West Milford, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
West Milford is a township
in Passaic County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 25,850.
in the 18th century, having been settled by disenchanted Dutch
from Milford, New Jersey (later renamed by the British as Newark). These same Dutch also built a town of New Milford in eastern Bergen County
. After both New Milfords applied for post offices in 1828, a clerk in Washington, D.C.
is said to have approved the other application first and assigned the name "West Milford" to the New Milford in western Bergen County in order to distinguish between the two locations.
West Milford became a municipality by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 10, 1834, when it was formed from the westernmost portions of both Franklin Township
and Saddle River Township
, while the area was still part of Bergen County
. On February 7, 1837, Passaic County was created from portions of both Bergen County and Essex County
, with West Milford as the western end of the newly formed county.
There are old name places in the township like Postville, Utterville, Corterville, Browns, Awosting, Echo Lake, Macopin
, Charlotteburg (named after King George III
's wife, Queen Charlotte and the town is now under the Charlotteburg Reservoir), Clinton (or sometimes called Clinton Furnace, now under the Clinton Reservoir, and the furnace still stands), Moe Mountain, Oak Ridge (a nameplace, but town is under the Oak Ridge Reservoir), Newfoundland, Apshawa, New City, and Smith Mills. Newfoundland
is divided by the Pequannock River
, which divides Passaic and Morris
Counties; a small part of Newfoundland lies within Jefferson Township. A large part of the township is reservoir property owned by the City of Newark
in Essex County
for their water supply. Prior to the Second World War
, the township was a resort area with trains coming from New York City to stations at Charlotteburg, Newfoundland, Oak Ridge in the south and Hewitt (also known as Sterling Forest station) and Awosting in the north. Railroad service in the south was from the New Jersey Midland starting around the 1850s and in the north around the 1870s from the Montclair Railroad, out of Montclair, New Jersey
and later the Erie Railroad
(before their merger with the Lackawanna Railroad).
Greenwood Lake
is an interstate lake approximately 9 miles (14.5 km) long lying in both New Jersey and New York State. It was originally called Long Pond. It was dammed up to increase the size of the lake for water power down stream. During the resort era, several steamboats operated on the lake, the most famous and grand was the two deck steamer, Montclair. These steamboats met the trains and took passengers to the various resorts around the lake in both states.
There is a seaplane area on Greenwood Lake, a few large marinas and lakeside restaurants with docks. There is a public airport called Greenwood Lake Airport
just south of the lake on top of a mountain ridge and has two landing strips; one is long enough to handle small jets. Plus there is one private airport in the township on a private estate.
After World War II
and for the next 20 years the area underwent a major change from a resort area to year round residences. Before there were year-round houses, the summer residence of Cecil B. Demille
was West Milford. Road maps of the 1950s showing the population on the backside said 2,000 winter and 10,000 summer.
Jeremiah "Jerry" Goodfellow, a white German shepherd and the senior canine member of the New Jersey Search and Rescue was inducted into the Animal Hall of Fame in 2009. Jerry lives with his owner and trainer, Sue Lavoie, on Union Valley Road in West Milford.
, the township has a total area of 80.41 square miles (208.3 km²). 75.44 square miles (195.4 km²) of it is land and 4.97 square miles (12.9 km²) of it (6.18%) is water.
, and 1.7% (428) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 5.8% (1,512).
As of the census
of 2000, there were 16,029 people, 9,190 households, and 7,186 families residing in the township. The population density
was 350.1 people per square mile (135.2/km2). There were 9,909 housing units at an average density of 131.4 per square mile (50.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.08% White, 1.23% African American, 0.60% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.61% from other races
, and 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.38% of the population.
There were 9,190 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% were married couples
living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.8% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $74,124, and the median income for a family was $80,264. Males had a median income of $51,105 versus $37,159 for females. The per capita income
for the township was $28,612. About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.
(NYS&W Rwy, formerly NYS&W RR) tracks (freight service only) and Route 23
. It is also a mailing address for Green Pond (just north of the Picatinny Arsenal
in Rockaway Township
, Morris County
), a private lake community owned by Green Pond Corporation and Lake End Corporation, which lays in Rockaway Township where the Pequannock River
divides Passaic County from Morris County
.
The 2003
film The Station Agent
was set, and filmed, largely in Newfoundland. There was an early non-talking movie produced in the township at the Mine Hole in the Hewitt section of the township. A still photo of that movie is published in the township's Sesquicentennial book entitled The Day the Earth Shook and the Sky Turned Red, copyright 1984.
