Bloomfield, New Jersey

Bloomfield, New Jersey
—  Township  —
Map of Bloomfield Township in Essex County. Inset: Location of Essex County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Bloomfield, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Essex
Incorporated March 23, 1812
Government[1]
 • Type Special Charter (New Jersey)
 • Mayor Raymond McCarthy (term ends 2012)[2]
 • Administrator Yoshi Manale[3]
Area[4]
 • Total 5.33 sq mi (13.8 km2)
 • Land 5.32 sq mi (13.8 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.0 km2)  0.19%
Elevation[5] 144 ft (44 m)
Population (2010 Census)[6]
 • Total 47,315
 • Density 8,877.1/sq mi (3,428.6/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07003[7]
Area code(s) 862/973
FIPS code 34-06260[8][9]
GNIS feature ID 1729714[10]
Website http://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com

Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 47,315.[6] It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.

Contents

History

Bloomfield was incorporated as a township from portions of Newark Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1812.[11] The new township took its name from the Presbyterian parish, which had been named for Governor of New Jersey Joseph Bloomfield.[12]

At the time it was incorporated, the township covered 20.52 square miles (53.1 km2) (almost four times its current area of 5.3 square miles (14 km2)) and included several villages which left Bloomfield during the course of the nineteenth century. Their names and dates of separation are:

Bloomfield was incorporated as a town on February 26, 1900.[11] In July 1981, residents voted to adopt the township form of government.[14]

The Thomas Cadmus House, originally built in 1763 by Revolutionary War Lt. Col. Thomas Cadmus, and was reconstructed in 1915 using the stones and foundation that had been used to build the original home. The house is at 223 Ashland Avenue (also known as 190 Washington Street) built on wooded land that been owned by his grandfather, Johannes Cadmus. General George Washington is said to have visited the home in 1778.[15]

Geography

Bloomfield is located at (40.803000, -74.188959).[16]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 5.33 square miles (13.8 km2), of which, 5.32 square miles (13.8 km2) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.026 km2) of it (0.19%) is water.[4]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1850 3,289
—
1860 4,697 42.8%
1870 4,580 −2.5%
1880 5,748 25.5%
1890 7,708 34.1%
1900 9,668 25.4%
1910 15,070 55.9%
1920 22,019 46.1%
1930 38,077 72.9%
1940 41,623 9.3%
1950 49,307 18.5%
1960 51,867 5.2%
1970 52,029 0.3%
1980 47,792 −8.1%
1990 45,061 −5.7%
2000 47,683 5.8%
2010 47,315 −0.8%
Population sources:1900-1930[17]
1930-1990[18] 2000[19] 2010[6]

As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 47,683 people, 19,017 households, and 12,075 families residing in the township. The population density was 8,961.5 people per square mile (3,460.6/km2). There were 19,508 housing units at an average density of 3,666.3 per square mile (1,415.8/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 70.09% White, 11.69% Black, 0.19% Native American, 8.38% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 6.42% from other races, and 3.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.47% of the population.[19]

There were 19,017 households out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.16.[19]

In the township the population was spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.[19]

The median income for a household in the township was $53,289, and the median income for a family was $64,945 (these figures had risen to $65,373 and $83,321 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[20]). Males had a median income of $43,498 versus $36,104 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,049. About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.[19]

In comparison to the other townships in the U.S., living in Bloomfield costs on average 24.01% higher than the U.S. average cost of living.[21]

According to a 2007 report from CNNMoney.com, the quality of life in Bloomfield in terms of crime are 3 incidents per 1,000 people as compared to the “best places to live average” of only 1.3 incidents per 1,000. Property crime incidents per 1,000 people in Bloomfield is 35 as compared to the “best places to live average” of only 20.6.[22]

Government

Local government

Bloomfield operates under a Special Charter granted under an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township is governed by a mayor and a six member Township Council. The mayor and three councilmembers are elected at large, and three members are elected from each of three wards, with all positions chosen in partisan elections. Councilmembers are elected to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one at-large and one ward seat coming up for election each year.[1] Bloomfield's charter retains most of the characteristics of the Town form, with additional powers delegated to an administrator.[23]

As of 2011, the Mayor of Bloomfield is Raymond McCarthy. Members of the Bloomfield Township Council are Peggy O'Boyle Dunigan (at-large), Bernard Hamilton (at-large), Nicholas Joanow (Second Ward), Janice Maly (First Ward), Robert M. Ruane (Third Ward) and Michael Venezia (at-large).[3]

Federal, state, and county representation

Bloomfield is in the 8th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 8th state legislative district.[24] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[6]

