Editing Washington, New Jersey (section)

==History==
Washington Borough separated from Washington Township as of February 20, 1868.<ref name=Story/> The community grew during the 19th century as a result of the transportation routes that ran through or near the borough. The [[Morris Canal]] ran along the north end of town and two rail lines of the [[Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad]] crossed within the borough. Intersecting in the center of the borough are two major roadways, which today are [[New Jersey Route 31|Route 31]] and [[New Jersey Route 57|Route 57]]. The borough was ultimately named for the "Washington House", a tavern built by Revolutionary War Col. William McCullough in 1811 that was later destroyed by fire in 1869.<ref>[http://history.rays-place.com/nj/war-washington-borough.htm History of Washington Borough, NJ] Accessed April 18, 2011.</ref>

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the borough became a mecca of musical instruments manufacturers, the manufacture of organs in particular. A bustling downtown developed around these businesses. Many of the Victorian style houses in the borough, as well as Taylor Street School and Warren Hills Middle School (formerly Washington High School) were built during this period.

The advent of the automobile brought Washington closer to both the [[Lehigh Valley]] and [[New York City]]. In the years following [[World War II]], the population increased, and there were many new houses and apartment complexes built. A portion of the Downtown area was devastated by a major fire in 1962. Education at the Middle and High School level was regionalized in 1968, and a new elementary school was also built (Memorial School).

The 1990s saw a population boom in Warren County, which continues today, as high real estate prices and property taxes in New Jersey's northeastern counties push buyers to look further west. Although the borough itself does not have much room to grow, it has benefited from the growth of the nearby townships. Efforts are underway to revitalize the downtown with new residential and retail properties.