Supermarket was built. In 1972, Warner Brothers opened up a wildlife theme park called Jungle Habitat
. This park consisted of a drive through safari and a small park with various shows. Initially, this brought huge tourist revenue to the township. Jungle Habitat was a mixed blessing due to the amount of summer and weekend traffic into this rural area made up of small two lane roads. Jungle Habitat wanted to expand and become a huge amusement park, but residents concerned with excessive traffic voted this proposal down in 1976, which resulted in an abrupt closing and exit. Some of the animals in the wildlife park were subsequently moved to the then-recently established drive through safari at Great Adventure
in Jackson Township, New Jersey
. The former site of Jungle Habitat, in recent years has become a location for various Township activities such as the annual Fourth of July Fireworks display.
With the loss of tax revenue and the needs of the residents in mind, the township did approve the addition of more businesses to the township. In the late 1970s, a 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) ShopRite
supermarket was built, and was expanded in the mid-1980s. Shortly after other businesses joined the area. Near the ShopRite are several restaurants and fast food establishments were built including McDonald's
as well as a four-screen movie theater, which recently closed down.
In the late 1990s, A & P closed its obsolete store and built a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) supermarket a few miles away from the town center, but next door to their former store.
West Milford businesses are represented by the West Milford Chamber of Commerce, an organization of business men and women that has worked to improve and enhance the business community in West Milford since it was established in 1949.
In May 2009, Eden Farms, an eight acre floral farm on Union Valley Road, became the first "preserved farm" in Passaic County. County officials used money from the Farmland Preservation Funds to purchase development rights to the farm. Owners George and Diana Cluff initially began working on the agreement in 2007. The deal prevents the farm from being built upon.
: New Jersey’s Optional Municipal Charter Law, Mayor-Council-Administrator
Plan as of January 1, 2004. This plan is described as a "Faulknerized" version of the borough form of government. The Legislature accepted the recommendation of the commission, and added the Mayor-Council-Administrator plan to the Faulkner Act as the fourth optional form of municipal government in 1981.
The voters of West Milford Township adopted the Mayor-Council-Administrator Plan at a Special Election held on December 10, 2002. Under the mayor-council-administrator plan, West Milford is governed by an elected mayor and council, with an appointed municipal administrator. The government consists of a Mayor and a Township Council made up of six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Township 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 holds executive power under the mayor-council-administrator plan. The Mayor presides over meetings of the Township Council but does not vote except to break a tie. When the Township Council passes an ordinance
, the Mayor has ten days upon receiving it to exercise one of three options: 1. sign the ordinance into law; or, 2. veto all or any part of it by delivering it to the Township Clerk with a written statement of his objections for return to the Township Council; or 3. let the ordinance become law automatically by neither signing nor vetoing it within the ten days of receiving it.
If the Mayor vetoes an ordinance, the Township Council can override it by a ⅔ majority vote. The Mayor’s veto, however, in the mayor-council-administrator plan, as in the borough form, is rather ineffectual. In both forms of government the four vote simple majority needed to pass an ordinance is also the ⅔ extra-majority needed to override the Mayor’s veto. In both forms, the Mayor’s veto is more of a symbolic gesture.
The Mayor appoints, with the advice and consent of the Township Council, the Township Administrator, the Township Clerk, the Township Attorney, the Tax Assessor, the Tax Collector, the Treasurer and such other officers as may be provided by ordinance.
The Township Council’s responsibilities include enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing policies, preparing the annual budget with the assistance of the Township Administrator and the Treasurer, and levying taxes. Additionally, the council makes appointments to both the policy and decision-making boards and various advisory committees in accordance with general law and Township ordinances and resolutions.
The Township Administrator in the mayor-council-administrator plan supervises the administration of each of the departments established by ordinance, may investigate the organization and operation of any municipal department, prescribe standards and rules of administrative practice and procedure, and consult with the department heads. The Township Administrator also directs the business affairs of the Township, and has, as provided by ordinance, such powers and performs such duties which are not required by the mayor-council-administrator plan or by general law to be exercised by the Mayor, Township Council or other officer, board or body. The Township Administrator serves during the term of the Mayor appointing him, however the Township Council may remove the administrator by a ⅔ majority vote.
, the Mayor
of West Milford Township is Bettina Bieri (D), whose term of office ends December 31, 2011. Members of the Township Council are Council President Joseph Smolinski (R, 2012), Daniel Jurkovic (R, 2011), Michael Ramaglia (R, 2012), Edward Rosone (R, 2013), Luciano "Lou" Signorino (R, 2013) and Philip H. Weisbecker (R, 2011).
