Frankford Township is a township in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 5,302, a decrease of 263 (−4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 5,565, which in turn reflected an increase of 145 (+2.7%) from the 5,420 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.
Frankford Township was formed on April 10, 1797, from portions of Newton Township, and was incorporated on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. Portions of the township were taken to form Lafayette Township and Sparta Township (both established on April 14, 1845), along with Branchville (March 9, 1898), which is completely surrounded by the township.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 120. Accessed October 25, 2012. The township was said to have been named after Frankford, a neighborhood of Philadelphia, after a visitor who hailed from that area came to help out at the rural school in the township.Frankford Echoes, presented by the Frankford Township Tercentenary Committee, 1964, pg. 7.
Since 1976, the township has been the home of the Farm and Horse Show, which expanded after it was relocated from Branchville. The New Jersey State Fair / Sussex County Farm & Horse Show has evolved as the site of numerous activities and events throughout the year. The township's Skylands Park, a 4,300-seat baseball park, was home to the New Jersey Cardinals of the New York–Penn League from 1993 to 2005, and the Sussex Skyhawks of the Can-Am League from 2006 to 2010. Since 2005, the stadium is the home of the Sussex County Miners, which plays as part of the Frontier League.Westhoven, William. "Miners to fill major baseball void in Sussex", Daily Record, December 10, 2014. Accessed December 24, 2014. "The new owners of Skylands Stadium in Augusta announced Wednesday that they have established a new minor-league team — appropriately dubbed the Sussex County Miners — that will begin play in the independent Can-Am Association of Professional Baseball."
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 35.30 square miles (91.42 km2), including 33.88 square miles (87.74 km2) of land and 1.42 square miles (3.68 km2) of water (4.02%). Culver's Lake and Lake Owassa, two natural lakes nestled below the Kittatinny Mountain, form the northern border. The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the long Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.
The borough of Branchville is completely surrounded by Frankford Township, making it part 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 merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain. The township borders the Sussex County municipalities of Hampton Township, Lafayette Township, Sandyston Township and Wantage Township.Sussex County Map, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed March 10, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Ross Corner (with a 2020 Census population of 120) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Frankford Township.GCT-PH1 – Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Sussex County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 19, 2013.2006–2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 19, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 – Population and Housing Unit Counts – 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed February 19, 2013. Augusta is another unincorporated community located within the township.History, Frankford Township. Accessed February 19, 2013. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Armstrong, Culvers Gap, Culvers Inlet, Culvers Lake, Lake Owassa, Mount Pisgah, Northrup, Pallettown, Pellettown, Plains and Wykertown.Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed March 16, 2015.
Elevation ranges from above sea level and approach . At the Paulinskill River, the elevation is . There are several hills with elevations of and one hill of .
History
Geology Most of Frankford Township is on the Ordovician Martinsburg Formation. This is a shale, slate, and limestone formation created 450 million years ago when a chain of volcanic islands collided with proto North America. This is a dark, almost black, shale. However the Jacksonburg formation rides over the Martinsburg shale in most areas. This shale is silver in color in the inside of the shale.
The islands went over the North American plate, creating the Highlands of Sussex County. The Kittatinny Valley was uplifted. The sediment at the bottom of seas was uplifted and formed shale. Millions of years of erosion occurred and there was a second event. About 400 million years ago small continent that was long and thin, collided with proto North America creating folding and faulting. The Silurian Shawnangunk conglomerate that was under a shallow sea, lifted due to pressure. The pressure created heat which melted the silica, bonded the quartz and conglomerate together, creating Kittatinny Mountain.
The Wisconsin Glacier covered all of the township from 21,000 BCE to 13,000 BCE. The glacier covered the top of Kittatinny Mountain. End moraines exist in Stokes State Forest as well as just off County Route 565 north of the Skylands Park. Also about a mile south of Ross's Corner is an end moraine. An esker was created when the glacier retreated due to climate warming. Many ponds and lakes created. Culver Lake was created at this time, as the drainage became blocked. The township is drained by two river systems. The Paulinskill and the Wallkill. The Paulinskill travels in a northwesterly direction throughout the township before turning southwest. Papakatkin Creek starts east of Branchville Reservoir and drains into the Wallkill River north of the town of Sussex. Another creek starts near the base of Sunrise Mountain and empties into the Papakatkin Creek near Pellettown. Dry Creek starts at the Branchville Reservoir, travels south and enters into Culver's Creek in Branchville; eventually empties into the Paulinskill. There is a chain of hills between Dry Creek and Papakatin Creek. These hills are what separate the two river drainage systems. The drainage divide is just north of Route 206 and the goes northwest toward Branchville Reservoir. Water near Route 206 or south of Route 206 drains into the Paulinskill. Water north of Route 206 drains into the Wallkill River.
