Flemington is a borough in and the county seat of Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey County Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed December 1, 2022. Most of the borough is located in the Amwell Valley, a low-lying area of the Newark Basin, and the Raritan Valley, the South Branch of the Raritan River, which flows through the center of Flemington. Northwestern portions of the borough sit on the Hunterdon Plateau. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,876, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 295 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,581, which in turn reflected an increase of 381 (+9.1%) from the 4,200 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.

Flemington is an independent municipality completely surrounded by Raritan Township and is located near the geographic center of the township. Flemington was incorporated as an independent borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1910, based on the results of a referendum held on April 26, 1910, and was formally separated from Raritan Township.

History 18th century Before European settlement, the land that comprises Flemington, as was all of Hunterdon County, was the territory of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. In 1712, as part of a land parcel of , the Flemington area was acquired by William Penn and Daniel Coxe.

The surrounding fertile farmland dictated that the beginnings of Flemington were agricultural. Early German and English settlers engaged in industries dependent on farm products. As time passed poultry and dairy farms superseded crops in agricultural importance. An example of early settlement families was Johann David and Anna Maria Ephland, who emigrated in 1709 from Germany through London to New York and settled on his farm in 1717. They raised their seven children, and two from his previous marriage, on the farm that now makes up the core of Flemington.

On December 14, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, a party of British dragoons led by Cornet Francis Geary raided a store owned by Thomas Lowrey near the Presbyterian Church in Flemington to seize a supply of guns. On their return to Pennington, local militia led by Captain John Schenck ambushed them and killed their commander. This skirmish is now known as the Ambush of Geary.

In 1785, Flemington was chosen as the County Seat of Hunterdon. Fire destroyed the old courthouse in 1826 and the City of Lambertville made an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to have the seat relocated there. Flemington remained the County Seat and the Courthouse which stands today on Main Street was built.

19th century Present-day Flemington was originally formed as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 14, 1870, within portions of Raritan Township. It became a village as of June 11, 1894, still within Raritan Township. Flemington was finally incorporated as an independent borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1910, based on the results of a referendum held on April 26, 1910, and was formally separated from Raritan Township. The borough's incorporation was confirmed on April 27, 1931.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 155. Accessed August 7, 2012. the borough was named for Samuel Fleming.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 31, 2015.

In 1856, the Hunterdon County Agricultural society purchased of land that would accommodate the people, exhibits and livestock for the County (Flemington) Fair. The purpose of this Fair was to promote competition between farmers, stock raisers and machinery manufacturers. The fair was held every year at the Flemington Fairgrounds which also was the site of Flemington Fair Speedway, later Flemington Raceway.

20th century On February 13, 1935, a jury in Flemington found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby boy.The Learning Network. "Feb. 13, 1935 | Lindbergh Baby Kidnapper Found Guilty of Murder", The New York Times, February 13, 2012. Accessed July 10, 2014. "On Feb. 13, 1935, a jury in Flemington, N.J., found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnapping-death of the infant son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh and Anne Lindbergh." The Union Hotel, opposite the courthouse in which this trial took place, housed several journalists reporting on the event.

In the 1980s, Flemington became home to Liberty Village, the first outlet mall in the United States; by 2023, Liberty Village set empty, awaiting demolition and redevelopment.Furst, Camille. "Farewell, Liberty Village: Nation's oldest outlet mall is a 'ghost town' in final shopping days", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 28, 2022. Accessed May 20, 2024. "For decades, the beloved brick walkways winding through the outlets at Liberty Village in Hunterdon County were a destination for shoppers in the days leading up to Christmas and Hanukkah. The outdoor mall — founded as the nation's first major outlet center in the 1980s — drew shoppers from around New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York."

From 1992 through 1995, the speedway hosted the Race of Champions, a race for modified racers. , Race of Champions. Accessed July 10, 2014. The speedway hosted a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race from 1995 to 1998. In 2003, the County Fair adopted a new name, the Hunterdon County 4-H and Agricultural Fair, and moved to the South County Park in East Amwell Township.

21st century In the 2010s, local controversy erupted over proposed re-development of the shuttered Union Hotel. By 2021, a settlement was reach to allow a hotel with 100 rooms and nearly 200 apartments and retail space at the site.Deak, Mike. "Courts: 'Flemington residents will be happy': Settlements reached in redevelopment lawsuits", Courier News, September 15, 2021. Accessed May 20, 2024. "But, following a change in the borough's political administration and negotiations after the litigation was filed, Cust and the borough agreed to a scaled-down plan still calling for the 100-room hotel, but reducing the number of apartments to 192 and reducing the height of the building, 21,967 square feet of non-residential space and retention of portions of the hotel building, the bank building and the potting shed building."

Historic landmarks By 1980, 65% of Flemington borough had been included on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and is now on the National Register of Historic Places as the Flemington Historic District.

Union Hotel – Early 19th century hotel in downtown Flemington that served as a restaurant until its 2008 closure. The current structure dates to 1877, built on the site of what had been a stagecoach stop that dates to 1814.Brickman, Rachael S. "Union Hotel closes; liquor license stays", NJ.com, September 26, 2008. Accessed July 10, 2014. "The Union Hotel, which sits on an acre of property across the street from the old courthouse, got its start as a stagecoach stop called Hart's Hotel in 1814. It was rebuilt several times over the years, and reached its current form in 1877." Hunterdon County Courthouse – Historic court house where the Lindbergh Trial took place. Now used for County offices. Fleming Castle / Samuel Fleming House – First house in Flemington, 5 Bonnell Street. Purchased by the Borough of Flemington in 2005 and operated as a historical museum by the Friends of Fleming Castle.The Small House that is a Big Mystery , Fleming Castle Museum. Accessed July 10, 2014.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.08 square miles (2.79 km2), all of which was land. Flemington is completely surrounded by Raritan Township,Areas touching Flemington, MapIt. Accessed March 30, 2020.Map of County Municipalities, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023. making it part one of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton, New Jersey, merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, Flemington had a population of 4,876. The median age was 34.8 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 11.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.4 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,853 households in Flemington, of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.0% were married-couple households, 23.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 1,974 housing units, of which 6.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.1%.

+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 2,592 53.2% Black or African American 146 3.0% American Indian and Alaska Native 75 1.5% Asian 319 6.5% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 6 0.1% Some other race 1,135 23.3% Two or more races 603 12.4% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,928 39.5%

2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 4,581 people, 1,815 households, and 996 families in the borough. The population density was 4,252.2 per square mile (1,641.8/km2). There were 1,926 housing units at an average density of 1,787.8 per square mile (690.3/km2). The racial makeup was 78.48% (3,595) White, 3.93% (180) Black or African American, 0.31% (14) Native American, 5.81% (266) Asian, 0.02% (1) Pacific Islander, 8.71% (399) from other races, and 2.75% (126) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.15% (1,198) of the population.

Of the 1,815 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18; 37.6% were married couples living together; 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 45.1% were non-families. Of all households, 37.1% were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.20.

22.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 24.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 105.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 106.9 males.