Glen Ridge, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Glen Ridge, New Jersey
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Borough
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Toney's Brook flowing through The Glen in Glen Ridge
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Location of Glen Ridge in Essex County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Essex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (left).
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Census Bureau map of Glen Ridge, New Jersey
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 Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Location in Essex County, New Jersey
Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Glen Ridge, 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 | Essex | |
| Incorporated | February 13, 1895 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough | |
| • Body | Borough Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1.28 sq mi (3.31 km2) | |
| • Land | 1.27 sq mi (3.30 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) 0.39% | |
| Area rank | 475th of 565 in state 21st of 22 in county |
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| Elevation | 197 ft (60 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,802 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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7,952 | |
| • Rank | 298th of 565 in state 19th of 22 in county |
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| • Density | 6,119.2/sq mi (2,362.6/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 87th of 565 in state 12th of 22 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07028
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| Area code(s) | 973 | |
| FIPS code | 3401326610 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 2390559 | |
Glen Ridge is a small town, also called a borough, in Essex County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 7,800 people lived there. The population has grown steadily over the years. Glen Ridge is special because it still uses old-fashioned gas lamps for street lights. It's one of the few places in New Jersey to keep this tradition.
Contents
History of Glen Ridge
Glen Ridge's story began in 1666. At that time, 64 families from Connecticut bought land from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. They named the area New Ark. They wanted a place where they could worship freely. This large area included what are now the towns of Bloomfield, Montclair, Belleville, and Nutley.
When Bloomfield was created in 1812, Glen Ridge was a hilly area. It was mostly farms and forests. But there was a busy industrial area along Toney's Brook. For most of the 1800s, three mills used water power. They made things like lumber, fabric, boxes, and brass parts. There was also a copper mine and a sandstone quarry nearby.
Becoming a Suburban Community
In 1856, the Newark and Bloomfield Railroad arrived. Then, the Glen Ridge train station opened in 1872. This helped Glen Ridge change into a community with many homes. Large houses slowly replaced the orchards and wooded fields.
Mountainside Hospital, a local hospital, was started in 1891. Today, it's known as HackensackUMC Mountainside. The Glen Ridge Country Club was founded in 1894. It's one of the oldest clubs in New Jersey.
Forming a New Town
People living "on the hill" were not happy with how Bloomfield managed their area. They asked Bloomfield officials many times for better roads, water, and sewer systems. They also wanted schools closer to home. But their requests were not met.
So, the residents decided to create their own town. They marked out an area of about 1.45 square miles (3.76 km²). On February 12, 1895, they voted to separate from Bloomfield. The decision passed by just 23 votes! Robert Rudd became the first mayor of Glen Ridge.
Geography and Climate
Glen Ridge covers about 1.287 square miles (3.332 km²). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The town is surrounded by Bloomfield, Montclair, and East Orange.
Glen Ridge is usually about six blocks wide. In some northern parts, it's only two or three blocks wide.
Weather in Glen Ridge
Glen Ridge has a mild climate. Summers are warm and humid, while winters are cool or cold. The town gets about 49 inches (124 cm) of rain each year. It also gets about 20 inches (51 cm) of snow. This is similar to the average for the United States.
Glen Ridge usually has about 205 sunny days a year. In July, the temperature can reach around 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius). In January, it can drop to about 21 degrees Fahrenheit (-6 degrees Celsius).
Population in Glen Ridge
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,960 | — | |
| 1910 | 3,260 | 66.3% | |
| 1920 | 4,620 | 41.7% | |
| 1930 | 7,365 | 59.4% | |
| 1940 | 7,331 | −0.5% | |
| 1950 | 7,620 | 3.9% | |
| 1960 | 8,322 | 9.2% | |
| 1970 | 8,518 | 2.4% | |
| 1980 | 7,855 | −7.8% | |
| 1990 | 7,076 | −9.9% | |
| 2000 | 7,271 | 2.8% | |
| 2010 | 7,527 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 7,802 | 3.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 7,952 | 5.6% | |
| Population sources: 1900–1920 1900–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, the average household income in Glen Ridge was about $160,511. The average family income was about $173,466. The income per person was about $64,222. Only a small number of families (1.1%) and people (2.8%) lived below the poverty line.
Education in Glen Ridge
The Glen Ridge Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten up to twelfth grade. In the 2018–19 school year, the district had four schools. There were 1,899 students and 148.9 teachers. This means there were about 12.8 students for every teacher.
