Old Bridge Township, New Jersey
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Old Bridge Township is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 60,456.
What is now Old Bridge Township was originally incorporated as Madison Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 2, 1869, from portions of South Amboy Township (now South Amboy borough).[1] On November 5, 1975, voters approved a referendum, by a 7,150-4,888 margin changing the township's name to Old Bridge Township.[2][3] The township's name was changed to avoid confusion with the borough of Madison in Morris County.[2][4]
Brownville (2000 census population of 2,660), Laurence Harbor (6,227), Madison Park (6,929) and Old Bridge (22,833) are census-designated places and unincorporated areas located within Old Bridge Township.
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[edit] Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 105.3 km² (40.7 mi²). 98.7 km² (38.1 mi²) of it is land and 6.7 km² (2.6 mi²) of it (6.32%) is water.
Of the Township's 38+ square miles, approximately one-third is developed.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 2,566 |
|
|
| 1940 | 3,803 | 48.2% | |
| 1950 | 7,366 | 93.7% | |
| 1960 | 22,772 | 209.2% | |
| 1970 | 48,715 | 113.9% | |
| 1980 | 51,515 | 5.7% | |
| 1990 | 56,475 | 9.6% | |
| 2000 | 60,456 | 7.0% | |
| Est. 2005 | 64,854 | [5] | 7.3% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[6] | |||
As of the census² of 2000, there were 60,456 people, 21,438 households, and 15,949 families residing in the township. The population density was 612.8/km² (1,587.4/mi²). There were 21,896 housing units at an average density of 222.0/km² (574.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 79.48% White, 5.30% African American, 0.16% Native American, 10.82% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.87% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population.
There were 21,438 households out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.2% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.7 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $64,707, and the median income for a family was $74,045. Males had a median income of $51,978 versus $35,462 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,814. About 3.0% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.
Initially, the Township was made up of farms and the population grew slowly. In 1880, the population was 1,662 and in 1950 it had reached only 7,365. Then the building boom started and farms gave way to developments. In 1960, the population was 22,772 and that was only the beginning. The 1980 census cited 51,406 people.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
Old Bridge Township is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.[7]
The Mayor of Old Bridge Township is Mayor James T. Phillips.[8] The Township Council consists of nine members, with six elected to represent wards and three elected at-large from the Township as a whole. The members of the Township Council are:[9]
- Robert Volkert - Representing Ward 1
- William Baker, Council Vice President - Representing Ward 2
- Reginald Butler - Representing Ward 3
- G. Kevin Calogera - Representing Ward 4
- Richard Greene - Representing Ward 5
- Lucille Panos - Representing Ward 6
- Patrick Gillespie, Council President - Representing Old Bridge At-Large
- Dennis M. Maher - Representing Old Bridge At-Large
- Edward Testino - Representing Old Bridge At-Large
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Old Bridge Township is split between the Sixth and Twelfth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 13th Legislative District.[10]
New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District, covering portions of Middlesex County and Monmouth County, is represented by Frank Pallone (D). New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District, covering all of Hunterdon County and portions of Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, and Somerset County, is represented by Rush D. Holt Jr. (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 13th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Joseph M. Kyrillos (R, Middletown Township) and in the Assembly by Amy Handlin (R, Middletown Township) and Samuel D. Thompson (R, Old Bridge Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Middlesex County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Middlesex County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel (Milltown), Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina (Fords), Camille Fernicola (Piscataway), H. James Polos (Highland Park), John Pulomena (South Plainfield), Christopher D. Rafano (South River) and Blanquita B. Valenti (New Brunswick).
[edit] Education
The Old Bridge Township Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is comprised of twelve K-5 elementary schools ( M. Scott Carpenter Elementary School, Cheesequake Elementary School, Leroy Gordon Cooper Elementary School, Virgil I. Grissom Elementary School, James A. McDivitt Elementary School, Madison Park Elementary School, Memorial Elementary School, William A. Miller Elementary School, Walter M. Schirra Elementary School, Alan B. Shepard Elementary School, Southwood Elementary School and Voorhees Elementary School), Two Middle Schools serving grades 6-8 ( Jonas Salk Middle School and Carl Sandburg Middle School) and Old Bridge High School for grades 9-12.
Carl Sandburg, as well as the high school, are currently listed as a Schools in Need of Improvement.
[edit] History
The first inhabitants of the area known as Old Bridge, were the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. They, like many people today, migrated to the shore along the Raritan each summer from their hunting grounds in the north.
When the English gained control from the Dutch in 1664, the state was divided into two provinces, East Jersey and West Jersey. In 1682, the general assembly of East Jersey defined the boundaries of Middlesex County as containing all plantations on both sides of the Raritan River, as far as Cheesequake Harbor to the east, then southwest to the Provincial line. This Southwest line is the border of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties and the Township's southern border.
In 1684, South Amboy Township was formed. At that time, it covered an area that now consists of the Townships of Monroe and Old Bridge and the Boroughs of Sayreville and South Amboy.
The 42 square miles (109 km²) that comprise the Township separated from South Amboy on March 2, 1869, and was called Madison Township.[11] In 1975, the name was changed by referendum to the Township of Old Bridge, to differentiate the township from the Borough of Madison, in Morris County.[12]
The first settlers were John Warne, son of one of the original proprietors of East Jersey, and John and Susannah Brown, who obtained a 1,000 acre (4 km²) land grant from King George II of Great Britain in 1737. A section of the Township still carries the name Browntown.
[edit] Transportation
Old Bridge houses an interchange for the Garden State Parkway, Interchange 120. The parkway gives access to Route 440 (which becomes Interstate 287), and Interstate 95/New Jersey Turnpike. U.S. 9, Route 18, Route 34 and Route 35 also pass through the township.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Old Bridge Township include:
- Josh Ansley is currently the bassist for the alternative metal band, Hurt.
- Colleen Fitzpatrick, a pop music artist, dancer and actress, better known by her stage name, Vitamin C.
- Jim Jones a famous hip-hop rapper, founder of The Diplomats, a.k.a. Dipset
[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. 170.
- ^ a b "New Names Voted for 2 Communities", The New York Times, November 6, 1975. p. 88
- ^ HISTORY OF OLD BRIDGE & THE WATERFRONT, accessed February 22, 2007
- ^ If You're Thinking of Living in: Old Bridge, The New York Times by Jerry Cheslow, April 21, 1991
- ^ Census data for Old Bridge township, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
- ^ The Faulkner Act, accessed October 18, 2006
- ^ OFFICE OF THE MAYOR, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ Township Council, accessed March 18, 2007
- ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 62, accessed August 30, 2006
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 165.
- ^ " If You're Thinking of Living In/Old Bridge Township, N.J.; Fast Growing, but With a Rural Ambience", The New York Times, February 20, 2000
[edit] External links
- Old Bridge Township Official Website
- Old Bridge Township Public Schools
- Old Bridge Township Public Schools's 2005-06 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Old Bridge Township Public Schools
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(County seat: New Brunswick) |
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