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Oakland is a
borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...
in
Bergen County Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, United States and a suburb of
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
. As of the
2010 United States census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators serving ...
, the borough's population was 12,754,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Oakland borough, Bergen County, New Jersey
,
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
. Accessed March 11, 2013.
Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Oakland borough
,
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north ...
. Accessed March 11, 2013.
reflecting an increase of 288 (+2.3%) from the 12,466 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 469 (+3.9%) from the 11,997 counted in the 1990 Census. Oakland was incorporated as a borough by an act of the
New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...
on April 8, 1902, from portions of Franklin Township (now Wyckoff).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 82. Accessed August 5, 2012.
The name comes from the white oak trees in the area.


History

The Van Allen House was built in 1748 and was a stop for
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
and his troops in 1777. From the 1940s through the end of the 1960s a summer bungalow colony was developed in a valley in West Oakland on the Ramapo River. This was a refuge for a close-knit group of several score families from the summer heat of New York City and urban New Jersey. During the summer months, the
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (or New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad and also known as the Susie-Q or the Susquehanna) is a Class II American freight railway operating over 400 miles (645 km) of track in t ...
provided service at a West Oakland passenger station. This colony was located on the road between Oakland and
Pompton Lakes Pompton Lakes is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,097,Joe Louis Joseph Louis Barrow (May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1934 to 1951. Nicknamed the Brown Bomber, Louis is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential boxers of all time. He re ...
or Sugar Ray Robinson, among others, running past the summer homes. One section of streets in the town are named after Native American tribes and Native American first names. Now considered politically incorrect, the borough had a wooden sign posted downtown that read "Once there was Indians all over this place" which had been donated by a resident who insisted on the wording of the sign as having been a quotation from an author.


FRG Park shootout

On August 4, 1985, a gun shootout occurred at the FRG Sports Complex—formerly known as Muller's Park—directly next to Oakland's former swimming park located along the Ramapo River called Pleasureland. At a Jamaican Independence Day celebration attended by nearly 2,000 people bused in from New York City, gunfire broke out between rival Jamaican gangs, resulting in two deaths and about 20 injuries. Before the incident, Pleasureland and Muller's Park were popular summer destinations that had since the 1950s and earlier (Muller's was built in 1935) attracted families from across the Tri-state area. Pleasureland remained open for a brief period after the shooting incident at FRG, but FRG/Muller's Park never reopened after that day. While the shootout did not occur at Pleasureland, due to the park's popularity the events remain to this day known as the "Pleasureland Shootout" and "Pleasureland Massacre" among people outside of Oakland. The pools and buildings having since been demolished and filled in, but the properties have begun a major restoration. The properties are united and are now called Great Oak Park, which was named after a town wide election where over 2,000 people cast a ballot. The park is being developed as a passive recreation park. The borough, led by a group of volunteers has been working on bringing the 40-acre park back to life since January 2012. The borough purchased the property from building developers in 2009.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the borough had a total area of 8.77 square miles (22.71 km2), including 8.50 square miles (22.02 km2) of land and 0.27 square miles (0.69 km2) of water (3.06%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Ramapo Lake and Rotten Pond. The borough borders Franklin Lakes and Mahwah in Bergen County; and
Pompton Lakes Pompton Lakes is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 11,097,Ringwood, Wanaque and Wayne in Passaic County.


Demographics


2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...
showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways ...
was $111,390 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,160) and the median family income was $114,973 (+/− $7,378). Males had a median income of $82,750 (+/− $6,931) versus $59,349 (+/− $7,903) for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the borough was $43,651 (+/− $3,082). About 0.7% of families and 1.9% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over. Same-sex couples headed 21 households in 2010, an increase from the 18 counted in 2000.


