Paramus, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Paramus is a borough
in Bergen County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City
, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles (24–32 km) northwest of Midtown Manhattan
and approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Upper Manhattan
.
Paramus is one of the largest shopping meccas in the country, generating over $5 billion in annual retail sales, more than any other ZIP Code
in the United States. This is despite the fact that Paramus is noted for having some of the most restrictive blue law
s in the nation (even stricter than those prevailing in the rest of Bergen County), banning nearly all retail and white-collar businesses from opening on Sundays. So, almost everything is closed except restaurants and some grocery stores on Sunday.
Paramus was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 2, 1922, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1922 that passed by a vote of 238 for and 10 against. Paramus was created from portions of Midland Township
, which now exists as Rochelle Park
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 10.47 square miles (27.1 km²), all of which is land.
people. In the Lenape language (Anglicized), the area that became Paramus was named “Peremessing” which meant that it had an abundant population of Wild Turkey
. There is a large metal statue of a wild turkey in the Paramus Park
mall.
Although a 19th Century account claims that “The Paramus estate was purchased from the Native Americans for a quart of whiskey and a pound of tobacco”, the historical record of European settlement of Paramus is more detailed.
Albert Saboroweski, whose descendants became known by the family name “Zabriskie”, immigrated from Poland via the Dutch Ship 'The Fox' in 1662 and settled in the Dutch West Indies Company town of Ackensack, today’s Hackensack
, where he started a family. A son, Jacob, was kidnapped by the Lenape and held for 15 years. When he was returned to his family, the Lenape explained to Saboroweski that they had taken the child in order to teach him their language so that he could serve as a translator. They also granted Saboroweski approximately 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of land which became known as the “Paramus Patent”.
During the American Revolutionary War
, there were Tories and Patriots throughout Bergen County, with Patriots “greatly outnumbering” Tories. Although no major battles were fought in Bergen County, Paramus nevertheless saw a great deal of military activity. Colonial troops were stationed in Ramapo
under the command of Aaron Burr
. In 1777, the British raided the Hackensack area and Burr marched troops to Paramus from which he attacked the British, forcing them to withdraw. General George Washington
was in Paramus several times during the War: December, 1778; July, 1780; and, December, 1780. Following the Battle of Monmouth
Washington established his headquarters in Paramus in July, 1778. Over the advice of his staff, Washington moved his headquarters to Westchester County, New York
.
A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook (meaning dark corner in Dutch) was an African-American community dating back to the early 18th century. Although historical markers on the current site and local oral tradition maintain that this was a slave community, contemporary records document that this was actually a community of free blacks, not slaves.
During World War II
, Farview Avenue was closed off by the United States Army
, who positioned anti-aircraft artillery along the street to defend against an air attack on New York City. Farview Avenue is located at the highest peak in Paramus and has a clear view of the New York City skyline.
Paramus became one of the truck farming areas that helped New Jersey earn its nickname: the “Garden State”. By 1940, Paramus' population was just 4,000, with no town center and just 94 retail establishments. Although the opening of the George Washington Bridge
in 1931 and the widening of New Jersey Route 17 and New Jersey Route 4 (which intersect in southern Paramus), made the area accessible to millions, “it was not until the 1950’s that massive development hit this section of northern New Jersey”.
During the 1950s and 60s Paramus, lacking any developmental master plan until 1969, quickly was transformed into two shopping corridors when its farmers and outside developers saw that shopping malls were more lucrative than produce farming. “It was a developer’s dream: flat cleared land adjacent to major arterials and accessible to a growing suburban population and the country’s largest city – with no planning restrictions”. New York had a State sales tax, but New Jersey had none, so with the opening of Manhattan department stores in the Bergen Mall (1957), the Garden State Plaza (1957) and Alexander’s (1961), Paramus became the “first stop outside New York City for shopping”. From 1948-58 Paramus’ population increased from 6,000 to 23,000, the number of retail establishments tripled from 111 to 319 and annual retail sales increased from $5.5 million to $112 million. By the 1980s, although the population just slightly exceeded 1960s levels, retail sales were $1 billion.
As of the census
of 2009, there were 26,055 people, 8,082 households, and 6,780 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 2,457.7 people per square mile (949.1/km2). There were 8,209 housing units at an average density of 783.9 per square mile (302.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 72% White, 2% African American, 0.05% Native American, 21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.89% from other races
, and 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6% of the population.
There were 8,082 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.3% were married couples
living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the borough was $113,853, and the median income for a family was $130,013. Males had a median income of $78,710 versus $51,546 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $41,913. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor is Richard LaBarbiera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2014. Borough Council Members are Council President Maureen O'Brien, Ralph Amato, Cathy Bentz, Alan Brundage, Eric Nazziola and Michael Rohdieck.
based on the results of the 2010 Census.
, 3,413 (20.9%) were registered as Republicans
and 8,359 (51.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were five voters registered to other parties.
In the 2008 presidential election
, Democrat Barack Obama
received 47.4% of the vote here (5,850 ballots cast), falling short of Republican John McCain
, who received 51.7% of the vote (6,381 votes), with 75.9% of registered voters participating. In the 2004 presidential election
, Republican George W. Bush
received 52.3% of the vote here, out-polling Democrat John Kerry
, who received around 46.5%., on turnout of 76.3% of registered voters.
The borough's original Public Library, known locally as the Howland House, was originally located at the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Howland Avenue. It was demolished sometime in the late 1990s. A September 11, 2001 memorial park now exists at the site known as Howland Memorial Grove.
serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are five K-4 schools — Memorial Elementary School (348 students),
Midland Elementary School (243),
Parkway Elementary School (277),
Ridge Ranch Elementary School (372) and
Stony Lane Elementary School (216) —
Eastbrook Middle School (645) and
Westbrook Middle School (735) for grades 5–8 and
Paramus High School
for grades 9–12 (1,421). Three of the district's schools have been formally designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools
: Paramus High School in 1988-89, Parkway Elementary School in 1987-88 and Ridge Ranch Elementary School in 1998-99.
