Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Union Township, New Jersey | |
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Presbyterian Church in Grandin | |
Location of Union Township in Hunterdon County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left). | |
Census Bureau map of Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey | |
Location in Hunterdon County Location in New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: 40°37′56″N 74°57′54″W / 40.632215°N 74.964965°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Hunterdon |
| Incorporated | February 17, 1853 |
| Named after | Union Furnace |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Body | Township Committee |
| • Mayor | David DeGiralamo (R, term ends December 31, 2023) |
| • Municipal clerk | Ella M. Ruta |
| Area | |
• Total | 20.63 sq mi (53.43 km2) |
| • Land | 18.77 sq mi (48.60 km2) |
| • Water | 1.86 sq mi (4.83 km2) 9.03% |
| • Rank | 138th of 565 in state 14th of 26 in county |
| Elevation | 407 ft (124 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 6,507 |
• Estimate (2023) | 6,391 |
| • Rank | 327th of 565 in state 4th of 26 in county |
| • Density | 346.8/sq mi (133.9/km2) |
| • Rank | 465th of 565 in state 15th of 26 in county |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) |
| ZIP Code | 08827 – Hampton |
| Area code | 908 |
| FIPS code | 3401974420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882188 |
| Website | www |
Union Township is a township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The southwest half of the township lies on what is known as the Hunterdon Plateau, the northwest corner consists of the Musconetcong Ridge and the northeast section is part of the lower-lying Newark Basin around Spruce Run Reservoir. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 6,507, its highest ever decennial count and an increase of 599 (+10.1%) from the 2010 census count of 5,908, which in turn reflected a decline of 252 (−4.1%) from the 6,160 counted in the 2000 census.
Union was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17, 1853, from portions of Bethlehem Township. Clinton Town was formed on April 5, 1865, within portions of the township, and became an independent municipality in 1895. The township was named for Union Furnace, which was producing iron from 1742 until the 1780s. The name "Union" was chosen over the alternative "Rockhill", which was a community at the southern end of the township.
Union Furnace and its forge produced cannonballs for the Revolutionary War and shoes for horses and oxen, as well as farm implements. Farms and fields were established in areas where trees were felled to provide fuel for the furnace. A farm community developed, together with basket making and tanning industries.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Union Township 21st in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.