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Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Township
Township of Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst portion of New Jersey Meadowlands.
Lyndhurst portion of New Jersey Meadowlands.
Nickname(s): 
"Bear Country"
Map highlighting Lyndhurst's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Map highlighting Lyndhurst's location within Bergen County. Inset: Bergen County's location within New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey is located in Bergen County, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey is located in the United States
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
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
Elevation
10 ft (3 m)
Population
 • Total 20,554
 • Estimate 
(2019)
22,918
 • Rank 126th of 566 in state
13th of 70 in county
 • Density 4,509.3/sq mi (1,741.1/km2)
 • Density rank 128th of 566 in state
32nd of 70 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07071
Area code(s) 201
FIPS code 3400342090
GNIS feature ID 0882225

Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 20,554, reflecting an increase of 1,171 (+6.0%) from the 19,383 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,121 (+6.1%) from the 18,262 counted in the 1990 Census.

History

Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852, from portions of Harrison Township. While it was still Union Township, portions of territory were taken to form Rutherford (as of September 21, 1881), Boiling Springs Township (April 17, 1889; now known as East Rutherford) and North Arlington (March 11, 1896). On May 15, 1917, the area was reincorporated by an act of the New Jersey Legislature as the Township of Lyndhurst, based on the results of a referendum held one week earlier. The township is named for Lord Lyndhurst.

Kingsland explosion

On January 11, 1917, a fire started in Building 30 of the Canadian Car and Foundry Company, in what is now Lyndhurst, in a plant that was producing munitions for sale to the United Kingdom and the Russian Empire during World War I. After a spill of flammable liquid started a fire in a building where shells were cleaned, about 500,000, three-inch (76 mm) explosive shells were discharged in about four hours, destroying the entire facility. It was said to have been a spectacle more magnificent than the explosion at Black Tom in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Tessie McNamara, who operated the company switchboard, was credited with saving 1,400 lives, contacting each of the buildings and shouting the warning, "Get out or go up!" Thanks to her dedication, no one was killed in the fire. The Lyndhurst Historical Society has created a vest pocket park dedicated to the memory of McNamara. The park is located on Clay Avenue, between Valley Brook Avenue and Wall Street West. The brick stack can be seen from this park.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 4.894 square miles (12.676 km2), including 4.558 square miles (11.806 km2) of land and 0.336 square miles (0.870 km2) of water (6.86%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Kingsland and South Rutherford.

The township borders North Arlington and Rutherford in Bergen County; Belleville and Nutley in Essex County; Kearny and Secaucus in Hudson County; and Clifton in Passaic County.

The Passaic River, crossed by the Avondale Bridge and the Lyndhurst Draw, creates the municipal and county border at the west. The eastern portion of the municipality is part of the uninhabited wetlands in the New Jersey Meadowlands.

Demographics

Historical population
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%
2019 (est.) 22,918 11.5%
Population sources: 1860–1920
1860–1870 1870 1880–1890
1890–1910 1910–1930
1900–2010 2000 2010
* = Lost territory in previous decade.

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 20,554 people, 8,337 households, and 5,394 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,509.3 per square mile (1,741.1/km2). There were 8,787 housing units at an average density of 1,927.7 per square mile (744.3/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 82.97% (17,053) White, 1.98% (406) Black or African American, 0.17% (34) Native American, 6.59% (1,355) Asian, 0.03% (6) Pacific Islander, 5.57% (1,144) from other races, and 2.71% (556) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.34% (3,769) of the population.

There were 8,337 households out of which 25.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the township, the population was spread out with 18.9% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 90.4 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $68,177 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,370) and the median family income was $79,579 (+/- $4,878). Males had a median income of $56,299 (+/- $6,347) versus $44,468 (+/- $2,406) for females. The per capita income for the township was $34,233 (+/- $2,119). About 3.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples headed 58 households in 2010, an increase from the 35 counted in 2000.

Parks and recreation

Riverside County Park is a Bergen County park covering 85 acres (34 ha) located on Riverside Avenue between Lyndhurst and North Arlington. It has a playground, athletic fields, tennis courts, a Bocce ball court, and fitness center.

