Sparta Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Sparta Township is a Township
in Sussex County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 19,722. The township includes the communities of Ackerson, Edison, Hopewell, Houses Corner, Monroe, Sparta, Sparta Junction, Sussex Mills, Upper Mohawk, and Woodruffs Gap.
Sparta was organized as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
on April 14, 1845 from portions of Byram Township
, Frankford Township
, Hardyston Township
and (the now-defunct) Newton Township
. The township was named after the existing community of Sparta, which had been settled and named years before, the name likely coming from Sparta
, Greece
. Ogdensburg Borough
was incorporated on February 26, 1914, when it separated from Sparta Township.
, the township has a total area of 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²), of which, 37.4 square miles (96.9 km²) of it is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it (4.67%) is water.
Lake Mohawk is a census-designated place
and unincorporated area located in parts of both Byram Township and Sparta Township.
of 2005, there were 18,080 people, 6,225 households, and 5,029 families residing in the township. The population density
was 483.5 people per square mile (186.7/km²). There were 6,590 housing units at an average density of 176.2 per square mile (68.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.
There were 6,225 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% were married couples
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the township the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 26.6% 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 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $89,835, and the median income for a family was $100,658. Males had a median income of $74,293 versus $39,349 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $36,910. About 1.0% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=06000US3403769690&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34037%7C06000US3403769690&_street=&_county=sparta&_cityTown=sparta&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=&show_2003_tab=&redirect=YU.S. Census Bureau]
Sparta has been anecdotally noted for the high number of pilots and their families who settle in the area. In his 1994 book The Airport: Terminal Nights and Runway Days at John F. Kennedy International, James Kaplan
describes the home township of an interviewee as "thickly populated, for no particular reason, with pilots, many of whom do their flying out of Kennedy. The view out [the pilot's] picture window is of trees ... The lights and noise of Manhattan, fifty miles distant, attract flight attendants, single people mostly. Pilots like the woods."
form of government known as Council-Manager
Plan B of the Faulkner Act
. The five-member Council is elected at large for four-year terms of office on a staggered basis with two or three seats coming up for election every other year. The council chooses a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves to serve one-year terms of office. The Township Council has the responsibility for all legislative matters. Municipal Elections are held on the second Tuesday in May of even-numbered years.
The Council’s responsibilities include enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing policies, preparing the annual budget with the assistance of the Township Manager and the Treasurer, and levying taxes. Additionally, the Council makes appointments to both the policy and decision-making boards and various advisory committees in accordance with general law and Township ordinances and resolutions.
, members of the Sparta Township Council are Mayor
Scott K. Seelagy, Deputy Mayor Jerry J. Murphy, Gilbert A. Gibbs, John E. Schon and Molly Ann Whilesmith.
Sparta is in the
, 4,854 (35.6% vs. 39.3% countywide) were registered as Republicans
and 6,387 (46.8% vs. 44.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared
. There were thirteen voters registered to other parties (one Conservative
, five Greens
and seven Libertarians
).
On the national level, Sparta has been a stronghold for the Republican Party in recent years. In the 2004 presidential election
, Republican George W. Bush
received 66% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry
, who received 33%. In the 2008 presidential election
, Republican John McCain
received 60% of the vote here, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
, who received 39%. This gives Sparta Township a Cook PVI of R+15.
system, the Sussex County Technical High School and two independent schools.
The Sparta Township Public School District
serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Helen Morgan School (K-2; had 623 students in K-4 as of 2008-09),
Alpine School (3-5; had 798 students in PreK-4),
Mohawk Avenue School (defunct as of 2010; had 355 students in 5th grade),
Sparta Middle School with 1,008 students in grades 6-8 and
Sparta High School
with 1,235 students in grades 9-12. In 2010, Mohawk Avenue School was closed and Helen Morgan School and Alpine School were changed from K-4 to cover grades K-2 and 3-5 respectively. The high school is currently undergoing a $71 million reconstruction project.
