The township is situated in the westernmost part of Morris County bordering both Hunterdon and Warren counties. It is located within the Raritan Valley region and is one of six municipalities (five of which are townships) in the state with the name "Washington".[21]Washington Borough, located only 10 miles (16 km) away, is surrounded by another municipality that is also called Washington Township in Warren County.
The township has been ranked as one of the state's highest-income communities. Based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2014–2018, Washington Township residents had a median household income of $150,682, nearly 90% above the statewide median of $79,363.[10] In the 2013–2017 ACS, Washington Township had a median household income of $140,445, ranking 45th in the state.[22][23]
History
Washington Township was incorporated as a township by the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1798, from portions of Roxbury Township.[24] Portions of the township were taken to form Chester Township as of April 1, 1799.[25] The township was named for George Washington, one of more than ten communities statewide named for the first president.[26][27]
In 1798, Morris County's Washington Township became the first incorporated in New Jersey, but by 1894 there were 18 municipalities and other communities across the state named Washington or Washingtonville.[28]
In June 1979, a 5-year-old boy was killed by a leopard that had been chained to a stake outside of a circus, during a performance sponsored by the local fire department at Flocktown Road School.[29]
A 1983 effort to rename Washington Township to Long Valley failed in an election.[27]
Murder of Rachel Domas
On September 12, 1985, 14-year-old Rachel Domas was sexually assaulted and murdered on Fairmount Avenue by 19-year-old Michael Manfredonia while on her three-mile walk from school to her home after missing the school bus. Manfredonia, a gas station attendant who worked nearby, confessed to asking Domas out, when he was refused he pulled a knife and threatened to kill himself.
Domas told him to "stop acting childish" to which Manfredonia pushed her to the ground, sexually assaulted her and stabbed her 26 times, 15 of which were too shallow to cause significant damage and were intended to make Domas suffer. Police would find Domas's body buried in a shallow grave in the woods close to the road 2 days later.
Manfredonia would be turned in by his parents and was found by the police attempting to commit suicide by slicing his wrists and ingesting a high concentration of pills. Manfredonia, who had an IQ of 78 making him clinically retarded, was suffering from Intermittent explosive disorder. Manfredonia waved his right to a trial and was found guilty of murder, felony murder, aggravated sexual assault, kidnapping, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Manfredonia would be sentenced to life in prison as well as an additional 110 years and will not be eligible for parole until 2041.[30][31][32]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 44.771 square miles (115.957 km2), including 44.387 square miles (114.963 km2) of land and 0.384 square miles (0.994 km2) of water (0.86%).[1][2]
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Bartley, Beattystown, Crestmoore, Drakestown, Fairmount, Four Bridges, German Valley, Lake George, Middle Valley, Naughright, Parker, Pleasant Grove, Pottersville, Scrappy Corner, Springtown and Stephensburg.[39]
Schooley's Mountain is an unincorporated community in Washington Township named for the Schooley family, who owned a considerable amount of land there during the 1790s. The natural springs in the area helped attract visitors to the Schooley's Mountain section in the 1800s.[40]
Of the 6,237 households, 43.4% had children under the age of 18; 73.7% were married couples living together; 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 16.7% were non-families. Of all households, 13.9% 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 2.95 and the average family size was 3.27.[18]
28.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 19.6% from 25 to 44, 34.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.3 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $112,651 (with a margin of error of ± $7,207) and the median family income was $124,818 (± $8,669). Males had a median income of $92,019 (± $5,016) versus $66,302 (± $11,089) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $49,154 (± $2,492). About 0.1% of families and 0.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.2% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.[55]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[14] there were 17,592 people, 5,755 households, and 4,874 families residing in the township. The population density was 392.1 inhabitants per square mile (151.4/km2). There were 5,890 housing units at an average density of 131.3 per square mile (50.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.16% White, 0.83% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.21% of the population.[53][54]
There were 5,755 households, out of which 47.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.1% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.3% were non-families. 12.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.31.[53][54]
In the township the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males.[53][54]
The median income for a household in the township was $97,763, and the median income for a family was $104,926. Males had a median income of $76,791 versus $41,759 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,489. About 1.8% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.[53][54]
Government
Local government
Washington 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.[56] 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][57] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Vice Mayor.[3]
As of 2023[update], the members of the Washington Township Committee are Mayor Matthew Murrello (R, term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2023), Vice Mayor Michael Marino (R, term on committee ends 2025; term as vice mayor ends 2023), Kenneth W. "Bill" Roehrich (R, 2024), Kenneth W. Short (R, 2024) and Richard Wall (R, 2025).[3][58][59][60][61][62][63]