West Milford is in the
serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. West Milford has six elementary schools (grades K-6), one middle school (grade 7-8), and one high school (grades 9-12). Further, the district supports a Center for Adult/Community Education. The school system has 361 certified staff members, over 50% of whom have a master's degree or higher.
Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are the six K-6 elementary schools —
Apshawa School (312 students),
Maple Road School (359),
Marshall Hill School (356),
Paradise Knoll School (322),
Upper Greenwood Lake School (342) and
Westbrook School (445) — along with
Macopin Middle School (654) for grades 7-8 and
West Milford High School
(1,331) for grades 9-12.
There was also one Catholic school, Our Lady Queen of Peace, located in the community of Hewitt until 2010. OLQP School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009, and was honored to have its Fourth Grade teacher, Lorraine Ford, named as a finalist for the 2008 New Jersey Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year award.
The old Newfoundland, two-room schoolhouse was the Village Square Inn Restaurant until it closed in 2010. The old Hillcrest School is now the township's community center. The few one-room schoolhouses are all gone; the last one was the Hewitt School, destroyed by fire set by vandals (it had been the former Methodist church before a new, larger church was built).
(PAL) Basketball, West Milford PAL Soccer, West Milford PAL Cheerleading, West Milford-Star Athletics Cheerleading, West Milford Midget Football Association (WMMFA) Football, WMMFA Cheerleading, West Milford Amateur Baseball Association (WMABA) Baseball, and West Milford Softball. These organizations work collaboratively to provide the best athletic experience for township residents.
West Milford also offers a variety of travel sports teams to offer selected athletes a higher level of competition. These teams include (or have previously included) West Milford Xtreme softball, West Milford Wolverines baseball, West Milford Wolfpack baseball, West Milford Warhawks baseball, West Milford Wildcats basketball, West Milford-Star Athletics competition cheerleading, West Milford/Jackson Elite-Hurricanes baseball,PC Crush baseball and the Connie Mack baseball program.
Some township athletic accomplishments are listed below:
Youth Sports:
--Little League All-Stars (Baseball): In 2004, the West Milford 10 Year-Old National All-Stars placed second in the New Jersey, losing the state championship to the team from Jackson, New Jersey. That team won the New Jersey District-2 title and the New Jersey Section-1 title en route to the state finals. In 2006, a team made up of most of the same players placed second in the state in 12 year old All-star play. They lost to the team from Livingston, New Jersey
, who went on to place second in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This team again won the District-2 and Section-1 championships. Also in 2004, the 12 Year-Old American All-Stars won the District-2 championship.
In 2007, the West Milford 12 Year-Old and 10 Year-Old All-Star teams both won their respective District-2 championships.
In 2008 and 2009, the West Milford 10 year old all stars again won their respective District-2 championships.
--PAL Wildcats (Travel Basketball): In 2004-05, the West Milford Wildcats-4 travel team won the Morris County Boys and Girls Club League championship. That same team, after moving up to be the Wildcats-5, won the Lakeland Basketball League championship, the first in the West Milford PAL program's history, in 2005.
In 2006-07, the Wildcats-4 team finished the season undefeated in league play. The Wildcats-5 team won the Lakeland Basketball League championship. In 2007-08, both the Wildcats-5 and Wildcats-6 teams won the championship of their respective age brackets of the New Jersey Junior Basketball League. In 2008-2009 the Wildcats-6 team won the championship for the third time.
In 2009-2010 the Wildcats-8 won the New Jersey Junior Basketball League. They were the first Wildcat-8 team to win a championship, it was their third overall.
--Pony Softball: In 2007, the West Milford 14U Pony softball team won second in the state and advanced to the National Tournament.
--Travel Baseball (West Milford Wolverines, West Milford Wolfpack, West Milford Warhawks, West Milford/Jackson Elite-Hurricanes, West Milford Connie Mack program, PC Crush): West Milford's travel baseball programs have combined to win over 100 league and tournament championships. These programs serve competitive young athletes of the township, and programs are offered at every age level.
For more about the athletic programs at West Milford High School
, please visit the "Athletics" section of that page.
Township (New Jersey)
A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or village, collecting property taxes and providing...
in Passaic County
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...
, 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 township population was 25,850.
History
West Milford started out as New Milford in what was then western Bergen CountyBergen 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...
in the 18th century, having been settled by disenchanted Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
from Milford, New Jersey (later renamed by the British as Newark). These same Dutch also built a town of New Milford in eastern Bergen County
New Milford, New Jersey
New Milford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 16,341.New Milford was incorporated as a borough on March 11, 1922, from what remained of Palisades Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 18,...
. After both New Milfords applied for post offices in 1828, a clerk in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
is said to have approved the other application first and assigned the name "West Milford" to the New Milford in western Bergen County in order to distinguish between the two locations.
West Milford became a municipality 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 10, 1834, when it was formed from the westernmost portions of both Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Bergen County, New Jersey (Historical)
Franklin Township was a township that existed in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States from 1771 until 1926.Franklin Township was established by Royal Charter on June 1, 1771, when Saddle River Township was subdivided. The Township was named after the colonial-era Governor of New Jersey William...
and Saddle River Township
Saddle River Township, Bergen County, New Jersey (Historical)
Saddle River Township was a township that existed in pre-American Revolutionary War times, that included all portions of Bergen County, New Jersey west of the Saddle River...
, while the area was still part of 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...
. On February 7, 1837, Passaic County was created from portions of both Bergen County and Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
, with West Milford as the western end of the newly formed county.
There are old name places in the township like Postville, Utterville, Corterville, Browns, Awosting, Echo Lake, Macopin
Macopin, New Jersey
Macopin is an unincorporated area within West Milford in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07480....
, Charlotteburg (named after King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
's wife, Queen Charlotte and the town is now under the Charlotteburg Reservoir), Clinton (or sometimes called Clinton Furnace, now under the Clinton Reservoir, and the furnace still stands), Moe Mountain, Oak Ridge (a nameplace, but town is under the Oak Ridge Reservoir), Newfoundland, Apshawa, New City, and Smith Mills. Newfoundland
Newfoundland, New Jersey
Newfoundland is an unincorporated area in West Milford, New Jersey, Jefferson Township, and Rockaway Township. It is located along the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway tracks and Route 23. It is the mailing address of Green Pond, a private lake that is in Rockaway Township. Newfoundland...
is divided by the Pequannock River
Pequannock River
The Pequannock River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 20 miles long, located in northern New Jersey in the United States....
, which divides Passaic and Morris
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
Counties; a small part of Newfoundland lies within Jefferson Township. A large part of the township is reservoir property owned by the City of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
in Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...
for their water supply. Prior to the Second World War
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...
, the township was a resort area with trains coming from New York City to stations at Charlotteburg, Newfoundland, Oak Ridge in the south and Hewitt (also known as Sterling Forest station) and Awosting in the north. Railroad service in the south was from the New Jersey Midland starting around the 1850s and in the north around the 1870s from the Montclair Railroad, out of Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
and later the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
(before their merger with the Lackawanna Railroad).
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake is an interstate lake approximately seven miles long, straddling the border of New Jersey and New York. It is located in West Milford, New Jersey and Greenwood Lake, New York ....
is an interstate lake approximately 9 miles (14.5 km) long lying in both New Jersey and New York State. It was originally called Long Pond. It was dammed up to increase the size of the lake for water power down stream. During the resort era, several steamboats operated on the lake, the most famous and grand was the two deck steamer, Montclair. These steamboats met the trains and took passengers to the various resorts around the lake in both states.
There is a seaplane area on Greenwood Lake, a few large marinas and lakeside restaurants with docks. There is a public airport called Greenwood Lake Airport
Greenwood Lake Airport
Greenwood Lake Airport is a general aviation airport in West Milford, Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. This public-use airport is owned by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. It covers an area of and has one runway....
just south of the lake on top of a mountain ridge and has two landing strips; one is long enough to handle small jets. Plus there is one private airport in the township on a private estate.
After 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...
and for the next 20 years the area underwent a major change from a resort area to year round residences. Before there were year-round houses, the summer residence of Cecil B. Demille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
was West Milford. Road maps of the 1950s showing the population on the backside said 2,000 winter and 10,000 summer.
Jeremiah "Jerry" Goodfellow, a white German shepherd and the senior canine member of the New Jersey Search and Rescue was inducted into the Animal Hall of Fame in 2009. Jerry lives with his owner and trainer, Sue Lavoie, on Union Valley Road in West Milford.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 township has a total area of 80.41 square miles (208.3 km²). 75.44 square miles (195.4 km²) of it is land and 4.97 square miles (12.9 km²) of it (6.18%) is water.
Demographics
The 2010 United States Census reported that there were 25,850 people, 9,625 households and 7,080 families residing in the township. The racial makeup of West Milford was 94.1% (24,315) White, 1.4% (362) African American, 0.5% (134) Native American, 1.3% (334) Asian, 0.0% (4) Pacific Islander, 1.1% (273) from other racesRace (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 1.7% (428) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 5.8% (1,512).
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 16,029 people, 9,190 households, and 7,186 families residing in the township. 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 350.1 people per square mile (135.2/km2). There were 9,909 housing units at an average density of 131.4 per square mile (50.7/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 95.08% White, 1.23% African American, 0.60% Native American, 1.02% Asian, 0.61% 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 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.38% of the population.
There were 9,190 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.3% 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, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.8% were non-families. 16.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $74,124, and the median income for a family was $80,264. Males had a median income of $51,105 versus $37,159 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 township was $28,612. About 2.6% of families and 4.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.
Newfoundland and Green Pond
Newfoundland is a neighborhood of West Milford located along the New York, Susquehanna and Western RailwayNew York, Susquehanna and Western Railway
The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway , also known as the Susie-Q, or simply the Susquehanna, is a Class II American freight railway operating over 500 miles of track in the northeastern states of New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was formed in 1881 from the merger of several...
(NYS&W Rwy, formerly NYS&W RR) tracks (freight service only) and Route 23
Route 23 (New Jersey)
Route 23 is a state highway in the northern part of New Jersey in the United States. The route runs from County Route 506 and County Route 577 in Verona, Essex County northwest to the border with New York at Montague Township in Sussex County, where the road continues to Port Jervis, New York as...
. It is also a mailing address for Green Pond (just north of the Picatinny Arsenal
Picatinny Arsenal
The Picatinny Arsenal is an American military research and manufacturing facility located on a lot in northern New Jersey near Lake Denmark. The Arsenal is the headquarters of the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center...
in Rockaway Township
Rockaway Township, New Jersey
Rockaway Township is a township in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 24,156....
, Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
), a private lake community owned by Green Pond Corporation and Lake End Corporation, which lays in Rockaway Township where the Pequannock River
Pequannock River
The Pequannock River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 20 miles long, located in northern New Jersey in the United States....
divides Passaic County from Morris County
Morris County, New Jersey
Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....
.
The 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film The Station Agent
The Station Agent
The Station Agent is a 2003 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Thomas McCarthy. McCarthy's script about a man who seeks solitude in an abandoned train station in Newfoundland, New Jersey won him the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay.-Plot:Finbar McBride, a quiet,...
was set, and filmed, largely in Newfoundland. There was an early non-talking movie produced in the township at the Mine Hole in the Hewitt section of the township. A still photo of that movie is published in the township's Sesquicentennial book entitled The Day the Earth Shook and the Sky Turned Red, copyright 1984.
Commerce
For decades, West Milford was rural with only a couple service stations, a couple small eating establishments, and a bank or two. The community was mostly residential. In the mid 1960s a then-average-sized 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) A&PThe Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company
The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, better known as A&P, is a supermarket and liquor store chain in the United States. Its supermarkets, which are under six different banners, are found in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. A&P's liquor stores, known as...
Supermarket was built. In 1972, Warner Brothers opened up a wildlife theme park called Jungle Habitat
Jungle Habitat
Jungle Habitat, located in West Milford, New Jersey, was a Warner Brothers-owned theme park that opened in the summer of 1972, and closed in October 1976. By November 1972, the park had 500,000 paid visitors...
. This park consisted of a drive through safari and a small park with various shows. Initially, this brought huge tourist revenue to the township. Jungle Habitat was a mixed blessing due to the amount of summer and weekend traffic into this rural area made up of small two lane roads. Jungle Habitat wanted to expand and become a huge amusement park, but residents concerned with excessive traffic voted this proposal down in 1976, which resulted in an abrupt closing and exit. Some of the animals in the wildlife park were subsequently moved to the then-recently established drive through safari at Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
in Jackson Township, New Jersey
Jackson Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,816 people, 14,176 households, and 11,269 families residing in the township. The population density was 427.9 people per square mile . There were 14,640 housing units at an average density of 146.3 per square mile...
. The former site of Jungle Habitat, in recent years has become a location for various Township activities such as the annual Fourth of July Fireworks display.
With the loss of tax revenue and the needs of the residents in mind, the township did approve the addition of more businesses to the township. In the late 1970s, a 45000 square feet (4,180.6 m²) ShopRite
ShopRite (United States)
ShopRite Supermarkets is a retailers' cooperative chain of supermarkets in the northeastern United States, with stores in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania...
supermarket was built, and was expanded in the mid-1980s. Shortly after other businesses joined the area. Near the ShopRite are several restaurants and fast food establishments were built including McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
as well as a four-screen movie theater, which recently closed down.
In the late 1990s, A & P closed its obsolete store and built a 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) supermarket a few miles away from the town center, but next door to their former store.
West Milford businesses are represented by the West Milford Chamber of Commerce, an organization of business men and women that has worked to improve and enhance the business community in West Milford since it was established in 1949.
In May 2009, Eden Farms, an eight acre floral farm on Union Valley Road, became the first "preserved farm" in Passaic County. County officials used money from the Farmland Preservation Funds to purchase development rights to the farm. Owners George and Diana Cluff initially began working on the agreement in 2007. The deal prevents the farm from being built upon.
Local government
The Township of West Milford operates under the Faulkner ActFaulkner Act (New Jersey)
The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H...
: New Jersey’s Optional Municipal Charter Law, Mayor-Council-Administrator
Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council-Administrator)
The Faulkner Act, or Optional Municipal Charter Law, provides for New Jersey municipalities to adopt a Mayor-Council-Administrator form of government....
Plan as of January 1, 2004. This plan is described as a "Faulknerized" version of the borough form of government. The Legislature accepted the recommendation of the commission, and added the Mayor-Council-Administrator plan to the Faulkner Act as the fourth optional form of municipal government in 1981.
The voters of West Milford Township adopted the Mayor-Council-Administrator Plan at a Special Election held on December 10, 2002. Under the mayor-council-administrator plan, West Milford is governed by an elected mayor and council, with an appointed municipal administrator. The government consists of a Mayor and a Township Council made up of six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Township 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 holds executive power under the mayor-council-administrator plan. The Mayor presides over meetings of the Township Council but does not vote except to break a tie. When the Township Council passes an ordinance
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
, the Mayor has ten days upon receiving it to exercise one of three options: 1. sign the ordinance into law; or, 2. veto all or any part of it by delivering it to the Township Clerk with a written statement of his objections for return to the Township Council; or 3. let the ordinance become law automatically by neither signing nor vetoing it within the ten days of receiving it.
If the Mayor vetoes an ordinance, the Township Council can override it by a ⅔ majority vote. The Mayor’s veto, however, in the mayor-council-administrator plan, as in the borough form, is rather ineffectual. In both forms of government the four vote simple majority needed to pass an ordinance is also the ⅔ extra-majority needed to override the Mayor’s veto. In both forms, the Mayor’s veto is more of a symbolic gesture.
The Mayor appoints, with the advice and consent of the Township Council, the Township Administrator, the Township Clerk, the Township Attorney, the Tax Assessor, the Tax Collector, the Treasurer and such other officers as may be provided by ordinance.
The Township Council’s responsibilities include enacting ordinances and resolutions, establishing policies, preparing the annual budget with the assistance of the Township Administrator and the Treasurer, and levying taxes. Additionally, the council makes appointments to both the policy and decision-making boards and various advisory committees in accordance with general law and Township ordinances and resolutions.
The Township Administrator in the mayor-council-administrator plan supervises the administration of each of the departments established by ordinance, may investigate the organization and operation of any municipal department, prescribe standards and rules of administrative practice and procedure, and consult with the department heads. The Township Administrator also directs the business affairs of the Township, and has, as provided by ordinance, such powers and performs such duties which are not required by the mayor-council-administrator plan or by general law to be exercised by the Mayor, Township Council or other officer, board or body. The Township Administrator serves during the term of the Mayor appointing him, however the Township Council may remove the administrator by a ⅔ majority vote.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of West Milford Township is Bettina Bieri (D), whose term of office ends December 31, 2011. Members of the Township Council are Council President Joseph Smolinski (R, 2012), Daniel Jurkovic (R, 2011), Michael Ramaglia (R, 2012), Edward Rosone (R, 2013), Luciano "Lou" Signorino (R, 2013) and Philip H. Weisbecker (R, 2011).