Sparta is also home to Sussex County Technical School
, a county-wide technical high school.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson
is responsible for Rev. George A. Brown Elementary and Pope John XXIII High School.
Sparta is home of Hilltop Country Day School
, a private school for grades K-8. Veritas Christian Academy grades 9 - 12.
The Sparta Education Foundation was founded in 2006 to help with budgetary issues in the Sparta School district and to bring extra funds to the public school district from concerned private citizens and groups. In 2009, the Foundation provided technology money for SMART boards and projectors in Alpine and Helen Morgan schools.
occupied the land at the time of its discovery by European colonists. Early Dutch
explorers and traders discovered red ores in the area and attempted to mine them as early as 1750, but were unsuccessful in their mistaken attempts to extract copper from the ores. No permanent settlers arrived until 1778, when Robert Ogden built his home and constructed an iron forge on lands he had acquired. The first public building in Sparta was the Presbyterian Church which was incorporated in 1786. Schools were established in Ogdensburg
by 1806 and in Sparta by 1812.
Iron
, zinc
, and limestone
supported a mining industry for over 100 years, but today the mining operations have ceased and the township is now a residential community served by retail, professional, and service small businesses. According to the 2000 census, 65% of Sparta Township workers commute to jobs outside of the county.
and built an iron forge utilizing local ore from his Ogden Mine on Sparta Mountain. The Horseshoe mine was opened in 1772 by the Englishmen Spargo and Harvey who shipped ore by horse and mule to the forges at Sparta and Hopewell. It wasn't until 1868 that the Ogden Mine Railroad
began operations and made it economical to ship zinc and iron ore to Nolan's Point on Lake Hopatcong
where the Morris Canal
had a marine terminal that could ship ore to Newark
. In 1872 the New Jersey Midland Railroad (later known as the New York, Susquehanna & Western
) extended to Ogdensburg
and captured the zinc ore traffic.
In 1836, Henry Decker, along with Nelson Hunt and Lewis Sherman, began the manufacture of anchors at their forges in Sparta. Their success led to a small industry of forging anchors in Sparta, but by the end of the Civil War
the forge industry in Sparta had come to an end.
In 1889, Thomas Edison
invested $3.5 million in his Edison Ore-Milling Company
to build iron operations on 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of Sparta Mountain. Edison hoped to concentrate the mountain's vast quantities of low-grade ore and supply East Coast mills with raw material. At its peak Edison's operation employed 500 people, but after a 10 year effort he abandoned his attempt to compete with more economical ores from Minnesota
's Mesabi Iron Range
. The availability of the cheap Minnesota ores put an end to iron mining in Sparta.
began operations at Sterling Hill. Earlier attempts to obtain iron from the mineral rich ore of the Sterling Hill failed because of manganese contamination, but zinc was recoverable and the ores at Sterling Hill were rich with it.
In 1856 the Passaic Zinc Company started operations at Sterling Hill Mine and constructed large ore crushers, shipping the ores to the company's plant in Jersey City
.
By 1868 both iron and zinc operations were in progress at Sterling Hill, but the numerous companies and claims were embroiled in continuous legal battles, the largest of which was a 12-year dispute between the New Jersey Zinc Company
and the Franklin Iron Company over rights to mixed ores, each company having purchased the right to mine zinc and iron, respectively. In 1880 the Franklin Iron Company acquired the New Jersey Zinc Company's operations at Sterling Hill mine, ending the dispute. Large scale operations began in 1897 when the claims were consolidated under the New Jersey Zinc Company and by 1900 its mill was processing 1500 tons of ore daily.
