Little Ferry, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Little Ferry is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 10,800.
Little Ferry was formed on September 18, 1894, from portions of both Lodi Township and New Barbadoes Township, at the height of Bergen County's "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County.[1][2]
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[edit] Geography
Little Ferry is located at (40.849338, -74.040868)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.4 km² (1.7 mi²). 4.0 km² (1.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.4 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (9.47%) is water.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 4,155 |
|
|
| 1940 | 4,545 | 9.4% | |
| 1950 | 4,955 | 9.0% | |
| 1960 | 6,175 | 24.6% | |
| 1970 | 9,064 | 46.8% | |
| 1980 | 9,399 | 3.7% | |
| 1990 | 9,989 | 6.3% | |
| 2000 | 10,800 | 8.1% | |
| Est. 2005 | 10,775 | [3] | -0.2% |
| Population 1930 - 1990[4] | |||
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 10,800 people, 4,366 households, and 2,785 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,725.4/km² (7,075.2/mi²). There were 4,449 housing units at an average density of 1,122.7/km² (2,914.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 68.76% White, 4.71% African American, 0.15% Native American, 17.10% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 5.75% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.19% of the population.
There were 4,366 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the borough the population was spread out with 20.2% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 36.3% from 25 to 44, 23.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $49,958, and the median income for a family was $59,176. Males had a median income of $42,059 versus $34,286 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,210. About 5.9% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Little Ferry was incorporated in 1894 under the Borough form of government. Under this form of government, voters elect the Mayor and six Council members on an at-large basis. The Mayor's term of office is four years. Council members are elected to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
The Mayor of Little Ferry is Thomas Quirico (term ends December 31, 2007). Members of the Borough Council are Council President Mauro D. Raguseo (term ends 2009), Roberta Henriquez (2008), George J. Muller (2009), Patricia Navarro (2008), Thomas Sarlo (2007) and Sue Schuck (2007).[5]
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, two three-year terms on the borough council were up for election. As of Election Day, the council was comprised entirely of Democrats, in a a community in which registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a nearly 2-1 margin. Incumbents George Muller (1,465 votes) and Mauro D. Raguseo (1,466) ran unopposed and each won their second full term on the council.[6][7][8]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Little Ferry is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 38th Legislative District.[9]
New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Bergen County and sections of Hudson County and Passaic County, is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 38th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph Coniglio (D, Paramus) and in the Assembly by Robert M. Gordon (D, Fair Lawn) and Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee). 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 10,840 in Little Ferry, there were 5,016 registered voters (46.3% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 956 (19.1% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 595 (11.9% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 3,464 (69.1% vs. 60.1% countywide) are registered as Undeclared. There was one voter registered to another party.[10]
On the national level, Little Ferry leans toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 44%.[11]
[edit] Education
The Little Ferry Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. The district has two schools that are located across the street from each other. Grades Pre-K & 1 reside in the Washington School building. Memorial School houses two units. Memorial Elementary School includes Pre-K and Grades 2 - 4, while Memorial Middle School includes grades 5 - 8 and the Board of Education Offices. Two principals administer nearly 1,000 students and 77+ teachers[12].
Since Little Ferry does no have its own high school, for grades 9-12, students attend Ridgefield Park High School, in Ridgefield Park only a couple of minutes away, as part of a sending/receiving relationship.
[edit] Transportation
The Little Ferry Circle connects U.S. Route 46 and Bergen Turnpike. The circle was originally constucted in 1933. The circle was largley reconstructed in 1985, allowing vehicles travelling on Route 46 to pass directly through the circle. The circle has been a constant site of accidents, with 40-50 accident per year at the circle each year from 2004 through 2006.[13]
In March 2007, the New Jersey Department of Transportation proposed its latest plan to address issues at the circle. The plan would realign the circle into a straight intersection, complete with turning lanes; prohibit left turns onto many residential streets; and would include construction of a pump station to move water off the oft-flooded highway and into the Hackensack River.[14][13]
[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. 80.
- ^ "History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630-1923," p. 375. Only shows Lodi Township as parent municipality.
- ^ Census data for Little Ferry, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Little Ferry Elected officials accessed January 31, 2007
- ^ Little Ferry Election Guide, The Record (Bergen County), November 1, 2006
- ^ "Election 2006: Municipal 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. 60, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006
- ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004
- ^ Little Ferry Public Schools - About our schools accessed February 8, 2008
- ^ a b DOT releases new plan to fix Little Ferry circle. The Record (Bergen County) by Merry Furschein, March 30, 2007
- ^ FY 2007-10 STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, New Jersey Department of Transportation, accessed April 2, 2007
[edit] 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.
[edit] External links
- Little Ferry official website
- Little Ferry Public Schools
- Little Ferry Public Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Little Ferry Public Schools
- Ridgefield Park High School
- 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
