Vernon Township, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Communities and neighborhoods
Communities and neighborhoods in Vernon Township include the following sections:- Vernon Village "Town Center"
- Vernon Valley a.k.a. "The Valley"
- Vernon Valley Lake
- 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 Glenwood, 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
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...
, Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, for their Pequannock River
Pequannock River
The Pequannock River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 20 miles long, located in northern New Jersey in the United States....
Watershed, which provides water to the city.
Transportation
Roadways passing through Vernon Township include Route 94, County Route 515County Route 515 (New Jersey)
County Route 515 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Route 23 in Hardyston Township to the New York state line in Vernon Township. Between Route 23 and Route 94, this highway is known as Vernon-Stolkholm Road. The road then runs concurrent with NJ 94 for ....
, County Route 517
County Route 517 (New Jersey)
County Route 517 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Lamington Road in Tewksbury Township to the New York state line in Vernon Township where it continues as Orange County Route 26. It mainly traverses through small, rural communities and unincorporated...
and County Route 565
County Route 565 (New Jersey)
County Route 565, abbreviated CR 565, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from U.S. Route 206 / Route 15 in Frankford Township to McAfee Glenwood Road in Vernon Township.-Route description:...
. County Route 644 and County Route 641 also pass through the township. In addition, direct access to Interstate 80
Interstate 80 in New Jersey
Interstate 80 is a major Interstate Highway in the United States, running from the New York City Metropolitan Area westward to San Francisco, California...
is offered via Route 94, and County Route 565
County Route 565 (New Jersey)
County Route 565, abbreviated CR 565, is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from U.S. Route 206 / Route 15 in Frankford Township to McAfee Glenwood Road in Vernon Township.-Route description:...
to Route 23 to I-84
Interstate 84 (east)
Interstate 84 is an Interstate Highway extending from Dunmore, Pennsylvania at an interchange with Interstate 81 to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, at an interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike . I-84 has mile-log junction numbering in Pennsylvania; otherwise, exit numbers are roughly sequential...
. New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
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...
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 departments. Vernon Fire Department covers a significant portion of "the Valley", Highland Lakes Fire Department covers "the mountain", McAfee Fire Department 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 Corps. Other than the Police Department, the rest of the emergency services are made up of volunteers.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 2000, there were 24,686 people, 8,368 households, and 6,610 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 360.9 people per square mile (139.4/km²). There were 9,994 housing units at an average density of 146.1 per square mile (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
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 1.07% 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
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, 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
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 $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.ng uop
Drug Problems
In recent years heroin has been a quickly growing problem in Vernon, in part perhaps due to its close proximity to Route 23 via Canistear Road and Route 515 which is the quickest outlet to Route 80 and Paterson/Newark in the area. While many other local towns like Newton require over an hour of driving and do not have any main highways running through them, Paterson is a mere 45-minute drive away, an easy ride straight down Rt. 23 to Rt. 80. There have been several news stories in the past years documenting this, most notably the Advertiser-News, which ran a several-part story on heroin addiction and abuse in the area. The town has responded with increased police efforts, but had not netted any significant results - mostly apprehending small-time users. Recently, however, according to the police blotter in the Advertiser-News, individuals were arrested after selling almost 3,000 bags of heroin, the first large scale bust of this kind in the area. According to local police, while in the past residents would go to Paterson or Newark, it is now becoming common for heroin to be bought and sold in Vernon as well. There have been several events staged to raise awareness, such as a protest/march along Route 94 . Each week in the police blotter published in the local paper there are numerous arrests for heroin possession and sales listed, and the amount of overdoses and overdose deaths has been significantly rising - since 2001, there have been 56 heroin-related deaths in Sussex County, many of them teenagers, and some under 18. In 2010 there were 6 overdoses by the end of May in Sussex County and 3 of them were in Vernon. . Vernon in particular has attained a "reputation" as being one of the most heroin-infested areas in the county, but the issue extends, in lesser and similar extent, to the rest of Sussex County and neighboring areas as well, with Sparta and West Milford in particular becoming well-known as other areas with a rising heroin problem. While drug addiction is a problem that occurs in nearly every suburb of Paterson and Newark and other cities in New Jersey, the issue seems to be particularly prevalent in Sussex County as of late.Local government
In a November 2010 referendum, 70% of voters approved a change from the Faulkner Act (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...
form of government to a Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Mayor-Council government.This form of government provides for election of a mayor and five, seven, or nine council members...
form. Under the new plan, a mayor directly elected by the voters oversees the day-to-day operation of the township with the aid of a business manager, subject to the oversight of a five-member Township Council. The Mayor and Council took office after elections in May 2011, replacing the previously existing council.
The Mayor and all five members of the Township Council are directly elected by the voters on an at-large
At-Large
At-large is a designation for representative members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent the whole membership of the body , rather than a subset of that membership...
basis to four-year terms of office in non-partisan elections. Under the current plan, Vernon has a "strong mayor" system of government in which the mayor heads the executive branch, overseeing township functions, enforcing all ordinances and other regulations, appoints department heads and prepares a budget, with the assistance of a business administrator. The Township Council is the legislative branch, responsible for enacting ordinances, approving the mayor's department head appointments, can remove employees for cause and can modify the mayor's budget by majority vote, though budget increases require a ⅔ majority. The mayor has the option to attend and speak at council meetings but is not given a vote.
, the Mayor is Victor J. Marotta. Members of the Vernon Township Council are Council President Brian Lynch, Eddie Dunn, Dan Kadish, Patrick Rizzuto and Richard Wetzel. All of the members of the governing body were elected in May 2011 and took office on July 1, 2011.
