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105-469: Boonton ( / ˈ b u t ən / ) is a town in Morris County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . As of the 2020 United States census , the town's population was 8,815, an increase of 468 (+5.6%) from the 2010 census count of 8,347, which in turn reflected a decline of 149 (−1.8%) from the 8,496 counted in the 2000 census . The settlement was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of

210-684: A Radisson hotel ) in Scranton the following year. A new terminal was constructed on the waterfront in Buffalo in 1917. The "Lackawanna Railroad of New Jersey", chartered on February 7, 1908, to build the Lackawanna Cut-Off (a.k.a. New Jersey Cutoff or Hopatcong-Slateford Cutoff), opened on December 24, 1911. This provided a low-grade cutoff in northwestern New Jersey. The cutoff included the Delaware River Viaduct and

315-646: A type of town, eight of which operate under the town form of government: Lackawanna Railroad Like most coal-focused railroads in Northeastern Pennsylvania, including Lehigh Valley Railroad , New York, Ontario and Western Railroad , and the Lehigh & New England Railroad , the DL&;W was profitable during the first half of the 20th century, but its margins were gradually hurt by declining Pennsylvania coal traffic, especially following

420-637: A 6-acre (24,000 m) tract along the Rockaway River. Throughout the American Revolutionary War , the Booneton Iron Works was busily engaged in supplying numerous miscellaneous iron products for the military. After the war, operations at Boonton were continued under John Jacob Faesch and his two sons, and, later, by William Scott. He tried to revive the declining business. In 1824, Scott's interest in rejuvenating

525-564: A cost of $ 2 million, including a massive machine and erecting shop measuring 582 by 342 feet. To handle the increasing roster of coal and other freight cars, new car shops were built outside Scranton at Keyser Valley in 1904. A passenger car shop was added in Kingsland, New Jersey, nine miles from New York City, in 1906. The company built a Beaux-Arts terminal in Hoboken, New Jersey , in 1907, and another Beaux-Arts passenger station (now

630-496: A division of the Livonia , Avon , and Lakeville Railroad). Shorter main line remnants are Groveland -Greigsville (Genesee & Wyoming) and Lancaster - Depew (Depew, Lancaster & Western). The Richfield Springs branch was scrapped in 1998 after being out of service for years; much of the right of way was purchased in 2009 by Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley LLC of Richfield Springs, New York, which as of 2022 operates

735-442: A female householder with no husband present and 34.7% were non-families. Of all households, 26.2% were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.10. 21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 27.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

840-416: A household in the town was $ 65,322, and the median income for a family was $ 75,147. Males had a median income of $ 60,518 versus $ 40,634 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 29,919. About 6.7% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over. North Stars Gymnastics Academy is a gymnastics facility located in

945-481: A large passenger traffic for the Lackawanna. All of this helped justify the railroad's expansion of its double-track mainline to three and in a few places four tracks. Changes in the region's economy undercut the railroad, however. The post- World War II boom enjoyed by many U.S. cities bypassed Scranton, Wilkes-Barre and the rest of Lackawanna and Luzerne counties. Fuel oil and natural gas quickly became

1050-652: A majority of students at the high school, including about 290 students as of the 2012–2013 school year. The two districts have sought to sever the more than 50-year-old relationship, citing cost savings that could be achieved by both districts and complaints by Lincoln Park that it is granted only one seat on the Boonton Public Schools' Board of Education. In April 2006, the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education rejected

1155-626: A merger agreement with the Erie Railroad , the DL&W's longtime rival (and closest geographical competitor), forming the Erie Lackawanna Railroad . The merger was formally consummated on October 17, 1960. Shoemaker drew much criticism for it, and would even second-guess himself after he had retired from railroading. He later claimed to have had a "gentlemen's agreement" with the EL board of directors to take over as president of

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1260-637: A narrow-gauge tourist railway Richfield Springs Scenic Railway on a portion of the line and a walking trail on another section. The Cortland- Cincinnatus Branch, abandoned by Erie Lackawanna in 1960, was partially-rebuilt for an industrial spur about 1999. As of 2018, the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern operates the former Keyser Valley branch from Scranton to Taylor, as well as the former Bloomsburg branch from Taylor to Coxton Yard in Duryea . The Luzerne and Susquehanna Railway operates

1365-658: A public library. Holmes moved to Boonton in 1850 to take charge of the Taylor & Lord Nail Factory. Holmes held several political posts in his life such as serving as Mayor of Boonton, on the State Board of Education, and on the Boonton Board of Education. Holmes used his wealth to improve the town, as when he donated the land and purchased the equipment to begin a firehouse in South Boonton. Holmes also started

