Hardyston was incorporated on February 21, 1798, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships. Over the centuries, portions of the township were taken to form Vernon Township (April 8, 1793), Sparta (April 14, 1845), Franklin (March 18, 1913) and Hamburg (March 19, 1920).[22]
Hardyston was serviced first by the New Jersey Midland Railway, which built the station in Stockholm. However, there was a dispute over the name as that area was known as Snufftown because of the snuff factory along the Pequannock River, which provide the water power. Through a series of events between the residents of Stockholm and the railroad, the area eventually changed the name from Snufftown to Stockholm. Later, it was the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, who provided service into the early 1960s when a mud slide removed a large section of trackage in West Milford Township and coupled with low productivity, the line was not repaired and service was disconnected. Today, the New York Susquehanna and Western Railway runs freight through Hardyston. The main highways are Route 23 and Route 94.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 32.65 square miles (84.56 km2), including 31.99 square miles (82.84 km2) of land and 0.66 square miles (1.72 km2) of water (2.03%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beaver Lake, Beaver Run, Big Springs, Bradys Pond, Hamburg, Hardistonville, Holland, Lake Stockholm, Monroe, North Church, Rudeville, Rudstown, Silver Lake, Stockholm, Summit Lake and Tamarack Lake.[33]
Postal ZIP Codes covering Hardyston Township include 07460 Stockholm, 07416 Franklin Borough, 07419 Hamburg Borough, and a small part of 07848 Lafayette Township.
In terms of physical geography, nearly all of Hardyston (excluding the portion of the township west of Hamburg along Route 94) lies within the New York – New Jersey Highlands, part of the greater Crystalline Appalachians that extend as far south as the Blue Ridge Mountains. Hardyston is home to portions of Hamburg Mountain (east of Franklin) and Pochuck Mountain (near Scenic Lakes) within this region. The remaining northwestern portion of the township lies within the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians. The prominent feature in the ridge-and-valley portion of the Township is the Wallkill Valley, through which the Wallkill River flows northeast to New York state.
Of the 3,255 households, 28.9% had children under the age of 18; 59.9% were married couples living together; 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households, 22.1% were made up of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.97.[19]
21.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 32.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.2 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $81,655 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,575) and the median family income was $93,657 (+/− $14,035). Males had a median income of $70,592 (+/− $9,771) versus $42,899 (+/− $4,944) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,383 (+/− $2,894). About 3.5% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.[47]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 6,171 people, 2,319 households, and 1,716 families residing in the township. The population density was 192.3 inhabitants per square mile (74.2/km2). There were 2,690 housing units at an average density of 83.8 per square mile (32.4/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.56% White, 0.84% African American, 0.16% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.49% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population.[45][46]
There were 2,319 households, out of which 35.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 21.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.12.[45][46]
In the township the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.7 males.[45][46]
The median income for a household in the township was $65,511, and the median income for a family was $72,199. Males had a median income of $51,503 versus $32,319 for females. The per capita income for the township was $28,457. About 2.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.9% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.[45][46]
Government
Local government
Hardyston Township operates under a special charter granted by the New Jersey Legislature. The township is one of 11 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use a special charter.[48][49] The governing body is comprised of the five-member Township Council, whose members are elected at-large 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. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the first week of January, the council selects a mayor and a deputy mayor from among its members.[7][50]
As of 2024[update], the members of the Hardyston Township Council are Mayor Frank Cicerale (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2025), Deputy Mayor Brian J. Kaminski (R, term on committee ends 2026; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), Stanley J. Kula (R, 2025), Carl B. Miller (R, 2024) and Santo Verrilli (R, 2025).[3][51][52][53][54]
Federal, state and county representation
Hardyston Township is located in the 5th Congressional District[55] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[56][57][58]
Sussex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners 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.[64] As of 2025[update], Sussex County's Commissioners are
Director Jill Space (R, Wantage Township, 2025),[65]
Deputy Director Chris Carney (R, Frankford Township, 2027),[66]
Jack DeGroot (R, Sussex, 2026),[67]
William Hayden (R, Branchville, 2025)[68] and
Alan Henderson (R, Lafayette Township, 2027).[69][70]
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026),[71]
Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2025)[72] and
Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township, 2028).[73]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,487 registered voters in Hardyston Township, of which 870 (15.9% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,962 (35.8% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,652 (48.3% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[74] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 66.8% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 84.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).[74][75]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 2,186 votes (57.8% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,531 votes (40.5% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 55 votes (1.5% vs. 2.1%), among the 3,782 ballots cast by the township's 5,658 registered voters, for a turnout of 66.8% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County).[76] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,325 votes (57.2% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,654 votes (40.7% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 65 votes (1.6% vs. 1.5%), among the 4,062 ballots cast by the township's 5,304 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.6% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County).[77] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,194 votes (62.3% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,279 votes (36.3% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.0% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,522 ballots cast by the township's 4,507 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.1% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).[78]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.6% of the vote (1,565 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 26.3% (583 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (69 votes), among the 2,227 ballots cast by the township's 5,686 registered voters (10 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.2%.[79][80] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,637 votes (62.2% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 753 votes (28.6% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 205 votes (7.8% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 29 votes (1.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,633 ballots cast by the township's 5,287 registered voters, yielding a 49.8% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).[81]
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students attend Wallkill Valley Regional High School which also serves students from Franklin Borough, Hamburg Borough and Ogdensburg Borough, and is part of the Wallkill Valley Regional High School District.[89][90] As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 590 students and 52.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.[91] Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the populations of the constituent municipalities, with four seats assigned to Hardyston Township.[92]
Transportation
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 63.53 miles (102.24 km) of roadways, of which 44.23 miles (71.18 km) were maintained by the municipality, 8.71 miles (14.02 km) by Sussex County and 10.59 miles (17.04 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[93]
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Hardyston Township include:
A. L. A. Himmelwright (1865–1936), a civil engineer, author, adventurer and marksman who was the general manager of The Roebling Construction Company[98]
^Snell, James P. (1881) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers. (Centennial ed., Harmony, NJ: Harmony Press, 1981, p. 335)
^Haines, Alanson A. Hardyston Memorial: A History of The Township and the North Presbyterian Church, Hardyston, Sussex County, New Jersey. (New Jersey Herald Print, Newton, N.J., 1888, p. 19)
^History of Sussex County, Sussex County Gen Web. Accessed September 30, 2007. "Hardyston is the American spelling of the British Hardiston, which was changed after the American Revolutionary War."
^Primerano, Jane. "Newark appealing watershed taxes against Jefferson", AIM Jefferson, May 8, 2015. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Besides West Milford and Jefferson, Newark owns watershed land in Hardyston, Vernon, and Rockaway Townships and Kinnelon Borough, Leach said."
^City Of Newark v. Vernon Tp., Leagle from Tax Court of New Jersey, April 1, 1980. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Generally, the lands are part of the 35,000-acre Pequannock Watershed (approximately two times the size of Newark), which was purchased by Newark at the turn of the century to provide a water supply. The watershed, which contains five major bodies of water, is located in Vernon and Hardyston in Sussex County, Jefferson, Rockaway and Kinnelon in Morris County, and West Milford in Passaic County."
^Form of Government, Hardyston Township. Accessed October 7, 2012. "In 1985, Hardyston Township voted by referendum to adopt the council-manager form of government, which combines the strong political leadership of an elected council with the managerial expertise of an appointed manager or administrator."
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^About County Government, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 20, 2024. "Sussex County is governed by five (5) Commissioners who are elected by the voters of Sussex County. Each serves on the county’s Board of County Commissioners for a term of three (3) years, after which time they can seek re‐election or retire.... The Commissioners are elected at‐large to serve three‐year staggered terms. The five Commissioners elect a director from among themselves to run their meetings and to serve as a spokesperson for the board."
^Hardyston Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Hardyston Township School District. Accessed June 15, 2022. "Purpose The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Hardyston Township School District. Composition The Hardyston Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Hardyston Township."
^Staff. "Artist activists will come together to support county Democrats", New Jersey Herald, May 7, 2017. Accessed January 13, 2018. "Billeisen, who will emcee the evening, will be joined by Seth Danner and Christopher Sieber, Stockholm resident and two-time Tony nominee for Monty Python's Spamalot and Shrek The Musical, along with other contributing performers."[dead link]