Bergenfield, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bergenfield, New Jersey
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Borough
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Cooper's Pond
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Location of Bergenfield in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Bergenfield, New Jersey
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 Bergenfield, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Bergenfield, New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Country |  United States |
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| State |  New Jersey |
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| County | Bergen | |
| Incorporated | June 25, 1894 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough | |
| • Body | Borough Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.91 sq mi (7.55 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.90 sq mi (7.52 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) 0.31% | |
| Area rank | 338th of 565 in state 28th of 70 in county |
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| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 28,321 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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28,274 | |
| • Rank | 87th of 565 in state 7th of 70 in county |
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| • Density | 9,752.4/sq mi (3,765.4/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 39th of 565 in state 11th of 70 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07621
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| Area code(s) | 201 | |
| FIPS code | 3400305170 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885157 | |
Bergenfield is a borough located in Bergen County, New Jersey. It's a town where many people live and work. In 2020, about 28,321 people called Bergenfield home. This was a small increase from 2010.
New Jersey Monthly magazine has ranked Bergenfield as a good place to live. In 2010, it was ranked 211th in New Jersey. In 2008, it was 231st.
Bergenfield has also been recognized for its safety. NeighborhoodScout named it the safest town in the U.S. in 2012 for places with over 25,000 residents. In 2013 and 2014, it was the second safest. By 2019, it was ranked fourth.
Contents
History
How Bergenfield Became a Borough
Bergenfield became a borough on June 25, 1894. It was formed from parts of Englewood Township and Palisades Township. This happened during a time called "Boroughitis" in Bergen County. Many new boroughs were created in 1894, with 26 forming that year alone. The town was named Bergenfield because it is located in Bergen County.
Geography
Where is Bergenfield Located?
Bergenfield covers about 2.885 square miles (7.473 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small amount of water.
The borough shares its borders with several other towns in Bergen County. These include Cresskill, Dumont, Englewood, New Milford, Teaneck, and Tenafly.
Demographics
Population Growth Over the Years
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 729 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,991 | 173.1% | |
| 1920 | 3,667 | 84.2% | |
| 1930 | 8,816 | 140.4% | |
| 1940 | 10,275 | 16.5% | |
| 1950 | 17,647 | 71.7% | |
| 1960 | 27,203 | 54.2% | |
| 1970 | 29,000 | 6.6% | |
| 1980 | 25,568 | −11.8% | |
| 1990 | 24,458 | −4.3% | |
| 2000 | 26,247 | 7.3% | |
| 2010 | 26,764 | 2.0% | |
| 2020 | 28,321 | 5.8% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 28,274 | 5.6% | |
| Population sources: 1900–1920 1900–1910 1910–1930 1900–2020 2000 2010 2020 |
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Bergenfield has a diverse population. It is sometimes called Little Manila because many Filipino people live there. In 2016, over 5,000 Bergenfield residents were of Filipino background. This made up about 18.4% of the town's population.
There is also a growing Jewish community in Bergenfield. Many Modern Orthodox Jews live in Bergenfield and the nearby town of Teaneck.
Economy
Businesses in Bergenfield
Prestige Records, a well-known company that made jazz music recordings, had its offices in Bergenfield. This was from the mid-1960s until 1972.
Arts and culture
Music and Movies in Bergenfield
Bergenfield has a connection to music and film. The Royal Teens were a rock and roll band from Bergenfield in the 1950s. They were famous for their song "Short Shorts". Another band, The Knickerbockers, formed in the 1960s. They got their name from Knickerbocker Road, a street nearby. Mucky Pup was also a band from Bergenfield, playing hardcore and heavy metal music.
Some scenes for the 1954 Harlem Globetrotter film Go, Man, Go! were filmed in Bergenfield. They filmed at Franklin School and on Prospect Avenue. Many fifth-grade boys from the school were even extras in the movie!
In 2006, the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition came to Bergenfield. They built a new home for the Llanes family on New Bridge Road. The episode aired in September 2006.
Sports
Roller Hockey Champions
Bergenfield has a strong roller hockey team. On July 22, 2007, the Team Bergenfield Roller Hockey Club won the NARCh National Roller Hockey Championship. They beat the Nor-Cal Patriots 6–5 in Florida. The team won all their games except one in the tournament. This team started in Bergenfield in 1994 and is one of the oldest roller hockey clubs in the United States.
Emergency services
Keeping Bergenfield Safe
Bergenfield has dedicated emergency services to keep its residents safe.
Police Department
The Bergenfield Police Department provides police services. In 2010, there were 46 police officers. They also have civilian staff who help with dispatching and records. Police cars are equipped with first aid kits, oxygen tanks, and defibrillators for emergencies.
