Fort Towson

Franklin Township is a township in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 68,364,[9][10] an increase of 6,064 (+9.7%) from the 2010 census count of 62,300,[23][24] which in turn reflected an increase of 11,397 (+22.4%) from the 50,903 counted in the 2000 census.[25] The township was the state's 19th most-populous municipality in 2020, after being ranked 22nd in 2010.[26]

Traditionally a farming community, it has become a fast-growing suburb with massive development in the later 20th and 21st centuries as a diverse blend of races, religions, and cultures. In 2008, Franklin Township ranked #5 on Money magazine's list of America's Top 100 Best Places to Live.[27]

What is now Franklin Township was originally formed circa 1745 as Eastern precinct. Franklin Township was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form South Bound Brook (formed within Township, became independent municipality as of April 11, 1907) and East Millstone (February 18, 1873, returned to Franklin Township on December 31, 1949).[28]

History

It has been unclear if the township was named for founding father Benjamin Franklin or for his illegitimate son William Franklin, a Loyalist and the last Royal Governor of New Jersey (from 1763 to 1776). In 2000, after considering the evidence set forth by William B. Brahms in his books Images of America: Franklin Township (1997)[29] and Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History,[30] and The Case for William Franklin and The Case for Benjamin Franklin, the Township Council chose the theory that the township was indeed named for Benjamin Franklin.[31][32]

Franklin Township was very much a part of Revolutionary War history and the scene of many raiding parties along Route 27, then known as the King's Highway. Two British generals, Cornwallis and DeHeister, tried to lure General George Washington and his Continental Army into battle on the plains of Middlebush and East Millstone. Washington, however, kept his troops at Chimney Rock, just north of Franklin, until the British withdrew. Several of the prosperous Middlebush farms were destroyed by the British soldiers during their retreat. In 1777, near the mill on the Millstone River at Weston, the Continental Army and local militia engaged and successfully drove off a British foraging party of about 600 troops, sent out of New Brunswick by General Cornwallis. On November 2, 1783, Washington composed his farewell address to the army while staying at Rockingham near Rocky Hill.[33]

The construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the 1830s, stretching 22 miles (35 km) to connect New York City and Philadelphia, led to significant growth in the township, with as much as 200,000 tons of goods shipped on barges using the canal by the 1860s. The rise of shipping commercial goods using railroads led to a substantial decline in canal traffic.[34] The area has been restored as the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park[35]

The Van Wickle House, located next to the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the Somerset section of the township, in between New Brunswick and South Bound Brook, was built in 1722 by Dutch settlers and is now owned by Franklin Township and leased by the Meadows Foundation. Set back behind Easton Avenue, the home adjoins the Rutgers Preparatory School and a Revolutionary War-era graveyard.[36]

Passenger and freight railroad service was available in Franklin Township during the later half of the 19th century via the Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad (M&NB) which opened in 1854. The railroad was built and operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR), from a junction with the PRR mainline at Jersey Avenue in New Brunswick to East Millstone. The M&NB is now known as the Conrail Millstone Secondary Branch. The branch line was still operated by Conrail up to just west of Clyde Road in Somerset for a time, serving local industry in the industrial section of Somerset.[37] As of 2011, Hermann Warehouse Corp re-located out of the Clyde Road facility and there has not been rail service into that building since then. A bumper was placed east of the Somerset Road/Route 27 crossing, with Clyde Road, Veronica Avenue and Route 27 crossings currently out of service. Jersey Avenue/Route 91 remains the sole active crossing on the line.

In 1922, the infamous Hall-Mills Murder took place in Franklin Township, in the area adjacent to New Brunswick known as Somerset.[38]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 46.88 square miles (121.43 km2), including 46.17 square miles (119.58 km2) of land and 0.71 square miles (1.85 km2) of water (1.52%).[1][2]

The community is approximately 75% rural.[39]

The township borders the municipalities of Bridgewater Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville, Millstone, Montgomery Township, Rocky Hill and South Bound Brook in Somerset County; Princeton in Mercer County; New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Piscataway and South Brunswick in Middlesex County.[40][41][42]

Communities

The D&R Canal in Griggstown during the Autumn months

The following are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Franklin Township:[43][44][45]

Other unincorporated communities, localities, and place names located partially or completely within the township include Hamilton Park and Rockingham.[citation needed][63]

Ecology

According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Franklin Township would have an Appalachian Oak (104) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (25) vegetation form.[64]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
17902,068
18102,539
18203,07121.0%
18303,3529.2%
18403,87815.7%
18503,062−21.0%
18603,59917.5%
18703,9128.7%
18803,147*−19.6%
18902,478−21.3%
19002,398−3.2%
19102,395*−0.1%
19202,95523.4%
19305,67592.0%
19405,9124.2%
19509,601*62.4%
196019,858106.8%
197030,38953.0%
198031,3583.2%
199042,78036.4%
200050,90319.0%
201062,30022.4%
202068,3649.7%
2022 (est.)68,578[9][11]0.3%
Population sources:
1790–1920[65] 1840[66] 1850–1870[67]
1850[68] 1870[69] 1880–1890[70]
1890–1910[71] 1910–1930[72] 1920–1940[73]
1940–2000[74] 2000[75][76]
2010[23][24] 2020[9][10]
* = Territory change in previous decade.[28]

