Phillipsburg is located 19.3 miles (31.1 km) northeast of Allentown, 78.9 miles (127.0 km) north of Philadelphia, and 70.1 miles (112.8 km) west of New York City.
History
The town grew from a sleepy agricultural village (in 1824), and was transformed into a transportation hub and shipping center as the Delaware River terminus of the Morris Canal (1829–1924), with operations commencing in 1831, the first of several transportation infrastructure projects that gave the community a direct connection 107 miles (172 km) to New York City. The Central Railroad of New Jersey soon followed with a connection. The community's growth soon reached the canal terminals of both the Delaware Canal and the Lehigh Canal by its cross-river cable ferry system to Easton, Pennsylvania. In 1853, the Lehigh Valley Railroad connected across the river with the Central Railroad of New Jersey and a passenger short line railroad, the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, and Morris Canal, all within Phillipsburg, which was followed by rapid growth.
On March 8, 1861, Phillipsburg was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Phillipsburg Township, which is now Lopatcong Township.[24] The town was named for William Phillips, an early settler of the area.[25]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 3.31 square miles (8.58 km2), including 3.19 square miles (8.26 km2) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.31 km2) of water (3.66%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the town include Andover Furnace, Delaware Park, Lopatcong Heights, Shirmers and Warren Heights.[26]
Of the 5,925 households, 30.7% had children under the age of 18; 39.0% were married couples living together; 19.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.1% were non-families. Of all households, 29.9% were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.12.[21]
25.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.0 males.[21]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $42,825 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,386) and the median family income was $51,334 (+/− $3,243). Males had a median income of $44,311 (+/− $2,090) versus $37,673 (+/− $6,847) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $21,291 (+/− $1,061). About 16.5% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.1% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.[41]
Economy
Industrial history
Phillipsburg had historically benefited from being a major transportation hub, then manufacturing with the investments by Ingersoll Rand in 1903 by opening the first Ingersoll-Sergeant factory in Phillipsburg. Within a year it employed 1,000 people, reaching a peak of 5,000.[42] The town is situated at the confluence of the Delaware and Lehigh rivers. Phillipsburg served as the western terminus of the Morris Canal for approximately 100 years from the 1830s to 1920s, which connected the city by water to the industrial and consumer centers of the New York City area, with connections westward via the Lehigh Canal and Delaware Canal across the Delaware. Long gone is the era of canal shipping and many of the important freight railways that served the area have gone bankrupt or bypass the city on long-distance routes.[43]
A majority of the manufacturing jobs left Warren County's largest city once Ingersoll Rand closed operations in 2000.[42]
Portions of the town are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program.[44] In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+5⁄8% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.[45] Established in November 1994, the town's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in October 2025.[46]
Businesses have begun to move on to South Main Street, including the opening of the Apothecarium Dispensary – Phillipsburg in November 2019
selling marijuana, the Town Council voted in June 2021 to adopt an ordinance preventing the opening of any other cannabis retailers.[47]
Railway
A tourist railroad known as the Belvidere & Delaware River Railroad operates on the former Belvidere-Delaware RailroadPennsylvania Railroad Branch serving excursions from Lehigh Junction Station south to Carpentersville. Norfolk Southern serves the industrial manufacturing purposes in Phillipsburg using former LVRR tracks and the L&HR bridge to connect with the Bel-Del PRR tracks.
