Montague Township is a township in Sussex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 3,792, High Point, within Montague Township, is the highest elevation within New Jersey at an altitude of above sea level. It is the northernmost town in New Jersey.

Most of the area of Montague Township is public lands, primarily High Point State Park, Stokes State Forest, and Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Montague is known for its scenery and wildlife; summer sports in the area include hiking, biking, camping (both public and private campgrounds are available), and fishing.

The derivation of the township's name is uncertain, though suggestions include that it was named after the George Montagu, 4th Duke of Manchester, as suggested by King George II, who approved the royal patent on March 26, 1759; for Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an author who was popular at the time; or for solicitor John Montague. Montague was incorporated on February 21, 1798, by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships.

The township borders both New York and Pennsylvania, the only municipality in New Jersey to border both states; it is a rural community that does not have any traffic lights. Before Montague Township was granted its own post office in the 1980s, residents had all of their mail delivered through the 12771 ZIP code for Port Jervis, New York, leading to situations where residents had New Jersey driver's licenses with a New York State mailing address.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 46.63 square miles (120.77&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 45.23 square miles (117.15&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 1.40 square miles (3.62&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (3.00%).

thumb|left|upright=1.2|The [[Tri-States Monument at the confluence of the Delaware and Neversink rivers, northernmost point of New Jersey]]

The Tri-States Monument marks the northwest end of the New Jersey and New York boundary and the north end of the New Jersey and Pennsylvania boundary. It is also the northernmost point of New Jersey.

Montague Township borders the municipalities of Sandyston Township and Wantage Township in Sussex County; and New York State.

In 2019 only about 30% of the land was available for development, as the federal government and the State of New Jersey collectively own 70% or more of the land in the township.

Demographics

In 2019 over 50% of the people living in the township first settled in the 1980s and 1990s. Rob Jennings of NJ Advance Media described Montague as racially homogeneous.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

There were 1,286 households, out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.4% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 23.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.14. 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 an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each serving terms of one year.

Federal, state and county representation

Montague Township is located in the 5th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 24th state legislative district.

Politics

Jennings described the township as leaning towards conservative politics. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 63.6% (vs. 65.8% in Sussex County) were registered to vote, including 82.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 86.5% countywide).

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In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,001 votes (63.6% vs. 59.4% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 530 votes (33.7% vs. 38.2%) and other candidates with 39 votes (2.5% vs. 2.1%), among the 1,575 ballots cast by the township's 2,426 registered voters, for a turnout of 64.9% (vs. 68.3% in Sussex County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,150 votes (63.9% vs. 59.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 592 votes (32.9% vs. 38.7%) and other candidates with 35 votes (1.9% vs. 1.5%), among the 1,799 ballots cast by the township's 2,421 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.3% (vs. 76.9% in Sussex County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,072 votes (68.5% vs. 63.9% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 466 votes (29.8% vs. 34.4%) and other candidates with 20 votes (1.3% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,564 ballots cast by the township's 2,072 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.5% (vs. 77.7% in the whole county).

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In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.6% of the vote (750 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.8% (219 votes), and other candidates with 3.7% (37 votes), among the 1,015 ballots cast by the township's 2,446 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 832 votes (68.6% vs. 63.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 243 votes (20.0% vs. 25.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 103 votes (8.5% vs. 9.1%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.8% vs. 1.3%), among the 1,212 ballots cast by the township's 2,402 registered voters, yielding a 50.5% turnout (vs. 52.3% in the county).

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Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade attend the Montague Township School District. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 309 students and 37.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 8.2:1.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend High Point Regional High School, also serves students from Branchville Borough, Frankford Township, Lafayette Township, Sussex Borough and Wantage Township (where the school is located). As of the 2023–24 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 803 students and 73.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.0:1. They may enroll at Sussex County Technical School, which accepts students on a selective basis, and to the middle school charter program in Sparta Township.

Infrastructure

The United States Postal Service established a post office in 1980. Prior to that year the post came from Port Jervis, New York with a 12771 zip code, giving the residents New York mailing addresses.

One U.S., state, and major county route each traverses the township. U.S. Route 206 passes through in the western part and crosses the Delaware River at the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge. Route 23 passes through the eastern part and serves as the entrance road to High Point State Park and ends at the New York border just south of Interstate 84. County Route 521 enters Montague concurrent with US 206, separates from US 206 just south of the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge, then heads northeast through the northwest portion of the township before ending at the New York state boundary.

The closest limited access road is Interstate 84 and is immediately over the state line in Deerpark, New York.

In the northernmost section of the township along Route 23, there are several gasoline stations, most likely because gas had historically been significantly less expensive in New Jersey than in Matamoras, Pennsylvania or Port Jervis, New York.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Montague Township include:

  • Ed Banach (born 1960), athlete who won a gold medal in Freestyle Wrestling in the 198-pound-weight (heavyweight) class at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
  • Lou Banach (born 1960), athlete who won a gold medal in Freestyle Wrestling in the 220-pound-weight (heavyweight) class at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles
  • Daniel Myers Van Auken (1826–1908), was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from 1867 to 1871
  • Kinuyo Yamashita, video game music composer and sound producer best known for her soundtrack for Konami's Castlevania
  • Paul Zindel (1936–2003), playwright, young adult novelist, and educator who wrote The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds.

Wineries

  • Westfall Winery - Now defunct. Replaced with a farm animal sanctuary

References

  • Montague Township website
  • Montague Township School District
  • School Data for the Montague Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics