Morris Township is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

in Morris County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

, United States. 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 off ...

, the township's population was 22,974, reflecting an increase of 668 (+3.0%) from the 22,306 counted in the 2010 Census, which had in turn increased by 510 (+2.3%) from the 21,796 counted in the 2000 Census. The township was named for

Lewis Morris Lewis Morris (April 8, 1726 – January 22, 1798) was an American Founding Father, landowner, and developer from Morrisania, New York, presently part of Bronx County. He signed the U.S. Declaration of Independence as a delegate to the Contin ...

, colonial governor of New Jersey.Hutchinson, Viola L
''The Origin of New Jersey Place Names''
New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 8, 2015. Gannett, Henry
''The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States''
p. 215.

United States Government Printing Office The United States Government Publishing Office (USGPO or GPO; formerly the United States Government Printing Office) is an agency of the legislative branch of the United States Federal government. The office produces and distributes informatio ...

, 1905. Accessed September 8, 2015. Located along the Morris and Essex Lines, the township is a wealthy

bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

, with many residents traveling to work in nearby

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

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 ...

which provides commuters with direct access to

New York Penn Station Pennsylvania Station, also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station, is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers ...

and to

Hoboken Terminal Hoboken Terminal is a commuter-oriented intermodal passenger station in Hoboken, Hudson County, New Jersey. One of the New York metropolitan area's major transportation hubs, it is served by nine NJ Transit (NJT) commuter rail lines, one Metr ...

. The township is the "doughnut" around Morristown and completely surrounds it, with at least five times the area, though near Morris Plains the width of Morris Township is less than a mile. For 115 years, Morristown was part of Morris Township. The initial separation of Morristown from Morris Township occurred on April 6, 1865. A confusing state of affairs followed for nearly thirty years. On February 18, 1895, the separation was officiated. Morris Township is home to the

Morris County Golf Club The Morris County Golf Club (MCGC) is a private, members-only golf club located on in the upscale Convent Station section of Morris Township, New Jersey, a suburb northwest of New York City in Morris County. It is one of the 10 founding membe ...

and the

Morris Museum Actively running since 1913, the Morris Museum is the second largest museum in New Jersey at . The museum is fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Museum history 1913–1957: early years The Morris Children's Museum was founde ...

, which is the second largest museum in

and has been in operation since 1913. The township is also home to the Morristown National Historical Park which in 1933 became the country's first National Historical Park.

History

20 Normandy Parkway, Morris Township, NJ

Incorporation

Morris Township was originally formed as of March 25, 1740. The township was named for

, colonial governor of New Jersey. Portions of the township were taken on December 24, 1740, to form Roxbury Township and on March 29, 1749, to form Mendham Township. Morris Township was incorporated as a township by the Township Act of 1798 by the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

on February 21, 1798, as part of the state's initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were later taken to create Chatham Township (February 12, 1806), Morristown (April 6, 1865, fully independent in 1895) and Passaic Township (on March 23, 1866, now Long Hill Township).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 194. Accessed October 29, 2012. On September 22, 1860, the ''Jerseyman'' reported:

The total population of Morris Township is 6,024, being an increase of 1,032 since 1850 and of 348 since 1855. Number of families 1,147; Dwellings 1,124;
Farms A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...
256; Churches 11, viz., 3
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...
, 3
Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
, 2
Episcopalian Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the ...
, 1
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul c ...
, 1
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
, 1 African. Deaths during the year 67. Raised last year 9,191 bushels of
Wheat Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
, 5,649 of Rye, 64,808 of
Oats The oat (''Avena sativa''), sometimes called the common oat, is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other cereals and pseudocereals). While oats are suitable for human co ...
, 118,245 of
Corn Maize ( ; ''Zea mays'' subsp. ''mays'', from es, maíz after tnq, mahiz), also known as corn (North American and Australian English), is a cereal grain first domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 10,000 years ago. The ...
, 7,262 tons of Hay and 8,730 lbs. of
Tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...
; and 92,366 lbs. of
Butter Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condim ...
were made. There are in the Township 1,642
Horses The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million ...
, 36 Mules, 1500 Cows, 200
Oxen An ox ( : oxen, ), also known as a bullock (in BrE, AusE, and IndE), is a male bovine trained and used as a draft animal. Oxen are commonly castrated adult male cattle; castration inhibits testosterone and aggression, which makes th ...
, 1100 Young Cattle, 1262
Sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...
and 1600 Swine.

Washington Valley Historic District

Many historic properties are in the encompassing

Washington Valley Historic District 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 on ...

. It was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in November 1992. Notable sites located in Washington Valley include the

Washington Valley Schoolhouse Washington Valley Schoolhouse, also known as the ''Little Red Schoolhouse'', is located in the Washington Valley section of Morris Township, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The schoolhouse was built in 1869 and was added to the Nation ...

and the John Smith House. Parts of the district are within neighboring Mendham Township.

Convent Station

Convent Station community is named after the Convent Station railroad station that was constructed there during the 1870s to serve the complex of the

Academy of Saint Elizabeth The Academy of Saint Elizabeth is a private college preparatory secondary school for young women located in Convent Station, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1860, the academy is the oldest secondary school for women in New Jersey. T ...

, a

Catholic school Catholic schools are pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered under the aegis or in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest religious, non-governmental school syste ...

operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Notable neighborhoods include Bradwahl, Cromwell Hills, and the upscale Normandy Park Historic District. The Morris Township Municipal Building and the Morris Township Police Headquarters are located in Convent Station.

Arthur Seale

In 1992, Arthur Seale and his wife kidnapped

Exxon ExxonMobil Corporation (commonly shortened to Exxon) is an American multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is the largest direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, and was formed on November 3 ...

executive Sidney Reso, a township resident, from his home. The Seales' sought a ransom of $18.5 million, but Reso died in captivity. The case received nationwide attention.

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 th ...

, the township had a total area of 15.81 square miles (40.96 km²), including 15.68 square miles (40.62 km²) of land and 0.13 square miles (0.34 km²) of water (0.83%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Convent Station, Gillespie Hill, Loantaka Terrace, Normandy Heights, Normandy Park and Washington Valley. Morris Township completely surrounds Morristown, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. The township borders the Morris County municipalities of Denville, Parsippany–Troy Hills Township, Morris Plains and Hanover Township to the north, Harding Township to the south, Mendham Township and Randolph to the west and Florham Park and

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

to the east.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

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 ...

was $132,191 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,204) and the median family income was $154,265 (+/− $8,489). Males had a median income of $108,448 (+/− $5,932) versus $64,753 (+/− $12,368) 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 $65,335 (+/− $4,396). About 1.0% of families and 3.9% 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 ...

, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over. The township has been one of the state's highest-income communities. Based on data from the 2006-2010

, Morris Township had a per capita income of $65,335 (ranked 36th in the state), compared to per capita income in Morris County of $47,342 and statewide of $34,858.

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 c ...

there were 21,796 people, 8,116 households, and 5,949 families residing in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,383.0 people per square mile (534.0/km²). There were 8,298 housing units at an average density of 526.5 per square mile (203.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 88.63%

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 ...

, 5.46%

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 ...

, 0.15% Native American, 3.90% Asian, 0.01%

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 ...

, 0.91% from other races, and 0.95% 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 for ...

or Latino of any race were 3.81% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Morris township, Morris County, New Jersey

. Accessed December 19, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Morris township, Morris County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed December 19, 2012. There were 8,116 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.7% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 2.99. In the township the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 64.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $101,902, and the median income for a family was $116,866. Males had a median income of $80,946 versus $50,864 for females. The

for the township was $54,782. About 2.1% of families and 3.8% of the population were below the

, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

Culture and tourism

Morris Museum

Actively running since 1913, the

is the second largest museum in New Jersey at 75,524 square feet (7,016.4 m2). The museum is fully accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Morris County Golf Club

Founded in 1894, the

was unique at the time in that it was established and operated by women including Nina Howland. The club hosted the

United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship The U.S. Women's Amateur is the leading golf tournament in the United States for female amateur golfers. It is played annually and is one of the 13 United States national golf championships organized by the United States Golf Association (USGA). F ...

in 1896, which was won by

Beatrix Hoyt Beatrix Hoyt (July 5, 1880 – August 14, 1963) was an American amateur golfer. Hoyt is the third youngest golfer to ever win the U.S. Women's Amateur, and is one of only five competitors to win the championship three consecutive times. She was ...

, making it the first national title to be contested in the state. Two of the club's presidents have served as

United States Golf Association The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the United States national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the rules ...

presidents, which the club joined in 1895. Although he club was established in 1894 the current course was designed in 1916 by prominent architect Seth Raynor. The current Clubhouse was built in 1919. Some notable figures in the sport have been associated with the Club, including

Harry Vardon Henry William Vardon (9 May 1870 – 20 March 1937) was a professional golfer from Jersey. He was a member of the Great Triumvirate with John Henry Taylor and James Braid. Vardon won The Open Championship a record six times, and also won the ...

, Ted Ray, Bobby Jones, Chick Evans and Walter Kozak.

Fosterfields

Since 1972,

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm Fosterfields, also known as Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, is a farm and open-air museum at the junction of Mendham and Kahdena Roads in Morris Township, New Jersey. The oldest structure on the farm, the Ogden House, was built in 1774. List ...

has been a state protected

living history Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to ree ...

park and museum covering more than in Morris Township. A 1915 farmhouse and 1854 Revere mansion owned by the families of

Caroline Rose Foster Caroline Rose Foster (6 April 1877 – 26 July 1979) was an American farmer and philanthropist who managed Fosterfields, a working farm in Morristown, New Jersey, United States. Foster was a member of over 30 civic and historical organizations ...

are preserved. Activities such as educational programs, historical reenactments, storytellers, and public concerts are open to the general public throughout the year.Fosterfields Living Historical Farm
Morris County Parks Commission. Accessed February 28, 2020.

Economy

The Seeing Eye, main building, Morris Township, NJ

Honeywell Honeywell International Inc. is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. It primarily operates in four areas of business: aerospace, building technologies, performance ma ...

had been headquartered in Morris Township. Companies with offices and facilities in Morris Township include the

Louis Berger Group Louis Berger (formerly known as Berger Group Holdings) is a full-service engineering, architecture, planning, environmental, program and construction management and economic development firm based in Morristown, New Jersey. Founded in 1953 in H ...

and The Seeing Eye, a guide dog school.

Government

Local government

Morris Township is governed under the

Township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.''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. 116. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Township Committee from among its members at a reorganization meeting held in the first week of January each year. , members of the Morris Township Committee are Mayor Mark Gyorfy (D, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Bud Ravitz (D, term on committee ends 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Jeff Grayzel (D, 2025), Donna Guariglia (D, 2024) and Cathy Wilson (D, 2023).Township Committee
Morris Township. Accessed April 11, 2022.''Morris County Manual 2022''

Morris County, New Jersey Morris County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county's population was enumerated at 509,285,

Clerk. Accessed May 1, 2022.''Morris County Municipal Elected Officials For The Year 2020''

Clerk, updated March 3, 2022. Accessed April 11, 2022.General Election Winners For November 2, 2021

Clerk. Accessed January 1, 2022.General Election Winners List For November 3, 2020

Clerk. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019, Official Results

, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 31, 2020.

Federal, state, and county representation

Morris Township is located in the 11th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report

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 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 25th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019. Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of seven members who are elected

in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator, John Bonanni.''Morris County Manual 2022''
Morris County Clerk. Accessed June 1, 2022. , Morris County's Commissioners are Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen ( R, Chatham Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2023; term as director ends 2022), Commissioner Deputy Director John Krickus (R, Washington Township, term as commissioner ends 2024; term as deputy director ends 2022), Douglas Cabana (R, Boonton Township, 2022), Kathryn A. DeFillippo (R, Roxbury, 2022), Thomas J. Mastrangelo (R, Montville, 2022), Stephen H. Shaw (R,

Mountain Lakes A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

, 2024) and Deborah Smith (R,

Denville Denville Township is a Township (New Jersey), township in Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, New Jersey, located west of Manhattan. As of the 2010 United States census, 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 16,635, reflecting ...

, 2024). The county's constitutional officers are the

County Clerk A clerk is a white-collar worker who conducts general office tasks, or a worker who performs similar sales-related tasks in a retail environment. The responsibilities of clerical workers commonly include record keeping, filing, staffing service ...

and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the

County Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

(elected for a three-year term). , they are County Clerk Ann F. Grossi (R, Parsippany–Troy Hills, 2023), Sheriff James M. Gannon (R, Boonton Township, 2022) and Surrogate Heather Darling (R, Roxbury, 2024).

Politics

As of October 26, 2017, there were a total of 17,566 registered voters in Morris Township, of which 5,458 (31.1%) were registered as Democrats, 5,694 (32.4%) were registered as Republicans and 6,353 (36.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 61 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. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

received 51.4% of the vote (6,133 cast), 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 U ...

with 47.6% (5,679 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (113 votes), among the 11,990 ballots cast by the township's 16,497 registered voters (65 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.7%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.9% of the vote (6,509 cast), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

with 47.9% (6,129 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (81 votes), among the 12,797 ballots cast by the township's 16,201 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.0%. 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 51.9% of the vote (6,488 ballots cast), outpolling 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 (Unite ...

with 47.1% (5,884 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (88 votes), among the 12,503 ballots cast by the township's 16,466 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.9. 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 Ne ...

received 66.7% of the vote (5,033 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 31.5% (2,380 votes), and other candidates with 1.8% (135 votes), among the 7,674 ballots cast by the township's 16,239 registered voters (126 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.1% of the vote (5,059 ballots cast), 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 36.0% (3,309 votes), 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 7.9% (730 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (30 votes), among the 9,185 ballots cast by the township's 15,846 registered voters, yielding a 58.0% turnout.

