Head northeast from Bernardsville and, within a few minutes, the roads narrow, the fields open up, and the houses sit farther back from the road. That is Harding Township, home to the village of New Vernon and one of the most deliberately rural places in northern New Jersey.
Its quiet is not an accident. It was built into the town from the start.
A Little History
Long before any farms, this land sat at the edge of Glacial Lake Passaic, which formed as the last glaciers retreated. When the lake drained, it left behind the Great Swamp, part of which lies in the township today.
For about two centuries after European settlement, the area was farm country, with cattle pastures, orchards, and grain fields. Colonial turnpikes, canals, and the Victorian-era railroads all bypassed it, so it stayed rural. Over time, families from Manhattan and Newark bought farms, enlarged the old farmhouses, and landscaped the grounds.
Harding Township was created in 1922 from the northern half of what was then Passaic Township, now Long Hill. It was named for the sitting president, Warren G. Harding. Local property owners pushed for the new township because they wanted to keep the community bucolic.
They followed through. In 1928, estate owners signed the New Vernon Neighborhood Restrictive Agreement, voluntarily placing covenants on more than 1,000 acres to keep the land rural. That effort influenced the zoning that came decades later and helps explain the landscape you see now.
New Vernon and the Hamlets
New Vernon is the township's village center and the seat of its local government. Abraham Canfield opened a country store, blacksmith shop, and cider mill here around 1740, and the name "New Vernon" appeared in a Morristown newspaper by 1808. The New Vernon Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, includes the 1833 First Presbyterian Church.
Harding also includes part of Green Village, shared with Chatham Township, along with smaller place names like Logansville, Pleasantville, and Glen Alpin. Mount Kemble Lake, a private club community, began as a summer colony in the 1920s.
History You Can Walk
Part of Jockey Hollow, within Morristown National Historical Park, lies in Harding. The Continental Army camped there during the hard winter of 1779–80. Established in 1933, Morristown was the nation's first national historical park.
Nearby, the Tempe Wick Road–Washington Corners Historic District, shared with Mendham Township, was added to the National Register in 2000. The road is named for Temperance Wick, a local figure from the Revolutionary era.
The Great Swamp
On the township's southern side, the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge protects a remarkable stretch of wetland and woods. Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the refuge was established in 1960. In 1968, Congress designated its eastern half as wilderness, the first wilderness area within the Fish and Wildlife Service. Refuge lands lie in Harding, Chatham, and Long Hill Townships.
Schools and Getting Around
The Harding Township School District serves students from pre-K through 8th grade at Harding Township School. High school students attend Madison High School through a sending/receiving relationship with the Madison Public Schools. As always, families should confirm current details with the districts.
Interstate 287 passes through the township without an exit, with interchanges just outside its borders, and U.S. Route 202 provides local access. Many residents commute from nearby train stations such as Madison and Morristown.
What Buyers Should Know
- Morris County, not Somerset. Harding borders Bernardsville and Bernards Township, but it is in Morris County, with its own tax rates and services.
- Mailing addresses vary. New Vernon's 07976 ZIP Code covers much of the area, but parts of the township use Basking Ridge or Morristown addresses. Check the tax records.
- Expect a rural pattern. Larger lots and preserved land are part of the appeal, and zoning reflects that. Ask early about any plans to add on or subdivide.
- Check the systems. Utilities vary from property to property, so confirm water, septic, and heating details for any home you consider.
The Takeaway
Harding is what happens when a community decides, early and on purpose, to stay country. For buyers who want privacy, history, and open land within reach of Morristown and the city, it is well worth a look.
Curious about homes in Harding, New Vernon, or elsewhere in the Somerset Hills? Call Fahey Realtors at 908.204.0600 or stop by our office at 61 Claremont Road in Bernardsville. We have been helping neighbors find their place here since 1985.
