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Kenilworth, New Jersey

Kenilworth is a borough in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 8,427, an increase of 513 (+6.5%) from the 2010 census count of 7,914,  which in turn reflected an increase of 239 (+3.1%) from the 7,675 counted in the 2000 census.

Kenilworth was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 13, 1907, from portions of Cranford and Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on June 18, 1907.

History
In the late 1890s, the New Orange Industrial Association purchased land in Cranford and Union that was subdivided into building lots. The firm brought in several large industries and lured Upsala College from Brooklyn with an offer of cash and free land for its campus.

Because New Orange was often confused with one of The Oranges in Essex County, the name "Kenilworth" was chosen when the borough was incorporated in 1907. The name Kenilworth came from a literary society (The Kenilworth Club) which the businessmen belonged to. The Kenilworth Club was named in honor of the novel Kenilworth written in 1821 by Sir Walter Scott. The novel refers to England's Kenilworth Castle located in Kenilworth, England.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.15 square miles (5.57 km2), including 2.15 square miles (5.56 km2) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km2) of water (0.19%).

The upper reaches of Rahway River Parkway along tributaries of the Rahway River run through the borough.

The borough is bordered to the north and east by Union Township, to the southeast by Roselle Park, to the southwest by Cranford, and to the northwest by Springfield Township.

Parks and recreation
Lenape Park is a 450 acres wildlife reserve and park that is part of the Rahway River Parkway in Union County. The park also includes portions of Cranford, Springfield and Westfield. An approximately 4.5-mile off-road paved pedestrian path stretches eastbound from Mountainside Police Headquarters in Mountainside, through Echo Lake Park in Westfield, Lenape Park in Westfield and Cranford, Black Brook Park in Kenilworth, and ending near 505 North Michigan Avenue in Kenilworth.

Kenilworth RVRR rail trail

Area residents have proposed a 7.3-mile pedestrian linear park along the "main line" of the abandoned Rahway Valley Railroad that would run through Kenilworth. The rail trail would run eastbound from Overlook Medical Center on the edge of downtown Summit and head south through Springfield, Union, over Route 22 to Kenilworth. In Kenilworth, it would pass between Party City and Burger King on Route 22, run behind Retro Fitness, running south past the Galloping Hill Golf Course, and end at the southwest edge of Roselle Park at the Cranford border.

A northern portion of the rail trail on the RVRR main line is under construction as the Summit Park Line, with a footbridge over Morris Avenue installed in October 2022. In parallel, advocates have been pushing for immediate development of the portion of the RVRR Main Line south of Route 22, running past the Galloping Hill Golf Course through Kenilworth and Roselle Park. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, which owns the railbed, has been working to clear it in anticipation of possible future trail use for pedestrians and cyclists.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 7,914 people, 2,841 households, and 2,102 families in the borough. The population density was 3,668.3 per square mile (1,416.3/km2). There were 2,924 housing units at an average density of 1,355.3 per square mile (523.3/km2). The racial makeup was 88.07% (6,970) White, 2.91% (230) Black or African American, 0.14% (11) Native American, 3.84% (304) Asian, 0.03% (2) Pacific Islander, 3.31% (262) from other races, and 1.71% (135) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.52% (1,228) of the population.

Of the 2,841 households, 31.6% had children under the age of 18; 55.2% were married couples living together; 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.0% were non-families. Of all households, 21.2% were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.26.

21.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 15.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $76,500 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,607) and the median family income was $84,097 (+/− $6,220). Males had a median income of $58,327 (+/− $7,147) versus $42,589 (+/− $5,730) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,959 (+/− $2,853). About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 7,675 people, 2,854 households, and 2,117 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,584.9 PD/sqmi. There were 2,926 housing units at an average density of 1,366.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 92.30% White, 2.30% African American, 0.25% Native American, 2.88% Asian, 1.80% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.64% of the population.

There were 2,854 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.8% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% 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 3.15.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.8% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $59,929, and the median income for a family was $66,500. Males had a median income of $40,808 versus $34,698 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,343. About 1.9% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Companies headquartered in Kenilworth include Maingear, a privately held computer manufacturer specializing in custom gaming computers, desktops, custom laptops, media center computers and workstations, all of which are manufactured in the United States.

Merck & Co. announced plans in October 2013 to move its global headquarters to Kenilworth from Whitehouse Station in Readington Township, on a site that the company had previously used as a manufacturing facility, with the relocation to be completed by 2015. The campus had been used as the global headquarters for Schering-Plough, which was acquired by Merck in 2009. In April 2020, Merck announced that it would be moving its global headquarters from Kenilworth to Rahway by the end of 2023.

Arts and culture
Since 2004, the Hudson Shakespeare Company has brought their Shakespeare in the Park programs to the Kenilworth Library known as the "Bard on the Boulevard". The Friends of the Kenilworth Library, with the assistance of a grant from the Union County Office of Cultural Affairs, sponsor these events.

Local government
Kenilworth is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Kenilworth is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of Kenilworth is Democrat Linda Karlovitch, serving a four-year term of office ending December 31, 2027. Members of the Kenilworth Borough Council are Council President John Zimmerman, Jr. (R, 2024), Patrick Boyle (D, 2026), Joseph Finistrella (R, 2024), Toni Giordano Picerno (D, 2026), William Mauro (R, 2025), and Savino Scorese (R, 2025).

In August 2020, the borough council appointed Louis DeMondo to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had been vacated the previous month following the resignation of Robert Schielke. In November 2020, Joseph Finistrella was elected to serve the balance of the term of office, defeating DeMondo.

In January 2020, the borough council appointed Daniel Lopez to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Linda Karlovitch until she resigned from her council seat to take office as mayor.

In May 2016, the borough council again appointed Scott Pentz, this time to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been vacated by Brian Joho when he resigned from office.

In January 2016, the borough council appointed former councilmember Lawrence Clementi to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Anthony DeLuca, until he resigned from the council to take office as mayor; Clementi will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.

