Branchburg, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Branchburg is a township in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 14,940,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> its highest decennial census count ever and an increase of 481 (+3.3%) from the 2010 census count of 14,459,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn had reflected a decline of 107 (−0.7%) from the 14,566 counted at the 2000 census.<ref>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.</ref>
History
[edit]While the area of today's Branchburg has a history antedating the American Revolutionary War, the township itself was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 5, 1845, from portions of Bridgewater Township.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 222. Accessed September 119, 2012.</ref> The township is named for its location at a point where branches of the Raritan River merge.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 25, 2015.</ref>
The land that is now known as Branchburg Township was originally inhabited by the Raritans, a tribe of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. By 1686 most of the land was purchased from the Lenape by the Lords Proprietors of East Jersey, who sold the land in small parcels to numerous settlers, mostly of Dutch or English extraction.<ref>Historic Information Template:Webarchive, Township of Branchburg. Accessed February 1, 2015.</ref> With the 1688 redrawing of the boundary between East and West Jersey, the Branchburg region was split between Essex County to the north and the newly formed Somerset County to the south. With Somerset's acquisition of territory from Essex and Middlesex Counties in 1741, Branchburg lay entirely within Somerset County.<ref>Overview of Branchburg Template:Webarchive, Township of Branchburg. Accessed February 7, 2013.</ref>
Bridgewater Township was chartered in 1749. The residents of the part of Bridgewater west of the Raritan River petitioned the New Jersey Legislature for incorporation as a separate township, which was granted by an act dated April 5, 1845.<ref name=Story/><ref name=GovernmentInformation/> The first town meeting was held April 14, 1845, in White Oak Tavern, a stagecoach stop and local meeting place along the Old York Road.<ref name=GovernmentInformation/>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 20.30 square miles (52.58 km2), including 20.07 square miles (51.98 km2) of land and 0.23 square miles (0.6 km2) of water (1.14%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
The township is Template:Convert long and approximately Template:Convert across at its widest point. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Burnt Mill, Centerville, Fox Hollow, Neshanic, Neshanic Station (ZIP Code 08853) and North Branch (ZIP Code 08876), North Branch Depot and Woodfern.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref><ref>General Information Template:Webarchive, Township of Branchburg. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref>
The township is bordered on the west by Readington Township in Hunterdon County; on the north by Bedminster Township and on the south by Bridgewater Township and Hillsborough Township.<ref>Areas touching Branchburg Township, MapIt. Accessed March 20, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed March 20, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
The main watercourses are the Lamington River on the north, the North Branch of the Raritan River on the east and the South Branch of the Raritan River on the east and south. These rivers along with small streams and brooks are excellent for fishermen who enjoy trout stocked streams and rivers. Branchburg is in the Raritan Valley, a line of cities in Central New Jersey. Branchburg lies in the western division of the Raritan Valley along with Bridgewater and Raritan.
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 14,459 people, 5,271 households, and 4,032 families in the township. The population density was 721.4 per square mile (278.5/km2). There were 5,419 housing units at an average density of 270.4 per square mile (104.4/km2). The racial makeup was 86.80% (12,550) White, 2.25% (326) Black or African American, 0.15% (22) Native American, 8.40% (1,215) Asian, 0.03% (5) Pacific Islander, 0.59% (86) from other races, and 1.76% (255) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.45% (643) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 5,271 households, 38.2% had children under the age of 18; 67.6% were married couples living together; 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.5% were non-families. Of all households, 18.8% were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.17.<ref name=Census2010/>
26.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 33.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.4 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $119,092 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,934) and the median family income was $136,310 (+/− $12,919). Males had a median income of $97,359 (+/− $7,041) versus $61,192 (+/− $8,826) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $51,387 (+/− $2,945). About 1.5% of families and 1.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Branchburg township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 11, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 14,566 people, 5,272 households, and 4,064 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,405 housing units with an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 90.44% White, 1.95% African American, 0.10% Native American, 6.17% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.39% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Branchburg township, Somerset County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 11, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Branchburg township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 11, 2012.</ref>
There were 5,272 households, out of which 39.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.6% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 18.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.19.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64 and 8.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $96,864, and the median income for a family was $110,268. Males had a median income of $70,726 versus $47,786 for females. The per capita income for the township was $41,241. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were living below the poverty line, including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Economy
[edit]Branchburg Township is the home to the 31 Tannery Project which serves as the corporate headquarters for Ferreira Construction, the Ferreira Group, and Noveda Technologies. The Template:Convert office and shop building was constructed in 2006. It was the first building in the state of New Jersey to meet New Jersey's Executive Order 54 and the first net zero electric commercial building in the United States.<ref>Staff. "31 Tannery Project – Year 2+", Automated Buildings, December 2008. Accessed September 11, 2012. "As discussed in last year's article(1) the '31 Tannery Project' is the first commercial building in the US to produce all of its own electricity through a renewable power source."</ref>
