The Lafayette Foundry was built where Morris Farm Road crosses the Paulins Kill in 1836 by Alexander Boyles. There are no visible remains at the site. The Lafayette Mill Complex on Morris Farm Road includes a flour and gristmill, storehouse and distillery on the south side; a general
store and playhouse on the north side. The Ludlum-Mabee House was built c. 1838 and is now used by Lafayette Center Preservation Foundation.[26][27]
Stone arch bridge over the Paulins Kill
Lafayette Foundry information
Ludlum-Mabee House
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 17.97 square miles (46.54 km2), including 17.88 square miles (46.32 km2) of land and 0.09 square miles (0.23 km2) of water (0.48%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Branchville Junction, Harmonyvale, Hopkins Corner, Warbasse and Warbasse Junction.[28]
Of the 875 households, 34.2% had children under the age of 18; 69.6% were married couples living together; 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.6% were non-families. Of all households, 13.1% were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.12.[17]
23.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 20.8% from 25 to 44, 35.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.5 males.[17]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $96,369 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,553) and the median family income was $98,750 (+/− $11,241). Males had a median income of $71,607 (+/− $22,034) versus $56,964 (+/− $13,270) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,364 (+/− $3,922). About 6.4% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.[41]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[14] there were 2,300 people, 771 households, and 647 families residing in the township. The population density was 127.6 inhabitants per square mile (49.3/km2). There were 799 housing units at an average density of 44.3 per square mile (17.1/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 97.04% White, 1.04% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.35% from other races, and 0.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.35% of the population.[39][40]
There were 771 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.4% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.0% were non-families. 12.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.20.[39][40]
In the township the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 28.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males.[39][40]
The median income for a household in the township was $82,805, and the median income for a family was $87,650. Males had a median income of $61,307 versus $38,816 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,491. About 1.2% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.[39][40]
Government
Local government
Lafayette Township is governed 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.[42] 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.[6][43] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor.
As of 2024[update], members of the Lafayette Township Committee are Mayor Alan R. Henderson (R, term on township committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2024), Deputy Mayor Kevin K. O'Leary (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2024), Lisa Carlson (R, 2026), Patrick Geaney (R, 2025) and Richard Hughes (R, 2025).[3][44][45][46][47]
Federal, state and county representation
Lafayette Township is located in the 5th Congressional District[48] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[49][50][51]
Sussex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Commissioner Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator.[57] As of 2025[update], Sussex County's Commissioners are
Director Jill Space (R, Wantage Township, 2025),[58]
Deputy Director Chris Carney (R, Frankford Township, 2027),[59]
Jack DeGroot (R, Sussex, 2026),[60]
William Hayden (R, Branchville, 2025)[61] and
Alan Henderson (R, Lafayette Township, 2027).[62][63]
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026),[64]
Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2025)[65] and
Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township, 2028).[66]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,738 registered voters in Lafayette Township, of which 228 (13.1% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 781 (44.9% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 727 (41.8% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[67] Among the township's 2010 Census population, 68.5% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 89.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).[67][68]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 867 votes (65.7% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 431 votes (32.7% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 18 votes (1.4% vs. 2.1%), among the 1,319 ballots cast by the township's 1,815 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.7% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County).[69] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 921 votes (67.3% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 417 votes (30.5% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 18 votes (1.3% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,368 ballots cast by the township's 1,740 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.6% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County).[70] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 883 votes (67.4% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 404 votes (30.8% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 18 votes (1.4% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,311 ballots cast by the township's 1,583 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.8% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).[71]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 76.5% of the vote (646 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 20.4% (172 votes), and other candidates with 3.1% (26 votes), among the 855 ballots cast by the township's 1,824 registered voters (11 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.9%.[72][73] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 635 votes (66.2% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 214 votes (22.3% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 94 votes (9.8% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 14 votes (1.5% vs. 1.3%), among the 959 ballots cast by the township's 1,702 registered voters, yielding a 56.3% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).[74]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 46.27 miles (74.46 km) of roadways, of which 29.91 miles (48.14 km) were maintained by the municipality, 10.24 miles (16.48 km) by Sussex County and 6.12 miles (9.85 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[83]
The main highways serving Lafayette Township are New Jersey Route 15 and New Jersey Route 94. The two routes run concurrently in opposite directions for a short stretch in Lafayette Township.
