Lambertville is a city in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 3,906, reflecting an increase of 38 (+1.0%) from the 3,868 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 59 (-1.5%) from the 3,927 counted in the 1990 Census.
Lambertville is located on the Delaware River in the southwestern portion of Hunterdon County. During the 18th century, the area was named after various operators of ferries across the river to Pennsylvania, ultimately becoming known as Coryell's Ferry, after its owner, Emanuel Coryell. Coryell's Ferry was the western terminus of the New Jersey portion of the York Road (which is now known as U.S. Route 202) connecting New York City and Philadelphia. The community was named Lambertville in 1814, when the post office was established, in honor of John Lambert, a local resident who had served as United States Senator and Acting Governor of New Jersey.
Video Lambertville, New Jersey
History
The Delaware River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal were instrumental in the early prosperity of Lambertville. In June 1834, the opening of the canal was celebrated with a barge ride from Trenton to Lambertville. The canal's completion was not without hardship. 4,000 Irish immigrants were hired to dig the canal with pick and shovel. During the construction, an epidemic of cholera broke out and dozens of men were buried along the banks of the canal and the Delaware River.
Lambertville was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 1, 1849, from portions of West Amwell Township. The area was reincorporated as a city on March 26, 1872.
Since the 19th century, Lambertville, due to its proximity to the canal and the Belvidere Delaware Railroad, became a factory town where the range of products produced extended from underwear to rubber bands. After the introduction of motorized vehicles made the canal obsolete, the factories began shutting down. Some made it into the 1970s. The railroad continued to serve as a vital freight carrier until the mid 1970s. Later, the Black River and Western Railroad acquired the line into town and continued operating short distance local freight trains as well as scenic tourist passenger excursion trains into the late 1990s.
Starting in the early 1980s, with pioneers including the Jonsdottir art gallery, Hamilton Grill and the Lambertville Station eatery (a hotel soon followed), the city began to attract artists and other creative types. These days, much of town's 18th and 19th century flavor remains, including many restored houses. The town has become a tourist destination, with many shops, galleries, restaurants, and B&Bs. The canal path offers cyclists, joggers and walkers a level place to exercise and enjoy views of the canal and Delaware River in all seasons.
Maps Lambertville, New Jersey
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 1.298 square miles (3.359 km2), including 1.154 square miles (2.988 km2) of land and 0.144 square miles (0.372 km2) of water (11.07%).
The city borders Delaware Township and West Amwell Township in Hunterdon County; and both New Hope and Solebury Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal flows through the western half of Lambertville, running parallel to the Delaware River. Sections of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park are also located in the city, which include trails and bridges.
Climate
The climate in Lambertville is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Lambertville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
2010 Census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 3,906 people, 1,958 households, and 896.8 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,386.1 per square mile (1,307.4/km2). There were 2,075 housing units at an average density of 1,798.8 per square mile (694.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.30% (3,566) White, 1.95% (76) Black or African American, 0.20% (8) Native American, 1.31% (51) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 4.12% (161) from other races, and 1.13% (44) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.75% (381) of the population.
There were 1,958 households out of which 15.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.2% were non-families. 41.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.98 and the average family size was 2.72.
In the city, the population was spread out with 13.7% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 36.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.3 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.6 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $71,532 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,040) and the median family income was $100,952 (+/- $14,554). Males had a median income of $57,596 (+/- $17,671) versus $53,869 (+/- $30,408) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,684 (+/- $6,399). About 2.3% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.
2000 Census
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,868 people, 1,860 households, and 939 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,408.6 people per square mile (1,321.6/km2). There were 1,961 housing units at an average density of 1,728.1 per square mile (670.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.65% White, 1.94% African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.10% of the population.