2020 census

Franklin township, Somerset County, New Jersey – Racial and Ethnic Composition
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[77] Pop 2020[78] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 24,198 21,405 38.84% 31.28%
Black or African American alone (NH) 15,888 16,531 25.50% 24.18%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 102 95 0.16% 0.14%
Asian alone (NH) 12,410 15,835 19.93% 23.13%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 8 13 0.01% 0.02%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 223 483 0.36% 0.71%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 1,421 2,064 2.28% 3.02%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8,050 11,938 12.92% 17.53%
Total 62,300 68,364 100.00% 100.00%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 62,300 people, 23,301 households, and 15,938 families in the township. The population density was 1,350.0 per square mile (521.2/km2). There were 24,426 housing units at an average density of 529.3 per square mile (204.4/km2). The racial makeup was 44.76% (27,887) White, 26.55% (16,539) Black or African American, 0.29% (183) Native American, 19.98% (12,450) Asian, 0.01% (9) Pacific Islander, 5.11% (3,183) from other races, and 3.29% (2,049) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.92% (8,050) of the population.[23]

Of the 23,301 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18; 53.3% were married couples living together; 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.6% were non-families. Of all households, 25.7% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.19.[23]

22.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.5 males.[23]

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $89,992 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,918) and the median family income was $103,060 (+/− $3,429). Males had a median income of $66,178 (+/− $2,448) versus $54,733 (+/− $2,427) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $40,036 (+/− $1,203). About 3.2% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.[79]

2000 census

The Somerset neighborhood, one of the largest neighborhoods in the township

As of the 2000 United States census[20] there were 50,903 people, 19,355 households, and 12,987 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,088.3 inhabitants per square mile (420.2/km2). There were 19,789 housing units at an average density of 423.1 per square mile (163.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 55.11% White, 25.98% African American, 0.18% Native American, 12.74% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.56% from other races, and 2.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.11% of the population.[75][76]

There were 19,355 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14.[75][76]

In the township, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.[75][76]

The median income for a household in the township was $67,923, and the median income for a family was $78,177. Males had a median income of $52,351 versus $41,101 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,209. About 3.1% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.[75][76]

Parks and recreation

Parks in the township include:

  • The William L. Hutcheson Memorial Forest is a 500-acre (2.0 km2) natural preserve administered by Rutgers University that includes a 65-acre (260,000 m2) virgin old-growth forest designated a National Natural Landmark, and is located at 2150 Amwell Road (Route 514) about 34 mile (1.2 km) east of East Millstone.[80]
  • Colonial Park, part of the Somerset County Park System, is a 685.5-acre (2.774 km2) facility located in the western portion of Franklin Township near East Millstone with entrances off Mettlers Lane and Elizabeth Avenue. The park offers many recreational activities, including picnicking, hiking, biking, fishing, paddle boating, golf, and tennis. It features a 144-acre (0.58 km2) Arboretum, "a living tree museum" that provides a wide range of examples of trees and shrubs that grow well in the Central Jersey environment.[81] The park also offers a 3-acre (12,000 m2) leash-free dog area, a 1.4-mile (2.3 km) fitness parcourse, paddleboat rentals, an 18-hole putting course, the 18 hole championship Spooky Brook Golf Course, 3 stocked fishing ponds, softball fields, a tennis center, playground, nature trail, a 5-acre (20,000 m2) Perennial Garden, the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden, an accredited All-America Rose Selections (AARS) display garden, and the Fragrance and Sensory Garden, designed to be of special interest to visitors who are visually or physically impaired.[82]
  • A portion of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park runs for 22 miles (35 km) along much of the northern and western borders of Franklin Township eventually making its way as far south as Trenton with a feeder canal following the Delaware River north for another 22 miles (35 km) to Bull's Island near Frenchtown. The canal and adjacent tow path offer many recreational activities, from hiking and biking to fishing and boating. Access points with parking can be found near most road crossings of the canal, via bridges at Colonial Park (see above) and the Van Wickle House (see below) in Franklin Township as well as at many of the locks on the canal.[83]
  • The John W. Flemer Preserve is a 7.4-acre (30,000 m2) preserve adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal in Kingston that features a 2-mile (3.2 km) trail on the east bank of the Canal that offers a connection to the tow path on the west side of the Canal for a round trip hike.[84]
  • The Negri-Nepote Native Grassland Preserve is a 164-acre (0.66 km2) preserve located between Bennets Lane and Skillmans Lane in the Somerset section that features 111-acre (0.45 km2) of grassland, forest, and scrubland and a 2.5-acre (10,000 m2) wetland attracting migratory birds and amphibians with over 3 miles (4.8 km) of pedestrian trails, bird boxes and interpretive signage.[85]
  • Six Mile Run Reservoir Site, part of the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry, is located in the central portion of Franklin Township. The 3,037-acre (12.29 km2) park consists of land that was set aside in c. 1970 for water resource needs that still remains largely undeveloped and that offers numerous multi-use recreational trails. Access is provided via the former D&R Canal Main Office parking area off Canal Road just south of Blackwells Mills Road.[86]
  • Ten Mile Run Greenway is a 684-acre (2.77 km2) greenway over 4 miles (6.4 km) in length running between Canal Road south of Bunker Hill Road in Griggstown and S. Middlebush Road near Old Vliet Road in Franklin Park. It runs along the Ten Mile Run. It features four sections including:
    • Bunker Hill Natural Area, accessed from the north side of Bunker Hill Road near the intersection of Route 27, features trails through mature forest and meadows and along Ten Mile Run stream. Trails connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the Catalpa Farm areas.
    • Catalpa Farm, on Old Vliet Road, offers trails along field edges and a small forest that connect to the Bunker Hill Natural Area.
    • Environmental Education Center, 255 Bunker Hill Road (parking is available at 287 Bunker Hill Road), is a 95-acre (38 ha) area that features a deciduous forest known as Graeber Woods, a one-mile (1.6 km) self-guided nature trail, the "Glass House", a home that has been renovated and is now used as a classroom and conference center to provide a wide range of instructional, hands-on activities in natural habitats, and a 20' climbing tower and a high ropes course adventure area. The Environmental Education Center is a cooperative effort of the Township of Franklin, the Franklin Township Board of Education, and the Green Acres Program. A trail connect to the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve and the rest of the Ten Mile Run Greenway.
    • Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve accessed from Canal Road in Griggstown (1091 Canal Road) has over 100 acres (0.40 km2) of grassland and hundreds of acres of forest and features over 6 miles (9.7 km) of mapped trails. Trails connect to the other sections of the Ten Mile Run Greenway.[87]

