Ridgefield Park is a

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...

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 Delaware ...

, United States. 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 servin ...

, the village's population was 12,729,DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Ridgefield Park village, 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 the ...

. Accessed March 13, 2013.Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Ridgefield Park village
,

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. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission is an independent body within the New Jersey state government under the auspices of the ...

. Accessed March 13, 2013. reflecting a decline of 144 (−1.1%) from the 12,873 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 419 (+3.4%) from the 12,454 counted in the 1990 Census. Of the 564 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is one of only four with a

type of government in New Jersey, though it operates a

Walsh Act The Walsh Act is a legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits local government, municipalities to adopt a non-partisan City commission government, commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New Jersey W ...

(city commission) form of government. Of the four New Jersey villages Loch Arbour also uses the commission form of government, while Ridgewood operates under the council-manager form, and the Township of South Orange Village operates under a special charter form with many characteristics of village government. Ridgefield Park was formed as a village on June 15, 1892, within Ridgefield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 6, 1892. Overpeck Township was formed on March 23, 1897, to be coextensive with Ridgefield Park village, and was created within Ridgefield Township for the purpose of administering a Board of Education. Portions of the village gained in both 1921 and 1926 were taken from Bogota and

Teaneck Teaneck () is a township in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a bedroom community in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the township's population was 39,776, reflecting an increase of 516 (+1.3%) fr ...

. On May 31, 1938, Overpeck Township became Ridgefield Park Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 85. Accessed January 29, 2012. The village was named for the area's terrain. The village's Fourth of July Parade, first established in 1894, is said to be the longest continuously celebrated such event in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country. The village eliminated its July 4 fireworks in 2009, citing the $50,000 cost in the face of the difficult economy, but committed to retain its parade.

Geography

According to the

, the village had a total area of 1.91 square miles (4.95 km²), including 1.71 square miles (4.42 km²) of land and 0.21 square miles (0.54 km²) of water (10.84%). The village borders the Bergen County municipalities of Bogota, Hackensack,

Leonia Leonia is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 8,937,Little Ferry, Palisades Park, Ridgefield and

Unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

, localities and place names located partially or completely within the village include Overpeck and West View.

Demographics

2020 Census

The

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

counted 13,235 people and 4,795 households in the village. The population density was 7,756.0 per square mile (2,991.8/km2). The racial makeup was 37.2% (4,887) White, 4.2% (552) Black or African American, 0.2% (26) Native American, 10.1% (1,327) Asian, 0.1% (13) Pacific Islander, and 11.5% (1,511) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 46.9% (6,160) of the population. Of the 4,795 households, 89.1% were living in the same housing unit as the year before. The average household size was 2.69. 23.0% of the population were under the age of 18, and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. 3.14% of the population were veterans. 37.1% of the population were foreign-born persons. 91.3% of those over age 25 had a high degree, and 38.5% of those over age 25 had a bachelor's degree or higher. The mean travel time to work was 31.3 minutes.QuickFacts Ridgefield Park village, New Jersey

. Accessed December 3, 2022.

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 In economics, nominal value is measured in terms of money, whereas real value is measured against goods or services. A real value is one which has been adjusted for inflation, enabling comparison of quantities as if the prices of goods had not c ...

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 of ...

was $60,656 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,846) and the median family income was $83,189 (+/− $13,092). Males had a median income of $51,781 (+/− $2,949) versus $47,714 (+/− $8,394) 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 village was $30,893 (+/− $2,038). About 3.1% of families and 5.0% 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 t ...

, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples A same-sex relationship is a Romance (love), romantic or Human sexuality, sexual relationship between people of the same sex. ''Same-sex marriage'' refers to the institutionalized recognition of such relationships in the form of a marriage; civil ...

headed 34 households in 2010, an increase from the 21 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 ce ...

there were 12,873 people, 5,012 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. 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 RosenberPopul ...

was 7,435.7 people per square mile (2,873.0/km²). There were 5,134 housing units at an average density of 1, 145.8/km² (2,965.5/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 78.20%

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 on ...

, 4.10%

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 ...

, 0.22% Native American, 7.85%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 6.50% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.09% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 22.24% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Ridgefield Park village, New Jersey
,

. Accessed March 13, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Ridgefield Park village, Bergen County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed March 13, 2013. There were 5,012 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% 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 t ...

living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.24. In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males. The median income for a household in the village was $51,825, and the median income for a family was $62,414. Males had a median income of $44,507 versus $35,217 for females. The

for the village was $24,290. About 4.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the

, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Overpeck Corporate Office Park is located on Challenger Road on the east side of the village (east of I-95), to the south of Bergen County's Overpeck Park. The office park contains approximately of Class-A office space which has undergone substantial renovations and upgrades. The Office Park also contains an AMC Movie Theater and Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. Corporate residents of Overpeck Corporate Park include the headquarters of Samsung Electronics America and American Stock Transfer.

