Hillsborough Township, New Jersey

HILLSBOROUGH TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY The good life H illsborough, New Jersey and the surrounding area were first explored by the Dutch in the middle 17th century. At that time, the area was occupied by the Unami Indians who were part of the Lenapi Tribe. Before Hillsborough received its Charter on May 29, 1771, and officially became Hillsborough Township, it had the rather unassuming name: “Westering Precinct of Somerset County.” Grist mills were one of the earliest industries; records of mills in the Neshanic area go back to 1692 and earlier. Today, people come to Hillsborough to find “the good life” in its charming collection of small villages – Belle Mead, Blackwells Mills, Flagtown, Neshanic, and South Branch – each of which has left its own imprint on Township history. As a community of forward-thinkers, the joint focus is on building a culture of sustainability among Township staff, residents, and local businesses, as well as promoting green infrastructure - a challenging, and ultimately rewarding, venture to support present and future generations. According to Hillsborough Township Mayor, Frank DelCore, “One of the driving aspects is the Route 206 bypass completion project, which has been ongoing since 2011. There was a small stretch of that completed in 2012-13, but the real extension that would take us farther north on 206, and as far south as about a mile from the Montgomery border, is the piece that we’re focusing on now. That is important to assist with the flow-through traffic in town, and to allow for the businesses and shops that are currently on 206 to not have to deal with the through traffic. More importantly, the completion of that project is step one in allowing us to fulfill our master plan concept of the Hillsborough downtown area, which is along the current Route 206.”