Newton, New Jersey
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Newton, officially the ''Town of Newton'', is an
incorporated municipality A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally ...
located in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of
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 ...
. It is situated approximately by road northwest of
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 ...
. As the location of the county's administrative offices and court system, Newton is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of Sussex County.New Jersey County Map
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 10, 2017.
One of 15 municipalities in the state organized as 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 o ...
, the municipal government operates under a council-manager structure provided by the Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law. Newton was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1864, from portions of Newton Township, which was also partitioned to create Andover Township and Hampton Township, and was then dissolved. Additional land was acquired from Andover Township in 1869 and 1927, and from Fredon Township in 1920.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 231. Accessed June 28, 2012.
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 town's population was 8,374,QuickFacts Newton town, New Jersey
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 ...
. Accessed December 11, 2022.
a record population for the town, which was the seventh largest municipality in the county.


History


In the eighteenth century

Newton is located near the headwaters of the east branch of the Paulins Kill, a tributary of the Delaware River.Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), United States Geological Survey
Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report: Paulins Kill
entered September 8, 1979. Accessed May 11, 2015.
In October 1715, Colonial surveyor Samuel Green plotted a tract of at the head of the Paulins Kill, then known as the ''Tohokenetcunck River'', on behalf of
William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...
. This tract, which would not be settled for approximately 30–35 years, was part of the survey and division of the last acquisition of Native American land by the West Jersey Board of Proprietors. At the time of Green's survey, northwestern New Jersey was populated with bands of the
Munsee The Munsee (or Minsi or Muncee) or mə́n'si·w ( del, Monsiyok)Online Lenape Talking Dictionary, "Munsee Indians"Link/ref> are a subtribe of the Lenape, originally constituting one of the three great divisions of that nation and dwelling along ...
, the northern branch of the Lenape Native Americans. The first recorded European settler within the boundaries of present-day Newton was a
German Palatine Palatines (german: Pfälzer), also known as the Palatine Dutch, are the people and princes of Palatinates ( Holy Roman principalities) of the Holy Roman Empire. The Palatine diaspora includes the Pennsylvania Dutch and New York Dutch. In 17 ...
immigrant named Henry Hairlocker who arrived sometime before 1751 when he appears in Morris County records as receiving a tavern license. The ''Newtown Precinct'', a large township, was created in 1751, and Sussex County was created from Morris two years later on June 8, 1753. The township would be named ''Newtown'' after the colonial village of Newtown in
Queens Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
, New York from where the Pettit family originated (the six Pettit brothers, all prominent landowners and influential figures in early local government, settled in northwestern New Jersey in the 1740s) or from its status as a "new town". In 1762,
Jonathan Hampton Jonathan Hampton (1712 - 1 November 1777) was an American colonial surveyor, merchant, and militia officer involved with New Jersey's frontier fortifications and defenses along the Delaware River during the French and Indian War (1755-1763). I ...
, of Elizabethtown, surveyed the location for a county courthouse and town green at the intersection of a military supply road he built during the
French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...
and a major north–south artery called the King's Highway (present-day New Jersey Route 94). The construction of the courthouse was completed in 1765 and the village that developed around it became known as ''Sussex Court House''. The county courthouse was the site of a raid by British partisan Lieutenant James Moody during the American Revolution. In 1797, the village's
post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letters and parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post offices may offer additional se ...
was renamed ''Newtown'' and later, in 1825, the spelling was altered to ''Newton''. Newton Township would cede land to create new townships on several occasions in the eighteenth and nineteenth-centuries, until a final division dissolved the township on April 11, 1864, through a
legislative act Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill Bill(s) may refer to: Common m ...
of New Jersey Legislature that created the village of Newton as an incorporated town and two rural townships— Hampton and
Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andov ...
.


Historic district

The Newton Town Plot Historic District is a historic district encompassing the Town Plot section of Newton, along Church, High, Main, Moran, and Spring Streets; and Park Place. 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 ...
on November 12, 1992 for its significance in architecture, commerce, community planning, settlement, and politics from 1762 to 1941. The district includes 51 contributing buildings, three
contributing objects In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...
, and two contributing sites. It includes the Sussex County Courthouse, which was added individually to the NRHP in 1979 and the Hill Memorial, added in 1985. The Sussex and Merchants National Bank was built in 1927 with
Georgian Revival style Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1714 and 1830. It is named after the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I, George II, Georg ...
and some Beaux Arts ornamentation. The Old Newton Burial Ground, established 1762, is a contributing site. It features a
bas relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
of Father Time on the cast-iron entrance gates. With File:82 Main Street, Newton, NJ.jpg, Hill Memorial and Christ Church File:93 Spring Street, Newton, NJ - area view.jpg, Former Sussex and Merchants National Bank File:Old Newton Burial Ground, Newton, NJ - entrance.jpg, Old Newton Burial Ground entrance gates


Geography


Geological features

Newton is located in the
Kittatinny Valley The Kittatinny Valley is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley in Sussex and Warren counties in northwestern New Jersey that is bounded on the northwest by Kittatinny Mountain, and in the southeast by the New Jersey Highlands region. The v ...
, a segment of the Great Appalachian Valley. The Great Appalachian Valley is a gigantic trough—a 1,200-mile-long (1,900 km) chain of valley lowlands that stretches about from
Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
to
Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...
and is the easternmost edge of
Ridge and Valley Appalachians The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...
physiographic province. This physiographic province, one of five in New Jersey, occupies approximately two-thirds of the county's area (the county's western and central sections) dominated by Kittatinny Mountain and the Kittatinny Valley. This province's contour is characterized by long, even ridges with long, continuous valleys in between that generally run parallel from southwest to northeast. The features of the Ridge and Valley province were created approximately 300–400 million years ago during the Ordovician period and Appalachian orogeny—a period of tremendous pressure and rock thrusting that caused the creation of the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...
. This region is largely formed by
sedimentary rock Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the accumulation or deposition of mineral or organic particles at Earth's surface, followed by cementation. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause these particles ...
.Lucey, Carol S.
Geology of Sussex County in Brief
'' (Trenton, NJ: New Jersey Geological Survey, November 1969), 21pp. Accessed August 28, 2012.
Dalton, Richard
New Jersey Geological Survey Information Circular: Physiographic Provinces of New Jersey
(Trenton, NJ: Department of Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey, 2003, 2006). Accessed August 28, 2012.
Newton's land area drains into the watersheds of the Paulins Kill and Pequest River—two rivers that are tributaries of the Delaware River. These watersheds are separated by slate ridges that are part of the
Martinsburg Formation The Ordovician Martinsburg Formation (Om) is a mapped bedrock unit in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. It is named for the town of Martinsburg, West Virginia for which it was first described. It is the dominant roc ...
. These slate ridges were quarried for slate for roofs and other industrial purposes beginning with a quarry opened by Elijah Blackwell in 1859 that operated under a series of different owners and commercial entities until 1930.


Political 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 town had a total area of 3.38 square miles (8.76 km2), including 3.36 square miles (8.70 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2) of water (0.65%). The Town of Newton is bordered to the north and east by Hampton Township, to the west by Fredon Township, and to the south by Andover Township.


