Bethlehem Township is a township in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,745,
History
Before European settlement, the land was settled by the Lenape Native Americans, whose presence remains in the names of places and bodies of water in the township.
Bethlehem was first mentioned in official records dating back to 1730, though details of its formation are uncertain. Bethlehem was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 20.80 square miles (53.87 km<sup>2</sup>), including 20.68 square miles (53.57 km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.30 km<sup>2</sup>) of water (0.56%).
The township borders the municipalities of Alexandria Township, Bloomsbury, Glen Gardner, Hampton, Holland Township, Lebanon Township, Union Township in Hunterdon County; and Franklin Township, Pohatcong Township and Washington Township in Warren County.
Mailing addresses
Residents and businesses in Bethlehem Township have mailing addresses to nearby towns including Bloomsbury, Clinton, Glen Gardner, Hampton, and even Asbury (which is located in neighboring Warren County), as "Bethlehem Township" itself is not a mailing address.
Climate
Bethlehem Township falls under the "Northern New Jersey" climate zone. According to the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers University, the Northern climate zone covers about one-quarter of New Jersey and consists mainly of elevated highlands and valleys which are part of the Appalachian Uplands. Surrounded by land, this region can be characterized as having a continental climate with minimal influence from the Atlantic Ocean, except when the winds contain an easterly component. Prevailing winds are from the southwest in summer and from the northwest in winter. Being in the northernmost portion of the state, and with small mountains up to in elevation, the Northern Zone normally exhibits a colder temperature regime than other climate regions of the State of New Jersey. This difference is most dramatic in winter when average temperatures in the Northern Zone can be more than ten degrees Fahrenheit cooler than in the Coastal Zone. Annual snowfall averages in the northern zone as compared with an average of in the extreme south.
Bethlehem Township falls under the USDA 6a Plant Hardiness zone.
Wildlife and ecosystem
Various animals are native to central-western New Jersey, including red fox (vulpes vulpes), black bear, groundhogs, wild turkeys, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, a variety of birds, and a wide variety of insects and vegetation. There are also some fish in the streams of the county.
Trees include deciduous varieties and evergreen varieties.
Black bears are the largest land mammals in New Jersey and are known to be most abundant in the northern-western regions of the state, including Bethlehem Township.