124-700: The Picatinny Arsenal ( / ˈ p ɪ k ə t ɪ n i / or / ˌ p ɪ k ə ˈ t ɪ n i / ) is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on 6,400 acres (26 km) of land in Jefferson and Rockaway Township in Morris County, New Jersey , United States, encompassing Picatinny Lake and Lake Denmark . The Arsenal is the headquarters of the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center . It
248-432: A 45-degree angled surface. Houtsma then took the specifications over to the production facility and requested they design a dimensioning style so the rail could be easily produced and inspected. The factory recognized the similarity of the purposed rail interface to the existing rail design on 105 mm howitzers , so they chose to scale down the howitzer rail design and co-opted the production and inspection procedures. It
372-500: A core, with the first drilled bore ordnance recorded in operation near Seville in 1247. They fired lead, iron, or stone balls, sometimes large arrows and on occasions simply handfuls of whatever scrap came to hand. During the Hundred Years' War , these weapons became more common, initially as the bombard and later the cannon . Cannons were always muzzle-loaders . While there were many early attempts at breech-loading designs,
496-663: A countermeasure to the Iraqi SCUD missile . In 1992, Picatinny Arsenal was tasked to develop a standardized mounting system after the U.S. Army was dissatisfied with the products on the market. The Picatinny team was headed by mechanical designer Gary Houtsma (who was awarded the Order of Saint Maurice Award in 2014 for this contribution), who took the measurements from about twenty different Weaver rail products from weapons bunkers at Picatinny (and even local sporting goods stores) and came up with an average set of numbers set on
620-533: A day of celebration known as Jefferson Township Day (it is colloquially referred to as "Jefferson Day"). Throughout the entire day, entertainment and festivities at the Jefferson Township High School are provided. Up until 2012 there would be a morning parade featuring the town's fire trucks, high school marching band and other local groups march down Weldon Road. Starting in 2013 the parade has been substituted with various activities such as
744-408: A field carriage, immobility once emplaced, highly individual design, and noted unreliability (in 1460 James II , King of Scots, was killed when one exploded at the siege of Roxburgh). Their large size precluded the barrels being cast and they were constructed out of metal staves or rods bound together with hoops like a barrel, giving their name to the gun barrel . The use of the word "cannon" marks
868-726: A fishing contest, kids kart race and a road bowling tournament. There are a variety of activities set up on the Jefferson Township High School grounds for participants of Jefferson Day, including children's games, food and craft vendors, and performances at two stages. At night, the Jefferson Township Community Band , directed by Peter Tummillo Jr., performs before the display of fireworks. Township resident Bill Child wrote an original song in September 2006, "My Sweet Home Jefferson", that has since been sung at many Jefferson Day celebrations. Amos Chamberlain built
992-521: A hollow iron ball filled with pitch and fuse, designed to be fired at close range and burst on contact. The most popular in Portuguese arsenals was the berço , a 5 cm, one pounder bronze breech-loading cannon that weighted 150 kg with an effective range of 600 meters. A tactical innovation the Portuguese introduced in fort defense was the use of combinations of projectiles against massed assaults. Although canister shot had been developed in
1116-452: A household in the township was $ 68,837, and the median income for a family was $ 76,974. Males had a median income of $ 51,359 versus $ 37,849 for females. The per capita income for the township was $ 27,950. About 1.0% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over. Every year, the weekend following Independence Day , The Jefferson Arts Committee hosts
1240-478: A lack of engineering knowledge rendered these even more dangerous to use than muzzle-loaders. In 1415, the Portuguese invaded the Mediterranean port town of Ceuta . While it is difficult to confirm the use of firearms in the siege of the city, it is known the Portuguese defended it thereafter with firearms, namely bombardas , colebratas , and falconetes . In 1419, Sultan Abu Sa'id led an army to reconquer
1364-475: A mid-19th-century 12-pounder gun , which fired a 4.1 kg (9.0 lb) round, with a kinetic energy of 240 kilojoules, or a 20th-century US battleship that fired a 1,225 kg (2,701 lb) projectile from its main battery with an energy level surpassing 350 megajoules . From the Middle Ages through most of the modern era , artillery pieces on land were moved by horse-drawn gun carriages . In
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#17327718902231488-497: A prelude to a decisive infantry and cavalry assault. Physically, cannons continued to become smaller and lighter. During the Seven Years War, King Frederick II of Prussia used these advances to deploy horse artillery that could move throughout the battlefield. Frederick also introduced the reversible iron ramrod, which was much more resistant to breakage than older wooden designs. The reversibility aspect also helped increase
1612-417: A rather depressed area in 1941. Many of the residences housed military families until the early 2000s (decade); the last were demolished in 2007. Near Parker Road is property acquired from the estate of John E. Larson for $ 16,000.00. The purchase price included 24 acres (97,000 m) of land. Another former Spicertown property consisting of 12 acres (49,000 m) cost the government $ 19,769.00. Property on
1736-406: A research and development facility in the years between the two world wars. Major accomplishments of this period included better methods for storing smokeless powder , improved processing of cyclonite (more commonly called RDX), and the discovery of a new explosive, then known as haleite but later known as Ednatol . (The discoverer was George C. Hale, the arsenal's chief chemist.) Over the years,
1860-558: A result of a full-scale Congressional investigation, Congress directed the establishment of the Armed Forces Explosives Safety Board to provide oversight on every aspect of explosives under the control of the US Armed Forces. In 1960, the army resumed control of land it had given the navy, bringing the installation to its current size and shape. The primary transportation in the early days of
1984-565: A sixth of all rounds used by the Portuguese in Morocco were of the fused-shell variety. The new Ming Dynasty established the "Divine Engine Battalion" (神机营), which specialized in various types of artillery. Light cannons and cannons with multiple volleys were developed. In a campaign to suppress a local minority rebellion near today's Burmese border, "the Ming army used a 3-line method of arquebuses/muskets to destroy an elephant formation". When
