The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 cen ...
there were 10,403 people, 4,134 households, and 2,530 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...
was 2,809.5 people per square mile (1,085.6/km2). There were 4,347 housing units at an average density of 1,174.0 per square mile (453.6/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 90.25% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 2.18% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.12% Native American, 2.91% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 2.00% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 2.47% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 8.01% of the population.[Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hackettstown town](_blank)
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
. Accessed July 6, 2012.[DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hackettstown town, New Jersey](_blank)
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...
. Accessed July 5, 2012.
There were 4,134 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.0% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.10.[
In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.][
The median income for a household in the town was $51,955, and the median income for a family was $64,383. Males had a median income of $44,420 versus $31,110 for females. The ]per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the town was $24,742. About 2.3% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 7.1% of those age 65 or over.[
]
Economy
Hackettstown houses the US headquarters of Mars Wrigley Confectionary, a business segment of Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products and a provider of animal care services, with US$40 billion in annual sales in 2021.
Mars was ranked as the fourth-largest pri ...
, makers of Milky Way
The Milky Way is the galaxy that includes our Solar System, with the name describing the galaxy's appearance from Earth: a hazy band of light seen in the night sky formed from stars that cannot be individually distinguished by the naked eye. ...
, Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, only being larger than Mercury. In the English language, Mars is named for the Roman god of war. Mars is a terrestrial planet with a thin at ...
, M&M's
M&M's (stylized as m&m's) are multi-colored button-shaped chocolates, each of which has the letter "m" printed in lower case in white on one side, consisting of a candy shell surrounding a filling which varies depending upon the variety of M&M ...
, Twix
Twix is a caramel shortbread chocolate bar made by Mars, Inc., consisting of a biscuit applied with other confectionery toppings and coatings (most frequently caramel and milk chocolate).The biscuit is typically topped with caramel and then ...
and Snickers
Snickers is a chocolate bar made by the American company Mars, Incorporated, consisting of nougat topped with caramel and peanuts that is encased in milk chocolate. The annual global sales of Snickers was over $3 billion .
In the United ...
.
Arts and culture
Musical groups from Hackettstown include The Semonski Sisters, a family musical act that appeared on television's ''The Lawrence Welk Show
''The Lawrence Welk Show'' is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years, from 1951 to 1955, then nationally for another 16 years on ABC from 1 ...
'' from 1975 to 1977.
Sports
* The Skyland Rollergirls were a roller derby team founded in 2008 that bouted out of Excel Roller Skating Center in Hackettstown until it closed in late 2011.
*The Jersey Express
The Jersey Express is a team in the American Basketball Association based in Paterson, New Jersey. The team was formed in 2005 as the Newark Express. Marsha Blount is the owner of the team.
Inaugural season (2005–06)
The Express ended the r ...
, a team in the American Basketball Association moved to Hackettstown in late 2012 and played in the gym at Centenary College.
* Hackettstown High School sports teams are known as the Tigers and compete as part of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference
The Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) is a sports league that includes 39 public and private high schools from Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, Sussex County, New Jersey, Sussex County and Warren County, New Jersey, Warren County ...
.
* The Centenary University
Centenary University is a private liberal arts university in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Founded as a preparatory school by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1867, Centenary evolved into a Junior College for women and later ...
sports teams are known as the Cyclones.
Government
Local government
The Town of Hackettstown operates under a mayor-council form of government that was created by a special charter adopted by the New Jersey Legislature and approved by the voters in 1970. The town is one of 11 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that operate under a special charter. The town's governing body is comprised of a strong mayor who serves a three-year term of office and six councilpersons who are elected at large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats up for election each year.[''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', ]Rutgers University
Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...
, March 2013, p. 125. The mayor is the town's chief executive officer, overseeing its day-to-day operation and presenting an annual budget. The council is the town's legislative body. The mayor attends town council meetings, but may only vote in the event of a tie. The mayor may veto ordinances passed by the council, which can be overridden with the votes of four council members.
, the mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
of Hackettstown is Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
Gerald DiMaio Jr. whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Town Council are Jody Becker (R, 2024), Matthew Engelau (R, 2022), Leonard Kunz (R, 2023), James Lambo (R, 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term), Scott Sheldon (R, 2024) and Eric Tynan (R, 2023).[Mayor and Town Council]
Town of Hackettstown. Accessed March 1, 2022.[Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results]
Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.[Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results]
Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.[General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally]
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 109,632, representing an increase of 940 (0.9%) from the 108,692 residents counted at the 2010 census. The county bord ...
, updated November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.
