Fairfield, New Jersey

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Map of Fairfield Township in Essex County
Map of Fairfield Township in Essex County

Fairfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 7,063.

What is now Fairfield was formed on February 16, 1798, as Caldwell Township from portions of Acquackanonk Township and Newark Township. It was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to create Livingston (February 8, 1813), Fairmount Township (March 11, 1862, now part of West Orange), Caldwell borough (February 10, 1892), Verona Township (February 17, 1892, now known as Cedar Grove), North Caldwell (March 31, 1898), Essex Fells (March 31, 1902) and West Caldwell (February 24, 1904). On November 6, 1963, Caldwell was renamed as Fairfield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed the previous day. Fairfield was reincorporated as as borough on June 8, 1964.[1]

Essex County Airport is located in Fairfield.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Fairfield is located at 40°52′45″N, 74°17′38″W (40.879049, -74.293781)GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 27.1 km² (10.4 mi²), all land.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1930 989
–
1940 1,392 40.7%
1950 1,906 36.9%
1960 3,310 73.7%
1970 6,884 108.0%
1980 7,987 16.0%
1990 7,615 -4.7%
2000 7,063 -7.2%
Est. 2005 7,757 [2] 9.8%
Population 1930 - 1990.[3]

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 7,063 people, 2,296 households, and 1,981 families residing in the township. The population density was 261.0/km² (675.8/mi²). There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 85.9/km² (222.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 95.63% White, 0.52% African American, 0.10% Native American, 2.82% Asian, 0.40% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.45% of the population.

There were 2,296 households out of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.7% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.7% were non-families. 10.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.04 and the average family size was 3.29.

In the township the population was spread out with 22.0% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $83,120, and the median income for a family was $90,998. Males had a median income of $56,106 versus $39,032 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,099. About 2.3% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

Fairfield Township operates under a Mayor-Council form of New Jersey government under the Faulkner Act. The Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval, prepares the annual budget and has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council. The Council exercises legislative power of municipality and approves appointment of department heads.

Members of the Fairfield Township Council are Mayor Rocco Palmieri, Council President James Gasparini, John LaForgia, Richard Mastrangelo and Allan Smallheer.[4]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Fairfield is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 27th Legislative District.[5]

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 27th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Richard Codey (D, West Orange) and in the Assembly by Mims Hackett (D, Orange) and John F. McKeon (D, West Orange). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Essex County's County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Essex County's Freeholders are Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson, Freeholder Vice President Ralph R. Caputo, Freeholders-At-Large Johnny Jones, Donald M. Payne, Jr., and Patricia Sebold, Freeholder District 1 Samuel Gonzalez, Freeholder District 2 D. Bilal Beasley, Freeholder District 3 Carol Y. Clark, Freeholder District 4 Linda Lordi Cavanaugh and Freeholder District 5 Ralph R. Caputo.

[edit] Politics

On the national level, Fairfield leans toward the Republican Party. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush received 70% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 29%.

[edit] Education

Winston Churchill School serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Students in grades 7 - 12 attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district serving students from four municipalities in western Essex County, New Jersey. Communities served by the district's schools are Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland. The school system consists of West Essex Junior High School (grades 7-9) and West Essex High School (grades 10-12), both located in North Caldwell. A four-year comprehensive high school program is offered to grades 9-12 serving an enrollment of 875 students with a faculty of 90.

[edit] History

Fairfield was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.

In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acre (57 km²) Horseneck Tract — so-called because of its irregular shape that suggested a horse's neck and head — from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to the Passaic River.

[edit] Transportation

U.S. Route 46, Route 159, Interstate 80 all pass through the Township.

[edit] Notable residents

Notable current and former resident of Fairfield include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 126.
  2. ^ Census data for Fairfield township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
  3. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
  4. ^ Fairfield Township Mayor and Council, accessed March 13, 2007
  5. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 57, accessed August 30, 2006
  6. ^ The Century's Best -- Field Hockey, The Star-Ledger, October 3, 1999. "Long before Michelle Vizzuso began breaking state records at West Essex High School, the field hockey phenom was shattering walls in the basement of her Fairfield home.... In 1991, Vizzuso became only the fifth freshman at West Essex to start on varsity in Alimi's 32 years of coaching."

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Essex County, New Jersey
(County seat: Newark)
Boroughs Caldwell | Essex Fells | Glen Ridge | North Caldwell | Roseland
Cities East Orange | Newark
Towns
Townships Belleville | Bloomfield | Cedar Grove | City of Orange | Fairfield | Irvington | Livingston | Maplewood | Millburn | Montclair | Nutley | South Orange Village | Verona | West Caldwell | West Orange
Neighborhoods Broadway | Downtown Newark | Fairmount | Forest Hill | Ironbound | Llewellyn Park | Roseville | Seventh Avenue | Springfield/Belmont | University Heights | Vailsburg | Weequahic
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