Franklin Township is a township in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is centrally located in the Raritan Valley region, within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 68,364, an increase of 6,064 (+9.7%) from the 2010 census count of 62,300, which in turn reflected an increase of 11,397 (+22.4%) from the 50,903 counted in the 2000 census. The township was the state's 19th most-populous municipality in 2020, after being ranked 22nd in 2010.
Routh Goshen, born Arthur James Caley, was most commonly known as Colonel Routh Goshen or the Arabian Giant or the Palestine Giant. He was billed as the tallest man in the world at 7 ft 11 in (2.41 m) and 620 pounds (280 kg) but was most likely no more than 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) and 400 pounds (180 kg). His true origins were kept secret from the public during his performance years in the United States and were obscured by the many apocryphal biographies that were created to publicize him. His actual origins came out slowly after his death. His birth name was Arthur James Caley and he was born on the Isle of Man in 1824. His fictional biographies said he was born in Jerusalem on May 5, 1837. After his retirement in the 1880s, he settled in Middlebush, New Jersey, and gained the nickname the Middlebush Giant.
Middlebush Reformed Church, known as "the church with the red doors", is located at 1 South Middlebush Road at the corner of Amwell Road in the Middlebush section of Franklin Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is the fourth oldest church in Franklin Township. It was organized in 1834, and the New York Times noted their first church was built in Colonial times and was one of the landmarks of the region. The church is a contributing property of the Middlebush Village Historic District that was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 24, 2007.
The Meadows Foundation of Somerset County, New Jersey is a nonprofit corporation founded in 1978. It oversaw the restoration of seven historic houses in Somerset.
The Millstone and New Brunswick Railroad (M&NB) was chartered in the mid-19th century as a seven-mile long branch line from New Brunswick, New Jersey to East Millstone, New Jersey. Construction was completed and the line began operation on December 19, 1854. In 1871, under the order of the company's president Martin Howell, the M&NB signed a 999-year lease with the United Jersey Railroad Company, which would later become part of the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) known as the "Millstone Branch." In 1915, the company was dissolved and became part of the United Jersey Railroad Company.
The Six Mile Run Reservoir Site, part of the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, is located in Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It is adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal. It covers 3,037 acres (12.29 km2). The reservoir plan was to flood the Six Mile Run watershed. The Six Mile Run is a tributary of the Millstone River that, with its tributaries, drains a large area in central Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey and western portions of North Brunswick and South Brunswick Townships in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It derives its name, along with other streams, from the distance early surveyors estimated it was from the point where the historic King's Highway left the Raritan River at New Brunswick to the point the roadway crossed the stream. The estimates were not very accurate but the stream names have remained in use ever since.
Six Mile Run is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 3,184.
Middlebush is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 2,326. It is perhaps most distinguished as being the host section for Franklin Township's municipal complex.
The Hageman Farm is a historic house located at 209 South Middlebush Road in Somerset, New Jersey. It is a registered historic place of New Jersey.
The Franklin Inn, also known as the Franklin Inn-Van Liew Homestead, is located at 2371 Amwell Road in East Millstone, New Jersey. The oldest portion of the structure was built as a farmhouse was built by Cornelius Van Liew in 1752. After the American Revolutionary War, the house was known as the Annie Van Liew house, after the daughter of Cornelius who successfully sued the British government for property damage and loss incurred during the war. After the Van Liew family sold the property, the farmhouse was remodeled as a tavern and inn. The Franklin Inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property of the East Millstone Historic District on March 17, 1983.
The Wyckoff-Garretson House is a historic house located at 215 South Middlebush Road, Somerset, New Jersey, which was built in 1730 by Cornelius Wyckoff. It is a contributing property of the Six Mile Run Historic District, added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 25, 1995.
The Van Wickle House, also known as the Symen Van Wickle House, is a historical house located at 1289 Easton Avenue in the Somerset section of Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. It was built in 1722 by Symen Van Wickle, also known as Symen Van Wicklin. The house, historically known as The Meadows, was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 1973.
Franklin Park is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 13,295. Route 27 bisects the village and serves as the dividing line between the two counties. The adjacent sections of South Brunswick and North Brunswick, Middlesex County on the east side of Route 27 are also known as Franklin Park, but are not included within the CDP's boundaries.
Pleasant Plains is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located in Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 922. Having no distinct boundaries, a large area in the center of Franklin Township centered on the intersections of South Middlebush Road with Claremont and Suydam Roads is generally considered Pleasant Plains.
The Middlebush Village Historic District is a historic district located in the Village of Middlebush, an unincorporated community within Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 24, 2007. It includes 37 contributing buildings and three contributing sites.
The Van Voorhees–Quackenbush House, also known as the Zabriskie House, is a historic stone house located at 421 Franklin Avenue in the township of Wyckoff in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The oldest section was built around 1740 by William Van Voorhees and enlarged in 1824 by Albert Van Voorhees. The original section of the house is now the dining room and part of the kitchen. The home was purchased in 1867 by Uriah Quackenbush. His granddaughter Grace Quackenbush Zabriskie bequeathed the home to the township in 1973. It was documented as the Albert Van Voorhis House by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1937. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983, for its significance in architecture. It was listed as part of the Early Stone Houses of Bergen County Multiple Property Submission (MPS).
Maplewood, also known as the David C. Voorhees House or the John A. Voorhees House, was a historic building overlooking Burnt Hill Road at Rock Brook in Montgomery Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 24, 2000. for its significance in architecture and health/medicine. It was destroyed by fire on November 19, 2011.
The Van Horne House is a historic building at 941 East Main Street near Bound Brook in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. The house was built c. 1750 and also known as Phil's Hill, after its owner, Philip Van Horne. It served as the headquarters for American General Benjamin Lincoln in 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, in particular the Battle of Bound Brook. Later, it served as the headquarters for American General William Alexander, Lord Stirling during the second Middlebrook encampment (1778–79). The house, on the early-18th-century Old York Road that connected Philadelphia to New York City, was a New Jersey landmark during the war. Since 2002, the Heritage Trail Association has used the house as its headquarters, including an exhibit space. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 2002, for its locally significant Colonial Revival architecture from 1937 to 1944.
The Jacob Vosseller House is a historic building located at 664 Foothill Road in Bridgewater Township, Somerset County, New Jersey. The house was built c. 1753. It was known as Castner's Tavern, and later Allen's Tavern, during the 19th century. Listed as Vosseller's–Castner's–Allen's Tavern, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 23, 1986, for its significance in architecture, commerce, settlement, and transportation.
The Boudinot–Southard Farmstead is located at 135 North Maple Avenue in Bernards Township of Somerset County, New Jersey. The property was purchased by Elias Boudinot in 1771. Featuring a Colonial Revival farmhouse, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 2009, for its significance in agriculture, architecture, military and politics/government. The 37-acre (15 ha) farmstead includes four contributing buildings and two contributing structures. It is also known as the Ross Farm.
