Blairstown is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

in Warren County, in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 5,704, a decrease of 263 (−4.4%) from the 2010 census count of 5,967, which in turn reflected an increase of 220 (+3.8%) from the 5,747 counted in the 2000 census. The area had been known as Smith's Mill and was later called Butts Bridge (variously spelled as "Butt's Bridge" and "Butts' Bridge"), named for a family that owned the eponymous crossing of the

Paulins Kill The Paulins Kill (also known as Paulinskill River) is a tributary of the Delaware River in northwestern New Jersey in the United States. With a long-term median flow rate of 76 cubic feet of water per second (2.15 m3/s), it is New Jers ...

. Blairstown was incorporated as a township by an act of 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 ...

on April 14, 1845, from portions of Knowlton Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 245. Accessed September 19, 2012. The township was named for John Insley Blair.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, 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 U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...

, the township had a total area of 30.78 square miles (79.71 km²), including 29.89 square miles (77.41 km²) of land and 0.89 square miles (2.30 km²) of water (2.88%). The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the

Great Appalachian Valley The Great Appalachian Valley, also called The Great Valley or Great Valley Region, is one of the major landform features of eastern North America. It is a gigantic trough, including a chain of valley lowlands, and the central feature of the Appal ...

that stretches for from Canada to Alabama. Blairstown CDP (with a 2010 Census population of 515) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...

and

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) located within the township.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, p. III-5, August 2012. Accessed May 28, 2013. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Blair Lake, Cedar Lake, Cooks Pond, Jacksonburg, Kalaroma, Lake Susquehanna, Mount Vernon,

Paulina Paulina or Paullina (, ) is a common female given name Latin. Paulina was a name shared by the mother, sister, and niece of the Roman Emperor, Roman emperor Hadrian. Paulina Major, mother of Hadrian (Domitia) Paulina (or Paullina) Major (''Ma ...

, Vail and Walnut Valley. White Township borders the Warren County municipalities of Frelinghuysen Township, Hardwick Township, Hope Township and Knowlton Township.

Demographics

The township's economic data and that of Warren County is calculated by the

as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area, which also includes

Carbon Carbon () is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalence, tetravalent—meaning that its atoms are able to form up to four covalent bonds due to its valence shell exhibiting 4 ...

, Lehigh, and

Northampton Northampton ( ) is a town and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is the county town of Northamptonshire and the administrative centre of the Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority of West Northamptonshire. The town is sit ...

counties in eastern and northeastern

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 5,967 people, 2,124 households, and 1,703 families in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was 193.6 per square mile (74.7/km²). There were 2,272 housing units at an average density of 73.7 per square mile (28.5/km²). The racial makeup was 96.03% (5,730)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.12% (67) Black or African American, 0.12% (7) Native American, 1.14% (68) Asian, 0.00% (0)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.45% (27) from other races, and 1.14% (68) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.79% (226) of the population. Of the 2,124 households, 32.8% had children under the age of 18; 66.8% were married couples living together; 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.8% were non-families. Of all households, 15.8% were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.11. 23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 33.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two 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 of und ...

was $82,952 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,269) and the median family income was $92,063 (+/− $14,594). Males had a median income of $73,818 (+/− $7,161) versus $54,959 (+/− $13,254) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the borough was $38,393 (+/− $7,342). About 4.1% of families and 5.0% 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 8.1% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 5,747 people, 2,040 households, and 1,638 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 2,136 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 98.17%

, 0.26%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.14% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.02%

, 0.28% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Blairstown township, Warren County, New Jersey
,

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

. Accessed September 19, 2012. There were 2,040 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were

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

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.7% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.14. In the township the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.2 males. The median income for a household in the township was $64,809, and the median income for a family was $71,214. Males had a median income of $51,931 versus $33,646 for females. The

for the township was $27,775. About 3.0% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the

, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Blairstown is governed under the

Township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

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 tha ...

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 ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103. At a reorganization meeting held each year during the first week of January, the Committee members select one of their members to serve as Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor. , the Blairstown Township Committee consists of

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, 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 responsibilitie ...

Rob Moorhead ( R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024, term as mayor ends 2022),

Deputy Mayor The deputy mayor (also known as vice mayor and assistant mayor) is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official that is present in many local governments. Duties and functions Many elected deputy mayors are members of the loca ...

