Far Hills, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Far Hills, New Jersey
Borough
Alexander and James Linn Homestead, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Seal
Location of Far Hills in Somerset County highlighted in yellow (right). Inset map: Location of Somerset County in New Jersey highlighted in black (left).
Census Bureau map of Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills, New Jersey Location in Somerset County, New Jersey Show map of Somerset County, New Jersey Far Hills, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Far Hills, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Somerset
Incorporated	May 12, 1921
Government
• Type	Borough
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	4.90 sq mi (12.69 km2)
• Land	4.85 sq mi (12.55 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2)  1.12%
Area rank	280th of 565 in state 12th of 21 in county
Elevation	213 ft (65 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	924
• Estimate  (2023)	914
• Rank	536th of 565 in state 19th of 21 in county
• Density	190.6/sq mi (73.6/km2)
• Density rank	508th of 565 in state 21st of 21 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07931
Area code(s)	908 exchange: 443
FIPS code	3403522890
GNIS feature ID	0885217

Far Hills is a borough in the Somerset Hills of northern Somerset County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 924, an increase of 5 (+0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 919, which in turn reflected an increase of 60 (+7.0%) from the 859 counted in the 2000 census. The borough is located within the Raritan Valley region.

Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results of a referendum held on May 12, 1921. Far Hills is a dry town where alcohol is not permitted to be sold by law.

In the Forbes magazine listing of the Most Expensive ZIP Codes in the United States, Far Hills was ranked 52 in 2010 (with median sale price of $2,067,451) and 87th in 2012 (with a median of $1,729,135). In 2018, New Jersey Business Magazine listed Far Hills at 12th in its listing of "The Most Expensive ZIP Codes in New Jersey", with a median sale price 2017 of $885,000.

The 07931 ZIP Code extends beyond the borders of Far Hills into sections of other nearby Somerset Hills communities in Somerset and Morris counties including the boroughs of Bernardsville and Peapack-Gladstone; along with the townships of Bedminster, Bernards, Chester, and Mendham.

History

Far Hills encompasses nearly 5 square miles (13 km²) in Somerset County, encircled by the Somerset Hills communities of Bedminster, Bernardsville, Bernards Township, and Peapack-Gladstone. It shares a community pool, athletic programs, civic organizations, and a school system with Bernardsville. It shares a public library, a fire department and a first aid squad with neighboring Bedminster Township.

The borough maintains its character through 10-acre (40,000 m²) minimum zoning laws whereby large private properties and homes surround a small village which was the creation of a wealthy New York businessman in the late 1800s. The beginning of rail service to nearby Bernardsville in 1870, opened the area to city people seeking a respite from the heat and hurry of urban life.

Evander H. Schley, a land developer and real estate broker from New York, purchased thousands of acres in Bedminster and Bernards townships in the 1880s. One day in 1887, Schley's brother, Grant, and his wife, Elizabeth, arrived by horse-drawn carriage to see Evander's farms. Elizabeth is said to have remarked on the beautiful vista of the "far hills," thus giving the name to the place before a village was built.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.90 square miles (12.69 km²), including 4.85 square miles (12.55 km²) of land and 0.06 square miles (0.14 km²) of water (1.12%).

The borough borders the Somerset County municipalities of Bedminster Township to the west, Bernards Township to the east, Bernardsville to the northeast and Peapack-Gladstone to the northwest.

Climate

The climate in the area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally cold winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Far Hills has a humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 919 people, 376 households, and 259 families in the borough. The population density was 191.6 per square mile (74.0/km²). There were 418 housing units at an average density of 87.1 per square mile (33.6/km²). The racial makeup was 95.32% (876) White, 0.65% (6) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.85% (17) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.54% (5) from other races, and 1.63% (15) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.58% (88) of the population.

Of the 376 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18; 58.2% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.1% were non-families. Of all households, 28.5% were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.02.

24.0% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 35.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.6 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $125,833 (with a margin of error of +/− $29,841) and the median family income was $202,083 (+/− $85,006). Males had a median income of $177,083 (+/− $60,611) versus $76,250 (+/− $38,263) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $93,495 (+/− $19,515). About 3.6% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.3% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Sports

The United States Golf Association has a Far Hills mailing address but is actually located in Bernards Township. The United States Golf Association Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History is located on the premises.

