Green Brook Township, New Jersey

In 1872, a tract of land was subdivided off from Warren Township. Thirteen years later, in 1885, the Borough of North Plainfield was created from a section of the subdivided land. The land at that time was designated as North Plainfield. In 1926, the Borough of Watchung was carved out of North Plainfield Township. The brook was named for the color of its water. Also contained within the township is Washington Rock State Park, which commemorates the spot where George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette watched the movement of the British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War, mainly the months of May and June 1777. The park was established on March 17, 1913, and is about in size. Raritan Valley Hospital in Green Brook was the first teaching hospital of Rutgers Medical School when in 1972 the school expanded to become a full four-year medical school. The hospital had opened in 1966 and was closed in 1981, with the subsequent conversion to the Green Brook Regional Center, a facility caring for the elderly with disabilities. ==Geography==

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.42 square miles (11.43 km2), including 4.41 square miles (11.42 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2) of water (0.18%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Seeley Mills and Washington Rock. The township borders the municipalities of Bridgewater Township, North Plainfield, Warren Township and Watchung in Somerset County; Middlesex and Dunellen in Middlesex County; and Plainfield in Union County. ==Demographics==

2020 census 2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 7,203 people, 2,375 households, and 1,945 families in the township. The population density was 1,610.5 per square mile (621.8/km2). There were 2,448 housing units at an average density of 547.3 per square mile (211.3/km2). The racial makeup was 73.54% (5,297) White, 3.37% (243) Black or African American, 0.04% (3) Native American, 20.21% (1,456) Asian, 0.04% (3) Pacific Islander, 1.12% (81) from other races, and 1.67% (120) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.86% (494) of the population. 2000 census As of the 2000 United States census There were 1,893 households, out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.0% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.3% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.20. In the township the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 30.5% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males. The median income for a household in the township was $80,644, and the median income for a family was $87,744. Males had a median income of $52,147 versus $46,434 for females. The per capita income for the township was $37,290. About 1.7% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over. == Government ==

Local government Green Brook Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting, held each year within the first week of January, the Committee elects a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor for that year from among its members. , members of the Green Brook Township Committee are Mayor James Van Arsdale (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2024; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor James Benscoter (R, term on committee ends and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Brian Conway (R, 2023), Gerard "Jerry" Searfoss (R, 2025) and Nancy Stoll (R, 2024). Federal, state and county representation Green Brook Township is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district. Politics As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,545 registered voters in Green Brook Township, of which 920 (20.2% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,219 (26.8% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 2,401 (52.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 63.1% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 85.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 53.5% of the vote (1,653 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.1% (1,394 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (43 votes), among the 3,110 ballots cast by the township's 4,774 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 65.1%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,814 votes (53.1% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,532 votes (44.9% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 34 votes (1.0% vs. 1.1%), among the 3,415 ballots cast by the township's 4,470 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.4% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,896 votes (58.8% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,290 votes (40.0% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 30 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,225 ballots cast by the township's 3,910 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 71.3% of the vote (1,341 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 26.8% (504 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (37 votes), among the 1,899 ballots cast by the township's 4,810 registered voters (17 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,548 votes (63.9% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 648 votes (26.7% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 182 votes (7.5% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.9% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,424 ballots cast by the township's 4,527 registered voters, yielding a 53.5% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county). == Education ==

The Green Brook School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 770 students and 81.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Irene E. Feldkirchner Elementary School with 374 students in grades Pre-K–4 and Green Brook Middle School with 393 students in grades 5–8. Green Brook's public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township. Students from Green Brook and from the neighboring communities of Watchung, Warren Township (in Somerset County), and Long Hill Township (in Morris County) attend the school. As of the 2019–20 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,948 students and 160.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1. ==Transportation==

in Green Brook Roads and highways , the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Somerset County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. U.S. Route 22 is the most prominent highway directly serving Green Brook. County Route 527 and County Route 529 also pass through. Public transportation NJ Transit provides local bus service on the 822 route. ==Community organizations==

There are several committees and organizations within the township of Green Brook. Green Brook has a Baptist church on Greenbrook Road. There is the Green Brook Seniors, which is held at the Senior Center. This is a place for all township seniors to meet and participate in different events. Green Brook also has a Lions Club, which volunteers for different causes. The Green Brook Recreation Committee is a volunteer organization that provides programs and event for all residents. ==Notable people==

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Green Brook Township include: • Daphne Corboz (born 1993), professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Manchester City Women • Mael Corboz (born 1994), professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for SC Verl • Rachel Corboz (born 1996), professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Stade de Reims • Paul Crook (born 1966), lead guitarist for Meat Loaf, Anthrax and Sebastian Bach • DJ Clark Kent (1966–2024, stage name of Antonio Franklin), hip hop record producer and DJ • Mickey Gall (born 1992), professional mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship • Gloria Gaynor (born 1949), Grammy award-winning singer best known for her song "I Will Survive" • Sarai Gonzalez (born 2005), child actress • Josh Pauls (born 1992), gold medal winner in sled hockey at the 2010 Winter Paralympics in Vancouver • Ed Stasium, record producer and audio engineer ==References==