1470-497: A rapid decline when superseded by railroads, still employed a number of men. The Lackawanna Railroad completed its Boonton Branch in 1870, giving employment to a number of Boonton people and providing commuter service to Boonton residents who worked in New York City. The town supported many individually owned businesses, such as blacksmith shops, machine shops, bakeries and a miscellany of stores, which began to prosper anew as

1575-621: A short segment of the Boonton Branch by Garret Mountain in Paterson, New Jersey , was sold off to the state of New Jersey to build Interstate 80 . Ultimately, the west end of the Boonton Branch was combined with the Erie's Greenwood Lake Branch, while the eastern end was combined with the Erie's main line, which was abandoned through Passaic, New Jersey . Sacrificed was the Boonton Branch, a high-speed freight line thought to be redundant with

1680-935: A staggered basis, with either one or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election. Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator Deena Leary. As of 2024, Morris County's Commissioners are: John Krickus (R, Chatham Township , 2024), Director Christine Myers (R, Harding , 2025), Douglas Cabana (R, Boonton Township , 2025), Thomas J. Mastrangelo (R, Montville , 2025), Deputy Director Stephen H. Shaw (R, Mountain Lakes , 2024), Deborah Smith (R, Denville , 2024) and Tayfun Selen (R, Chatham Township, 2026) The county's constitutional officers are: Clerk Ann F. Grossi (R, Parsippany–Troy Hills , 2028), Sheriff James M. Gannon (R, Boonton Township, 2025) and Surrogate Heather Darling (R, Roxbury , 2024). As of March 23, 2011, there were

1785-494: A synthetic varnish, the new material was used by Seabury in making the world's first molding of organic plastics in 1907. Boontonware, a molded plastic dinnerware, was sold nationwide. George Scribner, son of Loanda founder Edwin Scribner, opted to continue the business of plastics molding and established Boonton Molding. The company produced the line of Boontonware dinnerware, molded plastic plates, bowls, and cups manufactured in

1890-518: A total of 5,037 registered voters in Boonton, of which 1,029 (20.4%) were registered as Democrats , 1,956 (38.8%) were registered as Republicans and 2,051 (40.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated . There was one voter registered to another party. In the 2012 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama received 51.6% of the vote (1,882 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 47.2% (1,720 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (44 votes), among

1995-438: A town through a petition and referendum process. Under the 1895 act, a newly incorporated town was divided into at least three wards, with two councilmen per ward serving staggered two-year terms, and one councilman at large, who also served a two-year term. The councilman at large served as chairman of the town council. The Town Act of 1988 completely revised the town form of government and applied to all towns incorporated under

2100-513: A tremendous financial drain on the Lackawanna and other railroads that ran through the state: a situation that would not be remedied for another two decades. To save his company, Lackawanna president Perry Shoemaker sought a merger with the Nickel Plate Road , a deal that would have created a railroad stretching more than 1,100 miles (1,800 km) from St. Louis, Missouri and Chicago, Illinois to New York City and would have allowed

2205-529: A waterfall that is 25 feet (7.6 m) high. The borough borders the Morris County municipalities of Boonton Township , Montville , Mountain Lakes and Parsippany-Troy Hills . The 2010 United States census counted 8,347 people, 3,235 households, and 2,112 families in the town. The population density was 3,574.6 per square mile (1,380.2/km). There were 3,398 housing units at an average density of 1,455.2 per square mile (561.9/km). The racial makeup

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2310-848: Is comprised of eight members elected to serve two-year terms of office, with two Council Members elected from each of four wards on a staggered basis, with one seat from each of the four wards coming up for election each year. As of 2024, the Mayor of Boonton is Republican James Lynch, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2027. Members of the Town Council are Council President John Meehan (Ward 1; R, 2025), Daniel Ballan (Ward 3; R, 2024), Marie DeVenezia (Ward 2; D , 2024), Jacob W. Hettrich (Ward 2; D, 2025), Alexis Minson (Ward 4; R, 2025), Robert Murray (Ward 3; R, 2025), Benjamin Weisman (Ward 4; D, 2024) and Cy Wekilsky (Ward 1; R, 2024). Boonton Town

2415-492: Is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district. For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 11th congressional district is represented by Mikie Sherrill ( D , Montclair ). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker ( Newark , term ends 2027) and George Helmy ( Mountain Lakes , term ends 2024). For

2520-659: Is provided on the 871 local route, which replaced service offered until 2010 on the MCM1 route. Lakeland Bus Lines provides express bus service along Route 46 between Dover and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan . The Boonton Holmes Public Library has been in operation since 1894. The building in which it resides was willed to the Town of Boonton by James Holmes for use as

2625-427: Is up for election each year. Towns with different structures predating the 1988 act may retain those features unless changed by a petition and referendum process. Two new provisions were added in 1991 to the statutes governing towns, First, a petition and referendum process was created whereby the voters can require that the mayor and town council be elected to four-year terms of office. The second new provision defines