Zinc operations continued until 1986 when the Sterling Hill mine ceased operation. The Sterling Hill mine site is currently occupied by the Sterling Hill Mining Museum
and is open to the public for tours.
recouped his losses by opening a lime quarry near Sparta in 1919. The quarry fed Edison's Portland cement
operations, and was in continuous operation under various owners for nearly 100 years until closed in 2003. During the years of its operation the limestone quarry was an important source of employment and tax revenue for Sparta. Limestone is no longer mined, but a limited amount of granite continues to be quarried by a handful of employees.
in 1872 for zinc ore traffic, but in 1882 the line was extended to Stroudsburg
, Pennsylvania
and a station was built at Sparta, giving tourists easy access to the many boarding houses that served summer residents from the cities. Passenger service ended in 1935, but by then Sparta was well established as a summer destination. In 1926, the Arthur D. Crane Company along with developer and designer Herbert L. Closs constructed a 600-foot dam across the Wallkill River
to form 300 acres (1.2 km²) Lake Mohawk
in 1928. The private resort community created by the Crane Company consisted primarily of summer homes, but the homes began to be winterized in the 1940s and the current membership of 2,600 families are largely year-round residents.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Sussex County
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 19,722. The township includes the communities of Ackerson, Edison, Hopewell, Houses Corner, Monroe, Sparta, Sparta Junction, Sussex Mills, Upper Mohawk, and Woodruffs Gap.
Sparta was organized as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on April 14, 1845 from portions of Byram Township
Byram Township, New Jersey
Byram Township — "The Township of Lakes" — is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 8,350...
, Frankford Township
Frankford Township, New Jersey
Frankford Township is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,565....
, Hardyston Township
Hardyston Township, New Jersey
Hardyston Township is a Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 6,171.-Geography:...
and (the now-defunct) Newton Township
Newton Township, Sussex County, New Jersey
Newton Township is a defunct township that existed within Sussex County, New Jersey, United States, from 1751 through 1864.Newton Township was created on March 27, 1751, while the area was still part of Morris County and became part of the newly-created Sussex County upon its creation June 8, 1753...
. The township was named after the existing community of Sparta, which had been settled and named years before, the name likely coming from Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. Ogdensburg Borough
Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
was incorporated on February 26, 1914, when it separated from Sparta Township.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the township has a total area of 39.2 square miles (101.5 km²), of which, 37.4 square miles (96.9 km²) of it is land and 1.8 square miles (4.7 km²) of it (4.67%) is water.
Lake Mohawk is a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
and unincorporated area located in parts of both Byram Township and Sparta Township.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2005, there were 18,080 people, 6,225 households, and 5,029 families residing in the township. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 483.5 people per square mile (186.7/km²). There were 6,590 housing units at an average density of 176.2 per square mile (68.1/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 96.7% White, 0.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.54% of the population.
There were 6,225 households out of which 44.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.2% were non-families. 16.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the township the population was spread out with 30.6% under the age of 18, 4.5% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 26.6% 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 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $89,835, and the median income for a family was $100,658. Males had a median income of $74,293 versus $39,349 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the township was $36,910. About 1.0% of families and 1.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFFacts?_event=&geo_id=06000US3403769690&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C05000US34037%7C06000US3403769690&_street=&_county=sparta&_cityTown=sparta&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=060&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null®=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=&show_2003_tab=&redirect=YU.S. Census Bureau]
Sparta has been anecdotally noted for the high number of pilots and their families who settle in the area. In his 1994 book The Airport: Terminal Nights and Runway Days at John F. Kennedy International, James Kaplan
James Kaplan
James Kaplan is an American novelist, journalist, and biographer. He was born in New York City and grew up in rural Pennsylvania and suburban New Jersey. He matriculated at New York University and graduated from Wesleyan University in 1973 with a degree in studio art...
describes the home township of an interviewee as "thickly populated, for no particular reason, with pilots, many of whom do their flying out of Kennedy. The view out [the pilot's] picture window is of trees ... The lights and noise of Manhattan, fifty miles distant, attract flight attendants, single people mostly. Pilots like the woods."
Local government
Sparta Township is governed by a nonpartisanNonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
form of government known as Council-Manager
Faulkner Act (Council-Manager)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Council-Manager government.The council consists of 5, 7, or 9 members elected by the public...
