WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

(Redirected from Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey (Historical))
Map highlighting Washington Township's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey.

'Washington Township' is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 8,938.

Contents
Geography
Demographics
Government
Local government
Federal, state and county representation
Politics
Education
Transportation
Community
History
References
Sources
External links

Geography


Washington Township is located at (40.991253, -74.059843).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 7.7 km² (3.0 mi²). 7.5 km² (2.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.69%) is water.

Demographics


As of the census of 2000, there were 8,938 people, 3,219 households, and 2,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,185.9/km² (3,071.1/mi²). There were 3,245 housing units at an average density of 430.6/km² (1,115.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.07% White, 0.98% African American, 0.04% Native American, 5.57% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.35% of the population.
There were 3,219 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the township the population was spread out with 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $83,694, and the median income for a family was $88,017. Males had a median income of $67,090 versus $41,699 for females. The per capita income for the township was $39,248. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government


Local government

Washington Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government. The Mayor of Washington Township is Rudolph J. Wenzel. Members of the Township Council are Council President Robert Schroeder, Council Vice President Richard Hrbek, Charles V. Devine, Joseph Giardina and Janet Sobkowicz.[1]
Federal, state and county representation

Washington Township is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th Legislative District.[2]

Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 9,623 in Washington Township, there were 6,376 registered voters (66.3% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 910 (14.3% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,141 (33.6% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 3,322 (52.1% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.[3]
On the national level, Washington Township leans toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 40%.[4]

Education


Public school students in grades Kindergarten through 12 attend the Westwood Regional School District, a comprehensive regional school district serving students from both Washington Township and Westwood Borough. Schools in the district are four K-4 elementary schools (
Berkeley Avenue Elemntary School,
Jessie F. George Elementary School, Ketler Elementary School and
Washington Elementary School), Brookside Upper Elementary School for grades 5 and 6, and
Westwood High School for grades 7-12.
Immaculate Heart Academy is a parochial all-girls Catholic high school located on Van Emburgh Avenue.

Transportation


New Jersey Transit bus route 165 serves nearby Westwood with easy access from Washington Township to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.[5] Westwood train station can also be easily access from Washington.
Garden State Parkway and County Route 502 travel through Washington Township.

Community


The Township of Washington offers various sports team throughout the town including baseball, softball, football, cheerleading and soccer. Sports are played at the numerous parks and fields in the town. Clark Field includes a baseball field, a basketball court, a playground, sandbox, and a concession stand. The baseball field also has two large wooden dugouts and a new score board. The playground has many slides, monkey bars, games, gliders and fire poles. There are also many swings including regular swings, baby swings, and a tire swing.
Playground

Clark Field

Baseball field

The Township of Washington also has a lake named Schlegel Lake, commonly referred to as the Washington Lake. The Washington Township Lake Association allows town members to fish or boat on the lake. Many locals enjoy fishing from the park which is located alongside the lake. This specific park has many benches and picnic tables for visitors to use. Many townspeople enjoy a walk around the lake to admire the lovely view. The walk is approximately 1.7 miles.
There is also a movie theater located at the town shopping center which offers a variety of movies. The Township of Washington has a YM/YWHA where many people join to participate in recreational sports and classes. The town also has a swim club in which members of the town can join.
Washington Township also has its own TV station: WCTV. It is on channel 77 and it offers community news as well as a show called Exit 168. WCTV is composed of all volunteers.
Washington Town Center is a shopping mall located at the center of town, on Pascack Avenue. It is also where the movie theater is located. Stores include A & P, Rite Aid, PNC Bank, Dunkin' Donuts, a Post Office and more than 25 other shops.

History


The Lenape Native Americans were said to inhabit the town first and many names throughout the general area were passed down from the Lenape. Pascack and Kinderkamack are just two of the names which have been passed down. After they left, the Dutch were the first settlers.
Washington Township was created by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1840, from the territories between the Hackensack River and Saddle River that had been part of Harrington Township."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 88. At the time of its creation, the township encompassed an area of 19,525 acres, more than 30 square miles.Township History, Washington Township Public Library. Accessed June 14, 2007.
Growth in the area exploded after the Civil War with the completion of the New Jersey and New York Railway through the Pascack Valley, as communities were established near the railroad's stations.
Orvil Township was created on January 1, 1886 from the western portion of Washington Township and the southern portion of Hohokus Township.
The Borough Act resulted in a flurry of new Boroughs created from portions of the township in 1894 as the ''Boroughitis'' phenomenon swept through Washington Township: Westwood (May 8, 1894), Park Ridge (May 14, 1894), Eastwood (part; created June 6, 1894, borough lasted until 1896), Montvale (part; created August 31, 1894) and Woodcliff (part; created August 31, 1894, name changed to Woodcliff Lake in 1910). Hillsdale Township (now a Borough) was created on March 25, 1898. Etna Borough, which ultimately became Emerson, was formed on April 8, 1903. River Vale (part) was the last to leave when it was created on April 30, 1906. The departures have taken the township from over 30 square miles to its current 3 square mile size.
“Seven Chimneys” is a historical house located on Ridgewood Road atop a small hill and as the name says, it has seven chimneys. It has been said that George Washington had stayed at this house.[6]

References


1. Township Directory: Mayor and Council, accessed August 31, 2007.
2. 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 65. Accessed August 30, 2006.
3. "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," Bergen County, New Jersey, dated April 1, 2006.
4. 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004.
5. New Jersey Transit Bus Schedules. Accessed August 30, 2007.
6. Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow, Township of Washington. Accessed June 14, 2007. "We have a number of interesting places in our town, one of which is “Seven Chimneys” – a large 18th century stone house that stands high on a grassy knoll in the southern portion of the Township. Legend has it; George Washington stayed there a short period of time, which gives our community special history and pride."

Sources



★ "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923;" by "Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858-1942."

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

External links



Washington Township web site

Westwood Regional School District



National Center for Education Statistics data for the Westwood Regional School District

Township History

Bergen County Townships and Municipalities

Dutch Door Genealogy: Bergen County New Jersey Municipalities

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