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By the 1750s, residents of this area began to petition colonial authorities for a new county to be formed and cited complaints of the inconvenience and long journey required to conduct business with the government and the courts. By this time, four large townships had been created in this sparsely populated Northwestern region: [[Walpack Township, New Jersey|Walpack Township]] (before 1731), [[Greenwich Township, New Jersey|Greenwich Township]] (before 1738), [[Hardwick Township, New Jersey|Hardwick Township]] (1750) and [[Newtown Township, New Jersey|Newtown Township]] (1751). On 8 June 1753, Sussex County was created from these four municipalities that were a large portion of [[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris County]].<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 229. Accessed May 31, 2012.</ref> The size of Sussex County at this time stretched over present-day Sussex and Warren Counties as its boundaries were legally drawn as:
By the 1750s, residents of this area began to petition colonial authorities for a new county to be formed and cited complaints of the inconvenience and long journey required to conduct business with the government and the courts. By this time, four large townships had been created in this sparsely populated Northwestern region: [[Walpack Township, New Jersey|Walpack Township]] (before 1731), [[Greenwich Township, New Jersey|Greenwich Township]] (before 1738), [[Hardwick Township, New Jersey|Hardwick Township]] (1750) and [[Newtown Township, New Jersey|Newtown Township]] (1751). On 8 June 1753, Sussex County was created from these four municipalities that were a large portion of [[Morris County, New Jersey|Morris County]].<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [http://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 229. Accessed May 31, 2012.</ref> The size of Sussex County at this time stretched over present-day Sussex and Warren Counties as its boundaries were legally drawn as:


::''That all and singular, the lands and upper parts of said Morris County northwest of Muskonetkong river, BEGINNING at the mouth of said river, where it empties itself into Delaware river, and running up said Muskonetkong river, to the head of the great pond; from thence to the line that divides the province of New-York and said New-Jersey; thence along the said line to Delaware river aforesaid; thence down the same to the mouth of Muskonetkong...''<ref>Paterson, William. Laws of the State of New Jersey. (Newark, NJ: Matthias Day, 1800), 15.</ref>
::''That all and singular, the lands and upper parts of said Morris County northwest of Muskonetkong river, BEGINNING at the mouth of said river, where it empties itself into Delaware river, and running up said Muskonetkong river, to the head of the great pond; from thence to the line that divides the province of New-York and said New-Jersey; thence along the said line to Delaware river aforesaid; thence down the same to the mouth of Muskonetkong...''<ref>Paterson, William. Laws of the State of New Jersey. (Newark, NJ: Matthias Day, 1800), 15. Note: the "great pond" referenced in the above boundaries is a 18th Century reference to Lake Hopatcong.</ref>


The county purportedly was named by [[Royal Governor of New Jersey|Royal Governor]] [[Jonathan Belcher]] after His Grace, [[Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne|Thomas Pelham-Holles, first Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and first Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne]] (1693–1768), who at the time was the [[Secretary of State for the Northern Department]], and later the [[Prime Minister]] of the United Kingdom (1754–1756, 1757–1762). The Duke of Newcastle and his brother [[Henry Pelham]] were both prominent political figures in England from 1710 to 1762 and their family's ancestral seat was in the [[Sussex, England|County of Sussex in England]].<ref>Snell, James P. (ed.) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1881), 149 ff..</ref>
The county purportedly was named by [[Royal Governor of New Jersey|Royal Governor]] [[Jonathan Belcher]] after His Grace, [[Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne|Thomas Pelham-Holles, first Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and first Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne]] (1693–1768), who at the time was the [[Secretary of State for the Northern Department]], and later the [[Prime Minister]] of the United Kingdom (1754–1756, 1757–1762). The Duke of Newcastle and his brother [[Henry Pelham]] were both prominent political figures in England from 1710 to 1762 and their family's ancestral seat was in the [[Sussex, England|County of Sussex in England]].<ref>Snell, James P. (ed.) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1881), 149 ff..</ref>


In the early 19th Century, residents of the southern portion of the county sought to have court sessions held in alternating locations—in Newton in the north and in either Oxford or Belvidere in the south. After several previous petitions were not successful, the state legislature voted to divide Sussex County in two using a line drawn from the juncture of the [[Flat Brook]] and [[Delaware River]] in a southeasterly direction to the [[Musconetcong River]] running through Yellow Frame in present-day [[Fredon Township, New Jersey|Fredon Township]] (then part of Hardwick). On 20 November 1824, [[Warren County, New Jersey|Warren County]] was created from the southern territory of the Sussex County.{{GR|6}}.
In the early 19th Century, residents of the southern portion of the county sought to have court sessions held in alternating locations—in Newton in the north and in either Oxford or Belvidere in the south. After several previous petitions were not successful, the state legislature voted to divide Sussex County in two using a line drawn from the juncture of the [[Flat Brook]] and [[Delaware River]] in a southeasterly direction to the [[Musconetcong River]] running through Yellow Frame in present-day [[Fredon Township, New Jersey|Fredon Township]] (then part of Hardwick).<ref>State of New Jersey. Acts of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey. (1824), 146-147. The landmark used for drawing the boundary through Yellow Frame was the earlier Presbyterian Church building that was torn down in 1898.</ref> On 20 November 1824, [[Warren County, New Jersey|Warren County]] was created from the southern territory of the Sussex County.{{GR|6}}.


==Government and politics==
==Government and politics==

Revision as of 16:14, 20 June 2012

Sussex County
County
Flag of Sussex County
Flag
Official seal of Sussex County
Seal
Map of New Jersey highlighting Sussex County
Location within the U.S. state of New Jersey
Map of the United States highlighting New Jersey
New Jersey's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°08′N 74°41′W / 41.14°N 74.69°W / 41.14; -74.69
Country United States
State New Jersey
FoundedJune 8, 1753
SeatNewton
Largest cityVernon Township
Area
 • Total536 sq mi (1,388 km2)
 • Land521 sq mi (1,350 km2)
 • Water15 sq mi (38 km2)  2.75%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total149,265
 • Density286.4/sq mi (110.6/km2)
Websitewww.sussex.nj.us

Sussex County is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the county had 149,265 residents, an increase of 5,099 (3.5%) from the 144,166 persons enumerated in the 2000 Census, making it the 17th-most populous county among the state's 21 counties.[1] The Bureau of Economic Analysis ranked the county as having the 142nd-highest per capita income of all 3,113 counties in the United States (and the ninth-highest in New Jersey) as of 2009.[2]

Geology and Geography

High Point Monument as seen from Lake Marcia in Montague Township, Sussex County. High Point is the highest elevation in New Jersey at 1803 feet above sea level.[3]

Physiographic Provinces

The geology of the region is dominated by two of New Jersey's physiographic provinces: (1) The Ridge and Valley Appalachians, and (2) the New York-New Jersey Highlands.

The Ridge and Valley province was created approximately 300 million years ago during the Appalachian orogeny--a period of tremendous pressure and rock thrusting that caused the creation of the Appalachian Mountains. This physiographic province occupies approximately two-thirds of the county's area--the county's western and central sections--and is characterized by long, even ridges, with long, continuous valleys in between. This region is largely formed by sedimentary rock.

The New York - New Jersey Highlands, or Highlands region, in the county's eastern section is older, created from geological forces applied towards Precambrian igneous and metamorphic rock approximately 500 million years ago. This region was protected by the New Jersey Legislature and Governor Jim McGreevey under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act enacted in 2002 which sought to preserve water resources, to promote open space and farmland preservation, to create new recreational parks, and to regulate planning to achieve these goals. The watersheds within the Highlands provide fresh water resources for millions of residents in New Jersey and the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Mountains

The Kittatinny Mountain traverses the western section of the county and goes in a northeast-southwest axis. This is the first major ridge of the Ridge and Valley province. Walpack Ridge runs from Walpack Bend and follows the Delaware River to Port Jervis, New York. These two ridges are the only two mountains in the ridge and valley province. Between Walpack Ridge and the Kittatinny Mountain is the Flatbrook Valley which is drained by the Little and Big Flatbrook streams.

To the east of Kittatinny Mountain is the Kittatinny Valley which is made of Ordovician Martinsburg Formation composed of shale, and slate, which make up most of the valley. A section of Kittatinny formation goes though Balesville. The rest is composed of Ordovician Jacksonburg formation which is limestone. There is also an ancient volcano at Rutan Hill, north of Beemerville. Kittatinny Valley is part of the Great Appalachian Valley which goes from Canada to Alabama. North of this valley is the Hudson Valley and to the south is the Lehigh Valley. The Walkill River drains the northern part of the Kittatinny Valley and the Paulinskill River drains the central and southern section of the Kittatinny Valley.

To the east of the Kittatinny Valley is the Highland province. A narrow fault of Hardyston Quartzite separates the Kittatinny Valley from the Highlands. Igneous and metamorphic rock from the Late Precambrian and Early Paleozoic era, make up the Highlands. Kittatinny and Franklin formation, along with Hardyston Quartzite are in the Highlands. The New Jersey Highlands geology is complicated due to complex patterns of folds, faults and intrusions.

The Highland Province has the Wawayanda Mountains which has an elevation of 1448 at two peaks; Sparta Mountain, elevation 1232: Pochuck Mountain, elevation 1194, north of Lake Pochung; Hamburg Mountain, elevation 1495 east of Lake Wildwood.

Rivers and watersheds

Sussex County's rivers and watersheds flow in three directions--North to the Hudson River, West and South to the Delaware River, and East toward Newark Bay.

All of these rivers are well known trout streams, which are stocked every year by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Much of the county is hilly, as the Ridge and Valley Province is considered to be within the Appalachian Mountains. The Great Valley of the Appalachians, allows for land to be more amenable to agriculture. Corn, tomatoes, pumpkins, apples, peaches are grown.

Weather

Soils

Physical geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 536 square miles (1,390 km2), of which, 521 square miles (1,350 km2) of it is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) of it (2.75%) is water. High Point in this county is also the highest natural elevation in the state at 1,803 feet (549.5 m) above sea level. Sunrise Mountain in Stokes State Forest has an elevation of 1,653 feet (504 m). The county's lowest elevation is approximately 300 feet (90 m) above sea level along the Delaware River near Flatbrookville.

Adjacent counties

Given Sussex County's location at the top of the state, it is bordered by counties in New Jersey as well as in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania. This region is often collectively known as the Tri-State Area.[4] The following counties are adjacent and contiguous to Sussex County (in order starting with the northernmost and rotating clockwise):

National protected areas

History

Lenni Lenape and earlier cultures

European Settlement

There are frequent references in several amateur histories citing that a "company of Dutch miners" building the Old Mine Road and establishing a copper mine near the Delaware Water Gap circa 1640 were the first European settlement in Sussex County. However, these stories are folk tales unsupported by documentary or archaeological evidence. At this time, many adventurers (or couriers du bois) from Sir Edmund Plowden's failed New Albion Colony and Dutch New Netherlands sought mineral deposits and animal furs in the undefined wilderness and journeyed to trade with inland Indian tribes, but little or no evidence of their efforts remain.

As early as 1690, Dutch and Huguenot colonists from New York began permanently settling in the Upper Delaware Valley (known as the "Minisink") as early as 1690. At this time, the county was populated by the Munsee, a group of Lenni Lenape that inhabited Northwestern New Jersey and Southern New York. Following Indian Trails from Esopus (now Kingston, New York, these Dutch and Huguenot families established settlements along the Neversink River and Mamakating Valley in Orange County, New York, and along the Delaware River in Northwestern New Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania. This Indian Trail led to the council fire of the Munsee tribes at Minisink, an island in the Delaware in present-day Montague Township, New Jersey. It would later become the route of the Old Mine Road and stretches of present-date U.S. Route 209.