Federal, state and county representation
West Milford Township is in the 5th Congressional district.West Milford is in the
Education
The West Milford Township Public SchoolsWest Milford Township Public Schools
The West Milford Township Public Schools are a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from West Milford, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States....
serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. West Milford has six elementary schools (grades K-6), one middle school (grade 7-8), and one high school (grades 9-12). Further, the district supports a Center for Adult/Community Education. The school system has 361 certified staff members, over 50% of whom have a master's degree or higher.
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 the six K-6 elementary schools —
Apshawa School (312 students),
Maple Road School (359),
Marshall Hill School (356),
Paradise Knoll School (322),
Upper Greenwood Lake School (342) and
Westbrook School (445) — along with
Macopin Middle School (654) for grades 7-8 and
West Milford High School
West Milford High School
West Milford High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Milford, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the West Milford Township Public Schools.As of the 2009-10 school year, the...
(1,331) for grades 9-12.
There was also one Catholic school, Our Lady Queen of Peace, located in the community of Hewitt until 2010. OLQP School celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009, and was honored to have its Fourth Grade teacher, Lorraine Ford, named as a finalist for the 2008 New Jersey Nonpublic School Teacher of the Year award.
The old Newfoundland, two-room schoolhouse was the Village Square Inn Restaurant until it closed in 2010. The old Hillcrest School is now the township's community center. The few one-room schoolhouses are all gone; the last one was the Hewitt School, destroyed by fire set by vandals (it had been the former Methodist church before a new, larger church was built).
Sports
West Milford sports are overseen by the township department of Community Services and Recreation. The township has individual organizations that run each youth sports program, including West Milford Little League Baseball (WMLL), West Milford Police Athletic LeaguePolice Athletic League
The Police Athletic League is an organization in many American police departments in which members of the police force coach young people, both boys and girls, in sports, and help with homework and other school-related activities. The purpose is to build character, help strengthen police-community...
(PAL) Basketball, West Milford PAL Soccer, West Milford PAL Cheerleading, West Milford-Star Athletics Cheerleading, West Milford Midget Football Association (WMMFA) Football, WMMFA Cheerleading, West Milford Amateur Baseball Association (WMABA) Baseball, and West Milford Softball. These organizations work collaboratively to provide the best athletic experience for township residents.
West Milford also offers a variety of travel sports teams to offer selected athletes a higher level of competition. These teams include (or have previously included) West Milford Xtreme softball, West Milford Wolverines baseball, West Milford Wolfpack baseball, West Milford Warhawks baseball, West Milford Wildcats basketball, West Milford-Star Athletics competition cheerleading, West Milford/Jackson Elite-Hurricanes baseball,PC Crush baseball and the Connie Mack baseball program.
Some township athletic accomplishments are listed below:
Youth Sports:
--Little League All-Stars (Baseball): In 2004, the West Milford 10 Year-Old National All-Stars placed second in the New Jersey, losing the state championship to the team from Jackson, New Jersey. That team won the New Jersey District-2 title and the New Jersey Section-1 title en route to the state finals. In 2006, a team made up of most of the same players placed second in the state in 12 year old All-star play. They lost to the team from Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston, New Jersey
Livingston is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 29,366.Livingston was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 5, 1813, from portions of Caldwell Township and Springfield...
, who went on to place second in the Mid-Atlantic Region. This team again won the District-2 and Section-1 championships. Also in 2004, the 12 Year-Old American All-Stars won the District-2 championship.
In 2007, the West Milford 12 Year-Old and 10 Year-Old All-Star teams both won their respective District-2 championships.
In 2008 and 2009, the West Milford 10 year old all stars again won their respective District-2 championships.
--PAL Wildcats (Travel Basketball): In 2004-05, the West Milford Wildcats-4 travel team won the Morris County Boys and Girls Club League championship. That same team, after moving up to be the Wildcats-5, won the Lakeland Basketball League championship, the first in the West Milford PAL program's history, in 2005.
In 2006-07, the Wildcats-4 team finished the season undefeated in league play. The Wildcats-5 team won the Lakeland Basketball League championship. In 2007-08, both the Wildcats-5 and Wildcats-6 teams won the championship of their respective age brackets of the New Jersey Junior Basketball League. In 2008-2009 the Wildcats-6 team won the championship for the third time.
In 2009-2010 the Wildcats-8 won the New Jersey Junior Basketball League. They were the first Wildcat-8 team to win a championship, it was their third overall.
--Pony Softball: In 2007, the West Milford 14U Pony softball team won second in the state and advanced to the National Tournament.
