Howell Township

Howell Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 53,537, reflecting an increase of 2,462 (+4.8%) from the 51,075 counted in the 2010 Census. The township is the largest municipality in the county by total area, comprised of about 61.21 square miles (158.5 km²) The township was named for Richard Howell, who served from 1794 to 1801 as the third Governor of New Jersey. Some scenes for the War of the Worlds 2005 remake were filmed here, and a neighborhood called Ardena Acres was recreated as a set and left standing in Universal Studios Hollywood. In June 2017, two separate tornadoes, both rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, struck minutes and miles apart, damaging a Home Depot, Chase Bank, a strip mall, and an ice cream parlor. Ramtown (with a 2010 Census population of 6,242) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Howell Township.The township completely surrounds Farmingdale, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another. According to the A. W. Kuchler U.S. potential natural vegetation types, Howell Township would have an Appalachian Oak (104) vegetation type with an Eastern Hardwood Forest (25) vegetation form.

History

Howell Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 23, 1801. The township was named for Richard Howell, who served from 1794 to 1801 as the third Governor of New Jersey. In June 2017, two separate tornadoes, both rated EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, struck minutes and miles apart. The first one struck the Fort Plains area, damaging a Home Depot, Chase Bank, a strip mall, and a local ice cream parlor. The second one struck a park in the Oak Glen area. Some scenes for the War of the Worlds 2005 remake were filmed here. A neighborhood called Ardena Acres was recreated as a set and left standing in Universal Studios Hollywood. The Howell Works provided iron for Allaire Iron Works, which was a leading supplier of iron in the 19th century. Allaire Village was a bustling mill town at the height of the mining operations and it has been preserved as Allaire State Park, which is in Howell Township and Wall Township. The town of Farmingdale, New Jersey, was founded in 1822 by engineer and philanthropist James P. Allaires, who was also the founder of the Allaires Iron Works. It is located in Brick Township in the newly created Ocean County (February 15, 1850), Wall Township (March 7, 1851) and Farmingdale (April 8, 1903). The town was once known as "Howell's Landing" and was home to the Howell Iron Company.

Geography

Howell was formed from territory taken from Shrewsbury Township under an act of the New Jersey General Assembly passed February 23, 1801. The township completely surrounds Farmingdale, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state. Ramtown (with a 2010 Census population of 6,242) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Howell Township. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 61.21 square miles (158.54 km²), including 60.27 sq miles (156.10 km²) of land and 0.94 sq miles of water (1.54%). The township is uniquely located in the center of the state New Jersey, located on a ridge within Central New Jersey. As such, northern sections of the township fall within the hillier terrain and fertile soil found in the Inner coastal plain, while southern sections fall in the more flat terrain and sandier soil found on the Outer coastal plain. Notable bodies of water inside the township include: Manasquan Reservoir, Echo Lake, Lake Louise, and the Metedeconk River. It is located within the sphere of influence of the Jersey Shore, while also being located relatively near the Raritan Bayshore, the Rearitan Valley, and The Pine Barrens. The Township is part of New Jersey's "Doughnut Town" phenomenon, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.

Demographics

The 2010 United States census counted 51,075 people, 17,260 households, and 13,618 families in the township. The township is also home to a small, but notable, Kalmyk American community located in the Freewood Acres neighborhood. The most common first ancestry group cited by Howell residents in the 2000 Census was German (17.7%), English (12.7), Irish (11.5%), United States or American (9.9%), Polish (6.6%), French (except Basque) (4.0%) and Italian (2.7%). There were 16,063 households, out of which 47.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.4% were married couples living together, and 7.7% 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 3.37. The median household income in 2010 was $89,287 and the median family income was $102,015. The per capita income for the township was $35,489. About 4.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4. 5% of those under age 18 and 8.8% ofThose age 65 or over. The racial makeup was 89.99% White, 3.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.34%.

Economy

The township is home to numerous shopping centers, particularly on U.S. 9. There are numerous crop farms, thoroughbred farms, and nurseries in the township. The Howell Chamber of Commerce, established in 1957, serves to promote Howell businesses. Neighboring Farmingdale acts as a 'downtown' for the surrounding Howell Township. Nearby Asbury Park (on the shore) and Freehold Borough (the county seat) are also regional 'd downtowns' for Howell. The township's agricultural roots have been preserved. Some notable farms in the Township include Calgo Gardens, Twin Pond Farm, Kauffman Farms, Landex Nursery, and JMJ Farm. The Township's economy is based on agriculture, with a focus on the manufacturing sector. The economy is also based on the shipping industry, which has a strong presence in the town. The town's economy has been influenced by the growth of New York City and New Jersey in recent years. It has also been affected by the decline of New Jersey's paper industry and the loss of manufacturing jobs in the 1980s and 1990s. It is also home to a number of shopping destinations, including Aldrich Plaza, Adelphia Plaza, Greenleaf at Howell, Howell Commons, Lanes Mill Marketplace, and Regal Plaza. It also has Jackson Premium Outlets in Jackson Township, and Jersey Shore Premium outlets in Tinton Falls. There is also a Freehold Raceway Mall in Freehold Township, as well as the Freehold Mall in Jackson.