In July 2015, the borough council selected Scott Pentz from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Barbara Macecsko, until she resigned from office the previous month. Pentz served on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, when he lost to Democrat Kay Anne Ceceri, who was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Mayor Kathi Fiamingo resigned her position in April 2014 after being selected to serve as a tax court judge. Council President Scott Klinder was chosen by the borough council to fill Fiamingo's vacant mayoral seat and serve in that role until the November 2014 general election, when a successor would be chosen. Kevin Leary was then chosen to fill Klinder's vacant council seat. In the November 2014 general election, Republican Fred M. Pugliese won the special election for the remaining term through December 2015 of the mayoral seat, while Democrats Anthony DeLuca and Nicholas Mascaro won both of the council seats up for election for terms starting January 1, 2015. Richard LoForte was appointed to fill Pugliese's vacant council seat expiring in December 2015.

Federal, state, and county representation
Kenilworth is located in the 10th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 20th state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,891 registered voters in Kenilworth, of which 1,496 (30.6% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,076 (22.0% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,317 (47.4% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 61.8% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 79.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,775 votes (52.6% vs. 32.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,535 votes (45.5% vs. 66.0%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.2% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,376 ballots cast by the borough's 5,167 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.3% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,064 votes (55.5% vs. 35.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,564 votes (42.0% vs. 63.1%) and other candidates with 54 votes (1.5% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,721 ballots cast by the borough's 5,039 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.8% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,949 votes (54.0% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,589 votes (44.0% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.9% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,608 ballots cast by the borough's 4,927 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.2% of the vote (1,357 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 32.1% (657 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (35 votes), among the 2,099 ballots cast by the borough's 5,073 registered voters (50 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,442 votes (59.9% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 759 votes (31.5% vs. 50.6%), Independent Chris Daggett with 148 votes (6.1% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 25 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,408 ballots cast by the borough's 4,996 registered voters, yielding a 48.2% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education
The Kenilworth Public Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 1,466 students and 126.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Warren G. Harding Elementary School with 690 students in grades Pre-K–6 and David Brearley Middle School / David Brearley High School with 757 students in grades 7–12.

Students from Winfield Township attend David Brearley High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Winfield Township School District.

Kenilworth is home to a Roman Catholic elementary school at St. Theresa's, which was founded in 1954 and serves students in pre-school through eighth grade through the Salesians of Don Bosco.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 29.62 mi of roadways, of which 24.22 mi were maintained by the municipality, 4.00 mi by Union County and 0.04 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Kenilworth is served by two county routes, County Route 509 and County Route 617. CR 509 (Boulevard) runs west–east through the borough, connecting it to Cranford, Springfield and Westfield in one direction and Union and Roselle Park in the other. CR 617 (Michigan Avenue) runs north–south, connecting Union and U.S. Route 22 at its north end to Roselle Park and Route 28 at its south end. The Garden State Parkway cuts northeast–southwest through the town, with Interchange 138 at CR 509 serving much of the town's long-distance travelers.

Public transportation
NJ Transit provides bus service between Kenilworth and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan in New York City and to New Jersey points, including the city of Elizabeth and nearby Union County College in Cranford. Local service is available on the 58 route, which is a direct descendant of Kenilworth's trolley route in the early 20th century.

The closest NJ Transit rail station is Roselle Park, less than a mile from the Kenilworth border and offering direct service into New York City's Penn Station on the Raritan Valley Line. The Rahway Valley Railroad passed through the community but is currently out of service, the final train on the line having left the borough in April 1992. Originally established as the New York and New Orange Railroad, the line stretched 11.8 mi from Aldene (now known as Roselle Park) to Summit. The headquarters of the railroad were located in Kenilworth, originally in Kenilworth's Victorian-style station house until that was severely damaged in a 1974 fire, after which railroad offices were moved into a trailer and then an unused railroad club car.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 9 miles from Kenilworth.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Kenilworth include:

 * Tashawn Bower (born 1995), defensive end who plays in the NFL for the Las Vegas Raiders
 * Mike Chalenski (born 1970), former professional American football defensive lineman who played for six seasons in the National Football League
 * Sam DeCavalcante (1912–1997), boss of the DeCavalcante crime family known as "Sam the Plumber", who used a Kenilworth plumbing supply business as his front operation
 * John P. Gallagher (1932–2011), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from the 13th Legislative District from 1982 to 1984
 * Sheldon Karlin (1950–2000), distance runner who won the New York City Marathon in 1972
 * Tony Siragusa (1967–2022), Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle, was born and raised in Kenilworth, and starred in football and wrestling for David Brearley High School

title: Kenilworth, New Jersey


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Linden, New Jersey

Linden is a city in southeastern Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area, located about 13 miles southwest of Manhattan and bordering Staten Island, a borough of New York City, across the Arthur Kill. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 43,738, an increase of 3,239 (+8.0%) from the 2010 census count of 40,499,  which in turn reflected an increase of 1,105 (+2.8%) from the 39,394 counted in the 2000 census.

History
Linden was originally formed as a township on March 4, 1861 from portions of Elizabeth, Rahway and Union Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Cranford (March 14, 1871), Linden Borough (March 30, 1882) and Roselle (December 20, 1894). Linden was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 1, 1925, replacing both Linden Township and Linden Borough, based on the results of a referendum held on November 8, 1923. The city's name derives from linden trees brought from Germany.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 11.42 square miles (29.56 km2), including 10.69 square miles (27.68 km2) of land and 0.73 square miles (1.88 km2) of water (6.37%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Bayway, Grasselli, Morses Mill, Tremley, Sunnyside, Vreeland Mills, Warners and Wheatsheaf.

The city borders the municipalities of Clark, Cranford Township, Elizabeth, Rahway, Roselle and Winfield Township in Union County; Carteret and Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County; and Staten Island in New York City across the Arthur Kill tidal strait.

Polish and Polish-American community

Linden is a regional hub of Polish immigration and features a significant number of establishments featuring the food and culture of Poland. 13.1% of residents are of Polish origin and 15.6% of its residents five years old and above in the center of the city of Linden primarily speak the Polish language at home. The Skulski Art Gallery of the Polish Cultural Foundation of neighboring Clark has exhibited Linden-based artists.