2000 Census

As of the
2000 United States census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 c ...
there were 12,466 people, 4,255 households, and 3,565 families residing in the borough. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,448.9 people per square mile (559.7/km2). There were 4,345 housing units at an average density of 505.0 per square mile (195.1/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.76%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.78%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.06% Native American, 2.70% Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.70% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino of any race were 3.87% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Oakland borough, New Jersey
,
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
. Accessed August 5, 2012.
DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Oakland borough, Bergen County, New Jersey
,
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
. Accessed August 5, 2012.
There were 4,255 households, out of which 39.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.4% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 12.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.15. In the borough the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.0 males. The median income for a household in the borough was $86,629, and the median income for a family was $93,695. Males had a median income of $62,336 versus $41,092 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the borough was $35,252. About 0.9% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.3% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

Oakland's downtown shopping area is along Ramapo Valley Road ( U.S. Route 202), with the Copper Tree Mall being the borough's largest single retail establishment. There are a few
industrial park An industrial park (also known as industrial estate, trading estate) is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development. An industrial park can be thought of as a more "heavyweight" version of a business park or office park ...
s in Oakland, the biggest of which is off Long Hill Road near the Franklin Lakes border. The Oakland-McBride Center is the home of Royle Systems Group and of Topcon Medical Systems's United States operations. Russ Berrie and Company, Inc., once headquartered in Oakland, is a major manufacturer of
teddy bear A teddy bear is a stuffed toy in the form of a bear. Developed apparently simultaneously by toymakers Morris Michtom in the U.S. and Richard Steiff under his aunt Margarete Steiff's company in Germany in the early 20th century, the teddy b ...
s and other gift products, including
stuffed animal A stuffed toy is a toy doll with an outer fabric sewn from a textile and stuffed with flexible material. They are known by many names, such as plush toys, plushies, stuffed animals, and stuffies; in Britain and Australia, they may also be cal ...
s, baby gifts, soft baby toys and development toys as well as picture, candles, figurines and home fragrance products. Russ Berrie and Company, since renamed to Kid Brands, has since moved to Wayne and from there to East Rutherford.


Parks and recreation

Recreation is run by an all volunteer nine-member Recreation Commission. All members are appointed by the Mayor for a five-year term. There are a number of municipal recreational facilities in Oakland. The largest is a recreational area located off Oak Street, known to residents simply as the "Rec Field," but formally known as the Alexander Potash Recreation Complex, which is home to nine
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
and
softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...
fields, six
tennis Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
courts, a roller hockey rink,
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
courts, and other facilities. New Jersey's Ramapo Mountain State Forest is located in Oakland and can be accessed from Skyline Drive just north of its interchange with I-287. Camp Tamarack, which was a year round camp operated by the
Boy Scouts of America The Boy Scouts of America (BSA, colloquially the Boy Scouts) is one of the largest scouting organizations and one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with about 1.2 million youth participants. The BSA was founded in ...
from the late 1920s until the mid-1980s, sits abandoned off of Skyline Drive. The camp ceased all activities and was taken over by the Bergen County park system in 1998. Many of the structures in the camp have been torn down, but some remain standing. Oakland is the current location of the headquarters of the Northern New Jersey Council. The Rec Field is home to the annual carnival and fireworks that take place during the summer. Oakland offers a summer camp which runs for six weeks, as well as a "safety camp" for children entering kindergarten at Manito, Dogwood, or Heights. Crystal Lake Beach Club is a private beach club open Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day weekend; purchase of a membership is required to use the site's facilities. Holiday Bowl, located on Spruce Street, provides a facility for the high school bowling team, hosts a local league, and rents lanes by the hour.


Government


Local government

Oakland is governed under the
Borough A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...
form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large on a partisan basis during the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',
Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 169.
The Borough form of government used by Oakland is a "
weak mayor Weak may refer to: Songs * "Weak" (AJR song), 2016 * "Weak" (Melanie C song), 2011 * "Weak" (SWV song), 1993 * "Weak" (Skunk Anansie song), 1995 * "Weak", a song by Seether from '' Seether: 2002-2013'' Television episodes * "Weak" (''Fear t ...
/ strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can
veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president or monarch vetoes a bill to stop it from becoming law. In many countries, veto powers are established in the country's constitution. Veto ...
ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. , the
Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
of the Borough of Oakland is Democrat Linda H. Schwager, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Oakland Borough Council are Council President Eric Kulmala ( R, 2024), Pasquale A. "Pat" Pignatelli (R, 2023), Steven Saliani (R, 2024), Kevin Slasinski (R, 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term), Russell Talamini (R, 2023) and Grant Van Eck (R, 2022).Mayor & Council
Borough of Oakland. Accessed May 3, 2022. "The Governing Body consists of the Mayor, who is elected for a four-year term, and six (6) Councilmembers who are elected for three-year terms. The Mayor is considered the CEO and only votes in the case of a tie."
''2021 County and Municipal Directory''
Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results
Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results
Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Bergen County November 5, 2019 General Election Statement of Vote
Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.2022 Redistricting Plan
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.
and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as ...
. Accessed February 1, 2020.
''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Oakland had been in the 40th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 62, New Jersey
League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...
. Accessed May 22, 2015.
In redistricting following the 2010 census, the borough was in the 5th congressional district, which was in effect from 2013 to 2022.Plan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.


Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 8,542 registered voters in Oakland, of which 1,718 (20.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,700 (31.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 4,116 (48.2% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 8 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Bergen
New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 11, 2013.
Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 67.0% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 90.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide). In the 2016 presidential election, Republican
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
received 3,727 votes (53.7% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...
with 2,872 votes (41.4% vs. 54.2%) and other candidates with 336 votes (4.8% vs. 4.6%), among the 7,013 ballots cast by the borough's 9,233 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.0% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County). In the 2012 presidential election, Republican
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts ...
received 3,631 votes (55.4% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
with 2,845 votes (43.4% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 80 votes (1.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 6,555 ballots cast by the borough's 8,952 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.2% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...
received 3,900 votes (54.9% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 3,082 votes (43.4% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 60 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 7,106 ballots cast by the borough's 8,974 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.2% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).2008 General Election Results for Oakland
, ''
The Record The Record may refer to: Music * ''The Record'' (album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Records, an English power pop band * '' Their Greatest Hits: The Record'', a 2001 greatest-hits album by the pop-music group Bee G ...
''. Accessed December 22, 2011.
In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 3,938 votes (57.3% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat
John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...
with 2,864 votes (41.7% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 46 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 6,867 ballots cast by the borough's 8,588 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.0% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 67.5% of the vote (2,746 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...
with 31.3% (1,275 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (49 votes), among the 4,129 ballots cast by the borough's 8,623 registered voters (59 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 2,553 votes (54.3% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,776 votes (37.8% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 312 votes (6.6% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 23 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 4,702 ballots cast by the borough's 8,782 registered voters, yielding a 53.5% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).


Education

Public school students in
kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...
through
eighth grade Eighth grade (or grade eight in some regions) is the eighth post-kindergarten year of formal education in the US. The eighth grade is the ninth school year, the second, third, fourth, or final year of middle school, or the second and/or final ye ...
attend the Oakland Public Schools. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,362 students and 132.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a
student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...
of 10.3:1.District information for Oakland Public School District
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district financ ...
. Accessed April 1, 2020.
Schools in the district (with 2018–2019 enrollment data from the
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district financ ...
) are Dogwood Hill Elementary School with 247 students in grades K–5, Heights Elementary School with 347 students in grades K–5, Manito Elementary School with 266 students in grades K–5 and Valley Middle School with 473 students in grades 6–8). Students in ninth through
twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...
s for public school attend the schools of the
Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District is a comprehensive regional public school district consisting of two four-year public high schools serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Wyckoff ...
, a regional district serving students from Franklin Lakes, Oakland and Wyckoff. Students entering the district as freshmen have the option to attend either of the district's high schools, subject to a choice made during eighth grade. Schools in the district (with 2018–2019 enrollment data from the
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district financ ...
) are Indian Hills High School, located in Oakland (1,062 students) and Ramapo High School, located in Franklin Lakes (1,222 students). The district's nine-member
board of education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional ar ...
oversees the operation of the district; seats on the board are allocated based on population, with three of the nine seats allocated to Oakland. Franklin Lakes, Oakland and Wyckoff (FLOW district) approved the creation of a regional high school in 1954 by a vote of 1,060 to 51, with Ramapo High School (in Franklin Lakes) opened in 1957 and Indian Hills High School in 1960. Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the
Bergen County Academies Bergen County Academies (BCA) is a tuition-free public magnet high school located in Hackensack, New Jersey that serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades from Bergen County, New Jersey. The school was founded by John Grieco, also fou ...
in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district. Private schools include Barnstable Academy, a college preparatory school for students in fifth through twelfth grades located in a business and industrial park off Long Hill Road; The New Jersey Japanese School, which serves Japanese expatriates to prepare them for the Japanese educational system when the students eventually return to Japan, located next to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church; and the Gerrard Berman Day School (Solomon Schechter of North Jersey), a Jewish day school for students in preschool through eighth grade, located on Spruce Street.


Awards

Oakland was ranked 43rd by ''
Business Week ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...
'' on its list of "Great Places to Raise Kids—for Less", with only two places in New Jersey ranked higher than Oakland: Matawan (12th) and
Echelon ECHELON, originally a secret government code name, is a surveillance program (signals intelligence/SIGINT collection and analysis network) operated by the five signatory states to the UKUSA Security Agreement:Given the 5 dialects that use ...
a neighborhood near Philadelphia (4th). The criteria were test scores in math and reading, number of schools, cost of living, recreational and cultural activities, and risk of crime. In 2013, Oakland was ranked by ''
New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...
'' as #1 for Young Families: "...Oakland is woodsy and a bit remote, but its midsize homes, good schools and low crime rate make it popular with young families."


Transportation


Roads and highways

, Oakland had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the borough, by Bergen County and by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...
. Major roads through Oakland include Interstate 287 (including exits 57 and 58), Route 208 and U.S. Route 202.


Public transportation

Commuter bus service to the
Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bus ...
in
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
is available from Coach USA via Short Line. NJ Transit
bus service Public transport bus services are generally based on regular operation of transit buses along a route calling at agreed bus stops according to a published public transport timetable. History of buses Origins While there are indications ...
is also available on a limited basis via the
752 __NOTOC__ Year 752 ( DCCLII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 752 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era ...
route between Oakland and Hackensack via Ridgewood. A freight rail line, the
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (or New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad and also known as the Susie-Q or the Susquehanna) is a Class II American freight railway operating over 400 miles (645 km) of track in t ...
, runs through Oakland. Commuter rail service ended in 1966. Newark Liberty International Airport provides scheduled air service.


Earlier railroad

A rail right-of-way was built by the New Jersey Midland Railway around 1870 and later served passengers on the
New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad The New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway (or New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad and also known as the Susie-Q or the Susquehanna) is a Class II American freight railway operating over 400 miles (645 km) of track in t ...
(NYS&W). until service was abruptly curtailed in 1966. Plans to restore service have not materialized. The borough is a stop on the annual Toys for Tots train.


Media

WVNJ AM-1160 is licensed to Oakland. Oakland Patch provides
hyperlocal Hyperlocal is information oriented around a well-defined community with its primary focus directed toward the concerns of the population in that community. The term can be used as a noun in isolation or as a modifier of some other term (e.g. new ...
content about news and events in Oakland, as part of the Patch Media network. The Franklin Lakes / Oakland ''Suburban News'' is published weekly, with additional news available online in conjunction with ''
The Record The Record may refer to: Music * ''The Record'' (album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Records, an English power pop band * '' Their Greatest Hits: The Record'', a 2001 greatest-hits album by the pop-music group Bee G ...
''. The Oakland Journal is an online hyper-local news source that covers local political, civic and social events. The Borough also has its own Communications Commission which publishes a monthly e-newsletter and operates its own local access television channel, Oakland TV (airing on optimum Channel 77, which can be seen within the Borough and also on Verizon fios Channel 45, which can be seen throughout western Bergen County) among other responsibilities.


Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Oakland include: *
Jonathan Ames Jonathan Ames (; born March 23, 1964) is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs, and is the creator of two television series, ''Bored to Death'' (HBO) and '' Blunt Talk'' (STARZ). In the late '90s and early 2000s, ...
(born 1964), writer, artist, actor who created HBO's ''
Bored to Death ''Bored to Death'' is an American comedy series that ran on HBO from September 20, 2009, to November 28, 2011. The show was created by author Jonathan Ames, and stars Jason Schwartzman as a fictional Jonathan Ames—a writer based in Brooklyn, N ...
'' * Roger Nash Baldwin (1884–1981), one of the founders of the
American Civil Liberties Union The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920 "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States". T ...
*
Ali Brustofski Allison "Ali" Brustofski (born October 4, 1993) is an American singer-songwriter from Oakland, New Jersey. She was a finalist on The CW television network's singing show, '' The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep'' in 2012, and the 2011 winner of N ...
(born 1993), singer-songwriter who was a finalist on
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
TV network's singing show, '' The Next: Fame Is at Your Doorstep'' * Cindy Callaghan (born ), author of
children's books A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younge ...
whose first book, '' Just Add Magic'', was adapted into an
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technolog ...
television series by the same name *
Neil Cole Neil Cole (born 1 March 1972) is an English television presenter, comedian, radio broadcaster and actor. Early life Cole was born in Bristol in 1972, and attended King Edward Grammar School in Chelmsford. He studied English and French Lit ...
(1926–2016),
stock car racing Stock car racing is a form of automobile racing run on oval tracks and road courses measuring approximately . It originally used production-model cars, hence the name "stock car", but is now run using cars specifically built for racing. It or ...
driver who competed in 19
NASCAR Grand National The name NASCAR Grand National Series refers to former names of the following NASCAR series: *National-level stock car series: **NASCAR Cup Series (known as NASCAR Grand National Series between 1950 to 1970, then the NASCAR Winston Cup Grand Nation ...
events between 1950 and 1953 * DeAnne DeFuccio (born 1973), politician who has represented the 39th district in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2021. * Louis DiGiaimo (1938–2015), casting director and film producer * W. Cary Edwards (1943–2010), politician who served as
New Jersey Attorney General The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confirmed by the New Jersey Senate, and term limit ...
from 1986 until 1989 * Madge Evans (1909–1981), stage and film actress * Sidney Kingsley (1906–1995), dramatist who received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play '' Men in White'' in 1934 *
Karen McCullah Karen McCullah (born December 5, 1967) is an American screenwriter and novelist most known for co-writing comedies such as ''10 Things I Hate About You'', ''Legally Blonde'', '' Ella Enchanted'', ''The House Bunny'', '' The Ugly Truth'' and ''She' ...
(born 1967), screenwriter and novelist * Doug McKeon (born 1966), actor, director and screenwriter who first achieved notability as a juvenile performer in the television series '' The Edge of Night'' and the films ''
Uncle Joe Shannon ''Uncle Joe Shannon'' is a 1978 American drama film directed by Joseph Hanwright and written by Burt Young, who also stars. The film was produced by Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler and distributed by United Artists. Plot A trumpet player, Jo ...
'' and '' On Golden Pond'' * Peter "Produce Pete" Napolitano (born 1945), grocer best known for his long-running television news produce segments and as a spokesman for the Pathmark supermarket chain who owns Napolitano's Produce in the borough *
Mike Teel Mike Teel (born January 6, 1986) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. Teel spent time with the Sea ...
(born 1986), football quarterback * Valentin Turchin (1931–2010), Soviet-American
cybernetician A cyberneticist or a cybernetician is a person who practices cybernetics. Heinz von Foerster once told Stuart Umpleby that Norbert Wiener preferred the term "cybernetician" rather than "cyberneticist", perhaps because Wiener was a mathematician r ...
and computer scientist * Lawrence Tynes (born 1978), placekicker who played for the
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisio ...
*
Arthur Vervaet Arthur W. (Bud) Vervaet, Jr. (July 10, 1913 – November 20, 1999) was an American Republican Party politician who served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly. Born in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, Vervaet graduated from Butler High School ...
(1913–1999), politician who served four terms in the New Jersey General Assembly and was mayor of Oakland for two yearsCoutros, Evonne
"Arthur Vervaet Jr. Of Oakland, 86 -- Decorated Veteran Was Town's Mayor"
''
The Record The Record may refer to: Music * ''The Record'' (album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Records, an English power pop band * '' Their Greatest Hits: The Record'', a 2001 greatest-hits album by the pop-music group Bee G ...
'', November 23, 1999. Accessed July 17, 2022. "Arthur W. Vervaet Jr., a former state assemblyman, Bergen County freeholder, and mayor of Oakland, died Saturday at his home in Oakland."


References


Sources

* ''Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties)'' prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958. * Clayton, W. Woodford; and Nelson, William
''History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men.''
Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1882. * Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (ed.)
''Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey.''
New York: New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900. * Van Valen, James M
''History of Bergen County, New Jersey.''
New York: New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Co., 1900. * Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858–1942
''History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630–1923''
Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1923.


External links


Borough of Oakland official website

Oakland Public Schools
*
School Data for the Oakland Public Schools
National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district financ ...

Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District website

The Oakland Journal

'My Oakland New Jersey' Local Discussion Forum

West Oakland summer bungalow colony 1940s through 1960s

Oakland NJ Directory

Oakland Recreation website
{{authority control 1902 establishments in New Jersey Borough form of New Jersey government Boroughs in Bergen County, New Jersey Populated places established in 1902 Ramapos