Climate and weather

Because of its location in the higher elevations of northwestern New Jersey's Appalachian mountains, Newton, as well as the rest of Sussex County, has a cooler
humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...
or microthermal climate (
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...
Dfb) which indicates patterns of significant precipitation in all seasons and at least four months where the average temperature rises above Thornthwaite, Charles Warren. ''Atlas of Climatic Types in the United States 1900-1939: U.S. Department of Agriculture Miscellaneous Publication 421''. (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1941); and Thornthwaite. "The Climates of North America: According to a New Classification" in ''Geographical Review'' (October 1931), 21(4):633-655. This differs from the rest of the state which is generally a humid mesothermal climate, in which temperatures range between −3 °C (27 °F) and 18 °C (64 °F) during the year's coldest month. Sussex County is part of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6. During winter and early spring, New Jersey in some years is subject to " nor'easters"—significant storm systems that have proven capable of causing blizzards or flooding throughout the northeastern United States. Hurricanes and tropical storms, tornadoes, and earthquakes are relatively rare. The Kittatinny Valley to the north of Newton, part of the Great Appalachian Valley, experiences a snowbelt phenomenon and has been categorized as a
microclimate A microclimate (or micro-climate) is a local set of atmospheric conditions that differ from those in the surrounding areas, often with a slight difference but sometimes with a substantial one. The term may refer to areas as small as a few squ ...
region known as the " Sussex County Snow Belt." This region receives approximately snow per year and generally more snowfall that the rest of Northern New Jersey and the Northern Climate Zone. This phenomenon is attributed to the orographic lift of the Kittatinny Ridge which impacts local weather patterns by increasing
humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity dep ...
and
precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...
. In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Newton have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in June.Monthly Averages for Newton, New Jersey
The Weather Channel. Accessed October 13, 2013.
According to the
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of comme ...
Natural Resource Conservation Service soil survey, the area receives sunshine approximately 62% of the time in summer and 48% in winter. Prevailing winds are typically from the southwest for most of year; but in late winter and early spring come from the northwest. The lowest recorded temperature was −26 °F on January 21, 1994. The highest recorded temperature was on September 3, 1953. The heaviest one-day snowfall was recorded on January 8, 1996 (combined with the next day, total snowfall was 40 inches). The heaviest one-day rainfall—— was recorded on August 19, 1955.


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 ...
was $48,702 (with a margin of error of ± $7,922) and the median family income was $72,266 (± $10,712). Males had a median income of $57,369 (± $5,859) versus $29,676 (± $3,910) 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 $25,296 (± $2,141). About 10.9% of families and 12.8% 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 ...
, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 16.6% 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 c ...
there were 8,244 people, 3,258 households, and 1,941 families residing in the town. 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 . There were 3,425 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 91.97%
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 ...
, 2.80%
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 ...
, 0.13% Native American, 1.97% 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 ...
, 1.16% from other races, and 1.35% 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 3.80% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Newton town, New Jersey
,
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 ...
. Accessed February 24, 2013.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Newton town, Sussex County, New Jersey
,
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 ...
. Accessed February 24, 2013.
There were 3,258 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.0% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.12. In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males. The median income for a household in the town was $44,667, and the median income for a family was $56,484. Males had a median income of $41,089 versus $30,016 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 $20,577. About 6.9% of families and 11.2% 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 11.4% of those under age 18 and 11% of those age 65 or over.


Arts and culture


Museums, galleries, and libraries

Newton is home to the Sussex County Historical Societys Hill Memorial Museum, the oldest continuously operating museum building in the state. The society, founded in 1904, offers a research and genealogical collection, and displays focused on the region's history, from Mastodon bones and Native American artifacts and from the Revolutionary War to World War II. * Newton Fire Museum on Spring Street * Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council operates a gallery on Spring Street. * Dennis Library, founded as a private library association in the mid-19th century, now part of the Sussex County Library System.


Performing arts

The Newton Theatre is a former Reilly and Hall movie theater originally constructed in 1924 that has been converted into a 605-seat performing arts center. Drama Geek Studios is a non-profit community theatre group, based in Newton, NJ by the Newton Theatre. They offer classes, workshops, and performances to people of all ages in Sussex County.


