Morris County, New Jersey

Morris County was named after Colonel Lewis Morris, governor of New Jersey in 1738–39, the year the county was named.[17]

The Wisconsin Glacier covered the northern section of Morris County from about 23,000 B.C. to 13,000 B.C.

After the Wisconsin Glacier melted around 13,000 B.C., Paleo Indians moved into the area from the south in search of big and small game as well as plants. The area was first tundra with grasses growing. Rabbits and fox moved into the area from the south.

Around the year 1000, the area of Morris County was inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans prior to the arrival of European settlers. They came from the Mississippi River area. They lived along the rivers and hunted game, fished, collected plants and nuts.

Henry Hudson explored the Hudson River area in 1609, and later the Dutch did surveys of the area.

From 1611 to 1614, the Dutch established the colony of New Netherland, which claimed territory between the 40th and 45th parallel north, a zone which included northern New Jersey. Dutch forts were established along the Hudson River beginning in 1613. As the years went by, more forts were established to trade with Native Americans.

The Native Americans traded furs and food with the Dutch for various goods. In return the Dutch gave the Native Americans metal pots, knives, guns, axes, and blankets. Trading with the Native Americans occurred until 1643 when a series of wars broke out between the Dutch and Native Americans.

There were hostile relations between the Dutch and Native Americans between 1643 and 1660. This prevented colonization by the Dutch of the Morris County region which was technically included in their claimed "New Netherland".

On August 27, 1664, three English ships approached Fort Amsterdam and the fort was surrendered to the English. The English now controlled New Netherland and Morris County was now under control of the colony of New York. Relations with the Native Americans improved for a while.

There was a war with the Dutch ten years later. The Dutch re-took control of New Amsterdam but after a year returned it to the English. Relations with the Native Americans and English improved for a while.[18]

European settlements began in the early 18th century while the area was known as Hunterdon County. Native Americans were still in the area at that time. Land was purchased from the Native Americans for various things such as blankets, shirts, rum, guns, knives, pots and gunpowder. European colonization occurred along the Atlantic coast and moved inland.

The first European settlement in the area today known as Morris County occurred in Pompton Plains by the Dutch in 1695.[19] From 1710 to 1730, various iron mines and forges were established. The first was in Whippany in 1710 and then in Succasunna in 1713.

By 1750, nearly all Native Americans had left New Jersey. This was due to land purchases from the Native Americans, diseases that the Native Americans contracted from Europeans, and due to starvation from the Little Ice Age, during which Native American corn crops failed and rivers froze, preventing fishing. Snow storms sent game into semi-hibernation or made them difficult to find. Nut crops such as oak, hickory, beech, walnut, chestnut and butternut failed some years due to late frosts in spring. Many of the Morris County Native Americans went to eastern Canada and others went to the Ohio Valley. The Walking Purchase in September 1737, prevented Native Americans from going to eastern Pennsylvania. At that time, European settlement grew swiftly as there was now land to be farmed and settled.

Morris County was originally part of Burlington County which had been established in 1694. It then became part of Hunterdon County, which separated from Burlington County in 1714.[1]

Morris County was created on March 15, 1739, from portions of Hunterdon County.[1] The county was named for the Governor of the Province of New Jersey, Colonel Lewis Morris.[20] In later years Sussex County (on June 8, 1753) and, after the revolution, Warren County (on November 20, 1824, from portions of Sussex County) were carved out of what had been the original area of Morris County under English rule.[1]

The county was the site of the winter camp of the Continental Army after the Battles of Trenton and Princeton during the winter of 1777, as well as another winter camp at Jockey Hollow during an extremely cold winter of 1779–80.[21]

In the 1880s, Dover was the center of iron ore mining with the 132 mines producing 700,000 tons of ore annually. The mines were mostly worked by Cornish miners, with the bulk of the population in Dover and Port Oram of Cornish extraction. At that time the Cornish had kept their customs and dialect, were deeply religious and predominantly Methodists.[22]

Morris has a humid continental climate (Dfa/Dfb) and the hardiness zones are 6a and 6b.