2730-399: The 2004 presidential election , Republican George W. Bush received 53.1% of the vote (1,978 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 45.0% (1,677 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (44 votes), among the 3,724 ballots cast by the town's 5,086 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.2. In the 2013 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 67.2% of

2835-652: The 2024-2025 session , the 26th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Pennacchio ( R , Rockaway Township ) and in the General Assembly by Brian Bergen (R, Denville Township ) and Jay Webber (R, Morris Plains ). Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms on

2940-715: The Central Railroad of New Jersey abandoned all its operations in Pennsylvania (which by that time were freight-only), causing additional through freights to be run daily between Elizabeth, NJ on the CNJ and Scranton on the EL. The trains, designated as the eastbound SE-98 and the westbound ES-99, travelled via the Lackawanna Cut-Off and were routed via the CNJ 's High Bridge Branch . This arrangement ended with

3045-630: The Colonial Governor Thomas Boone . Boonton was originally formed on March 16, 1866, within portions of Hanover Township and Pequannock Township . The town was reincorporated and became fully independent on March 18, 1867. The development of Boonton began in about 1829, as a result of the construction of the Morris Canal and the formation of the New Jersey Iron Company. The original location of

3150-594: The Kearny Connection , opened in 1996. This facilitates part of NJ Transit's popular Midtown Direct service. Formerly, the line ran solely to the DL&W's historic terminal in Hoboken and a transfer to underground rapid transit was required to pass under the Hudson river into Manhattan, or a ferry. This is the only section of former Lackawanna trackage that has more through tracks now than ever before. Since

3255-598: The National Center for Education Statistics ) are School Street School with 258 students in grades Pre-K–2, John Hill School with 537 students in grades 3–8 and Boonton High School with 636 students in grades 9–12. The district's high school serves students from Boonton and also those from Lincoln Park , who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Lincoln Park Public Schools , with Lincoln Park students accounting for

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3360-557: The North Jersey suburbs to Hoboken on the Boonton , Gladstone , Montclair and Morristown Lines. Early publicity for the passenger service featured a young woman, Phoebe Snow , who always wore white and kept her clothing clean while riding the "Road of Anthracite", powered by the clean-burning coal known as anthracite . The most profitable commodity shipped by the railroad was anthracite coal . In 1890 and during 1920–1940,

3465-677: The Paulinskill Viaduct , as well as three concrete towers at Port Morris and Greendell in New Jersey and Slateford Junction in Pennsylvania. From 1912 to 1915, the Summit-Hallstead Cutoff (a.k.a. Pennsylvania Cutoff or Nicholson Cutoff ) was built to revamp a winding and hilly system between Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania , and Hallstead, Pennsylvania . This rerouting provided another quicker low-grade line between Scranton and Binghamton. The Summit Cutoff included

3570-601: The "Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad", on March 11, 1853. On the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, the Warren Railroad was chartered on February 12, 1851, to continue from the bridge over the river southeast to Hampton , on the Central Railroad of New Jersey . That section got its name from Warren County , the county through which it would primarily run. The rest of the line, now known as

3675-461: The 1950s and 1960s. The company also operated a factory outlet store in Boonton for many years. George Scribner was eventually inducted into the Plastics Hall of Fame as a pioneer in developing molding techniques and applications at Boonton Molding Co. from 1920. He is considered a preeminent contributor to the development of the industry through his services as president and board chairman of

3780-485: The 1959 Knox Mine Disaster and competition from trucks following the expansion of the Interstate Highway System in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1960, the DL&W merged with rival Erie Railroad to form the Erie Lackawanna Railroad that would be taken over by Conrail in 1976. Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad was first incorporated as Leggett's Gap Railroad on April 7, 1832, though it

3885-673: The 1999 breakup of Conrail, the former DL&W main line from Scranton south-east to Slateford in Monroe County has been owned by the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority (PNRRA). The Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad and Steamtown National Historic Site operates freight trains and tourist trains on this stretch of track, dubbed the Pocono Mainline (or Pocono Main). Under a haulage agreement with Norfolk Southern,

3990-441: The 2,474 ballots cast by the town's 5,161 registered voters, yielding a 47.9% turnout. The Boonton Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade . As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,457 students and 132.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment statistics from

4095-572: The 2000 Census, 1.3% of residents identified themselves as being of Turkish American ancestry, the fifth-highest of any municipality in the United States and third-highest in the state. There were 3,272 households, out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who

4200-410: The 3,669 ballots cast by the town's 5,310 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled ), for a turnout of 69.1%. In the 2008 presidential election , Democrat Barack Obama received 51.6% of the vote (2,087 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 46.5% (1,881 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (41 votes), among the 4,045 ballots cast by the town's 5,262 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.9%. In