Paramus is home to many private religious schools. Paramus Catholic High School
is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school
founded in 1965 and operated by the Archdiocese of Newark
. With more than 1,500 students, it has the largest enrollment of any Roman Catholic high school in the state of New Jersey
. It is also the location of Visitation Academy, a K-8 Catholic school
also overseen by the Newark Archdiocese.
Paramus is home to Yavneh Academy
, a K-8 Jewish day school
, and the Frisch School
, a Modern Orthodox Jewish
yeshiva
serving grades 9–12 that describes itself as the nation's second largest coed yeshiva high school.
Bergen Community College
is based in Paramus, with other satellite centers located elsewhere around the county. The Bergen campus of Berkeley College
is located in Paramus.
bus routes 144, 145, 148, 155, 157, 162, 163, 164, 165 and 168 serve the Port Authority Bus Terminal
in Midtown Manhattan
; the 171 and 175 routes provide service to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station ; and local service is offered in the 709, 722, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 758, 762 and 770 routes.
pass through Paramus.
Paramus is known for its multitude of stores and malls. It has five major indoor shopping centers, due to its easy access for residents in the areas of Bergen County and Passaic County
in New Jersey and Rockland County
in New York
. New Jersey also does not levy a sales tax
on clothes and shoes, which makes it an attractive shopping destination for people even further away in New York City
, who pay sales tax on clothing items above $110 in price, in addition to the lower standard rate of 7% in New Jersey, compared to 8⅜ in New York City. The spending levels generated by the malls have made Paramus one of the top retail ZIP codes in the country.
On Route 4, are The Outlets at Bergen Town Center (known as the Bergen Mall until 2006) and the Mall at IV. On Route 17, are Paramus Park
and the Fashion Center
. At the intersection of Routes 4 and 17 is Paramus's biggest and most famous mall, Westfield Garden State Plaza
. Across from Westfield Garden State Plaza is the world's third-largest IKEA
, one of four IKEAs in the New York City
metro area. Westfield Garden State Plaza is the largest mall in the Westfield Groups' global portfolio with a gross leasable area
of 1993182 square feet (185,172.7 m²). Westfield Group is the largest retail property group globally.
Paramus, along with the rest of Bergen County, has strict blue law
s preventing stores selling non-food items from opening on Sundays. Although it started as a religious observance, it is kept on the books due to a desire of the residents of Paramus to have one day a week when traffic is tolerable in the town. Furthermore, both Paramus and the surrounding county have significant Jewish and Muslim
populations who do not observe Sabbath on Sunday. This law was called into question most recently when a BJ's Wholesale Club
opened at the 4/17 junction. BJ's was allowed to open on Sundays, but is only allowed to sell food and basic necessities. The store has been structured to deny access for shoppers to purchase items that cannot be purchased on Sunday. Paramus has its own blue laws that are significantly more restrictive than those in effect in other communities in Bergen County. It is one of the last places in the entire United States
to have such an extensive blue law.
Local blue laws in Paramus were first proposed in 1957, while the Bergen Mall and Garden State Plaza were under construction. The legislation was motivated by fears that the two new malls would aggravate the already-severe highway congestion caused by local retail businesses along the borough's highways.
The Paramus Borough Code forbids the performance of any "worldly employment" on Sunday, with exceptions for charity, and the sale of newspapers, drugs, meals, prepared food and cigarettes, among a limited number of exceptions. Even work performed inside one's own home is prohibited, unless one can "prove to the satisfaction of the Judge that he uniformly keeps the seventh day of the week commonly known as the 'Sabbath'...".
In spite of its six-day shopping week, Paramus consistently has the most retail sales of any ZIP Code in the United States. Many national chain stores boast Paramus as their most prominent locations, including Nordstrom
, in which the Paramus store is their best-performing chainwide. There are 25 retailers that occupy multiple stores in Paramus, including Macy's
which had outlets in three malls for a short period of time. Some retail analysts view Paramus as being two markets, centered on the two major highways. Lord & Taylor
has two locations in Paramus, giving Paramus the distinction of the only town with more than one Lord & Taylor location.
When Paramus residents go shopping on Sundays, they can visit Willowbrook Mall
, an approximate 20 minute drive to its location in Wayne, New Jersey
, or Palisades Center
in West Nyack, New York
, about 25 minutes away by car. An unsuccessful 2010 proposal by Governor of New Jersey
Chris Christie would have ended Bergen County's blue laws, with the governor citing industry statistics estimating that the $1.1 billion in added retail revenue on Sundays would generate an additional $65 million in sales taxes for the state.
Due to the blue law, all malls in Paramus (as with the rest of Bergen County) are closed on Sunday.
Malls are also closed on two public holidays; Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Early closing (half days) on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
s opened in Paramus, and boasted the world's largest and brightest screen, located behind what is now Westfield Garden State Plaza. The Paramus Drive-In closed in 1987. The last movie presentation there was a double- feature, 'Crocodile Dundee' and 'The Untouchables'.
Paramus' lone movie theater complex is a 16-screen AMC Theatres
located in an area of new construction at Westfield Garden State Plaza
. Two theatres which have been closed within the last five years include the Route 4 Tenplex and the Cineplex Odeon Route 17 Triplex, once located next to Westfield Garden State Plaza on Route 17. The Triplex theatre was opened in 1965 by Century Theatres and was closed on January 19, 2006 by Loews Cineplex Entertainment. The Tenplex on Route 4 was closed on May 24, 2007, the day before the new AMC Theatres
opened at Westfield Garden State Plaza
. The Cinema 35 was also closed when the Plaza 35 Shopping Center was renovated in 2005.
. It features Bergen County's only zoo
, home to a wide variety of wild and domestic animals living in recreated habitats natural to each species. On the western side of the borough is Saddle River County Park
which features a 6 miles (9.7 km) bike path reaching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park.
The borough also has four golf courses. Two are open to the public with one operated by the borough and another operated by the county (Orchard Hills County Golf Course). Two private golf course are also located in Paramus, they are the Ridgewood Country Club
and Arcola Country Club. In 2008, the Paramus Golf Course opened up a miniature golf
course that is themed after the town of Paramus as well as the state of New Jersey. Turkey statues are scattered around the course to celebrate Paramus as the "land of the wild turkeys."