2108-950: 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 2011, there were
2232-565: A strong integrating effect on emerging nation-states, as kings were able to use their newfound artillery superiority to force any local dukes or lords to submit to their will, setting the stage for the absolutist kingdoms to come. Modern rocket artillery can trace its heritage back to the Mysorean rockets of Mysore . Their first recorded use was in 1780 during the battles of the Second , Third and Fourth Mysore Wars . The wars fought between
2356-558: A total of 13,142 registered voters in Jefferson Township, of which 2,395 (18.2%) were registered as Democrats , 4,347 (33.1%) were registered as Republicans and 6,392 (48.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated . There were 8 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens . In the 2012 presidential election , Republican Mitt Romney received 58.2% of the vote (5,370 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.7% (3,757 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (94 votes), among
2480-429: A turnout of 77.5%. In the 2004 presidential election , Republican George W. Bush received 61.9% of the vote (5,946 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.9% (3,542 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (97 votes), among the 9,605 ballots cast by the township's 12,847 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.8. In the 2013 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 70.6% of
2604-421: Is a widely used generic term for a projectile, which is a component of munitions . By association, artillery may also refer to the arm of service that customarily operates such engines. In some armies, the artillery arm has operated field , coastal , anti-aircraft , and anti-tank artillery; in others these have been separate arms, and with some nations coastal has been a naval or marine responsibility. In
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#17327718902232728-464: Is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. All governing body officials are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis in even-numbered years as part of the November general election, with three council seats up together for election and then two council seats and the mayoral seat coming up for election together two years later. As of 2023 ,
2852-691: Is known for developing the ubiquitous Picatinny rail , as well as being the Army's center of expertise for small arms cartridge ammunition. The facility was founded in 1880 as the Picatinny Powder Depot . Soon afterward, the Navy acquired a portion of the arsenal to establish the Lake Denmark Powder Depot , later known as Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot . It manufactured gunpowder until after World War I , at which time
2976-632: Is responsible for the creation of tools, equipment, and procedures for US Army EOD personnel. Some of their more recent inventions were the use of weapons on a robot platform and the SWORDS robot. Their building has been recently renamed in honor of one of their deceased soldiers, SFC Scott "Smitty" Smith, who was killed in Iraq in July 2006. Prior to the American Civil War gunpowder was stored by
3100-640: Is the center for the DOD's research, development and acquisition of guns and ammunition, with a workload more than an order of magnitude greater than any other DOD facility in this area. It also is home to the DOD's single manager for conventional ammunition. Since 1976 the Army conducted numerous environmental studies on Picatinny; in March 1990 it was declared a superfund and placed on the National Priorities List . 176 sites are to be addressed under
3224-588: Is the northernmost township in Morris County , in the U.S. state of New Jersey . As of the 2020 United States census , the township's population was 20,538, a decrease of 776 (−3.6%) from the 2010 census count of 21,314, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,597 (+8.1%) from the 19,717 counted in the 2000 census . Jefferson Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 11, 1804, from portions of Pequannock Township and Roxbury . The township
3348-547: The 2000 United States census there were 19,717 people, 7,131 households, and 5,448 families residing in the township. The population density was 485.3 people per square mile (187.4 people/km ). There were 7,527 housing units at an average density of 185.2 per square mile (71.5/km ). The racial makeup of the township was 96.14% White , 0.83% African American , 0.16% Native American , 1.07% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 0.62% from other races , and 1.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of
3472-479: The 2010 census , Jefferson Township had been in the 25th 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
3596-590: The 2024-2025 session , the 25th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony M. Bucco ( R , Boonton Township ) and in the General Assembly by Christian Barranco (R, Jefferson Township ) and Aura K. Dunn (R, Mendham Borough ). 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
3720-633: The 967 and MCM7 routes, which was terminated in 2010 after subsidies to local route operators were eliminated as part of budget cuts. Lakeland Bus Lines provides service along Interstate 80 operating between Newton and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan . People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Jefferson Township include: Artillery Artillery are ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond
3844-783: The British East India Company and the Kingdom of Mysore in India made use of the rockets as a weapon. In the Battle of Pollilur , the Siege of Seringapatam (1792) and in Battle of Seringapatam in 1799, these rockets were used with considerable effect against the British. After the wars, several Mysore rockets were sent to England, but experiments with heavier payloads were unsuccessful. In 1804 William Congreve, considering
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3968-585: The M65 atomic cannon 280mm howitzer known as " Atomic Annie "). When war broke out again, it gave troops in Vietnam a complete family of 40 mm ammunition for grenade launchers and helicopter gunships. In 1977, the Army recognized Picatinny's leadership in weapons and munitions development by headquartering its Armament Research and Development Command (ARRADCOM) at the arsenal and giving it responsibility for developing small caliber weapons and munitions. In 1983,
4092-554: The Mayor of Jefferson Township is Republican Eric Wilsusen, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Jefferson Township Council are Council President Melissa Senatore (R, 2026), Council Vice President Jay Dunham (R, 2024), Robert Birmingham (R, 2024), Josh Kalish (R, 2026) and H. Ronald Smith (R, 2024). In March 2021, Josh Kalish was selected from a list of three candidates nominated by