Palatine German immigrants arriving in Philadelphia and New York City would begin settling river valleys in Northwestern New Jersey and Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley starting in 1709, but reaching their height after 1740. Also, in the 1740s and 1750s, Scottish Settlers from Elizabethtown and Perth Amboy, and English settlers from these cities, Long Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts, came to New Jersey and moved up the tributaries of the Passaic and Raritan. Some settled in the eastern sections of present-day Sussex and Warren County.

Creation of the Sussex County

By the 1750s, residents of this area began to petition colonial authorities for a new county to be formed and cited complaints of the inconvenience and long journey required to conduct business with the government and the courts. By this time, four large townships had been created in this sparsely populated Northwestern region: Walpack Township (before 1731), Greenwich Township (before 1738), Hardwick Township (1750) and Newtown Township (1751). On 8 June 1753, Sussex County was created from these four municipalities that were a large portion of Morris County.[5] The size of Sussex County at this time stretched over present-day Sussex and Warren Counties as its boundaries were legally drawn as:

That all and singular, the lands and upper parts of said Morris County northwest of Muskonetkong river, BEGINNING at the mouth of said river, where it empties itself into Delaware river, and running up said Muskonetkong river, to the head of the great pond; from thence to the line that divides the province of New-York and said New-Jersey; thence along the said line to Delaware river aforesaid; thence down the same to the mouth of Muskonetkong...[6]

The county purportedly was named by Royal Governor Jonathan Belcher after His Grace, Thomas Pelham-Holles, first Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and first Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne (1693–1768), who at the time was the Secretary of State for the Northern Department, and later the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1754–1756, 1757–1762). The Duke of Newcastle and his brother Henry Pelham were both prominent political figures in England from 1710 to 1762 and their family's ancestral seat was in the County of Sussex in England.[7]

In the early 19th Century, residents of the southern portion of the county sought to have court sessions held in alternating locations—in Newton in the north and in either Oxford or Belvidere in the south. After several previous petitions were not successful, the state legislature voted to divide Sussex County in two using a line drawn from the juncture of the Flat Brook and Delaware River in a southeasterly direction to the Musconetcong River running through Yellow Frame in present-day Fredon Township (then part of Hardwick).[8] On 20 November 1824, Warren County was created from the southern territory of the Sussex County.Template:GR.

Government and politics

Board of Chosen Freeholders

The County of Sussex is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders that consists of five members elected at-large to serve three-year terms. Seats are elected on a staggered basis over three years, with two seats available in the first year, two seats the following, and then one seat. All terms of office begin on January 1 and end on December 31. The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the center of legislative and administrative responsibility for the County of Sussex. It is responsible for writing and adopting a budget and overseeing the spending of funds appropriated by that budget.

Many county services do overlap those provided by municipalities within the county, however, the Board of Chosen Freeholders is responsible for the following tasks:

"Public Safety and Emergency Management, Community College and Technical School, the County Library System, Social Services, Youth Services, Community Service, Mental Health, Division of Senior Services, [The County] Nursing Home [formerly the Alms House], Environmental and Public Health Services, Mosquito Control, the Medical Examiner's Office, the County Jail and Detention Center, Farmland and Open Space Preservation, Economic Development, Road and Bridge Maintenance and Repair, the Para Transit System and Transportation Planning, Solid Waste Planning, the County Master Plan, including Water Resource Planning."[9]

As of 2010, members of the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders are Freeholder Director Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, term ends December 31, 2010; Wantage Township), Deputy Director Phillip R. Crabb (R, 2011; Franklin Borough), Richard A. Zeoli (R, 2012; Byram Township), Parker Space (R, 2010; Wantage Township) and Susan M. Zellman (R, 2012; Stanhope).[9]

Constitutional officers

Pursuant to Article VII Section II of New Jersey's Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officals known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk (elected for a five-year term), the County Surrogate (elected for a five-year term), and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).[10]

The County Clerk is responsible for certifying notaries; processing and recording deeds, mortgages, and real estate documents; business trade names, processing petitions from candidate for elective office, drawing up ballots, overseeing elections and counting ballots, and many other tasks.[11] The current County Clerk is Jeffrey M. Parrott (Republican).

The County Surrogate is both a constitutional officer and judge with jurisdiction over estate and probate matters (wills, guardianships, trusteeships), and in processing adoptions.[12] The current County Surrogate is Nancy D. Fitzgibbons (Republican).

The County Sheriff is responsible for law enforcement, protection of the courts, administering the county jail, and the delivery and service of court documents. The current County Sheriff is Michael F. Strada (Republican). His term began 1 January 2011.[13]

State and Federal Representation

Sussex County is part of two Congressional Districts.

New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)[14] and George Helmy (Mountain Lakes, term ends 2024).[15][16]

Sussex County is in the For the 2024-2025 session, the 24th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Parker Space (R, Wantage Township) and in the General Assembly by Dawn Fantasia (R, Franklin) and Mike Inganamort (R, Chester Township).[17]

Municipalities

Index map of Sussex County municipalities (click to see index key)

The following are Sussex County's 24 incorporated municipalities:

Politics

Sussex County is a predominantly Republican area, as among registered voters, affiliations with the Republican Party outpace those of the Democratic Party by a ratio of three to one. All five members of the county board of Chosen Freeholders, all three county-wide constitutional officers, and all except a few of the 108 municipal offices among the county's 24 municipalities are held by Republicans. In the 2004 U.S. Presidential election, George W. Bush carried the county by a 29.6% margin over John Kerry, the largest margin for Bush in any county in New Jersey, with Kerry carrying the state by 6.7% over Bush.[18] In 2008, John McCain carried Sussex County by a 20.6% margin over Barack Obama, McCain's best showing in New Jersey, with Obama winning statewide by 15.5% over McCain.[19] In the 2009 Gubernatorial Election, Republican Chris Christie received 63% of the vote, defeating Democrat Jon Corzine, who received around 26%. Also, Sussex County is the home county of Scott Garrett, who is by far the most conservative congressman from New Jersey. He represents almost all of Sussex County along with Warren County, northern Passaic County, and northern Bergen County. The southeast corner of Sussex County is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen.

Economy and other factors

Early industry and commerce chiefly centered on agriculture, iron mining, shifting during the late 19th and early 20th centuries to focus on several factories and the mining of zinc. Today, Sussex County features a mix of rural farmland, forests and suburban development. Though agriculture (chiefly dairy farming) is on the decline and because the county hosts little industry, Sussex County is considered a "bedroom community" as most residents commute to neighboring counties (Bergen, Essex and Morris Counties) or to New York City for work.

Taxes

Property taxes in Sussex County have always been historically lower than its neighboring counties. Taxes on an acre of land, depending on the condition and size of the house, could be as low as $1500 a year. Typical property taxes in the county are in the $3000–$6000 a year range. This is due to low local spending, regional schools, modest police departments, and all municipalities having a volunteer Fire Department.

Transportation

Sussex County is served by a number of roads connecting it to the rest of the state and to both Pennsylvania and New York. Interstate 80 passes through the extreme southern tip of Sussex County solely in Byram. Interstate 84 passes just yards north of Sussex County, but never enters New Jersey.

New Jersey's Route 15, Route 23, Route 94, Route 181, Route 183, and Route 284 pass through the County, as does U.S. Route 206

Commuter rail service is available from Netcong, New Jersey on the Morris & Essex Lines of New Jersey Transit. New Jersey Transit also is in the process of re-opening the Lackawanna Cutoff, which passes through Andover and Green Townships, to commuter rail service, connecting Scranton, Pennsylvania with Hoboken, New Jersey and New York City. Service from Andover, NJ via the Cut-Off is slated to open in 2014.

Sussex County has four public-use airports, all privately owned and catering to recreational pilots. They are Sussex Airport, in Wantage Township, which has a runway of 3,500 feet (1,100 m), Newton Airport in Andover Township, Andover Aeroflex Airport also in Andover Township, and Trinca Airport in Green Township, which has a 1,900-foot (580 m) grass runway.

