Interactive StoryMap Explores Nearly 240 Years of Morris County Growth
New Interactive StoryMap Explores Nearly 240 Years of Morris County Growth
Online Census History Shows How Five Towns Became 39 in Morris County & More
On Sept. 17, 1787, the United States Constitution was signed, providing the framework for a new nation and directing Congress to conduct a census.
Nearly 240 years later, the census continues to help tell the story of America, including the remarkable transformation of Morris County from the boundaries defining five towns in 1787 to 39 thriving communities today.
In recognition of Constitution Day, the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation has launched an interactive online ArcGIS StoryMap® -- “Morris County & the Census” -- tracing nearly a quarter millennium of population growth and community development, from the county's first U.S. Census count in 1790 to the present day. It’s a product of the Constitution requiring an enumeration every 10 years to determine the apportionment of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The census is one of the few ways we can look across generations and see how communities have changed. The information collected every 10 years helps shape decisions that affect transportation, education, health care, emergency services and countless other public investments that benefit our residents,” said Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw. “This StoryMap brings that history together in a way that makes the data more accessible and helps demonstrate why the census remains important today.”
The “Morris County & the Census” StoryMap combines historical narratives, population data, interactive maps, photographs and other information to show how Morris County has evolved over the past 240 years.
Morris County was created in 1738, nearly 40 years before the American Revolution, by an act of the state legislature that divided the larger Hunterdon County. By 1790, Morris County had a population of 16,216 with multiple villages and settlements encompassed within five recognized municipalities -- Hanover Township, Morris Township, Pequannock Township, Roxbury and Mendham Township. The first Census based its enumeration of Morris County population on a survey of these five municipalities.
Visitors to the StoryMap can move through each census decade to see how the county's population and municipal boundaries changed while major national and local events unfolded.
“One of the most interesting things about this StoryMap is being able to see how the Morris County we know today developed over generations,” said Joe Barilla, director of the Office of Planning and Preservation. “Residents can explore the history of their own communities, see how our county has grown and better understand how the census has documented that change over time.”
Morris County's population grew gradually through the 19th and early 20th centuries before accelerating dramatically after World War II. The county's population reached 164,371 in 1950 and more than doubled over the next three decades, reaching 407,630 in 1980. The 2020 Decennial Census recorded 509,285 residents, while the U.S. Census Population Estimates Program estimated the county's 2025 population at 524,251.
That growth was accompanied by the creation of the communities that make up Morris County today. By 1930, the number of towns had grown to 37, and by 1960 all 39 of the county's current municipalities had been established. The StoryMap’s interactive maps allow visitors to explore individual communities and see how the county's geography changed as those new municipalities were created.
In addition to documenting population trends, the StoryMap explores the history of Morris County itself, from its separation from Hunterdon County and naming after Colonial Governor Lewis Morris to its role as the “Military Capital of the American Revolution.” It also examines the origins and symbolism of the county's Coat of Arms and motto, Tandem Vincitur (“At last it is conquered”).
The StoryMap also traces the evolution of the census as well. The first census recorded information including the head of each family, free white males and females, other free persons and enslaved people. Over time, census questions evolved to collect increasingly detailed demographic, housing and economic information.
Today, census data help to determine congressional apportionment and political district boundaries, how federal funding is distributed, guide government and business planning, support emergency responses and provide a foundation for other federal surveys.
“The ‘Morris County & the Census’ StoryMap is the latest addition to Morris County's growing collection of online historical and educational resources, using GIS technology to make the county's history more accessible through interactive storytelling, maps and multimedia content,” said Commissioner Tom Mastrangelo, liaison to the Office of Planning and Preservation. “We encourage everyone to explore this valuable resource and other county StoryMaps.”
