Rockaway Township is located in Morris County, NJ - about 35 miles west of New York City. The community has a total area of 45.6 square miles and has approximately 8,700 housing units. From its sparsely populated northern sections with miles of protected wildlife, to the denser suburban areas in the south along Route 80, the community boasts a mix of pleasant suburban neighborhoods and beautiful rural areas. Rockaway Township residents often have a mailing address that is different from their physical location. For example, White Meadow Lake has a Rockaway (07866) mailing address. However, homes in Birchwood have a Dover (07801) mailing address; homes in Meriden and Lyonsville have a Boonton (07005) mailing address; homes in Mount Hope have a Wharton (07885) mailing address; and homes in Green Pond have a Newfoundland (07435) mailing address. The small village of Hibernia (07842) has its own post office. Rockaway Township is known for its above average property taxes.
The Ford-Faesch Manor House, located in Mount Hope, was built in 1772 by Colonel Jacob Ford, Jr. and was designed to be spacious and elegant. Constructed in the Georgian style with symmetrical wings on both sides of the main structure, the house had native stonewalls, high ceilings for the time, and nine English-style fireplaces, including a 9-foot-wide kitchen hearth. Ford leased the house and property, including the ironworks, to John Jacob Faesch, a native of Switzerland, who had made a name for himself as the ironmaster. It is said that during the Revolutionary War, General George Washington visited Rockaway and the Faesch Manor House.
Major sections in the community include White Meadow Lake, Stony Brook, Hibernia, Lake Telemark, Marcella, Green Pond, Split Rock, Lyonsville, Meriden, Old Beach Glen, Mount Hope, Birchwood, and Fleetwood. Many of the neighborhoods in Rockaway Township retain a small town character, with lake communities, newer housing developments, and quiet rural residential areas. Some of the newer housing developments and neighborhoods include Legion Hill Estates, Whispering Ridge, Rolling Oaks, Towering Oaks, Maple Woods, Skyview, Nancy Court, The Summit, Meriden Estates, Oak Meadows, Crescent Ridge, Ambassador Estates, Meriden Heights, Hidden Brook Estates, Rockaway Hills, Sunrise at Marcella, Cypress Estates, Sarah's Woods, Seneca Woods, and Mountain View Estates.
Residents have easy access to Interstate 80 for an eastbound commute. The train stations in Dover and Denville are located close by. Lakeland Bus Lines provides service from the Rockaway Townsquare Mall to NY Port Authority Terminal in Midtown as well as other locations in NYC. During rush hour, the bus ride takes about 60 minutes. Lakeland Bus Lines also has stops in the nearby towns of Rockaway Borough, Boonton Town, and Denville.
Rockaway Township Public Schools are made up of five elementary schools and one middle school. The schools serving students in Kindergarten through 5th grades are Birchwood, Catherine A. Dwyer, Dennis B. O'Brien, Katherine D. Malone and Stony Brook. Copeland Middle School serves grades 6 through 8. Students in grades 9-12 attend Morris Hills High School in Rockaway Borough or Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway Township, depending where in the township they live. The high schools are part of the Morris Hills Regional High School District, which also serves the residential communities of Rockaway Borough and Wharton.
There is an amazing about of nearby shopping for residents. The Rockaway Townsquare Mall, one of the largest and most modern malls in New Jersey, is located in Rockaway Township. This complex is easily accessible to Interstate 80 and is anchored by four major department stores - Sears, Macy's, JC Penny's, and Lord & Taylor. The mall features over 200 shops including chain stores like Target, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Best Buy, and Bed, Bath & Beyond. It also features many of America's most popular fast-food and casual-dining restaurants.
The entire community of Rockaway Township is a rolling countryside with excellent recreational facilities. These areas include lakes, rivers, and expansive ranges of mountains, covered with trees and wildlife. The township is home to the Farny State Park, Wildcat Ridge, Split Rock Reservoir, and the Mount Hope Historical Park. Residents of the Township are able to join Frog Falls Waterpark located on the Picatinny Arsenal Property. Parks Lake (aka Fox's Pond) is located in Rockaway Borough and Township and offers walking trails, a beach, a playground, and free summer concerts at the gazebo.
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