Raritan Township: “The Heart of Hunterdon County”
Raritan Township (and present-day Flemington Borough) sits on land purchased from Native American Indians, specifically the Lenape tribe in 1703. It was part of a larger area acquisition by European settlers in the vicinity at that time. The name “Raritan” is interpreted to mean "forked river", "stream overflows" or "point on a tidal river", and originates from a Native American band of Lenape people that settled in central New Jersey in the 16th century, known as the Raritan tribe.
Chartered April 2, 1838, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, Raritan Township is located within the heart of the Amwell Valley and Raritan Valley regions. Acres of mountain, parkland terrain and valley views, along with creeks, streams and the Neshanic and South Branch of the Raritan Rivers flow through the township.
On March 14, 1870, the State Legislature established Flemington as a town within Raritan Township. It became a village June 11, 1894. Following an April 26, 1910 referendum, the State incorporated Flemington as an independent borough and was later confirmed April 27, 1931. The formal separation of Flemington from Raritan makes the two municipalities one of 21 pairs of “doughnut towns” in the Garden State, where one municipality surrounds the other.
Today, Raritan Township remains the “Heart of Hunterdon County,” because it is the largest and most populated township within the county; a network of state and local highways essential for travel pass through the township which includes Routes 202, 31 and 12; and is located nearly halfway between New York City and Philadelphia. Throughout our history, we remain true to our cultural heritage with our cultivation-centered farms producing dairy, meat and crops, along with our scenic countryside views and protected farmland.
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Press Contact:
Nick Chow
Communications Coordinator
Office of the Township Administrator
(908) 806-6106 x2258