Religion

Newton's community offers a range of Christian houses of worship and one Jewish synagogue. These include: * Christ Church, founded in 1769, an Episcopal parish within the Episcopal Diocese of Newark * First Presbyterian Church of Newton, founded in 1786, and affiliated with the PCUSA. * The First United Methodist Church * Covenant Reformed Church * First Baptist Church of Newton, established in nearby Augusta in the 1750s, moved to Newton in 1810. * St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, a parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. * Temple B'Nai Shalom, a Jewish synagogue and headquarters of Drama Geek Studios. * Christ Community Church of the Christian Missionary Alliance (located in the old train station plaza) File:Christ Church, Newton, NJ.jpg, Christ Church File:First Presbyterian Church, Newton, NJ - looking northwest.jpg, First Presbyterian Church


Sports

Skylands Park in nearby Frankford Township, is the home of the Sussex County Miners, who play in the Frontier League.


Parks and recreation

Memory Park, established with of land donated by Newman E. Drake in 1928.


Government


Local government

Newton operates under the Council-Manager form of municipal government (Plan B), in accordance with the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, as one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) in the state to use this form. This form of government was implemented based on the recommendations of a Charter Study Commission as of July 1, 1978. The town's governing board is comprised of a five-member Town Council, whose members are chosen at-large in non-partisan elections to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election in November of even-numbered years in alternating fashion.''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, March 2013, p. 110.
The council selects a mayor and deputy mayor from among its members to serve one-year terms of office, at a reorganization meeting held annually in July. After voters passed a referendum in 2018, the town's municipal elections were shifted from May to November. , members of the Town Council are
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 ...
Jason J. Schlaffer (term on council and as mayor ends December 31, 2022), Deputy Mayor Michelle J. Teets (term on council ends December 31, 2024; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), John-Paul E. Couce (2024), Matthew S. Dickson (2022) and Sandra Lee Diglio (2022).Town Council
Town of Newton. Accessed August 2, 2022.

Sussex County, New Jersey, updated December 10, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.
Summary Report Newton Municipal Election May 8, 2018 Official Results
Sussex County Clerk, updated May 9, 2018. Accessed July 31, 2018.


Federal, state and county representation

Since 1762, Newton has been the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...
of Sussex County. It is the location of the county's administrative offices, court facilities, and county jail. The town is located in the 5th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.
and is part of New Jersey's 24th 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.
Sussex County is governed by a
Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Commissioner Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator. , Sussex County's Commissioners are Commissioner Director Anthony Fasano ( R,
Hopatcong Hopatcong ( ) is a borough in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 14,362, a decrease of 785 (−5.2%) from the 2010 census count of 15,147, which in turn reflecte ...
, term as commissioner and as commissioner director ends December 31, 2022), Deputy Director Chris Carney (R, Frankford Township, term as commissioner ends 2024; term as deputy director ends 2022), Dawn Fantasia (R, Franklin, 2024), Jill Space (R, Wantage Township, 2022; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Herbert Yardley (R, Stillwater Township, 2023). In May 2022, Jill Space was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Sylvia Petillo until she resigned from office. Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026), Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2022) and Surrogate
Gary R. Chiusano Gary R. Chiusano (born August 5, 1951) is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from January 8, 2008 until February 11, 2013, where he represented the 24th Legislative District. He resigned on ...
(R, Frankford Township, 2023). The County Administrator is Gregory V. Poff II, whose appointment expires in 2025.


Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 4,476 registered voters in Newton, of which 881 (19.7% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,537 (34.3% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,052 (45.8% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Sussex
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 24, 2013.
Among the town's 2010 Census population, 56.0% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 71.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,546 votes (50.9% vs. 59.4% 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 (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
with 1,395 votes (45.9% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 87 votes (2.9% vs. 2.1%), among the 3,038 ballots cast by the town's 4,645 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.4% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County). In the 2008 presidential election, 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 te ...
received 1,747 votes (54.8% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,359 votes (42.6% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 62 votes (1.9% vs. 1.5%), among the 3,189 ballots cast by the town's 4,418 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,903 votes (59.6% vs. 63.9% 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 1,220 votes (38.2% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 54 votes (1.7% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,191 ballots cast by the town's 4,359 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.3% of the vote (1,210 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 29.5% (531 votes), and other candidates with 3.2% (58 votes), among the 1,808 ballots cast by the town's 4,705 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 38.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,161 votes (57.0% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 620 votes (30.4% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 203 votes (10.0% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.7% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,037 ballots cast by the town's 4,323 registered voters, yielding a 47.1% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).


Law enforcement and public safety

Established in 1910, Newton has a municipal police department, currently under the leadership of its 11th Chief of Police, Robert E. Osborn Jr. Newton is also home to the Sussex County Sheriff's Office. A barracks for the New Jersey State Police is located in Augusta, New Jersey several miles north of Newton.


Education


Elementary and secondary schools

The
Newton Public School District The Newton Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Newton, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The district's enrollment includes ...
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 cen ...
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's enrollment includes high school students from Andover Borough and
Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andov ...
and
Green Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combin ...
townships, who attend the 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. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,546 students and 139.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1.District information for Newton Public 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 financ ...
. Accessed April 1, 2020.
Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the
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 financ ...
) are Merriam Avenue School with 475 students in grades Pre-K–4, Halsted Middle School with 345 students in grades 5–8 and Newton High School with 715 students in grades 9–12. Founded in 1956, the Saint Joseph's Regional School was a private school affiliated with parish of Newton's Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church and overseen by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson.About Us: 2015–2016 School Profile
St Joseph's Regional School, Newton, New Jersey, backed up by the
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
as of Match 4, 2016. Accessed September 17, 2018.
St Joseph's provided classes from pre-kindergarten (ages 3–5) to seventh-grade for a total enrollment of 140 students. The school closed in June 2016 and was one of four schools that merged into Reverend George Brown School in Sparta Township, New Jersey.


Higher education

Sussex County Community College Sussex County Community College (SCCC) is a public community college in the town of Newton in Sussex County, New Jersey. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and several of its programs are further accredited or ap ...
(commonly referred to as ''SCCC'') is an accredited,
co-ed Mixed-sex education, also known as mixed-gender education, co-education, or coeducation (abbreviated to co-ed or coed), is a system of education where males and females are educated together. Whereas single-sex education was more common up to t ...
ucational, two-year,
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
,
community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior s ...
located on a campus in Newton. The SCCC campus was formerly the site of Don Bosco College, a
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 ...
seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
operated by the Salesian Order from 1928 until it was closed in the early 1980s and its campus sold to the Sussex County government in June 1989 for $4.2 million. SCCC was authorized as a "college commission" in 1981 and began operations the following year. It became fully accredited in 1993 by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.Institution Directory: Sussex County Community College
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Accessed July 18, 2012.
SCCC offers 40
associate degree An associate degree is an undergraduate degree awarded after a course of post-secondary study lasting two to three years. It is a level of qualification above a high school diploma, GED, or matriculation, and below a bachelor's degree. Th ...
and 16 post-secondary
professional A professional is a member of a profession or any person who works in a specified professional activity. The term also describes the standards of education and training that prepare members of the profession with the particular knowledge and sk ...
and health science certificate programs available both at traditional classes at its campus, through hybrid and online classes, and through distance learning."Degrees, Programs and Certificates"
Sussex County Community College (Newton, NJ). Accessed August 2, 2013.
Many students who attend SCCC transfer to pursue the completion of their undergraduate college education at a four-year college or university. The college also offers programs for advanced high school students, community education courses, and programs in cooperation with the
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north ...
. The school had an enrollment of 3,012 students of which half attended full-time and half attended part-time.


Infrastructure


Roads and highways

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Sussex 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 ...
. Newton is located at the intersection of
U.S. Route 206 U.S. Route 206 (US 206) is a north–south United States highway in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, United States. Only about a half a mile (800 m) of its length is in Pennsylvania; the Milford–Montague Toll Bridge carries it over the D ...
(known within Newton as Woodside Avenue, Main Street, and Water Street), New Jersey Route 94 (known within Newton as High Street and Water Street), and County Route 519 (known within Newton as West End Avenue and Mill Street) and County Route 616 (known within Newton as Spring Street and Sparta Avenue). Interstate 80 is accessible approximately to the south.


Public transportation

The nearest NJ Transit rail station is Netcong, approximately to the south. Lakeland Bus Lines provides limited service between Newton and the
Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bus ...
in Midtown Manhattan. Local bus service is provided by the Skylands Connect bus, which connects to Sparta, Hamburg, and Sussex.


Aviation

Newton Airport Newton Airport was a privately owned, public-use airport three miles south of Newton, in Sussex County, New Jersey. It closed in 2013, after it was purchased for $3.5M by Public Service Electric & Gas Company to be used to stage electrical po ...
was a public-use
airport An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. Airports usually consists of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surfa ...
located south of the
central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...
. The airport closed in 2013.


Health care

Newton Memorial Hospital opened in the early 1930s during the
Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. The medical center was established using funds from a willed gift of $35,000 from Thomas Murray (to be specifically used to establish a hospital in Newton) and a $100,000 bequest from Clarence Linn. The hospital "is a short-term, fully accredited, 146-bed acute care, not-for-profit hospital serving more than 250,000 people in Warren and Sussex counties in New Jersey, Pike County in Pennsylvania and southern Orange County in New York." Newton Memorial Hospital was bought by Atlantic Health System and changed its name to Newton Medical Center in 2011.


Media


Newspapers

Newton is home to the editorial offices of ''
New Jersey Herald The ''New Jersey Herald'' is a newspaper published six days (Sunday-Friday) every week. Its headquarters are in Newton, New Jersey. It is the only daily newspaper published in Sussex County, New Jersey and one of the oldest in the state. It ha ...
'', the state's oldest newspaper, founded in 1829.


Radio and television

The town of Newton has three radio stations within its borders: WNNJ, on 103.7 FM, with a format of Rock, WRSK-LP on 95.7 FM from Sussex County Community College with a format of oldies/big band/country/polka and WTOC (AM), which serves Newton in Spanish at 1360 AM. WMBC-TV is licensed to Newton, but its studios are in West Caldwell, New Jersey and its transmitter is near Lake Hopatcong.


