Pompton Lakes, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
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Borough
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Pompton Lake viewed from Ramapo Mountain State Forest
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Map of Pompton Lakes in Passaic County. Inset: Location of Passaic County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
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 Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Location in Passaic County, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Pompton Lakes, 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 | Passaic | ||
| Founded | 1682 | ||
| Incorporated | February 26, 1895 | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Borough | ||
| • Body | Borough Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 3.16 sq mi (8.19 km2) | ||
| • Land | 2.89 sq mi (7.48 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.27 sq mi (0.71 km2) 8.67% | ||
| Area rank | 327th of 565 in state 12th of 16 in county |
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| Elevation | 217 ft (66 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,127 | ||
| • Estimate
(2023)
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10,874 | ||
| • Rank | 223rd of 565 in state 11th of 16 in county |
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| • Density | 3,854.2/sq mi (1,488.1/km2) | ||
| • Density rank | 169th of 565 in state 9th of 16 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | ||
| ZIP Code |
07442
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| Area code(s) | 973 | ||
| FIPS code | 3403160090 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0885359 | ||
| Website | |||
Pompton Lakes is a small town, called a borough, in Passaic County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 11,127 people lived here. This was a small increase from 2010.
The borough was officially created on February 26, 1895. It was named after the Pompton people, a group of Native Americans who once lived in this area. Pompton Lakes was the first borough formed in Passaic County during a time when many new boroughs were being created in New Jersey.
Pompton Lakes is located about 20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. From some higher spots in the area, you can even see the New York skyline. Three rivers – the Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque – flow through the borough. These rivers were important long ago for powering local businesses. In the mid-1900s, Pompton Lakes was a popular place for shopping. However, this changed when bigger shopping malls opened nearby in the 1970s and 1980s.
Contents
Exploring Pompton Lakes History
Dutch settlers first came to the Pompton Lakes area in the 1680s. They bought farmland from the local Lenape Native Americans.
Early Industry and Ironworks
The area had lots of iron ore and strong river currents for hydropower. This helped Pompton Lakes grow early on. An ironworks was built in the early 1700s on the Ramapo River. It made weapons for the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, and the War of 1812.
Pompton Lakes During the Revolutionary War
Pompton was on a main north-south road during the Revolutionary War. The Continental Army often passed through. A local tavern, known as the Yellow Tavern, was a popular spot for soldiers.
General George Washington visited the Yellow Tavern twice. He first came on July 11, 1777, to meet with a local iron expert. A French general also visited in 1780 and wrote about his experience. Washington returned on March 30, 1782, with his wife Martha. The tavern was later taken down around 1900. A historical marker now shows where it stood.
Growth and Development in the 1800s
Pompton Township was formed in 1797. During the Civil War, the Pompton Ironworks made knives, saws, and parts for railroad cars. The Morris Canal, built in 1832, helped transport coal to the town's factories.
Even with these industries, Pompton remained mostly rural in the 1800s. Many summer resorts around Pompton Lake attracted vacationers from New York City. The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad opened a train station in the late 1870s. This helped the town grow even more. In 1895, Pompton Lakes officially became a separate borough.
20th Century Changes and DuPont
The population of Pompton Lakes grew a lot in the early 1900s. This was due to companies like German Artistic Weaving and Smith Powder Works. In 1905, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company bought Smith Powder Works. This became the DuPont Pompton Lakes Works, which operated until 1994.
Over many years, industrial activities at the former DuPont plant led to ground and water pollution in some areas. This environmental impact affected nearby homes.
Sports and Innovation in Pompton Lakes
In 1923, Joseph "Doc" Bier opened a "health farm" in Pompton Lakes. Famous boxers like Pancho Villa and Jimmy McLarnin trained there. In 1935, Joe Louis started training at the camp and continued until 1949. He even invited local children to watch him practice. He also held boxing shows to raise money for an ambulance and a police tower. The camp closed in the 1950s.
In 1938, a company called Reaction Motors designed the world's first rocket with a special cooling system in Pompton Lakes. This new technology allowed liquid-fueled rockets to burn for much longer. All future liquid-fueled rockets would use this idea. They tested this rocket at Lake Inez in the borough.
Geography and Local Environment
Pompton Lakes covers about 3.16 square miles (8.19 km2). Most of this is land, with a small part being water.
The borough shares borders with several other towns: Bloomingdale, Wanaque, and Wayne in Passaic County; Oakland in Bergen County; and Riverdale and Pequannock in Morris County.
Much of Pompton Lakes is in a valley where the Ramapo, Pequannock, and Wanaque rivers meet. This can sometimes cause flooding, like during Hurricane Irene in 2011. Some taller hills surround the valley. One important hill is Federal Hill, where the Pompton Mutiny happened on January 20, 1781. This was a revolt by some Continental Army troops.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 847 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,060 | 25.1% | |
| 1920 | 2,008 | 89.4% | |
| 1930 | 3,104 | 54.6% | |
| 1940 | 3,189 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 4,654 | 45.9% | |
| 1960 | 9,445 | 102.9% | |
| 1970 | 11,397 | 20.7% | |
| 1980 | 10,660 | −6.5% | |
| 1990 | 10,539 | −1.1% | |
| 2000 | 10,640 | 1.0% | |
| 2010 | 11,097 | 4.3% | |
| 2020 | 11,127 | 0.3% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 10,874 | −2.0% | |
| Population sources: 1900–1920 1900–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2010, Pompton Lakes had 11,097 people living in 4,190 households. Most residents were White (87.93%). About 10.89% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average household had 2.64 people. About 22.2% of the population was under 18 years old. The median age was 40.2 years.
Arts and Culture in Pompton Lakes
Pompton Lakes has been a filming location for movies and documentaries.
- The 1997 comedy In & Out, starring Kevin Kline, was partly filmed at Pompton Lakes High School.
- The 2014 independent short film Simpler Times, directed by local native Steve Monarque, was filmed in downtown Pompton Lakes. It starred Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
- The 2023 documentary film Flipside was partly based on and filmed at a record store in downtown Pompton Lakes.
Parks and Recreation Activities
The southern part of Ramapo Mountain State Forest is in northern Pompton Lakes. The park's Cannonball Trail starts here. The borough also has six local parks for everyone to enjoy:
- Hershfield Park
- Stiles Park
- Gallo-Pacifico Park
- Lakeside Park
- Rotary Park
- John Murrin Park
The Joe Louis Memorial is a special monument dedicated to the famous boxer who lived and trained in Pompton Lakes.
Pompton Lakes and Riverdale share their youth sports teams.
- The Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Little League (PLRLL) offers tee-ball, baseball, and softball.
- The Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Youth Organization (PLRYO) runs football, lacrosse, and cheerleading.
- The Pompton Lakes-Riverdale Soccer Association (PLRSA) manages the soccer teams.
The Pompton Lakes Recreation Department also holds a summer day camp at Hershfield Park. They offer special programs like art classes and karate lessons.
Education in Pompton Lakes
The Pompton Lakes School District serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade. In the 2020–21 school year, about 1,755 students attended the four schools in the district.
The schools are:
- Lenox School (grades K–5)
- Lincoln School (grades Pre-K–5)
- Lakeside Middle School (grades 6–8)
- Pompton Lakes High School (grades 9–12)
Students from Riverdale also attend Pompton Lakes High School.
St. Mary's School was a Catholic school for students up to eighth grade. It closed at the end of the 2019–2020 school year due to financial problems.
Local Media and Communication
WGHT, a radio station, is located in Pompton Lakes. It started as WKER in 1964. The station stopped broadcasting in 2017 but started again in April 2019. It currently shares programs from another station while developing its own local shows. The transmitting tower for William Paterson University's WPSC-FM radio station is also in the borough.
The Borough of Pompton Lakes uses social media like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share information. They also have a town information channel called PLTV77 on Optimum cable channel 77.
Transportation and Roads
As of 2010, Pompton Lakes had about 33.49 miles of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the town itself.
Major roads that go through Pompton Lakes include I-287 and Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike.
Public Transportation Options
NJ Transit offers bus services in Pompton Lakes.
- The 193, 194, and 197 bus routes connect the borough to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
- The 748 line provides local service within Passaic and Bergen counties.
In September 2012, NJ Transit stopped the 75 bus line service to Newark due to budget cuts.
Notable People from Pompton Lakes
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Pompton Lakes:
- Cat Bauer (born 1955), author of books for young adults.
- Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959), a very successful film director and a founder of American cinema.
- Larry Elgart (1922–2017), a jazz bandleader.
- Les Elgart (1917–1995), a trumpet player.
- Scott Ellsworth (born 1927), a radio personality and actor.
- Charlie Getty (born 1952), played 10 seasons in the NFL.
- Christine Terhune Herrick (1859–1944), an author who lived in the borough.
- Marty Isenberg (born 1963), an animation writer.
- Gary Jennings (1928–1999), an author of historical fiction.
- Lovell Lawrence Jr. (1915–1971), a rocket scientist.
- Joe Louis (1914–1981), a famous boxer and heavyweight champion.
- Wil Mara (born 1966), a children's book author.
- Steve Monarque (born 1959), an actor, director, and musician.
- Twiggy Ramirez (born 1971), a musician for Marilyn Manson.
- Patty Shwartz (born 1961), a United States federal judge.
- Albert Payson Terhune (1872–1942), author of dog stories like Lad, A Dog.
- Mary Virginia Terhune (1830–1922), an author known as Marion Harland.
- Ognjen Topic (born 1992), a Muay Thai kickboxer.
- Travis Tuck (1943–2002), a metal sculptor.
- Arthur Vervaet (1913–1999), a politician.
- Michael Weiner (1961–2013), a sports executive.
- John Wolters (1945–1997), a drummer for Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.
- James Hart Wyld (1912–1953), an engineer and rocket scientist.
See also
In Spanish: Pompton Lakes para niños