Television and radio broadcasting

Clear Channel Radio owns a cluster of four stations in the area.

  • 102.3 WSUS-FM – Franklin. Format: Adult Contemporary
  • 103.7 WNNJ – Newton. Format: Classic Rock
  • 1360 WTOC – Newton. Format: Oldies
  • 106.3 WHCY-FM – Franklin. Format: Hot Adult Contemporary

Stations from The Hudson Valley Also can be heard: 92.7 WRRV-FM- Middletown. Format: Alternative 104.7 WSPK-FM- Poughkeepsie. Format: Top 40 Stations from Scranton-East Stroudsburg Area also can be heard: 107.9 WKRF-FM- Tobyhanna. Format: Top 40 Stations from The Lehigh Valley Area can also be heard: 104.1 WAEB-FM- Allentown. Format: Top 40 FST Broadcasting Corp. owns WTBQ, just north of Vernon, New Jersey.

  • 1110 WTBQ – Warwick, New York (can be heard throughout Northern Sussex County). Format: NewsTalk and Sports

The radio station WNTI, 91.9 FM, is broadcast from Centenary College in Hackettstown (Warren County). It is a commercial free, public station playing progressive music. It can be heard throughout most of Sussex County. Calvary Chapel of Howell, New Jersey broadcasts WRDR The Bridge FM with towers in Northern New Jersey and Southern New York.

  • 103.1 WJGK-FM
  • 99.7 WJUX-FM Sullivan and Orange Counties, New York. Format: Religious
  • 94.3 WJUX-FM Pamona, New York and parts of Rockland County, New York. Format: Religious

Public radio (NJN – New Jersey Public Radio); primarily NPR but also an American Public Media outlet:

  • 88.5 WNJP – Sussex, New Jersey
  • 89.3 WNJY – Netcong, New Jersey

Crime and law enforcement

Heroin use has been on the rise and shows no signs of improvement despite efforts of law enforcement and community groups working to fight the problem. This is due to the inexpensive cost of heroin and its highly addictive nature. Yet for the most part, crime is fairly low in Sussex County. Law Enforcements are well organized and the sheriff is elected by the people of Sussex County. This is the only law enforcement position that is elected in the county. The Sheriff's office is located on 39 High Street, in Newton. The current sheriff of Sussex County is Michael Strada.

The State Police are located on Route 206 in Augusta and most townships have local police departments. There is also N.J. Park police in Stokes State Forest and other state parks.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
179019,500—
180022,53415.6%
181025,54913.4%
182032,75228.2%
183020,346*−37.9%
184021,7707.0%
185022,9895.6%
186023,8463.7%
187023,168−2.8%
188023,5391.6%
189022,259−5.4%
190024,1348.4%
191026,78111.0%
192024,905−7.0%
193027,83011.7%
194029,6326.5%
195034,42316.2%
196049,25543.1%
197077,52857.4%
1980116,11949.8%
1990130,94312.8%
2000144,16610.1%
2010149,2653.5%
* lost territory

historical census data source:[20][21]

[22]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 144,166 people, 50,831 households, and 38,784 families residing in the county. The population density was 277 people per square mile (107/km²). There were 56,528 housing units at an average density of 108 per square mile (42/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.70% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 1.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 3.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.4% were of Italian, 18.1% Irish, 16.0% German, 7.2% English, 5.9% Polish and 5.2% American ancestry according to Census 2000.

By 2006, 90.3% of the county population was non-Hispanic whites. The percentage of African-Americans was up to 1.7%. Asians were now 1.9% of the population. 5.3% of the population was Latino.

