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A−History
History · Independence Township

Independence Township dates to 1782, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 81% of U.S. towns · #112 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Great Meadows Railroad Station. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1810.

1782founded
1on the National Register
18%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Independence Township began

When was Independence Township founded?

1782

Independence Township dates its founding to 1782 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1810.

First census: 1,224 in 18102020 census: 5,469244 years

How historic is Independence Township?

A−

More historic than 81% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1829.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Independence Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Independence Township is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #112 of 468 in New Jersey. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its age ranks highest and its share of homes from before 1940 lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Independence Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1782, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194017.6% of homes (±8.1) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%BNational Register1 listing, 4 historic buildings, 7.2 per 10,000 residents · typical NJ town 3.7 · U.S. 2.4B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 81%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 76%

New Jersey towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New Jersey town has 3.7 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Independence Township’s 7.2 sits near the middle of its state (64% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 4 historic buildings outnumber those of 68% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1782.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±8.1 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Independence Township’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Shrank, then grewLost two-thirds of its people between 1850 and 1900, then grew 6-fold.On the map since 18886 editions of the USGS map, 1888 to 1971. Watch Independence Township change.Lost villages1 post office opened and closed inside today’s Independence Township, and 3 old place names are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Independence Township’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Independence Township’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Date a photo1 archive item has no date. Guess the decade.+2Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Independence Township, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,5005,0005,5006,00018501900195020002,621 in 1850Low: 805

Lost two-thirds of its people between 1850 and 1900, then grew 6-fold.

22 censuses, 1810–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Independence Township’s Wikipedia page.

On the map

Independence Township on the map, 1888 to 1971

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Independence Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Independence Township on the 1888 USGS mapIndependence Township on the 1894 USGS mapIndependence Township on the 1905 USGS mapIndependence Township on the 1943 USGS mapIndependence Township on the 1954 USGS mapIndependence Township on the 1971 USGS map1888Hackettstown sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Independence Township.

The story

How Independence Township came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Independence Township.

Read it all →

Independence Township was originally created on November 11, 1782, from Hardwick Township, while the area was still part of Sussex County, and was incorporated as one of the state's initial group of 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Most of Independence Township became part of the newly created Warren County on November 20, 1824, with the remainder becoming part of Green Township in Sussex County. Portions of the township were taken to form Hackettstown (March 9, 1853) and Allamuchy Township (April 4, 1873). The township was named for American independence.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Independence Township, 1782 to 2010

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 18th century
  2. 1782
    FoundingIndependence Township is established
  3. 19th century
  4. 1829Post officeThe Danville post office opens
  5. 1853Post officeThe Vienna post office opens
  6. 1888On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 20th century
  8. 1905Post officeThe Danville post office closes
  9. 1905Post officeThe Great Meadows post office opens
  10. 21st century
  11. 2010CensusPopulation peaks at 5,662
By decade

Independence Township, decade by decade

Date unknown1 to date
Census Bureau map of Independence Township, New JerseyDate?Census Bureau map of Independence Township, New JerseyMap
Today5 recent
Independence Township, NJ Volunteer Fire Department, Jan. 20262026Independence Township, NJ Volunteer Fire Department, …Independence Township, NJ Municipal Building, Jan. 20262026Independence Township, NJ Municipal Building, Jan. 20…Old Farm Sanctuary, Pequest River Valley farms2014Old Farm Sanctuary, Pequest River Valley farmsSummer Camp2013Summer CampIndependence twp nj2005Independence twp nj
On the National Register

1 historic place in Independence Township

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
4
each building in a district counts
first listed
1989
Great Meadows Railroad Station
Great Meadows Railroad Station
Buildings
Great Meadows Railroad StationBuilding

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners and burying grounds

Another post office, Danville, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Danville
1829–1905
Vienna
1853–today
Great Meadows
1905–today
18201920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Great MeadowsPetersburgVienna
1cemetery inside Independence Township
Pequest Union

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Hackettstown3 historic placesA−Allamuchy Township1 historic placeB−Panther ValleyIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townMansfield Township5 historic placesALiberty TownshipIts storyC−Frelinghuysen Township2 historic placesA

Questions about Independence Township’s history

What year was Independence Township founded?

In 1782, according to Wikidata. Independence Township’s post office opened in 1829, and the census of 1810 counted 1,224 people here.

How does Independence Township rank for history?

Independence Township is more historic than 81% of U.S. towns, #112 of 468 in New Jersey. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Independence Township?

One place: the Great Meadows Railroad Station (listed 1989).

How old are the homes in Independence Township?

18% of Independence Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±8.1 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1986.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.