Scotch Plains, New Jersey
| Scotch Plains, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| Township | |
| Township of Scotch Plains | |
The first school built in the town, which was renamed to Park Middle School
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 Map of Scotch Plains Township in Union County. Inset: Location of Union County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. |
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 Census Bureau map of Scotch Plains, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates: 40°37′59″N 74°22′22″W / 40.633026°N 74.372905°WCoordinates: 40°37′59″N 74°22′22″W / 40.633026°N 74.372905°W | |
| Country |
 United States
|
| State |
 New Jersey
|
| County | Union |
| Incorporated | March 6, 1878 (as Fanwood Township) |
| Renamed | March 29, 1917 (as Scotch Plains) |
| Government | |
| • Type | Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) |
| • Body | Township Council |
| • Mayor | Al Smith (R, term ends December 31, 2020) |
| • Manager | Alexander Mirabella |
| • Clerk | Bozena Lacina |
| Area | |
| • Total | 9.050 sq mi (23.440 km2) |
| • Land | 9.018 sq mi (23.358 km2) |
| • Water | 0.032 sq mi (0.082 km2) 0.35% |
| Area rank | 220th of 566 in state 4th of 21 in county |
| Elevation | 141 ft (43 m) |
| Population (2010 Census) | |
| • Total | 23,510 |
| • Estimate (2015) | 24,149 |
| • Rank | 105th of 566 in state 7th of 21 in county |
| • Density | 2,606.9/sq mi (1,006.5/km2) |
| • Density rank | 239th of 566 in state 19th of 21 in county |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (EDT) (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07076 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 3403966060 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882217 |
| Website | www |
Scotch Plains is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township's population was 23,510, reflecting an increase of 778 (+3.4%) from the 22,732 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,572 (+7.4%) from the 21,160 counted in 1990.
The area known as Scotch Plains was first settled by Europeans, including many Scottish Quakers as early as 1684. The name is said to have come from George Scott, a leader of a group of Scottish settlers. It later served as a stop on the stage coach line between New York City and Philadelphia.
The Ash Swamp in Scotch Plains was the scene of a key action in the Battle of Short Hills, on June 26, 1777, which included skirmishes as Washington's forces moved along Rahway Road in Scotch Plains toward the Watchung Mountains. An ancient house in Scotch Plains recalls those skirmishes and, with the acreage adjoining the house, presents a vista of that decade, the 1770s. This was the home of Aunt Betty Frazee, whose retort to Lord Cornwallis led the British to find their bread from friendlier bakers in the same battle. The farmstead of Betty and Gershom Frazee is being restored by local organizations.
What is now Scotch Plains was originally incorporated as Fanwood Township on March 6, 1878, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature from portions of Plainfield Township and Westfield Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Fanwood Borough on October 2, 1895. Fanwood Township was renamed as Scotch Plains on March 29, 1917, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.
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