In 2000 there were 50,831 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.7% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the county the population was spread out with 27.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.6 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $67,266, and the median income for a family was $73,335 (these figures had risen to $79,434 and $89,302 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[23]). Males had a median income of $50,395 versus $33,750 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,992. About 2.8% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Sussex County's municipalities are divided into eight local and regional public high school districts. Each municipality (except Walpack Township) has its own elementary or grammar school. Several municipalities have two or more elementary or grammar schools. Several of the county's high schools are highly ranked by both state and federal education departments, with two high schools (Kittatinny Regional and High Point Regional) having achieved the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School Award.

The county's Board of Chosen Freeholders oversees the Sussex County Technical School (formerly the Sussex County Vocational-Technical School), a county-wide technical high school in Sparta Township, New Jersey.[24]

Pope John XXIII Regional High School in Sparta, New Jersey, operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson, which also operates the K-8 schools Immaculate Conception in Franklin, St. Joseph in Newton and Rev. George A. Brown in Sparta.[25] There are several other private schools in the county.

Higher education

Sussex County Community College is a two-year community college located at the intersection of County Route 519 and Plotts Road in Newton. Opened in 1982, SCCC offers 37 associate degrees and 11 certificate programs to its more than 4,200 students. [26]

South Orange-based Upsala College located its Wirth Campus in Sussex County, which served 300 students before the school closed in 1995.[27][28]

Tourism and recreation

There are nine wildlife management areas located in Sussex County for hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, snowshoeing and cross country skiing, covering more than 15,000 acres (6,100 ha). There are also several state forests and state parks.

State and federal parks

Sports franchises

Augusta is the site of Skylands Park, a minor league baseball stadium, home of the Sussex Skyhawks. The Skyhawks play in the Can-Am League. Skylands Park was the former home of the New Jersey Cardinals (from 1994–2005), but the Cardinals moved to State College, Pennsylvania making room for the Skyhawks.

See also

References and other resources

Notes and citations

  1. ^ Table 1. The Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships in 2010 in New Jersey: 2000 and 2010, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 9, 2012.
  2. ^ 250 Highest Per Capita Personal Incomes of the 3113 Counties in the United States, 2009, Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed April 9, 2012.
  3. ^ "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  4. ^ N.B.: The term "Tri-State Area" also refers to the region surrounding New York City, including the states of New Jersey, New York and Connecticut.
  5. ^ Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 229. Accessed May 31, 2012.
  6. ^ Paterson, William. Laws of the State of New Jersey. (Newark, NJ: Matthias Day, 1800), 15. Note: the "great pond" referenced in the above boundaries is a 18th Century reference to Lake Hopatcong.
  7. ^ Snell, James P. (ed.) History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1881), 149 ff..
  8. ^ State of New Jersey. Acts of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey. (1824), 146-147. The landmark used for drawing the boundary through Yellow Frame was the earlier Presbyterian Church building that was torn down in 1898.
  9. ^ a b Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, published on the County of Sussex (New Jersey) website (no further authorship information available). Accessed January 15, 2009.
  10. ^ New Jersey State Constitution (1947), Article VII, Section II, Paragraph 2.
  11. ^ Sussex County Clerk: About (Accessed 20 June 2012).
  12. ^ New Jersey Courts: Morris/Sussex Vicinage, Surrogate's Office (Accessed 20 June 2012)
  13. ^ Sussex County Sheriff's Office: Administration (Accessed 20 June 2012)
  14. ^ U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
  15. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/23/nyregion/george-helmy-bob-menendez-murphy.html
  16. ^ Tully, Tracey (August 23, 2024). "Menendez's Senate Replacement Has Been a Democrat for Just 5 Months". The New York Times. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  17. ^ Legislative Roster for District 24, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  18. ^ New Jersey Presidential Election Returns by County 2004, Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. Accessed August 31, 2008.
  19. ^ U.S. Election Atlas
  20. ^ "New Jersey Resident Population by County: 1880–1930".
  21. ^ "Geostat Center: Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved 2007-03-02.
  22. ^ "The Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships in 2010 in New Jersey: 2000 and 2010". U.S. Census Bureau. 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
  23. ^ http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=05000US34023&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34023&_street=&_county=sussex+county&_cityTown=sussex+county&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=050&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=
  24. ^ About Us, Sussex County Technical School. Accessed May 31, 2012.
  25. ^ Sussex County Elementary / High Schools, Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. Accessed July 29, 2008.
  26. ^ Our History, Sussex County Community College. Accessed May 31, 2012.
  27. ^ Rothstein, Mervyn. "Against Odds, Revival For Troubled College", The New York Times, September 21, 1992. Accessed May 31, 2012. "The college also runs a satellite program for 300 students on a rural campus in Sussex County."
  28. ^ via Associated Press. "IN BRIEF;The Doors Are Closed At Upsala College", The New York Times, June 4, 1995. Accessed May 31, 2012.