Since 2007, NJ Transit has been conducting a study to determine if re-establishing a commuter rail extension of the Raritan Valley Line to Phillipsburg is economically feasible.[48]
Phillipsburg also is home to the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians museum. They display railroad memorabilia inside the museum, an "N" scale diorama, two Lehigh and Hudson River cabooses, one of which is currently being restored, and a Jersey Central caboose. There is an L&HR snow flanger, Tidewater tank car, a CNJ box car owned by the Anthracite Railroads Historical Society, a 1922 Chestnut Ridge Mack railbus owned by the Lehigh Valley NRHS, a Public Service trolley owned by the North Jersey Electric Railway Historical Society, a 44-ton GE locomotive and a 25-ton GE locomotive.[49] They operate a miniature railroad, the Centerville & Southwestern, that formerly ran in Roseland, New Jersey.[50]
Government
Local government
Phillipsburg is governed under the Mayor-Council system of municipal government within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law. The town is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.[51] The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Town Council. Councilmembers are elected at-large in partisan elections to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either three seats or two seats and the mayoral seat up for election in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election.[7][52][53]
As of 2022[update], the Mayor of Phillipsburg is Republican Todd M. Tersigni, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023.[3][54] Members of the Town Council are Council President Harry L. Wyant (R, 2023), Council Vice President Lee M. Clark (D, 2025), Keith A. Kennedy (D, 2025), Peter Marino (R, 2025) and Randy S. Piazza Jr. (R, 2023).[55][56][57][58]
In 2018, the town had an average property tax bill of $4,387, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $6,982 in Warren County and $8,767 statewide.[59][60]
First Mayor. Major commandant in the New Jersey State militia. Member of the State general assembly 1831 to 1833. Served in the State senate 1851 to 1854. Served as city councilmen from 1834 to 1835.
?
1863
1887
?
Irwin W. Schultz
1884
1885
Lafayette College alumni. Local lawyer. Served a single year long term as mayor and refused to stand for re-election.
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1886
1886
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John H. Griffith
1887
1894
Former city physician. Remained active in fraternal and charitable organizations after being mayor.
Former leader of the Warren County . Elected mayor as a Democrat, would switch party affiliations to Republican in 1994 and would lose her re-election bid in 1995.
Republican. Served on the town council before serving as mayor for 16 years. Despite his lengthy career as mayor he only voted on the town council once, to appoint his replacement. He and his replacement were defeated in 2016
Warren County is governed by a three-member Board of County Commissioners, who are chosen at-large on a staggered basis in partisan elections with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects one of its members to serve as Commissioner Director and other as Deputy Director.[77] As of 2025[update], Warren County's Commissioners are:
As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,681 registered voters in Phillipsburg, of which 2,496 (32.5% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,510 (19.7% vs. 35.3%) were registered as Republicans and 3,665 (47.7% vs. 43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[89] Among the town's 2010 Census population, 51.4% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 69.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% countywide).[89][90]
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,487 votes (56.6% vs. 40.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,751 votes (39.8% vs. 56.0%) and other candidates with 88 votes (2.0% vs. 1.7%), among the 4,394 ballots cast by the town's 7,730 registered voters, for a turnout of 56.8% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County).[91][92] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,673 votes (54.8% vs. 41.4% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,983 votes (40.6% vs. 55.2%) and other candidates with 116 votes (2.4% vs. 1.6%), among the 4,879 ballots cast by the town's 7,636 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.9% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County).[93] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,412 votes (49.8% vs. 37.2% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 2,324 votes (48.0% vs. 61.0%) and other candidates with 66 votes (1.4% vs. 1.3%), among the 4,842 ballots cast by the town's 7,176 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.5% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).[94]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 63.8% of the vote (1,667 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 33.6% (879 votes), and other candidates with 2.6% (68 votes), among the 2,694 ballots cast by the town's 7,909 registered voters (80 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.1%.[95][96] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,321 votes (44.1% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,159 votes (38.7% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 365 votes (12.2% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 77 votes (2.6% vs. 1.5%), among the 2,994 ballots cast by the town's 7,437 registered voters, yielding a 40.3% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).[97]
As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 3,877 students and 329.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1.[102] Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[103]) are
Early Childhood Learning Center[104] with 354 students in grades Pre-K–K,
Phillipsburg Primary School[105] with 391 students in grades 1–2,
Phillipsburg Elementary School[106] with 609 students in grades 3–5,
Phillipsburg Middle School[107] with 704 students in grades 6–8 and
Phillipsburg High School[108] with 1,730 students in grades 9–12.[109][110][111] The Phillipsburg High School Stateliners have a longstanding athletic rivalry with neighboring Easton, Pennsylvania's Easton Area High School, which celebrated its 100th anniversary game on Thanksgiving Day 2006.[112] In 2009, the 1993 teams from the Easton P-Burg Game met again for the Gatorade REPLAY Game to resolve the game, which ended in a 7–7 tie, with more than 13,000 fans watching as Phillipsburg won by a score of 27–12.[113]
Major highways that pass through Phillipsburg include U.S. Route 22[129] and Route 122.[130]Interstate 78 passes through for less than a one-quarter mile (0.40 km) without any exits. The closest interchange is in neighboring Pohatcong.[131]
Charles E. Myers (1925–2016), Director for Air Warfare in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (1973–1978), Aviation Pioneer and an early member of the "Fighter Mafia" inside the Pentagon[164]
Lou Reda (born c. 1925–2017), documentary filmmaker[165]
^Raum, John O. The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 272, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed June 13, 2013. "Phillipsburg is on the Delaware directly opposite Easton in Pennsylvania. The city of the same name is divided into three wards. The population in 1860 was 3,741 and in 1870 5,932." Note that the 1860 population is for Phillipsburg Township, which was renamed to Lopatcong Township.