Fire Department
The Bergenfield Fire Department (BFD) started in 1905. It has three different fire companies and full-time staff.
Ambulance Corps
The Bergenfield Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Inc. (BVAC) was formed in 1941. It became an independent organization in 1981. BVAC is made up of volunteers and does not charge for its services. It relies on donations from the public and some funding from the borough.
The BVAC provides basic life support and is staffed by certified emergency medical technicians. They have four ambulances and other support vehicles. The Bergenfield Police Department handles their emergency calls. BVAC mainly serves Bergenfield but also helps nearby towns like Dumont, New Milford, and Teaneck when needed.
Education
Schools in Bergenfield
Students in Bergenfield attend schools run by the Bergenfield Public Schools district. There are seven schools in the district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. In the 2020–21 school year, about 3,666 students were enrolled.
The schools include:
- Franklin Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Hoover Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Jefferson Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Lincoln Elementary School (grades PreK-5)
- Washington Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Roy W. Brown Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Bergenfield High School (grades 9-12)
Students can also apply to special programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools. These include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. These programs offer advanced learning for students who are accepted.
Transportation
Getting Around Bergenfield
Bergenfield has many roads, with over 60 miles of roadways. Most of these are maintained by the town itself. Main roads include Washington Avenue, Main Street, Prospect Avenue, River Edge Road, and New Bridge Road.
For public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus service. You can take buses to Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan or to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station. There are also bus routes to other towns in New Jersey.
Before 1959, the New York Central Railroad also had passenger train service through Bergenfield.
Community
Bergenfield's Shopping District
Bergenfield has a Special Improvement District (SID). This district helps promote local businesses along Washington Avenue, which stretches for about a mile. The SID works to let people know about Bergenfield's shopping area. This area has over 50 international restaurants and food stores.
Mayors
- Arvin Amatorio, 2020–present
- Norman Schmelz, 2014–2019.
- Carlos Aguasvivas, 2013
- Timothy J. Driscoll 2008 to 2013.
- Richard J. Bohan 2004-2007.
- Robert C. Rivas 1999 to 2003.
- Kevin M. Clancy 1996-1998
- Charles F. McDowell, Jr. 1992-1995
- Robert J. Gallione, Jr. 1988-1991
- Charles J. O'Dowd 1968-1971 and 1980-1987.
- James F. Lodato 1976-1979.
- William D. Armitage 1975
- H. Alfred Struhs 1974
- Walter S. Rosenbaum 1972-1973
- William J. Patterson 1964-1967
- Hugh M. Gillson 1960-1963
- Edward C. Meyer 1954 to 1959.
- Henry W. Theis 1946 to 1953.
- Leonard Lindstrom 1931.
- Charles A. Grabowski 1926.
- T. J. Prime 1918 to 1922.
- George Breisacher (1865–1934) 1912 to 1913.
- Walter Cornelius Christie (1863–1941) 1897 to 1891. He was the founder and the second mayor of Bergenfield, New Jersey.
Notable people
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Bergenfield:
- Jack Antonoff (born 1984), a singer, songwriter, and producer.
- Harry Basil, a comedian, actor, and film director.
- Chris Brantley (born 1970), a former NFL wide receiver.
- Walter Christie (1863–1941), a founder of Bergenfield and its second mayor.
- Pierce H. Deamer Jr. (1907–1986), a politician who served in the New Jersey government.
- Al Di Meola (born 1954), a jazz and Latin jazz guitarist and composer.
- Frank Eufemia (born 1959), a former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Ella Fajardo (born 2003), a basketball player for Fairleigh Dickinson and the Philippine national team.
- Thom Fitzgerald (born 1968), a filmmaker.
- George Gately (1928–2001), the creator of the Heathcliff comic strip.
- Bob Gaudio (born 1942), a member of the Four Seasons band.
- Eugene Korn (born 1947), an Orthodox rabbi.
- David Lat (born 1975), a blogger.
- Jimmy Lydon (1923-2022), an actor, honored in the Bergenfield Hall of Fame.
- Kevin Marfo (born 1997), a professional basketball player.
- Produce Pete (born 1945), a grocer, chef, and TV personality.
- Tom Reilly (born 1959), an actor who played Bobby Nelson on CHiPs.
- Beatrice Schroeder Rose (1922–2014), an author, composer, and harpist.
- Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky, a Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshiva University.
- Floyd James Thompson (1933–2002), America's longest held prisoner of war.
- Donna Thorland, a screenwriter and author.
- McCoy Tyner (1938–2020), a jazz pianist.
- Ron Villone (born 1970), a Major League Baseball relief pitcher.
- Jacklyn Zeman (1953-2023), an actress known for General Hospital.
See also
In Spanish: Bergenfield para niños