4216-620: The Middle Forge Tract because of the forge located there during the Revolutionary War, became the central area of the arsenal. In 1880 and 1881, the government also purchased tracts from Uel H. Wiggins, Edward C. Fiedler and other, Henry and Michael Doland, and John E. Kindred. These initial purchases, including the Middle Forge Tract, covered 1,866.13 acres (7.5520 km) and cost a total of $ 62,750.00. At
4340-727: The United States Army at various powder facilities throughout the eastern United States. Many of these facilities were located in the South and were confiscated by the Confederate States of America at the beginning of the war. The federal government began looking for a central storage depot to be located near the large cities of the northeast. The United States War Department established the Dover Powder Depot on September 6, 1880. Four days later, it changed
4464-407: The catapult , onager , trebuchet , and ballista , are also referred to by military historians as artillery. During medieval times, more types of artillery were developed, most notably the counterweight trebuchet. Traction trebuchets, using manpower to launch projectiles, have been used in ancient China since the 4th century as anti-personnel weapons. The much more powerful counterweight trebuchet
4588-536: The contemporary era , artillery pieces and their crew relied on wheeled or tracked vehicles as transportation. These land versions of artillery were dwarfed by railway guns ; the largest of these large-calibre guns ever conceived – Project Babylon of the Supergun affair – was theoretically capable of putting a satellite into orbit . Artillery used by naval forces has also changed significantly, with missiles generally replacing guns in surface warfare . Over
4712-616: The siege of Constantinople in 1453 weighed 19 tons , took 200 men and sixty oxen to emplace, and could fire just seven times a day. The Fall of Constantinople was perhaps "the first event of supreme importance whose result was determined by the use of artillery" when the huge bronze cannons of Mehmed II breached the city's walls, ending the Byzantine Empire , according to Sir Charles Oman . Bombards developed in Europe were massive smoothbore weapons distinguished by their lack of
4836-442: The 15th century. The development of specialized pieces—shipboard artillery, howitzers and mortars —was also begun in this period. More esoteric designs, like the multi-barrel ribauldequin (known as "organ guns"), were also produced. The 1650 book by Kazimierz Siemienowicz Artis Magnae Artilleriae pars prima was one of the most important contemporary publications on the subject of artillery. For over two centuries this work
4960-551: The 16th century unequalled by contemporary European neighbours, in part due to the experience gained in intense fighting in Morocco, which served as a proving ground for artillery and its practical application, and made Portugal a forerunner in gunnery for decades. During the reign of King Manuel (1495–1521) at least 2017 cannon were sent to Morocco for garrison defense, with more than 3000 cannon estimated to have been required during that 26-year period. An especially noticeable division between siege guns and anti-personnel guns enhanced
5084-440: The 16th century, cannon were largely (though not entirely) displaced from the battlefield—the cannon were too slow and cumbersome to be used and too easily lost to a rapid enemy advance. The combining of shot and powder into a single unit, a cartridge, occurred in the 1620s with a simple fabric bag, and was quickly adopted by all nations. It speeded loading and made it safer, but unexpelled bag fragments were an additional fouling in
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5208-431: The 20th century, target acquisition devices (such as radar) and techniques (such as sound ranging and flash spotting ) emerged, primarily for artillery. These are usually utilized by one or more of the artillery arms. The widespread adoption of indirect fire in the early 20th century introduced the need for specialist data for field artillery, notably survey and meteorological, and in some armies, provision of these are
5332-410: The 6,738 ballots cast by the township's 13,397 registered voters, yielding a 50.3% turnout. The Jefferson Township Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade . As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 2,926 students and 267.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1. Schools in
5456-401: The 9,279 ballots cast by the township's 13,742 registered voters (58 ballots were spoiled ), for a turnout of 67.5%. In the 2008 presidential election , Republican John McCain received 57.2% of the vote (6,040 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.0% (4,335 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (121 votes), among the 10,564 ballots cast by the township's 13,631 registered voters, for
5580-536: The Army altered the name to the Picatinny Arsenal and established its first powder factory on the site. While continuing to produce munitions , the arsenal moved into research and development work with the start of a school to instruct officers in weaponry sciences in 1911, the establishment of testing and control laboratories during the World War I era, and the beginning of a small, experimental plant for
5704-662: The Army continued to make small land purchases to round out arsenal boundaries, but the next major expansion came in 1941, just before the United States entered World War II. At this time, the Army purchased the land between the Cannon Gates and the present main entrance near Route 15 . This included Spicertown, an unincorporated village in Rockaway Township. Spicertown had declined from a relatively thriving 19th-century community of small but profitable farms to
5828-605: The Army disestablished the Armament Research and Development Command and Picatinny became the home of the Armament Research and Development Center (ARDC). In 1986, the name again changed to the "Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center" (ARDEC). In 1991, during the Persian Gulf War , Picatinny Arsenal provided support in their development of the Patriot Missile warhead that was used as
5952-467: The City of Newark , Essex County , for its Pequannock River Watershed, which provides water to the city from an area of 35,000 acres (14,000 ha) that also includes portions of Hardyston Township , Kinnelon , Rockaway Township , Vernon Township , and West Milford . The 2010 United States census counted 21,314 people, 7,830 households, and 5,794 families in the township. The population density
