Montgomery is a thriving community with a rich history, excellent schools, diverse recreation opportunities and a collective commitment to preserving open land and protecting natural resources. The community has successfully merged rural and suburban lifestyles in a cosmopolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, there are approximately 22,254 people who call Montgomery home.

Established in 1702 by Dutch and English Settlers, Montgomery Township continues to combine a unique convenience of location with the lifestyle features sought by residents and businesses. Located in the southern portion of Somerset County – six miles from Princeton University and roughly half way between New York City and Philadelphia – the Township is an historic 32 square mile community with an agricultural heritage.

The Township has a strong history from the Revolutionary War as General Washington retired across this part of New Jersey in the first week of December, 1776. Between 1776 and 1783 General Washington spent considerable amount of time around this area and he frequently visited his friend John Van Horne at his manor house just west of present Montgomery Avenue. Rockingham in Rocky Hill was Washington’s headquarters in 1783 while he attended the Continental Congress session in Princeton. The Township is also the proud home of many of the farms, dwellings and houses that were built around the 1800s

To put the geographica size of Montgomery Township into perspective; Trenton, NJ is 8 square miles, Newark, NJ is 24 square miles, and Manhattan is 23 square miles; yet Montgomery holds on to it’s rural roots.

For further information, you may visit the township home page at www.montgomery.nj.us or contact the Van Harlingen Historical Society of Montgomery Township through their new website at vanharlingen.org