Scotch Plains is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, C ...

in Union County,

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

, United States. The township is located on a

ridge A ridge or a mountain ridge is a geographical feature consisting of a chain of mountains or hills that form a continuous elevated crest for an extended distance. The sides of the ridge slope away from the narrow top on either side. The line ...

in northern- central New Jersey, within the

Raritan Valley Central Jersey is the central region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation of Central New Jersey is a distinct administrative division, administrative toponymy, toponym. Geographic area and descriptions While the State of New Jerse ...

and Rahway Valley regions in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass, at , and one of the most populous urban agglomerations in the world. The vast metropolitan area ...

. As of the 2010 Census, the township's population was 23,510, reflecting an increase of 778 (+3.4%) from the 22,732 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,572 (+7.4%) from the 21,160 counted in 1990.

History

The area known as Scotch Plains was first settled by Europeans, including many Scottish

Quakers Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...

as early as 1684. The name is said to have come from George Scott, a leader of a group of Scottish settlers. It later served as a stop on the stage coach line between

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The Ash Swamp in Scotch Plains was the scene of a key action in the

Battle of Short Hills The Battle of Short Hills (also known as the Battle of Metuchen Meetinghouse and other names) was a conflict between a Continental Army force commanded by Brigadier General William Alexander (American general), William Alexander ("Lord Stirling" ...

, on June 26, 1777, which included skirmishes as Washington's forces moved along Rahway Road in Scotch Plains toward the Watchung Mountains. An ancient house in Scotch Plains recalls those skirmishes and with the acreage adjoining the house, presents a vista of that decade, the 1770s. This was the home of Aunt Betty Frazee, whose retort to Lord Cornwallis led the British to find their bread from friendlier bakers in the same battle. The farmstead of Betty and Gershom Frazee is being restored by local organizations. What is now Scotch Plains was originally incorporated as Fanwood Township on March 6, 1878, 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 th ...

from portions of Plainfield Township and Westfield Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Fanwood Borough on October 2, 1895. Fanwood Township was renamed as Scotch Plains on March 29, 1917, based on the results of a referendum held that same day.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 238 re Fanwood Township. p. 241 re Scotch Plains. Accessed August 30, 2012. Scotch Plains was home to the

Shady Rest Golf and Country Club The Shady Rest Golf and Country Club is located at 820 Jerusalem Road in the Township of Scotch Plains in Union County, New Jersey. Established in 1921, it was one of the first, if not the first, African American country clubs in the United State ...

, the nation's first African-American country club. Its pro, John Shippen, the first African-American golf professional, led the 1892 U.S. Open in the final round before finishing fifth. The Shady Rest clubhouse hosted

Cab Calloway Cabell Calloway III (December 25, 1907 – November 18, 1994) was an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, conductor and dancer. He was associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, where he was a regular performer and became a popular vocali ...

and other greats as a local center for African-American culture in the 1920s and 1930s. It is preserved today as the Scotch Hills Municipal course. A much more complete history of the township can be found in the October 28, 1999, "Our Towns: Scotch Plains-Fanwood (2nd Annual)" issue of ''The Times of Scotch Plains-Fanwood'', produced by the town's newspaper of record at the time as well as on the township's website. The ancestors of many residents immigrated from the area of

Montazzoli Montazzoli is a ''comune'' and town in the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region of Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of t ...

, Italy, as part of a wave of Italian immigrants who arrived in the area in the early 20th century. In recognition of this longstanding connection, the township established "Montazzoli Plaza" in October 2015 in front of the Italian American Club.

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 An economy is an area of th ...

, the township had a total area of 9.06 square miles (23.46 km²), including 9.02 square miles (23.36 km²) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.09 km²) of water (0.40%). The township borders the municipalities of Berkeley Heights,

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educat ...

, Fanwood, Mountainside, Plainfield and Westfield in Union County;

Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These invention ...

and

South Plainfield South Plainfield is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 23,385,Middlesex County; and Watchung in Somerset County. Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Alton, Goodmans, Graceland, Two Bridges and Willow Grove. The Robinson's Branch of the Rahway River additionally flows through Scotch Plains en route to the

Robinson's Branch Reservoir The Robinson's Branch Reservoir is a decommissioned water reservoir in Clark, New Jersey. It is the largest body of water in Union County. Other names for the reservoir include the "Clark Reservoir" and the "Middlesex Reservoir," after its fo ...