There were 1,860 households out of which 18.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 49.5% were non-families. 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. 3.7% have unmarried partners. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 15.4% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 30.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $52,647, and the median income for a family was $80,669. Males had a median income of $47,313 versus $40,369 for females. The per capita income for the city was $36,267. About 4.5% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 12.3% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Lambertville is the only city in Hunterdon County, and one of the smallest cities in the United States. It is governed within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal charter Law) under the Small Municipality form of government (Plan C), which is available only for municipalities with a population of under 12,000, and was implemented in Lambertville by direct petition as of January 1, 1983. The government consists of a Mayor and a four-member City Council, with all positions elected at-large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. Council members serve a term of three years, which are staggered so that two seats come up for election two out of a three-year cycle, with the mayoral election the third year.
The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality. The Mayor presides over Council with voice and vote, but has no veto powers; Exercises executive power of the municipality; Appoints Council committees; Appoints municipal clerk, attorney, tax assessor, tax collector and the treasurer, all with Council confirmation. The Council exercises legislative power of the municipality and also approves Mayor's appointees for municipal clerk, attorney, tax assessor, tax collector and treasurer.
As of 2017, the Mayor of Lambertville is Democrat David M. DelVecchio, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the City Council are Council President Steven M. Stegman (D, 2019), Beth Asaro (D, 2017), Wardell M. Sanders Jr. (D, 2019) and Elaine Warner (D, 2017).
Federal, state and county representation
Lambertville is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Lambertville had been in the 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Lambertville had been part of the 12th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (Paramus, 2019).
For the 2018-2019 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 15th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Shirley Turner (D, Lawrence Township, Mercer County) and in the General Assembly by Reed Gusciora (D, Trenton) and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D, Trenton). Reynolds-Jackson was sworn into office on February 15, 2018 to fill the seat of Elizabeth Maher Muoio, who had resigned from office on January 15, 2018 to serve as Treasurer of New Jersey, pending Senate confirmation. The Governor of New Jersey is Phil Murphy (D, Middletown Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Sheila Oliver (D, East Orange).
Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office at-large on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the freeholders select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director. As of 2015, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director John King (R; Raritan Township, 2015), Freeholder Deputy Director Suzanne Lagay (R; Holland Township, 2016), J. Matthew Holt (R; Clinton Town, 2015), John E. Lanza (R; Flemington, 2016) and Robert G. Walton (R; Hampton, 2017). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Mary H. Melfi (R; Flemington, 2017), Sheriff Fredrick W. Brown (R; Alexandria Township, 2016) and Surrogate Susan J. Hoffman (R; Kingwood Township, 2018).
Politics
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,053 registered voters in Lambertville, of which 1,395 (45.7%) were registered as Democrats, 569 (18.6%) were registered as Republicans and 1,087 (35.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.8% of the vote (1,684 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 26.7% (627 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (35 votes), among the 2,361 ballots cast by the city's 3,296 registered voters (15 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.1% of the vote (1,744 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 26.8% (658 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (35 votes), among the 2,453 ballots cast by the city's 3,099 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 68.1% of the vote (1,495 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 30.8% (677 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (15 votes), among the 2,195 ballots cast by the city's 2,738 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 80.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 54.7% of the vote (798 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.4% (633 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (29 votes), among the 1,501 ballots cast by the city's 3,231 registered voters (41 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 59.5% of the vote (1,068 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 31.2% (560 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.6% (118 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (12 votes), among the 1,795 ballots cast by the city's 3,036 registered voters, yielding a 59.1% turnout.
Transportation
As of May 2010, the city had a total of 16.67 miles (26.83 km) of roadways, of which 12.77 miles (20.55 km) were maintained by the municipality, 0.70 miles (1.13 km) by Hunterdon County and 3.09 miles (4.97 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 0.11 miles (0.18 km) by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.
The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission operates the free New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge that connects PA 179 in New Hope, Pennsylvania and NJ 179 while the New Hope-Lambertville Toll Bridge is over the line in Delaware Township. Other major roads that pass through include Route 29, Route 165, U.S. Route 202 and CR 518.
While there are no interstates that pass through, there are several nearby, such as Interstate 78 in Franklin Township and Interstate 95 in Hopewell Township.
