Old Bridge Township, New Jersey

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Old Bridge, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°24′48″N 74°18′25″W / 40.41333, -74.30694
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Middlesex
Incorporated March 2, 1869 as Madison Township
Renamed November 5, 1975 as Old Bridge Township
Government
 - Type Faulkner Act Mayor-Council
 - Mayor James T. Phillips
Area
 - Total 40.7 sq mi (105.3 km²)
 - Land 38.1 sq mi (98.6 km²)
 - Water 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km²)
Elevation [1] 79 ft (24 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 65,661
 - Density 1,587.4/sq mi (612.9/km²)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08857, 08859, 08879, 07747, 07726, 07721
Area code(s) 732
FIPS code 34-54705[3]
GNIS feature ID 0882158[4]
Website: http://www.oldbridge.com
Old Bridge Township highlighted in Middlesex County
Old Bridge Township highlighted in Middlesex County

Old Bridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 60,456.

What is now Old Bridge Township was originally incorporated as Madison Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1869, from portions of South Amboy Township (now City of South Amboy).[5] On November 5, 1975, voters approved a referendum, by a 7,150-4,888 margin changing the township's name to Old Bridge Township.[6][7] The township's name was changed to avoid confusion with the borough of Madison in Morris County.[6][8]

Brownville (2000 census population of 2,660), Laurence Harbor (6,227), Madison Park (6,929) and Old Bridge (22,833) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Old Bridge Township. Browntown is an unincorporated area served as ZIP code 08857.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 40.7 square miles (105.3 km²), of which, 38.1 square miles (98.7 km²) of it is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km²) of it (6.32%) is water.

Of the Township's 38+ square miles, approximately one-third is developed.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1930 2,566
—
1940 3,803 48.2%
1950 7,366 93.7%
1960 22,772 209.2%
1970 48,715 113.9%
1980 51,515 5.7%
1990 56,475 9.6%
2000 60,456 7.0%
Est. 2006 65,661 [2] 8.6%
Population 1930 - 1990.[9]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 60,456 people, 21,438 households, and 15,949 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,587.4 people per square mile (612.8/km²). There were 21,896 housing units at an average density of 574.9/sq mi (222.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.48% White, 5.30% African American, 0.16% Native American, 10.82% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.87% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population.

There were 21,438 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the township the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $64,707, and the median income for a family was $74,045 (which had risen to $77,331 and $87,049 respectively as of the 2006 estimate.[10]) Males had a median income of $51,978 versus $35,462 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,814. About 3.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

Initially, the Township was made up of farms and the population grew slowly. In 1880, the population was 1,662 and in 1950 it had reached only 7,365. Then the building boom started and farms gave way to developments. In 1960, the population was 22,772 and that was only the beginning. The 1980 census cited 51,406 people.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Old Bridge Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.[11][12]

The Mayor of Old Bridge Township is Mayor James T. Phillips.[13] The Township Council consists of nine members, with six elected to represent wards and three elected at-large from the Township as a whole. The members of the Township Council are:[14]

  • Robert Volkert - Representing Ward 1
  • William Baker, Council Vice President - Representing Ward 2
  • Reginald Butler - Representing Ward 3
  • G. Kevin Calogera - Representing Ward 4
  • Richard Greene - Representing Ward 5
  • Lucille Panos - Representing Ward 6
  • Patrick Gillespie, Representing Old Bridge At-Large
  • Brian J. Cahill - Representing Old Bridge At-Large
  • Edward Testino - Council President - Representing Old Bridge At-Large

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Old Bridge Township is split between the Sixth and Twelfth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 13th Legislative District.[15]

New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, covering portions of Middlesex County and Monmouth County, is represented by Frank Pallone (D). New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District, covering all of Hunterdon County and portions of Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, and Somerset County, is represented by Rush D. Holt Jr. (D). 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 13th district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph M. Kyrillos (R, Middletown Township) and in the Assembly by Amy Handlin (R, Middletown Township) and Samuel D. Thompson (R, Old Bridge Township).[16] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[17]

Middlesex County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. As of 2008, Middlesex County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel (Milltown), Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina (Fords), Camille Fernicola (Piscataway), H. James Polos (Highland Park), Ronald Rios (Carteret), Christopher D. Rafano (South River) and Blanquita B. Valenti (New Brunswick).[18]

[edit] Education

The Old Bridge Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[19]) are twelve K-5 elementary schools — M. Scott Carpenter (302 students), Cheesequake (324), Leroy Gordon Cooper (186), Virgil I. Grissom (229), James A. McDivitt (555), Madison Park (338), Memorial (436), William A. Miller (353), Walter M. Schirra (420), Alan B. Shepard (343), Southwood (380) and Voorhees (464) — both Jonas Salk Middle School (1,273) and Carl Sandburg Middle School (1,202) for grades 6-8 and Old Bridge High School for grades 9-12 (3,041).