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Newton include: *
Danny Baugher Erle Daniel Baugher, IV (born January 24, 1984) is a former American football punter. He was signed by the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Arizona. Baugher was also a member of the New En ...
(born 1984), punter who played in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders *
Susanna Bokoyni Susanna Bokoyni (24 April 1879 – 24 August 1984), also known as "Princess Susanna", was a Hungarian centenarian and circus performer who was listed in Guinness World Records as the longest-lived dwarf on record. Early life and career Bo ...
(1879–1984), circus performer and oldest living little person on record * Will Bradley (1912–1989), trombonist * Johnny Budd (1899–1963), football player in the early NFL for the Frankford Yellow Jackets and the Pottsville Maroons *
Alex Cable Alex Cable is an American optical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur. He is the founder of optical equipment manufacturer Thorlabs. Early life and education Cable was born in Chester Borough, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Freehold Township, ...
, optical engineer, inventor and entrepreneur, who is the founder of optical equipment manufacturer
Thorlabs Thorlabs, Inc. is an American privately held optical equipment company headquartered in Newton, New Jersey. The company was founded in 1989 by Alex Cable, who serves as its current president and CEO. As of 2018, Thorlabs has annual sales of approxi ...
*
Henry J. B. Cummings Henry Johnson Brodhead Cummings (May 21, 1831 – April 16, 1909) was an American lawyer, Civil War officer, editor and publisher, and one-term Republican congressman from Iowa's 7th Congressional District. Early life Born in Newton, New ...
(1831–1909), member of the United States Congress who represented Iowa's 7th congressional district * Newman E. Drake (1860–1930), founder of Drake's bakery * Jeff Fogelson (1947–2018), athletic director at
Seton Hall University Seton Hall University (SHU) is a private Catholic research university in South Orange, New Jersey. Founded in 1856 by then-Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley and named after his aunt, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, Seton Hall is the oldest diocesa ...
from 1998 to 2006 * Janeane Garofalo (born 1964), actress and comedian * John W. Griggs (1849–1927), 27th
Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
who later served as
United States Attorney General The United States attorney general (AG) is the head of the United States Department of Justice, and is the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government of the United States. The attorney general serves as the principal advisor to the p ...
* Robert Hamilton (1809–1878), represented in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from 1873 to 1877 * James Howard (died 1879), soldier who was awarded the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of val ...
in 1865 for his actions in the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
* Ardolph L. Kline (1858–1930), represented Brooklyn in the United States House of Representatives from Brooklyn in 1921–1923 and served in 1913 as acting Mayor of New York City * Leonard LaRue (1914–2001), captain of the SS ''Meredith Victory'' who was involved in the largest humanitarian rescue operation by a single ship in human history *
Bruce Lawrence Bruce Bennett Lawrence is the Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Humanities Professor of Religion at Duke University. He has taught at Duke since 1971. Education A graduate of Fay School and Princeton University, with a Master of Divinity from Episcopal ...
(born 1941), Professor of Religion at
Duke University Duke University is a private research university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco and electric power industrialist Jam ...
* Mary Tuthill Lindheim (1912–2004), sculptor * Robert H. McCarter (1859–1948),
New Jersey Attorney General 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 limit ...
from 1903 to 1909 * Alison Littell McHose (born 1965), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2003 to 2015, where she represented the 24th Legislative District *
Henry W. Merriam Henry Wilson Merriam (20 June 1828 – 26 October 1900) was an American Industrialist and owner of the H. W. Merriam Shoe Company, a 19th- and early-20th century manufacturer of shoes for ladies and children founded in New York City, and after 1873 ...
(1828–1900), shoe manufacturer *
Andrew Napolitano Andrew Peter Napolitano (born June 6, 1950) is an American syndicated columnist whose work appears in numerous publications, including ''The Washington Times'' and ''Reason''. He was an analyst for Fox News, commenting on legal news and trials. ...
(born 1950), former New Jersey Superior Court judge, syndicated columnist, and a senior judicial analyst for
Fox News The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is o ...
. He owns a maple syrup
farm 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 use ...
in Newton *
Rodman M. Price Rodman McCamley Price (May 5, 1816June 7, 1894) was an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician who represented in the United States House of Representatives for one term from 1851–1853. He later served as the 17th governor of New Jer ...
(1816–1894), represented in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from 1851 to 1853, and served as the 17th
Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...
, from 1854 to 1857 * Andrew J. Rogers (1828–1900), represented in the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
from 1863 to 1867 * Red Strader (1902–1956), football player and coach * Matt Valenti (born 1984), two-time national champion wrestler for the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest- ...
who won the 133 pound weight class at the NCAA tournament in both 2006 and 2007 * Jenny Owen Youngs (born 1981), singer-songwriter


Points of interest

* Newton Cemetery * Newton Town Green * Old Newton Burial Ground is a historic cemetery that was the primary burial ground in the town for a century after its establishment in 1762. * Spring Street * Sussex County Courthouse – The original courthouse was constructed in 1765 and destroyed by fire in 1847. The structure was rebuilt in 1848. *
Sussex County Community College Sussex County Community College (SCCC) is a public community college in the town of Newton in Sussex County, New Jersey. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and several of its programs are further accredited or ap ...
** Horton Mansion on the SCCC campusThe Horton Mansion
Newton, NJ. Accessed February 24, 2013.


References


Notes


Citations


Reading list

*


External links

* {{Authority control 1864 establishments in New Jersey County seats in New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Populated places established in 1864 Populated places established in the 18th century Towns in Sussex County, New Jersey