Cedar Grove Township is a Township in north central Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 12,300. In 2006, the population went up to 12,848.[4]
What is now Cedar Grove was originally incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Verona on February 7, 1892, from portions of Caldwell Township. Portions of the township were taken to create Verona borough, based on the results of a referendum held on April 30, 1907. On April 9, 1908, the name was formally changed to Cedar Grove.[8]
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Cedar Grove as its 4th best place to live in Essex County and 17th best place overall to live in its 2008 rankings of the "Best Places To Live" in New Jersey.[9]
Geography
Cedar Grove is located at 40°51′21″N 74°13′44″W / 40.855854°N 74.228981°W / 40.855854; -74.228981 (40.855854, -74.228981).[10] It is located between the First and Second Watchung Mountains. The center of the township is in a valley that is about 280 feet (85 m) above sea level. However, many sections of Cedar Grove are well above 400 feet (120 m), including the Park Ridge Estates, the abandoned Essex County Hospital Center, and the eastern, southeastern and southern sections of Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove's highest peak is on Hilltop, where elevations reach 600 feet (180 m) and above. Cedar Grove is located approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Midtown Manhattan and 4 miles (6.4 km) northwest of Newark.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 4.3 square miles (11.3 km2), of which, 4.2 square miles (10.9 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km2) of it (2.99%) is water. Approximately 0.9 square miles is owned by either the County or the City of Newark.
Although Cedar Grove is not a city, the township does have sections. The sections are listed below:
North End : The North End of Cedar Grove starts after the corner of Fairview Ave and Pompton Ave. It consists of mostly homes, but there are some businesses located on Pompton Ave, as well as at the corner of E. Lindsley Ave and Stevens Ave. A notable part of the north end of town is the Park Ridge Estates, which contain million dollar homes.
Central Cedar Grove : This consists of the center of town and extends from the corner of Fairview Ave and Pompton Ave to the corner of Bradford Ave and Pompton Ave. The central portion of the town contains Cedar Grove's business district. Also, on the west central side of town is the Essex County Hospital Center, and on the east central side is the Cedar Grove Reservoir and Mills Reservation.
South End : The south end of Cedar Grove is the most urbanized part of the township, as it contains homes that are closer together. The south end extends from the corner of Bradford Ave and Pompton Ave to the Verona Border. There are mostly homes here, but there are some businesses on Pompton Ave, including Burger King, The Pilgrim Diner, Staples, and Cinema 23. Like the north end of town, the south end contains a section of million dollar homes.
Cedar Grove's population density is less than the surrounding towns of Montclair, Verona, and Little Falls. This is mainly because Cedar Grove has vast amounts of property owned or previously owned by county or city governments. The Essex County Hospital Center took up a good amount of land and was owned by Essex County. Also, Mills Reservation is a county owned park, and the Cedar Grove Reservoir property is owned by the City of Newark.
Cedar Grove is bordered by North Caldwell, Little Falls, Montclair, and Verona.
Climate
Cedar Grove has a humid subtropical climate, with warm/hot humid summers and cool/cold winters. The climate is slightly cooler overall during the summer than in New York City because there is no urban heat island effect.
January tends to be the coldest month, with average high temperatures in the upper 30's and lows in the lower 20's. July is the warmest months with high temperatures in the mid 80s and lows in the mid 60's. From April to June and from September to early November, Cedar Grove enjoys temperatures from the lower 60s to upper 70s. Rainfall is plentiful, with around 44 inches (1,100 mm) a year. Snowfall is common from mid January to early March and noreaster's can bring a lot of snow. In January 1996, Cedar Grove received about 3 feet (0.91 m) of snow from the Blizzard of 1996.
Demographics
| Historical populations |
| Census |
Pop. |
|
%± |
| 1930 |
4,793 |
|
—
|
| 1940 |
5,208 |
|
8.7% |
| 1950 |
8,022 |
|
54.0% |
| 1960 |
14,603 |
|
82.0% |
| 1970 |
15,582 |
|
6.7% |
| 1980 |
12,600 |
|
−19.1% |
| 1990 |
12,053 |
|
−4.3% |
| 2000 |
12,300 |
|
2.0% |
| Est. 2007 |
12,698 |
[4] |
3.2% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[11] |
As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 12,300 people, 4,403 households, and 3,240 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,913.1 people per square mile (1,125.4/km2). There were 4,470 housing units at an average density of 1,058.7/sq mi (409.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 90.05% White, 2.99% African American, 0.05% Native American, 5.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.46% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.20% of the population.
As of the 2000 Census, 29.7% of Cedar Grove's residents identified themselves as being of Italian ancestry, the 18th highest of all municipalities in New Jersey.[12] There is also a large Irish population, accounting for 21.7% of the population in the 2000 census, with another 12.1% of German ancestry.[13]
There were 4,403 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.4% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the township the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 26.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $78,863, and the median income for a family was $94,475. Males had a median income of $66,197 versus $40,582 for females. The per capita income for the township was $36,558. About 1.1% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Cedar Grove operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government.[1] Cedar Grove is governed by a five-member Township Council. Council members are elected at-large for four-year terms, by the voters of the municipality through a municipal election held the 2nd Tuesday in May, in odd-numbered years.
Members of the Township Council are Mayor Joseph Chiusolo, E. Romeo Longo, Robert O'Toole and Peter H. Tanella.[14]
Federal, state and county representation
Cedar Grove is part of New Jersey's 40th Legislative District and is in the Eighth Congressional District.[15]
New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Passaic County and northern sections of Essex County, is represented by Bill Pascrell Jr. (D, Paterson). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
For the 2008-2009 Legislative Session, the 40th District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Kevin J. O'Toole (R, Cedar Grove) and in the Assembly by Scott Rumana (R, Wayne) and David C. Russo (R, Ridgewood).[16] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[17]
Essex County's County Executive is Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Essex County's Freeholders are Freeholder President Blonnie R. Watson (at large), Freeholder Vice President Ralph R. Caputo (District 5), Johnny Jones (at large), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (at large), Patricia Sebold (at large) Samuel Gonzalez (District 1), D. Bilal Beasley (District 2), Carol Y. Clark (District 3) and Linda Lordi Cavanaugh (District 4).[18]
Politics
On the national level, Cedar Grove leans toward the Republican Party. In 2008, Republican John McCain received 59% of the vote here, defeating Democrat Barack Obama, who received around 40%.[19]
Education
Public Schools
The Cedar Grove Schools serve public school students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district has two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[20]) are South End (327 students) and North End (339) elementary schools for kindergarten through fourth grade; The Cedar Grove Memorial Middle School (486) serves from grades five through eight; and The Cedar Grove High School (415) serves students in grades nine through twelve.
Private Schools
The only private schools located in Cedar Grove are the Washington Academy, which serves pupils with special needs, and the Catholic school, St. Catherine's. Washington Academy is located in the old Leonard R. Parks Elementary School on Route 23, while St. Catherine's is located on Bradford Avenue.
History
Cedar Grove was part of the Horseneck Tract, which was an area that consisted of what are now the municipalities of Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange.
In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acre (57 km2) Horseneck Tract — so-called because of its irregular shape that suggested a horse's neck and head — from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of western Essex County, from the First Mountain to the Passaic River.
Cedar Grove was originally a small farming community. In 1896, Essex County built the county mental institution in Cedar Grove known as Overbrook. In 1908, Cedar Grove was incorporated as a township. In the 1950s and 60s, Cedar Grove became one of the destination suburbs in Essex County among those looking to escape urban living from Newark and New York City.
Commerce
Commercial Business
Most of the commercial zone in Cedar Grove is located on Route 23. The central business district starts at about Sweetwood Dr and extends to Little Fall Road just after the railroad bridge. Well known businesses in the center of town include CVS, Subway, Jim Dandy's, Burger King, PNC Bank, Bank of America, Valley National Bank, citibank, Sovereign Bank, Dunkin Donuts and La-Z-Boy. Also on Route 23, Frank Dailey's Meadowbrook used to be a nightclub known well throughout the country. Many famous muicians such as Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, and Frank Sinatra played there. There are many other small businesses, ranging from Chinese restaurants, pizza parlors, delis, hairdressers and barbers, and clothing stores. Past Little Falls Road, going north, there are still many businesses located along Route 23, including another CVS, a dog kennel, several hairdressers, a garden center, and an auto body shop.
Industry
Although Cedar Grove is not known as an industrial town, the township has an industrial district located along Commerce Road, which is off Route 23. In this district, there are light industrial factories and different types of commercial businesses.
Transportation
Automobile
Route 23 bisects Cedar Grove, making the township conveniently located to major highways including Interstate 80, Interstate 280, U.S. Route 46, Route 3, and the Garden State Parkway. Cedar Grove is also centrally located to New York City, Newark, Paterson, and Morristown.
Public Transportation
Cedar Grove is also served by New Jersey Transit bus service. The 11 and 75 bus lines provide service to Newark. The 195 bus line provides transportation to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.[21] Nearby train stations are located in the neighboring towns of Little Falls and Montclair. The Erie Railroad Had a railway here running between Little Falls and West Caldwell, but trains were sparsely scheduled and the line was destroyed in the 1970s.
Parks and Recreation
Cedar Grove has several parks and recreational areas within the township. These include county parks, town parks, and recreational areas.
County Parks
There are two county parks located in Cedar Grove.
- Mills Reservation, a county park, consisting of a 157.15-acre (0.6360 km2) protected wooded area with trails for walking and an overlook of New York City.
- Hilltop Reservation, composed of lands in the grounds of the former Essex Mountain Sanitorium, Opened spring 2003.
Parks
- Community Park - this park is located near the center of the town off Little Falls Road. It features a baseball field, large field used for various sports, barbecue area, two playgrounds, a bocce court, and entrances to the Lenape Trails which are popular for running, walking and biking.
- South End School Park, This park/playground is located on the grounds of South End Elementary School on Harper Terrace. Features include basketball courts, two baseball fields, and a playground.
- North End School Park, This area is nearly identical to South End School's park.
- Cedar Grove High School, in the back of the high school, there is a quarter mile track for running or walking. There is also a football field, soccer field, and baseball field.
Recreational Areas
- Tennis Courts, there are various tennis courts located along Little Falls Road, all for public use.
- Cedar Grove Community Pool, a community pool which opened in 1963. It features a large pool with 50 meter lanes and 25 meter lanes, three diving boards (two small and a large one), and a water slide. Also, there is a baby pool for children under five. There is a snack bar for refreshments, sun decks for sunbathing, and basketball courts. The pool is opened from the Saturday before Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Noted residents
Notable current and former residents of Cedar Grove include:
- Arthur Wynne (1862 - 1945) - inventor of the crossword puzzle
- Ralph L. Brinster (born 1932), internationally renowned genetic research pioneer.[22]
- Jack Cafferty (born 1942), CNN commentator and host.[23]
- Allen B. DuMont (1901-1965), American scientist and inventor best known for improvements to the cathode ray tube in 1931 for use in television receivers, manufacture of the first commercially-successful electronic televisions and founder of the first licensed TV network, DuMont Television Network.[24]
- Amanda Lepore, transgender icon who has received attention for her modelling, fashion, partying, and business skills.[citation needed]
- Marty Liquori (born 1949), born and raised in Cedar Grove; competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Track and Field. Ranked #5 on the Sports Illustrated list of The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures.[25]
- C. Edward McVaney (born 1940), co-founder of J.D. Edwards.[26]
- Todd Pettengill, co-host to the WPLJ morning show "the Big Show".[27]
- Michael Uslan (born 1951), originator and Executive Producer of the Batman movies and the first professor to teach "Comic Book Folklore" at an accredited university.[28][29]
Trivia
References
- ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 169.
- ^ Township Manager, Township of Cedar Grove. Accessed May 23, 2008.
- ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Cedar Grove, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b c Census data for Cedar Grove township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 12, 2008.
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. P. 126 re Cedar Grove, p. 132 re Verona.
- ^ "Best Places To Live - The Complete Top Towns List 1-100", New Jersey Monthly, February 21, 2008. Accessed February 24, 2008.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ Italian Communities, Epodunk. Accessed October 20, 2007.
- ^ QT-P13. Ancestry: 2000 for Cedar Grove township, Essex County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 28, 2007.
- ^ Cedar Grove Township Council, Township of Cedar Grove. Accessed September 12, 2008.
- ^ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed September 30, 2009.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 6 June 2008.
- ^ The Board of Chosen Freeholders, Essex County, New Jersey. Acecssed August 8, 2008.
- ^ http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/results_2009_doe.html
- ^ Data for the Cedar Grove Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed May 12, 2008.
- ^ Essex County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed July 3, 2007.
- ^ Caroulis, Jon. "Largest Scientific Prize in Country", The Compass, October 22, 1996. Accessed April 13, 2008. "Brinster was born in 1932 and grew up on a small farm in Cedar Grove, N.J."
- ^ American Morning Transcript, CNN, aired July 2, 2004. "CAFFERTY: I'll tell you what. Put it in a U-Haul. I live in Cedar Grove. Drop it by the house, I'll get rid of it for you, no change."
- ^ Truly touched and honored: Four alumni inducted into Montclair High School Hall of Fame, Montclair Times, November 16, 2006.
- ^ The 50 Greatest New Jersey Sports Figures, Sports Illustrated, December 27, 1999.
- ^ C. EDWARD MCVANEY: Oral History, Computerworld Honors Program. Accessed September 8, 2007. "We moved back east and lived in Cedar Grove, New Jersey."
- ^ The Fundrace Neighbor Search, Fundrace.org, accessed February 13, 2007.
- ^ Genocchio, Benjamin. "POW! Take That, Hitler! Men of Steel and Their Times", The New York Times, September 9, 2007. Accessed December 26, 2007. "One of the single biggest lenders to the exhibition is Michael Uslan of Cedar Grove, the executive producer of movies like “Batman” and “Batman Begins.” He obviously has a thing for superheroes."
- ^ Meoli, Daria. "That’s Entertainment", New Jersey Monthly, October 2005. Accessed December 26, 2007. "Fans of the Caped Crusader can add the summer blockbuster Batman Begins to their personal collections. Like all Batman celluloid, it was produced by Cedar Grove resident Michael Uslan."
External links
