Boonton Township (Kanzler, Kaitlyn. "How do you say that? Some North Jersey town names you may be pronouncing wrong", The Record, September 1, 2019. Accessed March 2, 2023. "Boonton BOOT-in It's the name of both a town and a township in Morris County.") is a township in Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 4,380, an increase of 117 (2.7%) from the 2010 census count of 4,263, which in turn reflected a decline of 24 (−0.6%) from 4,287 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.

Boonton Township was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1867, from portions of Pequannock Township. The borough of Mountain Lakes was formed from portions of the township on March 3, 1924.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. Accessed May 1, 2026.Historical Timeline of Morris County Boundaries , Morris County Library. Accessed December 24, 2016. "1867, April 11. Boonton Township is established from Pequannock.... 1924, March 3. Mountain Lakes Borough is established from Boonton and Hanover Township." The settlement was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of the Colonial Governor Thomas Boone.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 27, 2015.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 52. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 27, 2015.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Boonton Township as the 4th best place to live in the state in its rankings of the "New Jersey's Top Towns 2011–2012.Staff. "The Top 20 Towns in New Jersey", New Jersey Monthly, August 15, 2011. Accessed January 7, 2013.

History Boonton Township's recorded history began about 1710 when William Penn, the Quaker land speculator, located in the northern valley his Lot No. 48, which contained of fields and woodlands. James Bollen, whose bordering "plantation" stretching south toward the Tourne was described as "situate on the fork of Rockaway with an Indian plantation in it," mapped his 1,507 acres (6 km2) in 1715. In 1765 David Ogden purchased from Burnet and Skinner the Great Boonton Tract. When the Township of Boonton was created as of April 11, 1867 by "An Act to Divide the Township of Pequannoc in the County of Morris" most of Penn's Lot No. 48 and parts of the Bollen and Great Boonton Tracts fell within Boonton's boundary.

The first settler of proper record was Frederick DeMouth of French Huguenot extraction. By 1758, his Rockaway Valley plantation within the Penn Lot covered , and it was on this land that the large Stickle, Bott and Kincaid farms were to prosper in the far distant future. Frederick Miller of German Palatine birth bought extensive land (later day Dixon acres) within the Bollen piece at 13 shillings per acre. These founding families were closely followed by the Hoplers, Van Winkles, Cooks, Scotts, Peers, Stickles and Kanouses.

McCaffrey Lane, the oldest recorded thoroughfare in the area, was built in 1767 by Samuel Ogden of the Great Boonton Tract. In 1822, North Main Street was "cut" along the proposed Morris Canal route. In 1824, the Morris Canal and Banking Company was chartered with John Scott of Powerville, an important commissioner. Locks number 9, 10 and 11 were constructed in newly named Powerville.

The Powerville Hotel, still standing, was built near Lock Number 11 to accommodate both canal and transient trade. The hotel, owned by Nathan Hopkins, gained fame as a station on the pre-American Civil War Underground Railroad.Ricker, Jean. Our History, Boonton Township. Accessed March 20, 2020.Zimmer, David M. "Watching Underground Railroad miniseries? Here are some North Jersey safe houses", The Record, May 24, 2021. Accessed June 26, 2024. "Outside of Harriet Tubman’s summertime stints working at Cape May hotels, New Jersey’s connection to the Underground Railroad generally sticks to the I-95 corridor.... Near Grimes' home, in neighboring Boonton Township, was another station, the Powerville Hotel. It was owned by Nathan Hopkins, whose son Charles Hopkins became involved in the railroad as a teenager, went on to join the First New Jersey Volunteer Infantry in 1861, survived a stint as a Confederate prisoner at Andersonville in Georgia and became the town’s mayor in 1880."

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 8.50 square miles (22.01 km2), including 8.12 square miles (21.04 km2) of land and 0.38 square miles (0.97 km2) of water (4.41%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Deer Pond, Dixons Pond, Powerville, Rockaway Valley and Sheep Hill.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 22, 2015.

The township borders the Morris County municipalities of Boonton, Denville Township, Kinnelon, Montville, Mountain Lakes and Rockaway Township.Areas touching Boonton Township, MapIt. Accessed March 12, 2020.Morris County Municipalities Map, Morris County, New Jersey Department of Planning and Preservation. Accessed March 4, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.

Demographics

Census 2010 The 2010 United States census counted 4,263 people, 1,575 households, and 1,150 families in the township. The population density was 517.2 per square mile (199.7/km2). There were 1,647 housing units at an average density of 199.8 per square mile (77.1/km2). The racial makeup was 92.35% (3,937) White, 1.55% (66) Black or African American, 0.12% (5) Native American, 3.99% (170) Asian, 0.05% (2) Pacific Islander, 0.54% (23) from other races, and 1.41% (60) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.18% (178) of the population.

Of the 1,575 households, 33.8% had children under the age of 18; 63.1% were married couples living together; 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 27.0% were non-families. Of all households, 23.9% 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 2.65 and the average family size was 3.17.

24.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.6% from 18 to 24, 16.2% from 25 to 44, 35.4% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $117,333 (with a margin of error of ± $21,364) and the median family income was $135,781 (± $33,990). Males had a median income of $102,250 (± $17,348) versus $62,452 (± $17,486) for females. The per capita income for the township was $61,267 (± $12,232). About 3.8% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 17, 2012.

Based on data from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey, Boonton Township had a per capita income of $61,267 (ranked 50th in the state), compared to per capita income in Morris County of $47,342 and statewide of $34,858.Median Household, Family, Per-Capita Income: State, County, Municipality and Census Designated Place (CDP) With Municipalities Ranked by Per Capita Income; 2010 5-year ACS estimates, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed June 3, 2020.

Census 2000 As of the 2000 United States census there were 4,287 people, 1,476 households, and 1,157 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 1,510 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 93.00% White, 1.19% African American, 0.05% Native American, 4.08% Asian, 0.63% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.15% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Boonton township, Morris County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 17, 2012., United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 17, 2012.

There were 1,476 households, out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.1% were married couples living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.18.

In the township the population was spread out, with 24.9% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $91,753, and the median income for a family was $102,944. Males had a median income of $77,133 versus $46,302 for females. The per capita income for the township was $45,014. About 0.9% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Boonton Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters 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 in a three-year cycle.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 117."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January after each election, a Mayor (formally described as Chairperson) and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Township Committee from among its members.About Us, Boonton Township. Accessed May 16, 2022. "The Township government consists of a five-member Township Committee. The Township Committee members are elected for a three-year term. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are selected by the Township Committee."