Bound Brook, New Jersey

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Bound Brook, New Jersey
Map showing location of Bound Brook in Somerset County
Map showing location of Bound Brook in Somerset County
Coordinates: 40°34′03″N 74°32′15″W / 40.5675, -74.5375
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Somerset
Incorporated February 11, 1891
Government
 - Type Borough (New Jersey)
 - Mayor Carey Pilato (2011)
 - Administrator Randy Bahr (interim)[1]
Area
 - Total 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km²)
 - Land 1.7 sq mi (4.4 km²)
 - Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation [2] 43 ft (13 m)
Population (2006)[3]
 - Total 10,168
 - Density 5,953.7/sq mi (2,298.7/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08805
Area code(s) 732
FIPS code 34-06790[4]
GNIS feature ID 0874865[5]
Website: http://www.boundbrooknj.net
Queen's Bridge over Raritan River, Bound Brook, New Jersey
Queen's Bridge over Raritan River, Bound Brook, New Jersey

Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,155.

Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township. On February 11, 1891, it was incorporated as a borough, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.[6][7]

Contents

[edit] History

The town was first settled in 1681, and was established near the Bound Brook stream of the same name, which flows into the Raritan River via the Green Brook on the east side of the borough.[8]

A wooden bridge over the Raritan River was erected as early as 1761 and named Queen's Bridge in 1767. Later it became a covered bridge. During the American Revolutionary War the bridge was used repeatedly by both sides including during the Battle of Bound Brook in 1777. In 1875 the wooden bridge was replaced by a steel pipe truss bridge, which was replaced by a steel girder bridge in 1984, still using the old pillars. The bridge was renovated and paved in 2007.

The Battle of Bound Brook, one of the battles in the New York and New Jersey campaign during the American Revolutionary War, occurred on April 13, 1777, and resulted in a defeat for the Continental Army, who were routed by about 4,000 troops under British command.

[edit] Geography

Bound Brook is located at 40°33′55″N, 74°32′22″W (40.565203, -74.539513)[9].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.4 km²), all of it land.

As the southern portion of the borough (including the downtown area) is a low-lying natural flood plain of the Raritan River, Bound Brook suffers occasional flooding after heavy rain. Flood control protection is now in place on the western and eastern sides of Bound Brook; however, the main flood levee that will protect the borough from damaging floodwaters from the Raritan River is not expected to be completed until at least 2012. The flood levee is expected to provide protection from 150-year floods.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1930 7,372
—
1940 7,616 3.3%
1950 8,374 10.0%
1960 10,263 22.6%
1970 10,450 1.8%
1980 9,710 -7.1%
1990 9,487 -2.3%
2000 10,155 7.0%
Est. 2005 10,168 [3] 0.1%
Population 1930 - 1990.[10]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,155 people, 3,615 households, and 2,461 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,953.7 people per square mile (2,292.9/km²). There were 3,802 housing units at an average density of 2,229.0/sq mi (858.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.57% White, 2.52% African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.88% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.67% from other races, and 2.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.87% of the population.

There were 3,615 households out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the borough the population was spread out with 21.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $46,858, and the median income for a family was $51,346. Males had a median income of $32,226 versus $28,192 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,395. About 6.9% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Bound Brook has become a Hispanic enclave in Somerset County, with many businesses in the downtown area, including restaurants and small markets, owned by Latinos.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Bound Brook is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government by a mayor and a six-member borough council, all elected at-large in partisan elections. The mayor is directly elected by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the borough council serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[11]

The Mayor of Bound Brook is Carey Pilato, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2011.[12] Members of the Borough Council are Council President James Lefkowitz (2008), Ben Auletta (2009), Paul Hasting (2008), Anthony Pranzatelli (2010), Jeffry Thompson (2010) and Javier Vasquez (2009).[13][14]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Bound Brook is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th Legislative District.[15]

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, covering portions of Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County and Union County, is represented by Mike Ferguson (R). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 16th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher "Kip" Bateman (R, Neshanic Station) and in the Assembly by Peter J. Biondi (R, Hillsborough Township) and Denise Coyle (R, Basking Ridge).[16] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[17]