New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is represented by Bill Pascrell (D, Paterson). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

28th District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Ronald Rice (D, Newark) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Ralph R. Caputo (D, Belleville) and Cleopatra Tucker (D, Newark).[25] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[26] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[27]

Essex County's County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.[28] The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. The county's Board of Chosen Freeholders consists of nine members, four elected on an at-large basis and one from each of five wards, who serve terms of office on a concurrent basis.[29] As of 2011 Essex County's Freeholders are Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson (at large)[30], Freeholder Vice President Ralph R. Caputo (District 5)[31], Rufus I. Johnson (at large)[32], Donald M. Payne, Jr. (at large)[33], Patricia Sebold (at large)[34], Samuel Gonzalez (District 1)[35], D. Bilal Beasley (District 2)[36], Carol Y. Clark (District 3)[37] and Linda Lordi Cavanaugh (District 4).[38][39]

Politics

In recent years, on the national level, Bloomfield has leaned toward the Democratic Party. In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% (12,739 votes) of the vote here, defeating Republican John McCain, who received 35.3% (7,154), with 72% of the township's 27,981 registered voters participating in the election.[40]

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

The Bloomfield Public Schools serve students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[41]) are eight elementary schools serving kindergarten through sixth grade — Berkeley (407 students) Brookdale (288), Carteret (423), Demarest (488), Fairview (492), Franklin (344), Oak View (335), Watsessing (329) — Bloomfield Middle School for grades 7 and 8 (864), and Bloomfield High School for grades 9-12 (1,887). Forest Glen School provides individualized programs and services to special needs students in grades 7-12 (34 students). As of the 2009-10 school year, the Bloomfield Public Schools had a Total Comparative Cost Per Pupil of $10,202, while the statewide average was $13,833.[42]

Bloomfield Tech High School is a regional magnet public high school that offers occupational and academic instruction for students in Essex County, as part of the Essex County Vocational Technical Schools.[43]

Colleges and universities

Bloomfield College, a liberal arts college founded in 1868, is located in downtown Bloomfield near the town green. The college has approximately 2,000 students and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.[44]

Catholic schools

Saint Thomas the Apostle, which serves grades K-8, is operated under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.[45]

Transportation

The major New Jersey highway artery that serves Bloomfield is the Garden State Parkway. Its Essex toll plaza is located in the city, as well as two service areas. Troop E of the New Jersey State Police, which patrols the full length of the Garden State Parkway, has a station in Bloomfield at milepost 153.[46]

Bloomfield is served by the New Jersey Transit Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal or on Midtown Direct trains (about 55%) to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction. The Bloomfield train station is located off of Bloomfield Avenue in the downtown area. The Watsessing Avenue rail station is at the corner of Watsessing Avenue and Orange Street, and is located below ground.

The Grove Street station on the Newark City Subway at the south end of Bloomfield provides service to Newark Penn Station, created as part of an extension to Belleville and Bloomfield that opened in 2002.[47]

New Jersey Transit bus service is available to Newark on the 11, 27, 28, 29, 34, 72, 90, 92, 93 and 94 routes, with local service on the 709 bus line.[48] In October 2009, the Go Bus 28 route was introduced, offering service "nearly" all day from Bloomfield Train Station to Newark Liberty International Airport.[49][50]

Bloomfield is 7.5 miles from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark / Elizabeth, and 28.8 miles from LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens.

Points of interest

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Bloomfield include:

