Irvington, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Irvington, New Jersey
Township
Township of Irvington
Morrell High School
Location in Essex County and the state of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Irvington, New Jersey
Irvington, New Jersey Location in Essex County, New Jersey Show map of Essex County, New Jersey Irvington, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Irvington, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Essex
Incorporated	March 27, 1874
Named for	Washington Irving
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	2.92 sq mi (7.55 km2)
• Land	2.91 sq mi (7.55 km2)
• Water	<0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)  0.07%
Area rank	338th of 565 in state 16th of 22 in county
Elevation	128 ft (39 m)
Population  (2010 Census)
• Total	53,926
• Estimate  (2019)	54,312
• Rank	30th of 566 in state 3rd of 22 in county
• Density	18,417.0/sq mi (7,110.8/km2)
• Density rank	8th of 566 in state 1st of 22 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07111
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3401334450
GNIS feature ID	0877363

Irvington is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 53,926, having declined by 6,769 (−11.2%) from the 60,695 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 323 (−0.5%) from the 61,018 counted in the 1990 Census.

The township had the ninth-highest property tax rate in New Jersey, with an equalized rate of 4.890% in 2020, compared to 2.824% in the county as a whole and a statewide average of 2.279%.

History

Clinton Township, which included what is now Irvington, Maplewood and parts of Newark and South Orange, was created on April 14, 1834. The area was known as Camptown until the mid-1800s. In 1850, after Stephen Foster published his ballad, Camptown Races, residents were concerned that the activities described in the song would be associated with their community. The town was renamed, Irvingtown, in honor of Washington Irving.

Irvington was incorporated as an independent village on March 27, 1874, from portions of Clinton Township. What remained of Clinton Township was absorbed into Newark on March 5, 1902. On March 2, 1898, Irvington was incorporated as a Town, replacing Irvington Village. In 1982, the town was one of four Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining 11 municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.

The 1967 Newark riots hastened an exodus of families from that city, many of them moving a few short blocks into neighboring Irvington. Until 1965, Irvington was almost exclusively white. By 1980, the town was nearly 40% black; by 1990 it was 70%. On July 1, 1980, Fred Bost, the first black to serve on the Town Council, was sworn in as East Ward Councilman. Michael G. Steele, the town's first black mayor, was elected in 1990, followed by Sarah Brockington Bost in 1994. The current Mayor is Tony Vauss.

Irvington was home to Olympic Park, an amusement park, from 1887 to 1965. The park property straddled the border of Irvington and Maplewood with the main entrance on Chancellor Avenue and a side entrance on 40th St. After the park closed, the merry-go-round was sold and transported to Disney World, in Orlando, FL. The book, "Smile: A Picture History of Olympic Park, 1887 - 1965" written by Alan A. Siegel was published in 1983 by Rutgers University Press.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, Irvington had a total area of 2.930 square miles (7.589 km²), including 2.928 square miles (7.584 km²) of land and 0.002 square miles (0.005 km²) of water (0.07%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Irving Place.

The township is bordered by Maplewood to the west, Newark to the east, Hillside to the south, South Orange to the northwest, all in Essex County; and by Union to the southwest in Union County, New Jersey.

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 53,926 people, 20,093 households, and 12,839 families residing in the township. The population density was 18,417.0 per square mile (7,110.8/km²). There were 23,196 housing units at an average density of 7,922.0 per square mile (3,058.7/km²)^*. The racial makeup of the township was 5.64% (3,042) White, 85.41% (46,058) Black or African American, 0.38% (204) Native American, 0.87% (471) Asian, 0.07% (38) Pacific Islander, 5.42% (2,922) from other races, and 2.21% (1,191) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.60% (5,716) of the population.

There were 20,093 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.6% were married couples living together, 27.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the township, the population was spread out with 25.4% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.0 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 84.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $42,580, and the median family income was $50,798. Males had a median income of $38,033 versus $36,720 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,520. About 14.4% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.4% of those under age 18 and 16.7% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Garden State Parkway northbound in Irvington

Roads and highways

As of May 2010^[update], the township had a total of 69.44 miles (111.75 km) of roadways, of which 55.98 miles (90.09 km) were maintained by the municipality, 10.69 miles (17.20 km) by Essex County, 2.60 miles (4.18 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 0.17 miles (0.27 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

The Garden State Parkway is the most significant highway in Irvington, passing through the center of the township; it is accessible from exits 143 and 144. Interstate 78 also passes through very briefly along the southeastern border at Exit 54. The most significant local roadway passing through Irvington is County Road 509.

Public transportation

Bus Terminal

The Irvington Bus Terminal, which underwent renovation in the early 2000s, is one of NJ Transit's (NJT) busiest facilities and regional transit hubs. Irvington is served by NJ Transit bus routes 107 to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan; the 1, 13, 25, 27, 37, 39, 42, 70, 90 and 94 to Newark; and local service on the 26, 96 and other routes.

Scheduled airline service is available at Newark Liberty International Airport in neighboring Newark and Elizabeth.

Economy

Springfield Avenue commercial district

Portions of the township are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Irvington was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+5⁄8% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in May 1996, the township's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in May 2027.

In July 2015, the central business district surrounding the Irvington Bus Terminal on Springfield Ave. was designated as one of 33 transit villages statewide, qualifying it for incentives for revitalization.

Education

The Irvington Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of 12 schools, had an enrollment of 8,020 students and 530.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 15.1:1. Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Augusta Preschool Academy (with 341 students; in PreK), Berkeley Terrace School (387; PreK–5), Chancellor Avenue School (527; K–5), Florence Avenue School (672; K–5), Grove Street School (428; PreK–5), Madison Avenue School (410; PreK–5), Thurgood G. Marshall School (398; PreK–5), Mount Vernon Avenue School (542; K–5), University Elementary School (403; K–5), Union Avenue Middle School (778; 6–8), University Middle School (403; 6–8) and Irvington High School (1,558; 9–12). The district's high school was the 309th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 328 schools statewide in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2012 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 287th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed.

Notable people

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

• Richie Adubato (born 1937), former NBA coach for the Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks.
• Harold A. Ackerman (1928–2009), United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
• Paul Boris (born 1955), former pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.
• Glen Burtnik (born 1955), singer, songwriter, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a former member of the band Styx.
• Asnage Castelly (born 1979), wrestler competing for Haiti at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
• Cyrus Durand Chapman (1856–1918), artist and architect who achieved fame with his painting The Wedding Bonnet.
• Rakeem Christmas (born 1991), basketball player for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, on assignment from the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.
• Josh Evans, (born 1991), free safety who has played in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Vera Farmiga (born 1973), Academy Award-nominated actress, film director and producer.
• Charles Goeller (1901–1955), artist best known for precise and detailed paintings and drawings.
• Ina Golub (1938–2015), fiber artist specializing in Judaica.
• Mike Goodson (born 1987), running back who has played in the NFL for the New York Jets.
• Austin Gunsel (1909–1974), National Football League's interim commissioner following the death of Bert Bell on October 11, 1959.
• William C. Hill (1917–1998), Associate Justice of the Vermont Supreme Court.
• Frank Hiller (1920–1987), MLB pitcher from 1946 to 1953 who played for the New York Giants, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds.
• Erna Schneider Hoover (born 1926), mathematician notable for inventing a computerized telephone switching method.
• James J. Howard (1927–1988), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1965 to 1988.
• Kareem Huggins (born 1986) running back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Sanford Hunt (1881–1943), member of the Cornell Big Red football team who was a consensus All-American at the guard position in 1901 and later an editor and director of The Newark Sunday Call.
• Jeff Janiak (born 1976), vocalist of the punk rock band Discharge
• Jay W. Jensen (1931–2007), drama teacher.
• Cullen Jones (born 1984), gold medal-winning swimmer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in the Men's 4 × 100 m Freestyle Relay.
• Ron Karnaugh (born 1966), former competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
• Jack Kiley (1929–1982), professional basketball player who played for the Fort Wayne Pistons.
• Martin E. Kravarik (1936–2018), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from District 7B from 1970 to 1972.
• Jerry Lewis (born 1926), comedian, actor, director.
• Kevin Lyles (born 1973), former sprinter.
• Boris Malenko (1933–1994), professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer.
• Adrienne A. Mandel (born 1936), politician who represented the 19th District in the Maryland House of Delegates for more than ten years.
• Percy A. Miller Jr. (1899–1984), politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and was Mayor of Irvington from 1934 to 1938.
• Joe Morello (1928–2011), drummer best known for his work with The Dave Brubeck Quartet.
• Raheem Morris (born 1976), former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
• Frank Muehlheuser (1926–2006), American football fullback and linebacker who played in the NFL for the Boston Yanks and New York Bulldogs.
• Al-Quadin Muhammad (born 1995), defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League.
• Napoleon (born 1977), rapper known for being a former member of Tupac Shakur's group, the Outlawz.
• Rocco Neri (1919–2011), politician who served as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1974 to 1976.
• Blanche Noyes (1900–1981), pioneering female aviator who was among the first ten women to receive a pilot's license.
• Bob Perina (1921–1991), running back, quarterback and defensive back who played in the NFL for five seasons.
• Fabiana Pierre-Louis (born 1980/81), lawyer who was nominated in June 2020 to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court.
• Pras (born 1972), rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor, best known as one of the founding members of the Fugees.
• Queen Latifah (born 1970), rapper, singer, actress, producer.
• Kenneth Raffa (born 1950), entomologist.
• Robert Randolph, singer and guitarist for Robert Randolph & the Family band.
• Nicholas Reale (1922–1984), watercolorist with a lengthy career in art and teaching.
• Nate Robinson (born 1985), former football defensive tackle.
• Mark Rudd (born 1947), educator and anti-war activist.
• Al Santorini (born 1948), former MLB pitcher who played for the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals.
• O. K. Sato (1871–1921), vaudeville performer best known for his comedic juggling.
• Artie Schroeck (born 1938), composer and arranger.
• Art Sinsabaugh (1924–1983), photographer.
• Craig A. Stanley (born 1955), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1996 to 2008, where he represented the 28th Legislative District.
• Gary Stein (born 1933), attorney and former Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, who served for 17 years where he wrote over 365 published opinions.
• Wilbur Summers (1954-2019), American football punter who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions.
• Kay Sutton (1915–1988), film actress.
• Travis Taylor (born 1990), professional basketball player.
• Bill Wenzel (1918–1987), cartoonist best known as a widely published good girl artist for men's magazines.
• Lewis Yablonsky (1924—2014), sociologist, criminologist, author, and psychotherapist best known for his innovative and experiential work with gang members.
• Robert Zoellner (1932–2014), investor and stamp collector who was the second person to have assembled a complete collection of United States postage stamps.
• Tony Zuzzio (1916–2002), lineman who played for the Detroit Lions during the 1942 NFL season.

See also

In Spanish: Irvington (Nueva Jersey) para niños