Category Archives: NJ Cities Gates services

The earliest inhabitants of present-day Ewing Township in the historic era were Lenni Lenape Native Americans, who lived along the banks of the Delaware River. Their pre-colonial subsistence activities in the area included hunting, fishing, pottery-making, and simple farming.[23] European settlers, mostly from the British Isles, began to colonize the area in 1699. One of the earliest European settlers was William Green, and his 1717 farmhouse still stands on the campus of The College of New Jersey.[24]

Both East Windsor and West Windsor were formed when Windsor Township was split on February 9, 1797, while the area was still part of Middlesex County. It was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey’s initial group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form Hightstown borough (March 5, 1853, within East Windsor; became independent c. 1894) and Washington Township (March 11, 1860, and known as Robbinsville Township since 2007).[21] The township was named for Windsor Township, which was named for Windsor, England.[22]

Monroe Township was originally formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 3, 1859, from portions of Washington Township, while the area was still part of Camden County. Monroe Township was shifted to Gloucester County on February 28, 1871, along with the majority of Washington Township. In 1950, portions of the township were transferred to Winslow Township in Camden County.[20] The township was named for President James Monroe.[21]

Geographically, the township is part of the South Jersey region.

Freehold Township was first formed on October 31, 1693, and was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of Freehold Township were taken to form Upper Freehold Township (c. 1731), so some wills and official records following the split referred to “Lower Freehold Township” although the official name has always been Freehold Township.[24][25] Additional portions formed Millstone Township (February 28, 1844), Jackson Township (March 6, 1844), Atlantic Township (February 18, 1847; now Colts Neck Township), Marlboro Township (February 17, 1848) and Manalapan Township (March 9, 1848). Freehold town was formed within the township on March 25, 1869, and formally separated when it was reconstituted as a borough on April 15, 1919, including additional portions of the township.[26]

Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1924, as “Fairlawn”, from portions of Saddle River Township.[23] The name was taken from Fairlawn, David Acker’s estate home, that was built in 1865 and later became the Fair Lawn Municipal Building.[24][25] In 1933, the official spelling of the borough’s name was split into its present two-word form as “Fair Lawn” Borough.[23]

Hillsborough Township was originally created by Royal charter issued May 31, 1771, which was revoked and revised on September 12, 1771.[20] It was incorporated on February 21, 1798 by the New Jersey Legislature Township Act of 1798 as one of New Jersey’s original group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form the boroughs of Millstone (May 14, 1894) and Manville (April 1, 1929).[20][21] The township’s name may have come from an earlier name of “Hillsbury”, though it may have been named for Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire who was the Earl of Hillsborough.[22]

Kearny is named after Civil War general Philip Kearny.[23][24] It began as a township formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1867, from portions of Harrison Township. Portions of the township were taken on July 3, 1895, to form East Newark. Kearny was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[25] The Arlington section of town was named for Arlington Station on the Erie Railroad at the Arlington Mill plant, owned by Arlington Mills of Lawrence, Massachusetts.

Marlboro Township was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17, 1848, from portions of Freehold Township.[22] The township was named for the marl beds found in the area.[23]

Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia.[24] Independence followed the result of a referendum held on January 14, 1895, in which voters favored incorporation by a 46–7 margin.[25] To address the concerns of Englewood Township’s leaders, the new municipality was formed as a township, rather than succumbing to the borough craze sweeping across Bergen County at the time.[25] On May 3, 1921, and again on June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.[26]