Lambertville, New Jersey

Lambertville is a city in Hunterdon County of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 3,906,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Lambertville city, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 18, 2012.Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Lambertville city
, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed March 18, 2012. reflecting an increase of 38 (+1.0%) from the 3,868 counted in the 2000 census.

Lambertville is on the Delaware River in southwestern Hunterdon County. In the 18th century, the area was named after various operators of ferries across the river to Pennsylvania, ultimately becoming known as Coryell's Ferry, after its owner, Emanuel Coryell. Coryell's Ferry was the western terminus of the New Jersey portion of York Road (which became U.S. Route 202), connecting New York City and Philadelphia. The community was named Lambertville in 1810, when the post office was established, in honor of John Lambert, a resident who had served as United States senator and acting governor of New Jersey, and who was responsible for the opening of the post office.History
Lambertville Historical Society. Accessed November 20, 2019. "Their descendant, John Lambert, served in the United States Senate during Thomas Jefferson’s administration. He persuaded the Postal Service to open an office at Coryell’s Ferry. His nephew, Captain John Lambert, was appointed postmaster and his inn was designated as the post office. Having procured a post office for Coryell’s Ferry, the Lamberts renamed the village Lambert’s Ville in 1810."

History

Originally settled by the Lenape (Delaware) Native Americans, a area around Lambertville was acquired for 700 Pounds by the Council of West Jersey and divided into smaller plots. The earliest European settler in present-day Lambertville was John Holcombe, who purchased a lot and built a stone home in 1744.

Emanuel Coryell bought a property in the area in 1732, which was used for commercial purposes. He received a charter to operate a ferry connecting what is now Lambertville and New Hope, and opened a tavern and inn to host travelers stopping halfway along the route between New York City and Philadelphia. The settlements on either side of the Delaware River were each called Coryell's Ferry. During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington and his colonial forces twice camped at the home John Holcombe built in 1744.

The Delaware River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal were instrumental in the early prosperity of Lambertville. In June 1834, the opening of the canal was celebrated with a barge ride from Trenton to Lambertville. The canal's completion was not without hardship. 4,000 Irish immigrants were hired to dig the canal with pick and shovel. During the construction, an epidemic of cholera broke out in 1832 and dozens of men were buried along the banks of the canal and the Delaware.

Lambertville was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1849, from portions of West Amwell Township. It was reincorporated as a city on March 26, 1872."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 156.

In the 19th century, due to its proximity to the canal and the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, Lambertville became a factory town. The range of products extended from underwear to rubber bands. After the introduction of motorized vehicles made the canal obsolete, the factories began shutting down. Some lasted into the 1970s. The railroad continued to serve as a vital freight carrier until the mid-1970s. Later, the Black River and Western Railroad acquired the line into town and operated short-distance local freight trains and scenic tourist passenger excursion trains into the late 1990s.

Starting in the early 1980s, with pioneers including the Jonsdottir art gallery, Hamilton Grill and the Lambertville Station eatery (a hotel soon followed), the city began to attract artists and other creative types. These days, much of the town's 18th- and 19th-century flavor remains, including many restored houses. The town has become a tourist destination, with many shops, galleries, restaurants, and B&Bs. The canal path offers cyclists, joggers and walkers a level place to exercise and enjoy views of the canal and Delaware River in all seasons.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had an area of 1.23 square miles (3.17 km²), including 1.08 square miles (2.81 km²) of land and 0.14 square miles (0.36 km²) of water (11.46%). The city borders Delaware Township and West Amwell Township in Hunterdon County and New Hope and Solebury Township across the Delaware River in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal flows through the western half of Lambertville, parallel to the Delaware River. Sections of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park are in the city, including trails and bridges.

Climate

Lambertville's climate is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cold winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lambertville has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $71,532 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,040) and the median family income was $100,952 (+/− $14,554). Males had a median income of $57,596 (+/− $17,671) versus $53,869 (+/− $30,408) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,684 (+/− $6,399). About 2.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Lambertville is the only city in Hunterdon County, and describes itself as one of the smallest cities in the United States. It is governed within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal charter Law) under the Small Municipality form of government (Plan C), which is available only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000, and was implemented in Lambertville by direct petition as of January 1, 1983. This form of government is used by 18 municipalities (of the 564) statewide and is available to municipalities with fewer than 12,000 residents at the time of adoption. The government comprises the mayor and the four-member city council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis in the November general elections. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that two seats come up for election in two years in a three-year cycle, with the mayoral election in the third year.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103.

The mayor exercises executive power; presides over the council with voice and vote, but has no veto power; appoints council committees; appoints the municipal clerk, attorney, tax assessor, tax collector and treasurer, all with council confirmation. The council exercises legislative power and approves the mayor's appointees.

, Lambertville's mayor is Democrat Andrew J. Nowick, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Members of the city council are Bendetta Lambert (D, 2023), Wardell M. Sanders Jr. (D, 2022), Steven Stegman (D, 2023) and Julia Taylor (D, 2022).Mayor and Council Members
Borough of Lambertville. Accessed August 14, 2022. "Lambertville is the only city in Hunterdon County, and one of the smallest cities in the United States. It is governed within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Small Municipality form of government (Plan C), which is available only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000, and was implemented in Lambertville by direct petition as of January 1, 1983. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member City Council, with all positions elected at-large in partisan elections."
Hunterdon County, New Jersey