Verona, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Verona, New Jersey
Township
The Verona Park Boathouse, viewed from the north-west shore of Verona Park Lake
Flag Seal
Verona, New Jersey Location in Essex County, New Jersey Show map of Essex County, New Jersey Verona, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Verona, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Essex
Settled	1702
Incorporated	April 30, 1907
Named for	Verona, Italy
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (council–manager)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	2.82 sq mi (7.29 km2)
• Land	2.79 sq mi (7.24 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)  0.74%
Area rank	353rd of 565 in state 18th of 22 in county
Elevation	335 ft (102 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,572
• Estimate  (2023)	14,324
• Rank	182nd of 565 in state 14th of 22 in county
• Density	5,215.5/sq mi (2,013.7/km2)
• Density rank	110th of 565 in state 13th of 22 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07044
Area code(s)	973 exchanges: 239, 571, 857
FIPS code	3401375815
GNIS feature ID	1729716

Verona is a township located in Essex County, New Jersey. In 2020, about 14,572 people lived here. This was an increase of over 1,200 people since 2010.

Verona's Early History

Verona and nearby towns were once part of a large area called the Horseneck Tract.

The 1700s: How Verona Began

In 1702, a group of settlers from Newark bought a big piece of land from the Lenape Native Americans. They paid only a few hundred dollars for it. This land was called Horseneck because it looked like a horse's neck and head.

Horseneck included most of the northern towns in Essex County today. These towns are Verona, Caldwell, West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, and Roseland. Parts of Livingston, Montclair, and West Orange were also in Horseneck.

After the Revolutionary War, the Horseneck area became "Caldwell Township." This was to honor James Caldwell. He was a local pastor and war hero who helped fight the British.

The 1800s: Verona Gets Its Name

In the 1800s, the area that is now Verona was known as Vernon Valley. However, the name Vernon was already used by another place in New Jersey. So, the community chose "Verona" instead. The name comes from Verona, Italy.

Over time, people in Verona wanted more control over their local government. They wanted to have schools and churches closer to home. They also had issues with water supply and road repairs.

Because of these reasons, on February 17, 1892, Verona residents voted to separate from Caldwell Township. They then formed Verona Township.

The 1900s: Becoming a Township

As Verona grew, it needed its own water system and other public services. In 1902, Verona Township and Verona Borough decided to become two separate towns.

On April 18, 1907, the state approved the new borough of Verona. Residents voted on April 30, 1907, and the new borough was officially created.

In 1907, the new borough wanted to be separate from a nearby asylum and a reform school. They also wanted to be distinct from Cedar Grove, which was seen as a farming community. So, on April 9, 1908, Verona Township changed its name to Cedar Grove Township.

In 1981, Verona became a township again. This was because townships received more government money per person than boroughs. Today, Verona is officially known as the "Township of Verona."

Verona's Geography and Climate

Verona covers about 2.82 square miles (7.29 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Location and Surroundings

Verona is bordered by several other towns. These include Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Montclair, North Caldwell, and West Orange.

The township sits between two mountains, the First and Second Watchung Mountains. A small river, the Peckman, flows through the valley. It eventually reaches the Passaic River at Little Falls.

Weather in Verona

Verona has a humid continental climate. This means it has warm, humid summers and cold winters. The weather is a bit cooler than in New York City. This is because Verona is higher up and further from the Atlantic Ocean.

January is usually the coldest month. High temperatures are around 30s Fahrenheit, and lows are in the 20s. July is the warmest month, with highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-60s. Spring and fall offer pleasant temperatures, usually from the 60s to upper 70s.

Verona gets a lot of rain, about 44 inches (112 cm) each year. Snow is common from December to March. Big snowstorms, called nor'easters, can bring a lot of snow. For example, in January 1996, a nearby weather station recorded over 31.8 inches (81 cm) of snow.

Verona's Population and People

Population in 2020

In 2020, Verona had 14,572 residents. Most people were White (79.54%). Other groups included Black or African American (2.22%), Asian (4.78%), and people of two or more races (3.20%). About 9.82% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Verona had 13,332 people living in 5,315 households. About 30.5% of households had children under 18. Most households (56.1%) were married couples.

The average age in Verona was 44.0 years. About 23.2% of the population was under 18. The median household income was $93,839.

Verona's Economy

Annin & Co., the world's oldest and largest flag maker, had its main factory in Verona from 1916 to 2013. The building is now apartments.

Annin makes flags for the United Nations and the U.S. Government. They made flags used on Iwo Jima, at the North and South Poles, and on Mount Everest.

Annin's Verona factory also made 186 small stick flags. These flags were carried to the Moon on the Apollo 11 lunar lander. They were later given out as souvenirs of the first Moon landing.