James Lambo was selected from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill a vacant seat. The seat, which expired in December 2018, was vacated by William Conforti in August 2016, after his announcement that he was moving out of the municipality. Lambo served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election during which he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[General Election November 8, 2016, Warren County Official Tally]
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 109,632, representing an increase of 940 (0.9%) from the 108,692 residents counted at the 2010 census. The county bord ...
, updated November 16, 2016. Accessed January 30, 2017.
Federal, state, and county representation
Hackettstown is located in the 7th congressional district[2022 Redistricting Plan]
New Jersey Redistricting Commission
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; t ...
, December 8, 2022. and is part of the 23rd state legislative district.[Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District]
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.[''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government'']
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,410 registered voters in Hackettstown, of which 1,169 (21.6% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,764 (32.6% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,468 (45.6% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 9 voters registered as Libertarians
Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and minimize the state's enc ...
or Greens.[Voter Registration Summary - Warren](_blank)
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed June 5, 2013. Among the town's 2010 Census population, 55.6% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 69.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).[
In the ]2012 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*3–4 January ...
, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,973 votes (52.2% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
with 1,661 votes (44.0% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 77 votes (2.0% vs. 1.7%), among the 3,777 ballots cast by the town's 5,516 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.5% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,090 votes (52.7% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
with 1,724 votes (43.4% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 64 votes (1.6% vs. 1.6%), among the 3,969 ballots cast by the town's 5,437 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.0% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
received 2,368 votes (60.3% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...
with 1,492 votes (38.0% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 48 votes (1.2% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,928 ballots cast by the town's 5,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.9% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Christie, who was born in N ...
received 72.5% of the vote (1,543 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono
Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 25.6% (545 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (41 votes), among the 2,166 ballots cast by the town's 5,608 registered voters (37 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 38.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,547 votes (61.1% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...
with 662 votes (26.1% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett
Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...
with 250 votes (9.9% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 30 votes (1.2% vs. 1.5%), among the 2,533 ballots cast by the town's 5,321 registered voters, yielding a 47.6% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).
Education
The Hackettstown School District
The Hackettstown School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Hackettstown, in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. The district serves students in fou ...
serves students in kindergarten
Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th ce ...
through twelfth grade
Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
. The district serves students in four schools: two elementary schools (covering K–4), a middle school (5–8), and a four-year high school (9–12). As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,975 students and 170.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.[District information for Hackettstown Public School District]
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are
Hatchery Hill School with 299 students in grades K–1,
Willow Grove School with 340 students in grades 2–4,
Hackettstown Middle School with 457 students in grades 5–8 and
Hackettstown High School with 864 students in grades 9–12. Students from the townships of Allamuchy, Independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the statu ...
, and Liberty
Liberty is the ability to do as one pleases, or a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant (i.e. privilege). It is a synonym for the word freedom.
In modern politics, liberty is understood as the state of being free within society fr ...
, attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...
s. For the 2001–2002 school year, Hackettstown Middle School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Departmen ...
, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.
Students from the town and from all of Warren County are eligible to attend Ridge and Valley Charter School in Frelinghuysen Township (for grades K–8) or Warren County Technical School in Washington borough (for 9–12), with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township (for Pre-K–12).
Centenary University
Centenary University is a private liberal arts university in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Founded as a preparatory school by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church in 1867, Centenary evolved into a Junior College for women and later ...
, a private college affiliated with the United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelic ...
, was founded in 1867 and received approval in 1995 to grant master's degrees.
Media
* WXPJ, 91.9 on the FM dial – Centenary University radio.
* WRNJ
WRNJ (1510 kHz) is a commercial AM/FM radio station in Hackettstown, New Jersey. It broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format and is owned locally by WRNJ Radio, Inc.
By day, WRNJ is powered at 2,000 watts. But because AM 1510 is a clear ...
, at 1510 on the AM dial, is licensed to Hackettstown. It is also simulcast on FM translators on FM 92.7, FM 104.7, and FM 105.7.
* The main office for ''The Warren Reporter
The ''Hunterdon County Democrat'' is a weekly newspaper that serves Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Currently owned by Penn Jersey Advance, Inc., its offices are in Raritan Township. It is one of the largest paid weekly newspapers in New Jersey, ...
'', a free weekly newspaper delivered to 42,000 households in Warren County, is on East Moore Street.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Warren County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transporta ...
.
Passing through Hackettstown are U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 (US 46) is an east–west U.S. Highway completely within the state of New Jersey, running for , making it the shortest signed, non-spur U.S. Highway. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 in New Jersey, Intersta ...