--Travel Baseball (West Milford Wolverines, West Milford Wolfpack, West Milford Warhawks, West Milford/Jackson Elite-Hurricanes, West Milford Connie Mack program, PC Crush): West Milford's travel baseball programs have combined to win over 100 league and tournament championships. These programs serve competitive young athletes of the township, and programs are offered at every age level.
For more about the athletic programs at West Milford High School
West Milford High School
West Milford High School is a four-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from West Milford, in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the West Milford Township Public Schools.As of the 2009-10 school year, the...
, please visit the "Athletics" section of that page.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of West Milford include:- Jasper Francis CropseyJasper Francis CropseyJasper Francis Cropsey was an important American landscape artist of the Hudson River School.-Biography:Cropsey was born on his father Jacob Rezeau Cropsey's farm in Rossville on Staten Island, New York, the oldest of eight children. As a young boy, Cropsey had recurring periods of poor health....
(1823–1900), Hudson River School landscape painter, referred to as "America's Painter of Autumn". - Samantha Czulada (born 1995), original member of the Broadway cast of Billy Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the MusicalBilly Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...
. - Lennie FriedmanLennie FriedmanLeonard Lebrecht Friedman is an American football offensive lineman who is currently a free agent in the National Football League....
(born 1976), offensive lineman with the Cleveland BrownsCleveland BrownsThe Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Sam GarnesSam GarnesSam Aaron Garnes is a former professional American football defensive back who played for the New York Giants and the New York Jets who currently serves as an assistant special teams coach for the Denver Broncos...
(born 1974), former safety 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 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...
. - Jeremy GlickJeremy GlickJeremy Logan Glick was one of the passengers on board United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked as part of the September 11 attacks. Aware of the earlier crashes at the World Trade Center, Glick and some of his fellow passengers attempted to foil the hijacking...
(1970–2001), passenger/hero of United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001. - Billy HowerdelBilly HowerdelBilly Howerdel is the founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect Circle and Ashes Divide. He has recorded three acclaimed studio albums with the former, and in 2008, Ashes Divide released their debut album, Keep Telling Myself It's Alright.-Early life:Howerdel was...
(born 1970), founding member, guitarist, songwriter, and producer for the bands A Perfect CircleA Perfect CircleA Perfect Circle is an American rock supergroup formed in 1999 by guitarist Billy Howerdel and Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The original incarnation of the band also included Paz Lenchantin on bass, Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar, and Tim Alexander on drums...
and Ashes DivideAshes DivideAshes Divide is an American rock band formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel, who had also formed A Perfect Circle. Howerdel is the primary songwriter, musician, producer, and vocalist for the band....
. - Derek JeterDerek JeterDerek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
(born 1974), shortstop for New York Yankees. - Gary Oppenheimer (born 1952), CNN Hero and founder of AmpleHarvest.org - a nationwide anti-hunger charity connecting millions of home gardeners who grow food with local food pantries.
- Carol-Lynn ParenteCarol-Lynn ParenteCarol-Lynn Parente is executive producer of Sesame Street, having been promoted to the position in June 2005, and has spent 18 years with the Workshop , rising from Post Production Assistant. She has won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on the show...
, executive producer of Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
and winner of seven Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
s for her work on the program. - Kevin WalkerKevin Walker (football player)Kevin Walker who went to West Milford High School in West Milford, New Jersey was an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League...
(born 1965), former linebacker for the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
. - Donna WeinbrechtDonna WeinbrechtDonna Weinbrecht won the first gold medal awarded in the first Olympic mogul competitions in freestyle skiing, which were held at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. Weinbrecht grew up in West Milford, New Jersey...
(born 1965), First woman to win the first gold medal awarded in the first Olympic mogul competitions. - Tom WopatTom WopatTom Wopat is an American actor and singer. He first achieved fame as Luke Duke in the long-running 1979 television series The Dukes of Hazzard, along with John Schneider. He also played Jeff, one of Cybill Shepherd's ex-husbands in the TV series Cybill.-Life and career:Wopat was born in Lodi,...
(born 1951), actor who played Luke Duke in The Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of HazzardThe Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985.The series was inspired by the 1975 film Moonrunners, which was also created by Gy Waldron and had many identical or similar character names and concepts.- Overview :The Dukes of Hazzard...
.
External links
- West Milford Township website
- West Milford Township Public Schools
- Data for the West Milford Township 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...
- West Milford Chamber of Commerce website
- The West Milford Messenger (local newspaper)
- Upper Greenwood Lake Property Owner's Association
- BBC News Article - West Milford housecat chases black bearAmerican black bearThe American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
up a tree