Walter Orcutt (R, term on committee ends 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2022), Charles Makatura (R, 2024), Giovanna "JoAnne" VanValkenburg (R, 2022) and Debra Waldron (R, 2023).Township Committee Members
Blairstown Township. Accessed February 28, 2022. "The Township of Blairstown is governed by the Township form of government, registered voters directly elect members of the five-member Township Committee. The Committee selects the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, from amongst themselves, annually at the reorganization meeting held annually on January first. It is at the reorganization meeting when newly elected members of the Committee are sworn-in and committee assignments are delegated and members of Board/Committee are appointed."Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results
Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results
Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally

Warren County, New Jersey Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. According to the 2020 census, the county was the state's 19th-most populous county,2022 Redistricting Plan

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...

, December 8, 2022. and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 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 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...

. Accessed September 1, 2023.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,294 registered voters in Blairstown Township, of which 707 (16.5% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,882 (43.8% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,702 (39.6% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Warren

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed June 2, 2013. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.0% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 94.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

received 1,654 votes (63.2% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

with 910 votes (34.8% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 28 votes (1.1% vs. 1.7%), among the 2,616 ballots cast by the township's 4,326 registered voters, for a turnout of 60.5% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

received 1,986 votes (60.7% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,192 votes (36.4% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.2% vs. 1.6%), among the 3,271 ballots cast by the township's 4,332 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.5% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

received 2,141 votes (65.8% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

with 1,068 votes (32.8% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.0% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,256 ballots cast by the township's 4,021 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.0% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 74.0% of the vote (1,335 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 23.7% (427 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (42 votes), among the 1,850 ballots cast by the township's 4,338 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,252 votes (63.5% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...

with 489 votes (24.8% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 180 votes (9.1% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.2% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,971 ballots cast by the township's 4,236 registered voters, yielding a 46.5% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county). Former mayors * 2021 – Rob Moorhead (R) * 2018–2020 – Stephen Lance (R) * 2014–2017 – Herman Shoemaker (R) * 2013 – Richard Mach (R) * 2012 – Frank Anderson (R) * 2009–2011 – Richard Mach (R) * 2006–2008 – Stephen Lance (R) * 2005 – Alfred Handy (R) * 2004 – George Joest (R) * 2003 – William Horsey (R) * 2002 – George Joest (R) * 2001 – William Seal (R) * 2000 – Jane Santini (D) * 1999 – Joseph DiGrazia (R) * 1998 – Anita Ardia (I) * 1996–1997 – Franklin D Shotwell (R) * 1995 – Charles Eble (R) * 1990–1994 – Walter Orcutt (R) * 1989 – Frank Kelly (D) * 1988 – Howard Mott Sr. (D) Former committee members * 2021–2023 – Walter Orcutt (R) * 2019–2021 – Steven Sikkes (R) * 2019–2021 – Rob Moorhead (R) * 2017–2023 – Debra Waldron (R) * 2016–2018 – Cynthia Dalton (R) * 2015–2022 – JoAnne VanValkenburg (R) * 2015 – Harold Price (R) * 2014–2015 – Susan Price (R) * 2013–2018 – Paul Avery (R) * 2012–2017 – Herman Shoemaker (R) * 2007–2012 – William Seal (R) * 2006–2011 – Sal Lascari (R) * 2006–2020 – Stephen Lance (R) * 2005–2015 – Frank Anderson (R) * 2005–2013 – Richard Mach (R) * 2004–2006 – Gary Stevens (R) * 2003–2005 – Alfred Handy (R) * 2003–2005 – Raymond Davis (R) * 2002–2004 – William Horsey (R) * 2001–2005 – George Joest (R) * 2001–2003 – JoAnne VanValkenburg (I) * 1998–2001 – William Seal (R) * 1997–2002 – Jane Santini (D) * 1997–2002 – Anita Ardia (I) * 1995–1997 – Fred Cook (D) * 1995–1997 – Charles Eble (R) * 1992–1994 – Robert Rokosz (R) * 1990–1992 – Anthony Hipple (R) * 1989–1994 – Walter Orcutt (R) * 1988–1993 – Robert McElroy (D) * 1984–1986 – George Wilhelm (R) * 1981–1987 – Carl Race (R) * 1979–1987 – Sal Simonetti (R) * 1978–1983 – Elwyn Barker (R) * 1975–1979 – Howard Mott Sr. (D) * 1968–1989 – Frank Kelly (D)

Education

The Blairstown Township School District serves public school 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

sixth grade Sixth grade (also 6th grade or grade 6) is the sixth year of formal or compulsory education. Students in sixth grade are usually 11-12 years old. It is commonly the first or second grade of middle school or the last grade of elementary school, an ...

at the Blairstown Elementary School.''Warren County 2022-2023 Public School Directory''

Warren County, New Jersey Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. According to the 2020 census, the county was the state's 19th-most populous county,Hardwick Township, a non-operating school district attend Blairstown Elementary School. As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 435 students and 42.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 10.4:1.District information for Blairstown Elementary Township School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed December 1, 2022. Students in seventh through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...

s for public school attend the North Warren Regional High School in Blairstown, a public secondary high school, serving students from the townships of Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick and Knowlton. As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 658 students and 56.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 11.6:1. Ridge and Valley Charter School, a K–8

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

founded in 2004 that is focused on Earth literacy and sustainable living, is located in neighboring Frelinghuysen Township. The school also serves (and grants admission priority to) students from Frelinghuysen, Hardwick and Knowlton Townships, who attend the school without cost to the parents. Students from the township and from all of Warren County are also eligible to attend Warren County Technical School in Washington borough (for 9–12), with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township (for PreK–12). Students from across the world attend Blair Academy, a private boarding school for students in grades 9–12 established in 1848 by philanthropist John Insley Blair.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Warren County and by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one of the ori ...

(the Bergen-Passaic Expressway) passes through the southern part of the township for without any interchanges, and is accessible via Route 94 and CR 521 in neighboring Knowlton and

Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...

townships, respectively. Route 94 passes for runs east–west through the center of the township while County Route 521 passes through in the eastern section.

Airport

Blairstown Airport (1N7) is located southwest of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center 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 wit ...

. The airport serves small planes and gliders.

Railroads

The Lackawanna Cut-Off, a high-speed, double-track railway line that stretches for , was constructed by the

Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, also known as the DL&W or Lackawanna Railroad, was a U.S. Class 1 railroad that connected Buffalo, New York, and Hoboken, New Jersey, and by ferry with New York City, a distance of . The railroad was ...

between 1908 and 1911, opening for service on December 24, 1911. It ran west from Port Morris, New Jersey to Slateford, Pennsylvania and passed through Blairstown. The DL&W RR merged with the

Erie Railroad The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Northeastern United States, originally connecting Pavonia Terminal in Jersey City, New Jersey, with Lake Erie at Dunkirk, New York. The railroad expanded west to Chicago following its 1865 ...

on October 17, 1960, to form the

Erie Lackawanna Railroad The Erie Lackawanna Railway , known as the Erie Lackawanna Railroad until 1968, was formed from the 1960 merger of the Erie Railroad and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad. The official motto of the line was "The Friendly Service Route ...

. Due to declining revenues, passenger service over the Lackawanna Cut-Off was discontinued on January 6, 1970, and freight service ceased in 1979, just three years after the E-L was absorbed into the Consolidated Railroad Corporation (

Conrail Conrail , formally the Consolidated Rail Corporation, was the primary Class I railroad in the Northeastern United States between 1976 and 1999. The trade name Conrail is a portmanteau based on the company's legal name. It continues to do busine ...

). The tracks remained relatively-dormant until 1984, when the property was sold to a developer and the rails were removed. The right-of-way is now the property of the State of New Jersey, and plans are underway for the restoration of rail service in the future. As part of restoring train service by

New Jersey Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. It ...

via the Lackawanna Cut-Off, $61 million had been secured to restore railbed and tracks of the former railroad, with passenger service anticipated to be restored in 2026 or 2027. Blairstown's poured concrete passenger and freight stations still stand, although privately owned. The restored service plans include a stop at the Blairstown station as part of extension of Amtrak service to the Poconos and

Scranton, Pennsylvania Scranton is a city in and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Scranton is the most populous city in Northeastern Pennsylvania and the ...

. Blairstown was also served by a second railroad, the Blairstown Railway. The short line, a personal project of the local industrial magnate John Insley Blair, was constructed in 1876 from Blairstown to Delaware Township, where it connected with the Old Main Line of the Lackawanna RR. The Blairstown Railway was absorbed by the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad in 1882 as it built west to the coal fields of Pennsylvania. The NYS&W also operated passenger service between Blairstown and New York (via Jersey City, NJ) until 1935. A third railroad, the

Lehigh and New England Railroad The Lehigh and New England Railroad was a Class I railroad located in Northeastern United States that acted as a bridge line. It was the second notable U.S. railroad to file for abandonment in its entirety after the New York, Ontario and Weste ...