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one or two elected each year. As of 2008, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Peter S. Palmer (Bernardsville, term ends December 31, 2008), Freeholder Deputy Director Rick Fontana (Bridgewater Township, 2009), Jack Ciattarelli (Hillsborough Township, 2009), Patricia Walsh (Green Brook Township, 2010) and Robert Zaborowski (Franklin Township, 2008).[18]

[edit] Education

The Bound Brook School District serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[19]) are LaMonte School (Pre-K through 2nd grade; 378 students), Lafayette School (3-5; 378), Smalley School (6-8) and Bound Brook High School (727). Students from South Bound Brook attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship.

[edit] Transportation

The Bound Brook offers New Jersey Transit service on the Raritan Valley Line. The station building on the north side of the tracks is now a restaurant; the other station building on the south side is now privately owned. A tunnel connects the south and north sides of the tracks. There are also Conrail tracks going through this station, used for freight trains going to Newark. The station is located at 350 E. Main Street, and was built in 1913.

NJ Transit bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 114 and 117 routes. Local service to Newark is available on the 65 and 66 routes.[20]

[edit] Flooding

The lower downtown area of the city has been infamous for flooding of the Raritan River. A major flood in 1896 caused major fires.[21] In September 1999, many structures in Bound Brook near the commercial zone were damaged or destroyed by floods from the Raritan River resulting from Hurricane Floyd. The flooding from this hurricane reinvigorated a long-planned effort called the Green Brook Flood Control Project that would protect Bound Brook from up to a 150 year flooding event from the Raritan River and its tributaries the Middle and Green brooks that comprise the western and eastern boundaries of the town. The highest flooding level since 1800 in Bound Brook was reached during Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 (42.13 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey[22]). The second highest recorded level was after the April 2007 nor'easter, when the Raritan River crested above 38 feet, at two inches above the level set during Tropical Storm Doria in 1971. Main Street was also flooded in October 1996. In 1999 and 2007 Bound Brook's downtown flooding led to out-of-control fires, which could not be put out because of lack of access for fire vehicles.

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bound Brook Borough Hall, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  2. ^ USGS GNIS: Borough of Bound Brook, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Census data for Bound Brook borough, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  4. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  6. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 222.
  7. ^ The Borough of Bound Brook Municipal Resource, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  8. ^ A Note About Places, From "Voices of Raritan Landing", accessed April 19, 2007.
  9. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  10. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007.
  11. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 77.
  12. ^ Office of the Mayor, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  13. ^ Bound Brook Borough Council, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  14. ^ Borough of Bound Brook directory, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed June 21, 2007.
  15. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  16. ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  17. ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
  18. ^ The Role of County Government: "What Is A Freeholder?", Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed March 30, 2008.
  19. ^ Data for the Bound Brook School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  20. ^ Somerset County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
  21. ^ About Bound Brook, accessed June 21, 2007.
  22. ^ Bound Brook Flood Analysis, accessed April 25, 2007.
  23. ^ "Sketches of Prominent Citizens" Isaac Blackford, Accessed June 21, 2007. "Judge Blackford was a native of New Jersey, born the village of Bound Brook, Somerset county, on the 6th day of November, 1786.
  24. ^ Margaret Bourke-White, Photography at Temple University. Accessed June 21, 2007. "She grew up in Bound Brook, NJ, and graduated from Plainfield High School."
  25. ^ What Is It?, Center for History and New Media, George Mason University. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  26. ^ McDowell, Edwin. "Sinclair's Jungle with All the Muck Restored", The New York Times, August 22, 1988. Accessed November 10, 2007. "Sinclair died in a Bound Brook, N.J., nursing home in 1968 at the age of 90."
  27. ^ Samuel Swan, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  28. ^ Thomas De Witt Talmage, Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. Accessed April 29, 2008.

[edit] External links

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Municipalities and communities of
Somerset County, New Jersey
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