Education
The South Hunterdon Regional School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell Township. Each of the three municipalities have their own school through sixth grade; public school students in seventh through twelfth grades attend a shared high school in Lambertville. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its four schools had an enrollment of 961 students and 94.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 10.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Lambertville Public School (244 students; grades PreK-6), Stockton Borough School (grades 2-6), West Amwell School (grades K-6) and South Hunterdon Regional High School (grades 9-12).
In a special election held in September 2013, voters from Lambertville, Stockton and West Amwell Township passed referenda to dissolve the South Hunterdon Regional High School District and to combine the three existing school districts from each municipality (Lambertville City School District, Stockton Borough School District and West Amwell Township School District), with majorities in each community passing both ballot items. A single combined regional PreK-12 district was created, with property taxes levied under a formula in which 57% is based on property values and 43% on the number of students. The executive county superintendent appointed an interim board of education for the new regional district, which was responsible for implementing the merger.
Prior to the creation of the South Hunterdon district, students had attended Lambertville High School, which was constructed in 1854 and abandoned in the 1950s, and has since been the subject of various legends described in Weird NJ.
Community
Annually, in April or May, the city celebrates the return of the shad, a fish popular in the area. The festival includes vendors' booths and others of the like focusing on the area arts community.
Dining
Lambertville is known for an array of dining opportunities, ranging from casual family owned to eclectic and upscale options. There are over 40 reviewed and rated restaurants in the area, including Marhaba Middle Eastern Restaurant, Full Moon, D'Floret, Hamilton's Grill Room, Bell's Tavern, Anton's at the Swan and Brian's.
Historic sites
Lambertville has several properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The James W. Marshall House was added in 1970. The Delaware and Raritan Canal, which flows through the city, was added as a historic district in 1973. The Lambertville House was added in 1978. Nearly the entire city was listed as the Lambertville Historic District in 1983. The Kalmia Club was added in 2012.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Lambertville include:
- Bradley M. Campbell (born c. 1961), former head of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
- James Gould Cozzens (1903-1978), novelist and Pulitzer Prize winner.
- Elsie Driggs (1898-1992), painter mostly known for her contributions to the Precisionist movement of the 1920s.
- Anne Elstner (1899-1981), actress who played the title role in the radio soap opera Stella Dallas from 1937-1955 and operated the River's Edge restaurant i Lambertville until 1973.
- Jamie Fox (born 1954), political strategist.
- Anne Garefino (born 1959), co-producer of Comedy Central's South Park and the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon.
- William Crane Gray, elected first Bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Jurisdiction of Southern Florida in 1892.
- Harry Haenigsen (1900-1990), cartoonist best known for his comic strip Penny.
- William Holcombe (1804-1870), first Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota.
- John E. Hunt (1908-1989), represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1967 to 1975.
- John Lambert (1746-1823), politician and namesake of Lambertville.
- Samuel Lilly (1816-1880), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1853 to 1855. Lilly served as the first mayor of Lambertville, serving in office from 1849-1852.
- Anne Marie Macari (born 1955), poet.
- James W. Marshall (1810-1885), discoverer of gold at Sutter's Mill in California in 1848.
- James McBride (born 1957), author and musician.
- Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt (1878-1955), Swedish-born, American artist best known for his seascapes and depictions of New Mexico's indigenous culture.
- Erik Peterson (born 1966), member of the New Jersey General Assembly.
- John Runk (1791-1872), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1845-1847.
- Gerald Stern (born 1925), poet who was Poet Laureate of New Jersey from 2000 to 2002.
- Kyle Tress (born 1981), Olympic athlete in the sport of skeleton.
- Gene Ween (born 1970), founding member of the band Ween.
References
External links
- Official web page for the City of Lambertville
- Hunterdon County web page for Lambertville
- Lambertville Chamber of Commerce
- Lambertville Historical Society
- New Hope-Lambertville Route 202 Toll Bridge article at the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission website
- New Hope-Lambertville Toll Supported Bridge article at the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission website
- South Hunterdon Regional School District
- South Hunterdon Regional School District's 2015-16 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- School Data for the South Hunterdon Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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