^ abNovak, Steve. "TIMELINE: The rise and fall of Ingersoll Rand in Phillipsburg, and a glimpse at what the future may hold", The Express-Times, October 29, 2018, updated September 24, 2019. Accessed November 23, 2021. "For a century, Ingersoll Rand was Phillipsburg. From 1903 to 2000, the company was the town's biggest employer and the biggest taxpayer. It wasn't unusual for multiple generations of a family to work there. They made rock drills that helped develop the interstate highway system. They made pumps, steam condensers, and rock compressors... But the company slowly declined from its mid-century peak of about 5,000 employees."
^Phillipsburg / Easton Transportation Hub Early 20th Century, Morris Canal Greenway. Accessed December 7, 2015. "The real impetus for the industrial development of Warren County was the construction of the railroads... As all of these railroads passed through Phillipsburg, the town became a gateway to the west."
^Urban Enterprise Zone Tax Questions and Answers, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, May 2009. Accessed October 28, 2019. "In 1994, the legislation was amended, and ten more zones were added to this successful economic development program. Six of the ten new zones were predetermined: Paterson, Passaic, Perth Amboy, Phillipsburg, Lakewood, and Asbury Park/Long Branch (joint zone). The four remaining zones were selected on a competitive basis. They are Carteret, Pleasantville, Union City, and Mount Holly."
^Brasswein, Kurt. "Phillipsburg just says no, for now, to recreational marijuana businesses", The Express-Times, June 17, 2021, updated July 23, 2021. Accessed November 27, 2022. "Town council cast a 4-0 preliminary vote Tuesday night to opt out of permitting recreational marijuana businesses. According to the town attorney Rich Wenner, the Apothecarium dispensary that opened last November on South Main Street is grandfathered in and unaffected by the decision."
^"Republican Todd Tersigni wins Phillipsburg mayoral race", WFMZ-TV, November 6, 2019. Accessed November 23, 2021. "Democratic Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen Ellis has conceded the mayoral race to Republican Todd Tersigni. Ellis become the first Democrat to take the mayor's office in over a decade, but fighting between parties over the years had led to former Democrat, now Republican Tersigni to run."
^Town Council, Town of Phillipsburg. Accessed May 16, 2022.
^Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.'s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey's average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Phillipsburg was $4,387 in 2018, the lowest in Warren County."
^Governmental Structure, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022. "Warren County operates under the County Commissioner form of county government. The Board of County Commissioners consists of three Commissioners each elected at large for staggered terms of three years. The Commissioner Director is chosen by the full board at the board's annual reorganization meeting in January. The Commissioners supervise, direct, and administer all county services and functions through the various departments, autonomous boards, agencies, and commissions. Reporting to the Board of County Commissioners is an appointed County Administrator."
^Jason J. Sarnoski, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Lori Ciesla, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^James R. Kern III, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed February 22, 2022.
^Phillipsburg Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Phillipsburg School District. Accessed May 6, 2020. "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 twelve in the Phillipsburg School District. Composition: The Phillipsburg School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Phillipsburg."
^What We Do: History, New Jersey Schools Development Authority. Accessed March 1, 2022. "In 1998, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in the Abbott v. Burke case that the State must provide 100 percent funding for all school renovation and construction projects in special-needs school districts. According to the Court, aging, unsafe and overcrowded buildings prevented children from receiving the "thorough and efficient" education required under the New Jersey Constitution.... Full funding for approved projects was authorized for the 31 special-needs districts, known as 'Abbott Districts'."
