Westwood, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westwood, New Jersey
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Borough
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Westwood Gazebo in 2014
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| Motto(s):
"Hub of the Pascack Valley"
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Location of Westwood in Bergen County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Bergen County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
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Census Bureau map of Westwood, New Jersey
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 Westwood, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Westwood, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Westwood, 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 | Bergen | |
| Incorporated | May 8, 1894 | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Borough | |
| • Body | Borough Council | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2.30 sq mi (5.95 km2) | |
| • Land | 2.26 sq mi (5.85 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.04 sq mi (0.10 km2) 1.74% | |
| Area rank | 388th of 565 in state 43rd of 70 in county |
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| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 11,282 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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11,210 | |
| • Rank | 221st of 565 in state 33rd of 70 in county |
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| • Density | 4,994.2/sq mi (1,928.3/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 112th of 565 in state 29th of 70 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Codes |
07675, 07677
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| Area code(s) | 201 | |
| FIPS code | 3400380270 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885442 | |
Westwood is a small town, called a borough, in Bergen County, New Jersey. It's often called "The Hub of the Pascack Valley" because it's a central spot in the area. Westwood is part of the larger New York metropolitan area. Many people who live here travel to New York City for work or fun, often using public transportation. In 2020, about 11,282 people lived in Westwood.
Westwood became an official borough on May 8, 1894. This happened during a time when many new boroughs were being formed in Bergen County. Isaac D. Bogert was the first mayor of Westwood. Later, in 1909, Westwood grew bigger by adding a part of Emerson called "Old Hook."
Contents
Westwood's History
Early Days and Native Americans
Long ago, the Lenni-Lenape Native Americans lived in this area. They shared the land with hunters and trappers. Around the mid-1700s, permanent settlers started to arrive.
In the early 1800s, the area that is now Westwood was part of a larger region called Harrington Township. This township was created in 1775. In 1840, the western half of Harrington Township became Washington Township. The Hackensack River was the border between them. Washington Township was mostly farmland with scattered farms. Some early families, like the Hoppers and Ackermans, are buried at the Old Hook Cemetery.
There was an 18th-century mill near where Mill Street and First Avenue are today. This mill was important for travel and was the first on Musquapsink Brook. A fire destroyed most of the mill, and it was taken down in 1910.
In 1844, Washington Township had six stores, four schools for 135 students, six grist mills, and 14 saw mills.
Growth with the Railroad
Westwood started to grow a lot when the Hackensack and New York Railroad arrived in 1870. This railroad followed the path of today's Pascack Valley Line. On March 5, 1870, train service began between Westwood and New York City. People could travel to New York City by train to Jersey City and then take a ferry.
Several small hotels were built near the train station. By 1872, new houses in popular European styles were built along Centre Avenue. Old maps show that the town grew on both sides of the train tracks. There were also shops, a bakery, and places to store lumber and coal. A chapel was built on the corner of Third and Park Avenues. The triangular park in the center of town, used for community events, also appeared on maps from 1876.
By the 1880s, Westwood had four factories, several distilleries, a new school, a laundry, a grocery store, and a new church. In 1890, people who wanted Westwood to be its own borough started a petition. In 1894, Westwood officially separated from Washington Township and became an independent borough. Isaac D. Bogert was chosen as the first mayor.
In 1899, a water plant was built by Cornelius S. DeBraun. It provided water to the houses on the new streets. By 1905, there were 234 homes and 1,044 people living in Westwood.
Lincoln High School was built around the early 1900s. This was also when electricity, telephones, and cars came to town. The Underwood & Underwood Stereoscope Company opened a factory in Westwood. Many churches built their first chapels, which were later replaced with bigger buildings as their groups grew. Today, Westwood is a well-developed town with many homes, shops, and public buildings. It still has the open triangular park in its center.
Westwood's Location and Area
Westwood covers about 2.30 square miles (5.95 square kilometers) in total. Most of this area, about 2.26 square miles (5.85 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 0.04 square miles (0.10 square kilometers), is water.
Westwood shares its borders with several other towns in Bergen County. These include Emerson, Hillsdale, River Vale, and Washington Township.
Emergency Services
Westwood has its own police department, fire department, and ambulance corps. These groups help keep the community safe.
- The police department started in September 1894. The first permanent police officer was hired in 1921. The department is located in the town's main building.
- The volunteer fire department was also started in 1894. They have several fire trucks and other vehicles. They respond to over 300 calls each year. The department has a chief, deputy chief, captains, lieutenants, and many volunteer firefighters and cadets.
- The volunteer ambulance corps was formed in 1935. They are also located at the borough hall and help people in medical emergencies.
Education in Westwood
Students in Westwood attend public schools through the Westwood Regional School District. This district serves students from both Westwood and Washington Township, from kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. It's the only school district in Bergen County that covers all these grades regionally.
The district has six schools:
- Berkeley Avenue Elementary School (Kindergarten–5th grade)
- Brookside Elementary School (Kindergarten–5th grade)
- Jessie F. George Elementary School (Kindergarten–5th grade)
- Washington Elementary School (Kindergarten–5th grade)
- Westwood Regional Middle School (6th–8th grade)
- Westwood Regional High School (9th–12th grade)
For students who want to learn special skills, the Bergen County Technical Schools offer programs. These include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. Students can attend these schools full-time or part-time.
There is also a private school called Zion Lutheran School. It teaches students from Kindergarten through eighth grade.
Getting Around Westwood
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Westwood has many roads that help people get around. As of 2010, there were about 39.29 miles of roads. Most of these are maintained by the town, and some by Bergen County.
The main roads that go through Westwood are County Route 503 (Kinderkamack Road) and County Route 502. The closest major highway is the Garden State Parkway. You can get to it from Exit 168 in nearby Washington Township.
Public Transportation Options
Westwood has a train station called Westwood train station. It's located at Broadway and Westwood Avenue. The Pascack Valley Line train runs north and south from here. You can take it to Hoboken Terminal. From Hoboken, you can connect to other trains, the PATH train, ferries to New York City, and the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail.
NJ Transit bus route 165 also serves Westwood. This bus goes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Westwood is the last stop for this bus route.
Rockland Coaches also offers bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on routes 11 and 47.
Shopping and Fun in Westwood
Downtown Westwood is a popular place for shopping and dining in the region. You can find many stores and restaurants there.
- The Westwood Plaza is an outdoor shopping area. It used to have a Kmart store, which was one of the last Kmart stores in the United States before it closed in 2023.
- Westwood has a movie theater on Center Avenue. It shows new movies every day until midnight.
- The Fritz Deitl Ice Rink opened in 1958. It's a great place for ice skating. You can take lessons, join hockey programs, or rent it for birthday parties.
- Every Saturday from May to November, there's a Farmer's Market. It's held in the parking lot of the Knights of Columbus on Crest Street.
- In the summer, there are concerts in the park. People bring chairs and blankets to enjoy music. Sometimes, movies are shown on the back of the train station building.
- Westwood also has a Community Center. It's home to the Recreation Department, which offers sports and other activities for kids and adults.
Yearly Events
Home for the Holidays Parade
Each December, Westwood hosts a special holiday parade called "Home for the Holidays." Many school marching bands, like The Westwood Regional High School Marching Band, The Park Ridge High School marching band, and The Emerson High School marching band, take part. The parade ends with Santa Claus riding on a fire truck. After the parade, there's a tree and candle lighting ceremony with hot food.
Downtown Sidewalk Sale
Downtown Westwood also has a sidewalk sale every summer. During this event, you can shop both inside stores and at outdoor displays. There are also fun activities and games for everyone to enjoy.
Famous People from Westwood
Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Westwood. Here are a few:
- Warren Bennis (1925–2014), a famous scholar and author who studied leadership.
- F. Herbert Bormann (1922–2012), a scientist who helped discover how acid rain affects the environment.
- James Gandolfini (1961–2013), an actor known for playing Tony Soprano in the TV show The Sopranos. He grew up nearby.
- Robert Sean Leonard (born 1969), an actor famous for his roles in House and Dead Poets Society.
- Tommy La Stella (born 1989), a professional baseball player.
- Katie Sagona (born 1989), a model and actress who appeared in movies like You've Got Mail.
- Kyle Scatliffe (born 1986), a stage actor who has performed in Broadway musicals like Les Misérables.
See also
In Spanish: Westwood (Nueva Jersey) para niños