Plan B of the Faulkner Act
Faulkner Act (New Jersey)
The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H...
. The five-member Council is elected at large for four-year terms of office on a staggered basis with two or three seats coming up for election every other year. The council chooses a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among themselves to serve one-year terms of office. The Township Council has the responsibility for all legislative matters. Municipal Elections are held on the second Tuesday in May of even-numbered years.
The Council’s responsibilities include enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing policies, preparing the annual budget with the assistance of the Township Manager and the Treasurer, and levying taxes. Additionally, the Council makes appointments to both the policy and decision-making boards and various advisory committees in accordance with general law and Township ordinances and resolutions.
, members of the Sparta Township Council are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Scott K. Seelagy, Deputy Mayor Jerry J. Murphy, Gilbert A. Gibbs, John E. Schon and Molly Ann Whilesmith.
Federal, state and county representation
Sparta Township is split between the 5th and 11th Congressional districts.Sparta is in the
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, out of a 2010 Census population of 19,722 in Sparta, there were 13,647 registered voters (69.2% of the population, vs. 65.8% in all of Sussex County). Of registered voters, 2,393 (17.5% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as DemocratsDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, 4,854 (35.6% vs. 39.3% countywide) were registered as Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and 6,387 (46.8% vs. 44.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared
Undeclared (New Jersey)
Unaffiliated is a status for registered voters in New Jersey. Those voters who do not specify a political party affiliation when they register to vote are listed as unaffiliated....
. There were thirteen voters registered to other parties (one Conservative
New Jersey Conservative Party
The New Jersey Conservative Party, also known as the NJCP, is a conservative political party in New Jersey, United States.-Ideological base:The NJCP is similar to the Republican Party. It believes in low taxes, a balanced budget and job growth...
, five Greens
Green Party (United States)
The Green Party of the United States is a nationally recognized political party which officially formed in 1991. It is a voluntary association of state green parties. Prior to national formation, many state affiliates had already formed and were recognized by other state parties...
and seven Libertarians
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
).
On the national level, Sparta has been a stronghold for the Republican Party in recent years. In the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, Republican George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
received 66% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
, who received 33%. In the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
received 60% of the vote here, defeating Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, who received 39%. This gives Sparta Township a Cook PVI of R+15.
Education
Sparta is home to a public school system, a parochial Catholic schoolCatholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
system, the Sussex County Technical High School and two independent schools.
The Sparta Township Public School District
Sparta Township Public School District
The Sparta Township Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves over 4,100 students from Sparta, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States...
serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Helen Morgan School (K-2; had 623 students in K-4 as of 2008-09),
Alpine School (3-5; had 798 students in PreK-4),
Mohawk Avenue School (defunct as of 2010; had 355 students in 5th grade),
Sparta Middle School with 1,008 students in grades 6-8 and
Sparta High School
Sparta High School (New Jersey)
Sparta High School is a four-year public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Sparta Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sparta Township Public School District...
with 1,235 students in grades 9-12. In 2010, Mohawk Avenue School was closed and Helen Morgan School and Alpine School were changed from K-4 to cover grades K-2 and 3-5 respectively. The high school is currently undergoing a $71 million reconstruction project.
Sparta is also home to Sussex County Technical School
Sussex County Technical School
Sussex County Technical School is a county-wide technical public high school in Sussex County, New Jersey, as part of the Sussex County Vocational School District and is located in Sparta Township. It is the home of the McNeice Auditorium and the Fighting Mustangs...
, a county-wide technical high school.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson
Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson
The Diocese of Paterson is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States, which includes three counties in northern New Jersey: Passaic, Morris, and Sussex. The city of Paterson, third-largest in the state of New Jersey, was chosen as the episcopal see, even though...
is responsible for Rev. George A. Brown Elementary and Pope John XXIII High School.
Sparta is home of Hilltop Country Day School
Hilltop Country Day School
Hilltop Country Day School is a private, nonsectarian coeducational day school located in Sparta, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The school serves students in preschool through eighth grade. The school is divided into a Lower school and Upper School...