Federal, state and county representation
Vernon Township is in the 5th Congressional district.Vernon is in the
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, out of a 2010 Census population of 23,943 in Vernon, there were 15,476 registered voters (64.6% of the population, vs. 65.8% in all of Sussex County). Of registered voters, 2,425 (15.7% 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...
, 5,489 (35.5% 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 7,538 (48.7% 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 twenty-four 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...
, ten 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...
, eight 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...
and five Constitution Partiers
Constitution Party (United States)
The Constitution Party is a paleoconservative political party in the United States. It was founded as the U.S. Taxpayers' Party by Howard Philips in 1991. Phillips was the party's candidate in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 presidential elections...
).
On the national level, Vernon is a stronghold for the Republican Party. 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 62% 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 36%. 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 58% 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 40%. This gives Vernon Township a Cook PVI of R+13.
Education
The Vernon Township School DistrictVernon Township School District
The Vernon Township School District is a comprehensive community public school district, that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Vernon Township, 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
Walnut Ridge Primary School (grades K-1, 582 students),
Cedar Mountain Primary School (grades 1-4, 420 students),
Rolling Hills Primary School (grades 2-4, 489 students),
Lounsberry Hollow Middle School (grades 5&6, 639 students),
Glen Meadow Middle School (grades 7&8, 711 students) and
Vernon Township High School
Vernon Township High School
Vernon Township High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Vernon Township, in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The school opened in 1975 and is part of the Vernon Township School District. The school has gone through expansions over the year including a new...
(grades 9-12, 1,606 students).
Corporate residents
The primary satellite uplinkUplink
A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...
earth terminal facility for Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
is located in Vernon, as is the Vernon Valley uplink facility for SES Americom
SES Americom
SES Americom was a major commercial satellite operator based in the United States. Formerly RCA Americom and GE Americom, the company became one of the principal parts of SES S.A.....
.
Attractions
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail
- Mountain CreekMountain CreekMountain Creek is the ski resort closest to New York metropolitan area, located in Vernon Township, New Jersey, on Route 94, from the George Washington Bridge. It offers 167 skiable acres on four mountain peaks, 100% night skiing/snowboarding, and the region's highest vertical feet. Mountain Creek...
Ski Resort and Mountain Creek WaterparkMountain Creek WaterparkMountain Creek Waterpark is a seasonal water theme park located at Mountain Creek Ski Resort in Vernon Township, New Jersey. The park is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day yearly.... - Hidden Valley ResortHidden Valley (New Jersey)Hidden Valley is a ski area located in Vernon Township, New Jersey, in Sussex County off of County Route 515, near the intersection with Route 94...
- Elements Spa
Hotels
- Alpine Haus Bed & Breakfast
- Apple Valley Inn Bed & Breakfast
- Appalachian Hotel (Mountain Creek Ski Resort) - built by Mountain CreekMountain CreekMountain Creek is the ski resort closest to New York metropolitan area, located in Vernon Township, New Jersey, on Route 94, from the George Washington Bridge. It offers 167 skiable acres on four mountain peaks, 100% night skiing/snowboarding, and the region's highest vertical feet. Mountain Creek...
- Crystal Springs Resort
- Days InnDays InnDays Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
- Legends Hotel and ResortLegends Hotel and ResortThe Legends Resort & Country Club, often called simply Legends, is a hotel located on County Route 517 in Vernon Township in Sussex County, New Jersey. In the 1970s, Hugh Hefner built it as the Great Gorge Playboy Club. The Playboy Club was closed in the late 1980s and sold and turned into Seasons...
- Minerals Hotel
Churches
Churches in Vernon Township include Glenwood Baptist Church, Christ Community Church, Holy Counselar Lutheran Church, Hope Evangelical Free Church, McAfee Bible Church, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Vernon United Methodist Church, Faith with Love Fellowship Church and St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church.Restaurant:
The Vernon Inn
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Vernon Township include:- Christopher Bryson, deaf since birth, was featured on MTV's True Life program.
- Nicolas de Gunzburg (1904–81) was an editor in chiefEditor in chiefAn editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of Town & CountryTown & Country (magazine)Town & Country, formerly the Home Journal and The National Press, is a monthly American lifestyle magazine. It is the oldest continually published general interest magazine in the United States.-Early history:...
and fashion editor at VogueVogue (magazine)Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
and Harper's BazaarHarper's BazaarHarper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
. - Danny KassDanny KassDaniel "Danny" Kass is an American professional snowboarder.He was born in Vernon Valley, NJ.Danny grew up in New Jersey where he began his climb into snowboarding history at the age of twelve...
(born 1982), 20022002 Winter OlympicsThe 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
and 2006 Winter Olympics2006 Winter OlympicsThe 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
Snowboard Halfpipe Silver MedalistUnited States at the 2006 Winter OlympicsThe United States Olympic Committee sent 211 athletes to the 2006 Winter Olympics. Chris Witty, a four-time Olympian, who competed in both Summer and Winter games, and won a gold medal in speed skating at the 2002 Games, served as the flag bearer at the Opening Ceremonies...
. - John WinansJohn WinansJohn Winans was a U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.Born in Vernon, New Jersey, Winans studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1855.He moved to Janesville, Wisconsin, in 1857 and practiced his profession....
(1831–1907), U.S. Representative from Wisconsin.
External links
- Vernon Township website
- Vernon Township School District
- Data for the Vernon Township 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...
- Aim Vernon - Vernon's local newspaper
- The Advertiser News, community newspaper
- Pleasant Valley Lake's website
- VernonWeb
- Mountain Creek
- Crystal Springs Resort
- Vernon NJ Business Directory
- Barry Lakes
- Vernon creates law to limit sex offenders, Advertiser-News, April 2008