Books and printed materials

  • Armstrong, William C. Pioneer Families of Northwestern New Jersey (Lambertville, New Jersey: Hunterdon House, 1979).
  • Cawley, James S. and Cawley, Margaret. Exploring the Little Rivers of New Jersey (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press, 1942, 1961, 1971, 1993). ISBN 0-8135-0684-0
  • Chambers, Theodore Frelinghuysen. The Early Germans of New Jersey: Their History, Churches, and Genealogies (Dover, New Jersey, Dover Printing Company, 1895), passim.
  • Cummings, Warren D. Sussex County: A History (Newton, New Jersey: Newton Rotary Club, 1964). NO ISBN
  • Cunningham, John T. Railroad Wonder: The Lackawanna Cut-Off (Newark, New Jersey: Newark Sunday News, 1961). NO ISBN
  • Documents Relating to the Colonial, Revolutionary and Post-Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey [Title Varies]. Archives of the State of New Jersey, 1st–2nd series. 47 volumes. (Newark, New Jersey: 1880–1949). NO ISBN
  • Honeyman, A. Van Doren (ed.). Northwestern New Jersey—A History of Somerset, Morris, Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex Counties Volume 1. (Lewis Historical Publishing Co., New York, 1927).
  • McCabe, Wayne T. Sussex County (Images of America) (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2003).
  • Schaeffer, Casper M.D. (and Johnson, William M.). Memoirs and Reminiscences: Together with Sketches of the Early History of Sussex County, New Jersey. (Hackensack, New Jersey: Privately Printed, 1907). NO ISBN
  • Schrabisch, Max. Indian habitations in Sussex County, New Jersey Geological Survey of New Jersey, Bulletin No. 13. (Union Hill, New Jersey: Dispatch Printing Company, 1915). NO ISBN
  • Schrabisch, Max. Archaeology of Warren and Hunterdon counties Geological Survey of New Jersey, Bulletin No. 18. (Trenton, N.J., MacCrellish and Quigley co., state printers, 1917). NO ISBN
  • Snell, James P. History of Sussex and Warren Counties, New Jersey, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. (Philadelphia: Everts & Peck, 1881). NO ISBN
  • Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries 1606–1968 (Trenton, New Jersey: Bureau of Geology and Topography, 1969). No ISBN
  • Stickney, Charles E. Old Sussex County families of the Minisink Region from articles in the Wantage Recorder (compiled by Virginia Alleman Brown) (Washington, New Jersey: Genealogical Researchers, 1988)

Maps and atlases

  • Map of Jonathan Hampton (1758) in the collection of the New Jersey Historical Society, Newark, New Jersey.
  • Hopkins, Griffith Morgan. Map of Sussex County, New Jersey. (1860) [Reprinted by the Sussex County Historical Society: Netcong, New Jersey: Esposito (Jostens), 2004.]
  • Beers, Frederick W. County Atlas of Warren, New Jersey: From actual surveys by and under the direction of F. W. Beers (New York: F.W. Beers & Co. 1874). [Reprinted by Warren County Historical Society: Harmony, New Jersey: Harmony Press, 1994].
  • Hagstrom Morris/Sussex/Warren counties atlas (Maspeth, New York: Hagstrom Map Company, Inc. 2004).

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41°08′N 74°41′W / 41.14°N 74.69°W / 41.14; -74.69

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