References

  1. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 128.
  2. ^ 2011 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  3. ^ a b List of Township Officials, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed November 7, 2011.
  4. ^ a b GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000 for Essex County, New Jersey -- County Subdivision and Place, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 6, 2011.
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of Bloomfield, Geographic Names Information System. Retrieved January 4, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  7. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code, United States Postal Service. Accessed November 7, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  9. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  10. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  11. ^ a b c "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 126.
  12. ^ Bloomfield, New Jersey - A Brief History, First Baptist Church of Bloomfield, NJ. Retrieved August 21, 2007.
  13. ^ A Brief History of Bloomfield. Retrieved June 16, 2006.
  14. ^ Bloomfield, New Jersey - A Brief History, First Baptist Church of Bloomfield. Accessed July 6, 2007. "In July of 1981, by a special election, it changed its designation to 'Township' again."
  15. ^ Thomas Cadmus House, Bloomfield History. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  16. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  17. ^ "Fifteenth Census of the United States : 1930 - Population Volume I", United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 30, 2011.
  18. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 2, 2009. Accessed July 6, 2011.
  19. ^ a b c d e Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights: Bloomfield township, Essex County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  20. ^ "Bloomfield township, Essex County, New Jersey - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder". Factfinder.census.gov. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3401306260&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=bloomfield&_cityTown=bloomfield&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2007_3YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=. Retrieved 2010-05-18. 
  21. ^ "Best Places to Live in Bloomfield, New Jersey". Bestplaces.net. http://www.bestplaces.net/city/Bloomfield-New_Jersey.aspx. Retrieved 2010-05-18. 
  22. ^ "MONEY Magazine: Best places to live 2007: Bloomfield, NJ snapshot". Money.cnn.com. 2010-04-22. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2007/snapshots/PL3406250.html. Retrieved 2010-05-18. 
  23. ^ Chapter V: Special Charters, New Jersey State Library. Retrieved August 7, 2008.
  24. ^ 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed June 5, 2011.
  25. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-02-08. 
  26. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  27. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  28. ^ Essex County Executive, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  29. ^ Definition of a Freeholder, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  30. ^ Blonnie R. Watson, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  31. ^ Ralph R. Caputo, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  32. ^ Rufus I. Johnson, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  33. ^ Donald M. Payne, Jr., Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  34. ^ Patricia Sebold, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  35. ^ Samuel Gonzalez, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  36. ^ D. Bilal Beasley, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  37. ^ Carol Y. Clark, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  38. ^ Linda Lordi Cavanaugh, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  39. ^ The Board of Chosen Freeholders, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 3, 2011.
  40. ^ 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Essex County, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  41. ^ Data for the Bloomfield Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  42. ^ Bloomfield High School 2010 School Report Card, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  43. ^ About Us, Bloomfield Tech. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  44. ^ At a glance, Bloomfield College. Accessed July 18, 2011. "Bloomfield College is an independent, four-year, coeducational college, affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA), founded in 1868.... Enrollment: About 2,000 students are enrolled at Bloomfield College either full or part time, with more than 50 nationalities represented on campus."
  45. ^ Essex County schools, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  46. ^ Troop E, New Jersey State Police. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  47. ^ Staff. "Subway extension to open in summer, Newark officials hope that the $207.7 million downtown project will help spur a renaissance.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 13, 2006. Accessed July 18, 2011. "The last major expansion of the 4.3mile subway in 2002 brought the service into the neighboring cities of Belleville and Bloomfield."
  48. ^ Essex County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 18, 2011.
  49. ^ NJ TRANSIT UNVEILS NEW "GO BUS 28" SERVICE IN NEWARK AND BLOOMFIELDEnhanced bus service begins October 17, linking residents with major employment centers, New Jersey Transit press release dated October 16, 2009. Accessed July 18, 2011. "NJ TRANSIT and local officials today previewed the second phase of “Go Bus” service—an enhanced bus service that will provide a faster, more convenient trip between Bloomfield, downtown Newark and Newark Liberty International Airport when Go Bus 28 begins operating Saturday, October 17."