Demographics

Bloomberg Businessweek ''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 ...

'' ranked Scotch Plains as the most affordable suburb in New Jersey in its 2009 report.

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $104,873 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,397) and the median family income was $126,138 (+/− $7,410). Males had a median income of $90,016 (+/− $11,033) versus $66,022 (+/− $5,055) 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 $52,488 (+/− $3,094). About 1.3% of families and 3.0% 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 ...

, including 2.7% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 22,732 people, 8,349 households, and 6,295 families residing in the township . The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 2,503.3 inhabitants per square mile (966.6/km²). There were 8,479 housing units at an average density of 933.7 per square mile (360.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 78.88%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 11.30%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.09% Native American, 7.25% 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 Ocea ...

, 0.95% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 3.94% of the population were

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.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Scotch Plains township, Union County, New Jersey

. Accessed August 30, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Scotch Plains township, Union County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed August 30, 2012. There were 8,349 households, out of which 36.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% 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 t ...

living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.6% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.16. In the township the population was distributed with 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 31.8% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.8 males. The median income for a household in the township was $81,599, and the median income for a family was $96,238. Males had a median income of $63,648 versus $43,714 for females. The

for the township was $39,913. 3.0% of the population and 2.0% of families were below the

. Out of the total population, 2.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Parks and recreation

Parks in the township include: *

Watchung Reservation Watchung Reservation is the largest nature reserve in Union County, New Jersey, United States. Covering 1,945 acres, it is bounded by the city of Summit, the borough of Mountainside, and the townships of Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, and ...

is a nature reserve on the north side of the township that includes open space, playgrounds, nature trails, a nature and science center, gardens, stables, and many other amenities. *Ponderosa Farm Park is a park on Cooper Road. Modest park featuring playgrounds and a sprinkler area, plus open green spaces and restrooms. *Scotch Hills Municipal Golf Course, known as the

before it was taken over by the township, was at one time the only African-American country club in the United States. *Ashbrook Golf Course, is a public golf course with 18-holes of championship golf as well as a 9-hole pitch and putt course located on Raritan Road in Scotch Plains. As of 2019, the new clubhouse and restaurant, The Tavern @ Ashbrook, opened for business. *Shackamaxon Country Club is a private golf course, swimming and tennis facility also hosting celebrations, founded in 1916 and is located on Shackamaxon Drive in Scotch Plains. Some of its 130+ acres occupy land in Westfield. *Willow Grove Swim Club: since 1958 Willow Grove has offered residents of Scotch Plains and the surrounding towns the haven of a pool and other activities set on five plus park-like acres. The club offers a 25-meter “L”-shaped, 6-lane pool with diving boards, and a separate gated baby pool. In addition to swimming, the club offers a large sandbox, basketball, ping-pong,

pickleball Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket/paddle sport where two players (singles), or four players (doubles), hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a net using solid-faced paddles. Opponents on either side of the net hit the ball back and ...

, volleyball, tether ball, children's play structure, a large picnic area affectionately called "The Grove", and free Wi-Fi throughout the grounds. Adult and teen socials, barbecues, family fun nights and several special events for children are held throughout the season. For young swimmers, Willow Grove offers swim lessons and the club fields a swim team each summer, competing against other swim clubs in the immediate area. *Highland Swimming Club is a private swimming facility with a large L-shaped main pool and a smaller kiddie pool, a BBQ area, a small "Snack Shack", and play area. Its swim team competes against other private swim clubs in the area in meets held mostly in July. It also hosts an annual swim meet with a club from

Derry Derry, officially Londonderry (), is the second-largest city in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest city on the island of Ireland. The name ''Derry'' is an anglicisation of the Old Irish name (modern Irish: ) meaning 'oak grove'. Th ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. North ...

. *

Bowcraft Amusement Park Bowcraft Amusement Park or Bowcraft Playland was a small amusement park located on U.S. Route 22 West in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. At the time of its closing, it contained 21 rides appropriate for both children and adults. Bowcraft Amusement Par ...

was an amusement park located on Route 22 West that was featured in scenes in the films '' Mortal Thoughts'' (1991) and ''

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''no ...

'' (1994). It officially closed in 2018.

Government

Local government

Scotch Plains is governed within the

Faulkner Act The Optional Municipal Charter Law or Faulkner Act (, et seq.) provides New Jersey municipalities with a variety of models of local government. This legislation is called the Faulkner Act in honor of the late Bayard H. Faulkner, former mayor ...

, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Council-Manager form of New Jersey municipal government. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the four-member Township Council. Council members 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 ...

in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis in even-numbered years, with the Mayor and one of the council members elected in years divisible by four and the three other council seats coming up for election two years later. The Mayor and the Councilmembers are the only elected officials in the township government. The Mayor and Council then appoint a Township Manager, who serves as the chief executive officer of the Township, with the authority to appoint most subordinate personnel.''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 wa ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 98. , the mayor of Scotch Plains is Democrat Joshua G. Losardo, whose term of office expires on December 31, 2024. Members of the Township Council are Deputy Mayor Elizabeth Stamler (D, 2022), Matthew S. Adams (D, 2022; elected to serve an unexpired term), Roshan "Roc" White (D, 2022) and Ellen Zimmerman (D, 2024).Mayor and Council
Scotch Plains Township. Accessed April 11, 2022.Elected Officials

Union County, New Jersey Union County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population was 575,345, making it the seventh-most populous of New Jersey's 21 counties. Its county seat is Elizabeth.

. Accessed June 30, 2022.General Election November 3, 2020 Official Results

, updated December 14, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 6, 2018 Official Results

, updated November 16, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results

, updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022. In January 2021, the Township Council chose Suman Dahiya-Shah from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the council seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Joshua Losardo until he stepped down to take office as mayor. In April 2021, Matthew Adams was selected to fill Dahiya-Shah's seat, after she stepped down from office in March, citing "personal reasons". Adams served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office. The Chief of Police is Ted Conley.

Federal, state and county representation

Scotch Plains is split between the 7th and 12th Congressional Districts2022 Redistricting Plan
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022. and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, all of Scotch Plains had been part of the 7th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 64, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015. The redistricting plan that went into effect in 2013 put 1,091 residents from the extreme northernmost portion of the township into the 7th District, with the remaining 22,419 put into the 12th District.Plan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. Union County is governed by a

Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

, whose nine members are elected

to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis with three seats coming up for election each year, with an appointed County Manager overseeing the day-to-day operations of the county. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. , Union County's County Commissioners are Chair Rebecca Williams ( D, Plainfield, term as commissioner and as chair ends December 31, 2022), Vice Chair Christopher Hudak (D, Linden, term as commissioner ends 2023; term as vice chair ends 2022), James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2024), Angela R. Garretson (D, Hillside, 2023), Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2022), Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2022), Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2023), Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2024) and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2024). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025), Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2023) and Surrogate Susan Dinardo (acting). The County Manager is Edward Oatman.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 15,979 registered voters in Scotch Plains Township, of which 5,061 (31.7% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 3,562 (22.3% vs. 15.3%) 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 7,346 (46.0% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered as Libertarians or

Greens Greens may refer to: *Leaf vegetables such as collard greens, mustard greens, spring greens, winter greens, spinach, etc. Politics Supranational * Green politics * Green party, political parties adhering to Green politics * Global Greens * Europ ...

.Voter Registration Summary – Union
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed May 22, 2013. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 68.0% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 91.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% 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 (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

received 6,801 votes (54.8% vs. 66.0% 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 Massachusett ...

with 5,394 votes (43.5% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 135 votes (1.1% vs. 0.8%), among the 12,407 ballots cast by the township's 16,820 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.8% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 7,094 votes (55.0% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 5,603 votes (43.5% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 109 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 12,894 ballots cast by the township's 16,359 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). 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 6,134 votes (51.0% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 5,757 votes (47.9% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 83 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 12,018 ballots cast by the township's 15,361 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2% (vs. 72.3% 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 ...

received 60.8% of the vote (4,504 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 37.8% (2,804 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (105 votes), among the 7,532 ballots cast by the township's 16,527 registered voters (119 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 4,381 votes (50.8% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 3,480 votes (40.4% vs. 50.6%), 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 Env ...

with 633 votes (7.3% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 68 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,619 ballots cast by the township's 16,122 registered voters, yielding a 53.5% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education

Public school students in Scotch Plains attend the schools of the

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District is a regional public school district serving students from two communities in Union County, New Jersey, United States. The district serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, w ...