The township named Lewandowski Park and Lewandowski Street in honor of the three Lewandowski brothers, who were killed while serving in the armed forces during World War II.

Transportation

2020-09-08 12 10 20 View north along New Jersey State Route 17 at the exit for New Jersey State Route 3 EAST (New York) on the border of Lyndhurst Township and Rutherford in Bergen County, New Jersey
Route 17 northbound exiting Lyndhurst

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 45.95 miles (73.95 km) of roadways, of which 37.81 miles (60.85 km) were maintained by the municipality, 4.93 miles (7.93 km) by Bergen County and 2.15 miles (3.46 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 1.06 miles (1.71 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

Route 17 and County Route 507 pass through Lyndhurst. Route 3 is just over the northern border of Lyndhurst in neighboring Rutherford. Route 21 is across the Passaic River in neighboring Nutley and Clifton.

The New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur (Interstate 95) passes through the southeastern part, but the closest interchanges are in East Rutherford (Exit 16W) and Kearny (Exit 15W).

The Avondale-DeJessa Bridge, which connects Lyndhurst and Nutley over the Passaic River with one lane in each direction, carries more than 26,000 vehicles a day, and is among 22 bridges in Bergen County that have been classified as "structurally deficient".

Public transportation

Lyndhurst Draw (Passaic River)f
The Lyndhurst Draw crosses the Passaic River carrying the NJT Main Line and Metro North Port Jervis Line.

NJ Transit has two train stations in Lyndhurst, located at Lyndhurst Station and Kingsland Station. Trains at both stations operate on the Main Line to Hoboken Terminal, with transfers available at Secaucus Junction to New York Penn Station, Newark Penn Station, and Newark Airport, with transfers at Hoboken to PATH trains, Hudson Bergen Light Rail, and New York Waterway ferries. The trains travel over the Lyndhurst Draw, a railroad bridge crossing the Passaic River between Clifton and Lyndhurst that was constructed in 1901 and is owned and operated by NJ Transit Rail Operations.

New Jersey Transit offers buses serving Newark on the 76 route and to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 191, 192, 193 and 195 routes. Lyndhurst is also served by DeCamp Bus Lines routes 32, 44 and 99.

Historic sites

Lyndhurst is home to the following locations 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)

Economy

Lyndhurst was historically home to manufacturers of machinery and metal products.

Lyndhurst is also home to several locally owned and operated businesses such as Mazur's Bakery and the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop, which produces regionally-acclaimed Italian cakes and pastries, homemade Italian Ice during the spring, summer and fall. The main business sections are Valley Brook Avenue, Ridge Road, and Stuyvesant Avenue. Lyndhurst has many neighborhood delis, eateries, restaurants, and stores which allow residents the ability to walk rather than drive.

Because portions of the township are located in the New Jersey Meadowlands, a number of radio stations have their transmitters and towers located in Lyndhurst. These include AM stations WINS-1010, WSNR-620, and WLIB-1190 along with Amateur Radio and HD TV station W2INS.

Lyndhurst Meadowlands is home to one of nine Medieval Times dinner theaters nationwide.

Lyndhurst, together with North Arlington and Rutherford, was the site of the EnCap project, an effort to remediate landfills on the 785-acre (3.18 km2) site and construct homes and golf courses on top of the cleaned-up site. On May 27, 2008, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission terminated its agreement with EnCap Golf Holdings, the company that had the contract to redevelop the site, after the company had missed targets to clean up the landfills as part of the project.

At one time LJN Toys had its headquarters in Lyndhurst.

From 1946 until 1966, Lyndhurst was home to the BUR Barbell Company, the second-largest producer of weight training equipment in the United States.

Sports

Town mascot and names include the Lyndhurst Golden Bears/Lyndhurst Post 139/Lyndhurst Cubs

Lyndhurst baseball

American Legion, Cricket, Stellatos, Savinos, I.A.C.L, Bergen County Glass, Carucci, and Century 21 make up Lyndhurst Little League as of 2017.

On July 14, 2006, the Lyndhurst-American Little League baseball team ended their 17-year drought to become district champs. Throughout the nine district playoff games, Lyndhurst-American hit 14 home runs and eventually emerged as sectional finalists; two wins away from appearing on national television.

Lyndhurst Youth Soccer

Lyndhurst Youth Soccer has approximately 600 players from age 5 to age 13 and several travel teams.

Education

RIVER ROAD SCHOOL, LYNDHURST, BERGEN COUNTY, NJ
River Road School

The Lyndhurst School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 2,525 students and 190.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.3:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Columbus School with 156 students in grades K-2, Franklin School with 242 students in grades PreK-2, Washington School with 186 students in grades PreK-2, Memorial Campus with 202 students in grade 3, Jefferson School with 272 students in grades 4–8, Lincoln School with 251 students in grades 4–8, Roosevelt School with 418 students in grades 4-8 and Lyndhurst High School with 752 students in grades 9-12.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Founded in 1956, Sacred Heart School is a Catholic elementary school serving students in grades K-8 that operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

Bergen Community College has a campus in Lyndhurst. Nearby colleges and universities include Farleigh Dickinson University (Teaneck / Hackensack campus) and Felician College in Lodi and Rutherford.

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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

  • Gabriel M. Ambrosio (1938-2013), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate, representing the 36th Legislative District.
  • Michael Bell (born 1971), artist known for his infamous portrait clientele, which includes the late John Gotti and numerous actors from The Sopranos.
  • George Fraser Black (1866–1948), librarian, historian and linguist who worked at the New York Public Library for more than three decades.
  • Jim Blumenstock (1918–1963), American football fullback who played in the NFL for the New York Giants.
  • Anthony J. Cirone (born 1941), percussionist with the San Francisco Symphony under Maestro Josef Krips.
  • Victor Cruz (born 1986), wide receiver who has played for the New York Giants.
  • Christine Ann Denny (class of 2001), neuroscientist whose research focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory.
  • Evoken, funeral doom metal band.
  • Melissa Fumero (born 1982), actress who has appeared in One Life to Live and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
  • Alan Grieco (born 1946), former cyclist who competed in the Men's sprint at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
  • Wayne Johnsen (born 1977), professional boxer who appeared on the reality television series The Contender 3.
  • Elizabeth Lindsay (1912–2013), track and field athlete and Girl Scout activist.
  • Tom Longo (1942–2015) defensive back who played three seasons in the National Football League with the New York Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
  • Roy LoPresti (1929–2002), aeronautical engineer.
  • Lou Monte (1917–1989), singer best known for a number of best-selling, Italian-themed novelty records which he recorded in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
  • Robert O'Brien (1908-1987), racing driver.
  • Donny Pritzlaff (born 1979), freestyle wrestler who represented the United States in international competition, winning bronze medals at the 2006 World Wrestling Championships and at the 2007 FILA Wrestling World Cup.
  • Lawrence G. Rawl (1928–2005), chairman and CEO of Exxon from 1985 to 1993.
  • Chico Resch (born 1948), hockey sportscaster who played goalie in the NHL for the New York Islanders, Colorado Rockies, New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers.
  • Robert A. Roe (1924–2014), politician who represented New Jersey in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1993.
  • Carmine Savino (1911–1993), lawyer, newspaper editor and politician who served for ten years in the New Jersey General Assembly
  • Anthony Scardino (born 1936), politician who served as Mayor of Lyndhurst and served in the New Jersey Senate from the 36th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980.
  • Walter G. Schroeder (born 1927), politician who was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1985 to 1993.
  • John P. Scott (1933–2010), member of the New Jersey Senate from 1992 to 1998.
  • Jimmy Smagula (born 1976), actor who has appeared in The Sopranos, Bones, Grey's Anatomy, Parks and Recreation, and Rizzoli & Isles as well as films, including The Island and The Producers.
  • Jim Tooey (born 1954), actor.
  • Johnny Weir (born 1984), figure skater.
  • Winter Hours, alternative rock band.

Images for kids

See also

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