Polish-American grocery specialty shop Pulaski Meats takes up nearly a city block. Polish language services are held at two Roman Catholic churches, including at the heavily Polish parish St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church, established in the 1920s.

Linden holds an annual Polish Heritage Day Festival to showcase local Polish cuisine, pottery, dance, traditional fashion and other Polish arts for visitors. In 2021, the mayor of Linden hosted a state visit by Poland’s president Andrzej Duda and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda to the Polish community in Linden.

In old pagan Slavic mythology, the tree for which the city is named, the linden tree (lipa, as called in all Slavic languages) was considered a sacred tree.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 40,499 people, 14,909 households, and 10,272 families in the city. The population density was 3,793.8 per square mile (1,464.8/km2). There were 15,872 housing units at an average density of 1,486.8 per square mile (574.1/km2). The racial makeup was 59.15% (23,957) White, 26.88% (10,888) Black or African American, 0.29% (118) Native American, 2.71% (1,099) Asian, 0.02% (8) Pacific Islander, 7.57% (3,066) from other races, and 3.37% (1,363) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.93% (10,095) of the population.

Of the 14,909 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18; 45.1% were married couples living together; 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.1% were non-families. Of all households, 26.2% were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.27.

21.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.7 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey shows that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $55,859 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,529) and the median family income was $64,439 (+/− $4,027). Males had a median income of $45,890 (+/− $3,397) versus $39,288 (+/− $2,842) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,011 (+/− $1,161). About 5.9% of families and 7.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 39,394 people, 15,052 households, and 10,084 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,645.5 PD/sqmi. There were 15,567 housing units at an average density of 1,440.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 66.08% White, 22.80% African American, 0.14% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.88% from other races, and 3.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.40% of the population.

There were 15,052 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.21.

In the city the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $46,345, and the median income for a family was $54,903. Males had a median income of $39,457 versus $30,395 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,314. About 5.0% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
The east side of Linden is located along the Arthur Kill, a navigable strait which plays an important role in bulk cargo transportation in the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Together with Elizabeth, Linden is home to the Bayway Refinery, a Phillips 66 refining facility that helps supply petroleum-based products to the New York/New Jersey area, producing approximately 230000 oilbbl/d, making it the second-largest on the East Coast of the United States and one of the country's 25 largest facilities.

From 1937 to 2005, Linden was home to Linden Assembly, a General Motors manufacturing plant that produced Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Buick and other GM automobiles, but also produced planes during World War II. By early 2008 most of the plant has been torn down for redevelopment by Duke Realty Corporation, which purchased the 100 acres site for $76.5 million.

Linden, together with Rahway, is home to Merck & Co., one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. In 2003, the pharmaceutical company celebrated 100 years in Rahway and Linden.

Sunnyside section of Linden and the Jewish community
The residential area of Linden west of St. Georges Avenue is known as Sunnyside, named for the former Sunnyfield Golf Club located in that area. It borders on Clark, Cranford and Winfield on the west and Roselle on the east.

Jewish community of Linden
Like the rest of Linden, Sunnyside is a diverse neighborhood featuring residents of many different backgrounds. Congregation Anshe Chesed is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Sunnyside section that was founded in 1914. It has a large modern building on St. Georges Avenue and its former synagogue building on Blancke Street was converted for use for community athletics.

Among the parks in the Sunnyside section is Sunnyside Park, at the corner of Summit Terrace and Edgewood Road, dubbed the “Shabbos park” by the area's Modern Orthodox community as a place where families meet on Saturday afternoons. An eruv links the Sunnyside section of Linden to Roselle, Warinanco Park, the Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, and Hillside. A mikveh was constructed in 2015.

Following the move in recent years of members of the Koson congregation to the Sunnyside section of Linden, other Hasidic communities have recently arisen in Linden as well, including Bobov, Rachmastrivka, Pupa, and Satmar communities. In 2022, Aaron Teitelbaum, chief rabbi of the Satmar community in Kiryas Joel, New York, attended the opening of a Satmar school in the Sunnyside section.

Local media
Linden media includes:

 * Union News Daily. A news outlet covering Union County news, it has a dedicated Linden section. It is part of LocalSource and published by Worrall Community Newspapers of Union.
 * TAPInto Linden is a local digital news site covering Linden news exclusively, part of the TAPinto network of news in Central and Northern New Jersey.
 * Life in Linden is published by Renna Media, located on Walnut Street in Cranford, NJ.
 * LindenTV is the city's own channel, and is available to cable and Verizon FiOS television subscribers.
 * The City of Linden shares news and events via its official website.
 * Remaining multi-community newspapers include the Courier News, a daily newspaper based in Bridgewater Township, and The Star-Ledger and the Suburban News based in Newark.
 * Linden is the official city of license for WNJU (channel 47), a television station serving the New York metropolitan area as the flagship station of the Spanish-language Telemundo network.

Parks and recreation

 * Hawk Rise Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary created by the City of Linden and the New Jersey Audubon Society on the banks of the Rahway River at the lower reaches of the Rahway River Parkway.
 * John Russell Wheeler Park is home to the Linden Skatepark for skateboarders at Winans Avenue and West Edgar Road near where Morses Creek winds through the park. an 11000 sqft spray park opened in 2019, replacing a pool that dated back to 1931.
 * Peach Orchard Park sits at Dill Avenue, Hussa Street and Cranford Avenue, behind School #4. It is home to Peach Orchard Brook, a tributary of Morses Creek.
 * Warinanco Park's Park Drive entrance connects the park to Linden.

Local government
Linden is governed under the City form of government. The city is one of 15 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this traditional form of municipal government. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and an 11-member City Council. The mayor and council president are elected at-large to four-year terms of office, while the other 10 members are elected from wards to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or four of the ward seats up for election each year in a three-year cycle.