, which serves students in pre-kindergarten 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 Thirteen, Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between ...

from the Borough of Fanwood and the Township of Scotch Plains. The district has five elementary schools (grades PreK to 4), two middle schools (5–8) and a comprehensive high school (9–12)., all of which are located in Scotch Plains. Students from School One, Evergreen and Brunner pool into Nettingham Middle School, while students from Coles and McGinn feed into Terrill. School One is the only elementary school that teaches

English as a second language English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a second language (ESL), English as a foreign language (EF ...

. As of the 2018–2019 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 5,649 students and 438.0 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 12.9:1.District information for Scotch Plains-Fanwood School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May ...

. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–2019 enrollment data from the

) are Howard B. Brunner Elementary School with 414 students in grades Pre-K–4, J. Ackerman Coles School with 552 students in grades Pre-K–4, Evergreen School with 402 students in grades Pre-K–4, William J. McGinn School with 512 students in grades K–4, School One with 395 students in grades Pre-K–4, Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School with 909 students in grades 5-8, Terrill Middle School with 811 students in grades 5–8 and Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School with 1,574 students in grades 9–12. Seats on the district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent districts, with seven seats assigned to Scotch Plains. Park Middle School was renamed in 2021 to honor Malcolm V. Nettingham, who had served with the

Tuskegee Airmen The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of primarily African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332d Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army ...

. Shackamaxon School, was built in 1951 (the same year as Evergreen School) and operated until 1981, when it was leased to the Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey as their Jewish Community Center and offices. The Federation bought the building outright five years later. The Union County Vocational Technical Schools includes the Union County Magnet High School, the

Academy for Information Technology The Union County Academy for Information Technology (UC-AIT) is a full-time four-year public high school located in Scotch Plains, in Union County, New Jersey, United States, on the Union County Vocational Technical Schools Campus. The scho ...

, the Union County Academy for Allied Health Sciences, the Union County Academy for Performing Arts and the Vocational-Technical School. The grouping of different schools is for vocational as well as gifted students, publicly funded by the combined taxes of Union County municipalities. Union Catholic Regional High School (often abbreviated UC), a private

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

school, brings in students from Union County and parts of

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...

and

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbourin ...

counties and operates under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. The Newark Archdiocese also supervises operation of the K–8 St. Bartholomew Academy. Union County College has a facility in Scotch Plains.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Union County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The two major roads that pass through are

Route 28 Highway 28 may refer to: Australia * Cumberland Highway * Mountain Highway (Victoria) * - NT Canada * Alberta Highway 28 * British Columbia Highway 28 * Nova Scotia Trunk 28 * Ontario Highway 28 * Saskatchewan Highway 28 China Taiwan * Provi ...

for a brief stretch in the central part and U.S. Route 22 in the north. The township is accessible from major limited access highways in neighboring communities, such as Interstate 78 in both Watchung and Berkeley Heights, the Garden State Parkway in

and

Interstate 287 Interstate 287 (I-287) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the US states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in ...

in Edison Township.