In June 2022, the Township Committee appointed Michael Marino to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Tyler Oborn until he resigned from office as he was moving out of state.[64]
In September 2021, committeeman Greg Forsbrey, who was originally elected as a Republican in 2016, and subsequently re-elected in 2019, left the party and became an independent. He cited the election of two people who lost their party committee seats in the previous primary to be the chair and vice chair of the local Republican Committee, saying that this ignored the results of the primary and through it the will of the voters.[65][66][67]
The 2013 property tax rate for Washington Township was $2.328 per $100 of assessed value, with an equalization ratio of 97.57%.[68]
Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election.[75] Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator Deena Leary.[76]: 8 As of 2025[update], Morris County's Commissioners are:
The county's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Ann F. Grossi (R, Parsippany–Troy Hills, 2028),[84][85]
Sheriff James M. Gannon (R, Boonton Township, 2025)[86][87] and
Surrogate Heather Darling (R, Roxbury, 2029).[88][89]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 12,709 registered voters in Washington Township, of which 1,999 (15.7%) were registered as Democrats, 5,295 (41.7%) were registered as Republicans and 5,401 (42.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[90]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.0% of the vote (6,021 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.9% (3,278 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (107 votes), among the 9,451 ballots cast by the township's 13,373 registered voters (45 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 70.7%.[91][92] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 61.1% of the vote (6,323 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.6% (3,887 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (94 votes), among the 10,342 ballots cast by the township's 13,315 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.7%.[93] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 64.7% of the vote (6,402 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 34.1% (3,377 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (79 votes), among the 9,894 ballots cast by the township's 13,048 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 75.8.[94]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 75.5% of the vote (4,467 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 22.5% (1,330 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (120 votes), among the 5,981 ballots cast by the township's 13,294 registered voters (64 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.0%.[95][96] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.1% of the vote (5,076 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 21.5% (1,582 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.4% (618 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (39 votes), among the 7,348 ballots cast by the township's 13,037 registered voters, yielding a 56.4% turnout.[97]
Education
The Washington Township Schools is a public school district that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.[98] As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,938 students and 196.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.8:1.[99] Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[100]) are
Benedict A. Cucinella Elementary School[101] with 451 students in grades PreK-5,
Flocktown-Kossmann School[102] with 442 students in grades PreK-5,
Old Farmers Road School[103] with 310 students in grades K-5 and
Long Valley Middle School[104] with 720 students in grades 6–8.[105][106][107]
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend West Morris Central High School, which is located in the township, but has a Chester mailing address. The school is part of the West Morris Regional High School District, which also serves students from the surrounding Morris County school districts of Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township.[108] of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,098 students and 94.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.[109] The high school district's board of education is comprised of nine members who are elected directly by voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis.[110] The nine seats on the board of education are allocated based on the populations of the constituent municipalities, with four seats assigned to Washington Township.[111]
The township had a total of 149.44 miles (240.50 km) of roadways, of which 129.99 miles (209.20 km) were maintained by the municipality, 18.25 miles (29.37 km) by Morris County and 1.20 miles (1.93 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[112]
NJ Transit offered local bus service on the MCM5 route, which was terminated in 2010 as part of budget cuts.[113][114][115]
Local media
Radio station WRNJ has studios, offices and its transmitter in Washington Township, broadcasting at 1510 AM and several FM stations in neighboring towns. The station is licensed to nearby Hackettstown.[116]
The township's official newspaper is the Daily Record.[117]The Observer-Tribune is a weekly newspaper that serves Washington Township and a few surrounding communities in western Morris County.[118]
Henry Muhlenberg (1711–1787), founder of Lutheranism in America, who established a congregation in German Valley, which met at the Old Stone Church[128]
Shannon Sohn (born 1974), television news reporter at WABC-TV Eyewitness News in New York City, where she became the first helicopter reporter to win a national Emmy Award[133]
^ abcLocal Government, Washington Township. Accessed April 27, 2023. "Later revisions to the act increased the number of committee members to five, with elections scheduled so the three year terms were staggered.... The Township Act of 1989 retained the basic structure of the township form of government and provided for a mayor elected by the committee from among its members for a one-year term of office. The Act provides for an annual partisan election, with primaries in June and the general election in November."
