Warren County · Northwest New Jersey

Franklin Township

Broadway & New Village

Franklin Township is a rural Warren County community shaped by agriculture, the broad Route 57 corridor, the Morris Canal, preserved open space and the industrial legacy of Thomas Edison. Broadway serves as the township's municipal center, while New Village carries an especially strong canal and cement-industry history.

Broadway New Village Route 57 Morris Canal Bread Lock Park Agricultural Community Warren County

Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey

NJTGO coverage: Franklin Township, Broadway and New Village share this Franklin Township page set. The combined guide reflects the way residents and visitors move between the township's municipal center, Route 57 businesses, schools, parks and historic sites.

2,968 2020 U.S. Census population

1839 Township incorporated

~24 sq. mi. Rural township area

08808 Broadway ZIP Code

Warren County

Explore Franklin Township

Use the dedicated guides for shopping, dining, property information, visitor planning, classifieds and employment.

Business & Shopping Route 57 businesses, local services, shops, healthcare, automotive and home services. Food & Drink Restaurants, pizza, cafés, markets, farm-related food and nearby dining options. Real Estate Rural housing, farmland, village homes, land-use resources and property guidance. Visiting & Lodging Morris Canal history, Bread Lock Park, regional lodging and Warren County trip planning. Classifieds Local classified categories, community notices, items for sale and announcements. Jobs Local employers, schools, public-sector resources and regional employment opportunities.

About Franklin Township

Franklin Township was settled before the Revolutionary War and was named for Benjamin Franklin. The township was created in 1839 from portions of Greenwich, Oxford and Mansfield townships. Today it remains one of Warren County's distinctly rural communities, with farmland, wooded ridges and long-established village centers.

“A Clean Agricultural Community” is the township's official description. Franklin's open-space and agricultural programs reflect a long-standing effort to preserve farmland, natural resources and the rural landscape.

Route 57 is the township's principal east-west corridor, linking the Broadway and New Village areas with Washington, Stewartsville and the wider Warren County road network. The Musconetcong and Pohatcong river systems, the Pohatcong and Scotts Mountain ranges, farmland and old transportation corridors all contribute to Franklin's geography.

Broadway & New Village

The two communities give Franklin Township much of its recognizable historic and civic character.

Broadway Broadway developed along the Morris Turnpike, completed in 1811 between Easton and Morristown. The settlement took its name from the unusually broad roadway through the village.

Today Broadway is Franklin Township's municipal and community center, with the municipal building, community center, Route 57 businesses and nearby Franklin Township School.

New Village New Village developed in the early 1800s near the Morris Canal and later benefited from a trolley line connecting Port Colden and Phillipsburg.

Its identity changed dramatically after Thomas Edison identified cement rock in the area and established a major cement operation at the end of the 19th century.

History & Heritage

Transportation shaped Franklin: The Morris Turnpike, Morris Canal and later trolley service helped Broadway and New Village grow from small rural settlements into active crossroads and industrial communities.

Morris Canal The canal crossed Franklin Township and came especially close to today's Route 57. Its route is now an important historic and recreational greenway.

Bread Lock / Lock 7 West The canal lock became known as “Bread Lock” because a store near the lock sold homemade bread, pies and other goods to passing canal crews.

Thomas Edison & New Village In 1898 Thomas A. Edison identified a major deposit of cement rock and developed the Edison Portland Cement Company in New Village.

New Jersey's Concrete Mile Route 57 is associated with one of America's earliest concrete highways, built in 1912 using Edison Portland Cement manufactured at New Village.

Industrial heritage in a rural township: New Village is unusual because its history combines canal transportation, early electric infrastructure and Thomas Edison's large-scale cement industry with the surrounding agricultural landscape.

Franklin Township Historical Commission Warren Heritage Scenic Byway

Parks, Trails & Recreation

Bread Lock Park 2627 Route 57 · New Village area

A Warren County park built around the historic Morris Canal corridor, with walking and exercise trails, picnic space, a StoryWalk, canal interpretation and a full-size canal-boat replica.