Sports
[edit]Branchburg is home to the 2012 14U Babe Ruth World Series Championship baseball team, the first from the state since 1989. The underdog Bulldogs, consisting of players drawn from a tryout pool totaling 16 players, competed and won against teams drawn from tryout pools as large as 500 players.<ref>Cooper, Warren. "Branchburg Bulldogs are 2012 Babe Ruth national champions", Messenger Gazette, August 29, 2012. Accessed August 4, 2014. "With a score of 7-5 over Jacksonville, Fla., the Branchburg Bulldogs under-14-year-old baseball team became the first New Jersey team to win the Babe Ruth World Series since 1989.... What made the win more impressive, Sokol said, is that just 16 kids tried out for the Branchburg team compared with teams they beat, which had 300-500 kids try out."</ref>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Branchburg Township operates 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.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> 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.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 77.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The township has been governed by a five-member Township Council since the 1971 elections, when the population surpassed 4,000 in the 1970 United States census, mandating an expansion from the three-member committee that had been in place until then. A mayor and deputy mayor are selected from among the council from among its members at an annual reorganization meeting.<ref name=GovernmentInformation>Government Information, Township of Branchburg. Accessed May 15, 2022. "In the 1971 General Election, Branchburg voters elected a five member Township Committee.... All five members of the Township Committee are elected at large for staggered three-year terms (unless an unexpired term is open).... The Mayor is elected by the Township Committee from among its members for a one-year term."</ref>
Template:As of, members of the Township Committee are Mayor Anna P. Columbus (Republican Party, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2024), Deputy Mayor Thomas L. Young (R, term on committee ends 2025; term as deputy mayor ends 2024), Brendon Beatrice (R, 2024), David Owens (R, 2025) and James G. Schworn (R, 2026).<ref name=ElectedOfficials>Township Committee 2022, Township of Branchburg. Accessed May 22, 2024.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Township of Branchburg. Accessed May 22, 2024.</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>2023 Directory of County & Municipal Offices, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed April 10, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2023>2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Certified Official Results RESULTS, Somerset County, New Jersey, November 29, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Final Certified Results, Somerset County, New Jersey, updated November 23, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Somerset2021>2021 General Election Winning Candidates, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>
In January 2020, the Township Committee chose David Owens from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Robert Petrelli until he resigned immediately after his new three-year term started.<ref>Meeting Minutes for January 13, 2020, Borough of Branchburg. Accessed March 20, 2020. "Mayor Young announced that as many people know, Bob Petrelli, who was a member of the Township Committee, resigned effective noon on January 1st. Therefore, as required, the Republican District Committee has forwarded the names of those to be considered to fill the vacancay pursuant to regulations....Mr. Owens was sworn into office as a member of the Township Committee by Ms. Schmitt as Township Administrator Bonin held the bible."</ref>
In July 2015, Patricia Rees resigned from office, citing her employment by the nonpartisan New Jersey School Board Association.<ref>07-13-2015.pdf Regular Meeting July 13, 2015 Official Minutes, Township of Branchburg. Accessed August 18, 2015. "Township Committee member Patricia Rees resigned from the Committee effective July 6, 2015, due to a prohibition from holding political office in her new job."</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Branchburg Township is located in the 7th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 07 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Somerset County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 9,970 registered voters in Branchburg Township, of which 1,832 (18.4% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,650 (36.6% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 4,484 (45.0% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Somerset, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 69.0% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 93.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 60.2% of the vote (4,537 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 38.5% (2,902 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (92 votes), among the 7,568 ballots cast by the township's 10,499 registered voters (37 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.1%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 4,651 votes (58.5% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 3,172 votes (39.9% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 92 votes (1.2% vs. 1.1%), among the 7,956 ballots cast by the township's 9,643 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Somerset County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 4,706 votes (61.6% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 2,835 votes (37.1% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 79 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 7,639 ballots cast by the township's 9,087 registered voters, for a turnout of 84.1% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Somerset County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref>
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.1% of the vote (3,651 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.3% (1,010 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (77 votes), among the 4,804 ballots cast by the township's 10,612 registered voters (66 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 3,945 votes (69.1% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,266 votes (22.2% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 445 votes (7.8% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 27 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 5,706 ballots cast by the township's 9,777 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Somerset County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref>
Emergency services
[edit]Branchburg Township is served by three major Emergency Services; a full-time Police Department, an all-volunteer Emergency Medical & Rescue Services Squad, and four all-volunteer Fire Departments.
