LEONIA, NEW JERSEY

'Leonia' is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 8,914. It is located near the western approach to the George Washington Bridge.
Leonia was formed as the result of a referendum passed on December 5, 1894, from portions of Ridgefield Township. Portions of Leonia were taken on February 19, 1895, to form the Township of Teaneck."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 80.^[1]

Contents

Geography

Demographics

Government

Local government

Federal, state and county representation

Politics

Education

History

Notable Leonians

Recreation

Parks and recreation

Transportation

References

Sources

External links

Geography

Leonia is located at (40.863413, -73.988273).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.2 km² (1.6 mi²). 3.9 km² (1.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (7.41%) is water. Leonia is designated as a Tree City USA.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,914 people, 3,271 households, and 2,436 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,279.3/km² (5,921.3/mi²). There were 3,343 housing units at an average density of 854.8/km² (2,220.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 65.74% White, 2.27% African American, 0.09% Native American, 26.06% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.20% from other races, and 2.64% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.73% of the population.
There were 3,271 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.5% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.5% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the borough the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $72,440, and the median income for a family was $84,591. Males had a median income of $55,156 versus $38,125 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,352. About 5.0% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under age 18 and 1.8% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2000 census, 3.07% of Leonia's residents identified themselves as being of Japanese ancestry, which was the fourth highest of any municipality in New Jersey — behind Fort Lee (6.09%), Demarest (3.72%) and Edgewater (3.22%) — for all places with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.^[2]

Government

Local government

Leonia was incorporated in 1894 under the Borough form of government. Under this form of government, voters throughout the community elect the Mayor and six council members “at-large.” Council terms are three years, while the Mayor’s term is four years. Two council seats come up for election each year.
By state statute, the Mayor is the head of the municipal government. He or she makes all appointments (most are subject to Council confirmation), and is an “ex officio” member of all Council Committees. In addition, the Mayor has the authority to veto all or part of a new ordinance if it is adopted by the Council. The Mayor presides at all meetings of the Council, but does not vote except in the event of a tie.
The members of the Council serve as the legislative body of the municipality. They create and pass the annual operating and capital budgets, and have the authority to enact local ordinances that create or change laws within the Borough of Leonia. In addition to attending two Council meetings per month, each Councilperson serves on a number of Council committees and as liaison and / or Commissioner to various Borough organizations.
Unlike the elected officials in most other municipalities, the Mayor and Council members in Leonia receive no compensation for their efforts in governing the town.
The Mayor of Leonia is Laurence Cherchi (D) . The current members of the Leonia Borough Council are Council President Mary Heveran (D), Philip Choi (D), ++++++++++(D), Gil Hawkins (D), Tony Puzzo (D) and Frank Raucci (D).^[3]
On Election Day, November 7, voters filled two seats on the Borough Council, which at the time had five Democrats and an Independent. Neither of the two incumbents — independent Barbara Mitrani and Democrat Charles Ryan — ran for reelection. In a community in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a nearly 4-1 margin, Democrats Philip Y. Choi (1,855 votes) and Joyce Raspa-Gore (1,804) were uncontested in their bids for office and took their seats on the council as of January 1, 2007.^[4][5][6]

Federal, state and county representation

Leonia is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District.^[7]

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 8,911, there were 4,677 registered voters (52.5% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 1,999 (42.7% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 540 (11.5% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 2,138 (45.7% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were no voters registered to other parties.^[8]
On the national level, Leonia leans strongly toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 64% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 35%.^[9]

Education

The Leonia Public Schools serve students from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. Enrollment in the district is 1,752, of which, 289 are Edgewater students in grades 7-12. An Early Childhood Learning Center is available for 4-year olds. This tuition-based program provides a half-day of academic activities to prepare children for kindergarten.^[10]
The district has 175 classroom teachers and 23 educational support personnel. The cost per pupil in 2003-2004 was $10,730 as compared to a state average of $10,621. Average class size in all 3 schools is 21 students. The budget for 2005-2006 is $21,454,000.
Schools in the district are:

★ Anna C. Scott Elementary School (K-5, 672 students)

★ Leonia Middle School (6-8, 452 students)

★ Leonia High School (9-12, 585 students)