Government

Local government

The Township of Franklin is chartered under the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, within the Council-Manager, Plan D.[7][88][89] The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.[90] The Township Council is comprised of nine members. The Mayor is elected directly from the township at-large. The Township Council is comprised of one member from each of the five wards and three elected from the township at-large. The Mayor is the Chief Legislative Officer of the township and is elected by the voters to serve for a four-year term. The Township Manager is the chief executive officer overseeing the township's daily operations and is hired by and serves at the pleasure of the Township Council. Councilmembers are chosen for a four-year term in partisan elections held at the June Primary and November General Elections in odd-numbered years, with the five ward seats coming up for election together and the mayoral and at-large seats up for election two years later.[91]

As of 2022, the Mayor of Franklin Township is Democrat Phillip Kramer, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Township Council are Deputy Mayor Crystal Pruitt (D; At-Large, 2023), Sivaraman Anbarasan (D; At-Large, 2023), Kimberly Francois (D; At-Large, 2023), Charles Onyejiaka (D; 3rd Ward, 2025), Ed Potosnak (D; 1st Ward, 2025), Shepa Uddin (D; 2nd Ward, 2025), James Vassanella (D; 5th Ward, 2025) and Carl R.A. Wright (D; 4th Ward, 2025).[3][92][93][94][95][96]

In the November 2015 general election, Phillip Kramer became the first Democrat directly elected as Mayor in the township's history, resulting in the Mayor and entire council being from the Democratic Party.[97] This marked a transition that started in 1995, when the council was controlled 8 to 1 by the Republican Party.[citation needed] In January 2016, the Township Council selected Charles Onyejiaka from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Third Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that was vacated by Philip Kramer when he took office as mayor; Onyejiaka will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a candidate to fill the one-year balance of the term of office.[98]

In January 2015, the Township Council chose Chris Kelly from among three candidates offered by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat of Brian D. Levine, who had resigned from his council seat to take office on the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders.[99]

In 1998, the township approved a referendum by a better than 2–1 margin to raise property taxes by 3 cents per $100 of assessed valuation, with the money to be used to preserve open space.[39]

Federal, state and county representation

Franklin Township is located in the 12th Congressional District[100] and is part of New Jersey's 17th state legislative district.[101][102][103] Prior to the 2010 Census, Franklin Township had been split between the 6th Congressional District and the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.[104]

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).[105][106] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)[107] and Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs, term ends 2025).[108][109]

For the 2024-2025 session, the 17th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Bob Smith (D, Piscataway) and in the General Assembly by Joseph Danielsen (D, Franklin Township) and Kevin Egan (D, New Brunswick).[110]

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of County Commissioners, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held on the first Friday of January, the board selects a Director and deputy director from among its members.[111] As of 2024, Somerset County's County Commissioners are:

Director Shanel Robinson (D, Franklin Township, 2024),[112] Melonie Marano (D, Green Brook Township, 2025),[113] Paul Drake (D, Hillsborough Township, 2026),[114] Douglas Singleterry (D, North Plainfield, 2026)[115] and Deputy Director Sara Sooy (D, Bernards Township, 2024).[116][117][118][119][120]

Constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are: Clerk Steve Peter (D, Somerville, 2027),[121][122] Sheriff Darrin Russo (D, Franklin Township, 2025)[123][124] and Surrogate Bernice "Tina" Jalloh (D, Franklin Township, 2025)[125][126][119]

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 36,240 registered voters in Franklin Township, of which 13,993 (38.6% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 4,962 (13.7% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 17,262 (47.6% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 23 voters registered to the Libertarian Party or other parties.[127] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 58.2% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 74.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).[127][128]

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.2% of the vote (19,611 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 27.7% (7,640 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (288 votes), among the 27,718 ballots cast by the township's 39,291 registered voters (179 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.5%.[129][130] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 19,442 votes (70.0% vs. 52.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 7,951 votes (28.6% vs. 46.1%) and other candidates with 246 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 27,776 ballots cast by the township's 35,508 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County).[131] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 14,737 votes (64.2% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 7,913 votes (34.5% vs. 51.5%) and other candidates with 211 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 22,962 ballots cast by the township's 28,743 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.9% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).[132]

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 51.7% of the vote (8,178 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 46.9% (7,420 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (209 votes), among the 16,108 ballots cast by the township's 40,155 registered voters (301 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%.[133][134] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 9,369 ballots cast (53.0% vs. 34.1% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 6,842 votes (38.7% vs. 55.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 1,180 votes (6.7% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 137 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 17,679 ballots cast by the township's 36,033 registered voters, yielding a 49.1% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).[135]

Franklin vote by party
in presidential elections
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2020 72.8% 25,587 25.7% 9,040 1.1% 396
2016 71.1% 21,375 26.0% 7,818 2.9% 860
2012 71.2% 19,611 27.7% 7,640 1.0% 288
2008 70.0% 19,442 28.6% 7,951 0.9% 246
2004 64.2% 14,737 34.5% 7,913 0.9% 211

Education

The Franklin Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.[136] As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 10 schools, had an enrollment of 7,150 students and 703.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1.[137] Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[138]) are Claremont Elementary School[139] (665 students; in grades Pre-K–5), Conerly Road School[140] (400; Pre-K–5), Elizabeth Avenue School[141] (493; Pre-K–5), Franklin Park School[142] (664; Pre-K–5), Hillcrest School[143] (436; Pre-K–5), MacAfee Road School[144] (381; Pre-K–5), Pine Grove Manor School[145] (331; Pre-K–5), Franklin Middle School at Hamilton Street Campus[146] (706; 6–8), Franklin Middle School at Sampson G. Smith Campus[147] (797; 6–8) and Franklin High School[148] (2,146; 9–12).[149][150][151]

Central Jersey College Prep Charter School is a comprehensive public charter middle school / high school serving students in grades 6–12 that aims to prepare all graduates for admission to a four-year university.[152] In 2016, the school was one of ten schools in New Jersey, and the only charter school, recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the United States Department of Education.[153] As of the 2018–2019 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 820 students and 73.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.2:1.[154]

Rutgers Preparatory School, a private day school founded in 1766, is located in Franklin Township and occupies a 35-acre campus between Easton Avenue and the Raritan River. The state's oldest independent school, RPS moved to Franklin Township in 1957.[155]

Saint Matthias School is a parochial elementary school founded in 1962 that serves students in preschool through eighth grade and operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.[156][157]

Cedar Hill Preparatory School, a Pre-K–8 school founded in 2003 as Oakcrest Academy,[158] was one of eight private schools recognized in 2017 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program as an Exemplary High Performing School by the United States Department of Education.[159]

Historic district

The Kingston Mill Historic District is a 49-acre (20 ha) historic district encompassing the community of Kingston, New Jersey (which is bounded by Franklin Township in Somerset County, Princeton in Mercer County, and South Brunswick in Middlesex County). In 1683, Henry Greenland built the first tavern here for travelers between New York City and Philadelphia. The current Kingston Mill, also known as the Kingston Gristmill, was built in 1888, the third one at this site. In 1755, Jacob Skilman built a gristmill and sawmill here on the Millstone River, located along the historic King's Highway. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1986 for its significance in engineering, exploration/settlement, industry, and transportation. The district includes 16 contributing buildings and 2 contributing structures.[160]

Infrastructure

Emergency services

Fire companies

Franklin Township is served by 10 all-volunteer Fire Departments in four fire districts.[161]