^Explore Southwestern Morris County, Morris County Tourism Authority. Accessed April 10, 2024. "Southwestern Morris County includes a multitude of farms, farmers markets and community-supported agriculture offering fresh produce and festivals throughout the growing season throughout its communities of Mount Olive, Washington Township (Long Valley), Roxbury, Chester, Chester Township, Mount Arlington, Mendham, Mendham Township, Randolph and Netcong."
^Wilk, Tom. "Awash in Washingtons: New Jersey has six towns named for the father of our country.", New Jersey Monthly, January 17, 2011. Accessed November 8, 2011. "In New Jersey, Washington can lay claim to another first. He's number one in names selected for the state's 566 municipalities. Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Morris and Warren counties all have a Washington Township. Warren also has a Washington Borough surrounded—naturally—by Washington Township. The largest is Gloucester County's Washington, with 52,096 people; the smallest is the Washington in Burlington, with a population of 649. New Jersey had a sixth Washington Township in Mercer County until 2008, when voters there approved a name change to Robbinsville."
^Historical Timeline of Morris County Boundaries, Morris County Library. Accessed December 24, 2016. "1798, April 2. Washington Township is established from Roxbury. Center of Township is known as Long Valley or German Valley."
^ abRondinaro, Gene. "Washington Slept Here And There And. . .", The New York Times, February 17, 1985. Accessed September 19, 2024. "First in war, first in peace and, come tomorrow, first in the hearts of his countrymen, George Washington may be nowhere more fondly remembered than in New Jersey, where 12 communities are named for him. The profusion of such names - six Washington Townships, one each in Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Mercer, Morris and Warren Counties; Washington in Warren, Washington Crossing in Mercer, Washington Heights and Washington Park in Middlesex, Washingtonville in Sussex and Washington Valley in Morris - causes problems.... A 1983 attempt to change the name of Washington Township in Morris County to Long Valley - the township mailing address - was defeated in an election.... According to Mrs. Allen, historical accounts show that Washington slept overnight at a local tavern at least once in 1780, prompting the town fathers to name the community for him in 1798."
^Schweber, Nate. "Washington’s Name Slept Here. And Here.", The New York Times, November 11, 2007. Accessed September 19, 2024. "He was a year away from death when, in 1798, New Jersey’s first Washington Township was incorporated in Morris County. Less than a century later there were 18 boroughs, townships and villages known as Washington or Washingtonville, according to an 1894 geographic dictionary of the state. There are now five townships and one borough called Washington, plus several more areas in municipalities that include the name, like Washington Crossing, a village in Hopewell Township in Mercer County."
^Hanley, Robert. "Circus Leopard Kills a Boy of 5 In Jersey Town",The New York Times, June 9, 1979. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Washington Township, N.J., June 8 — A circus leopard chained to stake killed a 5‐year‐old boy last night when he walked within about five feet of the animal."
^"Manfredonia seeks new trial for '85 slaying", New Jersey Hills, September 26, 2002. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Manfredonia, formerly of Parker Road, Chester Township, has been in state prison since he was found guilty of the Sept. 12, 1985 sexual assault and stabbing death of 14-year old Rachel Domas, whose family lived in the Long Valley section of the township."
^Horowitz, Ben. "Funeral on Thursday for Reginald Stanton, remembered as a 'judge's judge'", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 20, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Among the precedent-setting cases handled by Stanton was that of Michael Manfredonia, a onetime Chester resident who was convicted of murder in the 1986 abduction and stabbing death of 14-year-old Rachel Domas of Long Valley."
^Staff. "MCWTW: Washington Township", Daily Record, August 6, 2008. Accessed December 23, 2012. "The heart of town, the Long Valley section, was called German Valley when it was first settled in the 1700s by people from Saxony, a region of Germany near the Polish border."
^Kitchin, Mark. "Marino chosen to fill Washington Township Committee seat", Observer-Tribune, June 22, 2022. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Michael Marino was selected and sworn in as a member of the Township Committee on Monday, June 20 meeting – but not without a little controversy as Township Committeeman Gregg Forsbrey rejected any proposals concerning the office. Marino replaces Tyler Oborn, who resigned from the all-Republican dais on Tuesday, June 14 and attended his last meeting during the Wednesday, June 15 work session. He resigned because he sold his house and moved with his family to Alabama."
