Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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Township of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Map highlighting Lyndhurst's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Map highlighting Lyndhurst's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°48′27″N 74°7′13″W / 40.8075, -74.12028
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Bergen
Incorporated May 15, 1917
Government
 - Type Walsh Act
 - Mayor Richard DiLascio (D, 2009)
Area
 - Total 4.9 sq mi (12.7 km²)
 - Land 4.7 sq mi (12.0 km²)
 - Water 0.3 sq mi (0.7 km²)
Elevation [1] 20 ft (6 m)
Population (2006)[2]
 - Total 19,732
 - Density 4,169.7/sq mi (1,609.4/km²)
Time zone U.S. EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) U.S. EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 07071
Area code(s) 201, 551
FIPS code 34-42090[3]
GNIS feature ID 0882225[4]
Website: http://www.lyndhurstnj.org

Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 19,383.

Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township. On May 15, 1917, the area was incorporated by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Lyndhurst, based on the results of a referendum held one week earlier.[5]

Contents

[edit] Geography

Lyndhurst is located at 40°48′27″N, 74°7′13″W (40.807600, -74.120393)[6].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 4.9 square miles (12.7 km²), of which, 4.7 square miles (12.0 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it (5.30%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1900 1,590
1910 4,076 156.4%
1920 9,515 133.4%
1930 17,362 82.5%
1940 17,454 0.5%
1950 19,980 14.5%
1960 21,867 9.4%
1970 22,729 3.9%
1980 20,326 −10.6%
1990 18,262 −10.2%
2000 19,383 6.1%
Est. 2006 19,732 [2] 1.8%
Population 1900 - 1990[7] [8]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 19,383 people, 7,877 households, and 5,206 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,169.7 people per square mile (1,609.4/km²). There were 8,103 housing units at an average density of 1,743.1/sq mi (672.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 89.94% White, 0.61% African American, 0.05% Native American, 5.40% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.00% of the population.

As of the 2000 census, 33.8% of township residents were of Italian ancestry, the 19th-highest percentage of any municipality in the United States, and eighth-highest in New Jersey, among all places with more than 1,000 residents identifying their ancestry.[9]

There were 7,877 households out of which 25.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the township the population was spread out with 19.1% under the age of 18, 7.6% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males. Lyndhurst has the highest proportion of single females ages 18-25.

The median income for a household in the township was $53,375, and the median income for a family was $63,758. Males had a median income of $42,359 versus $35,429 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,940. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.2% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township of Lyndhurst has been governed under the Walsh Act form of New Jersey municipal government since 1913.[10] Members of the Township Committee are:[11][12]

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, one seat came up for election on the Township Committee to fill an unexpired term in office. Independent incumbent Joseph Abruscato (1,191 votes), who had been filling the seat, ran unopposed and was elected to serve the balance of the term.[13][14] On October 24, 2007, the entire council switched party affiliation from Republican to Democrat.[15]

Lyndhurst is in the Ninth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 36th Legislative District.[16]

[edit] Politics

As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 19,540 in Lyndhurst, there were 11,292 registered voters (57.8% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 2,076 (18.4% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,280 (20.2% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 6,933 (61.4% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were three voters registered to other parties.[17]

On the national level, Lyndhurst is almost evenly split. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50% of the vote here, narrowly edging Democrat John Kerry, who received around 49%.[18] In 2007 the entire town council switched parties from the Republicans to the Democrats.

[edit] Education

The Lyndhurst School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade, with an enrollment of approximately 2,100 students. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[19]) are six elementary schools (K-8, except as noted) — Columbus School (K-5; 115 students), Franklin School (228), Jefferson School (258), Lincoln School (250), Roosevelt School (422) and Washington School (PreK-8; 307) — and Lyndhurst High School for grades 9-12 (643).

Sacred Heart School is a Catholic elementary school serving grades K-8.

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Public transportation

There are two train stations in Lyndhurst. Lyndhurst Station and Kingsland Station are both served by New Jersey Transit's Main Line, with service to Hoboken Terminal, New York Penn Station via the connecting service at Secaucus Junction, and Midtown Manhattan and the World Trade Center Station via PATH.

New Jersey Transit bus routes 76, 191, 192, 193, and 195[20] and Decamp Bus Lines routes 32, 44 and 99 [21] serve Lyndhurst.

[edit] Roads

Route 17, County Route 507, and the western spur of the New Jersey Turnpike pass through Lyndhurst. Route 3 is at the northern border of Lyndhurst.

[edit] Commerce

Lyndhurst was historically a producer of machinery and metal products. While most have closed down or left the city, one notable exception to this is Shaffer Steel, which is still operating. In addition, Sika Construction is headquarted in Lyndhurst and produces specialty construction chemicals and products, especially for the concrete indurstry.

Quest Diagnostics, a provider of clinical laboratory services included on both the Fortune 500 and the S&P 500, has offices in Lyndhurst and was headquartered in Lyndhurst until the fall of 2007.[22]

Lyndhurst is also home to several locally owned and operated businesses such as Mazur's Bakery and the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop, both of which produce regionally acclaimed Italian cakes and pastries. The Lyndhurst Pastry shop also makes homemade Italian Ice during the spring, summer and fall.

Because portions of the township are located in the swampy New Jersey Meadowlands, a number of radio stations have their transmitters and towers located in Lyndhurst. These include AM stations WOR and WINS, as well as Amateur Radio and HD TV station W2INS.

Lyndhurst is also home to one of nine Medieval Times dinner theaters.

A number of upscale apartment complexes have been constructed in recent years, such as Avalon Lyndhurst, developed by AvalonBay Communities, Inc.

Lyndhurst, together with North Arlington and Rutherford was the site of the EnCap project, an effort to remediate landfills on the 785-acre site and construct homes and golf courses on top of the cleaned up site. On May 27, 2008, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission terminated its agreement with EnCap Golf Holdings, the company that had the contract to redevelop the site, after the compamny had missed targets to cleanup the landfills as part of the project.[23]

[edit] Kingsland explosion

On January 11, 1917, a fire started in Building 30 of the Canadian Car and Foundry Company in what is now Lyndhurst. In four hours, probably 500,000, three-inch-high explosive shells were discharged. The entire plant was destroyed. It was said to have been a spectacle more magnificent than the explosion at Black Tom in Jersey City, New Jersey.

A heroine emerged the day of the Kingsland Explosion. Tessie McNamara, who operated the company switchboard, was credited with 1,400 lives. As the fire raged on, Tessie stayed at the switchboard that Thursday afternoon. She plugged in each of the buildings and shouted the warning, "Get out or go up!" Thanks to her dedication, no one was killed in the fire.

The Lyndhurst Historical Society has created a vest pocket park dedicated to her memory. The park is located on Clay Avenue, between Valley Brook Avenue and Wall Street West. The brick stack can be seen from this park.

[edit] Sports and recreation

Town Mascot: Lyndhurst Golden Bears/Lyndhurst Cubs

[edit] Lyndhurst Baseball

On July 14, 2006, the Lyndhurst-American Little League baseball team ended their 17 year drought to become district champs. Throughout the nine district play-off games, Lyndhurst-American hit 14 home runs and eventually emerged as sectional finalists; 2 wins away from appearing on national television.[24]

Lyndhurst-American is assembled together from players of different teams from the American League. American Legion, Cricket, Lyndhurst Fire Department, Lyndhurst Florist, Hild Landscaping, and Stellatos make up the American League within the town of Lyndhurst. Lyndhurst-National is assembled together from players of different teams from the National League. Amvets Post 20, Bergen County Glass, Century 21, Elks Club, I.A.C.L, and Savinos make up the National League.[25]

In 2006, the Lyndhurst High School Golden Bears had won 19 games. At the start of the 2008 season, the Golden Bears were ranked 21st by The Record.[26] By the end of the 2008 season, the Lyndhurst Golden Bears became Group 1 state champions. Butch Servideo was honored as coached of the year (All Bergen Baseball Team) for leading Lyndhurst Golden Bears to its first state title since 1966.[27]

[edit] Lyndhurst Youth Soccer

Lyndhurst Youth Soccer has approximately 600 players from age 5 to age 13 and several travel teams.

[edit] Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Lyndhurst include:

[edit] References

  1. ^ USGS GNIS: Township of Lyndhurst, Geographic Names Information System, accessed September 23, 2007.
  2. ^ a b Census data for Lyndhurst, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 1, 2007.
  3. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  4. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  5. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 80.
  6. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
  7. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  8. ^ [1], Bergen County Census Data. Accessed December 23, 2007.
  9. ^ Italian Communities, Epodunk. Accessed June 9, 2007.
  10. ^ The Commission Form of Municipal Government, p. 53. Accessed August 11, 2007.
  11. ^ Lyndhurst elected Officials, Township of Lyndhurst. Accessed July 31, 2006.
  12. ^ "County of Bergen: 2007 County and Municipal Directory", Bergen County, New Jersey, p. 50.
  13. ^ "Election 2006: Municipal Results", The Record (Bergen County), November 8, 2006.
  14. ^ Bergen County 2006 General Election Results. Bergen County. Accessed February 1, 2007.
  15. ^ Lyndhurst GOP, nearly all of them, switching parties | Politicker NJ
  16. ^ 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 60. Accessed August 30, 2006.
  17. ^ "County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006.
  18. ^ 2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004.
  19. ^ Data for the Lyndhurst School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 7, 2008.
  20. ^ New Jersey Transit Bus Schedules. Accessed August 30, 2007
  21. ^ Decamp Bus Schedules Accessed January 9, 2008
  22. ^ "Quest Diagnostics Reports Third Quarter Results", Quest Diagnostics. Accessed January 10, 2008. Note that the location of the report is Madison, NJ, the new headquarters.
  23. ^ Belson, Ken. "Meadowlands Commission Cuts Ties With Developer", The New York Times, May 8, 2008. Accessed May 25, 2008.
  24. ^ Lyndhurst-American wins title: Leader Newspaper, accessed July 19, 2006.
  25. ^ Lyndhurst Little League Official Website, accessed February 5, 2005.
  26. ^ "Lyndhurst's Golden Bears Appear Golden", The Observer, accessed April 4, 2007.
  27. ^ "Lyndhurst wins Group 1 championship", NJ.COM, accessed June 12, 2008.
  28. ^ Kathleen A. Donovan, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed August 28, 2007.
  29. ^ The Union City Reporter; January 20, 2008; Page 13.
  30. ^ "Shining Stars", Chicago Daily Tribune, January 26, 1957. Accessed August 1, 2007. "LOU MONTE began playing the ukelele and singing at the age of seven when he lived with his five brothers and sisters and his Itallian[sic] born parents in Lyndhurst, N. J."

[edit] External links