, a private school for grades K-8. Veritas Christian Academy grades 9 - 12.
The Sparta Education Foundation was founded in 2006 to help with budgetary issues in the Sparta School district and to bring extra funds to the public school district from concerned private citizens and groups. In 2009, the Foundation provided technology money for SMART boards and projectors in Alpine and Helen Morgan schools.
Overview
The Lenni Lenape Native AmericansNative Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
occupied the land at the time of its discovery by European colonists. Early Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
explorers and traders discovered red ores in the area and attempted to mine them as early as 1750, but were unsuccessful in their mistaken attempts to extract copper from the ores. No permanent settlers arrived until 1778, when Robert Ogden built his home and constructed an iron forge on lands he had acquired. The first public building in Sparta was the Presbyterian Church which was incorporated in 1786. Schools were established in Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
by 1806 and in Sparta by 1812.
Iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
, zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
, and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
supported a mining industry for over 100 years, but today the mining operations have ceased and the township is now a residential community served by retail, professional, and service small businesses. According to the 2000 census, 65% of Sparta Township workers commute to jobs outside of the county.
Iron
Robert Ogden settled in 1778 near the present town of OgdensburgOgdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
and built an iron forge utilizing local ore from his Ogden Mine on Sparta Mountain. The Horseshoe mine was opened in 1772 by the Englishmen Spargo and Harvey who shipped ore by horse and mule to the forges at Sparta and Hopewell. It wasn't until 1868 that the Ogden Mine Railroad
Ogden Mine Railroad
The Ogden Mine Railroad was a railroad that existed in the U.S. state of New Jersey from 1866, until it was abandoned in the 1930s.- 1866 - 1881 :...
began operations and made it economical to ship zinc and iron ore to Nolan's Point on Lake Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong
Lake Hopatcong is the largest freshwater body in the state of New Jersey, USA, approximately 4 square miles in area. The lake is located in the mountains of northern New Jersey, north of Netcong and along the border between Sussex and Morris counties.The lake is within the borders of four...
where the Morris Canal
Morris Canal
The Morris Canal was an anthracite-carrying canal that incorporated a series of water-driven inclined planes in its course across northern New Jersey in the United States. It was in use for about a century — from the late 1820s to the 1920s....
had a marine terminal that could ship ore to Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
. In 1872 the New Jersey Midland Railroad (later known as the New York, Susquehanna & Western
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
) extended to Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
and captured the zinc ore traffic.
In 1836, Henry Decker, along with Nelson Hunt and Lewis Sherman, began the manufacture of anchors at their forges in Sparta. Their success led to a small industry of forging anchors in Sparta, but by the end of the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
the forge industry in Sparta had come to an end.
In 1889, Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
invested $3.5 million in his Edison Ore-Milling Company
Edison Ore-Milling Company
The Edison Ore-Milling Company was a venture by Thomas Edison that began in 1881. Edison introduced some significant technological developments to the iron ore milling industry but the company ultimately proved to be unprofitable...
to build iron operations on 2500 acres (10.1 km²) of Sparta Mountain. Edison hoped to concentrate the mountain's vast quantities of low-grade ore and supply East Coast mills with raw material. At its peak Edison's operation employed 500 people, but after a 10 year effort he abandoned his attempt to compete with more economical ores from Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
's Mesabi Iron Range
Mesabi Range
The Mesabi Iron Range is a vast deposit of iron ore and the largest of four major iron ranges in the region collectively known as the Iron Range of Minnesota. Discovered in 1866, it is the chief deposit of iron ore in the United States. The deposit is located in northeast Minnesota, largely in...
. The availability of the cheap Minnesota ores put an end to iron mining in Sparta.