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lafayette Township include:
Andy Albeck (1921–2010), movie executive who served as president and chief executive of United Artists and operated the award-winning Albeck Family Christmas Tree farm in Lafayette Township[84]
^ abTownship Committee, Lafayette Township. Accessed May 24, 2024. "Lafayette Township is governed by a Township Committee consisting of five elected members. The members serve staggered three-year terms. The Township Committee elects a Mayor who serves a one-year term. The Mayor serves as the Chair of the Committee and has powers vested in the mayor's office by general law."
^Home Page, Lafayette Township. Accessed February 21, 2013. "Lafayette Township was incorporated in 1845 and is the first town in the United States to be named after the Marquis de LaFayette."
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^About County Government, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 20, 2024. "Sussex County is governed by five (5) Commissioners who are elected by the voters of Sussex County. Each serves on the county’s Board of County Commissioners for a term of three (3) years, after which time they can seek re‐election or retire.... The Commissioners are elected at‐large to serve three‐year staggered terms. The five Commissioners elect a director from among themselves to run their meetings and to serve as a spokesperson for the board."
^District Bylaw 0110 - Identification, Lafayette Township School District. Accessed September 5, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Lafayette Township School District. Composition: The Lafayette Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Lafayette Township."
^High Point Regional Board of Education Bylaw 0110 - Name and Classification, High Point Regional High School. Accessed March 7, 2024. "Composition -The High Point Regional High School District shall comprise all the area within the municipal boundaries of Branchville, Frankford, Lafayette, Sussex and Wantage for the purpose of providing a program of education in grades 9 through 12."
^"2022-23 School Profile", High Point Regional High School. Accessed March 7, 2024. "Located 63 miles northwest of Manhattan in bucolic Sussex County NJ, High Point serves students from six municipalities: Branchville, Lafayette, Frankford, Montague, Sussex, and Wantage."
^High Point Regional Board of Education Bylaw 0141 - Board Member Number and Term, High Point Regional High School. Accessed March 31, 2020. "The Board of Education shall consist of nine members, proportioned as follows: Wantage - four; Frankford - two; Sussex - one; Lafayette - one; Branchville - one. The term of a Board member shall be three years."
^Staff. "Former United Artists head Andy Albeck dies at 89", Reuters, October 3, 2010. Accessed May 1, 2015. "Albeck left UA in 1981 and, with his wife, Lotte, nurtured his passion for the outdoors as a Christmas tree farmer on 200 acres in Lafayette, N.J. The Albeck Family Christmas Tree farm won four grand championship titles at the Flemington Fair for their blue spruce trees from 1984-87."
^Matté, James Allen. Forensic Psychophysiology Using the Polygraph: Scientific Truth Verification, p. 39. J.A.M. Publications, 1996. ISBN9780965579407. "Cleve Backster, born Grover Cleveland Backster Jr., on 27 February 1924 at Lafayette, New Jersey, received an appointment on 12 April 1948 as Plans Officer at the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) whose near total operation was headquartered at 2430 E. Street, N. W. in Washington D. C...."
^Staff. "Jay Nelson Tuck, 69, A Reporter and Editor", The New York Times, November 25, 1985. Accessed May 1, 2015. "Jay Nelson Tuck, a journalist and former president of the Newspaper Guild of New York, died of lung cancer Friday at his home in Lafayette, N.J."
Further reading
McCabe, Wayne T.; and Gordon, Kate. A Penny A View...An Album of Postcard Views...Lafayette, N.J. (Newton, NJ: Historic Preservation Alternatives, 1993).