Vernon Township is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey. It is located about one hour drive from New York City and is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 24,686, making it the largest township in the county by population.
Vernon is home to ski resort and water park, Mountain Creek (formerly Great Gorge and Vernon Valley), the Hidden Valley ski resort, as well as Crystal Springs Resort's Minerals Hotel and Elements Spa. The Great Gorge Playboy Club was located in the Vernon community of McAfee, but was sold and turned into a hotel, now called the Legends Resort & Country Club.
History
The independent township of Vernon was established on April 8, 1793, from portions of Hardyston Township, and the township was formally incorporated on February 21, 1798. The 68 square miles (180 km 2 ) which marked the town's borders over 200 years ago have not changed since. However, the population of Vernon, which was a mere 1,548 people as recently as 1950, has steadily grown since the 1960s, when the ski industry was introduced to the area. Additional growth has come as home prices have soared in the near suburbs of New York City and property buyers seek the better values available from real estate developments in the area.
Iron mining in the town of Vernon was prevalent during the mid to late 1800s. Mines such as the Canistear Mine, Williams Mine, and the Pochuk Mine created industry which spawned local businesses, and brought rail travel to the town.
It is not known how Vernon Township got its name, but author Ronald J. Dupont, Jr., posits that the township could have been named after:
- Admiral Edward Vernon. Dupont writes that this is very possible because of two things: 1) the township was created in 1792, the year that George Washington was reelected as President, and 2) because Vernon Township's first Masonic Lodge in 1820 was named Mount Vernon (Washington was also a Freemason during his life), likely after Washington's Virginia residence. The residence, in turn, got its name because Washington's brother Lawrence Washington served with Admiral Vernon.
- A family named Vernon. Not likely, Dupont says, although he notes that a Nathaniel Vernon was a licensed tavernkeeper in Sussex County in 1756. However, the tavern was likely elsewhere, and not in what is now present-day Vernon.
- The Latin root "Vernus." One form of "vernus" is "vernal," as in vernal equinox ("spring"), and so Vernon "had connotations of spring: green, lush, fresh, fertile, etc., and hence was an attractive name for a place."
Dupont, Jr., writes of an interesting sidebar. In the late 1800s two places named Vernon existed—the one in Sussex County and another in Essex County. When the Essex County village got a post office, they found out that another Vernon existed, and so they eventually named the town Verona.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 70.5 square miles (182.7 km²)(42% of which are federal or state preserved property - property dedicated to the preservation of open space, natural resources, and wildlife habitat). 68.4 square miles (177.1 km²) of it is land and 2.1 square miles (5.5 km²) of it (3.03%) is water.
Highland Lakes and Vernon Valley are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Vernon Township.
Vernon is bordered by Hardyston and Wantage Township, all of which are within Sussex County. Vernon borders Orange County, New York with the Town of Warwick. Vernon also shares a border with Passaic County with West Milford Township.
Elevation varies greatly due to the valleys, rolling hills, and mountains. The United States Geological Survey places Glenwood at 580 feet (180 m), McAfee at 435 feet (133 m), and Highland Lakes at 1,260 feet (380 m).
The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley which is a section of the 700 mile long Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.
Communities and neighborhoods
Communities and neighborhoods in Vernon Township include the following sections:
- Vernon Village "Town Center"
- Vernon Valley "The Valley"
- Highland Lakes
- Cliffwood Lake
- Pleasant Valley Lake
- Barry Lakes
- Glenwood
- McAfee
- Lake Wallkill
- Lake Panorama
- Old Orchard
- Scenic Lakes
Glenwood and McAfee exist in the Western portion of the township, McAfee to the South and Glenwood to the North. Highland Lakes is in the Eastern portion of the township. Pleasant Valley Lake is in the South West portion of the township. Four of these sections have a post office. Vernon also has many developments.
Vernon is home to many lake communities, including Highland Lakes, Barry Lakes, Cliffwood Lake, High Breeze, Lake Conway, Lake Wanda, Laurel Lake, Lake Wildwood,, Lake Panorama, Lake Pochung, Lake Wallkill, Pleasant Valley Lake, Scenic Lakes, and Vernon Valley Lake.
Other name places are Owens, Glenwood, De Kays, Prices Switch, Maple Grange, Independence Corners, Sand Hills, Waywayanda, Vernon, Cherry Ridge, and the lost village of Canistear (now under the Canistear Reservoir). Portions of the township are owned by the City of Newark, Essex County, for their Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city.
Transportation
Roadways passing through Vernon Township include Route 94, County Route 515, County Route 517 and County Route 565. County Route 644 and County Route 641 also pass through the township. In addition, direct access to I-80 is offered via Route 94, and County Route 565 to Route 23 to I-84. New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway passes through Vernon, but only freight service is offered.
Vernon is the site of a wrong-way concurrency at the intersection of NJ 94 and CR 517 in McAfee.
Emergency Services
Vernon Township is serviced by the Vernon Police Department, Two ambulance squads and four fire depts.Vernon Fire Dept covers a good region of "the Valley", Highland Lakes Fire Dept. covers "the mountain", Mc Afee Fire Dept covers the Pleasant Valley Lake area, And Pochuck Valley covers most of the Glenwood section.The Vernon Township Ambulance Squad is split amongst two buildings "the Mountain" and "the Valley" respectively. The Glenwood section is partially covered by the Glenwood Pochuck Volunteer Ambulance Corp. Other than the Police Department, the rest of the emergency services are made up of volunteers.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 24,686 people, 8,368 households, and 6,610 families residing in the township. The population density was 360.9 people per square mile (139.4/km²). There were 9,994 housing units at an average density of 146.1/sq mi (56.4/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.56% White, 0.76% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 1.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.60% of the population.
There were 8,368 households out of which 45.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.0% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.8% 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 3.35.
In the township the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 102.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $67,566, and the median income for a family was $72,609. Males had a median income of $50,084 versus $33,292 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,250. About 2.8% of families and 2.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 3.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Pursuant to Article I, Section 5-1 of the Township's Code, Vernon Township is governed under the Council-Manager plan of the New Jersey municipal government under the Faulkner Act, with a five-member Township Council. The Township Council is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis. The Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.
Council Members are Mayor Austin Carew, Deputy Mayor Valerie Suefert, Richard Carson, Gary Gray, and Paul Emilius, Jr. The Township Manager is Melinda Carlton.
In April 2008, Vernon passed a law to prohibit sex offenders from living or loitering within a half mile of any place that children regularly congregate. Included in such places are schools, recreational facilities, day care centers, parks and libraries. Strong efforts can be credited to Councilman Neil Desmond.
Federal, sta
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