  • Community Fire Company / Station 25 (District 3)[162]
  • Elizabeth Ave. Fire Company / Station 26 (District 1)[163]
  • East Franklin Fire Department / Station 27 (District 3)[164]
  • Middlebush Fire Department / Station 44 (District 1)[165]
  • Millstone Valley Fire Company / Station 28 (District 1)[166]
  • Franklin Park Fire Department / Station 31 (District 2)[167]
  • Griggstown Fire Company / Station 35 (District 2)[168]
  • Kingston Fire Company / Station 39 (District 4)[169]
  • Little Rocky Hill Fire Company / Station 41 (District 2)[170]
  • Somerset Fire & Rescue Company #1 / Station 56 (District 1)[171]
First aid squads

Franklin Township is served by four volunteer First Aid and Rescue Squads and one hospital-based EMS provider[172]

  • East Millstone First Aid Squad[173] / Station 52
  • Franklin Somerset First Aid Squad[174] / Station 71 (Permanently closed)
  • Rocky Hill First Aid & Rescue Squad[175] / Station 53
  • Kendall Park First Aid & Rescue Squad[176]
  • Kingston First Aid & Rescue Squad / Station 72
  • Robert Wood Johnson EMS (Paid EMS through Municipal Contract)[177]

Transportation

Roads and highways

Interstate 287 northbound in Franklin Township

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 260.12 miles (418.62 km) of roadways, of which 216.72 miles (348.78 km) were maintained by the municipality, 34.67 miles (55.80 km) by Somerset County and 8.73 miles (14.05 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[178]

Interstate 287 is the most significant highway within the township. It runs through the northern part of the township with two interchanges.[179] Route 27 runs along the border between New Brunswick, and the townships of South Brunswick and North Brunswick.[180] Some of the major county routes that are in the township are CR 514,[181] CR 518[182] and CR 527.[183]

The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) passes outside the township in both neighboring South Brunswick and New Brunswick, but the closest interchanges are two towns away in Edison (Exit 10), East Brunswick Township (Exit 9) and Monroe Township (Exit 8A).

Franklin Township was to house the northern end of the Somerset Freeway at I-287 back in 1964 until it was later proposed to end in Piscataway. An additional spur, Interstate 695, was also proposed as part of the project. This road was to complete Interstate 95 at the proposed southern end in Hopewell Township at I-95 and I-295. However the entire project was ultimately cancelled in 1982.

Public transportation

Somerset County offers DASH routes 851 and 852, providing service to Franklin Township from Bound Brook, New Brunswick and North Brunswick.[184] Additionally, the CAT 1R provides service to Raritan Valley Community College, passing through Bound Brook, Somerville, and Raritan.[185][186]

Commuter bus service to Midtown Manhattan is offered by commuter transportation company OurBus, during peak hours, with service at Kendall Park to and from New York City.[187]

Utilities

Gas and electricity are provided by PSE&G. Water comes from the Delaware and Raritan Canal from water bought from American Water and neighboring North Brunswick and New Brunswick in Middlesex County. In 2011, the township considered privatizing the system and awarding the contract to United Water.[188] Sewerage service is provided by the Township of Franklin Sewerage Authority.

Points of interest

  • The Blackwells Mills Canal House, located at Blackwells Mills Road and Canal Road (598 Canal Road, Somerset) on the Delaware and Raritan Canal, was built c. 1830s, at the same time as the canal. It was constructed to house the bridge tender, who would open the swing bridge when canal boats came through, then close it to allow traffic to cross over the canal. The building is leased from the State and is maintained and operated by the Blackwells Mills Canal House Association in conjunction with the Meadows Foundation.[189]
  • The Franklin Inn, at 2371 Amwell Road (Route 514), East Millstone, NJ a farmhouse built c. 1752 by Cornelius Van Liew, it has also been known as Annie Van Liew's House and, after being remodeled into a tavern and inn, the Franklin House Hotel.[190]
  • The Hageman Farm, at 209 South Middlebush Road, is a c. 1861 historic farm. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation.[191]
  • Rockingham State Historic Site, near Kingston on CR 603 (Somerset County), adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. George Washington wrote his Farewell Address to the Revolutionary Army while staying here in the fall of 1783.[192][193]
  • Spieden & Hoebel Farms, Little Valley Natural Area is a 120-acre (0.49 km2) area at 1327 and 1345 Canal Road with several miles of trails through forest and along field edges. Across Canal Road is access to the Delaware and Raritan Canal tow path and the Millstone River and flood plain.
  • Tulipwood, at 1165 Hamilton Street, is a c. 1892 designed by J. August Lienau, the son of Detlef Lienau for his brother-in-law Stephen Guion Williams whose family owned the Williams & Guion Black Star Line. The home is owned by Franklin Township.[194]
  • The Ukrainian Cultural Center at 135 Davidson Avenue, serves as the headquarters of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and includes the following at the site (some open by appointment only):
    • St. Sophia Seminary and Library, founded in 1975
    • St. Andrew Memorial Church, completed and consecrated in 1967 in memory of the 7-14 million people who died in the Ukrainian famine of 1932-33 is a unique example of Ukrainian Cossack Baroque architecture in the area[195]
    • St. Andrew Cemetery, founded in 1952
    • The Ukrainian Historical and Educational Center, founded in 1972, which contains treasures of Ukrainian cultural, historical, social, religious, literary and political life including Easter eggs, lacework, hand embroidery, statuary and church vessels.[196]
    • The Ukrainian Cultural Center, dedicated in 1985
    • St. Andrew Ukrainian School, founded in 1962 and located in the Cultural Center
    • St. Andrew Bookstore and Ecclesiastical Supply, founded in 1992
  • The historic Fisher Homestead, built in 1688, the home of Hendrick Fisher, New Jersey's delegate to the Continental Congress, and the site of the Fisher Family Cemetery.
  • The Van Liew-Suydam House, at 280 South Middlebush Road, was built in the 18th century by Peter Van Liew. Joseph Suydam later built the part of the house that is visible today. The newest and largest portion of the house was built in 1875. Although the most recent long term owner of the house was named French, the house has been named after its two initial owners. Owned by Franklin Township, the farm is under the stewardship of the Meadows Foundation.[197]
  • The Van Wickle House, at 1289 Easton Avenue is a historic house built c. 1722 by Symen Van Wickle. Operated by the Meadows Foundation which holds special annual events here.[36]
  • The Wyckoff-Garretson House, at 215 South Middlebush Road, was built in 1730 by Cornelius Wyckoff. The house was restored by the Meadows Foundation under the direction of architect Mark Alan Hewitt.[198]