:
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....
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 borough population was 26,342. A suburb of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Paramus is located between 15–20 miles (24–32 km) northwest of 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 approximately 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan
Upper Manhattan denotes the more northerly region of the New York City Borough of Manhattan. Its southern boundary may be defined anywhere between 59th Street and 155th Street. Between these two extremes lies the most common definitions of Upper Manhattan as Manhattan above 96th Street...
.
Paramus is one of the largest shopping meccas in the country, generating over $5 billion in annual retail sales, more than any other ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
in the United States. This is despite the fact that Paramus is noted for having some of the most restrictive blue law
Blue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
s in the nation (even stricter than those prevailing in the rest of Bergen County), banning nearly all retail and white-collar businesses from opening on Sundays. So, almost everything is closed except restaurants and some grocery stores on Sunday.
Paramus was incorporated as a borough by an act of 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...
on March 2, 1922, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1922 that passed by a vote of 238 for and 10 against. Paramus was created from portions of Midland Township
Midland Township, Bergen County, New Jersey (Historical)
Midland Township was a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, in the United States, that was formed on March 7, 1871, from portions of New Barbadoes Township....
, which now exists as Rochelle Park
Rochelle Park, New Jersey
Rochelle Park is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 5,530....
.
Geography
Paramus is located at 40.947107°N 74.070471°W (40.947107, -74.070471).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 borough has a total area of 10.47 square miles (27.1 km²), all of which is land.
History
The area that became northern New Jersey was first settled by the LenapeLenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
people. In the Lenape language (Anglicized), the area that became Paramus was named “Peremessing” which meant that it had an abundant population of Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
. There is a large metal statue of a wild turkey in the Paramus Park
Paramus Park
Paramus Park is a shopping center located on From Road in Paramus, New Jersey, United States, sandwiched between Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway, a little more than two miles north of Route 4. The mall is owned by General Growth Properties and offers a Gross leasable area of...
mall.
Although a 19th Century account claims that “The Paramus estate was purchased from the Native Americans for a quart of whiskey and a pound of tobacco”, the historical record of European settlement of Paramus is more detailed.
Albert Saboroweski, whose descendants became known by the family name “Zabriskie”, immigrated from Poland via the Dutch Ship 'The Fox' in 1662 and settled in the Dutch West Indies Company town of Ackensack, today’s Hackensack
Hackensack
-Communities:*Hackensack, Minnesota*Hackensack, New Jersey*South Hackensack, New Jersey*New Hackensack, New York-Train stations:*New Bridge Landing *Anderson Street in Haceknsack, New Jersey...
, where he started a family. A son, Jacob, was kidnapped by the Lenape and held for 15 years. When he was returned to his family, the Lenape explained to Saboroweski that they had taken the child in order to teach him their language so that he could serve as a translator. They also granted Saboroweski approximately 2000 acres (8.1 km²) of land which became known as the “Paramus Patent”.
During the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, there were Tories and Patriots throughout Bergen County, with Patriots “greatly outnumbering” Tories. Although no major battles were fought in Bergen County, Paramus nevertheless saw a great deal of military activity. Colonial troops were stationed in Ramapo
Ramapo
Ramapo is the name of several places and institutions in northern New Jersey and the adjoining area of Rockland County in southeastern New York State.-In New Jersey:...
under the command of Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr
Aaron Burr, Jr. was an important political figure in the early history of the United States of America. After serving as a Continental Army officer in the Revolutionary War, Burr became a successful lawyer and politician...
. In 1777, the British raided the Hackensack area and Burr marched troops to Paramus from which he attacked the British, forcing them to withdraw. General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
was in Paramus several times during the War: December, 1778; July, 1780; and, December, 1780. Following the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
Washington established his headquarters in Paramus in July, 1778. Over the advice of his staff, Washington moved his headquarters to Westchester County, New York
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
.
A section of Paramus known as Dunkerhook (meaning dark corner in Dutch) was an African-American community dating back to the early 18th century. Although historical markers on the current site and local oral tradition maintain that this was a slave community, contemporary records document that this was actually a community of free blacks, not slaves.
During World War II
World War II
World 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...
, Farview Avenue was closed off by the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, who positioned anti-aircraft artillery along the street to defend against an air attack on New York City. Farview Avenue is located at the highest peak in Paramus and has a clear view of the New York City skyline.
Paramus became one of the truck farming areas that helped New Jersey earn its nickname: the “Garden State”. By 1940, Paramus' population was just 4,000, with no town center and just 94 retail establishments. Although the opening of the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
in 1931 and the widening of New Jersey Route 17 and New Jersey Route 4 (which intersect in southern Paramus), made the area accessible to millions, “it was not until the 1950’s that massive development hit this section of northern New Jersey”.
During the 1950s and 60s Paramus, lacking any developmental master plan until 1969, quickly was transformed into two shopping corridors when its farmers and outside developers saw that shopping malls were more lucrative than produce farming. “It was a developer’s dream: flat cleared land adjacent to major arterials and accessible to a growing suburban population and the country’s largest city – with no planning restrictions”. New York had a State sales tax, but New Jersey had none, so with the opening of Manhattan department stores in the Bergen Mall (1957), the Garden State Plaza (1957) and Alexander’s (1961), Paramus became the “first stop outside New York City for shopping”. From 1948-58 Paramus’ population increased from 6,000 to 23,000, the number of retail establishments tripled from 111 to 319 and annual retail sales increased from $5.5 million to $112 million. By the 1980s, although the population just slightly exceeded 1960s levels, retail sales were $1 billion.
Demographics
As of the 2010 Census, Paramus had a population of 26,342. The median age was 46.3. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 72.3% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 22.3% Asian, 1.4% some other race and 2.5% reporting two or more races. 7.3% 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 2009, there were 26,055 people, 8,082 households, and 6,780 families residing in the borough. 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 2,457.7 people per square mile (949.1/km2). There were 8,209 housing units at an average density of 783.9 per square mile (302.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 72% White, 2% African American, 0.05% Native American, 21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.89% 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 1.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6% of the population.
