[21] Wharton was originally incorporated as the borough Port Oram by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on June 26, 1895, created from portions of Randolph Township and Rockaway Township, subject to the results of a referendum passed on the previous day; the name was changed to Wharton on April 16, 1902, based on a referendum held that day and subject to legislation passed on March 27, 1902.

Its main purpose, however, was as an extension of the Lehigh Canal to furnish a route for anthracite coal from the Pennsylvania mines to seaboard.

Any local traffic was a gain to supplement the through anthracite freight and iron ore and its products soon became important sources of revenue.

[27] On June 28, 1895, voters from the settlements Port Oram, Irondale, Luxemburg, Maryville and Mount Pleasant voted 143 to 51 to incorporate as the borough Port Oram, the largest of the communities in the area covering 2.25 square miles (5.8 km2) west of Dover, New Jersey.

A mayor, six councilmen, an assessor and a collector were elected to govern the new borough which had started life as an ore shipping port on the Morris Canal.

[27] The borough was renamed in 1902 in honor of Joseph Wharton, who was born in 1826 in Philadelphia to an old family of Quakers.

Wharton first studied at a local Quaker school after which he worked on a farm rather than attend college because his parents wanted him to mature,[28] and during the winter studied chemistry at the laboratory of Martin Hans Boyè in Philadelphia.

He started producing zinc and nickel, and gradually bought a controlling interest in Bethlehem Iron Works.

After selling his interest in Bethlehem Iron Works in 1901 and his nickel works to CVRD Inco in 1902, he continued to actively acquire and manage a large and diverse business empire that included iron smelting in Wharton until just before his death in January, 1909.

[31][32][33] Unincorporated communities in the borough include Irondale, Luxemburg, Maryville, Mount Pleasant and Port Oram.

[24] The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

[42] As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 6,298 people, 2,328 households, and 1,599 families residing in the borough.

[6] The borough form of government used by Wharton is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council.

[45][46] As of 2023[update], the mayor of Wharton is Republican William J. Chegwidden, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[53] Established in 2009, the joint municipal court was forecast to offer annual savings in excess of $250,000 over the 10-year life of the agreement.

[56] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 7th congressional district is represented by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield).

[58] For the 2024-2025 session, the 25th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Anthony M. Bucco (R, Boonton Township) and in the General Assembly by Christian Barranco (R, Jefferson Township) and Aura K. Dunn (R, Mendham Borough).

[60] Actual day-to-day operation of departments is supervised by County Administrator Deena Leary.