Notable people

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

References

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  187. ^ Knapp, Krystal. "New Company Offers Express Bus Service from Kendall Park to New York City", Planet Princeton, July 29, 2016. Accessed December 31, 2017. "A new company called OurBus is offering weekday express bus trips from Kendall Park to New York City at about half the cost of traditional bus fares. OurBus offers a one-seat ride from the Kendall Park Roller Skating Rink lot on Route 27 to New York, making one other stop in Franklin Township along the way."
  188. ^ Paik, Eugene. "Deal proposed on United Water controlling Franklin Township's water system", The Star-Ledger, February 6, 2011. Accessed September 20, 2014. "The township draws its water from the Delaware and Raritan Canal, as well as New Brunswick, North Brunswick and the New Jersey American Water utility. The township would still own its water system, but would pay United Water to maintain it."
  189. ^ Blackwells Mills Canal House Archived 2015-06-02 at the Wayback Machine, Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. Accessed February 12, 2013.
  190. ^ Brahms, William B., Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History, FTPL; ISBN 0-9668586-0-3 p.55
  191. ^ Hageman House (1861) and Barns (1876), The Meadows Foundation. Accessed January 5, 2017.
  192. ^ Rockingham State Historic Site, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed February 12, 2013.
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  194. ^ Tulipwood House, New Jersey Historic Trust. Accessed January 5, 2017. "Tulipwood is notable for its Colonial Revival architecture and was likely designed in 1892 by architect, J. August Lienau, son of the famed Danish architect Detlaf Lienau."
  195. ^ St. Andrew Memorial Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Accessed January 5, 2017. "Dominating the property of the St. Andrew Center is the unique edifice of the St. Andrew Memorial Church. Soaring skyward, the church is a monument to Ukrainian Cossack Baroque architecture. A result of years of planning and the sacrifices, labors and donations of countless faithful, the church is dedicated to all who perished in the Stalinist famine of 1932-33 and who have given their lives for the cause of freedom and justice."
  196. ^ About Us, The Ukrainian Historical and Educational Center. Accessed January 5, 2017.
  197. ^ Van Liew-Suydam House Archived 2008-08-27 at the Wayback Machine, Meadows Foundation. Accessed February 12, 2013.
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  199. ^ Newman, Josh. "Rutgers' Agudosi embracing last chance to make impact", Asbury Park Press, August 24, 2016. Accessed December 10, 2017. "'This year is going to be big to prove what I can do,' said Agudosi, a Somerset native and 2012 graduate of Franklin High School."
  200. ^ Staff. "Dr. Anthony Bartholomay Former Member of MCO Facility", Toledo Blade, March 25, 1975. Accessed May 14, 2016.
  201. ^ Barris, Mike. "Ernie Scott remembers Rosa Parks", Asbury Park Press, February 3, 2006. Accessed February 8, 2012. "His stage partner was Franklin Township's Avery Brooks, a Rutgers theater professor who plays Robeson, the Princeton-born African-American singer..."
  202. ^ Clifford Philip Case, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed December 29, 2006.
  203. ^ Assembly Member Upendra J. Chivukula, Project Vote Smart. Accessed August 12, 2007.
  204. ^ Staff. "Joseph Danielsen sworn in as newest member of General Assembly", The Messenger-Gazette, October 16, 2014. Accessed February 2, 2015. "Franklin Township resident Joseph Danielsen became the newest member of the General Assembly, receiving the oath of office from Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, before taking part in his first voting session as a member of the legislature.... Danielsen will represent the 17th legislative district, which includes parts of Middlesex and Somerset counties, replacing Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula who recently left to become a commissioner of the Board of Public Utilities."
  205. ^ Edgar, Charles Leavitt American Society of Mechanical Engineers website. Accessed March 2, 2009.
  206. ^ "Documentary About Local Holocaust Survivor To Be Screened At George Street Playhouse", Raritan Valley Community College, February 15, 2017. Accessed April 21, 2020. "The public is invited to attend a free screening of the documentary, Margit: Not A23029, which focuses on the life of Holocaust survivor Margit Feldman of Somerset, February 28, at 7 p.m., at George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick."
  207. ^ Hendrick Fisher Descendent To Read Declaration of Independence in Bound Brook, Bound Brook, New Jersey. Accessed August 21, 2008.
  208. ^ Krystyna Freda, Winthrop Eagles. Accessed October 25, 2020. "Hometown: Somerset, NJ; Prev School: Franklin H.S."
  209. ^ Atkinson, Joseph. The History of Newark, New Jersey: Being a Narrative of Its Rise and Progress, from the Settlement in May, 1666, by Emigrants from Connecticut to the Present Time, Including a Sketch of the Press of Newark, from 1791 to 1878, W.B. Guild, 1878. Accessed February 2, 2015. "Theodore Frelinghuysen, though not 'native here and to the manner born,' was to the extent of the best and busiest years of his life, essentially a Newarker. He was born in Franklin Township, Somerset County, N.J., March 28th, 1787, of an ancestry distinguished for its piety and learning."
  210. ^ Staff. "Glimpse of History: 'Middlebush Giant' traded circus life for Franklin Twp. farm life", The Star-Ledger, April 24, 2011. Accessed August 23, 2012. "He spent the last 15 years of his life living as a farmer on Amwell Road in Clyde, just outside Middlebush in Franklin Township in Somerset County."
  211. ^ Broderick, James F. Paging New Jersey: A Literary Guide to the Garden State, p. 17. Rutgers University Press, 2003. ISBN 9780813532905. Accessed February 2, 2015. "The Jersey Connection: Spent most of her adult life living at 'Charlie's Hope,' her farm in Franklin Township near New Brunswick."
  212. ^ Prehn, Alyene Elizabeth Westall. Journal of a Genealogist: With Ancestral Wills from Late 1500s to 1900s of More Than 50 Surnames, p. 486. A.E.W. Prehn, 1980. Accessed February 2, 2015. "The present Griggstown was founded by Benjamin Griggs and his brothers, on the banks of the Millstone river, where he settled and built a grist mill as early as 1733."
  213. ^ Brahms, William B., Franklin Township, Somerset County, NJ: A History, Franklin Township Public Library, 1988. ISBN 0-9668586-0-3. p. 531.
  214. ^ Roy Hinson Archived 2007-02-05 at the Wayback Machine, Database Basketball. Accessed May 22, 2016.
  215. ^ History of Franklin Township, NY-NJ-CT Botany Online. Accessed September 22, 2007. "1777:... In Griggstown John Honeyman (with a home that still stands at the foot of Bunker Hill Road and Canal Road) posed as a cattle-trader sympathetic to the British in order to spy on them. Honeyman's information helped Washington plan the surprise attack on Trenton."
  216. ^ Bowman, Bill. [franklinreporter.com/township-resident-helps-lead-charge-against-no-show-white-supremacist-group/ "Township Resident Helps Lead Charge Against No-Show White Supremacist Group"], Franklin Reporter & Advocate, January 12, 2019 Accessed June 26, 2020. "Prominent among the protestors was township native Daryle Lamont Jenkins, founder of the One People's Project."
  217. ^ O'Brien, Kathleen. "Ebola triggers caution in N.J.'s West African communities", Inside Jersey, October 7, 2014. Accessed November 10, 2018. "'It's awkward,' said Leeroy Wilfred Kabs-Kanu, a United Nations representative for Sierra Leone who lives in Somerset."
  218. ^ Teeman, Tim. "Meet Christopher Massimine, the 'Nice Goy' Running the National Yiddish Theatre", The Daily Beast, April 1, 2018. Accessed June 15, 2021. "An only child, Massimine was born in Italy, and came to America at 8 months old, his parents—mother a nurse, father an accountant—settling in Somerset, New Jersey."
  219. ^ Fremon, Suzanne S. "State Has 13 on Olympic Team", The New York Times, August 13, 1972. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Judy Melick, 17, of Somerset is the youngest of the New Jersey members of the Olympic team."
  220. ^ Staff. "Franklin Gril Will Swim For U.S. Olympic Team", The Franklin News-Record, August 17, 1972. Accessed November 23, 2017. "Judy Melick of Franklin Township will represent the United States in the XX Olympiad in Munich, Germany next month."
  221. ^ Kipp, Guy. "Franklin's Diamond Miller Signs Letter of Intent with University of Maryland", TAP into Franklin / Somerset, November 14, 2018. Accessed May 12, 2022. "Diamond Miller made it official on Wednesday, following through on the decision she came to during the Franklin girls basketball team's title quest last March. The 6-foot-1 All-State guard/forward signed her National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Maryland Wednesday morning at Franklin High School, a month before Miller begins the senior season of her storied high school career."