^Patrick, Dick. "High school rivals are like family", USA Today, September 21, 2005. Accessed August 17, 2012. "Phillipsburg (N.J.)-Easton (Pa.): The game, played on Thanksgiving morning at Lafayette College in Easton, will celebrate 100 years in 2006."
^Conover, Allan. "Phillipsburg beats Easton in Gatorade Replay football", Warren Reporter, April 29, 2009. Accessed August 17, 2012. "For almost three toasty hours earlier in the day, however, Wargo had been among the most prominent Phillipsburg football players in Lafayette College's Fisher Stadium and was a key performer in the Stateliners' 27–12 triumph over Easton as 13,350 sun-baked spectators looked on. Wargo, a tackle, was selected as the game's 'Outstanding Defensive Player,' an honor he never gave a thought to while helping the 'Exliners' win the rematch of the 1993 Thanksgiving Day battle which ended in a 7–7 stalemate."
^About PSD, Phillipsburg School District. Accessed May 6, 2020. "The district serves students from the Town of Phillipsburg and five sending communities at the secondary level: Alpha, Bloomsbury, Greenwich, Lopatcong and Pohatcong Townships."
^Phillipsburg High School 2016 Report Card NarrativeArchived April 14, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 13, 2017. "At the secondary level, the district serves not only students from the town of Phillipsburg which makes up 41% of the high school population, but also students from the surrounding boroughs of Alpha and Bloomsbury, as well as the townships of Greenwich, Lopatcong, and Pohatcong."
^F.A.Q., Ridge and Valley Charter School. Accessed November 14, 2016. "Enrollment is open, on a space-available basis, to all K-8 students residing in N.J. with priority given to students residing in the districts of Blairstown, Hardwick, Knowlton, Frelinghuysen, and North Warren Regional School."
^Cummins, George Wyckoff. Did You Know?, Phillipsburg Area Historical Society. Accessed August 8, 2016. " The first important growth began with the building of the New Jersey Central railroad, which was completed on July 1st, 1852. On July 2nd the first passenger train of eight cars arrived amid great rejoicing."
^Noto, Anthony. "Phillipsburg In The Big League? White Sox Visit Memorable", The Morning Call, April 24, 1994. Accessed March 14, 2011. "Undoubtedly, the person most instrumental in persuading the White Sox to make the trek to Phillipsburg was native son Charlie Berry, who earlier that season had been traded to the White Sox by the Boston Red Sox."
^"Jack's Facts: A Closer Look at the Easton/Phillipsburg Rivalry", The Morning Call, November 21, 2006, accessed April 13, 2007. "The Garnet's Charlie Berry would score all Phillipsburg's points in a 14–7 win. Berry after graduating from PHS went on to have an outstanding career at Lafayette College and later became an American League baseball umpire and officiated in the NFL."
^Head Coach Tom Brennan, University of Vermont, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 7, 2008. Accessed March 14, 2011. "The 54-year old Brennan is a native of Phillipsburg, NJ who graduated as the all-time leading scorer at Phillipsburg Catholic High School."
^Harold J. Curry, Finegan Funeral Homes. Accessed March 26, 2022. "Harold was born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, to Harold Joseph (Joe) and Lucy Kingfield Curry on June 7, 1931."
^Reedy, Bill. "Syracuse Starts to Groom Lou Mautino, a Tackle, for Center Job", Reading Eagle, January 30, 1957. Accessed July 22, 2014. "Ted Dailey, a citizen of Phillipsburg, N.J. and former All-America end at Pittsburgh University, arrived in Reading the same day Ben Schwartzwalder signed a new contract to stay at Syracuse where he produced one of the nation's best teams in 1956."
^Staff. "Wrestlers Tangle To Defend Titles", The Morning Call, August 23, 1984. Accessed March 14, 2011. "Drake the 250-pounder from Phillipsburg and 245-pound Bronx native Ray Apollo wound up in a bloody brawl that resulted in a double disqualification."
^Dan Gray, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed December 19, 2018. "Born: January 29, 1956 (Age: 62-324d) in Phillipsburg, NJ... High School: Belvidere (NJ)"
^Bell, Bill. "Long Live The Duke", New York Daily News, April 30, 1999. Accessed March 14, 2011. "He was born in Phillipsburg, N.J., where his father was a mill worker and his mother a waitress. He majored in journalism at New York University, and except for a brief flirtation with the Episcopal priesthood as a seminarian at the New York General Theological Seminary, he has worked as a writer and editor for about 25 years."
^Staff. "Life in the fast lane", Home News Tribune, March 14, 2003. Accessed March 14, 2011. Terry Kitchen's easy tuneful and contemplative folk sounds are sure to make for a warm evening of music wherever he plays. The Phillipsburg native is based in Boston these days and he's set to perform at the Mine Street Coffeehouse in New Brunswick tomorrow night..."
^Terry Kitchen's Home Page, accessed April 13, 2007. "Born in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, Kitchen grew up first in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania..."
^Wojcik, Sarah M. "Phillipsburg honors posthumous Medal of Honor recipient, hometown hero Martin O. May", The Express-Times, May 2, 2009. Accessed March 14, 2011. "A decorated World War II hero from Phillipsburg will not be forgotten in his hometown after a ceremony officially dedicated a memorial in his name this afternoon. Martin O. May, Purple Heart and Medal of Honor recipient, died in April 1945 after a three-day standoff on an island near Japan's Okinawa. His courage inspired the Chapter 700 Military Order of the Purple Heart to install a memorial in his honor at Phillipsburg High School, where he attended as a member of the class of 1941."
^Olivia Miles, USA Basketball. Accessed August 16, 2022. "Born in Summit, New Jersey, and now resides in Philipsburg, New Jersey."
^Halbfinger, David M. "Ex-Rep. Helen S. Meyner, 69; Born Into Democratic Politics", The New York Times, November 3, 1997. Accessed June 14, 2012. "In 1972, Democratic Party leaders asked her to run for Congress from the Meyner family home in Phillipsburg, in the heavily Republican 13th Congressional District in Sussex and Morris Counties."
^Robert B. Meyner, The Robert B. & Helen S. Meyner Center for the Study of State & Local Government, Lafayette College. Accessed March 14, 2011. "During his early childhood, Robert Meyner's family moved to Pennsylvania, and then to Phillipsburg and Paterson, New Jersey, and finally settled back in Phillipsburg in 1922, where the family lived in the house on Lincoln Avenue built by Robert Meyner's grandfather, Robert B. Meyner.... Robert Meyner was graduated from Phillipsburg High School in 1926, where he was class valedictorian and a member of the debating team."
^Grazier, Dan. "POGO Remembers Chuck Myers, 'Fighter Mafia' Veteran", Project On Government Oversight, May 17, 2016. Accessed August 8, 2016. "Chuck Myers was born on March 21, 1925, near Langley Field in Hampton, Virginia, foreshadowing a life devoted to aviation. He grew up in Philipsburg, New Jersey where he excelled at sports and dreamed of flying planes."
^Jones, Joyce. "Creating Postcards Not Just for Tourists", The New York Times, July 12, 1992. Accessed December 27, 2022. "In his efforts to satisfy the public's penchant for nostalgia, Mr. Scheller met with a collector of Civil War memorabilia, Lou Reda of Phillipsburg, who introduced him to the Charles Fifer collection of photo plates, hand-colored by Currier & Ives in 1876."
^Longsdorf, Amy. "Valley actors have a hand in new DVDs", The Morning Call, April 11, 2012. Accessed June 14, 2012. "As a three-course meal is served, Chappell meets a struggling actor ("Friday Night Lights" star Jesse Plemons), entertains financial backers and flirts with the hat check girl (Phillipsburg native Yvonne Zima). Zima, 23, has no more than a dozen lines but she works wonders with them, managing to create a sparky, indelible character."
Core cities are metropolitan core cities of at least a million people. The other areas are urban areas of cities that have an urban area of 150,000+ or of a metropolitan area of at least 250,000+. Satellite cities are in italics.
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