Clark, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Clark, New Jersey
Township
Clark Police Department and Municipal Court building
Seal
Motto(s):  Growth, Industry, History
Location of Clark in Union County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Union County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
Census Bureau map of Clark, New Jersey
Clark, New Jersey Location in Union County, New Jersey Show map of Union County, New Jersey Clark, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Clark, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Union
Incorporated	March 23, 1864
Named for	Abraham Clark
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act Mayor-Council
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	4.45 sq mi (11.53 km2)
• Land	4.27 sq mi (11.07 km2)
• Water	0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2)  4.04%
Area rank	283rd of 565 in state 11th of 21 in county
Elevation	39 ft (12 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	15,544
• Estimate  (2023)	15,431
• Rank	167th of 565 in state 13th of 21 in county
• Density	3,637.7/sq mi (1,404.5/km2)
• Density rank	184th of 565 in state 17th of 21 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07066
Area code(s)	732/848
FIPS code	3403913150
GNIS feature ID	0882216

Clark is a township located in Union County, in the state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 15,544 people lived there. This number has grown over the years.

History of Clark Township

Robinson Plantation House

Clark has a long history, starting as part of older settlements. Old buildings like the Robinson Plantation House from the late 1600s are still there. A small fight happened at Homestead Farm before the Battle of Short Hills.

In 1858, Clark became part of Rahway City. Clark officially became a township on March 23, 1864, separating from Rahway. It was named after Abraham Clark, who signed the Declaration of Independence. Later, parts of Clark were used to create Cranford Township (1871) and Winfield Township (1941).

New Jersey Monthly magazine has ranked Clark as a good place to live. It was ranked 33rd in 2008 and 174th in 2013 among New Jersey towns.

Geography and Nature

Clark Township covers about 4.45 square miles (11.53 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Local Areas in Clark

Some smaller communities and places within Clark include Ashbrook, Florence Mills, Lenox, Madison Hill, and Picton.

Rivers and Reservoirs

The Rahway River Parkway runs through the township. The Robinson's Branch Reservoir, also called the Clark Reservoir, is the biggest body of water in Union County. It cuts diagonally through the town.

Neighboring Towns

Clark shares borders with several other towns:

• Scotch Plains and Westfield to the west.
• Cranford and Winfield Park to the north.
• Linden and Rahway to the east.
• Edison and Woodbridge Township to the south.

Railroad History

An old rail line, the Bloodgood Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, goes through Clark. It is no longer used for trains.

Population and People

Clark has grown a lot over the years. Here's how the population has changed:

Clark's Diverse Community

In 2010, Clark had 14,756 people living in 5,562 homes. Most residents were White (93.29%). Other groups included Asian (3.71%), Black (0.84%), and Native American (0.10%). About 7.50% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average household had 2.63 people, and the average family had 3.15 people. About 21.2% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 43.8 years.

Ancestry Groups

According to a 2009–2013 survey, the largest ancestry groups in Clark were:

Education in Clark

The Clark Public School District serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. In the 2019–20 school year, the district had 2,299 students and 184.7 teachers. This means there were about 12.4 students for every teacher.

Schools in Clark

The district has five schools:

• Clark Preschool (Pre-K)
• Frank K. Hehnly Elementary School (Grades K–5)
• Valley Road Elementary School (Grades K–5)
• Carl H. Kumpf Middle School (Grades 6–8)
• Arthur L. Johnson High School (Grades 9–12)

Students from Garwood also attend Arthur L. Johnson High School.

Special Programs and Private Schools

Students who do very well in middle school can attend special programs. These include the Union County Magnet High School and other programs at the Union County Vocational Technical Schools. These schools accept students from all over the county.

Clark also has private schools:

• Mother Seton Regional High School: An all-girls Catholic high school.
• St. John the Apostle School: A co-ed K–12 school. It was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon school in 2011.

The Clark Scholarship Fund helps Clark residents pay for college. It gives scholarships based on need and is supported by donations.

Transportation in Clark

The Garden State Parkway southbound in Clark

Roads and Highways

As of 2010, Clark had about 58.95 miles of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the town itself. The Garden State Parkway runs through Clark. Exit 135 on the Parkway is for Clark and Westfield.

Public Transportation

The closest NJ Transit train station is in Rahway, about 2 miles from the center of Clark.

NJ Transit also offers bus service. The 112 bus route goes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. It also stops in downtown Elizabeth.

Newark Liberty International Airport is about 11 miles from Clark.

Arts and Culture

Clark has several cultural organizations:

• The Deutscher Club of Clark: Founded in 1935, it's one of the largest German clubs in the US. It offers German food, beer, music, and events.
• Clark Unico: This is the local chapter of Unico National, an Italian American service and social club.
• The Polish Cultural Foundation: A nonprofit group that has the Skulski Art Gallery and offers Polish cultural classes.
• The Clark Recreation Department: Hosts a summer concert series for the community.

Parks and Recreation

The Clark Reservoir

Clark offers many places for fun and outdoor activities:

• Oak Ridge Park: A former golf course now used as a county park.
• The Clark Recreation Department: Provides many activities, including the Clark Community Pool.
• Rahway River Parkway: A green area along the Rahway River. It includes Bloodgoods Pond, Jackson Pond, and part of Rahway River Park.
• Esposito Park: A popular park located near St. Mary's Cemetery.
• Hyatt Hills Golf Complex: A 9-hole golf course in Clark.
• The proposed Clark Reservoir Recreation Area: This area around the old Clark Reservoir is being made ready for recreation.

Notable People from Clark

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Clark:

• Todd Burger (born 1970): A former professional football player.
• Halsey (born 1994): A famous singer.
• Kenneth Ham (born 1964): A NASA astronaut.
• Jeffrey Lichtman (born 1965): A defense attorney.
• William J. Maguire (1916–1997): A politician who was mayor of Clark.
• Ed Pinkham (born 1953): A former college football coach.
• Matt Poskay (born 1984): A professional lacrosse player.
• Erik Rosenmeier (born 1965): A former NFL football player.
• George M. Scott (1922–2006): A former judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court.
• Robert Sparks (born 1947): A former handball player who competed in the Olympics.
• Frank Spaziani (born 1947): A former head football coach for Boston College.
• Kurt Sutter (born 1964): The creator of the TV show Sons of Anarchy.
• Dave Toma (born 1933): A former law enforcement officer whose life inspired TV shows.

See also

In Spanish: Clark (Nueva Jersey) para niños