Zinc
In 1848 the New Jersey Zinc CompanyNew Jersey Zinc Company
The Horsehead Corporation , formerly the New Jersey Zinc Company, is an American producer of zinc and related materials.The New Jersey Zinc Company was for many years the largest producer of zinc and zinc products in the United States. The company thrived in the period from 1897 to 1966, at which...
began operations at Sterling Hill. Earlier attempts to obtain iron from the mineral rich ore of the Sterling Hill failed because of manganese contamination, but zinc was recoverable and the ores at Sterling Hill were rich with it.
In 1856 the Passaic Zinc Company started operations at Sterling Hill Mine and constructed large ore crushers, shipping the ores to the company's plant in Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.
By 1868 both iron and zinc operations were in progress at Sterling Hill, but the numerous companies and claims were embroiled in continuous legal battles, the largest of which was a 12-year dispute between the New Jersey Zinc Company
New Jersey Zinc Company
The Horsehead Corporation , formerly the New Jersey Zinc Company, is an American producer of zinc and related materials.The New Jersey Zinc Company was for many years the largest producer of zinc and zinc products in the United States. The company thrived in the period from 1897 to 1966, at which...
and the Franklin Iron Company over rights to mixed ores, each company having purchased the right to mine zinc and iron, respectively. In 1880 the Franklin Iron Company acquired the New Jersey Zinc Company's operations at Sterling Hill mine, ending the dispute. Large scale operations began in 1897 when the claims were consolidated under the New Jersey Zinc Company and by 1900 its mill was processing 1500 tons of ore daily.
Zinc operations continued until 1986 when the Sterling Hill mine ceased operation. The Sterling Hill mine site is currently occupied by the Sterling Hill Mining Museum
Sterling Hill Mining Museum
The Sterling Hill Mine, now known as the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, is a former iron and zinc mine in Ogdensburg, New Jersey. It was the last working underground mine in New Jersey when it closed in 1986. It became a museum in 1989. Along with the nearby Franklin Mine, it is known for its...
and is open to the public for tours.
Limestone
After closing his iron operations, Thomas EdisonThomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
recouped his losses by opening a lime quarry near Sparta in 1919. The quarry fed Edison's Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
operations, and was in continuous operation under various owners for nearly 100 years until closed in 2003. During the years of its operation the limestone quarry was an important source of employment and tax revenue for Sparta. Limestone is no longer mined, but a limited amount of granite continues to be quarried by a handful of employees.
Tourism
The New Jersey Midland Railroad opened to OgdensburgOgdensburg, New Jersey
Ogdensburg is a Borough in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,638.The borough was formed based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 26, 1914, from part of Sparta Township, based on the results of a referendum...
in 1872 for zinc ore traffic, but in 1882 the line was extended to Stroudsburg
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and a station was built at Sparta, giving tourists easy access to the many boarding houses that served summer residents from the cities. Passenger service ended in 1935, but by then Sparta was well established as a summer destination. In 1926, the Arthur D. Crane Company along with developer and designer Herbert L. Closs constructed a 600-foot dam across the Wallkill River
Wallkill River
The Wallkill River, a tributary of the Hudson, drains Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, flowing from there generally northeasterly to Rondout Creek in New York, near Rosendale, with the combined flows reaching the Hudson at Kingston....
to form 300 acres (1.2 km²) Lake Mohawk
Lake Mohawk, New Jersey
Beaches are provided along the edge of the lakes, spaced to enable residents to walk to the nearest one. Membership in the club is required for owners and renters alike. An issue of exclusion was raised at one point legally, but membership remains a requirement for residents...
in 1928. The private resort community created by the Crane Company consisted primarily of summer homes, but the homes began to be winterized in the 1940s and the current membership of 2,600 families are largely year-round residents.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Sparta Township include:- Greg BatyGreg BatyGregory James Baty is a former American football tight end, who played eight seasons in the National Football League. He played college football at Stanford University....
(born 1964), former NFLNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player. - Mike BudnikMike BudnikMichael Allan Budnik is an American mixed martial artist and former professional in-line skater. He competed in the first ten X-Games.Budnik has been a resident of Sparta Township, New Jersey.-MMA career:...