, Route 57, and County Route 517. Route 182 exists completely within the boundaries of Hackettstown. Interstate 80 runs to the north of the town.
Public transportation
The Hackettstown station is the western terminus of the NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...
Morristown Line
The Morristown Line is an NJ Transit commuter rail line connecting Morris and Essex counties to New York City, via either New York Penn Station or Hoboken Terminal. Out of 60 inbound and 58 outbound daily weekday trains, 28 inbound and 26 outbou ...
and the Montclair-Boonton Line
The Montclair-Boonton Line is a commuter rail line of New Jersey Transit Rail Operations in the United States. It is part of the Hoboken Division. The line is a consolidation of three individual lines: the former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R ...
, which both provide service to Hoboken Terminal with connections to Pennsylvania Station (New York City), Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan via Kearny Connection, Midtown Direct trains. New Jersey Transit bus service used to be provided on the MCM5 (New Jersey bus), MCM5 and 973 (New Jersey bus), 973 local routes before they were discontinued.
Warren County operates a shuttle along Route 57 to Washington Township that operates on an hourly loop on weekdays, with connections available to a shuttle to Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Phillipsburg.
Airports
Hackettstown is located from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, Newark / Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth. Lehigh Valley International Airport, near Allentown, Pennsylvania, is away.
Hackettstown Airport, a small general aviation airport with the official database designation of is located in adjoining Mansfield Township, only a few hundred yards from the municipal border with Hackettstown proper.
Points of interest
* Hackettstown Historical Society Museum, 106 Church Street
* Jacob C. Allen House, 206 West Moore Street, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
* First Presbyterian Church of Hackettstown, 291 Main Street
*Hackettstown Free Public Library, 110 Church Street
*Hackettstown Community Center, 293 Main Street
File:HACKETTSTOWN HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM, WARREN COUNTY.jpg, Historical Society Museum
File:206 West Moore Street, Hackettstown, NJ.jpg, Jacob C. Allen House
File:291 Main Street, Hackettstown, NJ.jpg, First Presbyterian Church
File:Hackettstown Free Public Library at night.jpg, Hackettstown Free Public Library
File:Hackettstown Community Center at Night.jpg, Hackettstown Community Center
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hackettstown include:
* Abraham H. Albertson (1872–1964), one of Seattle's most prominent architects of the first half of the 20th century
* John D. Bulkeley (1911–1996), Vice Admiral in the United States Navy, Medal of Honor winner, PT boat skipper who evacuated General Douglas MacArthur from Corregidor
* Bette Cooper (1920–2017), Miss America 1937
* Jim Courter (born 1941), former Member of Congress
* Jonathan Townley Crane (1819–1880), clergyman, author, abolitionist, father of Stephen Crane, founder of Centenary Collegiate Institute
* Christina Desiderio (born 2000), artistic gymnast
* John DiMaio (born 1955), member of the New Jersey General Assembly who served as mayor of Hackettstown from 1991 to 1999
* Brian Fallon (born 1980), lead singer for The Gaslight Anthem / The Horrible Crowes
* John Clifford Heed (1862–1908), composer and musician, best known for composing over 60 marches
* Kenneth Hopper (1926–2019), engineer
* Izetta Jewel (1883–1978), born Izetta Jewel Kenney, actress and women's rights activist
* Cole Kimball (born 1985), pitcher who has played for the Washington Nationals
* William Logan (cyclist), William Logan (1914–2002), cycle sport, cyclist who competed in the Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's tandem, tandem and Cycling at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's team pursuit, team pursuit events at the 1936 Summer Olympics
* Kristen Maloney (born 1981), former gymnastics Olympian
* Naked Cowboy (stage name of Robert John Burck, born 1970), street performer and 2012 Presidential candidate
* Louis F. Post (1849–1928), journalist, lawyer, author, former US Attorney, former Assistant United States Secretary of Labor during the Woodrow Wilson, Wilson administration
* Jimmi Simpson (born 1975), Emmy nominated film and television actor
* Joe Stanowicz (1921–1999), football player who attended the United States Military Academy where he played at the guard position for the Army Black Knights football team
* George Theodore Werts (1846–1910), Governor of New Jersey (1893–1896)"New Jersey Governor George Theodore Werts"
National Governors Association. Accessed September 10, 2017. "George T. Werts, the thirty-fifth governor of New Jersey, was born in Hackettstown, New Jersey on March 24, 1846."
References
External links
Official website
{{Warren County, New Jersey
Hackettstown, New Jersey,
1853 establishments in New Jersey
Populated places established in 1853
Special Charters in New Jersey
Towns in Warren County, New Jersey