History

Leonia was previously called the English Neighborhood, or sometimes West Fort Lee. This town was settled in 1668 mainly by Dutch and English farmers, making it one of the oldest towns in the state and county. It was located on the western slope of the Palisades, started as a quiet farming community with grape harvesting. Leonia’s location influenced much of its history. For example, the close distance from New York City is notable, with major universities, theatres, performing venues contributing to Leonia’s growth of art and academics. Many twentieth-century artists emerged from Leonia. Numerous photographs were taken of Leonia’s farms of grape harvesting and vintage.
The sleepy farming community persisted until there was a sudden burst of economic and cultural growth at around the late nineteenth century. During much of the twentieth century, many famous artists arrived, attracted to Leonia's small size, culture, and location, earning the town's nickname of the "Athens of New Jersey". In 1890, landowners began marketing plots in Leonia to professors at nearby Columbia University. Another example is the opening in 1915 of the Leonia School of Illustration by Harvey Dunn, and the artists' colony that subsequently emerged over the next decade. Transportation through the town was enhanced with the West Side subway, ferries, and trolley systems. Leonia became a refuge for many of America's creative thinkers which include five distinguished Nobel Prize winners.
For two hundred years, one of the two major avenues that run north-to-south through Leonia, Grand Avenue, (the other one is Broad Avenue,) was called the English Neighborhood Road. In colonial times, this road served as the main inland between Paulus Hook, Bergen, and the English Neighborhood. Leonia is famous for being a crossroads of the American Revolution and a training ground for American Civil War soldiers.
Historic places in this town include the Civil War Drill Hall and Armory, the Cole-Allaire House, and the Vreeland House.

Notable Leonians

Some notable people who lived in Leonia during part or all of their career:

★ Alan Alda, actor. Well-Read, Well-Shaded and Well-Placed, ''The New York Times'', June 15, 1997.

★ Samuel Ball, educator

★ Freddie Bartholomew, child actor.Karels, Carol. "Leonia". Accessed June 2, 2007. "By the 1970s, Leonia was home to may professional musicians, writers, and entertainers. Many - such as Alan Alda, an actor and director; Carmel Quinn a singer; Freddie Bartholomew, a child star; And Robert Ludlum, an actor, producer and author - contributed to the cultural life of the community. Others - such as singer Pat Boone, comic Buddy Hackett, and singer Sammy Davis, Jr. - lived here because of its proximity to New York City."

★ Pat Boone, singer.

★ Carolee Carmello, actress

★ Arlene Croce, dance critic

★ Sammy Davis Jr., entertainer

★ Gregg Edelman, actor

★ Emme, plus-size supermodel.^[11]

★ Buddy Hackett, comedian.

★ Harold Lehman, artist. - Post-Surrealist, sculptor& WPA muralist

★ Harvey Dunn, illustrator

★ Enrico Fermi, physicist.

★ Marvin Harris, anthropologist

★ Phil Jackson, basketball coach.^[12]

★ Marvin Kitman, newspaper columnist

★ Willard Libby, scientist.

★ Robert Ludlum, author.

★ Bob McFadden, voiceover actor.^[13]

★ Robert F. Murphy, anthropologist

★ James Noble, actor

★ Carmel Quinn, singer.

★ Gene Shalit, television film critic

★ Wilfrid Sheed, novelist and critic

★ Ed Sullivan, television show host

★ Mae West, actress
Some notable people who grew up in Leonia:

★ Anthony Bourdain, chef.^[14]

★ Dan Colen, artist.^[15]

★ musician Paul Collins

★ Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia.^[16]

★ Bob Klapisch, sportswriter.^[17]

★ Dick Kryhoski (1925-2007), was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between 1949 and 1955.

★ Philip Maneval, composer

★ David Mansfield, musician

★ Frank C. Osmers, Jr., represented New Jersey's 9th congressional district from 1939-1943 and 1951-1965.^[18]

