Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
| Union Township, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| Township | |
| Township of Union | |
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 Map of Union Township in Union County. Inset: Location of Union County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. |
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 Census Bureau map of Union Township, Union County, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates: 40°41′43″N 74°16′09″W / 40.695266°N 74.269078°WCoordinates: 40°41′43″N 74°16′09″W / 40.695266°N 74.269078°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |
 New Jersey
|
| County | Union |
| Incorporated | November 23, 1808 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township |
| • Body | Township Committee |
| • Mayor | Suzette Cavadas (D, term ends December 31, 2017)ref name=Committee/> |
| • Administrator | Ronald Manzella |
| • Clerk | Eileen Birch |
| Area | |
| • Total | 23.548 km2 (9.092 sq mi) |
| • Land | 23.494 km2 (9.071 sq mi) |
| • Water | 0.055 km2 (0.021 sq mi) 0.23% |
| Area rank | 219th of 566 in state 3rd of 21 in county |
| Elevation | 38 m (125 ft) |
| Population (2010 Census) | |
| • Total | 56,642 |
| • Estimate (2015) | 58,128 |
| • Rank | 25th of 566 in state 2nd of 21 in county |
| • Density | 2,410.9/km2 (6,244.3/sq mi) |
| • Density rank | 80th of 566 in state 9th of 21 in county |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (EDT) (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07083 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 3403974480 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882212 |
| Website | http://www.uniontownship.com |
Union is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 56,642, the highest recorded in any decennial census, reflecting an increase of 2,237 (+4.1%) from the 54,405 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,381 (+8.8%) from the 50,024 counted in the 1990 Census.
Settled in 1667, Union was the third English speaking settlement in New Jersey after Elizabeth and Newark, with the area that is now Union then called Connecticut Farms.
Union Township was the site of the Battle of Connecticut Farms, one of the last battles between British and American forces during the American Revolutionary War. On June 6, 1780, British troops, led by Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, boarded boats on Staten Island bound for Elizabeth, New Jersey. At midnight, 5,000 troops started to land. They expected the Continental Army to give little resistance, believing that they were tired of the war and were poorly fed and paid. They also expected the citizens of New Jersey to welcome them. They were wrong on both counts and were unable to make their way to and through the Hobart Gap.
Union Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 23, 1808, from portions of Elizabeth Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. It became part of the newly formed Union County on March 19, 1857. Portions of the township have been taken to form Linden Township (March 4, 1861), Roselle Park, (March 22, 1901), Kenilworth (May 13, 1907) and Hillside (April 3, 1913). In 1946, a group of residents pushed for the township's name to be changed to "Connecticut Farms", citing the potential benefits to area residents and businesses from the broad awareness of the historical significance of the name.
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