West Caldwell, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Caldwell, New Jersey
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Township
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Neighborhood reflecting the residential nature of West Caldwell
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Location in Essex County and the state of New Jersey.
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Census Bureau map of West Caldwell, New Jersey
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 West Caldwell, New Jersey
Location in Essex County, New Jersey
West Caldwell, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
West Caldwell, 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 | Essex | |
| Incorporated | February 24, 1904 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 5.11 sq mi (13.24 km2) | |
| • Land | 5.10 sq mi (13.20 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.02 sq mi (0.04 km2) 0.31% | |
| Area rank | 274th of 565 in state 8th of 22 in county |
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| Elevation | 177 ft (54 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,012 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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10,799 | |
| • Rank | 227th of 565 in state 16th of 22 in county |
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| • Density | 2,160.5/sq mi (834.2/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 283rd of 565 in state 19th of 22 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes |
07006–07007
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| Area code(s) | 201 (cell) and 862/973 | |
| FIPS code | 3401378510 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 1729717 | |
West Caldwell is a township in Essex County, New Jersey. It's part of the West Essex area. The township is about 16 miles (26 km) west of Manhattan and 6 miles (10 km) northwest of Newark. In 2020, West Caldwell had a population of 11,012 people.
West Caldwell became an official borough on February 24, 1904. It was formed from parts of Caldwell Township, which is now called Fairfield Township. Later, in 1981, West Caldwell changed its status to a township. This change helped it get more government funding. The town was named after Caldwell Township, which got its name from a minister named James Caldwell. New Jersey Monthly magazine once ranked West Caldwell as the 60th best place to live in New Jersey.
Contents
Exploring West Caldwell's Past
How West Caldwell Began
West Caldwell, along with nearby towns like Caldwell, were once part of a large area called the Horseneck Tract. In the early 1700s, settlers from Newark bought this land from the Lenape Native Americans. The land was shaped like a horse's neck and head, which is how it got its name.
The Horseneck Tract included most of the northern Essex County towns we know today. After the Revolutionary War, Horseneck was renamed "Caldwell Township." This was to honor James Caldwell, a local hero and pastor. He famously used pages from church bibles to light cannons during the war.
Growing and Dividing into New Towns
By the late 1800s, Caldwell Township had grown a lot. Most of the people and businesses were in the center, along Bloomfield Avenue. The outer areas were still mostly farms and swamps. Because of this, the central part of Caldwell Township decided to form its own town in 1892. They called it Caldwell Borough. The rest of the area remained Caldwell Township.
Over time, more parts of the original Caldwell Township became separate towns:
- Verona and Cedar Grove formed to the east.
- North Caldwell formed to the north.
- Essex Fells formed to the south.
- Roseland formed from the remaining farmland to the south.
- The original Caldwell Township eventually changed its name to Fairfield in the 1950s.
The Birth of West Caldwell
After Caldwell Borough was formed, its western part was still less developed. It had farms and a large swamp called Hatfield Swamp. Two small settlements, Franklin and Westville, grew in this area. As more people moved in, the western and eastern parts of Caldwell Borough had different needs. This led to Franklin and Westville joining together to form their own borough, West Caldwell, in 1904. This left the small downtown area as Caldwell Borough.
The first mayor of West Caldwell was Caleb Crane. Today, Caldwell and West Caldwell are the most developed and diverse towns in the West Essex area. West Caldwell is home to Grover Cleveland Park, a county park named after the former President of the United States. He was born in nearby Caldwell.
West Caldwell also has other smaller parks, like Memorial Park and Francisco Park. Hatfield Swamp is a protected area where not much building is allowed.
Even though the Caldwell area is now a suburb of Newark and New York City, it first grew as its own town. Bloomfield Avenue is a main street with many local stores. West Caldwell has several shops and two public pools, Cedar Street Pool and Westville Pool. The township is known for being a very safe place to live.
West Caldwell's Location
West Caldwell covers about 5.11 square miles (13.24 km2). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
Some smaller communities and places within West Caldwell include:
- Ferncliff
- Franklin
- Pine Brook Bridge
- Westville
West Caldwell shares borders with several other towns. These include Caldwell, Essex Fells, Fairfield Township, North Caldwell, and Roseland in Essex County. It also borders East Hanover in Morris County.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 494 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,085 | 119.6% | |
| 1930 | 2,911 | 168.3% | |
| 1940 | 3,458 | 18.8% | |
| 1950 | 4,666 | 34.9% | |
| 1960 | 8,314 | 78.2% | |
| 1970 | 11,913 | 43.3% | |
| 1980 | 11,407 | −4.2% | |
| 1990 | 10,422 | −8.6% | |
| 2000 | 11,233 | 7.8% | |
| 2010 | 10,759 | −4.2% | |
| 2020 | 11,012 | 2.4% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 10,799 | 0.4% | |
| Population sources: 1910–1920 1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, West Caldwell had 11,012 residents. This was a small increase from 2010. The population density was about 2,160 people per square mile.
Most residents in West Caldwell are White. There are also growing numbers of Asian and Hispanic or Latino residents. The town is becoming more diverse. The average age in West Caldwell in 2010 was about 44.9 years old.
Learning in West Caldwell
West Caldwell is part of the Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools district. This district serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade from both Caldwell and West Caldwell. The school district started in 1872.
The district has seven schools:
- Harrison School (PreK-K)
- Jefferson Elementary School (K-5)
- Lincoln Elementary School (K-5)
- Washington Elementary School (K-5)
- Wilson Elementary School (K-5)
- Grover Cleveland Middle School (6-8)
- James Caldwell High School (9-12)
West Caldwell is also home to West Caldwell Tech. This school offers special training for high school students interested in different jobs. The West Essex Campus of Essex County College is also located here. It opened in 1978.
Getting Around West Caldwell
_at_Essex_County_Route_613_Spur_(Kirkpatrick_Lane)_in_West_Caldwell_Township,_Essex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg)
West Caldwell has many roads for cars. The main roads are County Route 506 and County Route 527.
For public transportation, NJ Transit offers bus services. You can take buses to Newark on routes 29 and 71. There is also a bus, Route 105, that goes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City.
Safety and Services
The West Caldwell Police Department keeps the town safe. The West Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department provides fire protection. The West Essex First Aid Squad helps residents in West Caldwell and nearby towns like Caldwell and Fairfield.
Famous People from West Caldwell
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to West Caldwell:
- Samuel Alito (born 1950), a Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Yogi Berra (1925–2015), a famous professional baseball player and coach for the New York Yankees.
- Eric Bross (born 1964), a film director.
- Mattea Conforti (born 2006), an American actress.
- Neale Godfrey (born 1951), an author who writes about money and life skills.
- The Amazing Kreskin (1935-2024), a well-known mentalist.
- Camryn Manheim (born 1961), an actress.
- Tommy Page (born 1970), a singer famous for his song "I'll Be Your Everything".
- Andrew E. Svenson (1910–1975), a children's author and publisher who wrote many books, including some in the Hardy Boys series.