In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Morristown have ranged from a low of 18 to 23 °F (−8 to −5 °C) in January to a high of 83 to 85 °F (28 to 29 °C) in July, although a record low of −26 °F (−32 °C) was recorded in February 1934 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in August 2001. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 3.12 inches (79 mm) in February to 5.33 inches (135 mm) in September.[25]

Barn located in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge located in Harding Township

Around 500 million years ago, a chain of volcanic islands shaped like an arc collided with proto-North America. The islands rode over top of the North American plate. This created the highlands in western Morris County and the eastern section of Morris County.[26]

Around 400 million years ago, a small continent long and narrow collided with proto-North America. This created folding and faulting, as compression occurred. Then around 350 million years ago, the African plate collided with North America creating the folding and faulting in the Appalachians. But when the African plate pulled away from North America, an aborted rift valley was created. This half graben, starts east of Boonton and goes through the middle of Parsippany, south to Morristown, to the south end of Great Swamp. From Parsippany and the Boonton area the half graben goes east to the western side of Paterson, where there was another fault by the lava flows. East of the Ramapo Fault is where there is this aborted rift valley.[26]

The Ramapo fault goes through the county on a northeast–southwest axis. The fault separates the Highlands from the Piedmont, also known as the Newark Basin. This is an active fault. The last major earthquake occurred in 1884, with a strength measured at 5.3 on the Richter scale.[27]

Around 21,000 BCE., the Wisconsin Glacier covered about half of Morris County. The terminal moraine went from Hackettstown east to north of Budd Lake, east to Rockaway and Denville, then southeast to Morristown then south to the south end of Great Swamp. When the glacier melted around 13,000 B.C. the melt water created Glacial Lake Passaic. The lake extended from what is now Pompton Lakes through Parsippany south to the south end of Great Swamp. From Parsippany the lake went east to the lava flows of western Paterson. This lake was 30 miles (48 km) long and 10 miles (16 km) miles wide and the depth was about 200 feet (61 m). When the Wisconsin glacier covered Morris County, the ice sheet was about 300 metres (980 ft) deep. Due to debris from the glacier, the lake was unable to drain through the Watchung Mountains near Short Hills. Instead, it drained through Moggy Hollow at the southwestern end of the lake. But when the glacier melted and receded to the New York State line, the lake drained though the Little Falls area, as this was lower in elevation than Moggy Hollow. And thus the Passaic River formed.

The swamps of the Great Piece Meadows, Hatfield Swamp, Troy Meadows, Lee Meadows and Great Swamp were all under the Lake Passaic until it drained, and then these areas were created.[28]

As of the 2020 census, the county had 509,285 people, 184,885 households, and 129,707 families. The population density was 1,106.7 inhabitants per square mile (427.3/km²). There were 197,722 housing units at an average density of 429.67 per square mile (165.9/km²). The county's racial makeup was 67.0% White, 3.06% African American, 0.07% Native American, 11.3% Asian, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race accounted for 15.05% of the population.

Of the 184,885 households, of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 22.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 13.5% had a male householder with no wife present and 29.8% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.17.

About 21.4% of the county's population was under age 18, 8.5% was from age 18 to 24, 35.9% was from age 15 to 44, and 17.5% was age 65 or older. The median age was 43.3 years. The gender makeup of the city was 49.2% male and 50.8% female. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. The city's median household income was $116,283, and the median family income was $141,633. About 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.1% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.[31]

The 2010 United States census counted 492,276 people, 180,534 households, and 129,262 families in the county. The population density was 1,069.8 per square mile (413.1/km²). There were 189,842 housing units at an average density of 412.5 per square mile (159.3/km²). The racial makeup was 82.61% (406,683) White, 3.12% (15,360) Black or African American, 0.16% (805) Native American, 8.95% (44,069) Asian, 0.02% (106) Pacific Islander, 3.03% (14,910) from other races, and 2.10% (10,343) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.47% (56,482) of the population.[7]

Of the 180,534 households, 33.9% had children under the age of 18; 59.6% were married couples living together; 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.4% were non-families. Of all households, 23.5% were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.19.[7]

23.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 30% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.2 males.[7]

Morris County Courthouse, built 1827, in Morristown

Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners comprised of seven members who are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election.[32] Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator Deena Leary.

In 2016, freeholders were paid $24,375 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $25,350.[33]

As of 2023, Morris County's Commissioners are Commissioner Director John Krickus (R, Washington Township, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as director ends December 31, 2023)[34] Commissioner Deputy Director Christine Myers (R, Mendham Township, term as commissioner ends 2025; term as deputy director ends December 31, 2023),[35] Douglas Cabana (R, Boonton Township, 2025),[36] Thomas J. Mastrangelo (R, Montville, 2025),[37] Tayfun Selen (R, Chatham Township, 2023),[38] Stephen H. Shaw (R, Mountain Lakes, 2024)[39] and Deborah Smith (R, Denville, 2024).[40][41]^: 2[42][43][44][45][46]

Morris County in 1872

No Democrat has been elected to county-wide office since 1973; the longest Democratic drought in any New Jersey county. Former county commissioners include:[47]