There were 8,082 households out of which 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.3% 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, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.1% were non-families. 14.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.32.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 94.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males.
According to a 2008 estimate, the median income for a household in the borough was $113,853, and the median income for a family was $130,013. Males had a median income of $78,710 versus $51,546 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 borough was $41,913. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.4% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
Paramus is governed under the BoroughBorough (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....
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
, the Mayor is Richard LaBarbiera, whose term of office ends December 31, 2014. Borough Council Members are Council President Maureen O'Brien, Ralph Amato, Cathy Bentz, Alan Brundage, Eric Nazziola and Michael Rohdieck.
Federal, state and county representation
Paramus is part of the 5th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 38th state legislative district. The legislative district was kept unchanged 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.
Politics
As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 16,333 registered voters. Of registered voters, 4,556 (27.9% of all registered voters) were registered as DemocratsDemocratic 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...
, 3,413 (20.9%) 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 8,359 (51.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were five voters registered to other parties.
In the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
received 47.4% of the vote here (5,850 ballots cast), falling short of Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, who received 51.7% of the vote (6,381 votes), with 75.9% of registered voters participating. 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...
, 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....
received 52.3% of the vote here, out-polling 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...
, who received around 46.5%., on turnout of 76.3% of registered voters.
Public Library
There are two public libraries in Paramus. There is the Main Library on Century Road. There is also the Charles E. Reid Branch library on Midland Avenue, which was originally a four-room schoolhouse built in 1876.The borough's original Public Library, known locally as the Howland House, was originally located at the intersection of Spring Valley Road and Howland Avenue. It was demolished sometime in the late 1990s. A September 11, 2001 memorial park now exists at the site known as Howland Memorial Grove.
Education
The Paramus Public SchoolsParamus Public Schools
The Paramus Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Paramus, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States....
serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. 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 five K-4 schools — Memorial Elementary School (348 students),
Midland Elementary School (243),
Parkway Elementary School (277),
Ridge Ranch Elementary School (372) and
Stony Lane Elementary School (216) —
Eastbrook Middle School (645) and
Westbrook Middle School (735) for grades 5–8 and
Paramus High School
Paramus High School
Paramus High School is an American four-year comprehensive public high school, located in Paramus, New Jersey, operating as part of the Paramus Public Schools...
for grades 9–12 (1,421). Three of the district's schools have been formally designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
: Paramus High School in 1988-89, Parkway Elementary School in 1987-88 and Ridge Ranch Elementary School in 1998-99.
Paramus is home to many private religious schools. Paramus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School
Paramus Catholic High School is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school located in Paramus in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The school, founded in 1965, is one of several high schools in the Archdiocese of Newark...
is a co-educational Roman Catholic high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
founded in 1965 and operated by the Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...
. With more than 1,500 students, it has the largest enrollment of any Roman Catholic high school in the state of 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...
. It is also the location of Visitation Academy, a K-8 Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
also overseen by the Newark Archdiocese.
Paramus is home to Yavneh Academy
Yavneh Academy
The Yavneh Academy is a Modern Orthodox Jewish day school located in Paramus, New Jersey, United States. It educates over 700 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Yavneh's graduating class of 2011 consisted of 80 children...
, a K-8 Jewish day school
Jewish day school
A Jewish day school is a modern Jewish educational institution that is designed to provide Jewish children with both a Jewish and a secular education in one school on a full time basis, hence its name of "day school" meaning a school that the students attend for an entire day and not on a part time...
, and the Frisch School
Frisch School
The Frisch School, founded in 1972 by Rabbi Menachem Meier and Alfred Frisch, is a coeducational yeshiva secondary school located in Paramus, New Jersey, which adheres to the tenets and practices of Modern Orthodox Judaism...
, a Modern Orthodox Jewish
Modern Orthodox Judaism
Modern Orthodox Judaism is a movement within Orthodox Judaism that attempts to synthesize Jewish values and the observance of Jewish law, with the secular, modern world....
yeshiva
Yeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
serving grades 9–12 that describes itself as the nation's second largest coed yeshiva high school.
Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College
Bergen Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Its primary campus is in Paramus where it was built on 9 holes of the Orchard Hills Golf Course, cutting Orchard Hills' size down in half...
is based in Paramus, with other satellite centers located elsewhere around the county. The Bergen campus of Berkeley College
Berkeley College
Berkeley College is a proprietary higher education institution founded in 1931, specializing in business and professional studies.-Academic programs:...
is located in Paramus.
Public transportation
New Jersey TransitNew 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...
bus routes 144, 145, 148, 155, 157, 162, 163, 164, 165 and 168 serve 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...
; the 171 and 175 routes provide service to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station ; and local service is offered in the 709, 722, 751, 752, 753, 755, 756, 758, 762 and 770 routes.
Roads
Route 17, Route 4, and the Garden State ParkwayGarden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
pass through Paramus.
Commerce
Passaic County, New Jersey
Passaic County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 501,226. Its county seat is Paterson...
in New Jersey and Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. New Jersey also does not levy a sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
on clothes and shoes, which makes it an attractive shopping destination for people even further away in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, who pay sales tax on clothing items above $110 in price, in addition to the lower standard rate of 7% in New Jersey, compared to 8⅜ in New York City. The spending levels generated by the malls have made Paramus one of the top retail ZIP codes in the country.
On Route 4, are The Outlets at Bergen Town Center (known as the Bergen Mall until 2006) and the Mall at IV. On Route 17, are Paramus Park
Paramus Park
Paramus Park is a shopping center located on From Road in Paramus, New Jersey, United States, sandwiched between Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway, a little more than two miles north of Route 4. The mall is owned by General Growth Properties and offers a Gross leasable area of...
and the Fashion Center
Fashion Center (Paramus, New Jersey)
The Fashion Center is a shopping center located in Paramus, New Jersey. From the time of its opening until 2009, the Fashion Center was a traditional indoor shopping mall, but in the years prior had slowly undergone changes known as "de-malling" where portions of the mall were closed off and each...