4305-466: The Boonton plant grew to be one of the largest edible oils processors in the country. It was the largest industry in the town of Boonton during the 20th century. The plant closed in the early 1990s, and the site was developed for a Walmart store. In recent years, Boonton has attracted several art galleries. Most of the galleries are located on the 800 block of Main Street, with a total of six galleries in

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4410-592: The Colonial Governor, Thomas Boone. The present town developed separately from the settlement of Booneton Falls. The population moved away after 1830, when a canal was completed that drew off business and traffic. The site of Old Boonton downriver has been covered since 1903 by the Jersey City reservoir formed on the dammed river. The Boonton Iron Works were founded about 1770 by Samuel Ogden of Newark, New Jersey. Together with brothers, he purchased

4515-693: The D-L runs unit Canadian grain trains between Scranton and the Harvest States Grain Mill at Pocono Summit, Pennsylvania and wood deliveries to Bestway Enterprises in Cresco . Other commercial customers include Keystone Propane in Tobyhanna. Excursion trains, hauled by visiting Nickel Plate 765 and other locomotives, run from Steamtown to Moscow and Tobyhanna (with infrequent extensions to East Stroudsburg or Delaware Water Gap Station, both on

4620-672: The DL&W main line portion between Scranton and Binghamton (which includes the Nicholson Cutoff ) bought by the Delaware and Hudson Railway . The D&H was purchased by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1991. CPR continued to run this portion of the DL&W main line until 2014, when it sold it to the Norfolk Southern . The Syracuse and Utica branches north of Binghamton were sold by Conrail to

4725-483: The DL&W shipped upwards of 14% of the state of Pennsylvania's anthracite production. Other profitable freight included dairy products, cattle, lumber, cement, steel and grain. The Pocono Mountains region was one of the most popular vacation destinations in the country—especially among New Yorkers—and several large hotels sat along the line in Northeastern Pennsylvania , generating

4830-640: The DL&W, which owned a substantial block of Nickel Plate stock, to place one of its directors on the Nickel Plate board . (The Nickel Plate would later merge with the Norfolk and Western Railroad .) Shoemaker next turned, in 1956, to aggressive but unsuccessful efforts to obtain joint operating agreements and even potential mergers with the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Delaware and Hudson Railway . Finally, Shoemaker sought and won

4935-685: The Delaware Otsego Corp., which operates them as the northern division of the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway . In 1997, Conrail accepted an offer of purchase from CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Railway . On June 1, 1999, Norfolk Southern took over many of the Conrail lines in New Jersey, including most of the former DL&W. It also purchased the remnants of the former Bangor & Portland branch in Pennsylvania. Norfolk Southern continues to operate local freights on

5040-525: The EL's decline. By 1976, it was apparent that the EL was at the end of its tether, and it petitioned to join Conrail : a new regional railroad that was created on April 1, 1976, out of the remnants of seven bankrupt freight railroads in the northeastern U.S. The EL's rail property was legally conveyed into Conrail on April 1, 1976. Labor contracts limited immediate changes to the freight schedule, but in early 1979, Conrail suspended through freight service on

5145-466: The Erie's main line, was abandoned in favor of joint operations, while the Lackawanna Cut-Off in New Jersey was single-tracked in anticipation of the upcoming merger. On the other hand, the Erie's Buffalo, New York and Erie Railroad was dropped from Corning to Livonia in favor of the DL&W's main line. Most passenger service was routed onto the DL&W east of Binghamton, with the DL&W's Hoboken Terminal serving all EL passenger trains. In addition,

5250-477: The Erie's mainline. This would haunt EL management less than a decade later (and Conrail management a decade after that). Soon after the merger, the new EL management shifted most freight trains to the "Erie side", the former Erie Railroad lines, leaving only a couple of daily freight trains traveling over the Lackawanna side. Passenger train traffic would not be affected, at least not immediately. This traffic pattern would remain in effect for more than ten years—past

5355-538: The Lackawanna side. Indeed, as very little on-line freight originated on the Erie side (a route that was more than 20 miles longer than the DL&W route to Binghamton), once the Gateway was closed (eliminating the original justification for shifting traffic to the Erie side) virtually all the EL's freight trains were shifted back to the Lackawanna side. After the New England Gateway closed, EL's management

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5460-600: The Lackawanna side. The railroad removed freight traffic from the Hoboken-Binghamton mainline and consolidated the service within its other operating routes. Railroad officials said the primary reasons were the EL's early-1960s severing of the Boonton Branch near Paterson, New Jersey , and the grades over the Pocono Mountains. The Morristown Line is the only piece of multi-track railroad on

5565-494: The Lackawanna to retain the 200 miles (320 km) of double-track mainline between Buffalo and Binghamton, New York . The idea had been studied as early as 1920, when William Z. Ripley , a professor of political economics at Harvard University , reported that a merger would have benefited both railroads. Forty years later, however, the Lackawanna was a shadow of its former financial self. Seeing no advantage in an end-to-end merger, Nickel Plate officials also rebuffed attempts by

5670-561: The Lackawanna, however, were dealt by Mother Nature . In August, 1955, flooding from Hurricane Diane devastated the Pocono Mountains region, killing 80 people. The floods cut the Lackawanna Railroad in 88 places, destroying 60 miles (97 km) of track, stranding several trains (with a number of passengers aboard) and shutting down the railroad for nearly a month (with temporary speed restrictions prevailing on

5775-437: The M&E lease came several branch lines in New Jersey, including the Boonton Line , which opened in 1870 and bypassed Newark for through freight. The railroad acquired the Syracuse, Binghamton and New York Railroad in 1869 and leased the Oswego and Syracuse Railroad on February 13, 1869. This gave it a branch from Binghamton north and northwest via Syracuse to Oswego , a port on Lake Ontario . The "Greene Railroad"

5880-424: The Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Rail Authority to accelerate the resumption of passenger train service between New York City and Scranton. Most of the main line west of Binghamton in New York State has been abandoned, in favor of the Erie's Buffalo line via Hornell . The longest remaining main line sector is Painted Post -Wayland, with shortline service provided by B&H Railroad ( Bath & Hammondsport ,

5985-438: The Pocono Mainline). The D-L also runs Lackawanna County 's tourist trolleys from the Electric City Trolley Museum , under overhead electrified wiring installed on original sections of the Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad that was also purchased by Lackawanna County. It also runs trains on a remnant of the DL&W Diamond branch in Scranton. In 2006, the Monroe County and Lackawanna County Railroad Authorities formed

6090-425: The SPI during the period 1943–1947. The molded plastics industry attracted the radio and electronics industries to the Boonton area. In the 1920s, the burgeoning radio industry created a large demand for molded parts. Richard W. Seabury organized Radio Frequency Laboratories to exploit that new field. More than a half dozen radio and electronics firms were later formed as spin-offs, and recognized internationally for

6195-401: The Southern Division, opened on May 27, 1856, including the Warren Railroad in New Jersey . A third rail was added to the standard gauge Central Railroad of New Jersey east of Hampton to allow the railroad to run east to Elizabeth via trackage rights (the CNJ was extended in 1864 to Jersey City ). On December 10, 1868, the company acquired the Morris and Essex Railroad unit 1945 it

6300-441: The Town Act of 1895 and to those incorporated by a special charter granted by the legislature prior to 1875. Under the 1988 act, the mayor is also the councilman at large, serving a term of two years, unless increased to three years by a petition and referendum process. The council under the Town Act of 1988 consists of eight members serving staggered two-year terms with two elected from each of four wards. One councilman from each ward

6405-455: The antiquated ironworks faded when he learned that the Morris Canal was soon to be constructed, and that it would bypass the community of Booneton a mile or more away. But the proximity of the canal to Booneton Falls made that site ideal for a large factory. In 1830, a group of businessmen in New York City incorporated as the New Jersey Iron Company, with a capitalization of $ 283,000. Machinery and ironworkers were imported from England, and with

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6510-521: The area surrounding Boonton Avenue and Main Street. This is often referred to as the Boonton Art District. The galleries hold an art walk showcasing gallery openings on the first Friday of each month. According to the United States Census Bureau , the town had a total area of 2.49 square miles (6.46 km), including 2.34 square miles (6.05 km) of land and 0.16 square miles (0.41 km) of water (6.39%). The Rockaway River flows through Boonton Gorge downtown, featuring whitewater rapids including

6615-503: The borough was $ 33,366 (+/− $ 4,035). About 5.6% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,496 people, 3,272 households, and 2,159 families residing in the town. The population density was 3,619.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,397.5/km). There were 3,352 housing units at an average density of 1,428.1 per square mile (551.4/km). The racial makeup of

6720-428: The city, which is home to various elites and Junior Olympic gymnasts. Grace Lord Park provides recreation opportunities and hiking trails, including a view of Boonton Falls. Boonton operates using the town form of government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the Town Council. The governing body

6825-508: The company began operating the Erie and Central New York Railroad , a branch of the Oswego line from Cortland Junction east to Cincinnatus . That same year, it also began to control the Bangor and Portland Railway . By 1909, the company controlled the Bangor and Portland Railway . This line branched from the main line at Portland , southwest to Nazareth , with a branch to Martins Creek . The primary locomotive and car shops were located in Scranton . In 1910 they were enlarged and upgraded at

6930-401: The cost of new trainsets. A 7.3-mile section of the Cut-Off between Port Morris and Andover, New Jersey , which was under construction, was delayed until 2021 due to environmental issues on the Andover station site ; the Cut-Off between Port Morris and Andover is slated to re-open for rail passenger service no earlier than 2025. In 1979, Conrail sold most of the DL&W in Pennsylvania, with

7035-412: The creation of Conrail on April 1, 1976. During its time, the EL diversified its shipments from the growing Lehigh Valley and also procured a lucrative contract with Chrysler to ship auto components from Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania . The EL also aggressively sought other contracts with suppliers in the area, pioneering what came to be known as intermodal shipping. None of this could compensate for

7140-421: The current Boonton) was established on the Rockaway River , about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream from the current site of the town. As early as 1747, Obadiah Baldwin ran an iron refining forge there. He used the iron ore and charcoal available in the area together with water power from the river. As the ironworks grew, workers and their families formed a community in 1761 that was named "Boone-Towne" in honor of

7245-423: The damaged sections of railroad for months), causing a total of $ 8.1 million in damages (equal to $ 92,128,696 today) and lost revenue. One section, the Old River line (former Warren Railroad), was damaged beyond repair and had to be abandoned altogether. Until the mainline in Pennsylvania reopened, all trains were canceled or rerouted over other railroads. The Lackawanna would never fully recover. In January, 1959,

7350-461: The decline in coal shipments, however, and, as labor costs and taxes rose, the railroad's financial position became increasingly precarious although it was stronger than some railroads in the eastern U.S. The opening of Interstates I-80 , I-380 , and I-81 during the early 1970s, which in effect paralleled much of the former Lackawanna mainline east of Binghamton, New York , caused more traffic to be diverted to trucks. This only helped to accelerate

7455-436: The discontinuation of passenger service on January 6, 1970—and was completely dependent on the lucrative interchange with the New Haven Railroad at Maybrook, New York . The January 1, 1969 merger of the New Haven Railroad into the Penn Central Railroad changed all this: the New England Gateway was downgraded, and closed on May 8, 1974 by fire damage to the New Haven's Poughkeepsie Bridge, causing dramatic traffic changes for

7560-476: The election procedure in towns with wards. The mayor in a town chairs the town council and heads the municipal government. The mayor may both vote on legislation before council and veto ordinances. A veto may be overridden by a vote of two-thirds of all the members of the council. The council may enact an ordinance to delegate all or a portion of the executive responsibilities of the town to a municipal administrator. Fifteen New Jersey municipalities currently have

7665-451: The entire 900-mile Lackawanna system that has not been reduced to fewer tracks over the years. It was triple-tracked nearly a century prior , and remains so today. The Lackawanna Cut-Off was abandoned in 1979 and its rails were removed in 1984. The line between Slateford Junction and Scranton remained in legal limbo for nearly a decade, but was eventually purchased, with a single track left in place. The Lackawanna Cut-Off's right-of-way, on

7770-452: The erection of the mills, a new community, called Booneton Falls, began to be developed on the rugged hillside overlooking the river. The community Main Street is unique in that it is pitched against a cliff overlooking the 'Hollow' of the Rockaway River. This was said to follow an old Native American trail, developed from a deer path along the hillside. The new Iron Company flourished for nearly 50 years. The settlement of Booneton Falls—like

7875-487: The excellence of their products. Radio engineers had respect for the Boonton Radio Co., located in nearby Rockaway, which manufactured a high-quality test instrument known as a Q meter , still used by hobbyists today. Most of those companies have been bought up and are now divisions of larger corporations and have relocated elsewhere, having undergone name changes in many cases. The Boonton Radio Co., for instance,

7980-573: The final nail was driven in the Lackawanna's coffin by the Knox Mine Disaster , which flooded the mines along the Susquehanna River and all but obliterated what was left of the region's anthracite industry. The Lackawanna Railroad's financial problems were not unique. Rail traffic in the U.S. in general declined after World War II as trucks and automobiles took freight and passenger traffic. Declining freight traffic put

8085-422: The first Boonton National Bank and served as its president. Town (New Jersey) A town in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. While town is often used as a shorthand to refer to a township , the two are not the same. The Town Act of 1895 allowed any municipality or area with a population exceeding 5,000 to become

8190-707: The former Morris & Essex Railroad to Gladstone and Hackettstown. In 2002, the transit agency consolidated the Montclair Branch and Boonton Line to create the Montclair-Boonton Line . NJ Transit also operates on the remaining portion (south of Paterson) of the original Boonton Line known as the Main Line . NJ Transit's hub is at Hoboken Terminal. Trains on the Morristown Line run directly into New York's Pennsylvania Station via