Education

Students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

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 ...

attend the schools of the

Morris School District The Morris School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from three municipalities in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. The communities in the distric ...

, which also serves public school students from the communities of Morristown (K–12) and Morris Plains (9–12). As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 5,216 students and 441.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...

of 11.8:1.District information for Morris School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–2019 enrollment data from the

) are Lafayette Learning Center (102 students; in grade Pre-K), Alexander Hamilton School (293; 3–5), Hillcrest School (288; K–2), Thomas Jefferson School (314; 3–5), Normandy Park School (302; K–5), Sussex Avenue School (301; 3–5), Alfred Vail School (297; K–2), Woodland School (289; K–2), Frelinghuysen Middle School (1,081; 6–8) and

Morristown High School Morristown High School (MHS) is a four-year public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from three communities in Morris County, United States, operating as part of the Morris School District. The school serves students ...

(1,860; 9–12). The nine elected seats on the board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with five seats assigned to Morris Township. The Academy of St. Elizabeth is a

for girls that admitted its first students in 1860, located in the Convent Station area, and operated independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school has an enrollment of 230 students and is the oldest school for girls in New Jersey. The

College of Saint Elizabeth Saint Elizabeth University (SEU) (formerly College of Saint Elizabeth) is a private Catholic, coeducational, four-year, liberal arts university in Morris Township, New Jersey. Portions of the campus are also in Florham Park. SEU has 25 underg ...

is a private

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

, four-year,

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...

for women, located in Convent Station. The college was founded in 1899 by the

Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth The Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth are a Roman Catholic apostolic congregation of pontifical right, based in the Convent Station area of Morris Township, New Jersey, USA. The religious order was established in 1859 in Newark, New Jersey, ...

of New Jersey. The

Rabbinical College of America The Rabbinical College of America is a Chabad Lubavitch Chasidic yeshiva in Morristown, New Jersey. The Yeshiva is under the direction of Rabbi Moshe Herson. The growth of the Yeshiva college has had a significant cultural effect on the commun ...

, one of the largest

Chabad Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (), is an Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. Chabad is one of the world's best-known Hasidic movements, particularly for its outreach activities. It is one of the largest Hasidic groups ...

Chasidic Hasidism, sometimes spelled Chassidism, and also known as Hasidic Judaism (Ashkenazi Hebrew: חסידות ''Ḥăsīdus'', ; originally, "piety"), is a Jewish religious group that arose as a spiritual revival movement in the territory of contem ...

yeshiva A yeshiva (; he, ישיבה, , sitting; pl. , or ) is a traditional Jewish educational institution focused on the study of Rabbinic literature, primarily the Talmud and halacha (Jewish law), while Torah and Jewish philosophy are s ...

s in the world is located in Morristown. The Rabbinical College of America has a

baal teshuva In Judaism, a ''ba'al teshuvah'' ( he, בעל תשובה; for a woman, , or ; plural, , , 'master of return God]') is a Jew who adopts some form of traditional religious observance after having previously followed a Jewish secularism, secular lif ...

yeshiva for students of diverse Jewish backgrounds, named Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim. The New Jersey Regional Headquarters for the worldwide Chabad Lubavitch movement is located on the campus.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Morris 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 transportat ...

. A few major roads pass through the community including Route 124, Route 24, CR 510,

U.S. Route 202 U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is a spur route of US 2. It follows a northeasterly and southwesterly direction stretching from Delaware to Maine, also traveling through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massa ...

, and

Interstate 287 Interstate 287 (I-287) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in ...

Public transportation

Convent Station is a

rail station located on the grounds of the College of Saint Elizabeth, offering service on the

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 ...

to Newark Broad Street Station,

Secaucus Junction Secaucus Junction (known as Secaucus Transfer during planning stages and signed simply as Secaucus) is a NJ Transit Rail Operations commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey. The $450 million, station opened on December 15, 2003, and was ded ...

, Penn Station New York and

. NJ Transit offers local bus service on the

872 Year 872 ( DCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Sancho III Mitarra (or ''Menditarra'') becomes the founder and first 'king' of the indepe ...

873 __NOTOC__ Year 873 ( DCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Carloman, son of King Charles the Bald, is hauled before a secular court an ...

