Wyckoff, New Jersey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wyckoff, New Jersey
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Township
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Van Blarcom – Jardine House
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| Nickname(s):
"Garden Town in the Garden State"
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Location of Wyckoff 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 Wyckoff, New Jersey
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 Wyckoff, New Jersey
Location in Bergen County, New Jersey
Wyckoff, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Wyckoff, 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 | November 2, 1926 (renamed from Franklin Township) | |
| Government | ||
| • Type | Township | |
| • Body | Township Committee | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 6.65 sq mi (17.22 km2) | |
| • Land | 6.59 sq mi (17.07 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.15 km2) 0.89% | |
| Area rank | 247th of 565 in state 6th of 70 in county |
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| Elevation | 331 ft (101 m) | |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 16,585 | |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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17,047 | |
| • Rank | 160th of 565 in state 19th of 70 in county |
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| • Density | 2,516.3/sq mi (971.5/km2) | |
| • Density rank | 249th of 565 in state 50th of 70 in county |
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| Time zone | UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST)) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT)) | |
| ZIP Code |
07481
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| Area code(s) | 201, 551 | |
| FIPS code | 3400383050 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0882309 | |
Wyckoff is a lovely town in Bergen County, New Jersey. It's known for being a nice place to live. In 2020, about 16,585 people lived here. This number was a little less than in 2010.
Wyckoff is also known for having many families with good incomes. In 2010, it was one of the top places in the U.S. for household income.
The area that is now Wyckoff was once part of a larger area called Franklin Township. This was back in the mid-1700s. Over time, parts of Franklin Township became new towns. Wyckoff officially became its own township on November 2, 1926.
The name Wyckoff might come from the Lenape Native American language. Some say it means "high ground" or "water." Another idea is that it's named after the Wyckoff family. They settled in the New York/New Jersey area a long time ago.
Contents
- Wyckoff's History: From Native Americans to a Modern Town
- Wyckoff's Location and Climate
- Wyckoff's Population and People
- Education in Wyckoff: Schools for All Ages
- Emergency Services: Keeping Wyckoff Safe
- Transportation: Getting Around Wyckoff
- Local News and Media
- Places of Worship in Wyckoff
- Notable People from Wyckoff
- Historic Sites: Exploring Wyckoff's Past
- Images for kids
- See also
Wyckoff's History: From Native Americans to a Modern Town
The first people known to live in this area were the Lenape Native Americans. They spoke a language called Munsee. Sicomac, a part of Wyckoff, is thought to be a special burial place for many Native Americans. This includes Chief Oratam. Many local businesses and schools are named after Sicomac. Most Native Americans had left by the 1800s.
How Wyckoff Became a Township
What is now Wyckoff was first part of Saddle River Township. This large area covered most of Bergen County west of the Saddle River. In 1771, Saddle River Township was divided. The area that included Wyckoff became Franklin Township.
By 1755, about 100 families lived in Franklin Township. Only about 20 of these families were in the area we now call Wyckoff. Over the years, Franklin Township got smaller. Other towns like Ridgewood and Franklin Lakes became their own separate places. By 1922, Franklin Township was just the area known as Wyckoff. On November 2, 1926, people voted to change the name to the Township of Wyckoff.
Early Settlers and Farming Life
The first permanent settlers recorded were John and William Van Voor Haze in 1720. They bought a large amount of land. Other early families were mostly Dutch. These included the Van Horns and Terhunes.
In 1940, Wyckoff had almost 4,000 people. About 30% of the land was used for farming. By 1969, there were only 13 farms left. In 2012, only two farms remained: Abma's Farm and Goffle Road Poultry Farm. Goffle Road Poultry Farm is the only live market farm left in Bergen County.
Railroad and Historic Homes
Train service started in Wyckoff around 1870. This service was later bought by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway. Passenger train service stopped suddenly in 1966.
The Terhune House is a very old home. It was built in 1737 and is listed as a historic place.
Wyckoff's Location and Climate
Wyckoff covers about 6.65 square miles (17.22 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.
Nearby Towns and Communities
Wyckoff borders several other towns. These include Allendale, Franklin Lakes, and Ridgewood in Bergen County. It also borders Hawthorne and North Haledon in Passaic County. Sicomac is a community located within Wyckoff.
Weather in Wyckoff
Wyckoff has a climate with hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.
