The epicenter of the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked the East Coast on Friday was located close to the borders of Tewksbury and Readington townships in Hunterdon County, according to the latest information from the United States Geological Survey.
The quake, felt by more than 42 million people, happened 4 miles north of Readington’s Whitehouse Station, in part of a region known for its horse farms, small towns, Round Valley Reservoir and Solberg Airport, the longtime home of the New Jersey Lottery Festival of of Ballooning.
Tewksbury is an affluent community, with a median household income of $176,932 (in 2022 dollars), according to U.S. Census data, almost twice the $92,340 median household income for all of New Jersey. Just 5,870 people live in the 31.78-square-mile township, according to Census data, with 56.7% of the land dedicated to farming, New Jersey Department of Agriculture statistics show.
Readington, with a reported 16,128 residents, according to the 2020 Census, has 11,215 acres of farmland, representing 37% of the 48-square-mile township, state Department of Agriculture records show.
Both townships were settled in the 1700s. While Tewksbury was first settled by Germans, Readington has a rich Dutch heritage. Readington is also home to the Bouman-Stickney Farmstead, which was named for its former owners.
Whitehouse Station was named for the inn owned by Abraham Van Horne, who settled in the area in 1733. Van Horne’s Inn, a place for travelers to rest, had white walls and became known as “the White House.” The area took its name from the pre-Revolutionary tavern, according to Stephanie Stevens, township historian.
Whitehouse Station, which is a stop on NJ Transit’s Raritan Valley Line, is also home to the historic Ryland Inn, which was built in 1796 to serve as a country home and stagecoach stop. Today, the site is home to a high-end restaurant and wedding venue.
Some of Tewksbury’s historic landmarks include the Tewksbury Inn, Oldwick General Store and the Zion Lutheran Church.
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