ESSEX FELLS, NEW JERSEY

'Essex Fells' is a borough in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,162.
Essex Fells was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 31, 1902, from portions of Caldwell Township (now Fairfield Township)."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 127.

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Politics

Education

History

References

External links

Geography

Essex Fells is located at (40.827499, -74.280918).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.7 km² (1.4 mi²), all land.
Grover Cleveland Park, the seventh largest park in the Essex County park system, is a heavily wooded park covering 41.48 acres in the western section of the county along the Caldwell-Essex Fells border.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,162 people, 737 households, and 605 families residing in the borough. The population density was 592.0/km² (1,534.0/mi²). There were 761 housing units at an average density of 208.4/km² (540.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.95% White, 0.46% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 1.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.20% of the population.
There were 737 households out of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.9% were non-families. 15.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.93 and the average family size was 3.28.
In the borough the population was spread out with 29.7% under the age of 18, 3.6% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $148,173, and the median income for a family was $175,000. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $52,266 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $77,434. About 0.3% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Essex Fells government operates under the borough form of municipal government, consisting of a mayor and six councilpersons, elected at large. The mayor is elected to serve a four-year term and may succeed that term by re-election. The six council members are elected for terms of three years on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
The mayor of Essex Fells is Ed Abbot. Members of the Essex Fells borough council are Council President Julianne Rose, David Boyd, Mike Cecere, Ann Denehy, Jim Sweeney and Jack Taylor.^[1]

Federal, state and county representation

Essex Fells is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 27th Legislative District.^[2]

Politics

On the national level, Essex Fells leans toward the Republican Party. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush received 69% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 30%.
On a local level, Essex Fells has elected a Republican mayor in every vote held since becoming a borough in 1902.^[3]

Education

The Essex Fells School serves students in kindergarten through sixth grade, with approximately 271 students.^[4]
Students in grades 7 - 12 attend the West Essex Regional School District, a regional school district serving students from four municipalities in western Essex County, New Jersey. Communities served by the district's schools are Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell and Roseland. The school system consists of West Essex Junior High School (grades 7-9) and West Essex High School (grades 10-12), both located in North Caldwell. A four-year comprehensive high school program is offered to grades 9-12 serving an enrollment of 875 students with a faculty of 90.

History

Essex Fells was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.
In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acre (57 km²) Horseneck Tract — so-called because of its irregular shape that suggested a horse's neck and head — from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the ''Orange'', or ''First Mountain'' in the Watchung Mountain range to the Passaic River.

References

1. Essex Fells Mayor and Council, accessed March 9, 2007.
2. League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 57, accessed August 30, 2006.
3. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Essex Fells, N.J.; No Stores and No Apartments, by Law", ''The New York Times'', May 28, 2000.
4. Essex Fells School: Report Card Narrative, accessed June 22, 2006.

External links

★ Essex Fells Borough website

★ Essex Fells School

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Essex Fells School

★ West Essex Regional School District