8295-549: The lines. In 2014, it purchased the former DL&W main from Taylor, PA to Binghamton, NY from the Canadian Pacific Railway, which it continues to operate to this day. NJ Transit Rail Operations took over passenger operations in 1983. The State of New Jersey had subsidized the routes operated by the Erie Lackawanna, and later Conrail . NJ Transit operates over former DL&W trackage on much of

8400-438: The massive Tunkhannock Viaduct and Martins Creek Viaduct . The Lackawanna's cutoffs had no at-grade crossings with roads or highways, allowing high-speed service. The railroad ran trains from its Hoboken Terminal , its gateway to New York City , to its Scranton , Binghamton, Syracuse , Oswego, and Buffalo stations and to Utica Union Station . Noteworthy among these were: The railroad also ran commuter operations from

8505-512: The municipality, 3.81 miles (6.13 km) by Morris County and 1.75 miles (2.82 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation . Interstate 287 and U.S. Route 202 run through the center of town. The Boonton station provides train service on the NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton Line with service to Newark Broad Street Station , Penn Station New York and Hoboken Terminal . NJ Transit bus service

8610-524: The nation emerged from the depression of the 1870s. In 1891, the Loanda Hard Rubber Company was founded by Edwin A. Scribner, and began the manufacture of molded hard rubber products. After Scribner died, the management of the firm fell to his son-in-law Richard W. Seabury. In 1906, Seabury learned of experiments with synthetic resins made by Leo Baekeland , for whom Bakelite was later to be named. Originally intended by Baekeland for

8715-502: The nearby New York, Ontario and Western Railroad and Lehigh & New England Railroad out of business in 1957 and 1961, respectively. Over the next three decades, nearly every major railroad in the Northeastern US would go bankrupt . In the wake of Hurricane Diane in 1955, all signs pointed to continued financial decline and eventual bankruptcy for the DL&W. Among other factors, property taxes in New Jersey were

8820-465: The new railroad. After he was pushed aside in favor of Erie managers, however, he left in disillusionment and became the president of the Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1962. Even before the formal merger, growing ties between the Erie and Lackawanna led to the partial abandonment of the Lackawanna's mainline trackage between Binghamton and Buffalo. In 1958, the main line of the DL&W from Binghamton west to near Corning , which closely paralleled

8925-475: The older Booneton downstream—was essentially a one-industry town. After the Company closed down its operations in 1876, the town was on the verge of collapse. Although several attempts—one by Joseph Wharton—were made to re-establish iron works on a smaller scale, none endured for any great length of time. In the 21st century, only vestiges of foundations and structures remain in the "Hollow" between Plane Street and

9030-457: The other hand, was purchased by the state of New Jersey in 2001 from funds approved within a $ 40 million bond issue in 1989. (A court later set the final price at $ 21 million, paid to owners Jerry Turco of Kearny, New Jersey and Burton Goldmeier of Hopatcong, New Jersey.) NJ Transit has estimated that it would cost $ 551 million to restore service to Scranton over the Cut-Off: a price which includes

9135-470: The preferred energy sources. Silk and other textile industries shrank as jobs moved to the southern U.S. or overseas. The advent of mechanical refrigeration squeezed the business from ice ponds on top of the Poconos . Even the dairy industry changed. The Lackawanna had long enjoyed revenues from milk shipments; many stations had a creamery next to the tracks. Perhaps the most catastrophic blows to

9240-503: The railroad obtained trackage rights north and west over the New York and Erie Rail Road to Owego, New York , where it leased the Cayuga and Susquehanna Railroad to Ithaca on Cayuga Lake on April 21, 1855. The C&S was the reorganized and partially rebuilt Ithaca and Owego Railroad , which had opened on April 1, 1834, and was the oldest part of its system. The whole system was built to 6 ft ( 1,829 mm ) broad gauge ,

9345-480: The request. Our Lady of Mount Carmel School is a Catholic school for students in preschool through eighth grade. Operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson , the school has been in operation though the parish as far back as 1882. As of May 2010, the town had a total of 33.90 miles (54.56 km) of roadways, of which 28.34 miles (45.61 km) were maintained by

9450-456: The river, to remind Boonton of its own Iron Age. One of the first of the new industries secured for the town was a silk factory, which, as Pelgram & Meyer, and, later as Van Raalte, Inc., contributed materially to the town's prosperity. Others that followed were a knife factory, a paper mill (at the old settlement, by then called Old Boonton), a nail factory, a brass and iron foundry, and a carriage factory. The Morris Canal, although going into

9555-730: The same as the New York and Erie, although the original I&O was built to standard gauge and converted to wide gauge when rebuilt as the C&;S. The "Delaware and Cobb's Gap Railroad" was chartered December 4, 1850, to build a line from Scranton east to the Delaware River . Before it opened, the Delaware and Cobb's Gap and Lackawanna and Western were consolidated by the Lackawanna Steel Company into one company,

