Location of Morris Plains in Morris County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Morris County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
Morris Plains was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1926, from portions of Hanover Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 15, 1926.[22][23] The borough's name comes from Lewis Morris, colonial governor of New Jersey.[24][25]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.59 square miles (6.71 km2), including 2.55 square miles (6.61 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.09 km2) of water (1.35%).[1][2]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Littleton.[26]
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Morris Plains has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[30]
Of the 2,131 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18; 61.3% were married couples living together; 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.3% were non-families. Of all households, 24.9% were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12.[19]
24.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 28.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.4 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $103,688 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,744) and the median family income was $127,614 (+/− $20,257). Males had a median income of $91,908 (+/− $21,398) versus $67,232 (+/− $24,331) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $45,165 (+/− $10,332). About 0.4% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over.[37]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 5,236 people, 1,955 households, and 1,477 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,018.7 inhabitants per square mile (779.4/km2). There were 1,994 housing units at an average density of 768.8 per square mile (296.8/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 92.91% White, 1.34% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.32% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.69% of the population.[35][36]
There were 1,955 households, out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.0% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.4% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.05.[35][36]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The average age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males.[35][36]
The median income for a household in the borough was $84,806, and the median income for a family was $98,333. Males had a median income of $75,040 versus $44,554 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $36,553. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.0% of those under age 18 and 2.4% of those age 65 or over.[35][36]
Economy
The borough has been a major base of operations for Pfizer, previously the headquarters for Warner-Lambert. Pfizer has sponsored the Health and Medical Science Academy at Morristown High School and an annual 5k race around Morris Plains. In 2012, a 63-acre (25 ha) property owned by Pfizer on the west side of Route 53 was acquired by M&M Realty Partners, which plans to redevelop the site for a mixed use development that would include 500 housing units and 100,000 square feet (9,300 m2) for retail use.[38]
In 2015, Honeywell moved into a 475,000-square-foot (44,100 m2) headquarters on a 40-acre (16 ha) campus, after relocating from AlliedSignal headquarters in Morristown.[39]
Government
Local government
Morris Plains is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[40] The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[6] The borough form of government used by Morris Plains is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[41][42]
As of 2023[update], the mayor of Morris Plains is Democrat Jason C. Karr, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Joan Goddard (D, 2025), Art J. Bruhn Jr. (R, 2023), Salvatore F. "Sal" Cortese (R, 2023), Catherine E. "Cathie" Kelly (R, 2024), Nancy Verga (D, 2025) and Dennis M. Wagner (R, 2024).[3][43][44][45][46][47][48]
The Morris Plains Municipal Court judge is Michael A. Carlucci.[49]
Police Department
The Morris Plains Police Department has 17 sworn officers. The command structure has a chief, two lieutenants, five sergeants, nine patrolmen and six civilians.[50] They are dispatched through the Morris County Communication Center who dispatches for the police, fire and first aid departments. The police department handled over 29,000 calls for the year 2010.[51]
Morris Plains Fire Department
The Morris Plains Fire Association was established on April 28, 1907, after the Weise Hotel Fire of 1906.[52]
Federal, state and county representation
Morris Plains is located in the 11th Congressional District[53] and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district.[54][55][56]
Morris County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at-large in partisan elections to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with either one or three seats up for election each year as part of the November general election.[61] Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator Deena Leary.[62]: 8 As of 2025[update], Morris County's Commissioners are:
The county's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Ann F. Grossi (R, Parsippany–Troy Hills, 2028),[70][71]
Sheriff James M. Gannon (R, Boonton Township, 2025)[72][73] and
Surrogate Heather Darling (R, Roxbury, 2029).[74][75]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,935 registered voters in Morris Plains, of which 853 (21.7%) were registered as Democrats, 1,695 (43.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,381 (35.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[76]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 53.3% of the vote (1,659 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.9% (1,429 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (27 votes), among the 3,142 ballots cast by the borough's 4,140 registered voters (27 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 75.9%.[77][78] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 52.3% of the vote (1,725 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 45.8% (1,511 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (27 votes), among the 3,297 ballots cast by the borough's 3,994 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.5%.[79] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.9% of the vote (1,783 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 42.8% (1,365 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (31 votes), among the 3,191 ballots cast by the borough's 3,921 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.4.[80]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 70.8% of the vote (1,399 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.9% (551 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (27 votes), among the 2,025 ballots cast by the borough's 4,122 registered voters (48 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.1%.[81][82] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.6% of the vote (1,337 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 31.5% (719 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.4% (191 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (10 votes), among the 2,283 ballots cast by the borough's 3,898 registered voters, yielding a 58.6% turnout.[83]
Education
The Morris Plains Schools educate public school students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 578 students and 61.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.5:1.[84] Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[85]) are
Mountain Way School[86] with 200 students in grades Pre-K–2 and
Morris Plains Borough School[87] with 369 students in grades 3–8.[88]
St. Virgil Academy, founded in 1910, was a Catholic school serving students in preschool through eighth grade (including Pre-K–3 and Pre-K–4) that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson. The school was closed at the end of the 2015–2016 school year in the wake of declining enrollment and the rising costs of covering the school's deficits.[91]
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 28.66 miles (46.12 km) of roadways, of which 24.15 miles (38.87 km) were maintained by the municipality, 1.81 miles (2.91 km) by Morris County and 2.70 miles (4.35 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[92]
NJ Transit provides local bus service on the 872, 875 and 880 routes,[96][97] replacing service that had been offered on the MCM2, MCM3 and MCM10 routes until 2010, when subsidies to the local provider were eliminated as part of budget cuts.[98][99]
Arthur Whitney (1871–1942), politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature and was the Republican nominee for Governor of New Jersey in 1925[115]
^ abGoverning Body, Borough of Morris Plains. Accessed April 26, 2023. "The Borough of Morris Plains was incorporated by the State Assembly on January 15, 1926 and operates under a Borough form of government. The Borough form of government consists of a Mayor and six council members all of whom are elected at-large. The Mayor is the head of the governing body and is elected to a four-year term. Council members to a three-year term."