Public transportation

Scotch Plains is bisected by NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. A passenger station is located in Fanwood. Another rail line, the Lehigh Line, carries freight trains through the southernmost tip of the township. New Jersey Transit offers service on the 112, 113,

114 114 may refer to: *114 (number) *AD 114 *114 BC *114 (1st London) Army Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, an English military unit *114 (Antrim Artillery) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, a Northern Irish military unit *114 (MBTA bus) *114 (New Je ...

and

117 117 may refer to: *117 (number) *AD 117 *117 BC *117 (emergency telephone number) *117 (MBTA bus) * 117 (TFL bus) *117 (New Jersey bus) *''117°'', a 1998 album by Izzy Stradlin *No. 117 (SPARTAN-II soldier ID), personal name John, the Master Chief ...

routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in

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 service to Newark on the 59, 65 and 66 (Limited) routes. Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately east of Scotch Plains, most conveniently reached via Route 22, and Linden Airport, a

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation service ...

facility is in nearby Linden, New Jersey. Newark Liberty International Airport is also accessible via New Jersey Transit train by transferring from the Raritan Valley Line to the Northeast Corridor Line at Newark Penn Station. Scotch Plains also has access to

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

service, by taking the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station. This gives Scotch Plains rail access to destinations along the entire east coast.

News coverage

The township falls in the New York media market, with daily news being based in New York City. Its weekly newspaper of record is the ''Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times'', also publisher of the neighboring town's newspaper of record, ''The Westfield Leader''.

Points of interest

* The Aunt Betty Frazee House is a farmhouse of a colonial-era couple Gershom and Elizabeth Frazee, the latter of whom was approached by British generals in 1777 who sought to buy bread she'd been baking that day. Aunt Betty's famous retort ("I offer this bread not in love but in fear" — whereupon the generals courteously abandoned their effort to buy) puts her in company with Betsy Ross, Molly Pitcher and other women who distinguished themselves in the American Revolution. Her house is on state and national historic registers, and many in the community are seeking a way of restoring the house (at 1451 Raritan Road) to honor Betty's story and secure it in American history. * Osborn-Cannonball House Museum is a historic home located at 1840 Front Street that is operated by The Historical Society of Scotch Plains and Fanwood New Jersey. * Hillside Cemetery is the burial site of Dudley Moore and Senator James Edgar Martine. * The Stage House Inn was constructed in 1737 and is still in use as a bar/restaurant. It was a primary meeting place for troop messengers and officers during the Revolutionary War; in fact, General Lafayette is known to have stopped at the inn while General George Washington was nearby. * John's Meat Market is the site of Mr. T's reality TV show for

TV Land TV Land is an American pay television channel owned by Paramount Global through its networks division. Originally a spinoff of Nick at Nite consisting exclusively of classic television shows, the channel now airs a combination of recent and cl ...

. * John H. Stamler Police Academy trains officers and volunteers throughout Union County and is located on Raritan Road. * The Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey has its Jewish Community Center and offices on Martine Avenue.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Scotch Plains include: * Audrey Assad (born 1983), contemporary Christian music artist with Sparrow Records *

Alan Augustine Alan Mandeville Augustine (August 17, 1928 – June 11, 2001) was an American Republican Party politician who served for 30 years as Mayor and councilman of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Union County freeholder, and member of the New Jersey Gener ...

(1928–2001), politician who served as Mayor of Scotch Plains, councilman, freeholder and in 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 f ...

, representing the 22nd Legislative District * Thomas J. Barr (1812–1881), politician who represented New York's 4th congressional district from 1859 to 1861 *

Hank Beenders Henry Gerald Beenders (June 2, 1916 – October 27, 2003) was a Dutch-American professional basketball player. Early life Beenders was born in Haarlem, Netherlands, and migrated to the United States at age eight. He lived in Brooklyn, New York, a ...

(1916–2003), early professional basketball player * Carol Bellamy (born 1942), former executive director of

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid t ...

and director of the

Peace Corps The Peace Corps is an independent agency and program of the United States government that trains and deploys volunteers to provide international development assistance. It was established in March 1961 by an executive order of President John ...

* David S. Blitzer (born 1970), part owner of the New Jersey Devils of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

, Philadelphia 76ers of the

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...

who is a senior executive at the Blackstone Group *

Judy Blume Judith Blume (née Sussman; born February 12, 1938) is an American writer of children's, young adult and adult fiction. Blume began writing in 1959 and has published more than 25 novels. Among her best-known works are ''Are You There God? It's ...

(born 1938), author, lived in Scotch Plains while writing the classic ''Fudge'' series of children's books *

Derrick Caracter Derrick Eugene Caracter (born May 4, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player who last played for Capitanes de Arecibo of the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional. He played college basketball for Louisville and UTEP. Ca ...

(born 1988), power forward/ center for the University of Texas-El Paso Miners team who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Draft *

Abraham Coles Abraham Coles (December 26, 1813 – May 3, 1891) was an American physician, translator, author and poet from New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the nor ...

(1813–1891), physician, translator, author and poet *

Ezra Darby Ezra Darby (June 7, 1768 – January 27, 1808) was an American politician who was elected to two terms as a U.S. Representative from New Jersey, serving from 1805 to 1808. Biography Born in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Darby attended the common scho ...

(1768–1808), politician who represented New Jersey's at-large congressional district from 1805 until his death *

Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco (born November 20, 1944) is a retired American politician who served as the 51st governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002. He succeeded Christine Todd Whitman after her resignation to become Administrator of the Enviro ...

(born 1944), former

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official re ...

and Senate President * Pat DiNizio (1955–2017), singer/songwriter for '' The Smithereens

* Jerome Epstein (born 1937), politician who served in 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, ...

and then went to federal prison for pirating oil * John Gano (1727–1804),

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...

who baptized George Washington * Rashan Gary (born 1997), defensive tackle for the

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for it ...

team * Ashton Gibbs (born 1990), starting point-guard for the Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team *

Sterling Gibbs Sterling Dupree Gibbs (born July 17, 1993) is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball at Texas, Seton Hall and Connecticut. Early life and high school Gibbs was born and grew up in Scotch Plains, New Jerse ...

(born 1993), professional basketball player for Kolossos Rodou of the Greek Basket League * Scott Goldblatt (born 1979), swimmer who won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and a silver medal at the

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...

Sydney, Australia Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and List of cities in Oceania by population, Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metro ...

, with both medals earned in the 4 × 200 m Freestyle Relay * Jeffrey Hammonds (born 1971), former MLB outfielder who had one all-star appearance in his 13 seasons * Isaac Heller (1926–2015), toy manufacturer who co-founded Remco * Jerome Hines (1921–2003), opera singer *

Tom Jackson Tom or TOM may refer to: * Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name) Characters * Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' * Tom Beck, a character ...

(born 1948), former football player and coach who was head football coach at the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from H ...

from 1983 to 1993 * Nate Jones (born 1982), cornerback for the

Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...

. *

Hillary Klimowicz Hillary Klimowicz Milner (born April 3, 1987) is a basketball player from New Jersey who formerly played for Limoges ABC, a team based in Limoges, France. Klimowicz participated in a college campaign at both St. Joseph's University and The ...

(born 1987), basketball player who has played for Limoges ABC *

Christian J. Lambertsen Christian James Lambertsen (May 15, 1917 – February 11, 2011) was an American environmental medicine and diving medicine specialist who was principally responsible for developing the United States Navy frogmen's rebreathers in the early 1940 ...

(1917–2011), environmental medicine and diving medicine specialist who developed the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

frogmen's

rebreathers A rebreather is a breathing apparatus that absorbs the carbon dioxide of a user's exhaled breath to permit the rebreathing (recycling) of the substantially unused oxygen content, and unused inert content when present, of each breath. Oxygen is ...

in the early 1940s and created the acronym "

SCUBA Scuba may refer to: * Scuba diving ** Scuba set, the equipment used for scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) diving * Scuba, an in-memory database developed by Facebook * Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array Two instruments ...

" *

Mary LeSawyer Mary LeSawyer (October 8, 1917; Shamokin, Pennsylvania – June 13, 2004; Orlando, Florida) was an American opera singer of Ukrainian descent who had an active international career during the 1940s through the 1960s. A lyric soprano, LeSawyer s ...

(1917–2004), opera singer *

Joseph Malchow Joseph Malchow is an American entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the founding general partner at HNVR Technology Investment Management, an investment company based in Portola Valley. Malchow as a venture capitalist supports high-tech com ...

(born 1985), technology executive and venture capital investor * Bryan Meredith (born 1989), goalkeeper who has played for the Seattle Sounders FC and San Jose Earthquakes of the MLS * James Murphy (born 1997), soccer player who currently plays as a

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

for USL Championship club Rio Grande Valley FC * John Murphy (born 2000), soccer player who last played as a

for USL Championship club Loudoun United FC * Renaldo Nehemiah (born 1959), track star who set world record in the 110 meter hurdles, NFL wide receiver for the

San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...

and the only four-time winner of ABC's Superstar competition * Amy Ellis Nutt (born 1955), journalist and ''New York Times'' bestselling author, who was the recipient of the 2011

Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing The Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing is one of the fourteen American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Journalism. It has been awarded since 1979 for a distinguished example of feature writing giving prime consideration to high lit ...

for her reporting at ''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to '' The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the ''Staten Island Advance'', all of w ...

'' *

Thomas W. Osborn Thomas Ward Osborn (March 9, 1833December 18, 1898) was a Union Army officer, freedmen bureau official, 1868 Florida Constitutional Convention delegate, state senator, and United States Senator representing Florida. Early life Osborn was born in ...

(1833–1898),

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union of the collective states. It proved essential to th ...

officer who represented

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, a ...

in the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and ...

John Pak John Pak (born December 18, 1998) is an American professional golfer. Pak was raised in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Pak attended Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School for one year before moving to Orlando, Florida to train. As a junior golfer, he wa ...

(born 1998), golfer *

Joe J. Plumeri Joseph J. Plumeri II (born July 7, 1943) is vice chairman of the First Data Board of Directors. He was the chairman and CEO of Willis Group Holdings (Willis), a New York Stock Exchange-listed insurance broker, until July 2013. The company has ...

(born 1944), Chairman & CEO of Willis Group and owner of the Trenton Thunder * John F. Rague (1799–1877), architect who designed and built the 1837 Old Capitol of Illinois and the 1840 Territorial Capitol of Iowa * Cynthia Sayer (born 1956), jazz

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and usually made of plastic, or occasionally animal skin. Early forms of the instrument were fashi ...

ist *

Joe Scarpati Joseph Henry Scarpati, Jr. (born March 5, 1943) is a former American football safety who played seven seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). Scarpati was first drafted by the Boston P ...

(born 1943), holder for Tom Dempsey's record field goal in 1970 * Marc Shaiman (born 1959), composer and arranger who has worked on the musical '' Hairspray'' and the film '' South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut'' * John Shippen (1879–1968), first American golf professional and first African American to compete in the U.S. Open *

John H. Stamler John Harry Stamler (December 3, 1938 – March 25, 1990) was the Union County, New Jersey, prosecutor from 1977 until his death. He was New Jersey's first three-term County Prosecutor, appointed by a Democratic Governor and reappointed twice by a ...

(1938–1990),

prosecutor, who was New Jersey's first three-term County Prosecutor * Enzo Stuarti (1919–2005), tenor, musical theater performer *

Samuel Swan Samuel Swan (1771, near Scotch Plains, New Jersey – August 24, 1844, Bound Brook, New Jersey), was a five-term U.S. Congressman and medical doctor. After studying medicine, Swan began to practice in Bound Brook, from 1800 to 1806 and then m ...

(1771–1844), physician and politician who represented New Jersey's at-large congressional district from 1821 to 1831 * Lance Thomas (born 1988), power forward / center for the New York Knicks * Frank Thorne (born 1930), comic book artist and writer best known for popularizing the

Marvel Comics Marvel Comics is an American comic book publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Comics'' in 19 ...

character Red Sonja * Troi Torain (born 1964), radio host and "Star" of Star and Bucwild * David S. Ware (born 1949), jazz musician * Melissa Murphy Weber (born 1969), attorney and politician who served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2003 to 2004Melissa Murphy Weber
Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Accessed October 1, 2015. "Weber, Melissa Murphy, a Representative from Montgomery County; born in Scotch Plains, Union County, NJ, 1969"

References

External links

Scotch Plains website

Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District
*
School Data for the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District

Scotch Plains Historical Society
(collection on the Internet Archive) {{Authority control 1878 establishments in New Jersey Faulkner Act (council–manager) Populated places established in 1878 Scottish-American culture in New Jersey Townships in Union County, New Jersey