Hope Township is a township in Warren County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 1,835, a decrease of 117 (−6.0%) from the 2010 census count of 1,952, which in turn reflected an increase of 61 (+3.2%) from the 1,891 counted in the 2000 census.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. The 2010 population of 1,952 reflected an all-time high since the 1,903 recorded in the 1840 census, the first recorded population after the township was formed.
Hope Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1839, from portions of Knowlton Township and Oxford Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Liberty Township was created on March 25, 1926, from portions of the township.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 246. Accessed May 29, 2024.
History
Hope Township is one of the earliest planned communities in the United States, having been established by German Moravians in 1769. Early planning maps detail planned locations of streets, homes, wells, businesses, farms, a school, tavern, and church.Antonoff, Paul S. "The Moravian Village of Hope Is Marked as a Historic Site; A Planned Community", The New York Times, October 7, 1973. Accessed September 11, 2013.
Prior to the arrival of the Moravians, there was no distinct town, but several families farmed on Jenny Jump Mountain, to the south of Hope, in surrounding area and on John Samuel Green Jr.'s farm in the center of what is now the Village. Throughout the 1760s, Moravians from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania traveled through this area on their way to New England to establish new communities. They lodged overnight with the Green Family who were impressed with their religion and way of life.
The Moravians were a religious group whose formal name was the "Unitas Fratrum" or Unity of the Brethren. They were followers of Jan Hus, the reformer from Prague who protested against the Roman Catholic Church in 1415 and was finally burned at the stake for his rebellion. These followers continued to practice his views in Moravia and Bohemia in what is now the Czech Republic, hence the common name "The Moravians". In the late 17th century this group began to be persecuted and sought shelter away from Bohemia. Count Nicolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf offered them refuge on his lands east of Dresden, Germany, and provided a base for them to regroup and pursue their religion. That settlement which remains as the center of the worldwide Moravian religion is called Herrnhut or "The Lord's Watch" inhabitants were not only "under the Lord's watchful care" but were also to be "on watch for the Lord". With the support of Count von Zinzendorf, the Church established over 200 missionary settlements.
After a formal survey of the village completed on November 26, 1774, the community was officially accepted by The Moravian Church and the name was changed by drawing lots on February 8, 1775, from Greenland to Hope.History, Hope Township. Accessed September 2, 2015. "After a formal survey of the Village completed on November 26, 1774, the community was officially accepted by The Moravian Church and the name was changed by drawing lots on February 8, 1775 from Greenland to Hope." The name derives from the "hope of immortality" of the early Moravian settlers.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 2, 2015.
After almost 40 years of the Moravian "experiment" in Hope, the community was sold and almost all of the Moravians returned to Bethlehem or Nazareth, Pennsylvania. The basic reason for closing the community was that it was never self-supporting and had declined from its height of population of 147 to under 100 people by the early 19th century. The Church in Germany could no longer subsidize such a small village. Moravians worldwide were selling possessions and even some other entire communities to pay off debts incurred years earlier by Count von Zinzendorf, who heavily mortgaged his lands to give them opportunity back in Germany. Disease and a competitive gristmill also contributed to Moravian Hope's decline.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 18.29 square miles (47.38 km2), including 18.08 square miles (46.83 km2) of land and 0.21 square miles (0.55 km2) of water (1.15%). The township is located in the Kittatinny Valley, which is a section of the Great Appalachian Valley that stretches from Canada to Alabama.
Hope CDP (with a 2020 population of 256), Mount Hermon (172) and Silver Lake (368) are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within the township., United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 5, 2013.New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, p. III-5, August 2012. Accessed June 5, 2013.
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include:Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed April 1, 2015. Feebletown Locust Lake Mount Herman Swayzes MillSwayze's Mill, accessed April 2017
The township borders the Warren County municipalities of Blairstown Township, Frelinghuysen Township, Knowlton Township, Liberty Township and White Township.Municipal Directory, Warren County, New Jersey. Accessed July 30, 2023.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Demographics
The township's economic data (as is all of Warren County) is included by the US Census Bureau as part of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metropolitan Statistical Area.Karp, Gregory. "Lehigh Valley, Warren County reunited as a metro area ** Economies, social patterns similar, federal office says.", The Morning Call, June 22, 2003. Accessed February 15, 2022. "This time, new rules for defining MSAs determined that because the Phillipsburg area was the biggest cluster of people in Warren County, the whole county should be lumped with the nearby Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metro area."
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 1,952 people, 741 households, and 558 families in the township. The population density was 104.8 per square mile (40.5/km2). There were 809 housing units at an average density of 43.4 per square mile (16.8/km2). The racial makeup was 96.21% (1,878) White, 1.18% (23) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.59% (31) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.41% (8) from other races, and 0.61% (12) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.10% (80) of the population.
Of the 741 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 62.2% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.7% were non-families. Of all households, 19.6% were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.03.
22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 20.1% from 25 to 44, 35.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 97.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 97.8 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $75,107 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,302) and the median family income was $81,204 (+/− $7,973). Males had a median income of $59,141 (+/− $10,502) versus $52,574 (+/− $25,011) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,283 (+/− $2,988). About 4.8% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 0.8% of those age 65 or over., United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.
2000 census As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 1,891 people, 697 households, and 538 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 747 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 98.25% White, 0.42% African American, 0.42% Asian, 0.05% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hope township, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013., United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2013.
There were 697 households, out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.3% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the township the population was spread out, with 26.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $61,319, and the median income for a family was $68,750. Males had a median income of $48,750 versus $34,038 for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,902. About 1.1% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government Local government Hope 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.Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023. The governing body is comprised of a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 103."Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 7. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving in that role for one year.