[edit] History

The first inhabitants of the area known as Old Bridge, were the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. They, like many people today, migrated to the shore along the Raritan each summer from their hunting grounds in the north.

When the English gained control from the Dutch in 1664, the state was divided into two provinces, East Jersey and West Jersey. In 1682, the general assembly of East Jersey defined the boundaries of Middlesex County as containing all plantations on both sides of the Raritan River, as far as Cheesequake Harbor to the east, then southwest to the Provincial line. This Southwest line is the border of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties and the Township's southern border.

In 1684, South Amboy Township was formed. At that time, it covered an area that now consists of the Townships of Monroe and Old Bridge and the Boroughs of Sayreville and South Amboy.

The Township comprises 42 square miles (109 km²) that separated from South Amboy on March 2, 1869, and was called Madison Township.[20] In 1975, the name was changed by referendum to the Township of Old Bridge, to differentiate the township from the Borough of Madison, in Morris County.[21]

The first settlers were John Warne, son of one of the original proprietors of East Jersey, and John and Susannah Brown, who obtained a 1,000 acre (4 km²) land grant from King George II of Great Britain in 1737. A section of the Township still carries the name Browntown.

[edit] Transportation

Old Bridge houses an interchange for the Garden State Parkway, Interchange 120. The parkway gives access to Route 440 (which becomes Interstate 287)giving access Staten Island and Long Island , New York points, and Interstate 95/New Jersey Turnpike. U.S. 9, Route 18, Route 34 and Route 35 also pass through the township. Old Bridge Airport is located 5 miles south of the central business district.

[edit] Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Old Bridge Township include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Old Bridge, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  2. ^ a b Census data for Old Bridge township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 10, 2007.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170.
  6. ^ a b "New Names Voted for 2 Communities", The New York Times, November 6, 1975. p. 88
  7. ^ HISTORY OF OLD BRIDGE & THE WATERFRONT, accessed February 22, 2007
  8. ^ Cheslow, Jerry. If You're Thinking of Living in: Old Bridge, The New York Times, April 21, 1991. Accessed August 10, 2007.
  9. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  10. ^ 2006 American Community Survey, Data Profile Highlights: Old Bridge Township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 22, 2007.
  11. ^ The Faulkner Act, Old Bridge Township. Accessed October 18, 2006.
  12. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 67.
  13. ^ OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, Old Bridge Township. Accessed March 18, 2007.
  14. ^ Township Council, Old Bridge Township. Accessed April 12, 2008.
  15. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 62. 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. ^ Elected County Officials, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed February 21, 2007.
  19. ^ Data for the Old Bridge Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 12, 2008.
  20. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 165.
  21. ^ Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Old Bridge Township, N.J.; Fast Growing, but With a Rural Ambience", The New York Times, February 20, 2000. Accessed August 10, 2007.
  22. ^ Theodore Frank Appleby, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 30, 2007.
  23. ^ OFF THE RECORD: A Fine New Jersey "Colleen" , Irish Voice, May 1, 2001. Accessed August 10, 2007. "COLLEEN Fitzpatrick, a comely lass from Old Bridge, New Jersey, is the media dynamo behind the concept known as Vitamin C."
  24. ^ Cahillane, Kevin. "For the Stars of ‘Clerks,’ It’s Take Two", The New York Times, July 14, 2006. Accessed June 8, 2008. "Mr. O’Halloran, a resident of Old Bridge since age 13, has not had to go the McJob route."
  25. ^ Mifflin, Lawrie. "Doing a Star Turn for the Home Team, at Last", The New York Times, August 18, 1996. Accessed January 7, 2008. "Giants Stadium is a short trip up the turnpike from Old Bridge, where Mr. Ramos lives with his wife, Amy -- a former North Carolina State University soccer player like her husband -- and their 16-month-old son, Alex. And it's just a few miles from where he grew up, in Harrison and Kearny, towns that have been soccer hotbeds for generations."
  26. ^ William Halstead Sutphin, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed August 30, 2007.

[edit] External links

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