Flemington

Welcome to The Borough of Flemington

38 Park Avenue
Flemington, NJ 08822
PHONE: 908-782-8840 * FAX: 908-782-0142
Official Website

The land that comprises Flemington was originally the territory of the Lenni-Lenape Indians, as was all of Hunterdon County. In 1712, as part of a land parcel of 9170 acres, the Flemington acreage was acquired by William Penn and Daniel Coxe.

Flemington is surrounded by the Township of Raritan and is located in the near geographic center of the Township. The Borough is also the County Seat of Hunterdon. In 1756, Samuel Fleming purchased part of this land, and built his home which still stands on Bonnell Street, and "Fleming's Town" was born.

The surrounding fertile farmland dictated that the beginnings of Flemington should be essentially agricultural. Early German and English settlers engaged in industries dependent on farm products. As time passed poultry and dairy farms superseded crops in agricultural importance. In 1785, Flemington was chosen as the County Seat of Hunterdon. Fire destroyed the old courthouse in 1826 and the City of Lambertville made an attempt to have the Seat moved, to no avail. Flemington remained the County Seat and the Courthouse which stands today on Main Street was built. The Union Hotel, across the street from the Courthouse was built in 1814 by Neal Hart. After Hart's death in 1837, the hotel was purchased by his son and then in 1850 the partnership of Bartles, Bonnell and Fleming. It was during this ownership that the business became known by its current name. By 1980 sixty-five percent of Flemington borough had been included on the New Jersey State Register of Historic Places and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.In 1856, the Hunterdon County Agricultural society purchased 40 acres of land that would accommodate the people, exhibits and livestock for the County (Flemington) Fair. The purpose of this Fair was to promote competition between farmers, stock raisers and machinery manufacturers. In the year 2003, the County Fair found a new home in Raritan Township. The most dramatic change in Flemington was its transformation into a major factory outlet center, which is called Liberty Village and Turntable Junction. With over sixty-five stores, it has become one of the finest high quality manufactures outlet shopping complexes in the Country.

Historic Flemington is a community which maintains many faces from the Flemington Fair to Liberty Village, from art and craft shows to stock car racing, from small family owned businesses to large industrial enterprises and it is all maintained in a quaint country atmosphere.

 

Watch: Weird NJ History & Haunting of the Union Hotel 

source: http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/mun/fleming.htm