Culvers Gap was made by an ancient stream that was later diverted. The gap's bottom is below the top of Kittatinny Mountain, which can be seen for many miles.
Paleo Indians After the glacier melted, the area was cold and wet. The area was a Tundra Biome which grasses grew slowly. This is when Paleo Indians came into the area around 11,000 BCE. After several thousand years, the area became warmer. As the climate warmed, vegetation patterns changed. With change in plant life, herbivore megafauna slowly died out. Or were concentrated in certain areas which allowed for over hunting by Paleo-Indians. Coniferous forests of spruce and pine began to grow. The area then became a Taiga Biome. Paleo Indians carried spears with fluted points made of black chert or jasper. They used Culver's Gap to travel from the Flatbrook Valley to the Kittatinny Valley. This route was later used by Native Americans. Paleo Indians made temporary camps and traveled often as they were hunter gatherers. It is difficult to locate their camps as they are located many feet below the present ground surface of today. One would have to search the Pleistocene gravels.
Mastodons, Musk Ox and Caribou roamed the area. The bones of Mastodons were found in Highland Lakes, Swartswood Lake, Great Meadows, and in Orange County, New York. As climate warmed, megafauna either traveled north, were over hunted, or became extinct due to lack of food.
Climate warmed between 8000 BCE to 6000 BCE. At this time more deciduous trees such as oak, maple, birch, and willows began to grow. Other big game then slowly inhabited the area, such as deer, elk, bear, and moose.
By 3000 BCE other deciduous trees grew such as hickory, cherry, walnut, beech, butternut, chestnut, ash and elm. Hunter gatherers populations slowly grew as now there was more food in the forests. The Paulinskill River is shallow which allowed for easy fishing. The valley has small hills which allowed for easy travel and setting up camps. Due to the diversity of the deciduous trees and plants growing in the grasslands, game was everywhere. Gathering became more intensive.
Around 1000 BCE, clay pottery was invented which allowed the storage of seeds, nuts and other food. The bow and arrow was also invented around this time. Hunter gatherer populations began to rise more due to the ability to store nuts in pottery and procure game through the bow and arrow. However camps were still temporary and traveling was still done often in search of game and plants. As populations grew, camps became more seasonal. These camps were along rivers. It was at this time that the Lenape Native Americans entered the area from the west.
Lenape Native Americans The Lenape settled this area around 1000 BCE or slightly later. They settled their seasonal extended family camps along the river valleys as food and water was abundant there. They had a trade route that went through the township. The path started at Minisink Island on the Delaware and went to Raritan Bay. The path went from Minisink Island to Culver's Gap, and continued through Frankford Twp. where it crossed the Paulinskill River and went south, east of Newton. Around the year 800 CE to 1000 CE, triangular projectile points were developed. This was the beginning of the bow and arrow in North America. It was also at this time around the year 1000 CE that agriculture began to be developed along with clay pottery. With potter, the bow and arrow, along with agriculture; Native American populations grew even more. The Lenape were still hunter gatherers and supplemented their procuring of wild game with corn, beans and squash. They had gardens that were round or oval in fertile river valleys. The Paulinskill River and the surrounding valley offered excellent area for family camps of Native Americans. The Paulinskill River is shallow and narrow which allowed for easy fishing, bathing, and gathering of plants. Game also is attracted to the river valley such as deer, bear, waterfowl and other small game. Since the land is flat, this allowed for easy traveling, hunting and food gathering such as various nuts. Culvers Lake was the site of Native American villages and Papakating Creek was used as a campsite. Many trees were huge, which allowed for large nut crops each autumn. The Native American populations continued to grow even though they were living in a late Stone Age culture. Populations expanded until the Little Ice Age and European arrival.
The Little Ice Age and European contact