Location of Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Lebanon Township was first mentioned on October 26, 1731, as having been formed partly from the now-defunct Amwell Township, though the exact circumstances of its formation are unknown. Lebanon Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township have been taken to form Tewksbury Township (March 11, 1755), Clinton Township (April 12, 1841), High Bridge borough (February 19, 1898), Junction borough (February 20, 1895, now known as Hampton borough), Califon borough (April 2, 1898) and Glen Gardner borough (March 26, 1919).[21]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 31.68 square miles (82.05 km2), including 31.43 square miles (81.40 km2) of land and 0.25 square miles (0.66 km2) of water (0.80%).[1][2]
Of the 2,296 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18; 66.7% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.3% were non-families. Of all households, 18.4% were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.11.[17]
22.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 35.6% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 99.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.0 males.[17]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $96,489 (with a margin of error of +/− $7,123) and the median family income was $110,893 (+/− $29,973). Males had a median income of $78,056 (+/− $22,457) versus $56,346 (+/− $14,410) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $43,424 (+/− $5,347). About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.[39]
As of the 2000 United States census[14] there were 5,816 people, 1,963 households, and 1,556 families residing in the township. The population density was 183.5 inhabitants per square mile (70.8/km2). There were 2,020 housing units at an average density of 63.7 per square mile (24.6/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.97% White, 0.81% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 0.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.[37][38]
There were 1,963 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.1% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.15.[37][38]
In the township the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.1 males.[37][38]
The median income for a household in the township was $77,662, and the median income for a family was $86,145. Males had a median income of $58,306 versus $40,474 for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,793. About 1.0% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.[37][38]
Musical groups from the township include the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, a bluegrass trio of the Mizzone brothers: Jonny (banjo), Robbie (fiddle) and Tommy (guitar)[40]
Lebanon Township is governed under the Township form of government, a form used by 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide.[43] The Township Committee, comprised of five members, is elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle.[6][44] At an annual reorganization meeting held during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.[3]
As of 2022[update], the Lebanon Township Committee consists of Mayor Beverly Koehler (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Thomas R. McKee (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Abe Abuchowski (R, 2023; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Michael Schmidt (R, 2024) and Brian K. Wunder (R, 2025).[3][45][46][47][48][49][50]
In January 2021, the Township Committee appointed Abe Abuchowski to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Brian Wunder who resigned from office the previous month.[51] Abuchowski served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when Guy Wilson was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[52]
Hunterdon County is governed by a Board of Chosen Commissioners composed of five members who are elected at-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held each January, the commissioners select one member to serve as the board's Director and another to serve as Deputy Director, each for a one-year term.[62][63] As of 2024[update], Hunterdon County's Commissioners are:
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,366 registered voters in Lebanon Township, of which 723 (16.6%) were registered as Democrats, 1,759 (40.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,881 (43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[76]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 63.3% of the vote (2,048 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 35.3% (1,140 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (46 votes), among the 3,250 ballots cast by the township's 4,543 registered voters (16 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 71.5%.[77][78] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 60.4% of the vote (2,119 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.2% (1,305 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (59 votes), among the 3,507 ballots cast by the township's 4,450 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8%.[79] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63.9% of the vote (2,152 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 34.7% (1,170 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (49 votes), among the 3,370 ballots cast by the township's 4,249 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.3.[80]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.6% of the vote (1,547 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 23.0% (477 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (51 votes), among the 2,118 ballots cast by the township's 4,499 registered voters (43 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.1%.[81][82] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.3% of the vote (1,851 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 20.5% (539 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.9% (208 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (15 votes), among the 2,633 ballots cast by the township's 4,396 registered voters, yielding a 59.9% turnout.[83]
Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.[95]
Lebanon Township is also home to the Hunterdon Learning Center, an alternative education school founded by James Butters in 1975.[96]
As of May 2010[update], the township had a total of 89.89 miles (144.66 km) of roadways, of which 75.20 miles (121.02 km) were maintained by the municipality, 12.96 miles (20.86 km) by Hunterdon County and 1.73 miles (2.78 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[98]
Local bus service was provided by NJ Transit on the 884 route, until it was discontinued in 2010. Train service on the Raritan Valley Line is available at the High Bridge station, located just outside of the township.[101]
The Hunterdon County LINK provides bus service on Route 15, which passes through the western part of the township along Route 31.
Joe Piscopo (born 1951), comedian, actor, musical entertainer and nationally syndicated radio talk show host best known for his work on Saturday Night Live[108][109]
^ abcTownship Committee, Lebanon Township. Accessed May 4, 2023. "The Township of Lebanon is governed by a five member Township Committee consisting of township residents elected for three year terms. The committee organizes annually during the first week in January, at which time it elects a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among its members.... In addition to the Township Committee, a number of boards, commissions, and committees, comprised of township residents, are established."