Morris Canal Greenway New Village toward Stewartsville

A greenway trail follows parts of the canal corridor, connecting Bread Lock Park with additional Warren County canal lands.

Broadway Field Asbury-Broadway Road area

Municipal recreation field serving Franklin Township sports and community activities.

Franklin Township Community Center 2093 Route 57 · Broadway

Community meeting and recreation facility used by local organizations and township programs.

Franklin Township Recreational Sports Pre-K through grade 8

Local youth programs include soccer, basketball, baseball, field hockey and softball.

Villa Roller Rink 2121 Route 57 · Broadway · 908-689-6155

Long-running local roller-skating rink offering open skating, parties, lessons and other skating activities.

Bread Lock Park is the signature visitor stop: It combines Franklin Township's outdoor setting with one of Warren County's most important transportation stories and offers an accessible way to experience the Morris Canal corridor.

Community Center & Fields Recreational Sports Bread Lock Park

Education

Franklin Township School 52 Asbury-Broadway Road
Washington, NJ 07882
908-689-2958

Local public elementary school serving Franklin Township students through grade 6.

Warren Hills Regional Middle School 64–66 Carlton Avenue
Washington, NJ 07882
908-689-0750

Regional public school serving grades 7 and 8.

Warren Hills Regional High School 41 Jackson Valley Road
Washington, NJ 07882
908-689-3050

Regional public high school serving grades 9 through 12.

Warren County Technical School 1500 Route 57
Washington, NJ 07882
908-689-0122

County vocational and technical education serving high-school students and adult learners.

Warren County Community College 475 Route 57 West
Washington, NJ 07882

Nearby county college offering degree, certificate, continuing-education and workforce programs.

Township School Directory

Township Government & Public Services

Franklin Township Municipal Building 2093 Route 57
Broadway, NJ 08808
908-689-3994
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Mayor Sarah Payne
Township Committee

Deputy Mayor Bonnie Butler
Township Committee

Township Committee Rich Herzer
Mike Toretta
David Guth

Municipal Clerk Denise L. Becton
908-689-3994 ext. 15

Police New Jersey State Police service
Emergency: 911

Fire / EMS Franklin Township Fire Department & Rescue services
Emergency: 911

Public Works Township DPW
172 Asbury-Broadway Road
908-689-6130

Official Franklin Township Website Township Committee Fire & EMS

Community Life

Agriculture & Open Space Franklin maintains active Open Space and Agricultural Advisory commissions and continues to plan for farmland and natural-resource preservation.

Broadway United Methodist Church 2233 Route 57
Broadway, NJ 08808

A long-established Broadway congregation and part of the township's village history.

Washington Alliance Church 2112 Route 57
908-689-0941

Active Route 57 congregation serving Franklin Township and the Washington area.

Volunteer Fire Service Community-based emergency service

The Franklin Township Fire Department continues to recruit volunteers and provides training and equipment to members.

What Makes Franklin Worth Exploring?

Route 57 Scenic Drive Drive through Broadway and New Village along a corridor tied to the Warren Heritage Scenic Byway and the Morris Canal.

Morris Canal Heritage Walk Bread Lock Park and the greenway to see how one of New Jersey's great early transportation systems crossed Warren County.

Edison Industrial History New Village offers a direct connection to Thomas Edison's cement experiments and the early use of concrete in American roads.

Country Landscape Farmland, wooded ridges, rural roads and river valleys give Franklin a noticeably different character from more suburban parts of New Jersey.

Nearby Communities

Bethlehem Township Hunterdon County neighbor southeast of Franklin Township. Bloomsbury Small Hunterdon County borough near the Musconetcong River. Greenwich Township Neighboring Warren County township west of New Village and along Route 57. Harmony Township Rural Warren County community northwest of Franklin. Lopatcong Township More developed Warren County community toward Phillipsburg. Washington Township Neighboring township containing many regional schools, services and Route 57 destinations. White Township Rural township north of Franklin and west of Washington.

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