^Wildstein, David. "Washington township committeeman quits GOP over party leadership squabble", New Jersey Globe, September 20, 2021. Accessed July 13, 2022. "Blaming local political conflicts in his Washington Township (Morris County), township committeeman Gregg Forsbrey has left the Republican Party.... His departure leaves the GOP with a 4-1 majority and Forsbrey becomes a rare independent holding local office in New Jersey in a municipality that holds partisan elections."
^Board of County Commissioners, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed June 1, 2022. "Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners, who serve three-year terms."
^Washington Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Washington Township Schools. Accessed March 12, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Preschool Handicapped through eighth in the Washington Township School District. Composition: The Washington Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Washington Township, Morris County."
^West Morris Regional High School District 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 4, 2016. "Established in 1958, the West Morris Regional High School District operates two schools, West Morris Central High School and West Morris Mendham High School. The regional district serves the students of five Morris County communities: Chester Borough, Chester Township, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township and Washington Township. Students from Washington Township attend West Morris Central High School, and students from the Chesters and the Mendhams attend West Morris Mendham High School."
^Resolution R-03-20 Designation Of The Daily Record As The Official Newspaper For The Township Of Washington – 2020, Township of Washington, January 4, 2020. Accessed November 24, 2020. "Be It Resolved, by the Township Committee of the Township of Washington, Morris County, New Jersey, that the Daily Record is hereby designed at the official newspaper for the Township of Washington for the year 2020 and the Daily Record and the Observer Tribune are hereby designated as the newspapers for publication of notices in accordance with the requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act."
^Hills, New Jersey. "Observer-Tribune". New Jersey Hills. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
^Staff. "Obituaries: Wesley Addy", The Star-Gazette, January 16, 1997. Accessed October 22, 2015. "Wesley Addy, 83, of New York City and Washington Township, Morris County, died Dec. 31 at Danbury Hospital, Danbury, Conn."
^Walt Ader, Racing-Reference.info. Accessed October 22, 2015.
^Goldberg, Dan. "N.J. to purchase, preserve millionaire's Long Valley land as open space", The Star-Ledger, December 8, 2010. Accessed September 3, 2019. "Jack Borgenicht, an eccentric millionaire, was known in Morris County for his philanthropic and preservation efforts. The late local legend helped spur the success of Morris County’s fledgling preservation program 15 years ago. Now state, county and local officials think it’s a fitting tribute to purchase and preserve 228 acres of his Long Valley estate."
^Sucato, Kirsty. "Communities; A Fight to Restore Cleanup Money", The New York Times, January 27, 2002. Accessed October 22, 2015. "The reauthorization bill's main opponent, Assemblyman Guy R. Gregg, Republican of Long Valley, acknowledged that politics were partly to blame."
^Summary of Preserved Farms - EG Jewett / Holm Farm, Morris County Agriculture Development Board, October 12, 2012. Accessed October 22, 2015. "Owned since 1922 by the family of actress Celeste Holm, this large farm atop Schooley's Mountain is in wheat and tree fruit production."
^Pitney, Henry Cooper. A History of Morris County, New Jersey: Embracing Upwards of Two Centuries, 1710-1913, p. 174. Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1914. Accessed September 24, 2015. "The stone church was built by the same congregation as a union church in 1774. This old church was peculiarly built, it had no gable end nor steeple, the roof sloping down to the walls on four sides. Inside there were galleries on three sides, the little pulpit box standing on one leg under an immense sounding board. First among the Lutheran preachers in the valley was Rev. Heny Melchior Muhlenberg, D.D., known as the 'Father of American Lutheranism' (remembered by Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania), a man of great learning and deep piety."
^About Paul Schmidtberger, Marly Rusoff & Associates. Accessed October 22, 2015. "Paul Schmidtberger was born and raised in Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey."
^Garber, Phil. "Mendhams, Long Valley heavy into top ranks of Trump campaign ", Observer-Tribune, August 31, 2016. Accessed November 22, 2016. "And last week, Trump's campaign hired Bill Stepien, 38, of Long Valley, a graduate of West Morris Central High School and Rutgers."
^Franze, Anthony. "A Between The Lines Interview with Lisa Unger by Anthony J. Franze", The Big Thrill, January 1, 2014. Accessed May 18, 2016. "My teen years were spent in a small town in New Jersey called Long Valley. When I turned eighteen, I left for college in Manhattan and spent the next thirteen years in New York City. My brother swears that Long Valley was my inspiration for The Hollows."
