Frenchtown is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 1,373, reflecting a decline of 115 (-7.7%) from the 1,488 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 40 (-2.6%) from the 1,528 counted in the 1990 Census.
Frenchtown is located along the banks of the Delaware River on the Hunterdon Plateau. Various names have been applied to this settlement, after the many ferry operators residing on both sides of the river. The community had variously been known as Alexandria Ville, Sunbeam and Frenchtown over the years. The Borough was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 4, 1867, from portions of Alexandria Township. Additional territory was acquired from Kingwood Township in 1876.
The first bridge across the Delaware at Frenchtown was a six-span covered wooden bridge built in 1841 on the five piers that still stand today, and the community became a gateway to Pennsylvania. The Uhlerstown-Frenchtown Bridge, a free Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission bridge over the Delaware River connects Frenchtown to Uhlerstown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
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History
In 1757, three joint owners of a tract purchased from the West Jersey Land Society began laying out streets and building lots at Calvin's Ferry. The developing town was to be called "Alexandria" in honor of William Alexander, Lord Stirling, one of the three owners. In 1776, the three sold the settlement to Thomas Lowrey, a Flemington speculator.
In 1794, Lowrey sold the tract to Paul Henri Mallet-Prevost, a Swiss fugitive from the French Revolution. He and other early settlers were French speaking, leading some to begin calling the place "Frenchtown."
The town grew substantially in the next four decades. A trade in grain and other farm products developed. Boatmen and river men helped fuel Frenchtown's growth through their buying of cargo and food, and hiring of pilots. In the years after Henri Mallet-Prevost's death, his sons sold off portions of their property; no longer was the town privately owned.
The arrival of the Belvidere Delaware Railroad in 1853 sparked continued growth in Frenchtown. Steam-powered industry became widely developed, and by the 1860s, mills were being converted into larger factories. Around the same time, the town had three major hotels, The Lower Hotel (Present day Frenchtown Inn), The Middle Hotel (no longer existing), and the Upper Hotel (The National Hotel). In 1889, Britton Brothers Big Brick Store, which sold a variety of goods, opened on Bridge Street.
In the early 20th century, growth was spurred by the arrival of Frenchtown Porcelain Works, the establishment of the Milford plant of the Warren Paper Company, and the rise of the poultry industry.
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Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.361 square miles (3.524 km2), including 1.263 square miles (3.271 km2) of land and 0.098 square miles (0.253 km2) of water (7.17%).
Frenchtown borders Kingwood Township and Alexandria Township. Frenchtown also borders the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is south of Milford borough.
Frenchtown Solar is a group of three photvoltaic arrays forming one of the largest solar farms in the state covering 110 acres (44.5 ha) with 68,500 solar panels and 20.1 megawatt capacity.
Demographics
Census 2010
The 2010 United States Census counted 1,373 people, 596 households, and 365.9 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,087.2 per square mile (419.8/km2). The borough contained 656 housing units at an average density of 519.4 per square mile (200.5/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.65% (1,327) White, 0.80% (11) Black or African American, 0.36% (5) Native American, 0.95% (13) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.07% (1) from other races, and 1.17% (16) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 5.10% (70) of the population.
Out of a total of 596 households, 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.6% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the borough, 20.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 34.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.6 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.6 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 95.3 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $62,574 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,339) and the median family income was $76,250 (+/- $12,807). Males had a median income of $62,500 (+/- $7,602) versus $34,886 (+/- $5,656) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,966 (+/- $5,364). About 4.9% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 1,488 people, 613 households, and 375 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,160.7 people per square mile (448.8/km2). There were 630 housing units at an average density of 491.4 per square mile (190.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.97% White, 0.40% African American, 0.20% Native American, 1.21% Asian, 1.34% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.62% of the population.
There were 613 households out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the borough the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 25.9% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $52,109, and the median income for a family was $62,132. Males had a median income of $42,321 versus $30,952 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,765. About 2.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 1.4% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Frenchtown is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Frenchtown, the most common system used in the state, is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
As of 2016, the Mayor of Frenchtown is Republican Brad Myhre, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2019. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Michele Liebtag (D, 2017), John W. Hindman Jr. (D, 2018), Catherine Leach (D, 2016), Howard "Jack" Opdyke, II (R, 2016), Caroline Scutt (D, 2017) and William E. Sullivan, III (R, 2015).
In the November 2015 general election, Republican Brad Myhre ran a successful write-in campaign, defeating incumbent Democrat Warren Cooper by 236-185 to win the seat.
Jack Opdyke was appointed in August 2013 to replace Councilman Robb Arent following his resignation
Federal, state and county representation
Frenchtown is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Frenchtown had been part of 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.
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).
For the 2016-2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 23rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, Warren County) and in the General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 931 registered voters in Frenchtown, of which 289 (31.0%) were registered as Democrats, 270 (29.0%) were registered as Republicans and 370 (39.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.6% of the vote (431 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 35.7% (250 votes), and other candidates with 2.7% (19 votes), among the 705 ballots cast by the borough's 982 registered voters (5 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.8%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 59.6% of the vote (439 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 38.3% (282 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (9 votes), among the 737 ballots cast by the borough's 953 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.1% of the vote (392 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 42.4% (291 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (13 votes), among the 686 ballots cast by the borough's 914 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.1.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 54.9% of the vote (284 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 42.7% (221 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (12 votes), among the 533 ballots cast by the borough's 976 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 54.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.3% of the vote (247 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 40.9% (209 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.2% (42 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (7 votes), among the 511 ballots cast by the borough's 943 registered voters, yielding a 54.2% turnout.
Education
The Frenchtown School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Edith Ort Thomas Elementary School. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its one school had an enrollment of 204 students and 16.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.6:1.
Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend the Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, which serves students in western Hunterdon County from Alexandria, Holland and Kingwood Townships along with the boroughs of Frenchtown and Milford. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 899 students and 68.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 13.1:1.
Transportation
As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 10.32 miles (16.61 km) of roadways, of which 7.50 miles (12.07 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.36 miles (3.80 km) by Hunterdon County and 0.34 miles (0.55 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 0.12 miles (0.19 km) by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
Frenchtown is the northern terminus of Route 29, the western terminus of Route 12, and the southern terminus of Route 513.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Frenchtown include:
- James Agee (1909-1955), author, editor and poet who lived in Frenchtown (on Second Street in what is now the police station) with second wife Alma from 1938-1939 and wrote Let Us Now Praise Famous Men during that time.
- Elizabeth Gilbert (born 1969), author of Eat, Pray, Love.
- Shea Hembrey (born 1974), conceptual artist.
- Lois Hunt (1925-2009), soprano opera singer who toured for decades with baritone Earl Wrightson.
- Anne Kursinski (born 1959), top show jumping competitor.
- Harvey Spencer Lewis (1883-1939), Rosicrucian author, occultist and mystic.
- J. Linus McAtee (1897-1963), thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
- Barb Morrison (born 1967) songwriter and record producer.
- Billy Pauch (born 1957), race car driver.
- Anna Pump (1934-2015), chef, cookbook author, baker, and innkeeper famous for her bakery in The Hamptons, Loaves & Fishes.
- Nathanael West (1903-1940), novelist, screenwriter and satirist, author of Miss Lonelyhearts and The Day of the Locust, boarded at the National Hotel during the 1930s.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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