Police
[edit]The Branchburg Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Young, was established on June 16, 1980. The Department currently has 26 full-time sworn officers, two civilian employees, seven crossing guards, and 13 Emergency Management volunteers. The Department has specialized units of officers who have taken on duties in addition to their patrol or detective work. These include the Detective Bureau, Juvenile Officer, School Resources, Traffic Safety, Community Policing, Services, Bike Patrol, First-Aid, Explorers program and Emergency Management.<ref>Police Department, Township of Branchburg. Accessed September 2, 2020.</ref><ref>Deak, Mike. Young named Branchburg police chief, Courier News, March 25, 2015. Accessed July 24, 2017.</ref>
On January 26, 2010, a clerk at the Quick Chek store at 1296 Easton Turnpike in Branchburg called officers about a suspicious person in the store.<ref>Mulvihill, Geoff. "Va. man arrested with arsenal, map of NY Army base", Washington Examiner, January 26, 2010. Accessed July 24, 2017.</ref> Officers arrested Lloyd Woodson, and found in his possession and in his motel room a large weapons cache that included illegal weapons and ammunition, a detailed map of Fort Drum, and a traditional red-and-white Middle Eastern headdress. He was charged on multiple state and federal weapons charges.<ref>"Man with weapons, map of military base arrested", CNN, January 26, 2010. Accessed January 26, 2010</ref> The three officers who responded to the call received an Exceptional Duty Award for their actions.<ref>Garlic, Tiffani N. "Three police officers are honored for quick response to Virginia man with arsenal in Branchburg motel room", The Star-Ledger, March 9, 2010. Accessed February 1, 2015.</ref>
EMS and rescue squad
[edit]Emergency Medical Services and Rescue Services are provided throughout the Township by the Branchburg Rescue Squad, which was formed in October 1955 and continues to serve the residents and businesses on an all-volunteer basis. As of 2013, officers include President Carol Waechter and Chief Matt Hoffman. The Branchburg volunteers rely solely on donations received from the community. Services provided include Basic Life Support, Emergency Medical Services (BLS/EMS), NFPA Technician Level: Vehicle Extrication, Water Rescue, Confined Space, Rope Rescue, High Angle Rescue NFPA Operations Level: Ice Rescue NFPA Awareness Level: Trench Collapse, Building & Structural Collapse. Operating out of Station 74 Rescue at 113 River Road are three BLS Ambulances, a Heavy Rescue Services Unit, one Rescue Services Unit, one First Responder/Command Unit and two inflatable rescue boats.<ref>About Us, Branchburg Rescue Squad. Accessed September 11, 2012.</ref>
Fire departments
[edit]The Township of Branchburg is covered by four volunteer fire departments: North Branch Volunteer Fire Company in the north,<ref>About Us, North Branch Volunteer Fire Company. Accessed March 20, 2020.</ref> Readington Volunteer Fire Company to the west,<ref>About Us, Readington Volunteer Fire Company. Accessed August 28, 2013.</ref> Neshanic Volunteer Fire Department on the south<ref>Home page, Neshanic Volunteer Fire Department. Accessed August 28, 2013.</ref> and Country Hills Volunteer Fire Company covering the central portion of the township.<ref>About Us, Country Hills Volunteer Fire Company. Accessed August 28, 2013.</ref><ref>Emergency Services, Township of Branchburg. Accessed March 20, 2020.</ref>
Education
[edit]The Branchburg Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.<ref>Branchburg Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Branchburg Township School District. Accessed February 9, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades K through eight in the Branchburg School District. Composition: The Branchburg School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Branchburg."</ref> As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,325 students and 152.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.7:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Branchburg Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Branchburg Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref>) are Whiton Elementary School<ref>Whiton Elementary School, Branchburg Township School District. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref> with 544 students in grades Pre-K–3, Stony Brook School<ref>Stony Brook School, Branchburg Township School District. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref> with 287 students in grades 4–5 and Branchburg Central Middle School<ref>Branchburg Central Middle School, Branchburg Township School District. Accessed July 10, 2022.</ref> with 486 students in grades 6–8.<ref>Schools, Branchburg Township School District. Accessed February 8, 2020.</ref><ref>2021-2022 Somerset County Public School Directory, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed July 1, 2022.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Branchburg Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Branchburg Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
The public secondary school serving Branchburg for ninth through twelfth grades is Somerville High School, which students attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Somerville Public Schools.<ref>Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional, Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed August 4, 2017. "Branchburg K-8 Grades 9-12 Sent To Somerville"</ref><ref>Somerville Public School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed August 4, 2017. "Somerville Public Schools provides a full range of educational services for students in preschool through grade 12 residing in Somerville Borough, and grades 9 through 12 for students residing in Branchburg Township."</ref> As of the 2020–2021 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,155 students and 92.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.<ref>School data for Somerville High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref>
Midland School is a non-profit special education school serving the individual social, emotional, academic and career needs of children with developmental disabilities. The school serves 245 students, ranging in age from 5 to 21 years old, from central and northern New Jersey.<ref>Midland History, Midland School. Accessed July 24, 2017.</ref>
Branchburg Township is the home of the main campus of Raritan Valley Community College.<ref>Directions to RVCC, RVCC @ Bridgewater & Other Off-Campus Locations, Raritan Valley Community College. Accessed September 11, 2012.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]
Roads and highways
[edit]Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Somerset County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Somerset County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 24, 2014.</ref>
Branchburg Township is centrally located with access to major roadways and highways. U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 22 travel through the township with easy passage to Interstate 78, Interstate 287, Garden State Parkway, and Route 206, enabling residents to travel to New York City and Philadelphia within one hour.
Rail and Public transportation
[edit]NJ Transit train service between Branchburg and New York City is available on the Raritan Valley Line at the North Branch station (located on Station Road), which offers limited daily service and no weekend trains.<ref>North Branch station, NJ Transit. Accessed August 4, 2014.</ref> The Raritan Valley Line has weekly service from North Branch Station to Newark Penn Station, where connections can be made to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan.<ref>Raritan Valley Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed August 4, 2014.</ref>
The Norfolk Southern Railway's Lehigh Line (formerly the mainline of the Lehigh Valley Railroad), runs through Branchburg.Template:Citation needed
NJ Transit offers bus service to and from Newark on the 65 line with local service on the 884 route.<ref>Somerset County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of January 28, 2010. Accessed February 11, 2013.</ref>
Trans-Bridge Lines offers bus service between New Hope, Pennsylvania, and New York City, with a stop at the Municipal Park-and-Ride facility on Route 202 North on a daily basis, with westbound service on the Doylestown route to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and eastbound to Newark Liberty International Airport and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.<ref>Branchburg to New York Template:Webarchive, Trans-Bridge Lines. Accessed November 6, 2016.</ref>
Transport of New Jersey bus service between New York City and Allentown, Pennsylvania, is available on a daily basis.Template:Citation needed
Newark Liberty International Airport is located approximately Template:Convert northeast of Branchburg. Also within driving distance are Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE, formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport) near Allentown, Pennsylvania, John F. Kennedy International Airport and La Guardia Airport in New York, as well as the Trenton-Mercer Airport near Trenton and Princeton in Mercer County.
Points of interest
[edit]The South Branch Schoolhouse, located on South Branch Road, is a one-room schoolhouse built in 1873, the last one-room school house in use in the county.<ref>South Branch School (Little Red School House) Template:Webarchive, Somerset County Kids' Clubhouse. Accessed August 4, 2014.</ref><ref name=Obst/> Its purpose was to educate children in grades 1–8 from Branchburg and Hillsborough townships. It was closed in 1965. In 2007 the schoolhouse was renovated to add the bell tower back onto the top of the building. Also known as the Little Red Schoolhouse, it is now owned by the township of Branchburg. Notable students at the Little Red Schoolhouse include opera star and Edison protégé Anna Case and Marion Van Fleet, the mother of actor Lee Van Cleef.<ref name=Obst>Obst, Greg. South Branch Schoolhouse (Somerset County, NJ) Personal Photography page Template:Webarchive, NetRivet. Inc. Accessed October 25, 2011.</ref> It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 for its significance in architecture and education.<ref name="nrhpdoc">Template:Cite web With Template:NRHP url</ref>
The Neshanic Station Historic District was added to the NRHP in 2016 for its significance in community development. It includes the Neshanic Station Lenticular Truss Bridge crossing the South Branch Raritan River.<ref name="nrhpdoc2">Template:Cite web With accompanying 37 photos</ref>