6076-541: The Detachment Commander, and the highest number being the Coverer, the second-in-command. "Gunner" is also the lowest rank, and junior non-commissioned officers are "Bombardiers" in some artillery arms. Batteries are roughly equivalent to a company in the infantry, and are combined into larger military organizations for administrative and operational purposes, either battalions or regiments, depending on
6200-576: The English-held towns of Jargeau, Meung, and Beaugency, all with the support of large artillery units. When she led the assault on Paris, Joan faced stiff artillery fire, especially from the suburb of St. Denis, which ultimately led to her defeat in this battle. In April 1430, she went to battle against the Burgundians, whose support was purchased by the English. At this time, the Burgundians had
6324-671: The George Chamberlain House as a wedding gift for his son George Chamberlain. George Chamberlain and his wife Ruth Elizabeth Speaker had two children, Raymond and Archie Chamberlain, who lived in the house until the 1890s, when the Chamberlain family moved out, and started renting the house to people up until 1960. The house was purchased from the Chamberlain family by the Friends of the Library in 1960, and refurbished
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#17327718902236448-569: The Installation Restoration Program. Picatinny had established a Technical Review Committee in 1989 and met every other month. It became a Restoration Advisory Board , and public meetings are advertised in the Star Ledger and Daily Record. 40°57′33″N 74°32′30″W / 40.95917°N 74.54167°W / 40.95917; -74.54167 Jefferson Township, New Jersey Jefferson Township
6572-684: The Javanese were considered excellent in casting artillery, and in the knowledge of using it. In 1513, the Javanese fleet led by Pati Unus sailed to attack Portuguese Malacca "with much artillery made in Java, for the Javanese are skilled in founding and casting, and in all works in iron , over and above what they have in India ". By the early 16th century, the Javanese had already started locally-producing large guns, which were dubbed "sacred cannon[s]" or "holy cannon[s]" and have survived up to
6696-770: The Milton section of the township are classified under the Oak Ridge mailing city, which is shared with a portion of West Milford , or in the Newfoundland mailing area, shared with a portion of West Milford and Rockaway Township. Addresses in Lake Hopatcong use either Lake Hopatcong (not to be confused with the Hopatcong mailing city used in the Borough of Hopatcong ) or Wharton as their mailing city. In 2016, there
6820-717: The Mysorian rockets to have too short a range (less than 1,000 yards) developed rockets in numerous sizes with ranges up to 3,000 yards and eventually utilizing iron casing as the Congreve rocket which were used effectively during the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812 . With the Napoleonic Wars, artillery experienced changes in both physical design and operation. Rather than being overseen by "mechanics", artillery
6944-525: The Portuguese and Spanish arrived at Southeast Asia, they found that the local kingdoms were already using cannons. Portuguese and Spanish invaders were unpleasantly surprised and even outgunned on occasion. Duarte Barbosa ca. 1514 said that the inhabitants of Java were great masters in casting artillery and very good artillerymen. They made many one-pounder cannons (cetbang or rentaka ), long muskets, spingarde (arquebus), schioppi (hand cannon), Greek fire , guns (cannons), and other fire-works. In all aspects
7068-674: The Republican municipal committee to fill the council seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Debi Merz Bennett until she stepped down from office the previous month. Kalish served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. In May 2017, Michael J. Sanchelli resigned from his seat expiring in December 2018, after being mandated to leave office due to issues related to his state pension which require him to be out of office for 180 days. In April 2016,
7192-468: The Township Council selected Kimberly Finnegan from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Richard W. Yocum until his resignation. Jefferson Township is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 25th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following
7316-705: The United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center became a center under the new Army Future's Command and became known as the Combat Capabilities Development Command - Armaments Center (CCDC-AC). In 1891, the navy acquired 317 acres (1.28 km) of the arsenal to establish the Lake Denmark Powder Depot, later known as the "Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot". On July 10, 1926, lightning struck one of
7440-404: The ability to manufacture munitions, it employed 18,000 people and ran three shifts turning out bombs and artillery shells . However, it still had its research triumphs, especially the development of a delay fuze for skip bombing and special bombs for dams and oil fields. It also pioneered production processes later transferred to munitions manufacturers around the country. In the 1960s, Picatinny
7564-423: The army. These may be grouped into brigades; the Russian army also groups some brigades into artillery divisions, and the People's Liberation Army has artillery corps. The term "artillery" also designates a combat arm of most military services when used organizationally to describe units and formations of the national armed forces that operate the weapons. During military operations , field artillery has
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#17327718902237688-629: The arsenal is just a memory with only a disused stub line into the arsenal and scattered traces of the once busy narrow gauge railway. Some of the remaining track has been covered with macadam and turned into pedestrian walking paths. Base Realignment and Closure, 2005 directed the department of defense to establish Picatinny as the DOD specialty site for guns and ammunition, and to relocate Navy technical experts to Picatinny. It recommended: This recommendation realigned and consolidates those gun and ammunition facilities working in weapons and armaments research, development and acquisition. Picatinny Arsenal
7812-634: The arsenal was by rail. The early Wharton & Northern Railroad (succeeded by the Jersey Central ) was laid from Wharton to Green Pond through the heart of the valley in which Picatinny Arsenal now resides. This line connected the various railroads serving the Wharton area with the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad at Green Pond. Picatinny maintained as much as 49 miles (79 km) of its own narrow and standard gauge Picatinny Arsenal Railroad to service its many transportation needs (fuel, raw materials, ammunition, etc.) for almost every manufacturing and warehouse building. Today, rail service through