. At the intersection of Routes 4 and 17 is Paramus's biggest and most famous mall, Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
. Across from Westfield Garden State Plaza is the world's third-largest IKEA
IKEA
IKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
, one of four IKEAs in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
metro area. Westfield Garden State Plaza is the largest mall in the Westfield Groups' global portfolio with a gross leasable area
Gross leasable area
Gross leasable area in the retail development industry is a term applied to shopping malls, lifestyle centers, outlet malls and other retail centers to indicate the amount of floor space available to be rented...
of 1993182 square feet (185,172.7 m²). Westfield Group is the largest retail property group globally.
Paramus, along with the rest of Bergen County, has strict blue law
Blue law
A blue law is a type of law, typically found in the United States and, formerly, in Canada, designed to enforce religious standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest, and a restriction on Sunday shopping...
s preventing stores selling non-food items from opening on Sundays. Although it started as a religious observance, it is kept on the books due to a desire of the residents of Paramus to have one day a week when traffic is tolerable in the town. Furthermore, both Paramus and the surrounding county have significant Jewish and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
populations who do not observe Sabbath on Sunday. This law was called into question most recently when a BJ's Wholesale Club
BJ's Wholesale Club
BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. , commonly referred to simply as BJ's, is a membership-only warehouse club chain operating on the United States East Coast, as well as in the state of Ohio...
opened at the 4/17 junction. BJ's was allowed to open on Sundays, but is only allowed to sell food and basic necessities. The store has been structured to deny access for shoppers to purchase items that cannot be purchased on Sunday. Paramus has its own blue laws that are significantly more restrictive than those in effect in other communities in Bergen County. It is one of the last places in the entire United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to have such an extensive blue law.
Local blue laws in Paramus were first proposed in 1957, while the Bergen Mall and Garden State Plaza were under construction. The legislation was motivated by fears that the two new malls would aggravate the already-severe highway congestion caused by local retail businesses along the borough's highways.
The Paramus Borough Code forbids the performance of any "worldly employment" on Sunday, with exceptions for charity, and the sale of newspapers, drugs, meals, prepared food and cigarettes, among a limited number of exceptions. Even work performed inside one's own home is prohibited, unless one can "prove to the satisfaction of the Judge that he uniformly keeps the seventh day of the week commonly known as the 'Sabbath'...".
In spite of its six-day shopping week, Paramus consistently has the most retail sales of any ZIP Code in the United States. Many national chain stores boast Paramus as their most prominent locations, including Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
, in which the Paramus store is their best-performing chainwide. There are 25 retailers that occupy multiple stores in Paramus, including Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
which had outlets in three malls for a short period of time. Some retail analysts view Paramus as being two markets, centered on the two major highways. Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
has two locations in Paramus, giving Paramus the distinction of the only town with more than one Lord & Taylor location.
When Paramus residents go shopping on Sundays, they can visit Willowbrook Mall
Willowbrook Mall (Wayne, New Jersey)
Willowbrook Mall is a two-level, major shopping center located in Wayne, New Jersey, United States. It is near the intersection of U.S. Route 46, Route 23 and Interstate 80. The mall opened in 1969 and was expanded or renovated in 1970, 1988, and 2006...
, an approximate 20 minute drive to its location in Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne, New Jersey
Wayne is a Township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, located less than from midtown Manhattan. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township had a total population of 54,069....
, or Palisades Center
Palisades Center
The Palisades Center Mall, often referred to as the Palisades Mall, in West Nyack, New York is the eighth largest shopping mall in the United States by total area, and sixth largest by gross leasable space...
in West Nyack, New York
West Nyack, New York
West Nyack is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Central Nyack; east of Nanuet; south of Valley Cottage and west of Upper Nyack. It is approximately 18 miles north of New York City...
, about 25 minutes away by car. An unsuccessful 2010 proposal by Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
Chris Christie would have ended Bergen County's blue laws, with the governor citing industry statistics estimating that the $1.1 billion in added retail revenue on Sundays would generate an additional $65 million in sales taxes for the state.
Mall history
- 1957 – Garden State Plaza was built by Muscarelli Construction Company on 198 acre (0.80127828 km²) at the intersection of Routes 4 and 17.
- 1957 – The Bergen Mall was built on 101 acre (0.40873286 km²) on an area east of the Plaza on Route 4.
- 1968 – The Fashion Center was built on 35 acres (141,640.1 m²). The owners originally referred to its location as being in Ridgewood/Paramus to appeal to the Ridgewood population. Over the years, the references to Ridgewood became somewhat lost.
- 1974 – Paramus Park was built by the Rouse Company. The last of the large centers was built on 66 acres (267,092.8 m²) in the middle of an area where the old farms were located.
- 2003 – IKEAIKEAIKEA is a privately held, international home products company that designs and sells ready-to-assemble furniture such as beds and desks, appliances and home accessories. The company is the world's largest furniture retailer...
opens its third-largest store at the intersection of Routes 4 and 17, on the site of the old Alexander'sAlexander'sAlexander's was a department store chain in the New York metropolitan area. Catering to low- and middle-income consumers, Alexander's offered discounted designer fashions and high-quality private label goods. At its height, the company operated 16 stores. Its advertising slogan was "You'll find...
department store. It was joined the next year by three other retailers, Bed Bath and Beyond, Christmas Tree ShopsChristmas Tree ShopsChristmas Tree Shops are a retail chain that started in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts on Cape Cod in 1970 as a complex of three small stores; the Front Shop, the Back Shop, and the Barn Shop. The multiple store location, which was located on Route 6A, explains why the name is Christmas Tree Shops...
, and Sports AuthoritySports AuthorityThe Sports Authority, Inc. is one of the largest sporting goods retailers in the United States. It is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, and operates more than 460 stores in 45 U.S...
.
Due to the blue law, all malls in Paramus (as with the rest of Bergen County) are closed on Sunday.
Malls are also closed on two public holidays; Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Early closing (half days) on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Entertainment
In 1931, one of the earliest drive-in theaterDrive-in theater
A drive-in theater is a form of cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars.The screen can be as simple as a...
s opened in Paramus, and boasted the world's largest and brightest screen, located behind what is now Westfield Garden State Plaza. The Paramus Drive-In closed in 1987. The last movie presentation there was a double- feature, 'Crocodile Dundee' and 'The Untouchables'.