(born 1974), former professional inline skater, and professional mixed martial artsMixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
fighter. - Tom CoughlinTom CoughlinThomas Richard Coughlin is an American football coach who is currently head coach for the New York Giants of the National Football League . Coughlin has led the Giants to victory in Super Bowl XLII. Coughlin was also the inaugural head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, serving from 1995–2002 and...
(born 1946), NFL Head Coach for the Jaguars and currently the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Chris JentChris JentChris Jent is a retired American professional basketball player and former coach in the NBA. He is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, Ohio State.Jent was born in Orange, California and grew up in Sparta, New Jersey...
(born 1970), former NBA basketball player and current coach. - F. Ross JohnsonF. Ross Johnson-Biography:Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, into a lower-middle-class family, he used a military cadet scholarship program to attend the University of Manitoba where he graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and was a member of the fraternity Phi Delta Theta. He went on to earn an M.B.A....
(born 1931), Canadian businessman and former CEO, RJR Nabisco. - Jeff LenoskyJeff LenoskyJeff Lenosky is an American world class professional Freeride and Trials Mountain Bicycle Rider.Among his many athletic high points is the world record for the Bunny hop, a high jump event using a full size mountain bicycle...
(born 1971), US National Mountain Bike Champion and World Record Holder. - Wendy MassWendy MassWendy Mass , is an award-winning author of young-adult novels and children's books. Her most successful book was A Mango-Shaped Space which won the American Library Association Schneider Family Book Award for Middle School in 2004...
(born 1967), author. - Dan MillerDan Miller (fighter)Daniel James Miller is an American Middleweight mixed martial artist signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the older brother of fellow MMA fighter Jim Miller.-Martial arts background:...
(born 1981), UFC Contender, CFFC Middleweight Champion, IFL Middleweight Champion. - Jim MillerJim Miller (fighter)James Andrew Miller is an American mixed martial artist. He has held the Cage Fury Fighting Championships Lightweight Championship and Reality Fighting Featherweight Championship. He currently fights for the UFC's lightweight division. He is the younger brother of fellow MMA fighter Dan Miller...
(born 1984), UFC Contender, CFFC Lightweight Champion, Reality Fighting Featherweight Champion. - Troy MurphyTroy MurphyTroy Brandon Murphy is an American professional basketball power forward who last played with the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association. Murphy was born in Morristown, New Jersey but grew up in Sparta Township located in northwest New Jersey...
(born 1980), NBA basketball player. - Randy OrtonRandy OrtonRandal Keith "Randy" Orton is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to WWE wrestling on its SmackDown brand...
(born 1980), professional wrestler. - Brad PittBrad PittWilliam Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
(born 1963), Academy Award-nominated actor and producer. - Gene Prebola, former NFL Tight End who played for the Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, and New York Jets.
Sources
- Kaplan, James. The Airport: Terminal Nights and Runway Days at John F. Kennedy International, (New York: William Morrow and Company, 1994).
- McCabe, Wayne T. and Kate Gordon. A Penny A View...An Album of Postcard Views...Sparta, N.J. (Newton, NJ: Historic Preservation Alternatives, 1996).
- Pierson, Duane. Images of Sparta, (Newton, NJ: Minisink Press, 1981).
- Snell, James P. History of Sussex & Warren Counties, New Jersey with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, (Philadelphia, PA: Everts & Peck, 1881).
- Truran, William R. Sparta, NJ: Head of the Wallkill, (Sparta, NJ: Trupower Press, 2005).
External links
- St Mary's Episcopal Church Sparta
- Sparta Township Municipal Website
- Sparta Township Fire Department
- Sparta Public Library
- Sparta Township Public School District
- Data for the Sparta Township Public School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- The Sparta Independent newspaper
- Abandoned Iron Mines of Sparta, New Jersey
- Pope John XXIII High School
- Sussex Tech
- The Goddard School
- Veritas Christian Academy High school, Sparta NJ
- Sparta Education Foundation Website