Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Readington Township

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
AHistory
History · Readington Township

Readington Township dates to 1730, and 12% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns · #46 of 468 in New Jersey. What drives it

8 places in town are on the National Register, among them six historic districts with 278 buildings between them. Below: 3 old photos and papers, maps from 1890 on, and the census since 1810.

1730founded
8on the National Register
12%homes built before 1940
3old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Readington Township’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Readington Township began

When was Readington Township founded?

1730

Readington Township dates its founding to 1730 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1810.

First census: 1,717 in 18102020 census: 16,128296 years

How historic is Readington Township?

A

More historic than 92% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1816.
History grade

What drives Readington Township’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Readington Township is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #46 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 Readington Township’s overall grade.
Founding era1730, from Wikidata: founded before 1776, an older era than 96% of U.S. townsA+Homes built before 194011.5% of homes (±2.4) · typical NJ town 14.7% · U.S. 8.4%B−National Register8 listings, 280 historic buildings, 172 per 10,000 residents · typical NJ town 3.7 · U.S. 2.4A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 92%
NewerOlder
New Jersey towns of 2,500+ (468)Ahead of 90%

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 Readington Township’s 172 sits above most of its state (90% of New Jersey towns have fewer) while its 280 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1730.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. The pre-1940 share (±2.4 points) is firm at this size.

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 Readington Township’s past

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

A historic districtThe Whitehouse-Mechanicsville Historic District takes in 140 historic buildings.Lost villages5 post offices opened and closed inside today’s Readington Township, and 15 old place names are still on the map.A history waiting to be writtenOnly 3 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18905 editions of the USGS map, 1890 to 1970. Watch Readington Township change.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

8 listings protect 280 historic buildings

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

places listed
8
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
280
each building in a district counts
first listed
1982
Dart's Mill Historic District
White House Station, built 1892Stanton Historic Rural DistrictReadington Village Historic VillageTaylor's Mill Historic DistrictPotterstown Rural Historic DistrictCharles Eversole HouseWhitehouse-Mechanicsville Historic DistrictDart's Mill Historic District
BuildingsDistricts
White House StationBuilt 1892
Stanton Historic Rural DistrictDistrict
Readington Village Historic VillageDistrict
Taylor's Mill Historic DistrictDistrict
Potterstown Rural Historic DistrictDistrict
Charles Eversole HouseBuilding
Whitehouse-Mechanicsville Historic DistrictDistrict
All 8 listings
Dart's Mill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982

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, places now gone and burying grounds

Five other post offices opened and closed inside today’s town.

White House
1816–today
Centreville
1824–1907
Readington
1840–today
Stanton
1849–today
Pleasant Run
1856–1907
Rowland Mills
1856–1907
Barley Sheaf
1857–1907
Potterstown
1861–1907
White House Station
1861–today
Three Bridges
1866–today
18101920today
Hamlets and corners on the map
CentervilleCushetunkDarts MillsDreahookHolcomb MillsMcCrea MillsPleasant RunPotterstownReadingtonRiversideRowland MillsStantonThree BridgesWhitehouseWhitehouse Station
Gone or out of use
Durling FarmslocaleLance AirportairportThree Bridges SchoolschoolWhitehouse Schoolschool
4cemeteries and burying grounds inside Readington Township
Memorial ParkNewellReadington Reformed ChurchThree Bridges Reformed Church

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

Help out

Start Readington Township’s collection

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

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewStation (Village); White House, Mechani…: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story so far

Readington Township, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Readington Township yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Readington Township is a township located in the easternmost portion of Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 16,128, an increase of two people (+0.0%) from the 2010 census count of 16,126, which in turn reflected an increase of 323 (+2.0%) from the 15,803 counted in the 2000 census. Created by Royal charter of King George II, "Reading" Township was formed on July 15, 1730, from portions of Amwell Township. It was the first new township created after Hunterdon was established as an independent county. The township was incorporated as Readingtown Township, one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships, on Fe…

Readington Township was established in 1730. Its population held steady between the last two censuses: 16,126 in 2010, 16,128 in 2020.

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

Timeline

Readington Township, 1730 to 1995

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

  1. 18th century
  2. 1730
    FoundingReadington Township is established
  3. 1784Born hereJonathan Jennings is born here
  4. 1787Born hereDavid Jennings is born here
  5. 1790Born hereJohn De Mott is born here
  6. 19th century
  7. 1816Post officeThe White House post office opens
  8. 1824Post officeThe Centreville post office opens
  9. 1840Post officeThe Readington post office opens
  10. 1873In the archiveStation (Village); White House, Mechanicsville (Village); White House and Mechanicsville …
  11. 1890On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  12. 1892BuiltWhite House Station is built
  13. 20th century
  14. 1907Post officeThe Centreville post office closes
  15. 1995In the archiveMerckHQ-cropped
By decade

Readington Township, decade by decade

2 decades in the archive, from the 1870s to the 1990s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1870s1 item
Station (Village); White House, Mechanicsville (Village); White House and Mechanicsville Business Notices.; Readington …1873Station (Village); White House, Mechanicsville (Villa…
1990s2 items
MerckHQ-cropped1995MerckHQ-croppedMerckHQ1995MerckHQ
Today8 recent
Three Bridges Station2014Three Bridges StationAustroboletus gracilis var. gracilis 2582992012Austroboletus gracilis var. gracilis 258299Austroboletus gracilis 2582982012Austroboletus gracilis 258298Emily Osment at Festival of Ballooning2010Emily Osment at Festival of BallooningEmily Osment at Festival of Ballooning cropped2010Emily Osment at Festival of Ballooning croppedCushetunkMountain NESlope2009CushetunkMountain NESlopeCHARLES EVERSOLE HOUSE, READINGTON TWP, HUNTERDON COUNTY2007CHARLES EVERSOLE HOUSE, READINGTON TWP, HUNTERDON COU…Readington twp 019 nj2005Readington twp 019 nj
On the map

Readington Township on the map, 1890 to 1970

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

Readington Township on the 1890 USGS mapReadington Township on the 1905 USGS mapReadington Township on the 1943 USGS mapReadington Township on the 1954 USGS mapReadington Township on the 1970 USGS map1890High Bridge 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 Readington Township.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Station (Village); White House, Mechanicsville (Village); White House and Mechanicsville Business Notices.; Readington …
Retake this viewStation (Village); White House, Mechanicsville (Village); White House and Mechanicsville Business Notices.; Readington …, 1873

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Readington Township’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Readington Township, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,00016,00018,000185019001950200016,128

Grew from 1,717 people in 1810 to 16,128 in 2020, 9 times over.

22 censuses, 1810–2020.

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

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Readington Township

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Jonathan JenningsAmerican politician · b. 1784
D
David JenningsAmerican politician · b. 1787
John De MottAmerican politician · b. 1790
Stories next door

History across the town line

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

Tewksbury Township10 historic placesARaritan Township4 historic placesB−Bedminster Township3 historic placesBHillsborough Township10 historic placesA−Clinton Township5 historic placesB+Branchburg Township4 historic placesA−Three BridgesIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town

Questions about Readington Township’s history

What year was Readington Township founded?

In 1730, according to Wikidata. Readington Township’s post office opened in 1816, and the census of 1810 counted 1,717 people here.

How does Readington Township rank for history?

Readington Township is more historic than 92% of U.S. towns, #46 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 Readington Township?

8 listings: 2 buildings and 6 historic districts with 278 contributing buildings. 280 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Readington Township?

12% of Readington Township’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±2.4 points), against a typical 15% for a New Jersey town; the median home was built in 1981.

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 (11), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (8), 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.