Government

Local government

Ridgefield Park New Jersey Municipal Building

Ridgefield Park has been governed under the

since 1912. The village is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide to use the commission form of government, down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century; Ridgefield Park is one of six Walsh Act municipalities in

North Jersey North Jersey comprises the northern portions of the U.S. state of New Jersey between the upper Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean. The designation of northern New Jersey with a distinct toponym is a colloquial one rather than an administrativ ...

and most are in shore communities. The Board of Commissioners is comprised of five members, who are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

on a

non-partisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

basis to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 157. , the members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners are Mayor John H. Anlian (Commissioner of Public Safety), William G. Gerken (Commissioner of Public Affairs), Adam MacNeill (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), Mark C. Olson (Commissioner of Public Works) and Wanda C. Portorreal (Commissioner of Parks and Public Property), all serving concurrent terms of office ending on May 21, 2024.The Board of Commissioners
Village of Ridgefield Park. Accessed May 1, 2022.''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 November 7, 2017 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 The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; t ...

, December 8, 2022. and is part of New Jersey's 36th 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 we ...

. 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, Ridgefield Park had been in the 37th state legislative district.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 63, New Jersey

. Accessed May 22, 2015. In redistricting following the 2010 census, the borough was in the 9th congressional district, which was in effect from 2013 to 2022.Plan Components Report

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 6,593 registered voters in Ridgefield Park, of which 2,249 (34.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 957 (14.5% vs. 21.1%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 3,382 (51.3% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from french: libertaire, "libertarian"; from la, libertas, "freedom") is a political philosophy that upholds liberty as a core value. Libertarians seek to maximize autonomy and political freedom, and Minarchism, minimize the ...

or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Bergen

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 14, 2013. Among the village's 2010 Census population, 51.8% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 66.4% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...

, 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, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

received 3,162 votes here (66.3% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of 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 f ...

with 1,508 votes (31.6% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 45 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,768 ballots cast by the village's 7,035 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.8% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,256 votes here (61.6% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of 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 terms ...

with 1,932 votes (36.5% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 47 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,288 ballots cast by the village's 6,980 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).2008 General Election Results for Ridgefield Park
, ''

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 Ge ...

''. Accessed January 29, 2012. In the 2004 presidential election, 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 (Unite ...

received 2,681 votes here (55.4% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

with 2,104 votes (43.5% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 31 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,835 ballots cast by the village's 6,575 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.5% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in Ne ...

received 55.6% of the vote (1,473 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 43.0% (1,138 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (36 votes), among the 2,686 ballots cast by the village's 6,694 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...

received 1,657 ballots cast (53.7% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,223 votes (39.6% vs. 45.8%), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 166 votes (5.4% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 11 votes (0.4% vs. 0.5%), among the 3,085 ballots cast by the village's 6,753 registered voters, yielding a 45.7% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

The Ridgefield Park Public Schools serve students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

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 ...

. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,178 students and 180.0 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 12.1:1.District information for Ridgefield Park 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 finance ...

. Accessed February 15, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the

) are Grant Elementary School with 244 students in grades K-6, Lincoln Elementary School with 374 students in grades PreK-6, Roosevelt Elementary School with 339 students in grades PreK-6 and

Ridgefield Park High School Ridgefield Park High School is a six-year comprehensive community public high school that serves students in seventh through twelfth grade from Ridgefield Park, in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, operating as the lone secondary scho ...

with 1,189 students in grades 7-12. Students from Little Ferry attend the high school as part of a

sending/receiving relationship A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts hav ...

with the Little Ferry Public Schools that has been in place since 1953. The district is one of the small number in the state with schools recognized by the

National Blue Ribbon Schools Program The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...

in consecutive years, with Grant Elementary School earning the designation in 2010 and Lincoln Elementary School being honored in 2011. 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 Bergen County Technical Schools (BCTS) is a county technical school district that serves as the vocational / technical education arm of all the school districts within the 70 municipalities in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The primar ...

, 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 foun ...

in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or

Paramus Paramus ( Waggoner, Walter H ''The New York Times'', February 16, 1966. Accessed October 16, 2018. "Paramus – pronounced puh-RAHM-us, with the accent on the second syllable – may have taken its name from 'perremus' or 'perymus,' Indian for ...

. 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.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the village had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, 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 ...

and by the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Towns ...

. Highways passing through the village include

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

Interstate 95 Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...

(the

New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...

) and

U.S. Route 46 U.S. Route 46 (US 46) is an east–west U.S. Highway completely within the state of New Jersey, running for , making it the shortest signed, non-spur U.S. Highway. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80) and Route ...

. The historic

Winant Avenue Bridge The Winant Avenue Bridge is a vehicular movable bridge spanning the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey from its mouth at Newark Bay. Built in 1934, it is also known as the Route 46 Hackensack River Bridge and S46 Bridge, it carries U ...

, also known as the Route 46 Hackensack River Bridge, crosses the river to Little Ferry. The double-leaf

bascule bridge A bascule bridge (also referred to as a drawbridge or a lifting bridge) is a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances a span, or leaf, throughout its upward swing to provide clearance for boat traffic. It may be single- or ...

was constructed in 1934 and extends for , with the draw bridge at the center of the span.

Public transportation

For much of the 20th century Ridgefield Park was served by 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 th ...

(NYSW) and the

West Shore Railroad The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad that ran from Weehawken, New Jersey, on the west bank of the Hudson River opposite New York City, north to Albany, New York, and then west to Buffalo. It was organized as a competitor ...

, a division of

New York Central The New York Central Railroad was a railroad primarily operating in the Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The railroad primarily connected greater New York and Boston in the east with Chicago and St. Louis in the Midw ...

(NYCRR) at three passenger station in the village: Little Ferry Station, Ridgefield Park station and Westview station.Agnes, Kristen
"Mount Vernon Street train station in Ridgefield Park was a popular place for commuters"
''Ridgefield Park Patriot'', March 27, 2015. Accessed September 14, 2016.

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

bus routes

155 Year 155 ( CLV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Severus and Rufinus (or, less frequently, year 908 ''Ab urbe condita'' ...

157 Year 157 ( CLVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Civica and Aquillus (or, less frequently, year 910 ''Ab urbe condit ...

161 Year 161 ( CLXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caesar and Aurelius (or, less frequently, year 914 '' Ab urbe condi ...

165 Year 165 ( CLXV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Orfitus and Pudens (or, less frequently, year 918 ''Ab urbe condita'' ...

, 167 and

168 Year 168 ( CLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Apronianus and Paullus (or, less frequently, year 921 ''Ab urbe co ...

provide service between Ridgefield Park and the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving abo ...

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...

, and the 83 route provides service to Hackensack and the

Journal Square Transportation Center The Journal Square Transportation Center is a multi-modal transportation hub located on Magnolia Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard at Journal Square in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States. Owned and operated by the Port Authority of New York and ...

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Rounders Rounders is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams. Rounders is a striking and fielding team game that involves hitting a small, hard, leather-cased ball with a rounded end wooden, plastic, or metal bat. The players score by running aroun ...

'', starring

Matt Damon Matthew Paige Damon (; born October 8, 1970) is an American actor, film producer, and screenwriter. Ranked among ''Forbes'' most bankable stars, the films in which he has appeared have collectively earned over $3.88 billion at the North Americ ...

and

Edward Norton Edward Harrison Norton (born August 18, 1969) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award and three Academy Award nominations. Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised ...

, were filmed in the Elks Lodge.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Ridgefield Park include: * Joan M. Clark (born 1922), former

United States Ambassador to Malta This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Malta. Initially a part of the British Empire, Malta was granted full independence as the State of Malta on September 21, 1964. The United States recognized the new nation and established ful ...

Richard Easterlin Richard Ainley Easterlin (born 12 January 1926) is a professor of economics at the University of Southern California. He is best known for the economic theory named after him, the Easterlin paradox. Another of his contributions is the Easterlin ...

(born 1926), professor of economics at the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...

, best known for the economic theory named after him, the

Easterlin paradox The Easterlin paradox is a finding in happiness economics formulated in 1974 by Richard Easterlin, then professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania, and the first economist to study happiness data. The paradox states that at a point in ...

Alex Gaston Alexander Nathaniel Gaston (March 12, 1893 – February 8, 1979) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played between and for the New York Giants (1920–1923) and Boston Red Sox (1926, 1929). Listed at , 170 lb., Gaston batted and th ...

(1893–1979), MLB catcher 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 division. ...

and

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

Milt Gaston Nathaniel Milton Gaston (January 27, 1896 – April 26, 1996) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1924 to 1934. Born in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, he played for the St. Louis Browns, New York Yankees, Boston Red S ...