★ Ivory Sully, football player

★ Paris Themmen, child actor

★ David Klass, Author of adolescent childrens books

Recreation

Leonia is home to the Players Guild of Leonia, which operates as the oldest continuing theatre troupe in the state of New Jersey, and is one of the oldest theatre guilds in the United States with continuous performances since 1919. Performances have included comedies, tragedies, classics, and musicals. The Guild's production of ''One Mad Night'' in 1940 was the first three act play performed on television, when it was broadcast on WPTZ, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1963, the Children's Show was instituted and continues each spring. Between 1968 and 1998, the Guild produced Theatre in the Park. Since 2002, the Players' Guild of Leonia has produced a Playwright's Showcase featuring original scripts. The Guild presently operates out of the historic Civil War Drill Hall Theatre on Grand Avenue which is leased from the borough.
In addition to the Players Guild of Leonia, Leonia has five public recreational areas in its square-mile town. Of the five areas, only the Leonia Pool requires membership fee. The recreation areas include Wood Park, located on the corner of Broad Avenue and Fort Lee Road; Sylvan Park and the Leonia Pool, both are on Grand Avenue, near Sylvan Avenue; the Recreational Center on Broad Avenue that offers an indoor basketball court; and lastly, Overpeck Park, which is a Bergen County park that is located in Leonia, also home of the Bergen County 9/11 Memorial.

Parks and recreation

★ Overpeck County Park, a Bergen County park

★ Sylvan Park

★ Wood Park

★ Highwood Hills

Transportation

Leonia is served by New Jersey Route 93 (also known as Grand Avenue), and Interstate 95. New Jersey Transit bus routes 166, 182, 751, 755 and 756 also serve Leonia. ^[19]

References

1. "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;" p. 371.
2. Japanese Communities, Epodunk. Accessed June 28, 2006.
3. Leonia Mayor and Council, Borough of Leonia. Accessed January 14, 2007.
4. Leonia Election Guide. ''The Record (Bergen County)'', November 1, 2006.
5. "Election 2006: Municipal Results", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', November 1, 2006.
6. Bergen County 2006 General Election Results, accessed February 1, 2007.
7. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.
8. "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006.
9. 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004.
10. Leonia Schools at a glance, Leonia Public Schools. Accessed February 8, 2006.
11. "HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS GET THE BIG PICTURE ON MODELING", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', September 12, 1997. "Emme, the world's leading full-figured model and a resident of Leonia, was the star..."
12. Adamek, Steve and Iannazzone, Al. "Lakers Notebook", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', June 5, 2002. Accessed July 14, 2007. "Phil Jackson's memories of New Jersey are fond and forgetful. He finished his playing career with the Nets when they played their home games at Rutgers, about an hour trip from where he lived in Leonia."
13. Morley, Hugh R. " ROBERT `BOB' MCFADDEN; VOICE OF TV COMMERCIALS", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', January 10, 2000. Accessed July 14, 2007. "Robert "Bob" McFadden, a former Leonia resident and show business stalwart who made his name doing radio and television voice-overs and mpressions of famous people, died Friday..."
14. Mack, Patricia. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-35963365.html "THE COOK, THE THIEF...", ''The Record (Bergen County)'', October 25, 2000. Accessed July 14, 2007. "Anthony Bourdain, the Leonia native with the French-sounding name,"
15. Whitney Biennial 2006 - Artists, ''Whitney Museum of Art'', accessed February 26, 2007.
16. Pesukaru salga laekur, ''Eesti Ekspress'', accessed December 7, 2006. "Maja, millega lõpuks rahule jäädi, paiknes New Jerseyt New Yorgist eraldavast Hudsoni jõest mõne miili kaugusele jäävas Leonia linnakeses Warwicki avenüül."
17. Bob Klapisch profile, ''The Record (Bergen County)''. Acecssed July 14, 2007. "Robert Salvador Klapisch was born in New York City and grew up in Leonia. He is a graduate of Leonia H.S., where he played baseball, and Columbia University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in political science."
18. Frank Charles Osmers, Jr. biography, United States Congress. Accessed June 24, 2007.
19. New Jersey Transit Bus Schedules. Accessed August 30, 2007.

Sources

★ Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey) "Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)" prepared by the December 1, 1958.

★ Mattingly, Paul H. ''Suburban Landscapes: Culture and Politics in a New York Metropolitan Community''. Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001. ISBN 0-8018-6680-4.

★ Karel, Carol ''Leonia'' Images of America Series, Arcadia Pub., 2002. ISBN 0-7385-0973-6

★ Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta) "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;"

External links

★ Leonia official website

★ Leonia Public Schools

★ Leonia website that has easy access to Leonia official website, fire department, ambulance corps, and public schools

★

★ National Center for Education Statistics data for the Leonia Public Schools