Berkeley Heights, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
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Township
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Heritage Square Shopping Center
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| Motto(s):
"Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow."
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Location of Berkeley Heights in Union County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Union County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
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Census Bureau map of Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
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 Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Location in Union County, New Jersey
Berkeley Heights, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Berkeley Heights, 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 | Union | ||
| Incorporated | November 8, 1809 (as New Providence Township) | ||
| Renamed | November 6, 1951 (as Berkeley Heights Township) | ||
| Named for | John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council–administrator) | ||
| • Body | Township Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 6.26 sq mi (16.21 km2) | ||
| • Land | 6.22 sq mi (16.11 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) 0.59% | ||
| Area rank | 251st of 565 in state 6th of 21 in county |
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| Elevation | 394 ft (120 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 13,285 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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13,293 | ||
| • Rank | 194th of 565 in state 16th of 21 in county |
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| • Density | 2,135.9/sq mi (824.7/km2) | ||
| • Density rank | 284th of 565 in state 20th of 21 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | ||
| ZIP Code |
07922
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| Area code(s) | 908 | ||
| FIPS code | 3403905320 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0882218 | ||
| Website | |||
Berkeley Heights is a township in Union County, New Jersey. It's located in central New Jersey, close to New York City. Many people who live here travel to New York for work.
In 2020, about 13,285 people lived in Berkeley Heights. This was a small increase from 2010.
The township was first created on November 8, 1809. It was called New Providence Township back then. On November 6, 1951, its name was changed to Berkeley Heights. The town is believed to be named after John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. He was one of the people who helped start the Province of New Jersey.
Berkeley Heights is known for being one of the wealthier communities in New Jersey. It's also considered one of the safest places to live in the state and even in the country.
Contents
A Look Back: Berkeley Heights History
Who Lived Here First?
The Lenape Native Americans lived in this area a long time ago. They were here even before Europeans arrived in the 1500s.
Early European Settlers and Mills
The first European settler was Peter Willcox in 1720. He built a mill to grind grain and cut lumber. This mill was located near Green Brook.
In 1793, the area became part of Springfield Township. But by 1809, it split off and became New Providence Township. This new township included what is now Berkeley Heights, Summit, and New Providence.
In 1845, a man named David Felt bought Willcox's mill. He built a small village around it called Feltville. It had homes, dorms, a post office, and a store.
Feltville was later sold in 1860. After a while, it went bankrupt in 1882. People moved away, and it became known as the Deserted Village. Today, you can still see some of the old buildings. It's part of the National Register of Historic Places. You can visit it in the Watchung Reservation for walking tours.
How Berkeley Heights Got Its Name
Over time, parts of New Providence Township became separate towns. Summit became its own town in 1869. New Providence became a borough in 1899. What was left was still called New Providence Township.
Because there was confusion with the nearby Borough of New Providence, the township voted in 1952 to change its name. That's how it became Berkeley Heights Township. The name likely came from Lord John Berkeley.
Life in the Past
You can learn about early life in Berkeley Heights at the Littell-Lord Farmhouse Museum. It has two old houses, one built around 1760. You can see how people lived long ago. There's even a children's room with old toys you can play with!
For a long time, Berkeley Heights was mostly a farming and resort community. That changed in 1941 when AT&T built its Bell Laboratories research center here.
Berkeley Heights also has a special tradition. Every year since 1909, there's a religious procession and feast for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. It ends with one of the biggest fireworks shows in the state!
In 1958, a Nike missile base was set up nearby. The radar station for it was in Berkeley Heights. It closed in 1963, but you can still see some parts of it near Governor Livingston High School.
In 1960, a local student named Patricia Jean Taylor designed the town's official seal. Her design was chosen from 150 entries.
Free Acres: A Special Community
Another interesting part of Berkeley Heights is Free Acres. It was started in 1910 by Bolton Hall. He believed in a special tax system where residents pay tax to their community. This community then pays a lump sum to the town. Famous actor James Cagney and his wife used to live there.
Where is Berkeley Heights?
Berkeley Heights covers about 6.26 square miles. It sits partly on the Second Watchung Mountain. The Passaic River forms its northern border. The Green Brook forms its eastern border.
The township is in northwestern Union County. It's where Union, Morris, and Somerset Counties meet. Nearby towns include New Providence, Mountainside, Summit, and Watchung.
Downtown Berkeley Heights
The downtown area is along Springfield Avenue. Here you'll find over 20 restaurants. They even have an annual Restaurant Week in September! The post office, town hall, police station, and train station are also downtown.
There's a special brick walk downtown. It has bricks engraved with the names of many long-time residents. There's also a memorial for the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Economy and Innovation
Berkeley Heights is home to important companies. Nokia has its Murray Hill Bell Labs headquarters here. Amazing inventions like the transistor, solar cell, and laser were created at this facility.
L'Oréal USA also has its New Jersey headquarters in Berkeley Heights.
In 2003, Summit Medical Group built its main campus here. This group later merged to form Summit Health. They have many healthcare providers in the New York City area.
Fun and Recreation
Berkeley Heights has many parks. The biggest is Columbia Park. It has tennis courts, baseball fields, basketball courts, and a large playground.
There are also three swimming clubs in town. The Watchung Reservation is a large park with hiking and horseback riding trails. It has a lake called Lake Surprise. The historic Deserted Village is also in the reservation.
Learning in Berkeley Heights
Public Schools
The Berkeley Heights Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. There are six schools in the district:
- Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center (Pre-K–2)
- William Woodruff Elementary School (K–2)
- Thomas P. Hughes Elementary School (3–5)
- Mountain Park Elementary School (3–5)
- Columbia Middle School (6–8)
- Governor Livingston High School (9–12)
Governor Livingston High School also welcomes about 300 students from Mountainside. The high school is known for being one of the top public high schools in New Jersey.
Private Schools
Berkeley Heights has four private pre-kindergarten schools. FlexSchool is a private school for gifted students in grades 5-12.
Getting Around and Services
Roads and Highways
_from_the_overpass_for_Union_County_Route_640_(McMane_Avenue)_in_Berkeley_Heights_Township,_Union_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
Interstate 78 is a major highway that passes through Berkeley Heights. Other important roads include Springfield Avenue and Mountain Avenue.
Public Transportation
NJ Transit provides train service from the Berkeley Heights station. You can take trains to Hoboken, Newark, and New York City. Buses are also available for local travel and to New York City.
Newark Liberty International Airport is about 18 miles east of Berkeley Heights.
Healthcare and Library
The Summit Medical Group is the main medical facility in town. The Berkeley Heights Public Library offers many resources for residents. It's part of a network of libraries in the area.
Police and Fire Departments
The Berkeley Heights Police Department is located at the Municipal Building. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. The first police officer was Dominick Russo, who later became the first Chief of Police. Today, the department has 28 officers.
The Berkeley Heights Volunteer Rescue Squad started in 1942. Its members are all volunteers, including high school and college students. They provide emergency medical services. The Berkeley Heights Fire Department is also made up of volunteers. They help with fires and other emergencies.
Famous People from Berkeley Heights
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Berkeley Heights:
- Al Aronowitz (1928–2005), a rock journalist.
- Steve Balboni (born 1957), a former New York Yankee baseball player.
- Dennis Boutsikaris (born 1952), an actor.
- Griffin Maxwell Brooks (born 2000), a college diver and social media personality.
- James Cagney (1899–1986), a famous actor who lived in Free Acres.
- Christopher Durang (born 1949), a playwright and actor.
- Cathy Engelbert (born 1965), the first female CEO of a major U.S. accounting firm.
- Scott M. Gimple (born 1971), a television and comic book writer.
- Bolton Hall (1854–1938), who founded Free Acres.
- P. F. Kluge (born 1942), a novelist.
- John R. Pierce (1910–2002), a scientist who helped create the communications satellite.
- Dennis Ritchie (1941–2011), who created the C programming language and helped invent the UNIX operating system.
- Peter Sagal (born 1965), a playwright and host of the radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
- Jill Santoriello, a playwright who wrote the Broadway musical A Tale of Two Cities.
- Thorne Smith (1892–1934), an author.
- Zenon Snylyk (1923–2002), a soccer player.
- Katie Stout (born 1989), an artist and designer.
Images for kids
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Flag of Berkeley Heights
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Seal of Berkeley Heights
See also
In Spanish: Berkeley Heights para niños