(1896–1996), right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1924 to 1934 *

Jimmy Gnecco James Francis Gnecco III (born September 30, 1973) is an American singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist who makes music both under his name and the moniker Ours. Gnecco is known for his multi-octave vocal range and singing style, often de ...

(born 1973), musician from the band

Ours One Union of Regional Staff (OURS) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. The union was formed in early 2010 by the merger of the Derbyshire Group Staff Union and the Cheshire Group Staff Union. It organises former Derbyshire Building Societ ...

Leonard W. Hatton Jr. Leonard William Hatton Jr. (August 17, 1956 – September 11, 2001) was an American special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). He was killed in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City when he enter ...

(1956–2001), special agent of the

Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...

who was killed in the

September 11 terrorist attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial ...

on the

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

when he entered one of the towers to help evacuate the occupants and stayed when the towers collapsed *

John Huchra John Peter Huchra ( ; December 23, 1948 – October 8, 2010) was an American astronomer and professor. He was the Vice Provost for Research Policy at Harvard University and a Professor of Astronomy at the Center for Astrophysics Harvard & Sm ...

(1948–2010), astronomer *

James Gordon Irving James Gordon Irving (June 2, 1913 – August 15, 2012) was a commercial illustrator and painter, best known for illustrating the early Golden Guide series of nature books. Life and career Irving, who went by the name Gordon, was born in Ridgef ...

(1913–2012), commercial illustrator and painter, best known for illustrating the early

Golden Guide The Golden Guides, originally Golden Nature Guides, were a series of 160-page, pocket-sized books created by Western Publishing and published under their "Golden Press" line (primarily a children's book imprint) from 1949. Edited by Herbert S. Zim ...

series of nature books * Jim Keogh (born 1948), author of nearly 100 books sold worldwide introduced PC programming nationally in his ''

Popular Electronics ''Popular Electronics'' was an American magazine published by John August Media, LLC, and hosted at TechnicaCuriosa.com. The magazine was started by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company in October 1954 for electronics hobbyists and experimenters. It soo ...

'' magazine column in 1982 *

Louis F. Kosco Louis F. Kosco (born June 5, 1932) is an American Republican Party politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate. Biography Born in Hackensack, Kosco grew up in Ridgefield Park, where he attended Lin ...

(born 1932), politician who served in both the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...

and the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

Robert A. Lewis Robert Alvin Lewis (October 18, 1917 – June 18, 1983) was a United States Army Air Forces officer serving in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was the co-pilot and aircraft commander of the '' Enola Gay'', the B-29 Superfortress bom ...

(1917–1983), co-pilot of the

Enola Gay The ''Enola Gay'' () is a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, piloted by Tibbets and Robert A. Lewis during the final stages of World War II, it be ...

Fosdick, George
History of Ridgefield Park High School
Ridgefield Park Jr. / Sr. High School Alumni Association. Accessed August 19, 2013. "Among those who rose to national prominence are Ozzie Nelson '23, a radio and television performer who often mentioned his RPHS experiences on his radio and television programs. Bud Lewis '37 was the co-pilot of the Enola Gay Aircraft which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, leading to the end of World War II, a war in which over 1,000 RPHS graduates served." *

George Lowe George Edward Lowe (born November 10, 1957) is an American voice actor and comedian whose voice roles include Space Ghost on the animated series ''Space Ghost Coast to Coast'' and its spin-off, ''Cartoon Planet''.relief pitcher In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue (medical), fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection (sports), ejection, or for other strategic ...

who appeared in a single game for the

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

during the 1920 season *

Bobby Messano Bobby Messano (born June 23, 1954) is an American artist, guitarist and musician. He has recorded and toured with STARZ, Lou Gramm, Steve Winwood,Dick Messner (1907–1972), band leader who led a sweet-styled dance orchestra bearing his name from about 1938 to about 1942. * Johnny Messner (1909–1986; class of 1928),

bandleader A bandleader is the leader of a music group such as a rock or pop band or jazz quartet. The term is most commonly used with a group that plays popular music as a small combo or a big band, such as one which plays jazz, blues, rhythm and blues or ...

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Defi ...

saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed on a mouthpiece vibrates to pr ...

and

vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...

during the

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

/ swing heyday *

Ozzie Nelson Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American actor, director, producer, screenwriter, musician, composer, conductor and bandleader. He originated and starred in ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'', a radio and tel ...

