| Ridgefield, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Map highlighting Ridgefield's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Ridgefield, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Incorporated | May 26, 1892 |
| Government[1] | |
| • Type | Borough (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Anthony R. Suarez (D, 2011) |
| • Borough Administrator | Gary Bonacci |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.9 sq mi (7.4 km2) |
| • Land | 2.6 sq mi (6.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km2) |
| Elevation[2] | 43 ft (13 m) |
| Population (2010)[3] | |
| • Total | 11,032 |
| • Density | 3,861.2/sq mi (1,490.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07657 |
| Area code(s) | 201 |
| FIPS code | 34-62910[4][5] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0879684[6] |
| Website | http://www.ridgefieldboro.com |
Ridgefield is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,032.[3]
Ridgefield was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 26, 1892, from portions of Ridgefield Township.[7]
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Ridgefield is located at (40.832590, -74.004960).[8]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km2), of which 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2), or 9.06%, is water.
Ridgefield is unofficially divided into three sections because of the geographical contour of the land. The first section is known as Ridgefield, and lies partly in the valley on both the east and west sides and partly on the first hill. The second section is known as Morsemere, and is located in the northern part of the borough. The third section is Ridgefield Heights, on the second hill at the extreme eastern part of the borough, running north and south.
Morsemere was named by a real estate development company in honor of Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph and Morse code. During the middle of the 19th century, Morse owned vast tracts of land in the Ridgefield section of the borough.
As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 10,830 people, 4,020 households, and 2,966 families residing in the borough. The population density was 4,149.8 people per square mile (1,602.1/km²). There were 4,120 housing units at an average density of 1,578.7 per square mile (609.5/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 75.87% White, 0.77% African American, 0.08% Native American, 17.42% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.50% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.80% of the population.
As of the 2000 census, 16.31% of Ridgefield's residents identified themselves as being of Korean ancestry, which was the sixth highest in the United States and fourth highest of any municipality in New Jersey — behind Palisades Park (36.38%), Leonia (17.24%) and Fort Lee (17.18%) — for all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.[9] In the same census, 3.0% of Ridgefield's residents identified themselves as being of Croatian ancestry. This was the third highest percentage of people with Croatian ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.[10] 2.4% of Ridgefield's residents identified themselves as being of Armenian ancestry, the 16th highest percentage of Armenian people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.[11]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 584 |
|
|
| 1910 | 966 | 65.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,560 | 61.5% | |
| 1930 | 4,671 | 199.4% | |
| 1940 | 5,271 | 12.8% | |
| 1950 | 8,312 | 57.7% | |
| 1960 | 10,788 | 29.8% | |
| 1970 | 11,308 | 4.8% | |
| 1980 | 10,294 | −9.0% | |
| 1990 | 9,996 | −2.9% | |
| 2000 | 10,830 | 8.3% | |
| 2010 | 11,032 | 1.9% | |
| Population 1930 - 1990[12][13] | |||
There were 4,020 households out of which 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the borough, the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $54,081, and the median income for a family was $66,330. Males had a median income of $47,975 versus $36,676 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $25,558. About 4.7% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
Ridgefield is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1]
The Mayor of Ridgefield Borough is Anthony R. Suarez (D), whose term of office ends on December 31, 2011. Members of the Ridgefield Borough Council are Council President Robert Avery (R; 2008), Thomas Blackley (R; 2008), Nicholas P. Lonzisero (R; 2010), Angelo W. Severino (R; 2010), Angus Todd (R; 2009) and Warren Vincentz (R; 2009).[14] ref>"County of Bergen: 2008 County and Municipal Directory", Bergen County, New Jersey, p. 59. Accessed July 10, 2008.</ref>
In elections held on November 6, 2007, 47% of voters turned out to fill the position of mayor and two seats on the borough council. Democratic incumbent Anthony R. Suarez (1,279 votes) won re-election for another four-year term as mayor over Republican challenger Robert W. Avery (1,175). With neither of the council's two Democratic incumbents running for office, Republicans Angelo W. Severino (1,267) and Nicholas P. Lonzisero (1,224) defeated Democratic candidates Russell Castelli (1,193) and Javier Acosta (1,152), giving Republicans control of all six seats on the 2008 Council.[15][16][17]
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters filled two open three-year seats on the Borough Council from among six candidates running for office. As of Election Day, the council was split with four Democrats and two Republicans, in a community in which registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by a 5-4 margin. Republican challengers Warren Vincentz (1,471 votes) and Angus Todd (1,396) won election, with Democratic Party incumbent John Quaregna in fourth place (1,139) and Independent Javier Acosta (who had been elected as a Democrat, but ran as an independent) a distant fifth (404). Also falling short were Democrat Marlene Caride (1,145) and Independent Mercedes Penabad (223). The two victors took office on January 1, 2007.[18][19][20] With the win, Republicans will take control of the Ridgefield Council for the first time since 2000, after winning two seats in 2005 on what had been at the time an all-Democratic council.[21]
Ridgefield is in the 9th Congressional district. New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
Ridgefield is in the 38th District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Robert M. Gordon (D, Fair Lawn) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee) and Connie Wagner (D, Paramus).[22]
Bergen County's County Executive is Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford; term ends December 31, 2014).[23] The Board of Chosen Freeholders is the county's legislative body and its seven members are elected at-large on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year.[24] As of 2011, Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman John Driscoll, Jr. (R, 2012; Paramus),[25] Vice-Chairwoman Maura DeNicola (R, 2013; Franklin Lakes),[26] Chair Pro Tempore John D. Mitchell (R, 2013; Cliffside Park)[27] John A. Felice (R, 2013; River Edge),[28] David L. Ganz (D, 2011; Fair Lawn),[29] Robert G. Hermansen (R, 2012; Mahwah)[30] and Bernadette P. McPherson (D, 2011; Rutherford).[31][32] Other countywide constitutional officials are Sheriff Michael Saudino (R), Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk Elizabeth Randall (R, Westwood).[33]
As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 11,005 in Ridgefield, there were 5,434 registered voters (49.4% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,364 (25.1% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,142 (21.0% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,927 (53.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.[34]
On the national level, Ridgefield leans toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 51% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 48%.[35]
The Ridgefield School District serves public school students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2006-07 enrollment from the National Center for Education Statistics[36]) are Shaler Academy (Pre-K and K; 222 students), Bergen Boulevard School (Grade 1; 229), Slocum-Skewes School (2-8; 962) and Ridgefield Memorial High School (9-12; 632).
The New Jersey Turnpike passes through Ridgefield. The Turnpike's Vince Lombardi service area is located between Interchanges 18E/18W and the George Washington Bridge at mileposts 116E on the Eastern Spur and 115.5W on the Western Spur.[37]
U.S. Route 1/9, U.S. Route 46, Route 63, Route 93 and Route 5 also pass through Ridgefield.
New Jersey Transit bus routes 83, 127, 154, 155, 157, 165, 166, 168 and 321 serve Ridgefield with the bus routes 167 and 321 leaving from the Vince Lombardi Park & Ride. Travel time to New York from Vince Lombardi is 18 minutes on route 321 and 27 minutes on route 167.[38]
Original plans for the Hudson–Bergen Light Rail included a northern terminus at the park and ride.[39] Plans for an extension through the town called the Northern Branch Corridor Project call for a stop in town along the Northern Branch right-of-way at Hendricks Parkway.[40]
At the time of European colonialization, the area was home to the Hackensack tribe of the Lenape, who mantained a large settlement to the north on Overpeck Creek. Their name is an exonym taken from the territory and is translated as place of stony ground [41] which describes the diminishing Hudson Palisades as they descend into the Meadwolands becoming the ridgefield that is part of Hackensack River flood plain.
In 1642, Myndert Myndertsen received a patroonship as part of the New Netherland colony for much the land in the Hackensack and Passaic valleys. He called his settlement Achter Kol, or rear mountain pass, which refers to its accessibility to the interior behind the Palisades. Originally spared in the conflicts that begin with the Pavonia Massacre, the nascent colony was later abandoned.[42][43]In 1655, Oratam, sachem of the Hackensack, deeded a large tract nearby to Sara Kiersted, who had learned the native language was instrumental in negotiations between them and the settlers.[44][45] In 1668, much of the land between Overpeck Creek and the North River (Hudson River) was purchased by Samuel Edsall,[46] and soon became known as the English Neighborhood, despite the fact most of the settlers were of Dutch and Huguenot origin.[47]
The opening of the West Shore Railroad and Erie Railroad's Northern Branch in the mid 19th century brought suburbanization to the region, and in Ridgefield, significant industry and manufacturing.[40] Grantwood was an artist's colony established in 1913 by Man Ray, Alfred Kreymborg and Samuel Halpert and became known as the Others group of artists.[48] The colony consisted of a number of clapboard shacks on a bluff. To this day the names of the streets in this part of the town (Sketch Place, Studio Road, Art Lane) pay homage to Grantwood's history.[49] Kreymborg moved to Ridgefield and launched Others: A Magazine of the New Verse with Skipwith Cannell, Wallace Stevens, and William Carlos Williams in 1915.
In the 1950s, the New Jersey Turnpike was built, it's two spurs re-uniting in the western side of the town. In 1970s, the area came under the auspices of the Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission, meant to set parameters and balance development in the eccologically sensitive region. Some parts of the low-lying areas, including Skeetkill Creek Marsh, have been set apart as nature reserves and extension of system that connects to the Overpeck Reserve and Overpeck County Park.
Notable current and former residents of Ridgefield include: