High Bridge, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| High Bridge, New Jersey | |
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| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Hunterdon |
| Incorporated | March 29, 1871 |
| Government | |
| - Type | Borough (New Jersey) |
| - Mayor | Mark Desire |
| Area | |
| - Total | 2.4 sq mi (6.3 km²) |
| - Land | 2.4 sq mi (6.2 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.1 km²) |
| Elevation [1] | 305 ft (93 m) |
| Population (2006)[2] | |
| - Total | 3,763 |
| - Density | 1,566.0/sq mi (604.6/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 08829 |
| Area code(s) | 908 |
| FIPS code | 34-31320[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885251[4] |
| Website: http://www.highbridge.org | |
High Bridge is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,776.
High Bridge was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 29, 1871, from portions of both Clinton Township and Lebanon Township and Bethlehem Township. On February 19, 1898, the borough of High Bridge was incorporated from portions of the township, with the remainder returned to Clinton and Lebanon Townships.[5]
High Bridge Borough is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the north central part of Hunterdon County. Water from the South Branch was a valuable power source for one of the first ironworks in the United States, established by William Allen and Joseph Turner of Philadelphia. Allen was the mayor of Philadelphia, a Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and a prominent landowner in New Jersey. The Central Railroad of New Jersey built a high bridge across the river from which structure the locality ultimately took its name.[6]
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[edit] Geography
High Bridge is located at (40.668594, -74.892415)[7].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), of which, 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.82%) is water.
High Bridge borders Clinton Township and Lebanon Township.
[edit] Demographics
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 1,860 |
|
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| 1940 | 1,781 | -4.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,854 | 4.1% | |
| 1960 | 2,148 | 15.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,606 | 21.3% | |
| 1980 | 3,435 | 31.8% | |
| 1990 | 3,886 | 13.1% | |
| 2000 | 3,776 | -2.8% | |
| Est. 2006 | 3,763 | [2] | -0.3% |
| Population 1930 - 1990.[8] | |||
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 3,776 people, 1,428 households, and 1,051 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,566.0 people per square mile (604.9/km²). There were 1,478 housing units at an average density of 613.0/sq mi (236.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.24% White, 0.79% African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.
There were 1,428 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% 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.
In the borough the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $68,719, and the median income for a family was $75,357. Males had a median income of $56,607 versus $35,450 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,276. About 1.9% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
High Bridge is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey government by a Mayor, independently elected for a four-year term, and a six member Common Council, with each Council Member elected to three-year, staggered terms. Each year, two Council seats are on the ballot.[9]
The Mayor of High Bridge Borough is Mark Desire. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Tom Flynn (2009), Brenden Coughlin, Colleen Hann, Lynn Hughes, Mary Murdock and Jon Valenta (2009).[10]
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, Mark Desire was elected as Mayor to succeed Alfred W. Schweikert, and took office on January 1, 2007. Thomas Flynn and Jon Valenta won three-year seats on the Borough Council.[11]
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
High Bridge Borough is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District.[12]
New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District, covering portions of Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, Somerset County and Union County, is represented by Mike Ferguson (R). 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 23rd District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township) and in the Assembly by Michael J. Doherty (R, Oxford Township) and Marcia A. Karrow (R, Raritan Township).[13] The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).[14]
Hunterdon County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis. As of 2008, Hunterdon County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Erik Peterson (Milford), Freeholder Deputy Director William Mennen (Tewksbury Township), Matt Holt (Clinton Town), George B. Melick (Tewksbury Township) and Ronald Sworen (Frenchtown).[15]
[edit] Education
The High Bridge School District serves students in grades K to 8. Schools in the districts (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[16]) are High Bridge Elementary School for grades Pre-K - 5 (300 students) and High Bridge Middle School for grades 6 - 8 (142 students).
Students in grades 9 through 12 attend Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Voorhees High School serves students from Califon Borough (67 students), Glen Gardner Borough (75 students), Hampton Borough (87 students), High Bridge Borough (217 students), Lebanon Township (404 students) and Tewksbury Township (235 students).[17]
[edit] Transportation
The High Bridge station is the western terminus on New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. It is located at the southern end of the station. The parking lot for the station is located one block to the west. The station only uses the southern track for inbound and outbound trains. There is a station building that is no longer used and there are two small shelters. This station has limited weekday service and no weekend service. The station has been the western terminus of the line since 1983, although there have been proposals to once again have service to Phillipsburg, New Jersey.
[edit] Recreation
High Bridge serves as the southern terminus of a rail trail that was created out of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey High Bridge Branch. The trail is maintained by Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation and is called the Columbia Trail. The trail runs northeastward from the center of the borough (at the junction of Main Street and Church Street) towards Califon, through a scenic area outside the borough limits, known as the Ken Lockwood Gorge.
Union Forge Park is High Bridge's main public park, located across the Raritan River from Taylor Wharton. Another park is the Borough Commons, conveniently situated at the start of the Columbia Trail.
[edit] Historic sites
Solitude House, built circa 1725, later became the centerpiece of the iron plantation that became Union Forge Ironworks. Later called Taylor Iron and Steel Company, it eventually became known as Taylor-Wharton. John Penn, the last royal governor of Pennsylvania was a political prisoner at Solitude House during the American Revolutionary War. Five generations of the Taylor family managed the business and continued to live in the house, until 1938. The museum houses the Taylor-Wharton Collection as well as exhibits that depict the life and times of the residents and ironworkers who lived in High Bridge. Union Forge Heritage Association, a 501(c)3 corporation, manages the Museum, as well as other historic buildings, including the TISCO Building, Springside Farms and Solitude Dam / Taylor's Falls
The Taylor Steel Workers Historical Greenway connects to the Columbia Trail.[18]
[edit] Business
High Bridge has a resurgent downtown (Main Street) that is home to excellent eateries, services and professionals. Circa Restaurant, at the center of Main Street, has received acclaim from a variety of sources including a New York Times food editor who proclaimed, "Circa is the kind of place I wish were in my town."
High Bridge enjoys a mix of new and old establishments, with some businesses having very long standing in High Bridge. Carl & Company HairCare was established in 1963, while Reflections Salon celebrates 20 years in High Bridge. Metamorphosis Fitness-Nutrition Studio, Cafe Hola, Fitzgerald Architecture Studios and Dispenza Financial are more recent additions over the past few years.
The businesses are collectively marketed by the High Bridge Business Association, which assists its member businesses through co-operative advertising, press releases, goodwill and other benefits.
[edit] Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of High Bridge include:
- Dan Smith (1975-), former MLB pitcher who played for the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox.[19]
[edit] References
- ^ USGS GNIS: Borough of High Bridge, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.
- ^ a b Census data for High Bridge borough, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 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. 155.
- ^ Hunterdon County webpage for High Bridge Borough, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed March 20, 2007.
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
- ^ High Bridge Borough Government: Overview, Borough of High Bridge. Accessed March 12, 2007.
- ^ High Bridge Council, Borough of High Bridge. Accessed February 14, 2008.
- ^ High Bridge Borough Election Results, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed December 3, 2006.
- ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 58. Accessed August 30, 2006.
- ^ Legislative Roster: 2008-2009 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ About the Governor, New Jersey. Accessed June 6, 2008.
- ^ Hunterdon County Board of Chosen Freeholders, accessed February 22, 2008.
- ^ Data for the High Bridge School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 4, 2008.
- ^ Voorhees High School 2007 Report Card Narratives, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 4, 2008. "Voorhees High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in the state. With an enrollment of 1200 students in grades 9-12, the school serves the communities of Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, and Tewksbury Township."
- ^ Solitude House Museum, accessed August 31, 2006.
- ^ Dan Smith player profile, The Baseball Cube. Accessed July 29, 2007.
[edit] External links
- High Bridge Borough website
- Hunterdon County webpage for High Bridge Borough
- High Bridge School District
- High Bridge School District's 2006-07 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- Data for the High Bridge School District, National Center for Education Statistics
- North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District
- High Bridge Emergency Squad
- Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance
- Photo Essay of High Bridge from 1991
- High Bridge Business Association
- High Bridge, New Jersey is at coordinates Coordinates:
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