Lyndhurst, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
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Township
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Historic River Road School
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| Nickname(s):
"Bear Country"
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Location of Lyndhurst in Bergen County highlighted in red (right). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in red (left).
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Census Bureau map of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
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 Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Lyndhurst, 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 | Bergen | |
| Incorporated | February 19, 1852 (as Union Township) | |
| Renamed | May 15, 1917 (as Lyndhurst) | |
| Named for | Lord Lyndhurst | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Walsh Act | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 4.96 sq mi (12.86 km2) | |
| • Land | 4.58 sq mi (11.87 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.38 sq mi (0.99 km2) 7.66% | |
| Area rank | 276th of 565 in state 13th of 70 in county |
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| Elevation | 10 ft (3 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 22,519 | |
| • Estimate
(2024)
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22,642 | |
| • Rank | 121st of 565 in state 13th of 70 in county |
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| • Density | 4,912.5/sq mi (1,896.7/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 117th of 565 in state 31st of 70 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07071
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| Area code(s) | 201 | |
| FIPS code | 3400342090 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882225 | |
Lyndhurst is a township located in Bergen County, in the state of New Jersey, United States. In 2020, about 22,519 people lived here. This was an increase of 1,965 people since 2010.
Contents
History of Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst has an interesting history that goes back to the 1800s.
How Lyndhurst Was Formed
In 1840, a new area called Hudson County was created. It was made from parts of Bergen Township and Lodi Township. The part of Lodi Township that became part of Hudson County was named Harrison Township.
Some people in the northern part of Harrison Township wanted to be back in Bergen County. So, in 1852, this area became a new place called Union Township.
Changes to Union Township
Over the years, parts of Union Township became new towns.
- In 1881, Rutherford became the first borough (a type of town) formed from Union Township.
- In 1889, Boiling Springs Township was created from the northern part of Union Township. This later became East Rutherford in 1894.
- In 1896, North Arlington was created.
Finally, on May 15, 1917, the remaining part of Union Township changed its name to Lyndhurst Township. It was named after Lord Lyndhurst.
Kingsland Village and the Railroad
Kingsland was once a small village within Lyndhurst. The Kingsland family owned a lot of land there. In 1872, the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad built a railway through the area. They built a train station called "Kingsland" to honor the family. A railroad shop was also built, and homes were made for the railroad workers.
The Kingsland Explosion
On January 11, 1917, a big fire started at a factory in what is now Lyndhurst. This factory was making bombs for the United Kingdom and Russia during World War I. A flammable liquid spilled, causing a fire in a building where shells were being cleaned. About 500,000 explosive shells went off over four hours, destroying the whole factory.
A brave switchboard operator named Tessie McNamara is credited with saving 1,400 lives. She called every building in the factory, shouting, "Get out or go up!" Because of her quick actions, no one died in the fire. The Lyndhurst Historical Society has a park dedicated to Tessie McNamara on Clay Avenue.
Geography of Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst covers about 4.96 square miles (12.86 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.
Neighboring Towns and Features
Lyndhurst shares borders with several other towns:
- In Bergen County: North Arlington and Rutherford.
- In Essex County: Belleville and Nutley.
- In Hudson County: Kearny and Secaucus.
- In Passaic County: Clifton.
The Passaic River forms the western border of Lyndhurst. The eastern part of the town is made up of wetlands, which are part of the New Jersey Meadowlands.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 957 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,057 | 114.9% | |
| 1880 | 3,164 | 53.8% | |
| 1890 | 1,560 | * | −50.7% |
| 1900 | 1,590 | * | 1.9% |
| 1910 | 4,076 | 156.4% | |
| 1920 | 9,515 | 133.4% | |
| 1930 | 17,362 | 82.5% | |
| 1940 | 17,454 | 0.5% | |
| 1950 | 19,980 | 14.5% | |
| 1960 | 21,867 | 9.4% | |
| 1970 | 22,729 | 3.9% | |
| 1980 | 20,326 | −10.6% | |
| 1990 | 18,262 | −10.2% | |
| 2000 | 19,383 | 6.1% | |
| 2010 | 20,554 | 6.0% | |
| 2020 | 22,519 | 9.6% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 22,642 | 10.2% | |
| Population sources: 1860–1920 1860–1870 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1900–2020 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade. |
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In 2020, Lyndhurst had a population of 22,519 people. This was an increase from 20,554 people in 2010. The population density was about 4,912 people per square mile.
Lyndhurst is a diverse community. In 2020, about 59.45% of the population was White (not Hispanic). About 27% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. There were also people of Black, Asian, and other backgrounds living in the township.
In 2000, a large number of Lyndhurst residents (33.8%) had Italian ancestry. This was one of the highest percentages in the United States for towns of its size.
Economy and Business
Historically, Lyndhurst was known for making machinery and metal products.
Today, Lyndhurst is home to various businesses. Because of its location in the New Jersey Meadowlands, several radio stations have their transmitters and towers here. These include WINS-1010, WSNR-620, and WLIB-1190.
Lyndhurst also has one of the nine Medieval Times dinner theaters in the United States.
There was a big project called EnCap that aimed to clean up old landfills in the Meadowlands area of Lyndhurst, North Arlington, and Rutherford. The plan was to build homes and golf courses on the cleaned land. However, the company in charge of the project did not meet its goals, and the agreement was ended in 2008.
Arts and Culture
Lyndhurst is home to some musical groups. These include the funeral doom metal band Evoken and the alternative rock band Winter Hours.
Sports and Recreation
Lyndhurst's sports teams are often called the Golden Bears or the Cubs.
Youth Sports
Lyndhurst has active youth sports programs.
- Lyndhurst Baseball: The Lyndhurst-American Little League baseball team won their district championship in 2006 after 17 years. They made it almost to the national finals.
- Lyndhurst Youth Soccer: This program has about 600 players aged 5 to 13. It also has several travel teams.
Parks in Lyndhurst
- Riverside County Park: This large park covers 85 acres. It has a playground, sports fields, tennis courts, a Bocce ball court, and a fitness center.
- Lewandowski Park: This park and a street are named after the three Lewandowski brothers. They were all killed while serving in the military during World War II.
Government and Politics
Lyndhurst is governed by a system called the Walsh Act. This means the town is run by five commissioners. These commissioners are elected by all the voters in the town every four years. After they are elected, the commissioners choose one of themselves to be the Mayor. Each commissioner is also in charge of a different department, like public safety or public works.
As of 2023, the Mayor is Robert B. Giangeruso. He is also the Commissioner of Public Safety. The other commissioners are Louis DeMarco, Karen Haggerty, Richard L. Jarvis Sr., and John J. Montillo Jr. Their terms end in May 2025.
Education in Lyndhurst
The Lyndhurst School District serves students from pre-kindergarten all the way through high school. In the 2021–2022 school year, the district had about 2,540 students and 197.5 teachers. This means there were about 12.9 students for every teacher.
The schools in the district include:
- Community School (grades K-2)
- Columbus School (grades K-2)
- Franklin School (grades K-2)
- Memorial Campus (grades K-2)
- Washington School (grades K-2)
- Jefferson School (grades 3-5)
- Roosevelt School (grades 3-5)
- Lyndhurst Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Lyndhurst High School (grades 9-12)
Students in Bergen County can also attend special high school programs at the Bergen County Technical Schools. These include the Bergen County Academies and the Bergen Tech campuses. Students apply to these schools, and if accepted, their home town pays for their tuition.
There is also a Catholic elementary school in Lyndhurst called Sacred Heart School. It serves students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
For higher education, Bergen Community College has a campus in Lyndhurst. Other nearby colleges include Farleigh Dickinson University and Felician College.
Emergency Services
Lyndhurst has several important emergency services to keep its residents safe.
Police Department
The Lyndhurst Police Department (LPD) provides police services to the township. It was started in 1907. The department also has a Police Auxiliary Unit, which is made up of volunteers who help the police department.
Fire Department
The Lyndhurst Fire Department (LFD) is made up entirely of volunteers. It was formed in 1886. About 70 trained firefighters respond to hundreds of calls each year.
Ambulance Service
Lyndhurst has both volunteer and paid ambulance services. The Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad is a volunteer group that responds to medical calls in the evenings and on weekends. During weekdays, a paid team provides services. Residents do not have to pay for these ambulance services.
Transportation
Lyndhurst has several roads and public transportation options.
Roads and Highways
Major roads that go through Lyndhurst include Route 17 and County Route 507. Route 3 is just north of Lyndhurst in Rutherford. The New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur also passes through the southeastern part of Lyndhurst.
The Avondale-DeJessa Bridge connects Lyndhurst and Nutley over the Passaic River. This bridge is very busy, with over 26,000 vehicles crossing it every day.
Public Transportation
NJ Transit provides train service at the Lyndhurst station. From here, you can take trains to Hoboken Terminal. At Hoboken, you can transfer to other trains like PATH trains to New York City, or the Hudson Bergen Light Rail. You can also transfer at Secaucus Junction to reach New York Penn Station or Newark Airport.
The trains cross the Lyndhurst Draw, which is a railroad bridge over the Passaic River.
NJ Transit also offers bus services in Lyndhurst. Buses on the 76 route go to Newark. Other routes, like the 109, 191, 192, 193 and 195, go to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
Notable People from Lyndhurst
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Lyndhurst:
- Victor Cruz (born 1986), a wide receiver who played for the New York Giants football team.
- Melissa Fumero (born 1982), an actress known for her roles in One Life to Live and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
- Mackenzie Gress (born 2004), a soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
- Lou Monte (1917–1989), a singer famous for his Italian-themed novelty songs.
- Chico Resch (born 1948), a hockey sportscaster and former goalie for teams like the New York Islanders.
- Johnny Weir (born 1984), a well-known figure skater.
Historic Sites
Lyndhurst has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
- River Road School – 400 Riverside Avenue (added 1977)
- Jacob W. Van Winkle House – 316 Riverside Avenue (added 1983)
- Jeremiah J. Yeareance House – 410 Riverside Avenue (added 1986)
Sister City
Lyndhurst has a sister city:
Lyndhurst in Television
Lyndhurst has appeared in several episodes of the TV series The Sopranos.
See also
In Spanish: Lyndhurst (Nueva Jersey) para niños