(1906–1975), actor *

Lawrence Nuesslein Lawrence Adam Nuesslein (May 16, 1895 – May 10, 1971) was an American sport shooter who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics. He won a total of five Olympic medals: two gold, one silver, and two bronze.sports Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability and skills while providing enjoyment to participants and, in some cases, entertainment to spectators. Sports can, th ...

shooter Shooting is the act or process of discharging a projectile from a ranged weapon (such as a gun, Bow and arrow, bow, crossbow, slingshot, or Blowgun, blowpipe). Even the acts of launching Flamethrower, flame, artillery, Dart (missile), darts, ha ...

who competed in the

1920 Summer Olympics The 1920 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1920; nl, Olympische Zomerspelen van 1920; german: Olympische Sommerspiele 1920), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIe olympiade; nl, Spelen van ...

where he won a total of five medals: two gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals *

Gregory Olsen Gregory Hammond Olsen (born April 20, 1945) is an American entrepreneur, engineer and scientist who, in October 2005, became the third private citizen to make a self-funded trip to the International Space Station with the company Space Adventure ...

(born 1945), entrepreneur, engineer and scientist who, in October 2005, became the third private citizen to make a self-funded trip to the

International Space Station The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station currently in low Earth orbit. It is a multinational collaborative project involving five participating space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA ...

* Amelia Stone Quinton (1833–1926), social activist and advocate for Native American rights, who co-founded the

Women's National Indian Association The Women's National Indian Association (WNIA) was founded in 1879 by a group of United States, American women, including educators and activists Mary Bonney and Amelia Stone Quinton. Bonney and Quinton united in the 1880s against the encroachment ...

in 1883 *

Hatch Rosdahl Harrison Lynn Rosdahl (August 24, 1941 – June 15, 2004) was an American football defensive lineman who played three seasons in the American Football League with the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. He was drafted by the San Diego Charge ...

(1941–2004), football player who played for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

and

Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The tea ...

David Rothenberg David Rothenberg (born 1962) is a professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with a special interest in animal sounds as music. He is also a composer and jazz musician whose books and recordings reflect a long ...

(born 1933), Broadway producer and prisoners' rights activist *

Daniel Ruch Daniel Ruch (born January 1, 1983 in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey) is an assistant soccer coach with Virginia Wesleyan. He played professionally for two years for the Virginia Beach Mariners of the USL Second Division and the Wilmington Hammerhea ...

(born 1983), assistant

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

coach with

Virginia Wesleyan Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) is a private university in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The university is nonsectarian but historically affiliated with The United Methodist Church. It enrolls 1,607 students annually in undergraduate and graduate ...

who played professionally for two years for the

Virginia Beach Mariners The Virginia Beach Mariners were an American football (soccer), soccer club, who formerly played in the USL First Division of the United Soccer Leagues, the second division in the US Soccer hierarchy behind Major League Soccer. On March 30, 2007 t ...

and the

Wilmington Hammerheads Wilmington Hammerheads FC was a semi-professional American soccer team based in Wilmington, North Carolina. Founded in 1996, the team last competed in the Premier Development League, the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid in 2017. History ...

Hal Turner Harold Charles "Hal" Turner (born March 15, 1962) is an American far-right political commentator and convicted felon from North Bergen, New Jersey. Turner's viewpoints typically encompass Holocaust denial, conspiracy theories, white supremacy, ...

(born 1962), conservative talk radio host *

George Warrington George David Warrington (September 19, 1952 – December 24, 2007) was an American transportation official, who served New Jersey Transit for 28 years, latterly in the post of executive director. He grew up in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey a ...

(1952–2007), served as

executive director Executive director is commonly the title of the chief executive officer of a non-profit organization, government agency or international organization. The title is widely used in North American and European not-for-profit organizations, though ...

Yoojin Grace Wuertz Yoojin Grace Wuertz (born 1980) is an American novelist who was reviewed for her 2017 book ''Everything Belongs To Us''. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Wuertz moved to the United States with her family at the age of six and was raised in the North Je ...

(born 1980), novelist who wrote the 2017 book ''Everything Belongs To Us''Passow, Sam
"Passing Down Stories: Oradell resident Yoojin Grace Wuertz"
''

'', April 4, 2017. Accessed June 5, 2017. "Wuertz, who lives in Oradell after growing up in Paramus and Ridgefield Park, released ''Everything Belongs to Us'' in February."

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.
''Ridgefield Park 1685–1985''
* 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

Ridgefield Park official website
{{Bergen County, New Jersey 1892 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1892 Villages in Bergen County, New Jersey Walsh Act