In 1753, when Sussex County was formed from portions of Morris County, the area of present-day Hamburg was part of New Town; on February 25, 1762, it became part of the newly established Hardyston Township. On April 8, 1793, when Vernon Township was formed from Hardyston, Hamburg was included within the boundaries of Vernon. In 1852, the boundary line was changed so that Hamburg was again in Hardyston Township. Hamburg was incorporated as a borough on March 19, 1920, from portions of Hardyston Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 24, 1920.[21] The borough was named after Hamburg, Germany.[22]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.17 square miles (3.03 km2), including 1.15 square miles (2.96 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2) of water (2.05%).[1][2]
The 2010 United States census counted 3,277 people, 1,364 households, and 884 families in the borough. The population density was 2,870.4 per square mile (1,108.3/km2). There were 1,476 housing units at an average density of 1,292.9 per square mile (499.2/km2). The racial makeup was 91.27% (2,991) White, 2.01% (66) Black or African American, 0.24% (8) Native American, 2.04% (67) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.80% (59) from other races, and 2.62% (86) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.87% (225) of the population.[18]
Of the 1,364 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18; 49.5% were married couples living together; 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.2% were non-families. Of all households, 29.4% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.98.[18]
22.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.4 males.[18]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $64,016 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,681) and the median family income was $74,421 (+/− $13,156). Males had a median income of $66,083 (+/− $11,467) versus $40,735 (+/− $7,620) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,528 (+/− $3,671). About 7.0% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.[30]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[15] there were 3,105 people, 1,173 households, and 844 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,686.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,037.3/km2). There were 1,233 housing units at an average density of 1,066.9 per square mile (411.9/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.14% White, 0.74% African American, 0.29% Native American, 2.29% Asian, 1.67% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.22% of the population.[28][29]
There were 1,173 households, out of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14.[28][29]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 26.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 35.2% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.[28][29]
The median income for a household in the borough was $58,246, and the median income for a family was $64,773. Males had a median income of $45,729 versus $28,482 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,651. About 3.1% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.[28][29]
Government
Local government
Hamburg is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[31] The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[6] The borough form of government used by Hamburg is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[32][33]
As of 2024[update], the mayor of Hamburg Borough is Republican Richard Krasnomowitz, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are John Burd (R, 2025), George Endres (R, 2026), John Haig (R, 2024), Russell Law (R, 2025), Joyce Oehler (R, 2026) and Mark S. Sena (R, 2024).[3][34][35][36][37]
In August 2018, Joyce Oehler was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Chris Fitzpatrick until he resigned from office.[38] Oehler won the November 2018 special election to serve the balance of the term of office.[39]
In April 2014, the borough council selected former councilmember Russell Law from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 of Chris Kelly, who had resigned from office after announcing that he would be moving out of the borough.[40] Law served on an interim basis until the November 2014 general election, when he was elected to serve the one year remaining on the term of office.[41]
Federal, state and county representation
Hamburg is located in the 5th Congressional District[42] and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.[43][44][45]
Sussex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners whose five members are elected at-large in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Commissioner Director and Deputy Director from among its members, with day-to-day supervision of the operation of the county delegated to a County Administrator.[52] As of 2024[update], Sussex County's Commissioners are
Director Jill Space (R, Wantage Township, 2025),[53]
Deputy Director Chris Carney (R, Frankford Township, 2024),[54]
Jack DeGroot (R, Sussex, 2026),[55]
William Hayden (R, Branchville, 2025)[56] and
Earl Schick (R, Newton, 2024).[57][58]
Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are
Clerk Jeffrey M. Parrott (R, Wantage Township, 2026),[59]Sheriff Michael F. Strada (R, Hampton Township, 2025)[60] and
Surrogate Gary R. Chiusano (R, Frankford Township, 2028).[61]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,064 registered voters in Hamburg, of which 322 (15.6% vs. 16.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 752 (36.4% vs. 39.3%) were registered as Republicans and 988 (47.9% vs. 44.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.[62] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 63.0% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 81.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).[62][63]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 733 votes (53.6% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 594 votes (43.5% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 30 votes (2.2% vs. 2.1%), among the 1,367 ballots cast by the borough's 2,104 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.0% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County).[64] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 852 votes (57.1% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 606 votes (40.6% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 24 votes (1.6% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,491 ballots cast by the borough's 2,007 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.3% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County).[65] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 893 votes (63.0% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 490 votes (34.6% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 27 votes (1.9% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,417 ballots cast by the borough's 1,897 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.7% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).[66]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.7% of the vote (570 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.7% (250 votes), and other candidates with 2.6% (22 votes), among the 851 ballots cast by the borough's 2,115 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.2%.[67][68] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 546 votes (59.2% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 283 votes (30.7% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 78 votes (8.5% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 12 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 922 ballots cast by the borough's 1,985 registered voters, yielding a 46.4% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).[69]
Education
The Hamburg School District serves students in public school for kindergarten through eighth grade at Hamburg School.[70] As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 243 students and 29.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.3:1.[71]
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 11.04 miles (17.77 km) of roadways, of which 7.50 miles (12.07 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.00 mile (1.61 km) by Sussex County and 2.54 miles (4.09 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[74]
Route 23[75] and Route 94[76] intersect and pass through the borough.[77]
Public transportation
Hamburg is served by the Sussex County Skylands Ride Service, which provides buses to Newton, Sparta, and Sussex.[78]
^ a b cAnnual Estimates of the Resident Population for Minor Civil Divisions in New Jersey: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023, United States Census Bureau, released May 2024. Accessed May 16, 2024.