Parks and Recreation in Verona

Verona has many parks and recreational areas for everyone to enjoy.

• Eagle Rock Reservation: A large forest reserve and park, great for nature lovers.
• Everett Field: A park with fields for baseball and football.
• Hilltop Reservation: This park opened in 2003. It has many trails for hiking and mountain biking.
• Kip's Castle Park: This park features a castle-style mansion from the early 1900s.
• Verona Park: The fifth-largest park in the county. It was designed by the same person who designed Central Park in New York City.
• Lenape Trail: A long trail that runs through Verona Park and towards Eagle Rock Reservation.
• Verona Community Center: Built in 1997, it has a gym, game room, and spaces for events. Next to it are several sports fields:
  • Veteran's Field: Has two fields for softball or baseball.
  • Centennial Field: An artificial turf field that opened in 2007.
  • Liberty Field: Another artificial turf field, opened in 2015.
  • Freedom Field: An artificial turf field, opened in 2016.
• Verona Pool: Features an Olympic-size swimming pool with water slides and diving boards. It also has a wading pool for younger kids, a playground, and courts for volleyball, basketball, racquetball, and shuffleboard.
• West Essex Trail: A 2.84-mile (4.57 km) trail perfect for walking or biking.

A Lenape Trail sign

Education in Verona

Verona has its own public school system, the Verona Public Schools. It serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.

Public Schools in Verona

The district has six schools: four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. In the 2020–21 school year, about 2,211 students were enrolled.

• Brookdale Avenue School (Grades K–4)
• Frederic N. Brown School (Grades K–4)
• Forest Avenue School (Grades K–4)
• Laning Avenue School (Grades Pre-K–4)
• Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School (Grades 5–8)
• Verona High School (Grades 9–12)

The high school's mascot is the "Hillbilly". The original mascot had a rifle and a jug, but these were changed to a fishing pole and a dog.

Verona's schools have received awards for their excellent teaching methods. Verona High School was ranked among the top public high schools in New Jersey. In 2020, it was the 31st-ranked public high school in the state.

Private Schools in Verona

• Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School: Founded in 1924, it serves students from pre-school through eighth grade. It has been recognized twice as an "Exemplary High Performing School."
• Academy360 Lower School: This school helps children aged 3–21 who have learning, language, and social challenges. It moved to Verona in 1999.

Transportation in Verona

Verona has several roads and public transportation options.

Roads and Highways

As of 2010, Verona had about 37.83 miles (60.88 km) of roads. Route 23 and CR 506 go directly through Verona. Other nearby highways include the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80.

Route 23 southbound in Verona

Public Transportation Options

• NJ Transit buses: Routes 11 and 29 provide service to and from Newark.
• DeCamp Bus Lines: Offers bus service to Midtown Manhattan from West Caldwell.

Train stations are in nearby Little Falls and Montclair. Before 1966, the Erie Railroad used to have passenger service through Verona. The old Verona Freight station is the last remaining building from that railroad. There are plans to make it a historic landmark.

In the early 1900s, a trolley line ran on Bloomfield Avenue. You can still see the tracks under the road when it's being repaired.

Verona is about 14.3 miles (23.0 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport.

The last part of the Erie Railroad's Caldwell Branch, the Verona Freight station

Local Media in Verona

Verona has several ways to get local news and entertainment.

Newspapers and Internet News

• Verona-Cedar Grove Times and Verona Observer: These are weekly newspapers that cover local news.
• The Star-Ledger: A larger newspaper that covers major news in Verona.
• Online news: You can find local news on www.myveronanj.com and www.verona.patch.com. The official township website also has news.

Radio and Television

• Radio: Verona is part of the New York and Morristown radio markets.
• Television: Comcast of New Jersey and Verizon FiOS provide cable TV. Verona Television (VTV) is on Comcast Channel 35 and Verizon FiOS Channel 24. It shows council meetings, school board meetings, and community events.

Community Services in Verona

Verona has important services for its residents.

• Verona Fire Department: This is one of the largest all-volunteer fire departments in Essex County. It has over 60 firefighters and several fire trucks. It was founded in 1909.
• Verona Rescue Squad: This is also a volunteer group. It has three ambulances and other vehicles. Formed in 1927, it's one of the oldest volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) groups in New Jersey.
• Bloomfield Avenue: This is the main street in Verona. You'll find the Town Hall, Library, Middle School, and many shops and restaurants here.
• Eagle Rock Reservation: During the American Revolutionary War, George Washington and his troops used this area to watch British troop movements.
• Essex Mountain Sanatorium: This building opened in 1902 as a home for girls. It later became a hospital for people with tuberculosis. It was known for its high recovery rate before it closed in 1977.

Famous People from Verona

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

See also

In Spanish: Verona (Nueva Jersey) para niños