For over 60 years Bernards Township has had an official flag. The four colored rectangles recognized the four hamlets inside Bernards Township. In the 80s, a vote was made in West Millington to join the nearby Basking Ridge hamlet losing the 07929 zip code forever. Well, the residents approved the change and in an instant, West Millington was gone. So the lower right rectangle on the official Bernards Township flag is vacant. MLH is asking the township fill that void with a new worthy candidate; our Franklin Corners historic district.
Flag History
The Bernards Township, New Jersey flag was originally designed by James Fogelman, a Berta Place resident who served on the Bernards Township Bicentennial Committee. Fogelman also served on the Planning Board. After Fogelman’s design was accepted by the Bicentennial Committee, Donald Douglas and Frank Beatty, both of Liberty Corner, along with William Keeler of Basking Ridge worked with the Annin Flag Company of Verona, New Jersey to produce the first official Bernards Township flag. The Annin Flag Company was the only choice as those who know local history, it was the Annin family of Liberty Corner that founded the Annin Flag Company.
The Lost 4th Rectangle
The Bernards Township flag’s four rectangles of gold and red currently stand for the four key villages of which Bernards is composed; Basking Ridge, Liberty Corner, Lyons and West Millington. West Millington currently represents the lower right gold rectangle. Bound in white, symbolic of purity and truth, the red is for the blood of life and the gold is for a prosperous and flourishing community. White is for purity. But times have changed and our official flag definition should be updated. Here’s why…….
West Millington is just west of the village of Millington, which happens to be in Morris County. But there was alway a cut through for travelers on Stonehouse Road that wanted to get to Millington and that was on what is now know as Haas (pronounced Haze) Road. It was John V Haas that tuned what was known as the Homeville Section of Bernards to what is now known as the West Millington section of Bernards Township.
Share Your Thoughts
Millington is within Long Hill Township in Morris County, New Jersey. West Millington is in Bernards Township in Somerset County. So the question remains. Then on November 20,1986 the US Postal service put West Millington residents to a vote and the residents voted to merge W. Millington with Basking Ridge. Soon after, the W. Millington 07946 was removed and 07939 and 07920 took over and the area became part of the village of Basking Ridge.
Introducing Bernards Township’s Franklin Corners District
In 1768, Samuel Lewis built a wooden grain mill on the Passaic River. During the American Revolutionary War, it provided grain to the Continental Army during the 1779–1780 winter encampment at nearby Jockey Hollow. The Franklin Corners Historic District today is a 47-acre (19 ha) historic district encompassing the community along Hardscrabble and Childs roads in Bernards Township. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 12, 1975 for its significance in architecture, commerce, education and industry. The district includes 11 contributing buildings
In the 19th century, the hamlet had a grist mill, saw mill, general store, school, and several houses. The Franklin Corners Historic District, featuring Van Dorn’s Mill make up the Franklin Corners historic district.
Time to Replace West Millington and Recognize Franklin Corners on the Bernards Township Flag
So now that there is no longer an official West Millington section of Bernards Township, join us as we petition the Bernards Township Committee to formally recognize the 4th rectangle of our township flag with Bernards Township’s Franklin Corners.
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I vote for Madisonville not Franklin corners