River Vale, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
River Vale Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 9,449.
River Vale was formed as a township on April 30, 1906, from portions of Hillsdale Township (now the Borough of Hillsdale) and Washington Township.[1]
On January 5, 1904, the temperature in River Vale fell to -34° F (-37° C), the lowest temperature ever recorded in New Jersey.[2]
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[edit] Geography
River Vale is located at (41.015284, -74.010324)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.2 km² (4.3 mi²). 10.6 km² (4.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (5.34%) is water.
River Vale is bordered by Montvale to the northwest, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake (a very small section) and Hillsdale to the west, Westwood to the southwest, a small section bordering Emerson to the south, Harrington Park to the southeast, Old Tappan to the east, and Pearl River, New York to the north.
Its borders are defined by the Hackensack River to the east, which was dammed to form Lake Tappan, and the Pascack Brook to the south. The northern border is defined by the New York-New Jersey state border. The western border has several sections, including a section defined by an unnamed creek and a section defined by Cedar Lane.
[edit] History
Before 1841, the area comprising River Vale was part of Harrington Township. It used to be known as the "Over Kill Neighborhood" or just "Over Kill" — it being over the kill (Hackensack River) from Tappan. Its southern part, known as Eastwood (named in contrast to Westwood), became an independent borough from 1894 to 1896, but was later re-absorbed into Washington Township.
River Vale was incorporated as a Bergen County township in 1906. It was formed from portions of both Hillsdale and Washington Township. On July 15, 1929, part of River Vale was ceded to Park Ridge. On May 20, 1959, territory was acquired from Montvale.
In 1967, a mass grave site was discovered in River Vale from an event in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War, the Baylor Massacre. This became widely known due to a February 1968 report to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, "1778 - The Massacre of Baylor's Dragoons". Facing suburban development, the burial site was made into a county park that was dedicated on October 15, 1972.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 450 |
|
|
| 1920 | 583 | 29.6% | |
| 1930 | 871 | 49.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,112 | 27.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,699 | 52.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,616 | 230.5% | |
| 1970 | 8,883 | 58.2% | |
| 1980 | 9,489 | 6.8% | |
| 1990 | 9,410 | -0.8% | |
| 2000 | 9,449 | 0.4% | |
| Est. 2005 | 9,765 | [3] | 3.3% |
| historical data sources: [4][5] | |||
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 9,449 people, 3,275 households, and 2,675 families residing in the township. The population density was 894.2/km² (2,317.7/mi²). There were 3,312 housing units at an average density of 313.4/km² (812.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.33% White, 0.58% African American, 5.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.22% of the population.
There were 3,275 households out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.1% were married couples living together, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% were non-families. 15.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.8% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $95,129, and the median income for a family was $105,919. Males had a median income of $77,794 versus $39,732 for females. The per capita income for the township was $40,709. 2.8% of the population and 2.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
River Vale is governed by a Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The Mayor-Council plan consists of two separate and coequal power centers, each directly elected by the people: the Mayor as Chief Executive, and the Council as the municipal legislature[6].
The Mayor of River Vale is Joseph Blundo, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2010.[7]
The Township Council consists of five members elected at large to 4-year staggered terms on a partisan basis. The members of the Township Council are President Glen Jasionowski, Mark Bromberg (2009), Noel Matos, Denise Seig (2009) and Dwight de Stefan.[8]
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters elected a mayor to a four-year term of office and filled two three-year seats on the Township Council. As of Election Day, the council was made up of three Republicans, one Democrat and an Independent, in a community where registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats by a 7-4 margin. Democrat Joseph Blundo (1,757 votes) unseated independent Mayor George Paschalis (1,259) and former Republican Councilman James Hanna (857). In the council race, Democratic newcomers Mark Bromberg (1,740) and Denise Sieg (1,667) won three-year terms in office, defeating incumbent independent Robert Menville (1,120), independent Karen Landau (1,055) and Republicans Deborah Romano (994) and Joseph Massin (952). The 2007 council is comprised of three Republicans and two Democrats.[9][10][11]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
River Vale is in the Fifth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 39th Legislative District[12].
New Jersey's Fifth Congressional District, covering the northern portions of Bergen County, Passaic County and Sussex County and all of Warren County, is represented by Scott Garrett (R, Wantage Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 39th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Gerald Cardinale (R, Cresskill) and in the Assembly by John E. Rooney (R, Emerson) and Charlotte Vandervalk (R, Westwood). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairman Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Vice-Chairman Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Julie O'Brien (D) and Connie Wagner (D).
Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R).
[edit] Politics
As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 9,812 in River Vale, there were 6,575 registered voters (67.0% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 968 (14.7% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,726 (26.3% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 3,881 (59.0% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were no voters registered to other parties[13].
On the national level, River Vale leans toward the Republican Party. In the 2004 presidential election 5,414 votes were cast. Republican George W. Bush received 54.4% of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received 44.8%. Ralph Nader received 22 votes, 0.4% of those cast. Other minor candidates received seven votes, 0.13% of those cast.[14]
[edit] Education
River Vale has three schools operated under the aegis of the River Vale Public Schools:
- Roberge Elementary School has 427 students in grades Kindergarten to 5.
- Woodside Elementary School has 451 students in grades Kindergarten to 5.
- Holdrum Middle School has 446 students in grades 6 - 8.
River Vale's high school students attend Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale, together with students from Hillsdale, as part of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District.
[edit] Notable residents
- Bill Maher, comedian and actor, was raised in River Vale and graduated from Pascack Hills High School in neighboring Montvale.[15]
- Garrett Zablocki, guitarist in band Senses Fail
- Florence Lawrence, the first ever "movie star" lived in River Vale from 1913 through 1916.[16]
- Daniel S. Nevins, rabbi, Dean at Jewish Theological Seminary of America
[edit] References
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 86.
- ^ Record Lowest Temperatures by State. NOAA (December 2003). Retrieved on February 26, 2007.
- ^ Population Finder: River Vale township, Bergen County, New Jersey. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved on March 4, 2007. “The 2005 population estimate for River Vale township, Bergen County, New Jersey is 9,765.”
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990. Retrieved on March 1, 2007.
- ^ Historical Population Trends in Bergen County (1900-2000). Bergen County Department of Planning & Economic Development (2001). Retrieved on March 4, 2007.
- ^ The Mayor-Council Plan under the Faulkner Act, accessed June 4, 2006
- ^ Office of the Mayor, accessed August 15, 2006
- ^ 2007 Town Council Members, accessed February 25, 2007
- ^ River Vale Election Guide, The Record (Bergen County), November 1, 2006
- ^ River Vale election results, The Record (Bergen County), November 8, 2006
- ^ Bergen County 2006 General Election Results, accessed February 1, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 63, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006
- ^ 2004 Presidential Election Results - Bergen County, accessed May 8, 2006
- ^ Biography for Bill Maher, IMDb.com accessed May 8, 2006
- ^ Q&A. Pascack Historical Society. Retrieved on February 14, 2007. “Florence Lawrence … lived at 565 Rivervale Road in River Vale from 1913 through 1916. (the house is still there)”
[edit] Sources
- River Vale (Images of America series), Edmund Moderacki 2002, ISBN 0-7385-1080-7
[edit] External links
- River Vale official website
- River Vale Public Schools
- River Vale Public Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the River Vale Schools
- Pascack Valley Regional High School District
- River Vale Police Department
- Bob Secor's River Vale - As I Knew It (1929 - 1954)
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