  222. ^ "Making history in Griggstown"[permanent dead link], Princeton Packet, November 27, 2007. Accessed December 23, 2007. "Two presentations by John Allen, president of the Griggstown Historical Society, were made. Mark Alan Hewitt, project architect, received an autographed copy of Moy Sand & Gravel by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon, a Griggstown resident."
  223. ^ Hockley, Rujeko; Panetta, Jane. Whitney Biennial 2019, p. 86. Yale University Press, 2019. ISBN 9780300242751. Accessed October 29, 2019. "Jeanette Mundt – Born 1982 in Princeton, NJ; lives in Somerset, NJ"
  224. ^ Oakey, Peter Davis, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed March 2, 2009.
  225. ^ Michael James Pappas, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed December 29, 2006.
  226. ^ Biography, Dr. Randal Pinkett web site. Accessed December 12, 2006
  227. ^ a b Denman, Elliott. "Franklin's Jeff Porter makes Olympics in hurdles", Courier News, July 1, 2012. Accessed February 12, 2013. "Joe Porter, the Franklin Township High School and Rutgers University alumnus, played in the NFL from 2006 to 2011, most recently as an Oakland Raiders cornerback. But now it's his twin brother. Jeff, making news of his own."
  228. ^ Ferdinand Schureman Schenck, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 23, 2012.
  229. ^ Carino, Jerry. "With a gutsy gesture, Jersey's Breein Tyree swats Confederate 'hate groups' at Ole Miss", Asbury Park Press, March 5, 2019. Accessed December 16, 2019. "That's exactly what Breein Tyree and his University of Mississippi basketball teammates did Feb. 23. Tyree, a Somerset native who starred at St. Joseph-Metuchen High School, was one of six players who took a knee during national anthem to protest a Confederacy rally near the arena."
  230. ^ Staff. "Charlie Weis", The New York Times, November 30, 2009. Accessed August 23, 2012. "Before taking over at Notre Dame, his alma mater, for the 2005 season, Weis had 15 years of experience as an N.F.L. assistant and three Super Bowl rings, but only one season as a head coach; he led Franklin Township High School to the 1989 New Jersey state title."
  231. ^ Charlie Weis Archived 2008-12-28 at the Wayback Machine, University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site. Accessed December 28, 2006.
  232. ^ Staff. "Helen Westley, 63, A Noted Actress; Long Known for Character Roles on the Stage, and on the Screen Since 1934 Theatre Guild Leader One of Founders, Appeared in More Than 40 of Its Plays – Dies in New Jersey", The New York Times, December 13, 1942. Accessed August 23, 2012. "Middlebush, N. J., Dec. 12 – Helen Westley, the actress, who had played important roles on the stage for many years and on the screen since 1934 and was one of the founders of the Theatre Guild, died at her home here tonight after an illness of ten months, at the age of 63."
  233. ^ Helen Westley, Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Accessed December 28, 2006.
  234. ^ Staff. "Bishop Alma White, Preacher, Author; Founder of Pillar of Fire Dies at 84--Established Several Schools and Colleges", The New York Times, June 27, 1946. Accessed November 10, 2018. "Bishop Alma White, founder of the Pillar of Fire Church and author of thirty-five religious tracts and some 200 hymns, died here today at the headquarters of the religious group at near-by Zarephath."
  235. ^ Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, and Orders of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States, Volume 99, p. 1295. United States Government Printing Office, 1987. Accessed June 26, 2020. "Bishop Arlene White Lawrence was born in Zarephath and presently is a resident of Bell Mead, New Jersey, which is located approximately five miles from Zarephath."
  236. ^ Eftimiades, Maria. "Radio Personality Without Limits", The New York Times, July 2, 1989. Accessed August 23, 2012. "Mr. Williams has dabbed in politics, serving as a councilman and two-term mayor for Franklin Township from 1967 to 1975."
  237. ^ Bruce Williams Biography, Radio Village. Accessed December 28, 2006. Archived October 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  238. ^ Weber, Bruce. "Earl Williams, Baseball Slugger, Dies at 64", The New York Times, February 1, 2013. Accessed February 2, 2015. "Earl Williams, a slugging if ambivalent catcher and infielder — 'My favorite position is batter,' he once said — who won the National League rookie of the year award in 1971 but whose promise went unfulfilled amid a welter of minor controversies, died early Tuesday at his home in Somerset, N.J."

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