  50. ^ Go Bus 28 (Bloomfield - Newark - Newark Airport), New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 18, 2011. "Go bus 28 provides fast, convenient service along two of northern New Jersey's busiest corridors between the cities of Bloomfield and Newark, Bloomfield Avenue and Broad Street."
  51. ^ Bonk, Thomas. "NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT Duke's Abdelnaby Is Driven Blue Devils: After three inconsistent seasons and some off-court difficulties, the center has finally established himself heading into his biggest games.", Los Angeles Times, March 30, 1990. Accessed August 11, 2008. "Playing for Coach Paul Palek at Bloomfield High School, [Alaa Abdelnaby] yearned for a chance at the NBA. Palek, now assistant principal at Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey, thought the sky was the limit for Abdelnaby."
  52. ^ David Mark Chalmers (1987). Hooded Americanism: The History of the Ku Klux Klan. ISBN 0822307723. http://books.google.com/books?id=CT9HAAAAMAAJ&q. "Clad in yellow robes, Arthur H. Bell, the Bloomfield lawyer, who had led the New Jersey Klansmen in the 1920s ..." 
  53. ^ Goldstein, Richard. "Hank Borowy, 88, Top Pitcher With Yankees and Cubs in 40's", The New York Times, August 26, 2004. Accessed April 1, 2008. "Borowy, a native of Bloomfield, N.J., who pitched for Fordham University, was 15-4 as a rookie on the Yankees' 1942 pennant winners."
  54. ^ Fox, Richard Wrightman. "Apostle of Personality", The New York Times, January 13, 1985. Accessed June 5, 2011. "Bourne, who was born and raised in Bloomfield, N.J., went to Columbia College on full scholarship at the age of 23 and was on his way to major distinction as a critic of culture and politics when he was suddenly silenced nine years later by the flu epidemic of 1918, which killed half a million Americans."
  55. ^ Murphy, Maureen Clare. "All Boxed In: Interview with Palestinian-American artist Rajie Cook", The Electronic Intifada, January 12, 2005. Retrieved June 5, 2005.
  56. ^ Assemblywoman Marion Crecco, New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 25, 1998. Accessed June 2, 2010.
  57. ^ Peter David. "But I Digress"; Comics Buyer's Guide #1251; November 7, 1997; Page 90
  58. ^ Mabel Eden's Diary, The Life of a Lady
  59. ^ Staff. "CHARLES W. EATON, PAINTER, IS DEAD; Won Many Awards for His Landscapes--Succumbs in Glen Ridge at 81; DUSK SCENES A SPECIALTY; Received Philadelphia Art Club Medal in 1903--Honored in Paris Three Years Later", The New York Times, September 12, 1937. Accessed August 3, 2011. "Mr. Eaton, who was 81 years old, had lived in Bloomfield for fifty years.... Burial will be in the Bloomfield Cemetery. "
  60. ^ Stewart, Phil. "Running Times' 1979 Boston Marathon Coverage", Running Times, July 1979. Accessed November 7, 2011. "The frontrunner this year (as last year) was twice-runnerup Tom Fleming of Bloomfield, NJ, whose race strategy was simple: "I just figured to run as fast as I could for as long as I could, and see if they could catch me." For the first half of the race, nobody even tried."
  61. ^ Esterow, Milton. "Connie Francis at Copacabana; Queen of the Young 'Singers a 'Natural' -- Dion in Debut", The New York Times, May 20, 1961. Accessed January 14, 2009. "The queen, of course, is Connie Francis, 22 years old, 5 feet 1, dark-haired, formerly of Brooklyn and now of Bloomfield, N. J."
  62. ^ Litsky, Frank. "Johnny Gibson, 101, Track Coach With a Long Legacy, Is Dead", The New York Times, January 1, 2007. Accessed June 5, 2008. "Gibson was 5 when his father died, and he attended Bloomfield (N.J.) High School and then Fordham at night, working days running messages on Wall Street (he actually ran from building to building)."
  63. ^ Owen, Seth. "Saving local music", copy of article from The Enterprise (Brockton), April 11, 2002. Accessed April 11, 2011.
  64. ^ Lomax, John Nova. "Gang of New Jersey: Ted Leo and the Pharmacists mingle rampant Europhilia with American Girl", The Village Voice, April 16, 2007. Accessed December 25, 2007. "Bloomfield, Leo's hometown, is just west of New York City and just north of Newark."
  65. ^ Orr, Conor. "Bloomfield native Bob Ley will be the face of the World Cup for ESPN", The Star-Ledger, June 9, 2010. Accessed July 18, 2011. "Unfortunately for Bob Ley, he was the first of the two team managers to show up at Bloomfield High’s soccer practice on that fall afternoon in 1971. His best friend and co-manager Bob Longo disagrees on the circumstances, but remembers vividly the sight of the future ESPN anchor in a compromising position after the team’s players stuffed Ley into the wire equipment cart and rolled him straight into the pond near the field."
  66. ^ LaGorce, Tammy. "IN PERSON; Independently Unwealthy", The New York Times, February 13, 2005. Accessed June 29, 2008. People tell me I'm shooting myself in the foot, releasing so much -- I've heard that for years, Mr. Moore said in a confessional tone over a cheeseburger at a downtown tavern here in Bloomfield, where he lives."
  67. ^ Chval, Craig. "Catching Up With ... Frank And Kelly Tripuka", CSTV, November 18, 2005. Accessed April 10, 2008. "Among the most prominent and successful was Bloomfield, N.J., native Frank Tripucka, a quarterback on Leahy's legendary teams of the 1940s. Tripucka earned monograms as a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Lujack on Notre Dame's unbeaten 1946 and 1947 teams before winning the starting role in 1948."
  68. ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASKETBALL; Tripucka Is a Net, Sort Of", The New York Times, June 20, 1992. Accessed April 10, 2008. "Playing for the Nets would be a double homecoming of sorts for Tripucka, who grew up in Bloomfield, N.J., and played four seasons under the new Nets coach, CHUCK DALY, when both were with the Detroit Pistons."
  69. ^ Pulley, Brett. "Zimmer Has Set Aside Calm for His Political Passions", The New York Times, June 5, 1996.

External links

Municipalities and communities of Essex County, New Jersey, USA
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Townships
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