Baptistown

Baptistown is an unincorporated community within Kingwood Township in Hunterdon County. Located on New Jersey Route 12 outside of Frenchtown, Kingwood’s municipal offices are located within Baptistown north of the center of the community. The name Baptistown comes from two Baptist churches that were founded within the area by early settlers. Baptistown has a post office that was opened in 1822 and has provided the area with ZIP code 08803. In 1882, the area was described as having a population of 250 people and a “rich farming district, with a good local business.” 

Today, French Solar is a group of three photovoltaic arrays or “solar farms” within the state of New Jersey. Located just outside of Baptistown, Frenchtown Solar spans 110 acres and possesses more than 68,500 solar panels and a 20.1-megawatt capacity. Of its three arrays, two are located just outside of Baptistown on Route 12, and the third array is located south of County Route 519. 

Located in Kingwood Township, the township spans more than 35 sq miles and has a total population of 3,741 residents. Kingwood was originally established in 1746 when it was created from Bethlehem Township; however, in 1798, it became one of New Jersey’s initial 104 townships. The township was home to Daniel Bray, a Capitan who rounded up the boats for George Washing’s troops before the crossing of the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War. 

One of the most recognizable locations within Kingwood Township is the Thatcher House. The house was named after Jeremiah Thatcher (d. 1790), a local farmer and one of the area’s earliest residents. Thatcher  house was built in 1765 and was later added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 4th, 2020, for its significance to architecture. The house features patterned brickwork with a complex diamond pattern. Another one of Kingwood Township’s predominant points of interest is the Old Stone Church, constructed in 1837, today, the building is owned by the First Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hunterdon County. 

For many years, the residents and farmers of Baptistown have utilized propane company GasTec’s services to heat their homes and power their machinery. While GasTec is well known for its affordable residential propane, GasTec also offers competitive prices on commercial propane as well as propane delivery services.  Whether it be powering their gas fireplaces or their generators, the people of Asbury know they can rely on GasTec to fulfill their propane needs.