From 2000 through 2005 the Breeders' Cup Grand National Steeplechase returned to the Far Hills Races after a hiatus of six years. Known for the highest prize money of a steeplechase in America, the purse for the Breeders' Cup winner has been as large as $250,000 and has attracted up to 100,000 spectators. Several races are scheduled by Far Hills Race Meeting Association in late October of each year. Considered one of the premier social events of the year in the tri-state area, it is attended by as many as 75,000 people annually.

Parks and recreation

• The Leonard J. Buck Garden, 33 acres (130,000 m²), is a public botanical garden operated by the Somerset County Park Commission, and located at 11 Layton Road. It is open daily; a small fee is requested.
• Moggy Hollow Natural Area is a National Natural Landmark adjacent to the Buck Garden.
• Natirar is an estate spanning 491 acres (1.99 km²) in Far Hills, Peapack-Gladstone and Bedminster that was sold in 2003 by Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, to the Somerset County Park Commission.

Education

Students in public school attend the schools of the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a regional school district covering pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade serving students from Bernardsville, Far Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone, along with students from Bedminster Township who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 1,797 students and 155.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Marion T. Bedwell Elementary School with 471 students in grades Pre-K–4, Bernardsville Middle School with 474 students in grades 5–8 and Bernards High School with 819 students in grades 9–12. The district's board of education is comprised of nine elected members (plus one appointed member representing Bedminster) who set policy and oversee the fiscal and educational operation of the district through its administration. The nine elected seats on the board are allocated to the constituent municipalities based on population, with one seat allocated to Far Hills.

Far Hills Country Day School is a private, nonsectarian coeducational day school located in Far Hills, serving students in nursery through eighth grade since 1929 on a 55-acre (220,000 m²) campus.

Transportation

Interstate 287 southbound in Far Hills

Roads and highways

As of May 2010^[update], the borough had a total of 15.28 miles (24.59 km) of roadways, of which 9.70 miles (15.61 km) were maintained by the municipality, 2.59 miles (4.17 km) by Somerset County and 2.99 miles (4.81 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The most prominent highway serving Far Hills is Interstate 287. U.S. Route 202 also passes through the borough.

Public transportation

NJ Transit provides service at the Far Hills train station on the Gladstone Branch of the Morristown Line; the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located at U.S. Route 202, near the intersection of Far Hills Road, one half mile east of U.S. Route 206, offering service via Secaucus Junction and New York Penn Station or to Hoboken Terminal.

Lakeland Bus Lines provides Route 78 rush-hour service from Bedminster to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Far Hills include:

• Nicholas F. Brady (born 1930), former United States Secretary of the Treasury who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate
• James Chesson (born 1980), race car driver
• P. J. Chesson (born 1978), IndyCar driver who raced in the 2006 Indianapolis 500
• Charles W. Engelhard Jr. (1917–1971), businessman who controlled an international mining and metals conglomerate and was a major owner of thoroughbred race horses
• Malcolm Forbes (1919–1990), former editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine
• Steve Forbes (born 1947), editor-in-chief of Forbes
• Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Jr. (1912–2005), author of Passages to Freedom, about his escape from a prison camp in Italy during World War II
• J. Geils (1946–2017), blues-rock lead guitarist, singer, and founder of The J. Geils Band
• Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945), retired colonel in the United States Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the Vietnam War
• John S. Penn (1926–2013), politician who represented the 16th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assemblyfrom 1984 to 1994
• Joe J. Plumeri (born 1944), Chairman & CEO of Willis Group and owner of the Trenton Thunder
• Michael F. Price (born 1951), value investor and fund manager
• Aileen Quinn (born 1971), actress, singer and dancer best known for her role as Annie Bennett Warbucks in the 1982 film Annie
• Andrew Schlafly (born 1961), founder of Conservapedia, son of Phyllis Schlafly
• James Wallwork (born 1930), politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature
• Christine Todd Whitman (born 1946), former Governor of New Jersey
• Kate Whitman Annis (born c. 1978), general manager of the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League

See also

In Spanish: Far Hills para niños