^Bergeron, Tom. "Honeywell opens 'truly awesome building' in Morris Plains", NJBiz, November 16, 2015. Accessed May 19, 2016. "Honeywell Chairman and CEO David Cote formally opened the company's new global headquarters in Morris Plains on Monday morning by talking about the future. The 40-acre campus and 475,000-square-foot building, he said, will give Honeywell the space it needs to continue as one of New Jersey's most important corporations."
^Board of County Commissioners, Morris County, New Jersey. Accessed June 1, 2022. "Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners, who serve three-year terms."
^Morristown High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 18, 2020. "Comprised of 1,848 ethnically diverse students speaking more than 20 different languages, the educational program serves the students entrusted to the school by its communities: Morristown, Morris Township and Morris Plains."
^"St. Virgil Academy In Morris Plains To Close At End Of Current School Year", The Beacon, June 16, 2016. Accessed February 13, 2020. "After 106 years of providing a Catholic education to students in Morris Plains and beyond, St. Virgil Academy will close its doors when the school year ends this week.... two most important reasons for this decision are: very low enrollment and extremely high financial obligations on the part of our parish."
^Manochio, Matt. "Morris Plains' Raceway: Where Phil got whacked", Daily Record, June 12, 2007. Accessed December 19, 2012. "The scene was filmed in Morris Plains, and Route 10's surroundings were clearly visible, including the Barnes & Noble, which stood as a backdrop to some vomiting gas station customers who witnessed Phil's murder."
^Osby, Liv. "Fellowship offers river of travel", Daily Record, August 23, 1992. Accessed September 8, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "After living four years on a college campus, Morris Plains native Darron Collins will spend the next 12 months in an outdoor classroom, studying the rivers of Chile, Egypt and New Zealand."
^Prominent Families of New York, p. 386. The Historical Company, 1897. Accessed May 19, 2016. "Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. McCurdy have a city residence in Fifth Avenue, and a country home in Morris Plains, N. J."
^Fleming, Kerri. "Charley Molnar new UMass football coach", Telegram & Gazette, December 9, 2011. Accessed September 8, 2015. "This will be the first experience in New England for Molnar, 50, a native of Morris Plains, N.J., and an alumnus of Lock Haven (Pa.) University."
^Rubin, Debra. "Edward Mosberg, z”l", Jewish Link, September 28, 2022. Accessed October 22, 2022. "Mosberg, a Morris Plains resident, was honored last October at the 43rd National Founders Day Dinner of Rutgers Chabad with its Ner Tamid Award for his global philanthropic work, preservation of Holocaust memory, Torah donations and support of Rutgers Chabad."
^"FOX News CEO now calls Bernardsville home", The Bernardsville News, December 9, 2021. Accessed November 17, 2022. "Scott has local roots, having grown up in Morris Plains and lived in Morristown for many years before coming to Bernardsville with her husband, Preston, and daughter, Margaux."
^Postcard No. 9, Morris Plains Historical Postcard Album. Accessed May 19, 2016. "'Idlewild', the estate of Louis A. Thebaud, stood in the vicinity of present-day Idlewild Drive."
^Garcia, Alfa. "Morris Plains-based metal rockers The Dillinger Escape Plan will perform in Manhattan", The Record, March 11, 2010. Accessed May 19, 2016. "Wilson and bandmates Greg Puciato, Jeff Tuttle, Billy Rymer and Ben Weinman (founding member and Morris Plains native) spend their performances dodging head stocks, guitars and body parts, at the same time challenging their listeners to participate."
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