875 __NOTOC__ Year 875 ( DCCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * August 12 – Emperor Louis II dies in Brescia, after having named his c ...

and

880 __NOTOC__ Year 880 (Roman numerals, DCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Battle of Cephalonia: A Byzantine Empire, Byzantine flee ...

routes, replacing service that had been offered on the MCM1,

MCM2 DNA replication licensing factor MCM2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM2'' gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are involved in the ini ...

MCM3 DNA replication licensing factor MCM3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM3'' gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are involved in the init ...

MCM4 DNA replication licensing factor MCM4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM4'' gene. Function The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are essential for the i ...

MCM8 DNA replication licensing factor MCM8 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM8'' gene. The protein encoded by this gene is one of the highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance proteins (MCM) that are essential for the initiation of ...

and

MCM10 Protein MCM10 homolog is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''MCM10'' gene. It is essential for activation of the Cdc45: Mcm2-7:GINS helicase, and thus required for proper DNA replication. Function The protein encoded by this gene is o ...

routes until 2010, when subsidies to the local provider were eliminated as part of budget cuts. The Morris County Traction Company began trolley service in downtown

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...

in July 1904, and expanded over the years until the system was completed in 1914 all the way to

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, via Morristown and

Summit A summit is a point on a surface that is higher in elevation than all points immediately adjacent to it. The topography, topographic terms acme, apex, peak (mountain peak), and zenith are synonymous. The term (mountain top) is generally used ...

, including service in Morris Township. The trolleys were replaced with buses in 1928.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Morris Township include: *

Ben Bailey Benjamin Ray Bailey (born October 30, 1970) is an American comedian. He is best known for hosting the Emmy Award-winning game show ''Cash Cab'' in New York City. Early life Bailey was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and raised in Chatham B ...

(born 1970), comedian and host of ''

Cash Cab Cash Cab may refer to: * ''Cash Cab'' (British game show) * ''Cash Cab'' (American game show) * ''Cash Cab'' (Canadian game show) * ''Cash Cab'' (Japanese game show) * ''Cash Cab'' (Australian game show) {{disambiguation ...

'' * Warren Bobrow (born ), mixologist, chef, and writer known as the "Cocktail Whisperer" *

Michael Patrick Carroll Michael Patrick Carroll (born April 8, 1958) is an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician from New Jersey. He represented the New Jersey's 25th legislative district, 25th Legislative District in the New Jersey Ge ...

(born 1958), represents the 25th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly * Robert Del Tufo (born 1933),

Attorney General of New Jersey The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limited. ...

from 1990–1993 *

(1877–1979), farmer and founder of Fosterfields Living Historical Farm * Connor Lade (born 1989), professional soccer player *

Charley Molnar Charley Molnar Jr. (born July 23, 1961) is an American football coach. Molnar served head football coach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass), for two seasons, from 2012 to 2013, compiling a record of 2–22. Molnar had previously b ...

(born 1961), head football coach at the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, it ...

* Dan Quinn (born 1970), head football coach of the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

who was defensive coordinator for the

Super Bowl XLVIII Super Bowl XLVIII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos and National Football Conference (NFC) champion Seattle Seahawks to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for th ...

champion

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

* Joseph Warren Revere (1812–1880), court-martialed

Union Union commonly refers to: * Trade union, an organization of workers * Union (set theory), in mathematics, a fundamental operation on sets Union may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Union (band), an American rock group ** ''Un ...

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and grandson of

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, Sons of Liberty member, and Patriot and Founding Father. He is best known for his midnight ride to ale ...

Stephen B. Wiley Stephen Bradford Wiley (June 21, 1929 – October 8, 2015) was an American attorney, poet, businessman, civic leader, and Democratic Party politician. Wiley served in the New Jersey State Senate from 1973 to 1978, where he represented Morris C ...

(1929–2015), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1974 to 1978, where he represented the 23rd Legislative District Perlez, Jane
"5 Democrats In Jersey Governor Race Strive For Recognition"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', April 23, 1985. Accessed September 4, 2014. "Mr. Del Tufo, a former United States Attorney from Morris Township, is considered the least-known candidate. He is joined in the race by Mayor Kenneth A. Gibson of Newark; the State Senate majority leader, John F. Russo of Toms River; the Essex County Executive, Peter Shapiro, and former State Senator Stephen B. Wiley of Morris Township."

References

External links

Morris Township websiteMorris School District
*
School Data for the Morris School District

{{Geographic Location , Centre = Morris Township , North = Morris Plains
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township , Northeast = Hanover Township , East = Florham Park , Southeast =

, South = Harding Township , Southwest = , West = Mendham Township , Northwest = Randolph Township
Denville Township 1740 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1740 Township form of New Jersey government Townships in Morris County, New Jersey