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Colonial Revival style house in Neshanic Station
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Branchburg include:
- Christopher Bateman (born 1957), member of the New Jersey Senate representing the 16th Legislative District, who served as mayor of Branchburg in 1986<ref>Senator Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R) Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed February 1, 2015. "Township of Branchburg Committee 1983-88, Mayor 1986"</ref>
- Raymond Bateman (1927–2016), politician, who represented Somerset County in the New Jersey Senate in the 1960s and 1970s and was the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1977<ref>Deak, Mike; Grzella, Paul. "Raymond Bateman, Somerset County's public servant, has died", Courier News, June 25, 2016. Accessed June 26, 2016. "After retiring from political life, Bateman devoted himself to Raritan Valley Community, which was literally in the backyard of his home in the North Branch section of Branchburg."</ref>
- Sean Baker (born 1971), Palme d'Or winning, Oscar nominated film director<ref>Murphy, J. J. The Florida Project, p. 13. University of Texas Press, 2021. Template:ISBN. Accessed January 23, 2025. "Born on February 26, 1971, Sean Baker grew up in Short Hills and Branchburg, New Jersey."</ref>
- Frank Chapot (1932–2016), Olympic silver medalist equestrian<ref>Jaffer, Nancy. "6-time Olympic rider Frank Chapot of N.J. dead at 84", Hunterdon County Democrat, June 20, 2016. Accessed June 26, 2016. "The six-time Olympian from Neshanic Station, who died Monday at age 84 after being in declining health, was a fierce patriot and competitor for national pride on behalf of the U.S. Equestrian Team."</ref>
- Jeffrey Chiesa (born 1965), New Jersey Attorney General who was named to the United States Senate to fill Frank Lautenberg's vacant seat on an interim basis from June 2013 until the October 2013 special election, when Cory Booker took office<ref>Santora, Marc; and Zernike, Kate. "Attorney General of New Jersey Named as Interim Senator", The New York Times, June 6, 2013. Accessed June 6, 2013. "Mr. Chiesa, 47, lives in Branchburg, N.J., with his wife and two children."</ref>
- Robert Cox (1813–1890), politician who served in the Michigan House of Representatives<ref>Michigan Biographies: Including Members of Congress, Elective State Officers, Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of the Michigan Legislature, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, State Board of Agriculture and State Board of Education, Volume 1, p. 205. Michigan Historical Commission, 1924. Accessed October 29, 2020. "Robert Cox - Representative from Hillsdale County 1861-2. Was born in North Branch, N. J., Apr. 30 1813."</ref>
- Denise Coyle (born 1953), member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 2008 to 2012 who served as mayor of Branchburg in 1993<ref>Lechiski, Kevin. "Former Assemblywoman Denise Coyle visits Oak Knoll School in Summit", Warren Reporter, April 24, 2012. Accessed February 1, 2015. "Denise Coyle, a former state assemblywoman, visited Oak Knoll School on April 12 to discuss what she says is the underrepresentation of women in politics. Coyle, the former mayor of Branchburg, a former Somerset County freeholder, and a former assemblywoman (NJ-16), spoke to the juniors and seniors during guidance class about the need for more women to pursue careers in politics."</ref>
- Mary Eccles, Viscountess Eccles (1912–2003), book collector and author, who established one of the largest private collections of 18th century literature<ref>"Mary Eccles, 91, collector of rare books", New Jersey Hills, September 4, 2003. Accessed October 14, 2024. "Mary Viscountess Eccles, 91, died on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003, at her home, Four Oaks Farm, in Branchburg Township."</ref>
- Anthony Gargiulo (born 1984), defensive end who played in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders<ref>Anthony GargiuloTemplate:Dead link, Dartmouth Big Green football. Accessed August 6, 2020. "Hometown: Neshanic Station, N.J.; High School: Immaculata"</ref>
- Bob Masterson (1915–1994), American football end who played in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins<ref>Bob Masterson, Pro-Football-Reference.com. Accessed May 15, 2022. "Born: January 6, 1915 in North Branch, NJ"</ref>
- Brendan O'Hare, comedian known for his absurdist humor and podcast, This Is Branchburg<ref>Kuperinsky, Amy. "Meet Brendan and Cory, the absurdist comedy heroes behind the This is Branchburg podcast", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 10, 2019. Accessed December 3, 2020. "That’s just the way it goes when it comes to the comedy stylings of Brendan O’Hare and Cory Snearowski. Their often darkly absurd take on the trivial aspects of life is on display this summer in their first podcast, This is Branchburg, which is part parody and part homage to the suburban routine and greenery of their shared hometown in Somerset County."</ref>
See also
[edit]References
[edit]External links
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