, operated through Blairstown via trackage rights over the NYS&W between Swartswood Junction and Hainesburg Junction until October 31, 1961, when the L&NE was abandoned. With the loss of L&NE trackage rights revenues and little local business to sustain the line, the NYS&W also abandoned its line through Blairstown shortly thereafter, and the tracks were removed in 1962. The right-of-way today has been preserved by the State of New Jersey as the long Paulinskill Valley Trail.

Landmarks

* Blairstown Historic District was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 2007. With *Historic Blairstown Theater (also known as Roy's Hall) was built in 1913 as a silent movie house. The building was restored and painted blue in 2005 and is the centerpiece of Blairstown's vintage Main Street, surrounded by charming shops, galleries and restaurants. The HBT features a regular schedule of live music and theatrical performances, classic film and community events. *The Blairstown Museum is a private, non-profit corporation organized under New Jersey law managed by a Board of Directors and housed in a 19th-century building, known as the last remaining structure of "Roy's Row". The Museum is the only general history and cultural museum for the Township of Blairstown. It cares for over 2,000 items that illustrate the history of the township and its inhabitants, including former resident and namesake John Insley Blair.

Gallery

File:Old Academy Building, Blair Academy, NJ.jpg, The Old Academy Building of the Blair Academy File:26 East Avenue, Blairstown, NJ.jpg, Queen Anne/Stick style house in the Blairstown Historic District File:Royshall.jpg, Painted bright blue, historic Roy's Hall is a highlight of Blairstown's Main Street. File:26 Main Street, Blairstown, NJ.jpg, Blairstown Museum

Popular culture

* Scenes from the horror film '' Friday the 13th'' were filmed on Blairstown's Main Street, and at the Blairstown Diner on Route 94; the Boy Scout camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in adjacent Hardwick Township was the site for Camp Crystal Lake. * The body of Dawn Olanick, formerly known as 'Princess Doe' was discovered at the Cedar Ridge Cemetery in Blairstown on July 15, 1982. She became the first unidentified body entered into the FBI's

NCIC The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is the United States' central database for tracking crime-related information. The NCIC has been an information sharing tool since 1967. It is maintained by the Criminal Justice Information Services ...

computer system. * Scenes from the horror film ''Plasterhead'' were filmed at the Blairstown Diner on Route 94 as part of an homage by the filmmakers to ''Friday the 13th''.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Blairstown include: * Cathy Bao Bean (born 1942), lives in neighboring Frelinghuysen Township, author of ''The Chopsticks-Fork Principle: A Memoir and Manual'' * Bennett Bean (born 1941), studio potter, lives in neighboring Frelinghuysen Township * Robert A. Belet (1914–1942),

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...

master technical sergeant who was awarded the

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against a ...

for his actions in the

Guadalcanal Campaign The Guadalcanal campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by the United States, was an Allies of World War II, Allied offensive against forces of the Empire of Japan in the Solomon Islands during th ...

* DeWitt Clinton Blair (1833–1915), son of John Insley Blair * John Insley Blair (1802–1899), entrepreneur, railroad magnate, and Blairstown's most famous citizen. Gravel Hill was renamed Blairstown after Blair in 1839 *

Anthony D'Amato Anthony D'Amato (born November 27, 1987), is an American songwriter and singer. His latest album is 2022's ''At First There Was Nothing.'' Biography D'Amato grew up in Blairstown, New Jersey, and attended Blair Academy on a scholarship. His fa ...

(born 1987), songwriter and singer * John A. Haggerty (1841–1910), Wisconsin legislator and businessman who was born in Blairstown * David T. Little (born 1978), composer * Nancy Overton (1926–2009), singer best known for her work with

The Chordettes The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet, specializing in traditional pop music. They are best known for their 1950s hit singles " Mr. Sandman" and " Lollipop", both of which sold over a million copies. Career The group organized i ...

Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...

(1942–2013), musician, singer, songwriter and record producer, lived in neighboring Hardwick Township * Isaac Wildrick (1803–1892), represented in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from 1849 to 1853Isaac Wildrick
''

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress The ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress'' (Bioguide) is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress and its predecessor, the Continental Congress. Also included are Delegates fr ...

''. Accessed September 1, 2007.

References

External links

Blairstown Township website
{{Geographic Location (8-way) , Centre =Blairstown Township , North = Hardwick Township , Northeast = , East = Frelinghuysen Township , Southeast = , South = Hope Township , Southwest = Knowlton Township , West = , Northwest = , image = 1845 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1845 Township form of New Jersey government Townships in New Jersey Townships in Warren County, New Jersey