| Griggstown, New Jersey | |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | USA New Jersey Somerset County#USA New Jersey#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Griggstown |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in Somerset County##Location in New Jersey##Location in the United States |
| Pushpin Relief: | yes |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Somerset |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Subdivision Name3: | Franklin |
| Named For: | Griggs family |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 6.52 |
| Area Land Km2: | 6.33 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.18 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 2.52 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 2.44 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.07 |
| Area Water Percent: | 2.86 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 835 |
| Population Density Km2: | 131.83 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 341.51 |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | −05:00 |
| Timezone Dst: | Eastern (EDT) |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −04:00 |
| Elevation M: | 31 |
| Elevation Ft: | 102 |
| Coordinates Footnotes: | [3] [4] |
| Coordinates: | 40.4399°N -74.5983°W |
| Area Code: | 609/640, 732/848 and 908 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | [5] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 2583995 |
Griggstown is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)[6] located within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.[7] [8] [9] [10] As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP's population was 819.[11] The area was first settled around 1733. The Millstone River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal both flow through Griggstown.
Many of the earliest European settlers of the area came from Gravesend, Brooklyn. Among these settlers were four sons born to John and Elizabeth Griggs: Benjamin (b. 1690), Daniel, Samuel, and Thomas. Griggstown was named after Benjamin Griggs, who established a grist mill on the Millstone River that served as a meeting place for the European farmers of the area and as such the center of the community that would become Griggstown.
From the 1970s to the early 2000s, Griggstown residents reported seeing a feral cow along the parallel Delaware and Raritan Canal and the Millstone River,[12] said to be a ghost of one that was one of many herded along the canal in years past. An actual feral bull believed to be the phantom cow was found in a ditch in November 23, 2002, dying after being rescued.[13]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP had a total area of 2.519 square miles (6.524 km2), including 2.447 square miles (6.338 km2) of land and 0.072 square miles (0.187 km2) of water (2.86%).[3]
Griggstown is adjacent to the communities of Kingston, Rocky Hill, Montgomery Township, Kendall Park (in South Brunswick), and Franklin Park. The closest city of note is Princeton, New Jersey.
Griggstown is accessible via Route 27 (Lincoln Highway), County Route 518 and U.S. Route 206. The major roads in Griggstown are Bunker Hill Road and Canal Road. There is also a small access road with a one-lane bridge(at one time referred to as "twin bridges") known as the Griggstown Causeway that offers access to and from Griggstown as well. The D&R Canal State Park is located on this road in conjunction with the canal side tow-path.
The 2010 United States census counted 819 people, 346 households, and 230 families in the CDP. The population density was . There were 364 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 86.81% (711) White, 2.81% (23) Black or African American, 0.24% (2) Native American, 4.03% (33) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 2.56% (21) from other races, and 3.54% (29) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.23% (51) of the population.[11]
Of the 346 households, 25.7% had children under the age of 18; 57.2% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.5% were non-families. Of all households, 27.2% were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.92.[11]
18.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 32.4% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 101.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 101.5 males.[11]
| Griggstown Historic District | |
| Nrhp Type: | hd |
| Nocat: | yes |
| Location: | Roughly Canal Road from Old Georgetown Road to Ten Mile Run |
| Added: | August 2, 1984 |
| Refnum: | 84002798 |
| Designated Other1 Name: | New Jersey Register of Historic Places |
| Designated Other1 Abbr: | NJRHP |
| Designated Other1 Link: | New Jersey Register of Historic Places |
| Designated Other1 Date: | June 21, 1984 |
| Designated Other1 Number: | 2496[15] |
| Designated Other1 Num Position: | bottom |
| Designated Other1 Color: |
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The Griggstown Historic District is a 861acres national historic district encompassing the community along Canal Road from Old Georgetown Road to Ten Mile Run. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 2, 1984 for its significance in agriculture, architecture, commerce, industry, and transportation. The district includes 68 contributing buildings. The Griggstown Reformed Church was established in 1842 as the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of Griggstown. The building was dedicated on August 8, 1843, and features Greek Revival architecture. The Bridge Tender's House, the Bridge Tender’s Station and the Lock Tender's House, all built for the Delaware and Raritan Canal, are contributing buildings.[16]
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Griggstown include: