| Wyckoff, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Township — | |
| Map highlighting Wyckoff's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Wyckoff, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Incorporated | November 2, 1926 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Township (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Kevin J. Rooney (term ends 2011)[1] |
| • Administrator | Robert J. Shannon, Jr.[2] |
| Area[3] | |
| • Total | 6.57 sq mi (17.0 km2) |
| • Land | 6.55 sq mi (17.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.1 km2) 0.0% |
| Elevation[4] | 394 ft (120 m) |
| Population (2010 Census)[5][6] | |
| • Total | 16,696 |
| • Density | 2,543.7/sq mi (982.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 07481[7] |
| Area code(s) | 201/551 |
| FIPS code | 34-83050[8][9] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882309[10] |
| Website | http://www.wyckoff-nj.com/ |
Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 16,696.[5] As of the 2000 Census, Wyckoff ranked 54th in 100 highest-income places in the United States (with a population of at least 10,000). Statewide, Wyckoff ranked 44th in the New Jersey locations by per capita income..
From the mid-18th century, what is now Wyckoff was a community within Franklin Township, which consisted of most of northern Bergen County west of the Saddle River. Starting in the 1840s, several new municipalities were created from portions of Franklin Township, so that today what is now Wyckoff borders eight different communities. Wyckoff was formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 2, 1926, replacing Franklin Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of Wyckoff were ceded to Midland Park based on the results of a referendum held on June 9, 1931.[11]
The most commonly given origin for the name Wyckoff, which was the origin accepted by the town committee when the town was established, is that Wyckoff is from the Lenape word wickoff, meaning "high ground", or that it is from wickok meaning "water".[12][13] None of these origins is supported with solid historical evidence.
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The first known human inhabitants of the area were the Lenni Lenape Native Americans who lived north of the Raritan River and spoke a Munsee dialect of Algonquian. Sicomac, said to mean "resting place for the departed" or "happy hunting ground", is an area of Wyckoff that, according to tradition, was the burial place of many Native Americans, including Chief Oratam of the Ackingshacys, and many stores and buildings there are named after the area's name, including Sicomac Elementary School.[13] Most Native Americans had left by the 19th century, although a small group lived near Clinton Avenue until 1939.
What is Wyckoff today was originally part of Saddle River Township, which included all of Bergen County west of the Saddle River. Saddle River Township was split in 1771, with the area containing Wyckoff becoming Franklin Township. By 1755, about 100 families lived in the Franklin Township area, of which no more than 20 were in what is now Wyckoff. Franklin Township (1771) consisted of what is today Ho-Ho-Kus (seceded 1849), Ridgewood (seceded 1876), Midland Park (seceded 1894), Oakland (seceded 1902), Franklin Lakes (seceded 1922), and Wyckoff. The size of Franklin Township decreased as areas seceded and were incorporated into their own municipalities. After Franklin Lakes was established in 1922, Franklin Township consisted of only the area known locally as Wyckoff. On November 2, 1926, residents voted (243 positive votes out of 337) to change the name from Franklin Township to the Township of Wyckoff.[11]
The first recorded permanent settlers were John and William Van Voor Haze (Voorhees), who purchased 550 acres (2.2 km2) of land in the area in 1720. Other early settlers (mostly Dutch) included the Van Horns, Terhunes, Ackermans, Quackenbushes, Pulises, and Vanderhoffs. In 1940 the population was just under 4,000 consisting of roughly 100 families with 30% of the land devoted to farming. By 1969 the number of farms had dropped to 13 covering 3 acres (1.2 ha), 6% of the township. By 2011, only two farms remain: Abma's Farm and Goffle Road Poultry Farm, which is Bergen County's only remaining live market. Rail service by the New Jersey Midland Railway began in 1870. That service was purchased by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, which abruptly ended passenger service in 1966.
The Terhune House is an historic home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, located at 161 Godwin Avenue, that was initially constructed in 1737.[14]
In 1994, the Vander Platt funeral home prepared the body of Richard Nixon for burial.
Wyckoff is located at (40.998583, -74.167104).[15]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 6.57 square miles (17.0 km2), of which, 6.55 square miles (17.0 km2) of it is land and 0.02 square miles (0.052 km2) of it (0.30%) is water.[3]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 1,741 | * |
|
| 1860 | 2,318 | 33.1% | |
| 1870 | 2,899 | 25.1% | |
| 1880 | 2,206 | * | −23.9% |
| 1890 | 2,307 | 4.6% | |
| 1900 | 2,139 | * | −7.3% |
| 1910 | 1,054 | * | −50.7% |
| 1920 | 1,671 | 58.5% | |
| 1930 | 3,001 | * | 79.6% |
| 1940 | 3,847 | * | 28.2% |
| 1950 | 5,590 | 45.3% | |
| 1960 | 11,205 | 100.4% | |
| 1970 | 16,039 | 43.1% | |
| 1980 | 15,500 | −3.4% | |
| 1990 | 15,372 | −0.8% | |
| 2000 | 16,508 | 7.4% | |
| 2010 | 16,696 | 1.1% | |
| * lost territory Population sources: [16][5][17][18] 1930-1990[19][20] 2000[21] 2010[22] |
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As of the 2010 Census, Wyckoff had a population of 16,696. The median age was 44.3. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 93.5% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 4.2% Asian, 0.5% some other race and 1.2% reporting two or more races. 4.4% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[22]
As of the census[8] of 2000, there were 16,508 people, 5,541 households, and 4,632 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,521.6 people per square mile (973.1/km2). There were 5,638 housing units at an average density of 861.2 per square mile (332.3/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 94.54% White, 0.47% African American, 0.15% Native American, 3.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.28% of the population.[21]
There were 5,541 households out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.7% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.22.[21]
In the township the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.[21]
In 2010, the median income for a household in the township was $138,373, and the median income for a family was $154,420. In 2000, males had a median income of $87,850 versus $51,929 for females. The per capita income for the township was $49,375. About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.[21]
Wyckoff is governed by a Township Committee, which consists of five members elected at large for staggered three-year terms, with either one or two committee members elected each year. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects a chairperson from among its members who serves as Mayor, and another member to serve as Deputy Mayor. The Mayor chairs meetings of the Township Committee, signs documents on behalf of the Township and performs wedding ceremonies. The Committee serves as the Township's legislative and executive bodies.[23]
As of 2011[update], the members of the Wyckoff Township Committee are Mayor Kevin J. Rooney, Rudolf E. Boonstra, Christopher P. DePhillips, Thomas J. Madigan and Brian D. Scanlan.[24]
Wyckoff is in the 5th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 40th state legislative district.[25] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[6]
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
40th District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Kevin J. O'Toole (R, Cedar Grove) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Scott Rumana (R, Wayne) and David C. Russo (R, Ridgewood).[26] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[27] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[28]
Bergen County's County Executive is Kathleen Donovan (R, Rutherford; term ends December 31, 2014).[29] 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.[30] As of 2011, Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman John Driscoll, Jr. (R, 2012; Paramus),[31] Vice-Chairwoman Maura DeNicola (R, 2013; Franklin Lakes),[32] Chair Pro Tempore John D. Mitchell (R, 2013; Cliffside Park)[33] John A. Felice (R, 2013; River Edge),[34] David L. Ganz (D, 2011; Fair Lawn),[35] Robert G. Hermansen (R, 2012; Mahwah)[36] and Bernadette P. McPherson (D, 2011; Rutherford).[37][38] Other countywide constitutional officials are Sheriff Michael Saudino (R), Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill) and County Clerk Elizabeth Randall (R, Westwood).[39]
As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 11,231 registered voters. Of registered voters, 2,182 (19.4% of all registered voters) were registered as Democrats, 4,366 (38.9%) were registered as Republicans and 4,682 (41.7%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[40]
In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 38.8% of the vote here (3,437 ballots cast), falling short of Republican John McCain, who received 60.5% of the vote (5,357 votes), with 79.1% of registered voters participating.[40] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 63% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 36%.[41]
Wyckoff is served by the Wyckoff Suburban News, a weekly community newspaper published by the North Jersey Media Group. The daily newspaper for the region is The Record which is also published by North Jersey Media Group.
New Jersey Transit bus route 752 serves Wyckoff. This bus route also serves points between Oakland and Hackensack.[42] Bus service is also provided by Short Line Bus.
Route 208 and County Route 502 travel through Wyckoff.
The Wyckoff School District serves public students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade. The schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[43]) are four PreK/K-5 elementary schools — Coolidge (353 students), Lincoln (398), Sicomac (367) and Washington (415) — and Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School for grades 6-8 (814). Calvin Coolidge School, located at 420 Grandview Avenue, is an elementary school which opened in 1932 as a 6-room K-6 school and has been expanded several times over the years. Eisenhower Middle School was approved in 1960 and dedicated 1963. Since 1993 Eisenhower has served grades 6 to 8. Abraham Lincoln School was dedicated in 1953 on land purchased in 1950. Sicomac School was completed in 1967. George Washington School was constructed as an 11-room brick building on the site where the previous school had burned down.
In the 2003-04 school year, Eisenhower Middle School was recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve.[44]
Public high school students from Wyckoff have the choice to attend either Ramapo High School, in Franklin Lakes or Indian Hills High School located in Oakland. Both high schools are part of the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District.[45][46]
The first school in the town was a one-room school built on Wyckoff Avenue in 1869 and used until 1906; demolished in 1906. Prior to 1929, high school students attended Central High School in Paterson, before the Board of Education voted to send students to Ramsey High School in Ramsey instead.
(B) denotes that the person was born there.
Daniel Kennelly (Born 1992) Actor in The Velveteen Rabbit
Wyckoff is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic Places:[68]