Randolph, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Randolph, New Jersey
Township
David Tuttle Cooperage
Seal
Motto(s):  Where Life is Worth Living
Randolph, New Jersey Location in Morris County, New Jersey Show map of Morris County, New Jersey Randolph, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Randolph, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Morris
Incorporated	January 1, 1806
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (council–manager)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	21.16 sq mi (54.81 km2)
• Land	20.91 sq mi (54.14 km2)
• Water	0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)  1.22%
Area rank	133rd of 565 in state 8th of 39 in county
Elevation	994 ft (303 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,504
• Estimate  (2023)	26,547
• Rank	97th of 565 in state 3rd of 39 in county
• Density	1,267.8/sq mi (489.5/km2)
• Density rank	355th of 565 in state 24th of 39 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07869 – Randolph 07845 – Ironia 07970 – Mount Freedom
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3402761890
GNIS feature ID	0882201

Randolph is a town in southwestern Morris County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 26,504 people lived here. This was a small increase from 2010.

Randolph is the third largest town by population in Morris County. It covers about 21 square miles of land. The state of New Jersey sees Randolph as both a rural and suburban area. It is home to a diverse group of nearly 26,000 people.

In 2013, Randolph was named the best town in Morris County to live in. It was also ranked fourth overall in New Jersey. This was because of job growth, many homeowners, good schools, local shops, and safety. In 2019, Niche.com also listed Randolph among the top 50 "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey.

The County College of Morris was started in 1968. It is located on over 220 acres in the northern part of Randolph. It is near Route 10.

History of Randolph

Entering Randolph on Patriots Path

The first people known to live in the Randolph area were the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. The first European settlers were Quakers. One early landowner was Hartshorne Fitz-Randolph. He bought 1,000 acres in 1753. The town was later named after him.

New Jersey's first iron mine opened in Randolph in 1713. For hundreds of years, these mines helped the town grow. They provided materials for weapons used by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. During the war, Randolph was a supply point for George Washington's army. His army stayed nearby in Jockey Hollow during the winter.

Randolph became an official township on January 1, 1806. It was formed from parts of Mendham Township. Over the years, parts of Randolph were used to create other towns. These included Dover (1869), Port Oram (1895, now Wharton), Mine Hill Township (1923), and Victory Gardens (1951).

In the early 1900s, Randolph became a popular vacation spot. People loved its woods, ponds, lakes, and fresh air. Until the 1950s, the town had many farms, large hotels, and bungalow colonies. Famous performers like Phil Silvers and Frank Sinatra appeared at the hotels. Boxers such as Max Baer and Rocky Marciano trained or fought at the Saltz Hotel.

Important Places in Randolph

Randolph has several important historical places.

• The 1869 Bryant Distillery was famous for its applejack drink.
• The 1924 Millbrook School is now used as offices.
• The Liberty Tree, which was over 200 years old, was a town landmark until 2018.

The Randolph Historical Society keeps the town's history alive. They have a museum called the Museum of Old Randolph. One of Randolph's oldest streets, Gristmill Road, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Combs Hollow Historic District was added to the National Register in 1996. It is important for its history in industry from the 1700s to the 1900s.

Geography and Nature

Randolph covers about 21.16 square miles (54.81 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water. The land in Randolph is between 551 feet and 1120 feet above sea level. The New Jersey State Planning Commission says Randolph is half rural and half suburban.

Several small communities and places are located in Randolph. These include Black River Pond, Calais, Center Grove, Fernbrook, Ironia, Mill Brook, Mount Fern, Mount Freedom, Shongum, and Youngstown.

Randolph's hills attracted early settlers. Its streams provided power for industries. The town is located near the Black River, the South Branch of the Raritan River, the Whippany River, and the Rockaway River.

Randolph is a suburb of New York City. It shares borders with several other towns in Morris County. These include Mine Hill, Dover, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens, Mendham Township, Denville, Morris Township, Chester Township, and Roxbury.

Randolph's Climate

Randolph has a climate with warm summers and cold winters.

• July is usually the warmest month. The highest temperature ever recorded was 102°F in 1953.
• January is usually the coolest month. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -24°F in 1943.
• September usually has the most rain.

People and Population

In 2010, there were 25,734 people living in Randolph. There were 9,013 households and 7,075 families. The population density was about 1,236 people per square mile.

Most people in Randolph were White (82.44%). About 10.46% were Asian, and 2.68% were Black or African American. About 10.17% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 28% of the people were under 18 years old. The average age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were about 97 males.

Parks and Fun Activities

Randolph has many parks and places for fun.

• Brundage Park Recreation Complex: This park is 232 acres. It has:

* Six lighted tennis courts * Four lighted softball fields * Two lighted basketball courts * A 4-mile paved walking and jogging trail * Brundage Park Playhouse (for plays and musicals) * A playground and picnic area * A lacrosse/soccer field * A pond for fishing or ice skating

• Freedom Park: This park is 172 acres. It has:

* Lighted football, lacrosse, Little League, and Babe Ruth baseball fields * A multipurpose area and softball field * A picnic area, sand volleyball court, and playground

• Randolph Park: This 41-acre park has a beach. It also has:

* A beach house with changing rooms * A refreshment stand and picnic areas * A playground, docks for swimming, volleyball, and basketball courts

• Heistein Park: This 44-acre park has:

* Six soccer fields * Four Little League/softball fields * A picnic area, restrooms, and a refreshment stand * A lake for fishing and ice skating. Soccer tournaments are held here.

• Stonybrook Park: This 30-acre park is used for a summer day camp. It has a swimming pool, a small playground, and buildings for camp activities.

• Kiwanis Park: This small park (1.8 acres) has a playground, open play area, and picnic tables.

• Rosenfarb Park: This park has a half-court basketball court and a picnic area.

• Hidden Valley Park: This 51-acre park has rolling hills, a pond, and walking trails.

• Cohen Farm Park: This 111-acre park is undeveloped. Randolph's 16-mile trail system goes through it. It connects to Brundage Park and Freedom Park.

Education in Randolph

The Randolph Township Schools teach children from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. They also have programs for special-needs preschoolers. In the 2022–23 school year, the district had 4,220 students in six schools.

The schools in Randolph are:

• Center Grove Elementary School (PreK–5)
• Fernbrook Elementary School (K–5)
• Ironia Elementary School (K–5)
• Shongum Elementary School (K–5)
• Randolph Middle School (grades 6–8)
• Randolph High School (grades 9–12)

The main campus of the County College of Morris is in Randolph. It opened in 1968. Rutgers University works with County College of Morris. This allows students to earn a bachelor's degree by taking Rutgers courses at the college campus.

The Gottesman RTW Academy is a Jewish day school. It teaches students from preschool through eighth grade. This school has been recognized with the National Blue Ribbon School Award. This is a high honor from the United States Department of Education.

Getting Around Randolph

Route 10 westbound in Randolph

As of 2010, Randolph had about 145 miles of roads. Most of these roads are kept up by the town. Some are managed by Morris County or the state of New Jersey.

Major roads that go through Randolph include:

• Route 10
• Dover-Chester Road (County Route 513)
• Sussex Turnpike (County Route 617)

NJ Transit offers bus service in Randolph on the 875 route.

Community Life

Randolph has many organized events for everyone.

• High school sports are popular.
• There are gatherings for senior citizens.
• Many group activities are available.

The public library has reading groups and other programs. Games and social events are held at the Senior Citizen Center. The Brundage Park Playhouse puts on plays and musicals with both young people and adults.

There are also many recreation programs for children, teenagers, and adults.

Summer camps are available for different age groups:

• Grades K–2: Budding Stars Theatre Camp (Brundage Park Playhouse)
• Grades K–5: Summer Day Camp
• Grades 6–8: Teen Travel Camp
• Ages 8–14: Summer Stages (Brundage Park Playhouse)
• Grades 7–11: Advanced Performance Workshop (Brundage Park Playhouse)
• Grades K–12: Artworks Studio Summer Camp

Famous People From Randolph

Many notable people have lived in or are connected to Randolph:

See also

In Spanish: Randolph (Nueva Jersey) para niños