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Hillsborough, New Jersey

Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Hillsborough
Township municipal complex
Township municipal complex
Map highlighting Hillsborough Township's location within Somerset County. Inset: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey.
Map highlighting Hillsborough Township's location within Somerset County. Inset: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Hillsborough Township, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°29′52″N 74°40′14″W / 40.497692°N 74.670505°W / 40.497692; -74.670505Coordinates: 40°29′52″N 74°40′14″W / 40.497692°N 74.670505°W / 40.497692; -74.670505
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Somerset
Royal charter September 12, 1771
Incorporated February 21, 1798
Government
 • Type Township
 • Body Township Council
 • Mayor Frank Delcore (R, term ends December 31, 2016)
 • Administrator Anthony Ferrera
 • Clerk Pamela Borek
Area
 • Total 55.001 sq mi (142.453 km2)
 • Land 54.536 sq mi (141.248 km2)
 • Water 0.465 sq mi (1.204 km2)  0.85%
Area rank 29th of 566 in state
1st of 21 in county
Elevation 108 ft (33 m)
Population (2010 Census)
 • Total 38,303
 • Estimate (2015) 39,821
 • Rank 59th of 566 in state
3rd of 21 in county
 • Density 702.3/sq mi (271.2/km2)
 • Density rank 413th of 566 in state
15th of 21 in county
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (EDT) (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08844
Area code(s) 732 and 908
FIPS code 3403531890
GNIS feature ID 0882169
Website hillsborough-nj.org

Hillsborough Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 38,303, reflecting an increase of 1,669 (+4.6%) from the 36,634 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 7,826 (+27.2%) from the 28,808 counted in the 1990 Census.

Hillsborough Township was originally created by Royal charter on September 12, 1771, from portions of Western precinct. It was incorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as one of New Jersey's original group of 104 townships. Portions of the township were taken to form the boroughs of Millstone (May 14, 1894) and Manville (April 1, 1929). The township's name may have come from an earlier name of "Hillsbury", though it may have been named for Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire who was the Earl of Hillsborough.

On May 31, 1771, Hillsborough was officially granted a Charter incorporating it as a Township. A revised charter was issued on September 12, 1771. The records of Hillsborough Township are complete from their inception in 1746 and there are ten volumes, each some several hundred pages, kept in the Special Collections Department of the Rutgers University Library along with the Charter.

Hillsborough Township quickly took its place in history as the path General George Washington and his troops traveled from the Battle of Princeton to winter quarters in Morristown. While the British were encamped in the valley below awaiting an opportunity to attack, it is said that Washington drilled his troops on the Sourland Mountain around a spring near the top using different formations and corn stalks for guns. As the sun caught the stalks, the British thought Washington had received reinforcements and fresh supplies. The British troops, thinking that they were outnumbered, slipped off to New Brunswick leaving Washington to continue to Morristown.


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