^"Glen Gardner church celebrates 240th anniversary with pig roast", Hunterdon County Democrat, May 19, 2015, updated March 29, 2019. Accessed January 19, 2020. "This year, Spruce Run Evangelical Zion Lutheran Church in Glen Gardner is celebrating over 240 years of active worship and service in the community. In December 1774, thirteen families gathered in a farm house at Spruce Run to worship and organize their own church. In January 1775, with the help of New Germantown (Oldwick) Lutheran Church, Spruce Run Evangelical Lutheran Zion Church was organized. The present church building on West Hill Road was built in 1870, making 2015 its 145th year of use by members of Spruce Run Lutheran."
^Raum, John O. The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 264, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed July 13, 2013. "Lebanon township was formed in 1798 and contained in 1850 a population of 2,128; in 1860, 2,495; and 1870, 3,561. Anthony, Changewater, White Hall, New Hampton, and Glen Gardner are post towns."
^Nutt, Bill. "Bluegrass music fest funds to benefit people of Appalachia", Daily Record, July 1, 2011. Accessed July 28, 2011. "Some of this year's acts are dyed-in-the-wool bluegrass acts. One such group is the Sleepy Man Banjo Boys, which consists of the three Mizzone brothers: Tommy (13), Robbie (11) and Jonny Mizzone (8), who hail from Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County. The trio recently appeared on The David Letterman Show."
^Resnick, Marin. "Lebanon Township swears in two returning, one new committee member", Hunterdon Review, January 11, 2021. Accessed June 26, 2022. "The Township Committee swore in returning members Tom McKee and Marc Laul and welcomed newest member Abe Abuchowski during its annual reorganization meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 6.... Abuchowski fills the one-year, unexpired term of Brian Wunder who resigned in December."
^Primerano, Jane. "Lebanon Township swears Guy Wilson onto committee; clarifies medical cannabis license", New Jersey Hills, November 21, 2021. "Republican Guy Wilson was sworn in as the newest member of the Township Committee at its Wednesday, Nov. 17, meeting. He replaces Republican Abe Abuchowski, who was appointed in January of this year to fill the unexpired term of Republican Brian Wunder, who resigned last year."
^Board of County Commissioners, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2023. "As top governing officials of Hunterdon County, the five Commissioners are chosen by popular vote in the November general elections. The term of office is for two or three years and the current compensation is $16,000 a year, with an extra $1,000 for the Director. One or two of the five members is elected each year."
^Voorhees High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 3, 2016. "Voorhees High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in New Jersey and was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2015. With an enrollment of 1,095 students in grades 9-12, the school serves the communities of Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, and Tewksbury Township."
^Information Regarding Choice of District School, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed January 4, 2015. "In the past, parents and students of the North Hunterdon High School sending districts were able to select either North Hunterdon High School or Voorhees High School as their school of choice.... As our student population continued to grow and our two high schools reached, and exceeded, 90% capacity, the option of choosing Voorhees was eliminated in the 2005-2006 school year for the North Hunterdon sending districts (Bethlehem Township, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough and Union Township – Clinton Town students still have choice as they are classmates at Clinton Public School with Glen Gardner students, who attend Voorhees)."
^About the District, North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Accessed January 4, 2015. "North Hunterdon High School educates students from: Bethlehem Township, Clinton Town, Clinton Township, Franklin Township, Lebanon Borough, Union Township; Voorhees High School educates students from: Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, Tewksbury Township"
^Heyboer, Kelly. "How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 2017. Accessed November 18, 2019. "Hunterdon County's vo-tech district has three academies for high-achieving students, all operating in partnerships with local high schools.... The academies are open to all students in the county. Students in the 8th grade are required to submit an application, schedule an interview and take a placement exam."
^Home Page, Hunterdon Learning Center. Accessed January 6, 2008.
^ abStapleton, Chip. "Author, artist-wife make a happy team", Courier News, May 7, 1971. Accessed April 13, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Mr. Biddle, is ecstatic as he flies along with the help of Adso, Bodso, Crown and Charlie in the latest joint effort by Adrienne Adams and John Lonzo Anderson of Lebanon Township."
^Conover, Allan. "North Hunterdon grad Julie Culley captures national 5K title", Hunterdon County Democrat, September 29, 2011. Accessed August 13, 2014. "A Lebanon Township native and Rutgers University graduate, Culley finished seven seconds ahead of runnerup Kim Conley of Sacramento, Calif., while third-place Emily Brown of Minnesota was another eight seconds behind her."
^Holl, John. "To Califon, Merv was a regular farm guy", The Star-Ledger, August 14, 2007. Accessed September 4, 2007. "Although it has been decades since he frequented the area, longtime residents remember him as the owner of a farm on Teetertown Road in Lebanon Township, which has a Califon mailing address."
^Lustig, Jay. "Plainfield's Bernie Worrell - Parliament/Funkadelic alum - graduates to his own band", The Star-Ledger, March 19, 2010. Accessed June 30, 2011. "Worrell, who grew up in Long Branch and Plainfield and has lived in Lebanon Township for the past decade, is collaborating with another former Parliament/Funkadelic music director, guitarist DeWayne 'Blackbyrd' McKnight, in a new band, SociaLybrium."