West Milford, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
West Milford, New Jersey
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Township
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Museum at Long Pond Ironworks
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| Motto(s):
"A Clean Community"
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Location of West Milford in Passaic County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Passaic County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
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Census Bureau map of West Milford, New Jersey
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 West Milford, New Jersey
Location in Passaic County, New Jersey
West Milford, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
West Milford, 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 | |
| Incorporated | March 10, 1834 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Faulkner Act (mayor–council–administrator) | |
| • Body | Township Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 81.06 sq mi (209.94 km2) | |
| • Land | 75.93 sq mi (196.66 km2) | |
| • Water | 5.13 sq mi (13.28 km2) 6.32% | |
| Area rank | 10th of 565 in state 1st of 16 in county |
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| Elevation | 827 ft (252 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 24,862 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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24,340 | |
| • Rank | 106th of 565 in state 5th of 16 in county |
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| • Density | 327.4/sq mi (126.4/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 470th of 565 in state 16th of 16 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code | ||
| Area codes | 973 exchanges: 657, 728 | |
| FIPS code | 3403179460 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882315 | |
West Milford is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey. It's known for its many lakes and beautiful natural areas. In 2020, about 24,862 people lived there. It's the largest area in Passaic County, covering more than 40% of it.
From 1972 to 1976, West Milford was home to a Warner Bros. theme park called Warner Bros. Jungle Habitat. The state bought the land in 1988, and you can still see parts of the old park today.
Contents
History of West Milford
West Milford started as "New Milford" in the 1700s. It was settled by Dutch people from another town called Milford (which later became Newark). There was also another "New Milford" in a different part of New Jersey. To avoid confusion, when both towns applied for post offices in 1828, the one in western Bergen County was named "West Milford."
West Milford officially became a township on March 10, 1834. It was formed from a part of Pompton Township. A few years later, in 1837, West Milford became part of the newly created Passaic County. The township was named after Milford, Connecticut.
Old Place Names and Reservoirs
Many old place names exist in West Milford, like Postville, Macopin, and Newfoundland. Charlottenburg and Clinton were old communities that are now covered by reservoirs. The Charlotteburg Reservoir and Clinton Reservoir are important for water supply. A large part of the township, including the New City Village area, is owned by the City of Newark for its water supply.
Before World War II, West Milford was a popular resort area. People would come by train from New York City to enjoy the lakes and nature. After the war, many of these summer homes became places where people lived all year round.
Greenwood Lake
Greenwood Lake is a large lake that stretches across West Milford and into New York State. It's about 9 miles (14 km) long. In the past, steamboats carried passengers to resorts around the lake. Today, you can find seaplane areas, marinas, and restaurants along the lake. There's also a public airport nearby called Greenwood Lake Airport.
Jungle Habitat Theme Park
In 1972, Warner Brothers opened a wildlife theme park called Jungle Habitat in West Milford. It had a drive-through safari and shows. At first, it brought many tourists. However, the park faced problems, including reports of animals escaping.
Jungle Habitat caused a lot of traffic in the area. When the park wanted to expand into a huge amusement park, residents voted against it in 1976. This led to the park closing suddenly. Some of the animals were moved to Six Flags Great Adventure. Today, the former Jungle Habitat site is used for community events like fireworks and is a popular spot for mountain biking.
Geography of West Milford
West Milford covers about 81 square miles (210 square kilometers). Most of this is land, but about 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) is water, including many lakes and ponds.
The township has many small communities and place names within it, such as Hewitt, Macopin, Newfoundland, and Oak Ridge. West Milford borders other towns in New Jersey, like Bloomingdale and Ringwood. It also touches parts of New York State.
Pequannock River Watershed
Some parts of West Milford are owned by the City of Newark. This land is part of the Pequannock River Watershed, which collects and supplies water to Newark. There was once a small village called "New City Village" built here for water system workers, but the buildings were later taken down.
Newfoundland and Green Pond
Newfoundland is a neighborhood in West Milford located along Route 23. It's also the mailing address for Green Pond, a private lake community in a nearby township. The 2003 movie The Station Agent was filmed in Newfoundland.
Population and People
West Milford's population was 24,862 in 2020. This was a small decrease from the 2010 census. The township has seen its population grow quite a bit since the 1950s, when it was mainly a summer resort area.
Economy and Businesses
The West Milford Chamber of Commerce helps local businesses. The Abby Theater, a movie theater, opened in 1976 but closed in 2009 because there weren't enough people to keep it busy.
In 2009, Eden Farms, a flower farm, became the first "preserved farm" in Passaic County. This means the land is protected and cannot be built on, helping to keep the area green.
Sports in West Milford
West Milford has many youth sports programs run by different organizations. These include:
- Junior wrestling
- Youth Lacrosse
- Little League Baseball
- Police Athletic League (PAL) Basketball and Soccer
- Cheerleading
- Midget Football
- Amateur Baseball
- Girls Softball
Education in West Milford
The West Milford Township Public Schools serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The district has five elementary schools (grades K-5), one middle school (grades 6-8), and one high school (grades 9-12). In the 2021-22 school year, about 3,028 students attended these schools.
The schools are:
- Apshawa Elementary School
- Maple Road Elementary School
- Marshall Hill Elementary School
- Paradise Knoll Elementary School
- Upper Greenwood Lake Elementary School
- Macopin Middle School
- West Milford High School
Westbrook Elementary School closed in 2023. Our Lady Queen of Peace, a Catholic school, also closed in 2010. High school students can also choose to attend Passaic County Technical Institute, a special vocational high school for students across Passaic County.
Transportation
West Milford has many miles of roads, maintained by the township, county, and state. The main highway is Route 23. Other important roads include County Route 511 and County Route 513.
The traffic light at Clinton Road and Route 23 is famous for being one of the longest red lights in the United States! Drivers might wait over five minutes there.
A railroad track runs through West Milford, which is now used for freight trains. NJ Transit provides bus service from West Milford to Midtown Manhattan. The township also has its own local bus service on two routes.
Notable People from West Milford
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to West Milford, including:
- Chuck Burgi (born 1952), a famous drummer.
- Jasper Francis Cropsey (1823–1900), a painter known for his autumn landscapes.
- Lennie Friedman (born 1976), a former professional football player.
- Sam Garnes (born 1974), a former professional football player.
- Jeremy Glick (1970–2001), a hero on United Flight 93 during the September 11 terrorist attacks.
- Derek Jeter (born 1974), a legendary baseball player for the New York Yankees.
- Laurene Powell Jobs (born 1963), the widow of Steve Jobs and a successful businesswoman.
- Jen Pawol (born 1977), a baseball umpire.
- Danielle Rose Russell (born 1999), an actress.
- Dale Soules (born 1946), an actress.
- Donna Weinbrecht (born 1965), an Olympic gold medalist in skiing.
- Tom Wopat (born 1951), an actor known for The Dukes of Hazzard.
See also
In Spanish: West Milford para niños