Paramus' lone movie theater complex is a 16-screen AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
located in an area of new construction at Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
. Two theatres which have been closed within the last five years include the Route 4 Tenplex and the Cineplex Odeon Route 17 Triplex, once located next to Westfield Garden State Plaza on Route 17. The Triplex theatre was opened in 1965 by Century Theatres and was closed on January 19, 2006 by Loews Cineplex Entertainment. The Tenplex on Route 4 was closed on May 24, 2007, the day before the new AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
opened at Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza
Westfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
. The Cinema 35 was also closed when the Plaza 35 Shopping Center was renovated in 2005.
Parks and recreation
Paramus is the home to two county parks. On the eastern side of the borough is Van Saun County ParkVan Saun County Park
Van Saun County Park is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The Park is home to the Bergen County Zoological Park. In addition, the park features picnic areas, a baseball field, a softball field, basketball and tennis courts, a soccerfield, a playground, a carousel , and pony rides. The zoo also...
. It features Bergen County's only zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
, home to a wide variety of wild and domestic animals living in recreated habitats natural to each species. On the western side of the borough is Saddle River County Park
Saddle River County Park
Saddle River County Park is a county park in Bergen County, New Jersey, stretching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park. The park is located along the Saddle River and consists of five sections, all of which are connected by a paved path that is open to both pedestrians and bicyclists.- Sections...
which features a 6 miles (9.7 km) bike path reaching from Ridgewood to Rochelle Park.
The borough also has four golf courses. Two are open to the public with one operated by the borough and another operated by the county (Orchard Hills County Golf Course). Two private golf course are also located in Paramus, they are the Ridgewood Country Club
Ridgewood Country Club
The Ridgewood Country Club is a country club located in Paramus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1890 in neighboring Ridgewood, but has been at its current location since 1926.-History:...
and Arcola Country Club. In 2008, the Paramus Golf Course opened up a miniature golf
Miniature golf
Miniature golf, or minigolf, is a miniature version of the sport of golf. While the international sports organization World Minigolf Sport Federation prefers to use the name "minigolf", the general public in different countries has also many other names for the game: miniature golf, mini-golf,...
course that is themed after the town of Paramus as well as the state of New Jersey. Turkey statues are scattered around the course to celebrate Paramus as the "land of the wild turkeys."
Popular culture
- In Ghostbusters IIGhostbusters IIGhostbusters II is a 1989 science fiction comedy film produced and directed by Ivan Reitman. It is the sequel to the 1984 film Ghostbusters and follows the further adventures of a group of parapsychologists and their organization which combats paranormal activities...
a woman claims that she met an alien at the Paramus Holiday InnHoliday InnHoliday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
: "I received this information from an alien. As I told my husband, it was in the Paramus Holiday Inn, I was having a drink at the bar, alone, and this alien approached me. He started talking to me. He bought me a drink, and then I think he must have used some kind of a ray or a mind control device because he forced me to follow him to his room and that's where he told me about the end of the world." - The 1993 Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
spin-off movie Coneheads is set in Paramus. Dan AykroydDan AykroydDaniel Edward "Dan" Aykroyd, CM is a Canadian comedian, actor, screenwriter, musician, winemaker and ufologist. He was an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, an originator of The Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters and has had a long career as a film actor and screenwriter.-Early...
and Jane CurtinJane CurtinJane Therese Curtin is an American actress and comedienne. She is commonly referred to as Queen of the Deadpan.First coming to prominence as an original cast member on Saturday Night Live in 1975, she went on to win back-to-back Emmy Awards for Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series on the 1980s...
's characters decide to move to and permanently reside in the town so daughter Michelle BurkeMichelle BurkeMichelle Burke is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Jodi Kramer in the 1993 Richard Linklater film Dazed and Confused and as Connie Conehead in the movie Coneheads...
can attend Paramus High SchoolParamus High SchoolParamus High School is an American four-year comprehensive public high school, located in Paramus, New Jersey, operating as part of the Paramus Public Schools...
. Aykroyd's character "Beldar Conehead" spends his days in Paramus teaching driving lessons and playing golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. - Vinnie FiorelloVinnie FiorelloVinnie Fiorello is an American drummer, lyricist and founding member of the ska punk band Less Than Jake. As a child, Vinnie's family owned a dog named Jake who was "treated like a king" according to the band's website FAQ page. As a result, everything in the house became "Less Than Jake",...
from the popular band Less Than JakeLess Than JakeLess Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
, which has a few songs dedicated to Paramus. - In the movie Ransom, Mel GibsonMel GibsonMel Colm-Cille Gerard Gibson, AO is an American actor, film director, producer and screenwriter. Born in Peekskill, New York, Gibson moved with his parents to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the Australian National Institute of Dramatic Art.After appearing in...
and Gary SiniseGary SiniseGary Alan Sinise is an American actor, film director and musician. During his career, Sinise has won various awards including an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. In 1992, Sinise directed, and played the role of George Milton in the successful film adaptation of...
drive right past the now-defunct tenplex movie theater located on Route 4. - Several episodes of The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, the HBO mob drama, have used Paramus locations. Westfield Garden State PlazaWestfield Garden State PlazaWestfield Garden State Plaza is an upscale shopping mall in Paramus, Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, owned and managed by the Westfield Group and located at the intersection of Route 4 and Route 17 near the Garden State Parkway...
was used as the "Paramus Mall," and the Ramsey Outdoor Store on Route 17 became the "Ramsey Outdoor," and a character is "whacked" at the remnants of the Old Mill Bathing Beach on Paramus Road. In the final episode of the series, a scene with Paulie Walnuts is shot in Paramus, where he was in a car, driving past a gas station. - Arcola Amusement Park (Arcola section Rochelle Park/Paramus) was built in 1926 which covered about 20 acres (80,937.2 m²). A fire destroyed it in 1929.
- Burn After ReadingBurn After ReadingBurn After Reading is a 2008 black comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The film stars George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, and Brad Pitt. It was released in the United States on September 12, 2008, and it was released on October 17, 2008...
a 2008 film by the Coen BrothersCoen BrothersJoel David Coen and Ethan Jesse Coen known together professionally as the Coen brothers, are American filmmakers...
was partly filmed in Paramus at the site of the old Tower Records annex building located on Route 17S. - The Colbert Report, during its Threat Down segment on April 24, 2008, listed the bear sightings in Paramus as the Number 1 threat to our country. The Paramus ParkParamus ParkParamus Park is a shopping center located on From Road in Paramus, New Jersey, United States, sandwiched between Route 17 and the Garden State Parkway, a little more than two miles north of Route 4. The mall is owned by General Growth Properties and offers a Gross leasable area of...
mall was also shown in the segment. - An episode of The West Wing mentions the "Paramus Mall" while discussing Christmas music at the White House.
- Less Than JakeLess Than JakeLess Than Jake is an American ska punk band from Gainesville, Florida. Originally formed in 1992 as a power pop trio, the band evolved into a hybrid of ska punk. Less Than Jake have also been cited as showing influences from a wide variety of genres including post-grunge, heavy metal, alternative...
has written a song called "24 Hours in Paramus" on the album titled "Losers, Kings, and Things We Don't Understand." - In the Captain America: The First AvengerCaptain America: The First AvengerCaptain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. It is the fifth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
film, Paramus is mentioned as a fictitious hometown used by Steve RogersSteve RogersSteve, Steven, or Stephen Rogers may refer to:*Steve Rogers , the best known alter-ego of Marvel Comics character Captain America*Steve Rogers , English actor and screenwriter...
for one of his multiple attempts to enlist in the military.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Paramus include:- John Bancker AycriggJohn Bancker AycriggJohn Bancker Aycrigg was an American politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1837 to 1839 and 1841 to 1843....
(1798–1856), member of the United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
from New Jersey. - 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...
. - Chase BlackburnChase BlackburnChase Blackburn is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football for Akron....
(born 1983), linebacker 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...
and a member of the Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
champion Giants. - Galit ChaitGalit ChaitGalit Chait is a former Israeli ice dancer with partner Sergei Sakhnovski. They competed internationally for Israel from 1995 to 2006.- Personal life :Chait was born in Israel and moved to New Jersey as a child with her parents...
(born 1975), ice dancer who represented IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
internationally from 1995 to 2006. - Joseph ConiglioJoseph ConiglioJoseph Coniglio Coniglio, a former plumber turned politician was the Chairman of the State Government Committee, and also served on the Senate Labor Committee and the Senate Budget & Appropriations Committee...
(born 1943), former member of the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey SenateThe New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
. - Spero DedesSpero DedesSpero Dedes is a Greek-American sportscaster born in Paramus, New Jersey. He is a graduate of Paramus High School and a 2001 graduate of Fordham University in New York....
(born 1979), Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
radio commentator, NFL Network television host, and CBS NCAA tournament basketball announcer. - Jim DrayJim DrayJames Russell Dray is an American football tight end for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. Dray was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Stanford...
(born 1986), tight endTight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
who has played for the Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - The Escape EngineThe Escape EngineThe Escape Engine is a post-hardcore band from Paramus, New Jersey. They were signed to Fidelity Records.-History:The Escape Engine was founded in the spring of 2002 by vocalist Dom Lettera and guitarist/vocalist George Leontaris after the break-up of Two Weeks From Tomorrow. Soon after, Kevin B...
, former hardcore/punk rock band formed in Paramus from 2002-2006. - Mark FieldsMark Fields (businessman)Mark Fields is Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company; President, The Americas and an executive of the Ford Motor Company. As head of the Americas division, Fields was tapped to develop Ford's "The Way Forward" plan, an effort to repair the ailing automaker. He reports to Alan Mulally, the...
(c. 1961), Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor CompanyFord Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
executive. - Dean FriedmanDean FriedmanDean Friedman is an American singer-songwriter who plays piano, keyboard, guitar and other instruments, including the harmonica.-Music:...
(born 1955), one-hit wonder with the top tune "Ariel" in 1977. A lyric in the song references "the waterfall in Paramus Park." - Fred C. GaldaFred C. GaldaFred C. Galda was an American attorney and Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served as a prosecutor in the Thomas Trantino murder case, as a judge on the New Jersey Superior Court who issued the state's first ruling acquitting a woman of murder based on a battered woman defense and...
(c. 1918-97), former mayor of Paramus who oversaw the implementation of the borough's blue laws in 1958. - Peter GennaroPeter GennaroPeter Gennaro was an American dancer and choreographer.-Biography:Gennaro was born in Metairie, Louisiana. He made his Broadway debut in the ensemble of Make Mine Manhattan in 1948. He followed this with Kiss Me, Kate and Guys and Dolls...
(1919–2000), Tony AwardTony AwardThe Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
-winning dancer and choreographer. - Matt GhaffariMatt GhaffariSiamak Ghaffari is an American-Iranian Olympic silver-medal winning wrestler. He was a two-time Olympic team member obtaining a silver medal after losing against Alexander Karelin in the final of 1996. In total holds four World and Olympic MedalsGhaffari attended Paramus High School in Paramus,...
(born 1961), Olympic wrestler. - Jamie GoldJamie GoldJamie M. Gold is an American television producer, a talent agent, and poker player, based in Malibu, California. He is known for winning the 2006 World Series of Poker Main Event and currently divides his time between his activities as president of production for the entertainment company,...
(born 1969), winner of the 2006 World Series of PokerWorld Series of PokerThe World Series of Poker is a world-renowned series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Harrah's Entertainment...
. - Charles Samuel JoelsonCharles Samuel JoelsonCharles Samuel Joelson was an American lawyer and politician. Joelson, a Democrat, succeeded Gordon Canfield as the Representative for New Jersey's 8th District for eight years, lasting from 1961 until his resignation on September 4, 1969, when he became a judge in the Superior Court of New...
(1916–99), represented New Jersey's 8th congressional districtNew Jersey's 8th congressional districtNew Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Bill Pascrell.-Counties and municipalities in the district:For the 108th and successive Congresses , the district contains all, or portions of 2 counties and 21 municipalities.Essex County:Passaic County:2010...