, the Mayor of Linden is Democrat Derek Armstead, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the City Council are:

 * Council President – Michele Yamakaitis (D, 2026)
 * First Ward – Lisa A. Ormon (D, 2024)
 * Second Ward – Barry E. Javick (D, 2025)
 * Third Ward – Monique Caldwell (D, 2025)
 * Fourth Ward – Alfred Mohammed (D, 2026)
 * Fifth Ward – Carlos A. Rivas (D, 2025)
 * Sixth Ward – John Francis Roman (D, 2026)
 * Seventh Ward – Ralph Strano (D, 2025)
 * Eighth Ward – Mark Armstead (D, 2026)
 * Ninth Ward – Armando Medina (D, 2024)
 * Tenth Ward – Christine Ann Hudak (D, 2026)

In June 2022, Christine Ann Hudak was appointed to fill the 10th Ward seat that had become vacant following the resignation of Gretchen M. Hickey. Hudak served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election when she was elected to serve the remainder of the term of office.

The 8th Ward seat expiring in December 2020 became vacant in January 2019 when Michele Yamakaitis took office as Council President. The Democratic municipal committee chose Paul Coates to fill the vacancy, but Mayor Derek Armstead sought to keep the seat vacant until the November 2019 general election. After a legal battle waged by the Linden Democratic municipal committee and its chairman Nicholas Scutari, a Superior Court judge ruled in May 2019 that Coates should be immediately seated to the council to serve until the November general election. In the November 2019 voting, Garret Blaine was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

In November 2015, the City Council selected Ralph Strano from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Seventh Ward seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Mike Minarchenko until his resignation from office the previous month; Strano served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

John T. Gregorio, served as mayor of Linden for 30, non-consecutive years until December 31, 2006, and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which forced him from office for two terms. Gregorio returned as mayor following his conviction.

Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling became the first African American female elected to the City Council when she took office in 2011 to represent the Fifth Ward.

Federal, state, and county representation
Linden is located in the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.

Prior to the 2010 Census, Linden had been split between the NJ's 7th congressional district, the 10th Congressional District and the NJ's 13th congressional district, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 21,494 registered voters in Linden, of which 11,831 (55.0% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,319 (6.1% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 8,339 (38.8% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 53.1% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 67.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 11,213 votes (73.3% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3,814 votes (24.9% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 135 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 15,303 ballots cast by the city's 22,753 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.3% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 10,728 votes (66.5% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 5,037 votes (31.2% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 162 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 16,142 ballots cast by the city's 22,266 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.5% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 9,222 votes (64.0% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 4,966 votes (34.4% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 116 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 14,419 ballots cast by the city's 20,596 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.0% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 54.6% of the vote (4,255 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.9% (3,420 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (123 votes), among the 8,158 ballots cast by the city's 22,416 registered voters (360 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 5,429 ballots cast (57.8% vs. 50.6% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 3,272 votes (34.8% vs. 41.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 452 votes (4.8% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 98 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 9,390 ballots cast by the city's 21,742 registered voters, yielding a 43.2% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Public schools
The Linden Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 11 schools, had an enrollment of 6,159 students and 555.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are School No. 1 (with 420 students; in grades PreK–5), School No. 2 (593; PreK-5), School No. 4 (425; PreK-5), School No. 5 (275; PreK-5), School No. 6 (324; PreK-5), School No. 8 (341; PreK-5), School No. 9 (327; PreK-5), School No. 10 (243; PreK-5), Myles J. McManus Middle School (693; 6-8), Joseph E. Soehl Middle School (685; 6-8) and Linden High School (1,729; 9–12). School No. 5 was one of nine schools in New Jersey honored in 2020 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which recognizes high student achievement.

Private schools
Sinai Christian Academy serves grades Pre-K through 12th grade.

Saints Mary and Elizabeth Academy was a Catholic school serving students in Pre-K through 8th grade that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until its closure at the end of the 2013–2014 school year due to declining enrollment.

Roads and highways
, the city had a total of 109.72 mi of roadways, of which 87.01 mi were maintained by the municipality, 13.53 mi by Union County, 6.19 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 2.99 mi by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) passes through the eastern portion of the city, with a few ramps that lead to the nearest exit (Exit 13 for I-278) which is right on the city limits with nearby Elizabeth. The city is also the western terminus of Interstate 278, which travels through all five boroughs of New York City. Linden is also served by U.S. Route 1/9 and Route 27. The Garden State Parkway passes about 500 ft west of the city limits.

Bus
Local public transportation is provided by NJ Transit with bus service to Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and Newark. New Jersey Transit routes 112 and 115 provide local service and interstate service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 48 to Elizabeth and 94 routes to Newark, and local service on the 56 and 57 routes.

Rail
The Linden train station offers a one-seat ride to Manhattan in 39 minutes via service on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line and the Northeast Corridor Line. Trains travel northbound to Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station, and southbound towards the Trenton Transit Center, with connections available at those locations

Airport
Linden Airport is a small general aviation facility and reliever airport located on the eastern side of the city along U.S. Route 1/9. The airport was constructed for the United States Navy in 1942 for use in development and testing of the Grumman F4F Wildcat and was taken over by the City of Linden after World War II. The airport served as a road racing course in June 1954 for a race in the then-NASCAR Grand National Division (now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series), with Al Keller winning the 50-lap race over a 2 mi course.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 15 minutes away.

