Hardwick Township was created by Royal Charter
on January 22, 1749, from Greenwich Township,
while the area was part of Morris County. It
became part of the newly-created Sussex County
on June 8, 1753. Parts of Hardwick Township were
taken on November 11, 1782, to form Independence
Township. Hardwick Township was incorporated as
a township by an Act of the New Jersey
Legislature on February 21, 1798. On November
20, 1824, most of Hardwick Township was
transferred to form part of Warren County, with
the remainder staying in Sussex County as parts
of Green Township and Stillwater Township, which
were both created as of December 27, 1824.
Frelinghuysen Township was created March 7,
1848, from portions of the township.
The now-defunct Pahaquarry Township was absorbed by Hardwick Township on July 7, 1997. Pahaquarry Township had been created on March 14, 1825, and got its name from the word Pahaquarra, which was a derivation of the Indian word Pahaqualong, which meant "termination of two mountains" and described the mountain or mountainous area that was the area's southern border.