^ a b c d eDP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Hamburg borough, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 230. Accessed May 28, 2024.
^Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 31, 2015.
^Report on Population of the United States at the Eleventh Census: 1890. Part I, p. 239. United States Census Bureau, 1895. Accessed October 20, 2016.
^Fifteenth Census of the United States : 1930 - Population Volume I, United States Census Bureau, p. 719. Accessed February 18, 2013.
^Table 6: New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1940 - 2000, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, August 2001. Accessed May 1, 2023.
^ a b c d eCensus 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Hamburg borough, New Jersey Archived 2015-05-29 at the Wayback Machine, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^ a b c d eDP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Hamburg borough, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Hamburg borough, Sussex County, New Jersey Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 1, 2013.
^Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.
^"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.
^2024 Municipal User Friendly Budget, Hamburg Borough. Accessed May 20, 2024.
^Summary Results Report Official Results November 7 2023 General Election, Sussex County, New Jersey, November 22, 2023. Accessed February 1, 2024.
^Sussex County, New Jersey General Election November 8, 2022, Official Results Summary Report, Sussex County, New Jersey, dated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.
^Summary Results Report November 2, 2021 General Election Official Results, Sussex County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.
^"Republican, Democrat in contest for two-year term in Hamburg", New Jersey Herald, November 4, 2018. Accessed April 13, 2020. "Two candidates have been selected by their respective parties to run in the Nov. 6 general election for the two years remaining on the term of former Councilman Chris Fitzpatrick, who resigned from the council this past summer. Selected by the borough’s Democrats is Almir Osmanovic while the Republicans selected Joyce Oehler, who was chosen by the council in August to serve the rest of this year in Fitzpatrick’s seat."
^Sussex County, New Jersey General Election November 6, 2018, Official Results Summary Report, Sussex County, New Jersey, dated November 9, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.
^Staff. "Hamburg names new councilman", The Advertiser News, April 8, 2014. Accessed January 18, 2015. "Russell Law is sworn into his council seat to fill Chris Kelly's seat until someone is elected in November to finish the term ending Dec. 31, 2016."
^Sussex County General Election November 4, 2014 Summary Report Official Results, Sussex County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 10, 2014. Accessed August 1, 2016.
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Home, sweet home: Bob Menendez back in Hudson County. nj.com. Accessed April 30, 2021. "Booker, Cory A. - (D - NJ) Class II; Menendez, Robert - (D - NJ) Class I"
^About County Government, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 20, 2024. "Sussex County is governed by five (5) Commissioners who are elected by the voters of Sussex County. Each serves on the county’s Board of County Commissioners for a term of three (3) years, after which time they can seek re‐election or retire.... The Commissioners are elected at‐large to serve three‐year staggered terms. The five Commissioners elect a director from among themselves to run their meetings and to serve as a spokesperson for the board."
^Contact Us, Sussex County Clerk. Accessed May 20, 2024.
^Administration, Sussex County Sheriff's Office. Accessed May 20, 2024.
^Home Page, Sussex County Surrogate. Accessed May 20, 2024.
^ a bVoter Registration Summary - Sussex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Archived 2020-02-12 at archive.today, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^General Election November 6, 2012: District Report - Group Detail Archived June 6, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Sussex County, New Jersey Clerk, run date November 30, 2012. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^2008 Presidential General Election Results: Sussex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^2004 Presidential Election: Sussex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed February 20, 2013.
^"Governor - Sussex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. January 29, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
^"Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Sussex County" (PDF). New Jersey Department of Elections. January 29, 2014. Retrieved December 24, 2014.
^Hamburg Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Hamburg School District. Accessed September 4, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Hamburg School District. Composition: The Hamburg School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Hamburg in the County of Sussex."
^Jennings, Rob. "Wallkill Valley grad named superintendent/principal" Archived October 29, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Herald, August 26, 2015. Accessed October 28, 2017. "Wallkill Valley Regional High School enrolls students from Hamburg, Hardyston, Ogdensburg and Franklin."
^Lurie, Maxine N.; and Mappen, Marc. "Haines, Daniel", Encyclopedia of New Jersey, p. 344. Rutgers University Press, 2004. ISBN 9780813533254. Accessed October 28, 2017. "He died at his Hamburg home, which he shared with his second wife, Mary Townsend of Newark, whom he married in 1865."
^Bialas, Michael. "Taking the High Road, Heather Maloney Keeps Making All the Right Turns", The Huffington Post, October 7, 2015. Accessed April 16, 2016. "'It ends up sounding so cliche when you talk about it,' said the only daughter among three children who were raised in the northern New Jersey town of Hamburg and watched their parents go through a divorce."
^Joseph Sharp's Iron Works, Sussex County, New Jersey. Accessed October 28, 2017. "In 1768, Joseph Sharp erected a forge and furnace on the Wallkill River. The village around the Sharp Iron Works became known as Sharpsborough, later becoming Hamburg."
Further reading
McCabe, Wayne T.; and McCabe, Margaret L. A Penny A View...An Album of Postcard Views...Hamburg, N.J. (Newton, NJ: Historic Preservation Alternatives, 2006).
Truran, William R. Franklin, Hamburg, Ogdensburg, and Hardyston (Images of America). (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2004).
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hamburg, New Jersey.