Arts and culture

 * Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade is the home of outdoor concerts and other performing arts in Linden. Live bands play R&B, funk and jazz at several live performance venues, and late R&B and jazz vocalist Linda Hayes, who played with the well-known Platters (of which her brother was lead singer) was from Linden.
 * Catholic-born artist Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt grew up in poverty in 1950s and 1960s Linden. Openly gay, he recently had a career retrospective on his exploration of "gay sexuality, class struggle, and religion" in his art at MoMA PS1, and is also known for being photographed as a youth at the Stonewall Riots. Lanigan-Schmidt worked as a 1960s Linden youth doing "odd jobs to help support his family and was bullied by high school thugs," moving to New York City as a young man.  As a child in 1950s Linden, after Lanigan-Schmidt was assigned to decorate the school bulletin board in his Catholic elementary school, he built a detailed model of a church altar. The impressive model was featured in a local paper while Lanigan-Schmidt was a student at St. Elizabeth School at 170 Hussa Street. The school closed in 2014; it is a part of the campus of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church in Linden.
 * One of the artists from New Jersey hardcore (now LA-based) punk hip-hop group Ho99o9 (pronounced "Horror"), theOGM, has Linden roots.
 * 1910 Fruitgum Company, a bubblegum pop band from the 1960s, was formed by five Linden residents.
 * De Luxe Records (later DeLuxe Records) was a record company and label formed in 1944 in Linden, New Jersey, and is known for its famed R&B and early rock recordings.
 * In the mid-20th century, Linden was the headquarters for the Regal Records, as well as the budget record label Springboard International Records later in the century. Transco, before acquisition by Apollo, made sound recording industry acetate discs (also called acetate blanks, dubplates or lacquers) out of Linden.
 * The Linden Cultural and Heritage Committee exists to bring entertainment events to area residents such as craft bazaars, street fairs, concerts, and plays, and the Linden Society for Historic Preservation works to preserve the history of the city.
 * Linden was chosen as the primary filming location for Volume 2 of the streetball video series, AND1 Mixtapes. One of the original five streetballers to sign with AND1, Waliyy Dixon, a Linden native who also goes by the nickname "Main Event," helped host a night of basketball at 4th Ward Park that claimed attendance by 2,000 spectators.
 * Several scenes from the 2008 Mickey Rourke film The Wrestler, later nominated for several Academy Awards, were filmed in Linden.
 * Hal Linden, the stage and screen actor, television director and musician best known as the star of the ABC TV series Barney Miller, based his stage name on the city's name, after seeing the word "Linden" on a water tower while heading from Philadelphia to perform in New York City.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Linden include:

 * Amelia Brodka (born 1989), Olympic athlete and professional skateboarder
 * Deidre Davis Butler (1955–2020), lawyer, disability rights activist and federal official
 * Kevin Carolan (born 1968), actor and comedian
 * John Charles (born 1944), former cornerback and safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League
 * Nick Christiani (born 1987), former baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds
 * Jerome A. Cohen (born 1930), professor of law at New York University School of Law and an expert in Chinese law
 * George Thomas Coker (born 1943), United States Navy navigator who spent over six years as a POW after being shot down over North Vietnam in 1966
 * Danny Dias (c. 1983–2017), activist and reality television personality who starred on season 13 on MTV's Road Rules, Road Rules: X-Treme, in 2004
 * Tamecka Dixon (born 1975), professional basketball player who played for 13 seasons in the WNBA
 * Waliyy Dixon (born 1974), a.k.a. "Main Event" on the AND1 Mixtape Tour; one of the original players on the famous AND1-sponsored streetball tours
 * Carolyn Dorin-Ballard (born 1964), professional bowler and TV bowling analyst, USBC Hall of Famer
 * Cathy Dorin-Lizzi (born 1966), professional bowler and TV bowling analyst, sister of Carolyn
 * Calvin Duncan (born 1961), pastor and former professional basketball player who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round (30th pick overall) of 1985 NBA draft
 * John T. Gregorio (1928−2013), politician who served as mayor of Linden, in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1976 to 1978 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1978 to 1983
 * Linda Hayes (1923–1998; nee Bertha Williams), jazz and R&B singer
 * George Hudak (1935–1996), politician who represented the 20th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1986 to 1994 and was mayor of Linden from 1983 to 1987
 * Eddie Kasko (1931–2020), infielder, manager, scout and front office executive in Major League Baseball
 * Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt (born 1948), artist and veteran of the Stonewall riots
 * Mike Nardi (born 1985), basketball player who has played for Scavolini Spar Pesaro in the Italian League – Serie A
 * Vincent Obsitnik (born 1938), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Slovak Republic
 * Mike Pringley (born 1976), former American football defensive end who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and San Diego Chargers
 * Giovanni Riggi (1925–2015), mobster and member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1940s
 * Jon Rua (born 1983), actor, singer and choreographer who appeared in the Broadway hit Hamilton
 * Nicholas Scutari (born 1968), politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey Senate since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District
 * Danny Stiles (1923–2011), radio personality at WNYC, WNSW, WJDM and WPAT in the New York City market
 * Troy Stradford (born 1964), former running back who played for six seasons in the NFL
 * Joseph Suliga (1958–2005), former member of the New Jersey Senate who was the youngest person ever elected to the Linden Public Schools Board of Education, at the age of 19
 * Craig Taylor (born 1966), former running back for the Cincinnati Bengals
 * Chester A. Weidenburner (1913–1985), lawyer and judge who served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and as a Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court
 * Muhammad Wilkerson (born 1989), defensive end who has played for the New York Jets
 * Robert Zarinsky (1940–2008), convicted murderer and suspected serial killer

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Linden, New Jersey


text:
Mountainside, New Jersey

Mountainside is a borough in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is located on a ridge in northern-central New Jersey, within the Raritan Valley and Rahway Valley regions in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,020, an increase of 335 (+5.0%) from the 2010 census count of 6,685,  which in turn reflected an increase of 83 (+1.3%) from the 6,602 counted in the 2000 census.

Mountainside was incorporated as a borough on September 25, 1895, from portions of Westfield Township, based on the results of a referendum held the previous day.

New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Mountainside as its 16th best place to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey, as well as eighth in the 2010 list.

History
In 1958, part of Nike missile battery (NY-73) was installed, with the missile launchers themselves in Mountainside while the radar station was installed in Berkeley Heights. It remained in operation until 1963. Remnants of the control site are located adjacent to Governor Livingston High School, while the part of Watchung Reservation that was cleared in order to accommodate the missile launchers became the Watchung Stables.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.04 square miles (10.47 km2), including 4.00 square miles (10.35 km2) of land and 0.05 square miles (0.12 km2) of water (1.11%).

Mountainside is bordered by the Union County municipalities of Summit to the north, by Springfield Township to the east, by Westfield to the south and by Berkeley Heights and Scotch Plains to the west.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 6,685 people, 2,468 households, and 1,866 families in the borough. The population density was 1668.0 /sqmi. There were 2,558 housing units at an average density of 638.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup was 91.31% (6,104) White, 1.97% (132) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 4.94% (330) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.42% (28) from other races, and 1.36% (91) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.09% (407) of the population.

Of the 2,468 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18; 66.7% were married couples living together; 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.4% were non-families. Of all households, 21.6% were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10.

23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 18.2% from 25 to 44, 30.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.1 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $116,210 (with a margin of error of +/− $22,182) and the median family income was $135,086 (+/− $14,679). Males had a median income of $95,030 (+/− $9,312) versus $58,818 (+/− $8,974) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $52,844 (+/− $5,530). About 1.5% of families and 3.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 6,602 people, 2,434 households, and 1,925 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,640.8 PD/sqmi. There were 2,478 housing units at an average density of 615.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.09% White, 0.94% African American, 0.09% Native American, 2.80% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.01% of the population.

There were 2,434 households, out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.9% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.9% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 22.9% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $97,195, and the median income for a family was $105,773. Males had a median income of $78,595 versus $52,667 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,474. About 2.0% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
Mountainside is governed by a Mayor-Council form of government as authorized through the Option Municipal Charter Law (commonly called the Faulkner Act). The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the six-member borough council. Under this form of local government, the mayor is elected for a term of four years and there borough council members are elected for three-year terms, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. Both the mayor and Borough Council are elected at-large, that is, to represent the entire community. Elections for all officials in Mountainside are conducted on a partisan basis during the November General Election.

, the mayor of Mountainside is Republican Paul N. Mirabelli, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Deanna Andre (R, 2026), René Dierkes (R, 2025), Steven Matejek (R, 2026), Robert W. Messler (R, 2024), Donna Pacifico (R, 2025), and Donald Rinaldo Jr. (R, 2024).

Federal, state and county representation
Mountainside is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.

Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,744 registered voters in Mountainside, of which 1,201 (25.3% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,568 (33.1% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,974 (41.6% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 71.0% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 92.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 2,100 votes (59.2% vs. 32.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,401 votes (39.5% vs. 66.0%) and other candidates with 30 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,548 ballots cast by the borough's 4,940 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.8% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,331 votes (60.0% vs. 35.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,500 votes (38.6% vs. 63.1%) and other candidates with 33 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,888 ballots cast by the borough's 4,911 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.2% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,215 votes (58.0% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,561 votes (40.8% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 31 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,822 ballots cast by the borough's 4,796 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.7% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 69.9% of the vote (1,595 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.0% (661 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (26 votes), among the 2,320 ballots cast by the borough's 4,860 registered voters (38 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,754 votes (61.8% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 842 votes (29.6% vs. 50.6%), Independent Chris Daggett with 204 votes (7.2% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 17 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,840 ballots cast by the borough's 4,827 registered voters, yielding a 58.8% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education
The Mountainside School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 725 students and 71.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Beechwood School with 256 students in grades Pre-K–2 and Deerfield School with 461 students in grades 3–8.

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Berkeley Heights Public Schools that is covered by an agreement that runs through the end of 2021–2022 school year. As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 960 students and 87.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.9:1.

Students also have the choice to attend the programs of the Union County Vocational Technical Schools, which serve students from across Union County.

Emergency medical services
Emergency Medical Services for the borough of Mountainside is provided by the Mountainside Rescue Squad during nights and weekends. Since 2006, weekday daytime coverage has been provided by Atlantic Ambulance EMS, which has a paramedic unit stationed in Mountainside.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 41.12 mi of roadways, of which 29.74 mi were maintained by the municipality, 8.75 mi by Union County and 2.63 mi by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

U.S. Route 22 and Interstate 78 are the main highways running through Mountainside.

Public transportation
NJ Transit Bus Operations routes 114 and 117 provide service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan in New York City  while routes 65 and 66 travel to Downtown Newark, all making local stops at points in proximate communities. An early use of bus rapid transit in New Jersey, a BBS (bus bypass shoulder, originally called a BOS or bus on shoulder lane) has been in operation for many years. Unlike most municipalities along Route 22, zoning in Mountainside does not allow for much commercial development adjacent to the freeway. For a one-mile stretch in the town, the eastbound shoulder on the arterial road can be used for peak hour buses. In 2012, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) regulated the BBS as an exclusive bus lane from 6 to 7:30am. In 2009, NJDOT funded construction of two bus turnouts along the road in nearby Union.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 11 miles east of Mountainside.

NJ Transit rail service is accessible via Summit station, and it has frequent direct service to New York Penn Station. The station is located around 2 mi from the center of Mountainside, and Westfield station, which is about 4 mi away, is also nearby.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Mountainside include:

 * Erika Amato (born 1969), singer and actress who was a founding member of the band Velvet Chain
 * John W. Campbell (1910–1971), science fiction writer who was editor of Astounding Science Fiction from 1937 until his death
 * Bob Clotworthy (born 1931), diver who won the bronze medal at his Olympic debut in 1952 in Helsinki, Finland in the men's springboard event, followed by the gold medal, four years later in Melbourne, Australia in the same event
 * Laurie Collyer (born 1967), film director, best known for Sherrybaby
 * Angelo DeCarlo (1902–1973), member of the New York Genovese crime family
 * Harry Devlin (born 1918), cartoonist for magazines such as Collier's Weekly
 * Ina Golub (1938–2015), fiber artist who specialized in Judaica
 * Charles J. Irwin (1930–2005), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from the 9th at-large district from 1968 to 1971
 * Bitty Schram (born 1968), actress who appeared on Monk and in the 1992 film A League of Their Own
 * Dale Torborg (born 1971), conditioning coordinator for the Chicago White Sox and former professional wrestler best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling
 * Jeff Torborg (born 1941), former Major League Baseball player and manager
 * Hela Yungst (1950–2002), television entertainer and beauty pageant winner

title: Mountainside, New Jersey


text:
New Providence, New Jersey

New Providence is a borough on the northwestern edge of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located on the Passaic River, which forms the county boundary with Morris County bordering Chatham Township. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 13,650, an increase of 1,479 (+12.2%) from the 2010 census count of 12,171,  which in turn reflected increase of 264 (+2.2%) from the 11,907 counted in the 2000 census.

The borough is home to much of the Murray Hill neighborhood with the remainder lying in neighboring Berkeley Heights. Service on the NJ Transit is available at the New Providence and Murray Hill stations. More than 9% of New Providence's land is publicly-owned and protected parkland.

History
The written history of New Providence begins in 1664 when James, Duke of York and brother to King Charles II, purchased the land that became known as the Elizabethtown Tract from the Lenape Native Americans. Its first European settlers were members of a Puritan colony established in 1720, which was the first permanent settlement of its type. The settlement was originally called "Turkey" or "Turkey Town", due to the presence of wild turkeys in the area.

The Presbyterian Church established in 1737 was a focal point for the community, and the lack of serious injuries when the church's balcony collapsed in 1759 was deemed to be an example of divine intervention, leading residents to change the area's name to New Providence.

According to local tradition, George Washington spent the night in a local home, which still stands to this day. Supposedly, the local stream, Salt Brook, is named for an incident when the salt supply of the colonial village was dumped into the brook to prevent passing British soldiers from taking it. Ironically, the British Army never crossed the Watchung Mountains into this region. Salt Brook winds through town, starting near the eponymous Salt Brook Elementary School.

On April 14, 1794, Springfield Township was formed, which included the present-day township, along with the towns of Summit, New Providence, and Berkeley Heights. Growth continued in the area, and on November 8, 1809, New Providence Township was formed from within Springfield Township. It included what is now Summit, New Providence, and Berkeley Heights. On March 23, 1869, Summit withdrew from the New Providence Township and reincorporated as a township without any other town.

On March 14, 1899, New Providence also withdrew from New Providence Township and was reincorporated as a borough. With Boroughitis sweeping across the state, many communities within townships were reverting to small, locally governed communities (mostly reincorporating as boroughs) due to acts of the New Jersey Legislature that made it economically advantageous for communities so do so. New Providence Township was renamed to Berkeley Heights as of November 6, 1951.

The cultivation of roses played an important role in the local economy in the 1900s.

New Providence had long been a semi-dry town, under which there were no bars and no restaurants permitted to sell alcoholic beverages. Retail liquor sales were legal and restaurant-goers may bring their own alcoholic beverages. In 2011, the borough announced that it was considering issuing on-premises liquor licenses, which could bring in as much as $500,000 for each bar granted a license, with plans to use the money raised to pay for improvements to recreation areas. Liquor licenses were granted in 2015 to a pair of restaurants, ending a 100-year period in which the borough had no on-premises liquor licenses.

The 2011 film Win Win is set at New Providence High School, having been written by Tom McCarthy and Joe Tiboni, two former students at the school.

Landmarks

 * Nokia Bell Labs, formerly known as Bell Telephone Laboratories, is located in the New Providence neighborhood of Murray Hill. Researchers at this facility were credited with the development of radio astronomy, the transistor, the laser, the photovoltaic cell and other advances in technology. Nine Nobel Prizes have been awarded for work completed at this facility.
 * The Presbyterian Church is a large, white, historic church in the center of town.
 * The Village Shopping Center is a shopping center that takes up the majority of downtown New Providence.
 * New Providence School District currently links together the computer networks of its buildings by using a wireless LAN which includes Yagi antennas at two towers by the large copper pyramid-shaped roof.
 * Our Lady of Peace is a Roman Catholic church and school located on South Street. The parking lot at OLP becomes the home of the town's OLP fair, held for three days each spring, complete with rides, games, food, and an indoor auction/junk fest.
 * The Salt Box Museum, located at 1350 Springfield Avenue, is an 18th-century farmhouse owned by the New Providence Historical Society.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, New Providence borough had a total area of 3.71 square miles (9.61 km2), including 3.69 square miles (9.55 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km2) of water (0.57%).

New Providence is bordered by Berkeley Heights to the southwest and south, and by Summit to the east in Union County; and to the north by Chatham Township, across the Passaic River, in Morris County.

Much of the Murray Hill neighborhood lies in New Providence, with the remainder in Berkeley Heights; Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names within the borough include Tall Oaks, Johnsons Bridge, and West Summit.

The borough lies on the western slope of Second Watchung Mountain. There are several creek beds carved into the landscape, most of which are forks and branches of Salt Brook. These creeks join near the center of town then flow into the Passaic River, along the banks of which Passaic River Parkway is found. Over nine percent of New Providence's land area is permanently protected, publicly owned parkland. Most of this land is wooded floodplain adjacent to the Passaic. Union County owns much of the riverfront parkland and New Providence owns the remainder. There are several borough-owned parks that bracket Salt Brook, including Veterans Memorial Park on South Street, Lions Park on Livingston Avenue, and Clearwater Park near the end of Central Avenue.

2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 12,171 people, 4,408 households, and 3,337 families in the borough. The population density was 3,343.4 per square mile (1,290.9/km2). There were 4,537 housing units at an average density of 1,246.3 per square mile (481.2/km2). The racial makeup was 85.98% (10,465) White, 1.27% (155) Black or African American, 0.10% (12) Native American, 9.78% (1,190) Asian, 0.04% (5) Pacific Islander, 1.22% (148) from other races, and 1.61% (196) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.43% (783) of the population.

Of the 4,408 households, 39.2% had children under the age of 18; 66.2% were married couples living together; 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.3% were non-families. Of all households, 20.8% were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.73 and the average family size was 3.20.

27.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $113,542 (with a margin of error of +/− $12,769) and the median family income was $144,837 (+/− $13,137). Males had a median income of $103,237 (+/− $7,256) versus $60,029 (+/− $10,693) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $53,564 (+/− $3,739). About 3.2% of families and 4.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 0.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 11,907 people, 4,404 households, and 3,307 families residing in New Providence. The population density was 3,236.9 PD/sqmi. There were 4,485 housing units at an average density of 1,219.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the borough was 89.77% White, 0.88% African American, 0.03% Native American, 7.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.50% of the population.

There were 4,404 households, out of which 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.3% were married couples living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.

In New Providence the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 4.0% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $90,964, and the median income for a family was $105,013. Males had a median income of $72,926 versus $46,948 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $42,995. About 1.3% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.0% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government
New Providence is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by New Providence is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of New Providence is Republican Allen B. Morgan, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the New Providence Borough Council are Council President Peter C. DeSarno (R, 2024), Diane Bilicska (R, 2025), Matthew E. Cumiskey (R, 2024), Nadine Geoffroy (R, 2026), Alex Kogan (R, 2025), and Lisa McKnight (R, 2026).

In January 2022, the borough council appointed Diane Bilicska to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that became vacant after Michele Matsikoudis resigned from office to take a seat in the New Jersey General Assembly.

Federal, state, and county representation
New Providence is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.

Politics
As of September 16, 2022, there were a total of 9,997 registered voters in New Providence, of which 3,190 (31.9% vs. 48% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,852 (28.5% vs. 15.98%) were registered as Republicans and 3,889 (38.9% vs. 34.78%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 66 voters registered to other parties, such as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 82.3% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 89.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 3,084 votes, ahead of Republican Donald Trump who had 2,517 votes, with others getting 261 votes; this is the first time in recent years that a Democrat carried New Providence in the past four elections. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 3,267 votes (53.7% vs. 32.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,726 votes (44.8% vs. 66.0%) and other candidates with 68 votes (1.1% vs. 0.8%), among the 6,080 ballots cast by the borough's 8,493 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.6% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 3,367 votes (52.8% vs. 35.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,914 votes (45.7% vs. 63.1%) and other candidates with 64 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 6,372 ballots cast by the borough's 8,086 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,443 votes (55.5% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 2,674 votes (43.1% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 52 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 6,202 ballots cast by the borough's 7,801 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.5% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 71.3% of the vote (2,468 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 27.0% (935 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (60 votes), among the 3,516 ballots cast by the borough's 8,298 registered voters (53 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,559 votes (58.8% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,361 votes (31.3% vs. 50.6%), Independent Chris Daggett with 393 votes (9.0% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.5% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,351 ballots cast by the borough's 7,961 registered voters, yielding a 54.7% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education
The New Providence School District serves students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,420 students and 183.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics ) are Allen W. Roberts Elementary School with 702 students in grades Pre-K–6, Salt Brook Elementary School with 650 students in grades K–6, New Providence Middle School with 411 students in grades 7–8 and New Providence High School with 625 students in grades 9–12. The middle school and high school share a common building and some of the same facilities (art rooms, auditorium, east wing, west wing, gyms, music rooms, TV production room, cafeteria).

During the 2007–08 school year, New Providence Middle School was recognized with the National Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence by the United States Department of Education, the highest award an American school can receive. The district's high school was the top-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 5th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.

Serving students in Pre-K–3 through Grade 8, The Academy of Our Lady of Peace is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. The school was one of eight private schools recognized in 2017 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program as an Exemplary High Performing School by the United States Department of Education.

Roads and highways
, the borough had a total of 50.88 mi of roadways, of which 44.58 mi were maintained by the municipality and 6.30 mi by Union County.

No state, U.S. or Interstate highways directly serve New Providence. The most prominent road through the borough is County Route 512 known as Springfield Avenue.

Public transportation
Service on the NJ Transit Gladstone Branch of the Morris & Essex Lines is available at the New Providence station and Murray Hill station, offering service to Hoboken Terminal and to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. Two Gladstone Branch trains each weekday morning offer one-seat rides to Manhattan, and two evening trains leave New York and stop at both of New Providence's stations on the way to Gladstone. All other rail service is to or from Hoboken. These trains connect at Summit or Newark Broad Street with Manhattan-bound trains.

New Jersey Transit offer local bus service on the 986 route.

Lakeland Bus Lines offers weekday rush hour service from stops along Springfield Avenue to New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 16 miles east of New Providence.

Economy
Companies based in New Providence include the publishers Martindale-Hubbell and R. R. Bowker.

Community activities
People and local businesses in New Providence are active in organizing community activities.

In 2017, a first annual Carved Pumpkin Contest was organized. In 2016 and 2017, Scarecrow Contest was organized.

Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with New Providence include:

 * Andrew Fastow (born 1961), convicted CFO of Enron, went to NPHS and grew up in New Providence on the same street as the Allen W. Roberts Elementary School
 * Mike Ferguson (born 1970), politician who served as member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey's 7th congressional district from 2001 to 2009
 * Jeff Grob, drummer of the 1970s rock band Looking Glass, was born and raised in New Providence and is a current resident
 * Michael Hawley (1961–2020), academic and artist working in the field of digital media
 * Carroll N. Jones III (born 1944), artist in the style of American realism
 * Syd Kitson (born 1958), former professional American football guard who played in the NFL for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys
 * Andrew Lewis (born 1974), professional soccer player for the MetroStars and the Chicago Fire
 * Tom McCarthy (born 1966), actor in Meet the Parents, Good Night, and Good Luck who was director of the indie film The Station Agent He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay co-writing Up (2009) and then again writing Spotlight (2015) which also won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
 * Elias Riggs (1810–1901), Presbyterian missionary known for his work in the Ottoman Empire
 * Scott Rivkees (born 1956), Surgeon General of Florida from June 2019 to September 2021
 * Rat Skates (born 1961 as Lee Kundrat), filmmaker, writer and musician most notable for being a founding member and the original drummer of the thrash metal band, Overkill
 * D. D. Verni (born 1961), bass player and founding member of the thrash metal band, Overkill
 * Gideon A. Weed (1833–1905), physician who served two terms as mayor of Seattle, Washington

title: New Providence, New Jersey