7936-587: The boundary between the two halves of the township. Unincorporated communities , localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Berkshire Valley, Bowling Green Mountain, Cozy Lake, Espanong, Halsey Island, Hurdtown, Lake Forest, Lake Hopatcong, Lake Swannanoa , Lake Shawnee, Lake Winona, Longwood Mountains, Lower Longwood, Minisink, Moosepac Pond, Newfoundland , Nolans Point, Oak Ridge , Petersburg, Prospect Point, Raccoon Island, Russia , Upper Longwood, Weldon, Woodport, White Rock, and Woodstock. As of 2018 some residents on
8060-504: The bronze "thousand ball thunder cannon", an early example of field artillery . These small, crude weapons diffused into the Middle East (the madfaa ) and reached Europe in the 13th century, in a very limited manner. In Asia, Mongols adopted the Chinese artillery and used it effectively in the great conquest . By the late 14th century, Chinese rebels used organized artillery and cavalry to push Mongols out. As small smooth-bore barrels, these were initially cast in iron or bronze around
8184-399: The building for 19 years in order to turn it into a library, which they opened in 1979. From 1979 to 1982, the house was the Violet Riker Library, named after Violet Riker, who first initiated public library service in Jefferson. In 1982, the township acquired the library and began the process of turning it into a museum, after Emily Panek got a grant of $ 15,000 and $ 27,000 in donations. By 1984
8308-453: The building had been completely repaired after they sandblasted the walls, replaced a hole in the front door, repaired the windows, and replaced the chestnut floors. The house is currently the Jefferson Township Museum. Jefferson Township is governed under a Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act . The township is one of 71 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this form of government. The governing body
8432-428: The closest exits are 33 and 34 in neighboring Wharton . State routes include Route 15 (part of the "Sparta Bypass") in the southwest, Route 23 in the northeast (as it straddles the Passaic County border) and Route 181 in the southwest. Green Pond Road, officially CR 513 , is the only major county road that passes through for a short stretch in the northeast section. NJ Transit had provided local bus service on
8556-431: The course of military history, projectiles were manufactured from a wide variety of materials, into a wide variety of shapes, using many different methods in which to target structural/defensive works and inflict enemy casualties . The engineering applications for ordnance delivery have likewise changed significantly over time, encompassing some of the most complex and advanced technologies in use today. In some armies,
8680-403: The current context originated in the Middle Ages . One suggestion is that it comes from French atelier , meaning the place where manual work is done. Another suggestion is that it originates from the 13th century and the Old French artillier , designating craftsmen and manufacturers of all materials and warfare equipments (spears, swords, armor, war machines); and, for the next 250 years,
8804-511: The defense in a siege was lost. Cannons during this period were elongated, and the recipe for gunpowder was improved to make it three times as powerful as before. These changes led to the increased power in the artillery weapons of the time. Joan of Arc encountered gunpowder weaponry several times. When she led the French against the English at the Battle of Tourelles, in 1430, she faced heavy gunpowder fortifications, and yet her troops prevailed in that battle. In addition, she led assaults against
8928-447: The design and development of artillery ammunition in 1919. In 1921, the arsenal took over responsibility for experimental work on fuzes . On July 10, 1926, lightning struck a Navy ammunition warehouse and started a fire. As a result, several million pounds of explosives detonated over a period of two or three days. This left not only structural devastation, but military and civilian casualties as well. The value of ammunition destroyed
9052-415: The development of artillery ordnance, systems, organizations, and operations until the present, with artillery systems capable of providing support at ranges from as little as 100 m to the intercontinental ranges of ballistic missiles . The only combat in which artillery is unable to take part is close-quarters combat , with the possible exception of artillery reconnaissance teams. The word as used in
9176-618: The district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Milton School with 175 students in grades Pre-K–K, Ellen T. Briggs School with 278 students in grades K–2, Cozy Lake School with 173 students in grades 1–2, Arthur T. Stanlick School with 280 students in grades 3–5, White Rock Elementary School with 325 students in grades 3–5, Jefferson Township Middle School with 728 students in grades 6–8 and Jefferson Township High School with 937 students in grades 9–12. As of May 2010 ,
9300-453: The early 15th century, the Portuguese were the first to employ it extensively, and Portuguese engineers invented a canister round which consisted of a thin lead case filled with iron pellets, that broke up at the muzzle and scattered its contents in a narrow pattern. An innovation which Portugal adopted in advance of other European powers was fuse-delayed action shells, and were commonly used in 1505. Although dangerous, their effectiveness meant
9424-414: The end of the 14th century, cannons were only powerful enough to knock in roofs, and could not penetrate castle walls. However, a major change occurred between 1420 and 1430, when artillery became much more powerful and could now batter strongholds and fortresses quite efficiently. The English, French, and Burgundians all advanced in military technology, and as a result the traditional advantage that went to
9548-433: The enemy by obscuring their view. Fire may be directed by an artillery observer or another observer, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, or called onto map coordinates . Military doctrine has had a significant influence on the core engineering design considerations of artillery ordnance through its history, in seeking to achieve a balance between the delivered volume of fire with ordnance mobility. However, during
9672-507: The explosives storage structures during a thunderstorm and started a fire. As a result, several million pounds of explosives detonated over a period of two or three days. Captain Otto Dowling , USN was in charge at the time, and received a Distinguished Service Cross for his handling of the situation. This caused $ 47,000,000 in damage, massive structural devastation (187 of 200 buildings destroyed), and military and civilian casualties. As
9796-646: The facility also began producing heavy munitions and grew more involved in research and development activities. During World War II Picatinny was a major large-caliber-round loading plant with 18,000 employees. Today, the facility develops new technologies for the US Armed Forces and builds various munitions , weapons and armor systems. Picatinny Arsenal is also home to the US Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Directorate . This group