Wyckoff's Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1900 | 1,285 | — | |
| 1910 | 1,509 | 17.4% | |
| 1920 | 1,288 | −14.6% | |
| 1930 | 3,001 | * | 133.0% |
| 1940 | 3,847 | * | 28.2% |
| 1950 | 5,590 | 45.3% | |
| 1960 | 11,205 | 100.4% | |
| 1970 | 16,039 | 43.1% | |
| 1980 | 15,500 | −3.4% | |
| 1990 | 15,372 | −0.8% | |
| 2000 | 16,508 | 7.4% | |
| 2010 | 16,696 | 1.1% | |
| 2020 | 16,585 | −0.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 17,047 | 2.1% | |
| Population sources: 1910–1930 1900–2020 2000 2010 2020 * Lost territory in previous decade. |
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Wyckoff's population was 16,589 people in 2020. The town has about 2,532 people per square mile. Most residents are White. There are also growing Asian and Hispanic populations.
Who Lives in Wyckoff?
In 2020, about 24.7% of the people were under 18 years old. About 20.6% were 65 or older. Most homes (90%) are owned by the people who live in them. The average household has about 2.86 people.
The average yearly household income was $167,368. The average income per person was $82,422. Most adults (96.3%) have a high school diploma. Many (65.1%) also have a college degree or higher.
Education in Wyckoff: Schools for All Ages
The Wyckoff School District serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The district has five schools. In the 2020–21 school year, there were about 1,932 students.
Elementary and Middle Schools
- Calvin Coolidge Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Abraham Lincoln Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Sicomac Elementary School (grades PreK-5)
- George Washington Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School (grades 6–8)
Eisenhower Middle School received a special award in 2003–2004. It was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This is a very high honor for American schools.
High School Education
Public high school students from Wyckoff go to schools in the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District. This district also serves students from Franklin Lakes and Oakland. Students can choose to attend one of two high schools:
- Indian Hills High School in Oakland
- Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes
The first public school in Wyckoff was a one-room schoolhouse built in 1869. Before 1929, high school students went to Paterson Central High School. Later, they went to Ramsey High School. The regional high school district was approved in 1954. Ramapo High School opened in 1957, and Indian Hills High School in 1960.
Other School Options
Students in Bergen County can also attend special programs. These are offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools. They have programs at the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack. They also have campuses in Teterboro or Paramus.
There are also private schools in Wyckoff. Eastern Christian Middle School is a Christian school for grades 6–8. Saint Elizabeth School is a Catholic school for children in Pre-K–8. Saint Elizabeth School also won a National Blue Ribbon Award in 2011.
Emergency Services: Keeping Wyckoff Safe
Wyckoff has its own fire, ambulance, and police departments. These groups work hard to keep the community safe.
Wyckoff Fire Department
The Wyckoff Fire Department was started in 1907. It has three different companies. Each company has special trucks and equipment.
| Company | Address | Apparatus |
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| Wyckoff Fire Department Company #1 | 1 Scott Plaza | Battalion 1, R242, E234, E235, TL241, Rescue Boats |
| Wyckoff Community Engine Company #2 | 178 Wyckoff Avenue | Battalion 2, E231, E232, |
| Sicomac Engine Company #3 | 428 Sicomac Avenue | Battalion 3, E233, E236 |
Ambulance and Police
Wyckoff has a volunteer ambulance corps. It was started in 1926. In 2014, they responded to over 1,000 calls for help. The Wyckoff Police Department was started in 1922. They work 24 hours a day.
Transportation: Getting Around Wyckoff
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Wyckoff has many roads. Most of them are maintained by the town itself. Some are maintained by Bergen County or the state of New Jersey.
Major Roads
Route 208 goes through Wyckoff. It connects to nearby towns like Hawthorne and Franklin Lakes. County Route 502 (Franklin Avenue) also runs through the northern part of town.
Public Bus Service
NJ Transit provides bus service from Wyckoff. You can take a bus to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. There are also local bus routes within the area.
Short Line Bus also offers service to Midtown Manhattan. Some of their buses even go across 42nd Street.
Historic Train Station
The old Wyckoff railroad station was built around 1870. It used to serve passengers until 1966. There have been talks about bringing train service back, but it hasn't happened yet. The town is a stop for the annual Toys for Tots train.
Local News and Media
Wyckoff has its own weekly newspaper called the Wyckoff Suburban News. It's published by the North Jersey Media Group. The main daily newspaper for the area is The Record.
Places of Worship in Wyckoff
Wyckoff has many different churches and temples. These include:
- Abundant Life Reformed Church
- Advent Lutheran Church
- Bergen Christian Testimony Church
- Bethany Church
- Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church
- Cornerstone Christian Church
- Faith Community Christian
- Grace United Methodist Church
- St. Barsawmo Syriac Orthodox Church
- St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church
- St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
- Temple Beth Rishon (a Jewish congregation)
- Wyckoff Assembly of God
- Wyckoff Reformed Church
Notable People from Wyckoff
Many interesting people have lived in or are from Wyckoff. Here are a few:
- Tom Acker (1930–2021), a former professional baseball pitcher.
- Paul Apostol (born 1945), an Olympic fencer.
- Jillian Armenante (born 1968), an actress.
- Marco Benevento (born 1977), a jazz keyboardist.
- Katrina Bowden (born 1988), an actress from 30 Rock (B)
- Kirk DeMicco, a screenwriter and director.
- Bucky Dent (born 1951), a famous New York Yankees baseball player.
- Steve Doocy (born 1956), a news anchor on Fox & Friends.
- Gertrude Ederle (1905–2003), the first woman to swim the English Channel.
- Liam Fornadel (born 1999), a football player for the New England Patriots.
- Josh Gottheimer (born 1975), a U.S. Representative.
- Chris Hogan (born 1988), a wide receiver for the New England Patriots.
- Nancy Hower (born 1966), an actress and director from Star Trek: Voyager (B)
- Frankie Jonas (born 2000), an actor and younger brother of the Jonas Brothers (B)
- Joe Jonas (born 1989), a musician and member of the Jonas Brothers.
- Kevin Jonas (born 1987), a musician and member of the Jonas Brothers.
- Nick Jonas (born 1992), a musician and member of the Jonas Brothers.
- Dan Karaty (born 1976), a TV personality and choreographer.
- Peter Kreeft (born 1937), a philosopher and author (B)
- Artie Lewicki (born 1992), an MLB pitcher.
- Martha MacCallum (born 1964), a news anchor on Fox News Channel (B)
- Constantine Maroulis (born 1975), a singer and actor from American Idol.
- Ezra Miller (born 1992), an actor (B)
- Tim Pernetti (born 1970), a sports business executive.
- Tara Reid (born 1975), an actress (B)
- Greg Schiano (born 1966), a football coach for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team (B)
- Melissa Sweet (born 1956), a children's book writer and illustrator (B)
- Danny Tamberelli (born 1982), an actor (B)
- Brian Toal (born 1985), a professional football player (B)
- Stuart Varney (born 1949), an economics journalist.
- Don Zimmer (1931–2014), a former baseball coach and manager.
Historic Sites: Exploring Wyckoff's Past
Wyckoff is home to several buildings and places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These sites help us learn about the town's long history.
- Cairns–Whitten–Blauvelt House – Built around 1770.
- Cruse–Hossington House – A Dutch farmhouse from 1798.
- Folly House – A home built before 1860.
- Masker House – Built in 1780.
- Reformed Dutch Church of Wyckoff – Added to the list in 2003.
- John C. Stagg House – Built in the late 1700s on a foundation from 1747.
- Terhune House – Dates back to the 1700s.
- Van Blarcom–Jardine House – A historic home.
- Van Blarcom House (Wyckoff, New Jersey) – Another historic Van Blarcom home.
- Albert Van Blarcom House – Dates back to the 1700s.
- Van Gelder House – A historic house.
- Van Horn–Ackerman House – The original part dates to 1750.
- Van Houten–Ackerman House (Wyckoff, New Jersey) – Also known as "Wellsweep," the original part is from the 1700s.
- Van Voorhees–Quackenbush House – Believed to be the oldest house in Wyckoff, built around 1740.
- Van Voorhis-Quackenbush House – Another historic house.
Images for kids
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Van Blarcom – Jardine House
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Seal of Wyckoff
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Location of Wyckoff in Bergen County
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Census Bureau map of Wyckoff
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Route 208 southbound in Wyckoff
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The former station at Wyckoff
See also
In Spanish: Wyckoff (Nueva Jersey) para niños