. - Louis F. KoscoLouis F. KoscoLouis F. Kosco is an American Republican Party politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate....
(born 1932), politician who served in both the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
and the New Jersey SenateNew Jersey SenateThe New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
. - Lloyd LevinLloyd Levin-Early life:Levin is a native of Paramus, New Jersey, where he attended Paramus High School.-Producing career:He won the Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Picture for his work on United 93. He was also nominated for a BAFTA for the same film. He received a nomination for a Golden Satellite...
, film producer whose work includes United 93United 93 (film)United 93 is a 2006 fact-based historical drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks...
. - Tony LipTony LipTony Lip is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of crime boss Carmine Lupertazzi in the HBO series The Sopranos. He portrayed real-life Bonanno crime family mobster Philip Giaccone in Donnie Brasco.Lip is from Paramus, New Jersey...
, actor who appeared on The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
, playing the role of Carmine LupertazziCarmine LupertazziCarmine Lupertazzi, Sr., played by Tony Lip, was the fictional Boss of the Brooklyn-based Lupertazzi crime family on the HBO TV series, The Sopranos.-Biography:...
. - Howard LorberHoward LorberHoward Mark Lorber is the President and CEO of Vector Group Ltd., a holding company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. He is also the Chairman of Douglas Elliman, a subsidiary of Vector Group, which is the largest residential real estate brokerage in the New York metropolitan area. He is also...
(born 1948), CEO of the Vector GroupVector GroupVector Group Ltd. is a Miami, Florida-based, publicly traded holding company founded by its Chairman, Bennett S. LeBow. Howard Lorber serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Vector Group Ltd.. The company is headquartered in the Miami Tower in Downtown Miami.The company's holdings...
. - Dean ObeidallahDean ObeidallahDean Obeidallah is a Palestinian-American/Italian-American comedian, who was born in Lodi, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Paramus. His father was born in Battir, Palestine- a small village near Bethlehem; his mother's parents were born in Sicily...
, ArabArabArab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
/Italian-American comedian. - George OlsenGeorge OlsenGeorge Edward Olsen, Sr. was an American band-leader.Born in Portland, Oregon, he played the drums and attended the University of Michigan, where he was drum major. Here he formed his band, George Olsen and his Music, which continued in the Portland area...
(1893–1971), bandleader and proprietor of Olsen's Restaurant in the 1950s and '60s. - Lauren PassarelliLauren PassarelliLauren "L. Pass." Passarelli is an American musician and educator.She was the first woman to graduate from Berklee College of Music as a guitar performance major in 1982, and she became Berklee's first female guitar instructor in 1984. She was promoted to professor in 2009...
(born 1960), musician and educator. - John Bartow PrevostJohn Bartow PrevostJohn Bartow Prevost was the first judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans from 1804-1808.-Early life and family:Prevost was born on March 6, 1766 in Paramus, New Jersey...
(1766–1825), first Judge of the Superior Court of the Territory of Orleans. - Kazbek TambiKazbek TambiKazbek Tambi is a retired U.S. soccer midfielder who currently coaches the Seton Hall University women's soccer team and the United States U-17 women's soccer team. He spent two seasons in the North American Soccer League, four in the Major Indoor Soccer League and one in the American Soccer...
(born 1961), former professional soccer player. - Theodore TrautweinTheodore TrautweinTheodore Walter Trautwein was an American judge from New Jersey who presided over issues related to release of reporter's notes that arose from the 1978 murder trial of "Dr...
(1920–2000), judge who sentenced a reporter from The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
to 40 days in jail in the "Dr. X" trial of Mario JascalevichMario JascalevichThe "Dr. X" killings were a series of suspicious deaths, by curare poisoning, in 1966 at a Bergen County, New Jersey hospital. A newspaper investigation during the mid-1960s led to the indictment of an Argentina-born physician, Mario Enrique Jascalevich , in 1976...
. - TrixterTrixterTrixter is an American hard rock band from Paramus, New Jersey. The band achieved moderate success in the late 1980's and early 1990s but disbanded for several years as glam metal lost mainstream popularity...
, a glam metalGlam metalGlam metal is a subgenre of hard rock and heavy metal that arose in the late 1970s and early 1980s in the United States, particularly on the Los Angeles Sunset Strip music scene...
band, formed in Paramus. - Connie WagnerConnie WagnerConcetta "Connie" Wagner is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 38th legislative district....
(born 1948), member of the New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. - Elaine ZayakElaine ZayakElaine Kathryn Zayak is an American figure skater. She is the 1981 U.S. national champion and the 1982 World Champion. She is a 1984 Winter Olympian.-Personal life:...
(born 1965), one of the world's top figure skaters in the early 1980s.
Historic sites
Paramus is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
:
- Midland SchoolMidland School, Paramus, New JerseyThe Midland School is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The schoolhouse was built in 1876 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 7, 1978. The building is currently used as the Charles E Reid branch of the Paramus Public Library and should not be confused with the later-built...
– 239 W. Midland Ave. (added 1978) - Terhune HouseTerhune House (Paramus, New Jersey)Rutan-Terhune-Bidwell House, is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 28, 1996....
– 470 Paramus Rd. (added 1996) - Terhune-Gardner-Lindenmeyr HouseTerhune-Gardner-Lindenmeyr HouseTerhune-Gardner-Lindenmeyr House, is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The house was built in 1707 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 7, 1972....
– 218 Paramus Rd. (added 1972) - Harmon Van Dien HouseHarmon Van Dien HouseHarmon Van Dien House, is located in Paramus, New Jersey. The house was built in 1811 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983.-References:...
– 449 Paramus Rd. (added 1983) - Zabriskie Tenant HouseZabriskie Tenant HouseThe Zabriskie Tenant House is an historic house on Dunkerhook Road in Paramus, New Jersey. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 24, 1984....
– 273 Dunkerhook Rd.. (added 1984)
External links
- Paramus official website
- Paramus on Local201.com
- Paramus Public Schools
- Data for the Paramus 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...
- Paramus Fire Department official website
- Paramus Rescue Squad official website