Waldwick, New Jersey Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Waldwick, New Jersey

Borough

Waldwick station in April 2018

Seal

Nickname(s):

"The Light in the Woods"

Location of Waldwick in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).

Census Bureau map of Waldwick, New Jerseyx

Waldwick, New Jersey

Location in Bergen County, New Jersey

Waldwick, New Jersey

Location in New Jersey

Waldwick, New Jersey

Location in the United States

April 1, 1919

Government

• Type

Borough

• Body

Borough Council

Area

• Total

2.07 sq mi (5.35 km²)

• Land

2.05 sq mi (5.30 km²)

• Water

0.02 sq mi (0.05 km²) 0.97%

Area rank

408th of 565 in state
48th of 70 in county

Elevation

223 ft (68 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

10,058

• Estimate

(2023)

10,105

• Rank

243rd of 565 in state
39th of 70 in county

• Density

4,915.9/sq mi (1,898.0/km²)

• Density rank

116th of 565 in state
30th of 70 in county

Time zone

UTC−05:00 (EST)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))

ZIP Code

07463

Area code(s)

201

FIPS code

3400376400

GNIS feature ID

0885429

Waldwick is a small town, called a borough, located in Bergen County, in the state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 10,058 people lived here. The town's name might come from old words meaning "forest settlement" or "beautiful grove."

Discover the History of Waldwick
Geography of Waldwick
- Neighboring Towns
- Local Waterways
Education in Waldwick
Transportation in Waldwick
- Major Roads
- Public Transport Options
Awards and Recognition
- Safest Small Town in America
Notable People from Waldwick
Images for kids
See also

Discover the History of Waldwick

Waldwick has a long and interesting past. Long ago, the area was home to the Lenape Native American tribe. European explorers, specifically the Dutch, first arrived in 1610.

Early European Settlements

The land became part of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam in 1624. For about 40 years, Dutch settlers developed the area mainly for farming. In 1664, the English took over, leading to more people moving to the region. This led to new settlements forming around what is now Waldwick.

How Waldwick Became a Borough

In the mid-1800s, Waldwick was a small part of Franklin Township. The town grew a lot after the Erie Railroad built a train station here. In 1886, a larger area called Orvil Township was created.

Many new towns were formed in Bergen County around 1894. Orvil Township was divided into several new boroughs, including Montvale and Woodcliff Lake. Finally, on April 7, 1919, citizens voted to make Waldwick its own borough, and Orvil Township was dissolved.

Historic Places to Explore

Waldwick has several places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These sites help us remember the town's past:

Erie Railroad Signal Tower, Waldwick Yard: Built in 1848 for the Erie Railroad.
Albert Smith House: This house at 289 Wyckoff Avenue was built way back in 1750.
Waldwick Railroad Station: Located at Hewson Avenue and Prospect Streets, this station opened in 1886.
White Tenant House: This historic house at 16 White's Lane was listed in 1983 but has since been taken down.

Geography of Waldwick

Waldwick covers about 2.07 square miles (5.35 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Neighboring Towns

Waldwick is surrounded by several other towns in Bergen County. These include Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Midland Park, Ridgewood, Saddle River, and Wyckoff.

Local Waterways

The Ho-Ho-Kus Brook flows right through the middle of Waldwick. It generally moves in a southward direction.

Education in Waldwick

Students in Waldwick attend schools in the Waldwick Public School District. The district has four schools for students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.

Waldwick Public Schools

As of the 2020–21 school year, about 1,630 students were enrolled in the district. The schools are:

Crescent School: For students in grades K–5.
Julia A. Traphagen School: For students in grades Pre-K–5.
Waldwick Middle School: For students in grades 6–8.
Waldwick High School: For students in grades 9–12.

In 2009–10, Julia A. Traphagen School received the prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award of Excellence. This is a very high honor for American schools.

Specialized Programs

Students from Waldwick can also apply to special high school programs. These are offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools. They include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack and the Bergen Tech campuses in Teterboro or Paramus.

Other Schools in Waldwick

Waldwick is also home to other schools:

Waldwick Seventh-day Adventist School.
The Village School, a Montessori school for children up to 8th grade.
The Forum School, which helps students with special learning needs.
Several pre-school programs like Rainbow Corners, Building Blocks Child Center, Building Blocks, and Saddle Acres School.

Transportation in Waldwick

Route 17 northbound in Waldwick

Waldwick has several roads and highways that help people travel.

Major Roads

Important roads passing through Waldwick include Route 17, County Route 502, and County Route 507.

Public Transport Options

Waldwick Station

Waldwick has a train station served by NJ Transit. The Waldwick station is located at West Prospect Street, Lafayette Place, and Hewson Avenue.

Train Service: The station is on the Bergen County Line and Main Line. These lines go to Hoboken Terminal. From there, you can connect to New York Penn Station and other train services. You can also connect to the PATH train, New York Waterways ferry, and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
Bus Service: Bus service is available between Waldwick and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan through Short Line.

Awards and Recognition

Safest Small Town in America

In 2017, Waldwick was named the "Safest Small Town in America." This award was based on crime data from 2015. It looked at the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents. A "small town" was defined as having a population between 5,000 and 10,000 people. At the time, Waldwick had nearly 10,000 residents.

Notable People from Waldwick

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Waldwick:

Jim Alexander (born 1935), a photographer and activist.
Enzo Amore (born 1986), a former professional wrestler.
Martha Byrne (born 1969), an actress who performed on Broadway and in the TV show As the World Turns.
Jay Dittamo (born 1959), a drummer and music producer.
Warren Farrell (born 1943), an educator and author who promotes gender equality.
Dave Fiore (born 1974), a former professional football player.
Joe Harasymiak (born 1986), a football coach for the Rutgers football team.
Frank Herbert (1931–2018), a former New Jersey politician.
Jack Hewson (1924–2012), a professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics.
Charles Kinsey (1773–1849), a former Congressman.
Jerry Palmieri (born 1958), a football strength and conditioning coach.
Brunilda Ruiz (1936–2019), a ballet dancer with the Joffrey Ballet.
Allison Smith (born 1969), an actress.

Images for kids

Waldwick station in April 2018
Location of Waldwick in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Waldwick, New Jerseyx
Seal of Waldwick
Route 17 northbound in Waldwick
Waldwick Station