Stockton, New Jersey
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Map of Stockton in Hunterdon County |
Stockton is a
Borough in
Hunterdon County,
New Jersey,
United States. As of the
United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 560.
On
April 14,
1898, Stockton was incorporated as a Borough
[Stockton Borough History, accessed August 6, 2006].
Stockton is located at (40.406701, -74.977546).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.6
km² (0.6
mi²). 1.4 km² (0.6 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (10.00%) is water.
Stockton borders
Delaware Township in New Jersey. The
Centre Bridge-Stockton Bridge, a free bridge over the
Delaware River, owned and operated by the
Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, connects
U.S. Route 32 and
Pennsylvania State Route 263 in
Solebury Township,
Pennsylvania to
U.S. Route 29 in Stockton. The original bridge, constructed at the site formerly known as Reading's Ferry, was opened to traffic in the spring of 1814. The covered bridge was destroyed in a flood on
January 8,
1841, striking the Lambertville Bridge on its way down the Delaware, as part of a flood that severly damages every bridge between
Easton, Pennsylvania and
Trenton.
As of the
census of 2000, there were 560 people, 246 households, and 148 families residing in the borough. The
population density was 393.1/km² (1,026.5/mi²). There were 258 housing units at an average density of 181.1/km² (472.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 98.57%
White, 0.89%
Asian, and 0.54% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 0.54% of the population.
There were 246 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were
married couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.8% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the borough the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $51,406, and the median income for a family was $65,000. Males had a median income of $42,083 versus $36,250 for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $25,712. About 1.3% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.
The
Mayor of Stockton Borough is Gregg Rackin. Members of the Borough Council are Constance Bassett, Neal Esposito, Andrew Giannattasio, Stephen Giocondo, Michael Hagerty and Nicolo Messina.
Federal, state and county representation
Stockton Borough is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.
The Scockton Borough Elementary School serves students in grades kindergarten through grade six. The school is the oldest (established in 1872) three-room school house in New Jersey that is still in operation today. The school has been educating students in Stockton in grades kindergarten through the sixth grade for the past 165 plus years. Stockton School is well known for its small classes that give individual attention to each student and is compared frequently with local private schools.
Students in grade 7 - 12 attend the
South Hunterdon Regional High School, part of the
South Hunterdon Regional High School District, which serves over 300 students in southern Hunterdon County. Students from
Lambertville,
Stockton and
West Amwell Township attend South Hunterdon Regional High School, which is located in Lambertville.
Stockton, located along the
Delaware River north of
Lambertville, was first known as Reading Ferry and subsequently Howell's Ferry. With the arrival of the railroad, the name was changed to Centre Bridge Station which corresponded to the post office and hamlet on the
Pennsylvania side of the river. With the establishment of its own post office in 1851, the village was renamed Stockton. The Borough was incorporated in 1898, having been separated from
Delaware Township.
The tiny town remains today as it was in the eighteenth century. for all its small size and charm, the town is presided over by an old inn. The Stockton Inn (formally known as Colligan's Stockton Inn), established in 1710, is the inn that was immortalized by
Richard Rodgers in the song "There's a small hotel with a wishing well", sung in the Broadway play
On Your Toes. The inn was first built as a private residence and is believed to have been converted in 1832.
The Delaware River Mill Society was formed to preserve and promote the buildings and site known as the Prallsville Mills. John Prall, Jr., became the owner of the site in 1794 and with his settlement the area became known as Prallsville.
Stockton is noted for the Stockton Inn. The Stockton Inn is a restaurant with fireside dining in the Winter, and outdoor dining in the Spring and Summer. The Stockton Inn had been closed for quite some time suring the past year or so due to the fact that the inn was being sold, but was recently bought and is now up and running again.
Prallsville Mill features historic buildings and interiors.
Also, if you really just want to enjoy the scenery around you, try taking a walk along the Delaware River and as you walk, breathe in the beauty all around you.
*
Hunterdon County web page for Stockton Borough*
Scockton Borough Elementary School*
Stockton History*
Centre Bridge-Stockton article at the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission website*
An article about Stoctkon Borough's history at the Hunterdon County website*
Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance