Garfield, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
City (New Jersey)
A City in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,487.
When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873, it was known as East Passaic. In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
James Garfield
James Garfield
James Abram Garfield served as the 20th President of the United States, after completing nine consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Garfield's accomplishments as President included a controversial resurgence of Presidential authority above Senatorial courtesy in executive...
. There are generally two explanations given for the new moniker. According to one, shortly after Garfield was elected to the presidency the founder of East Passaic said, "tell everyone...don’t speak of East Passaic anymore; call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity." Seven months later, President Garfield was assassinated but his name remained with the community. The second theory holds that after Garfield's death in 1881, a new train station was named in his honor, which in turn led to the surrounding area becoming associated with his name as well.
Garfield was originally incorporated as a borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
on March 15, 1898, from portions of Saddle River Township and Wallington
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
. At the time, the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
set Garfield's boundaries as they exist today. On April 19, 1917, the borough became the City of Garfield, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.
Geography
Garfield is located at 40.879858°N 74.108077°W (40.879858, -74.108077).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.19 square miles (5.7 km²), of which, 2.13 square miles (5.5 km²) of it is land and 0.06 square mile (0.1553992866 km²) of it (2.74%) is water.
The city of Garfield shares land borders with Elmwood Park
Elmwood Park, New Jersey
Elmwood Park is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 19,403....
, Saddle Brook
Saddle Brook, New Jersey
Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,659....
, Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
and South Hackensack
South Hackensack, New Jersey
South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378....
, and river borders with Wallington
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
along the Saddle River as well as Passaic
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
and Clifton
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...
along the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...
.
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, Garfield had a population of 30,487. The median age was 35.5. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 76.7% White, 6.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 10.8% some other race and 3.3% reporting two or more races. 32.2% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 29,786 people, 11,250 households, and 7,425 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 13,976.0 people per square mile (5,399.3/km2). There were 11,698 housing units at an average density of 5,488.8 per square mile (2,120.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 82.11% White, 2.98% African American, 0.33% Native American, 2.69% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 8.10% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 3.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.11% of the population.
There were 11,250 households out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% 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 3.26.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 33.2% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,748, and the median income for a family was $51,654. Males had a median income of $35,987 versus $26,896 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $19,530. About 6.4% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2000 Census, 22.9% of Garfield's population was listed as being of Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
ancestry, ranked third highest in New Jersey behind Manville
Manville, New Jersey
Manville is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,344. Manville was named after the Johns-Manville Corporation, which maintained a large manufacturing facility in the borough for decades.Historically, many of...
(23.1%) and Wallington
Wallington, New Jersey
Wallington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,335.Wallington was created as a borough on January 2, 1895 , at the height of the "Boroughitis" fever then sweeping through Bergen County...
(45.5%).
Local government
The City of Garfield is strong-arm governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law1923 Municipal Manager Law
The 1923 Municipal Manager Law was the last type of reformed municipal government the State of New Jersey introduced in the progressive era. The law introduced to New Jersey the council-manager form of government first developed in Sumter, South Carolina....
from of New Jersey municipal government. Since 1972, Garfield has been governed by a City Manager and a five-member Council. Council members are elected at large in nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
elections to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The Council selects one of its members to be the Mayor and another to serve as Deputy Mayor. All of the members of the City Council are elected at large for four-year terms of office. The work of the City is carried on under the supervision of the appointed Department Heads and they, in turn, report to the City Manager.
, members of the Garfield City Council are Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
Frank J. Calandriello, Deputy Mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
Stanley J. Moskal, Louis G. Aloia, Joseph Delaney and Tana M. Raymond.
Federal, state and county representation
Garfield is in the 9th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district. The city was relocated to the 35th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment CommissionNew Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...
based on the results of the 2010 Census. The new district is in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.
Politics
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, 1,420 (12.0% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
and 7,769 (65.6% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared
Undeclared (New Jersey)
Unaffiliated is a status for registered voters in New Jersey. Those voters who do not specify a political party affiliation when they register to vote are listed as unaffiliated....
. There were four voters registered to other parties.
In recent years, on the national level, Garfield leans toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
, Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
received 58% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, who received around 41%.
Education
The Garfield Public SchoolsGarfield Public Schools
The Garfield Public Schools is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade from Garfield, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States...
serve students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade. Garfield is one of 31 Abbott District
Abbott District
Abbott districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with New Jersey’s state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law...
s statewide.
Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Garfield Preschool (359 in PreK), seven K-5 elementary schools (except as indicated) —
Washington Irving School #4 (278 in grades 2-5),
Washington Irving School #4 Annex (164 in grades K-1),
Woodrow Wilson School #5 (258),
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School #6 (343),
Roosevelt School #7 (342),
Christopher Columbus School #8 (394) and
James Madison School #10 (354; PreK-5) —
Garfield Middle School (945) for grades 6-8 and
Garfield High School
Garfield High School (New Jersey)
Garfield High School is a four-year public high school located in Garfield, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Garfield Public Schools...
(1,134) for grades 9-12.
Bergen Arts and Science Charter School, which opened in September 2006, serves public school students in the district, as well as those from Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
and Lodi
Lodi, New Jersey
Lodi is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 24,136. The borough of Lodi is governed under the 1923 Municipal Manager Law.Lodi owes its name to the Italian city of Lodi...
.
Police
The Garfield Police Department (GPD) provides emergency and protective services to the city of Garfield. The GPD consists of 61 sworn officers.Fire
The Garfield Fire Department (GFD) is an all-volunteer fire departmentVolunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...
. The GFD was organized on July 17, 1893. The department is staffed by 150 fully trained firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s operating out of five firehouses.
Transportation
Garfield StationGarfield (NJT station)
Garfield Station is a New Jersey Transit train station served by Bergen County Line trains. It is located in Garfield, New Jersey, on an elevated viaduct on Passaic Street at Midland Avenue. Like its counterpart on Plauderville Avenue in Garfield, Garfield Station is a limited-service station...
is served by the New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
's Bergen County Line
Bergen County Line
The Bergen County Line is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line loops off the Main Line between the Meadowlands and Glen Rock, with trains continuing in either direction along the Main Line...
, as is the Plauderville
Plauderville (NJT station)
Plauderville Station is a New Jersey Transit train station served by Bergen County Line trains. The station is in Garfield, New Jersey, USA, located along Midland Avenue at Plauderville Avenue...
station, located on the Saddle Brook
Saddle Brook, New Jersey
Saddle Brook is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 13,659....
border.
New Jersey Transit buses includes lines 160 and 161 serving the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, and local service on the 702, 707, 709 and 758 routes.
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
and County Route 507
County Route 507 (New Jersey)
County Route 507 is a county highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The highway extends from Harrison Avenue on the Kearny-Harrison town line to the New York state line in Mahwah. Between Ho-Ho-Kus and Mahwah, this highway is known as Franklin Turnpike...
pass through Garfield. Other main roads include Midland Avenue, Outwater Lane and Passaic Street.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Garfield include:- Tony AlessTony AlessAnthony Alessandrini, better known by his stage name Tony Aless was an American jazz pianist....
(1921-88), jazz pianist. - Miles AustinMiles AustinMiles Jonathon Austin III is an American football wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
(born 1984), wide receiver for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
. - Joe BenignoJoe BenignoJoseph S. Benigno is an American sports radio personality. He co-hosts the 10am-1pm weekday show on WFAN in New York City.-Early Years:...
(born 1953), sports radio personality on WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
. - Al BlozisAl BlozisAlbert Charles Blozis was an American football player who died in World War II.-Early life:Blozis was born in Garfield, New Jersey. He attended William L. Dickinson High School in Jersey City, New Jersey where he became well known for throwing the discus and shot put...
(1919–45), player for the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
killed during World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. - David BrigatiDavid BrigatiDavid Brigati is an American singer.-Hi-Fives:David got his musical start as the lead singer of a doo-wop group known as the Hi-Fives. In 1958, the group recorded a number of songs on the Decca label. One of those recordings was entitled "Dorothy" and became a regional hit in the New York...
(born 1940), original member of Joey Dee and the StarlitersJoey Dee and the StarlitersJoey Dee and The Starliters is an American popular music team. Best known for their successful million-selling recording "Peppermint Twist" , the group was initiated by Joey Dee.-Early singles:...
and backing singer for The RascalsThe RascalsThe Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
. - Eddie BrigatiEddie BrigatiEddie Brigati is an American singer and songwriter.Most memorably, Brigati shared vocals, and played tambourine, in the pop group The Young Rascals from 1965 to 1970...
(born 1945), singer/songwriter, founding member of The RascalsThe RascalsThe Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
. - Luis Castillo (born 1983), defensive end for the San Diego ChargersSan Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Wayne ChrebetWayne ChrebetWayne Chrebet is a former football player who played 11 seasons as a wide receiver for the New York Jets of the NFL from 1995 to 2005.- High school and college career :...
(born 1973), wide receiver who played for the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Isaac M. LaddonIsaac M. LaddonIsaac Machlin Laddon , was an American aeronautical engineer and designer, as well as a prolific inventor.He was educated at McGill University in Montreal from 1915. He joined the U.S...
(1894-1976), aircraft designer. - Tippy LarkinTippy LarkinTippy Larkin was a boxer from New Jersey who appeared on the cover of The Ring magazine in July 1944. From 1935 to 1946, Larkin's record was 114-9.-External links:* http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php?human_id=9619&cat=boxer&pageID=1...
(1911-92), boxer. - Janice RobinsonJanice RobinsonJanice Robinson, born and raised in Garfield, New Jersey, gained worldwide success in the early-mid 1990s with the Eurodance/Hi-NRG/Italo House group Livin' Joy as the lead singer before going solo in 1999. After Robinson left, Livin' Joy scored more hits during the 1995-1996 period with another...
(born 1967), singer, solo and with Livin' JoyLivin' JoyLivin' Joy was a house music group from Italy who released two successful dance hits in the 1990s, "Dreamer" and "Don't Stop Movin'". The group consisted of Italian brothers Paolo and Gianni Visnadi and singer Tameka Starr....
. - Joseph VillaJoseph VillaJoseph Emil Villa was an American pianist.He was born in Garfield, New Jersey. He studied at the Juilliard School under Sascha Gorodnitzki and made his debut at Alice Tully Hall in 1972...
(1948-95), pianist.
External links
- Garfield website
- Garfield Public Schools
- Data for the Garfield Public Schools, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Garfield Chamber of Commerce
- Year 1909 bird's eye view