Independence is a township in Warren County, New Jersey, in the state's northwestern corner, along the Route 46 corridor between Hackettstown and the Delaware River. With about 5,500 residents, it is a largely rural municipality of farm meadows, small crossroads, and residential roads. The unincorporated communities of Great Meadows, Vienna, and Petersburgh lie within the township. The township's name and history reflect its Revolutionary-era origins. It was organized in 1798 as one of New Jersey's first 104 townships and named to honor American independence. Most of the township became part of the newly created Warren County in 1824, and portions were later carved away to form Hackettstown in 1853 and Allamuchy Township in 1873 — a sign of its original size. Independence's landscape is defined by the Pequest River valley, whose broad, low-lying meadows give the Great Meadows community its name. The Pequest River, one of the region's notable trout streams, winds through these meadows, and the valley's rich soils have supported farming for more than two centuries. Agriculture remains part of the township's character, alongside single-family homes on larger lots and a scattering of small businesses along Route 46. Hackettstown, immediately to the east, serves as the area's commercial and service center. Public education is provided by the Great Meadows Regional School District for elementary and middle grades, with high school students attending Hackettstown High School through a sending-receiving arrangement. Route 46 and nearby Interstate 80 connect the township to the New York metropolitan area to the east and the Lehigh Valley to the west. Independence suits people seeking rural Warren County living — open space, agricultural valleys, and a slower pace — with schools and services minutes away in Hackettstown and regional employment within commuting distance.