Long Hill Township dates to 1866, and 18% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 60% of U.S. towns · #248 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it
Its Register listings are the Millington Station, the Millington Schoolhouse and the Boyle/Hudspeth-Benson House. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1888 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1872.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Long Hill Township’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Long Hill Township is more historic than 60% of U.S. towns, #248 of 468 in New Jersey. Its share of homes from before 1940 holds the grade up; its age pulls it down.
B
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Long Hill Township’s overall grade.
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 Long Hill Township’s 5.8 sits near the middle of its state (60% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 5 historic buildings outnumber those of 70% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1866.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B− to B+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.1 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 Long Hill Township’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Long Hill Township. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1888Plainfield 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 Long Hill Township.
Places that used to be
Old corners and burying grounds
Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.
Gillette
1872–today
Stirling
1872–today
18701950today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Davis BridgeGilletteHomestead ParkMeyersvilleMillingtonPleasant PlainsStirling
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Long Hill Township
MeyersvilleSaint Vincent De Paul Catholic
US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
Long Hill Township was incorporated as Passaic Township on March 23, 1866. On September 1, 1922, part of what was then Passaic Township was taken to form Harding Township. On November 3, 1992, by a 1,901 to 1,821 margin, the voters elected to change the name of the municipality to Long Hill Township, a change largely driven by the desire to avoid confusion with the City of Passaic, some 22 miles (35 km) away.
Garden State Fireworks, a firm based in Millington that dates back to 1890, has produced the annual July 4 fireworks show in Washington, D.C., on the National Mall. The Raptor Trust is a wild bird rehabilitation center located in Millington.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1866, according to Wikidata. Long Hill Township’s post office opened in 1872, and the census of 1870 counted 1,624 people here.
How does Long Hill Township rank for history?
Long Hill Township is more historic than 60% of U.S. towns, #248 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 Long Hill Township?
Three places: the Millington Station (listed 1984), the Millington Schoolhouse (2012) and the Boyle/Hudspeth-Benson House (1975).
How old are the homes in Long Hill Township?
18% of Long Hill Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.1 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1969.
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 (7), Wikidata (2), the National Register of Historic Places (3), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, 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.
Date?
2026
2025
2022
2013
2007