9920-410: The fallen city, and Marinids brought cannons and used them in the assault on Ceuta. Finally, hand-held firearms and riflemen appear in Morocco, in 1437, in an expedition against the people of Tangiers . It is clear these weapons had developed into several different forms, from small guns to large artillery pieces. The artillery revolution in Europe caught on during the Hundred Years' War and changed
10044-494: The ground breaking legs and ankles. The development of modern artillery occurred in the mid to late 19th century as a result of the convergence of various improvements in the underlying technology. Advances in metallurgy allowed for the construction of breech-loading rifled guns that could fire at a much greater muzzle velocity . After the British artillery was shown up in the Crimean War as having barely changed since
10168-423: The gun barrel and a new tool—a worm —was introduced to remove them. Gustavus Adolphus is identified as the general who made cannon an effective force on the battlefield—pushing the development of much lighter and smaller weapons and deploying them in far greater numbers than previously. The outcome of battles was still determined by the clash of infantry. Shells, explosive-filled fused projectiles, were in use by
10292-418: The introduction in the 15th century of a dedicated field carriage with axle, trail and animal-drawn limber—this produced mobile field pieces that could move and support an army in action, rather than being found only in the siege and static defenses. The reduction in the size of the barrel was due to improvements in both iron technology and gunpowder manufacture, while the development of trunnions —projections at
10416-470: The introduction of a gun shield necessary. The problems of how to employ a fixed or horse-towed gun in mobile warfare necessitated the development of new methods of transporting the artillery into combat. Two distinct forms of artillery were developed: the towed gun, used primarily to attack or defend a fixed-line; and the self-propelled gun, intended to accompany a mobile force and to provide continuous fire support and/or suppression. These influences have guided
10540-486: The largest share of an army's total firepower. Originally, the word "artillery" referred to any group of soldiers primarily armed with some form of manufactured weapon or armour. Since the introduction of gunpowder and cannon, "artillery" has largely meant cannon, and in contemporary usage, usually refers to shell -firing guns , howitzers , and mortars (collectively called barrel artillery , cannon artillery or gun artillery ) and rocket artillery . In common speech,
10664-451: The modern period, the consideration of protecting the gunners also arose due to the late-19th-century introduction of the new generation of infantry weapons using conoidal bullet , better known as the Minié ball , with a range almost as long as that of field artillery. The gunners' increasing proximity to and participation in direct combat against other combat arms and attacks by aircraft made
10788-573: The name to the Picatinny Powder Depot "after the Lenape -named peak overlooking the old forge, loosely translated to mean 'rugged cliff by water' or 'water by the hills.'" A deed dated June 26, 1880 records the first land purchase for the future Picatinny Arsenal. George E. Righter transferred 1,195.8 acres (4.839 km) centered on Lake Picatinny to the United States government in return for $ 35,874.00. This area, afterwards known as
10912-468: The nuts, bolts and screws made their mass production and repair much easier. While the Gribeauval system made for more efficient production and assembly, the carriages used were heavy and the gunners were forced to march on foot (instead of riding on the limber and gun as in the British system). Each cannon was named for the weight of its projectiles, giving us variants such as 4, 8, and 12, indicating
11036-422: The opposite side of Parker Road was acquired from Helen Jane Larsen with 1.5 acres (6,100 m) for $ 10,534.00, as well as the former home of Clarence and Agnes Burdette, constructed around 1919. At the time, the government appraiser praised the landscaping and the grassy knoll location. World War II interfered with the arsenal's efforts to concentrate on research and development. As one of the few facilities with
11160-433: The population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 31.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 100.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 98.3 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
11284-489: The population. As of the 2000 Census, 25.7% of residents identified their ancestry as Italian , 22.9% Irish , 21.7% German , 11.6% English and 10.0% Polish . There were 7,131 households, out of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.5% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.6% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who
11408-417: The population. Of the 7,830 households, 35.6% had children under the age of 18; 62.0% were married couples living together; 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.0% were non-families. Of all households, 20.7% were made up of individuals and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.19. 24.6% of
11532-424: The portion along Lake Hoptacong with "Wharton" postal addresses state that they are from "Lake Shawnee"; people in that area, as of that year, do not state they are from "Wharton". Residents in the lake areas in the township state they are from particular localities. As of that year, in the section of Oak Ridge in Jefferson Township, the people there state they are from "Milton". Portions of the township are owned by
11656-701: The present day - though in limited numbers. These cannons varied between 180 and 260 pounders, weighing anywhere between 3–8 tons, measuring between 3–6 m. Between 1593 and 1597, about 200,000 Korean and Chinese troops which fought against Japan in Korea actively used heavy artillery in both siege and field combat. Korean forces mounted artillery in ships as naval guns , providing an advantage against Japanese navy which used Kunikuzushi (国崩し – Japanese breech-loading swivel gun ) and Ōzutsu (大筒 – large size Tanegashima ) as their largest firearms. Bombards were of value mainly in sieges . A famous Turkish example used at
11780-461: The range and power of infantry firearms . Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges , and led to heavy, fairly immobile siege engines . As technology improved, lighter, more mobile field artillery cannons developed for battlefield use. This development continues today; modern self-propelled artillery vehicles are highly mobile weapons of great versatility generally providing
11904-468: The rate of fire, since a soldier would no longer have to worry about what end of the ramrod they were using. Jean-Baptiste de Gribeauval , a French artillery engineer, introduced the standardization of cannon design in the mid-18th century. He developed a 6-inch (150 mm) field howitzer whose gun barrel, carriage assembly and ammunition specifications were made uniform for all French cannons. The standardized interchangeable parts of these cannons down to
12028-406: The responsibility of the artillery arm. The majority of combat deaths in the Napoleonic Wars , World War I , and World War II were caused by artillery. In 1944, Joseph Stalin said in a speech that artillery was "the god of war". Although not called by that name, siege engines performing the role recognizable as artillery have been employed in warfare since antiquity. The first known catapult
12152-548: The role of providing support to other arms in combat or of attacking targets, particularly in-depth. Broadly, these effects fall into two categories, aiming either to suppress or neutralize the enemy, or to cause casualties, damage, and destruction. This is mostly achieved by delivering high-explosive munitions to suppress, or inflict casualties on the enemy from casing fragments and other debris and from blast , or by destroying enemy positions, equipment, and vehicles. Non-lethal munitions, notably smoke, can also suppress or neutralize
12276-415: The same time, the government gave $ 200.00 to Lewis Spicer and his wife for a 50-foot (15 m) strip on which to construct a road from Spicertown to the powder depot. In 1891, the army transferred 315 acres (1.27 km) bordering Lake Denmark to the navy. The arsenal was located in a valley between two sets of hills that might shield the surrounding countryside from any accidental explosions. In 1907,
12400-735: The sense of the word "artillery" covered all forms of military weapons. Hence, the naming of the Honourable Artillery Company , which was essentially an infantry unit until the 19th century. Another suggestion is that it comes from the Italian arte de tirare (art of shooting), coined by one of the first theorists on the use of artillery, Niccolò Tartaglia . The term was used by Girolamo Ruscelli (died 1566) in his Precepts of Modern Militia published posthumously in 1572. Mechanical systems used for throwing ammunition in ancient warfare, also known as " engines of war ", like
12524-466: The side of the cannon as an integral part of the cast—allowed the barrel to be fixed to a more movable base, and also made raising or lowering the barrel much easier. The first land-based mobile weapon is usually credited to Jan Žižka , who deployed his oxen-hauled cannon during the Hussite Wars of Bohemia (1418–1424). However, cannons were still large and cumbersome. With the rise of musketry in
12648-476: The siege of Roxburgh Castle in 1460. The able use of artillery supported to a large measure the expansion and defense of the Portuguese Empire , as it was a necessary tool that allowed the Portuguese to face overwhelming odds both on land and sea from Morocco to Asia. In great sieges and in sea battles, the Portuguese demonstrated a level of proficiency in the use of artillery after the beginning of
12772-454: The siege sixty-nine guns in fifteen separate batteries and trained them at the walls of the city. The barrage of Ottoman cannon fire lasted forty days, and they are estimated to have fired 19,320 times. Artillery also played a decisive role in the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs of 1444. Early cannon were not always reliable; King James II of Scotland was killed by the accidental explosion of one of his own cannon, imported from Flanders, at
12896-723: The strongest and largest gunpowder arsenal among the European powers, and yet the French, under Joan of Arc's leadership, were able to beat back the Burgundians and defend themselves. As a result, most of the battles of the Hundred Years' War that Joan of Arc participated in were fought with gunpowder artillery. The army of Mehmet the Conqueror , which conquered Constantinople in 1453, included both artillery and foot soldiers armed with gunpowder weapons. The Ottomans brought to
13020-406: The term "gunners" for the soldiers and sailors with the primary function of using artillery. The gunners and their guns are usually grouped in teams called either "crews" or "detachments". Several such crews and teams with other functions are combined into a unit of artillery, usually called a battery , although sometimes called a company. In gun detachments, each role is numbered, starting with "1"
13144-479: The township had a total of 133.62 miles (215.04 km) of roadways, of which 112.52 miles (181.08 km) were maintained by the municipality, 12.77 miles (20.55 km) by Morris County and 8.33 miles (13.41 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation . A few major roads pass through Jefferson. Interstate 80 passes through very briefly in the southern tip without any interchanges;
13268-634: The use and effectiveness of Portuguese firearms above contemporary powers, making cannon the most essential element in the Portuguese arsenal. The three major classes of Portuguese artillery were anti-personnel guns with a high borelength (including: rebrodequim , berço , falconete , falcão , sacre , áspide , cão , serpentina and passavolante ); bastion guns which could batter fortifications ( camelete , leão , pelicano , basilisco , águia , camelo , roqueira , urso ); and howitzers that fired large stone cannonballs in an elevated arch, weighted up to 4000 pounds and could fire incendiary devices, such as
13392-520: The vote (4,043 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.9% (1,596 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (89 votes), among the 5,789 ballots cast by the township's 13,715 registered voters (61 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 63.4% of the vote (4,270 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.8% (1,809 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.5% (572 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (56 votes), among
13516-492: The way that battles were fought. In the preceding decades, the English had even used a gunpowder-like weapon in military campaigns against the Scottish. However, at this time, the cannons used in battle were very small and not particularly powerful. Cannons were only useful for the defense of a castle , as demonstrated at Breteuil in 1356, when the besieged English used a cannon to destroy an attacking French assault tower. By
13640-580: The weapon of artillery is the projectile, not the equipment that fires it. The process of delivering fire onto the target is called gunnery. The actions involved in operating an artillery piece are collectively called "serving the gun" by the "detachment" or gun crew, constituting either direct or indirect artillery fire. The manner in which gunnery crews (or formations) are employed is called artillery support. At different periods in history, this may refer to weapons designed to be fired from ground-, sea-, and even air-based weapons platforms . Some armed forces use
13764-421: The weight in pounds. The projectiles themselves included solid balls or canister containing lead bullets or other material. These canister shots acted as massive shotguns, peppering the target with hundreds of projectiles at close range. The solid balls, known as round shot , was most effective when fired at shoulder-height across a flat, open area. The ball would tear through the ranks of the enemy or bounce along
13888-573: The word "artillery" is often used to refer to individual devices, along with their accessories and fittings, although these assemblages are more properly called "equipment". However, there is no generally recognized generic term for a gun, howitzer, mortar, and so forth: the United States uses "artillery piece", but most English-speaking armies use "gun" and "mortar". The projectiles fired are typically either " shot " (if solid) or "shell" (if not solid). Historically, variants of solid shot including canister , chain shot and grapeshot were also used. "Shell"
14012-424: Was $ 92,095 (with a margin of error of +/− $ 6,923) and the median family income was $ 102,324 (+/− $ 6,788). Males had a median income of $ 73,152 (+/− $ 3,827) versus $ 51,933 (+/− $ 2,776) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $ 37,912 (+/− $ 1,795). About 2.6% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line , including 3.2% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over. As of
14136-424: Was 544.7 per square mile (210.3/km ). There were 8,597 housing units at an average density of 219.7 per square mile (84.8/km ). The racial makeup was 90.64% (19,318) White , 1.56% (332) Black or African American , 0.08% (18) Native American , 4.60% (981) Asian , 0.02% (4) Pacific Islander , 1.49% (317) from other races , and 1.61% (344) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.48% (1,382) of
14260-464: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.17. In the township the age distribution of the population shows 26.9% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 33.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males. The median income for
14384-719: Was adopted and fielded in 1995 with the designation MIL-STD-1913 , dated February 3, 1995. In 2007, Picatinny Arsenal's largest tenant, ARDEC, received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award . In 2010, Picatinny Arsenal developed the M855A1 EPR round, an environmentally friendly, improved version of the M855 5.56x45mm standardized ammunition. In 2014, Picatinny Arsenal obtained its first all-female command pairing, with Lt. Col. Ingrid Parker and Sgt. Maj. Rosalba Dumont-Carrion. In 2019,
14508-482: Was an effort to change the mailing address for the Lake Shawnee section of town from a Wharton, NJ 07885 ZIP code, to a Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849 ZIP code. The effort was narrowly defeated. In 2026, a new effort will be made to change the mailing address ZIP code to Lake Hopatcong, NJ 07849. The Jefferson Township Municipal Building, Middle School, High School, Recycling Center and school bus depot are positioned at
14632-496: Was developed in Syracuse in 399 BC. Until the introduction of gunpowder into western warfare, artillery was dependent upon mechanical energy which not only severely limited the kinetic energy of the projectiles, it also required the construction of very large engines to accumulate sufficient energy. A 1st-century BC Roman catapult launching 6.55 kg (14.4 lb) stones achieved a kinetic energy of 16 kilojoules , compared to
14756-454: Was invented in the eastern Mediterranean region in the 12th century, with the earliest definite attestation in 1187. Early Chinese artillery had vase-like shapes. This includes the "long range awe inspiring" cannon dated from 1350 and found in the 14th century Ming dynasty treatise Huolongjing . With the development of better metallurgy techniques, later cannons abandoned the vase shape of early Chinese artillery. This change can be seen in
14880-1233: Was named after Thomas Jefferson , the President of the United States at the time the Township was created. The township is situated in the northernmost part of Morris County bordering both Passaic and Sussex counties. According to the United States Census Bureau , the township had a total area of 42.77 square miles (110.8 km ), including 38.90 square miles (100.8 km ) of land and 3.88 square miles (10.0 km ) of water (9.06%). The township borders Mount Arlington , Rockaway Township , Roxbury and Wharton in Morris County; West Milford in Passaic County ; and Hardyston Township , Hopatcong and Sparta in Sussex County . The township has two large divisions, Milton and Lake Hopatcong . Each half has its own first-aid squad, fire department substation and set of elementary schools. Addresses in
15004-698: Was the equivalent of a billion dollars in present-day terms. As a result of a full-scale Congressional investigation, Congress directed the establishment of the Armed Forces Explosives Safety Board to provide oversight on every aspect of explosives under the control of the US Armed Forces. The review led to creation of a remote, safe depot to serve the West Coast , which became the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot in Nevada, opened in 1928. The arsenal continued to realize its potential as
15128-489: Was the site of the United States' Army Munitions Command. After World War II , Picatinny refocused its efforts on developing new weapons and munitions. Its support to the American forces in Korea included an improved bazooka and an illuminating rifle grenade. In periods of peace, the arsenal made important contributions to progress in the areas of radar , pyrotechnics, missiles, time fuzes, and nuclear munitions (including
15252-501: Was used in Europe as a basic artillery manual. One of the most significant effects of artillery during this period was however somewhat more indirect—by easily reducing to rubble any medieval-type fortification or city wall (some which had stood since Roman times), it abolished millennia of siege-warfare strategies and styles of fortification building. This led, among other things, to a frenzy of new bastion -style fortifications to be built all over Europe and in its colonies, but also had
15376-423: Was viewed as its own service branch with the capability of dominating the battlefield. The success of the French artillery companies was at least in part due to the presence of specially trained artillery officers leading and coordinating during the chaos of battle. Napoleon , himself a former artillery officer, perfected the tactic of massed artillery batteries unleashed upon a critical point in his enemies' line as
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