9660-490: The town is now largely under the Jersey City Reservoir , completed in 1904. In 1908, the waters from this reservoir were the first municipal water supply in the United States to be chlorinated . The decision to build the chlorination system was made by John L. Leal and the facility was designed by George W. Fuller . During the 18th century, the settlement of Boonetown Falls (variously spelled as Booneton or

9765-414: The town was 83.00% White , 4.00% African American , 0.21% Native American , 7.8% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 2.20% from other races , and 2.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.9% of the population. Boonton had the highest percentage of Pakistani ancestry people at 3.53%, of any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents listing their ancestry. As of

9870-509: The vote (1,527 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 30.3% (688 votes), and other candidates with 2.6% (59 votes), among the 2,342 ballots cast by the town's 5,286 registered voters (68 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.3%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 55.5% of the vote (1,372 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 33.8% (835 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 9.0% (222 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (19 votes), among

9975-501: The whole system was re-gauged to standard gauge in one day. The New York, Lackawanna and Western Railroad was chartered on August 26, 1880, and opened on September 17, 1882, to continue the railroad from Binghamton west and northwest to Buffalo. The main line ran to the International Bridge to Ontario , and a branch served downtown Buffalo. A spur from Wayland served Hornellsville (Hornell). On December 1, 1903,

10080-495: Was 39.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 100.6 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $ 79,097 (with a margin of error of +/− $ 9,165) and the median family income was $ 89,965 (+/− $ 14,678). Males had a median income of $ 53,495 (+/− $ 4,466) versus $ 47,463 (+/− $ 7,099) for females. The per capita income for

10185-449: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.11. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 35.4% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males. The median income for

10290-413: Was 78.81% (6,578) White , 4.82% (402) Black or African American , 0.31% (26) Native American , 10.05% (839) Asian , 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander , 2.79% (233) from other races , and 3.21% (268) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.02% (920) of the population. Of the 3,235 households, 29.0% had children under the age of 18; 48.6% were married couples living together; 11.8% had

10395-407: Was dormant for several years following its incorporation. The company was chartered on March 14, 1849, and organized on January 2, 1850. On April 14, 1851, its name was changed to Lackawanna and Western Railroad . The line opened on December 20, 1851, and ran north from Scranton, Pennsylvania , to Great Bend, Pennsylvania , just south of Pennsylvania 's border with New York state . From Great Bend,

10500-507: Was forced to downgrade the Erie side, and even considered its abandonment west of Port Jervis. In the meantime, the EL was forced to run its long freights over the reconfigured Boonton Line, which east of Mountain View in Wayne, NJ meant running over the Erie's Greenwood Lake Branch, a line that was never intended to carry the level of freight traffic to which the EL would subject it. In 1972,

10605-583: Was fully merged into the DL&W. This line ran east–west across northern New Jersey, crossing the Warren Railroad at Washington and providing access to Jersey City without depending on the CNJ. The M&E tunnel under Bergen Hill opened in 1876, relieving the Morris and Essex Railroad and its owners, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, from having to use the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railway 's tunnel to reach Jersey City. Along with

10710-574: Was organized March 3, 1869, to connect the end of the original line at Great Bend, Pennsylvania , to Binghamton, New York , avoiding reliance on the Erie. The new line opened on October 1, 1871. By 1873, the company controlled the Lackawanna and Bloomsburg Railroad , a branch from Scranton southwest to Northumberland with trackage rights over the Pennsylvania Railroad 's Northern Central Railway to Sunbury . On March 15, 1876,

10815-504: Was organized in 1869, opened in 1870, and was immediately leased to the company, providing a short branch off the Oswego line from Chenango Forks to Greene . Also in 1870, the company leased the Utica, Chenango and Susquehanna Valley Railway , continuing this branch north to Utica , with a branch from Richfield Junction to Richfield Springs (fully opened in 1872). The "Valley Railroad"

10920-545: Was previously called the Board of Aldermen, but in February 2021, the Board voted 7–2 to change the name to Town Council. The ordinance did not change the structure or function of municipal government. Members felt that the gendered “alderman” could dissuade women from running for office, and wanted to be more inclusive with the neutral “council member”. The mayor is elected at-large to a four-year term of office. The Town Council

11025-454: Was purchased by Hewlett-Packard . RFL Industries, Aircraft Radio Corporation, Measurements Corporation, and Ballantine Laboratories are among those that contributed materially to the prosperity of the area. In 1917, E.A. Stevenson & Company established the "Butter Works" on the site of the old Knox Hat factory. Stevenson started processing coconut and other vegetable oils and making margarine. Under later operation by E.F. Drew & Company,

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