Parks and recreation

Echo Park offers a variety of activities for people of all ages and abilities. The park is located on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is located in the town of Echo, which has a population of 1.2 million people. The town is home to a number of cultural and historical sites, as well as a large number of restaurants and bars. It also has a large park area, where people can enjoy the natural beauty of the area, and a park with a lake, which can be reached by foot or by boat. It was built in the 1950s and 1960s, and it is the only place in the city to have such a large amount of natural and man-made scenery. The area is also known for its wild animals, which are often found in the park, such as wild boars and foxes, and for its beautiful scenery, which is often visible from the top of the park. It has been named after the town's oldest resident, Alfred C. Sauer, who was the first to build the park in the 1960s and 1970s. He died in 2008, leaving behind a wife and two children, who are still living in the area. The city has a history of being the site of many natural disasters, including the Great Depression and the Second World War, and has a long history of dealing with the aftermath of the Great War. It's also the site where many of its residents have lived for more than a century, including many who have lost their lives in the war.

Government

Howell Township operates under the Council-Manager form of municipal government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the four-member Township Council. As of 2022, the Mayor of Howell Township is Democrat Theresa Berger, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Monmouth County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of five members who are elected at-large to serve three year terms of office on a staggered basis. In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 60.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 36.0%. As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 33,176 registered voters in Howell Township, of which 6,622 (20.0%) were registered as Democrats, 7,744 (23.3%)were registered as Republicans and 18,798 (56.7%) wereRegistered as Unaffiliated. There were 12 voters registered to other parties. For the 117th United States Congress, New Jersey's Fourth Congressional District is represented by Chris Smith (R, Manchester Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Harrison, term end 2025). For the 2022-2023 session, the 30th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature isrepresented in the State Senate by Robert Singer (R) and in the General Assembly by Sean T. Kean (R, Wall Township) and Ned Thomson (R), respectively.

Education

The Howell Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 202021 school year, the district, comprised of 12 schools, had an enrollment of 5,409 students and 494.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 10.9:1. Schools in the district are five K-2 elementary schools, five 3-5 elementary schools and two middle schools for grades 6-8. Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend either Howell High School, Freehold Township High School or Colts Neck High School. Students from Howell may also apply to attend one of the Monmouth County Vocational School District schools. Mother Seton Academy, a Catholic School for grades Pre-K8, is in the township. It formed in 2019 by the merger of St. Veronica and St. Aloysius schools; the former was in Howell and the latter was in Jackson Township. The Freehold Regional High School District also serves students from Colts Neck Township, Englishtown, Farmingdale and Freehold Borough. The district's board of education has nine members, elected to three-year terms from each of the constituent districts. Each member is allocated a fraction of a vote that totals to nine points, with Howell allocated two members, who each have 1.0 votes. Students can apply to participate in one of a Freehold regional Learning Center programs within these six schools. The township is home to Monmouth Academy (formerly Lakewood Prep School), a private, nonsectarian, coeducational day school.

Points of interest

The Mackenzie Museum and Library was the home of William Prickitt who led the 25th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox Church cathedral, originally established in 1936 and decorated with Byzantine-style frescos. The cathedral operates under the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox church Outside Russia. The Mackenzie museum and library is located in the center of the city. The museum is open to the public and has a collection of more than 2,000 books. The library is also home to the Russian National Museum of Natural History and Science, which was founded in 1881. It is located on the banks of the River Nevsky, near the city of St. Nikolayev, in the province of Krasnoyarsk in the north of Russia. It has a museum of Russian and Russian-American history, as well as Russian and American-American artifacts. It was founded by the Russian Empress Catherine the Great in 18th century, and later became the seat of the Mackenzie family, who lived in the city for more than 100 years. The city is home to a number of historic buildings, including St. Nicholas' Cathedral and St. Catherine's Orthodox Church, which dates back to the 12th century. It also has a church that was built in the 16th century and is known for its frescoes, which are considered to be among the best in the world.