• 2018–2020: Heather Darling (R)
• 2013–2019: John Cesaro (R)
• 2012–2018: Hank Lyon (R)
• 2013–2015: David Scapicchio (R)
• 2007–2012: Eugene Feyl (R)
• 1999–2012: Margaret Nordstrom (R)
• 2006–2012: William Chegwidden (R)
• 1998–2012: John Murphy (R)
• 1999–2010: Jack Schrier (R)
• 2007–2010: James Murray (R)
• 2001–2007: John Inglesino (R)
• 1992–2006: Cecilia Laureys (R)
• 1984, 1992–2006: Frank Dreutzler (R)
• 1995–1997: Chris Christie (R)
• 1975–1978: Douglas Romaine (D)

Pursuant to Article VII Section II of the New Jersey State Constitution, each county in New Jersey is required to have three elected administrative officials known as constitutional officers. These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term).[48] As of 2023, they are County Clerk Ann F. Grossi (R, Parsippany–Troy Hills, 2023),[49][50] Sheriff James M. Gannon (R, Boonton Township, 2025)[51][52] and Surrogate Heather Darling (R, Roxbury, 2024).[53][54]

The County Prosecutor is Robert J. Carroll of Roseland, who was sworn into the position in October 2020 following the retirement of Frederic M. Knapp.[55][56] Morris County is a part of Vicinage 10 of the New Jersey Superior Court (along with Sussex County), which is seated at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown; the Assignment Judge for Vicinage 10 is Stuart A. Minkowitz.[57] Law enforcement at the county level is the Morris County Sheriff's Office.

The Morris County Park Police was disbanded and merged with the Sheriff's Office on January 1, 2022. The County law enforcement organization includes the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

The 7th and 11th Congressional Districts cover the county.[58][59] For the 118th United States Congress. New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield).[60] For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Mikie Sherrill (D, Montclair).[61]

The 39 municipalities of Morris County are represented by four legislative districts.

The Morris Automated Information Network, which supplies Internet service to area libraries, turned down $10,000 per year in federal funding, starting in 2004. Acceptance of the grants would have required the network to install anti-porn content filters to comply with the Children's Internet Protection Act. As these filters excluded legitimate information—such as pages with the word "breast" in online searches regarding "breast cancer"—the network declined to accept these grants.[63]

Another organization having the power to affect the county budget without county governmental control is the Morris County Board of Taxation,[64] (also called the Morris County Tax Board). "[T]he freeholders, and county government in general, do not have control over tax board spending. ... [T]he tax board is an entity of state government, even though it submits expense vouchers to county government."[65]

Based on IRS data for the 2004 tax year, Morris County had the tenth-highest average federal income tax liability per return in the country. Average tax liability was $15,296, representing 16.3% of adjusted gross income.[75] Mountain Lakes ranked among the highest annual property tax bills in New Jersey, and highest in Morris County, in 2018 of $20,471, compared to a statewide average of $8,767.[76]

Morristown Medical Center is the flagship of Atlantic Health System

Morris County is home to 33 Fortune 500 businesses that have headquarters, offices or a major facility in Morris County. These include AT&T, Honeywell, Colgate-Palmolive, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, ExxonMobil, Novartis, BASF, Verizon, and Bayer, among others.[77] Major industries include finance, insurance, real estate, pharmaceuticals, health services, research and development, and technology. There are 13,000 acres (20 sq mi) set aside for 28 county parks. Four county golf courses and 16 public and private courses are in Morris.

The Downtowns in Madison (above) and Chatham (below) are among the many pedestrian-oriented commercial centers in Morris County

Major employers in the county include:[19]

An early 1900s Arts and Crafts influenced Hapgood home located on Boulevard in Mountain Lakes

East Gate Entrance to Smoke Rise, an upscale private gated community located in Kinnelon

A Federal-style Colonial home located in Chester Township

In 2018, the median house price in Morris County was $469,900, the second highest in the state behind Bergen County (with a median home price of $476,200).[78]

In the Forbes magazine 2012 ranking of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, New Vernon (located within Harding Township) was ranked as the 32nd most expensive in the country, with a median home sale price of $2,701,885. There were a total of 6 Morris county zip codes listed in the top 500, which were Mountain Lakes (No. 288; $909,474), Mendham (includes both Mendham Borough and Mendham Township) (No. 356; $800,672), Chatham (includes both Chatham Borough and Chatham Township) (No. 375; $776,703), Florham Park (No. 440; $675,107), and Kinnelon (No. 462; $630,414).[79]

In the magazine's 2006 listing, New Vernon (Harding Township) was ranked as the 23rd most expensive in the country, with its median home sale price in 2005 of $1,596,587 ranking as the state's 2nd highest behind Alpine located in Bergen County. In all, 5 Morris County zip codes were represented on the list in addition to New Vernon, including Mendham (includes both Mendham Borough and Mendham Township) (ranked No. 209; median sale price of $835,000), Mountain Lakes (No. 217; $826,250), Green Village (located within portions of both Harding Township and Chatham Township) (No. 282; $777,465), and Chester (includes both Chester Borough and Chester Township) (No. 288; $775,000).[80]

The United States Equestrian Team, the international equestrian team for the United States, was founded in 1950 at the Coates estate on Van Beuren Road in Morristown.[92]

Morristown has a cricketing club, the first in North America.[93][94]

The Mennen Arena in Morris Township, facilitated by The Morris County Park Commission, hosts various sporting events from ice hockey, figure skating, indoor football and outdoor rugby, to professional wrestling, MMA and Shrine Circus.

Morris County Golf Club

Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club

Rockaway Townsquare

The county's parks are under the administration of the Morris County Park Commission; established in 1956, it is the largest county park system in New Jersey with more than 20,000 acres (8,100 ha) of land under its management for recreational, leisure, and educational use.[95][96] As of May 2022, it operates 38 facilities including outdoor parks, trails, a marina, an ice skating arena, a horse stable, a historical farm and an operating mill.[95][96]

In March 1958, the Lewis Morris County Park in Morris Township became the first park dedicated by the MCPC, covering 350 acres (140 ha). As of 2021, it has expanded to 2,196 acres (889 ha) with 22.1 miles (35.6 km) of trails. The park was named for Lewis Morris, the first Colonial Governor of New Jersey.[97][98] The second park acquisition was a donation in 1956 of 75 acres (30 ha) of land in Randolph now known as James Andrews Memorial Park, which has since been expanded to cover more than 580 acres (230 ha).[99] Notably, Morristown National Historical Park became the country's first National Historical Park in 1933.[100]

• Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Morristown National Historical Park
• Troy Meadows

• Morris County Golf Club, founded in 1894, was unique at the time in that it was established and operated by women. Two of the club's presidents have served as United States Golf Association presidents, which the club joined in 1895. The current course was designed in 1916 by architect Seth Raynor. The current clubhouse was built in 1919.
• Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club, established in 1905, the yacht club is located on the small peninsula of Bertrand Island along Lake Hopatcong. The Adirondack style clubhouse structure was listed on both the National and New Jersey registers of historic places in 1999.[101]
• Rockaway Townsquare located in Rockaway Township is a super-regional mall anchored by Macy's, JCPenney, and Raymour & Flanigan with a gross leasable area of 1,248,000 square feet (115,900 m²),[102] placing it in the top ten among the largest shopping malls in New Jersey.

Route 24 westbound in Chatham Borough

As of 2010, the county had a total of 2,527.39 miles (4,067.44 km) of roadways, of which 2,070.57 miles (3,332.26 km) are maintained by the local municipality, 295.54 miles (475.63 km) by Morris County and 161.28 miles (259.56 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[103]

Morris County is served by several major roadways including:

• Interstate 80
• Interstate 280
• Interstate 287
• U.S. Route 46
• U.S. Route 202
• U.S. Route 206
• Route 10
• Route 15
• Route 23
• Route 181 (Only in Jefferson Township)
• Route 24
• Route 124
• County Route 513
• County Route 517 (Only in Washington Township)
• County Route 510

Madison Train Station

Millington Train Station

NJ Transit also provides rail service with Morris County via its Morris & Essex Lines and Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal and to New York City via its Midtown Direct service. Rail stations are located in the county providing electrified train service seven days a week from: Chatham, Madison, Convent Station, Morristown, Morris Plains, Denville, and Dover on NJ Transit's Morris & Essex Lines; electrified train service seven days a week from Gillette, Millington and Stirling on the Gladstone Branch; and diesel train service (weekdays only) from Mount Arlington, Lake Hopatcong, Netcong, Mount Olive, Mountain Lakes, Boonton, Towaco (Montville) and Lincoln Park.[104][105]

Bus transportation is also offered by several carriers including Lakeland Bus Lines and NJ Transit.[106]

Morristown Municipal Airport is a general aviation reliever airport located 3 miles (4.8 km) east of downtown Morristown. Operated by DM Airports, Ltd, it is in the Whippany section of Hanover Township.[107]