The schools in the district are:
- Forest Avenue School (Pre-K–2)
- Linden Avenue School (Pre-K–2)
- Ridgewood Avenue School (grades 3–6)
- Glen Ridge High School (grades 7–12)
Glen Ridge High School is highly rated. In 2012, New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked it as the 12th best public high school in New Jersey. In 2010, it was ranked 4th.
Housing and Architecture
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In 2014, the average price for a house in Glen Ridge was $580,000. This was twice the national average. Most of the 2,549 houses in the town are single-family homes. They usually have about 7.7 rooms.
Glen Ridge is known for its old-town charm. Many houses (72.8%) were built before 1939. In 1895, when the town was formed, Glen Ridge hired a town planner. This led to many beautiful Victorian and Edwardian style buildings.
The town has kept its historic look thanks to building codes. They also created a Building Department and a zoning law. This zoning law was the first of its kind in New Jersey.
Architectural Styles
Glen Ridge has homes in many different architectural styles. These include Carpenter Gothic, Medieval, High Victorian, Queen Anne Cottage, American Georgian, Shingle Style, and Prairie Home Style. Famous architects like Frank Lloyd Wright have left their mark here.
To protect the town's history, there is a Historic Preservation Commission. This group reviews construction on houses in the historic district. The Glen Ridge Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It includes the Glen Ridge and Benson Street train stations.
Transportation in Glen Ridge
_just_west_of_Freeman_Parkway-Highland_Avenue_in_Glen_Ridge,_Essex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
As of 2010, Glen Ridge had about 23.29 miles (37.48 km) of roads. The town maintains most of these roads. Essex County maintains about 5.10 miles (8.21 km).
The main roads that go through Glen Ridge are County Route 506 (Bloomfield Avenue) and County Route 509. Major highways nearby include the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 80, Interstate 280, and the Garden State Parkway.
Public Transit Options
Glen Ridge is about 2 miles (3.2 km) long from north to south. This makes it easy for people to walk or bike around.
NJ Transit offers bus service to Newark. Buses on routes 11, 28, and 29 use Bloomfield Avenue.
Commuters can also take trains from the Glen Ridge station. NJ Transit trains go to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan and to Hoboken Terminal. These trains run on the Montclair-Boonton Line. There are other train stations close to Glen Ridge too.
The town also has a jitney service. This service takes people to and from the Glen Ridge Station. It costs money and runs during certain hours. The Freeman Parkway Bridge, built in 1926, crosses over Toney's Brook and the Montclair-Boonton Line.
Famous People from Glen Ridge
Many notable people have lived in or are connected to Glen Ridge. Here are a few:
- Buzz Aldrin (born 1930), the second person to walk on the Moon.
- Kurt Allerman (born 1955), a former football player in the NFL.
- Horace Ashenfelter (1923–2018), an Olympic gold medalist in track and field.
- Louis E. Baltzley (born 1885), who invented the binder clip.
- Dale Berra (born 1956), a former Major League Baseball player.
- Kerry Bishé (born 1984), an actress known for Argo and Scrubs.
- Eddie Bracken (1915–2002), a well-known character actor.
- Scott Bradley (born 1960), a former MLB catcher.
- Jon Brion (born 1963), a singer, songwriter, and composer.
- Mark Bryant (born 1965), a retired professional basketball player.
- Kacy Catanzaro (born 1990), the first woman to finish the American Ninja Warrior qualifying course.
- Tom Cruise (born 1962), a famous movie star who graduated from Glen Ridge High School.
- Gary Cuozzo (born 1941), a former NFL quarterback.
- Anthony Fasano (born 1984), an NFL tight end.
- Tom Fleming (1951–2017), a distance runner who won the New York City Marathon twice.
- Kenny Garrett (born 1960), a Grammy Award-winning jazz musician.
- Ezra Koenig (born 1984), a musician from the band Vampire Weekend.
- Rodney Leinhardt (born 1970), a professional wrestler.
- Aubrey Lewis (1935–2001), a football and track star.
- Rudy Mancuso (born 1992), an actor, producer, and internet personality.
- Henry Selick (born 1952), a stop motion movie director known for The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Cindy Sherman (born 1954), a famous artistic photographer.
- Alison Stewart (born 1966), an MSNBC news personality.
- Steve Thomas (born 1963), a former NHL hockey player.
- Tom Verducci (born 1960), a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated.
See also
In Spanish: Glen Ridge (Nueva Jersey) para niños
