Washington Township (officially the Township of Washington) is a

township A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...

Bergen County Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 9,285, an increase of 183 (+2.0%) of the 2010 census count of 9,102, reflecting an increase of 164 (+1.8%) from the 8,938 counted in the 2000 census.

History

The

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

Native Americans first inhabited the township and many names throughout the general area were passed down from the Lenape. Pascack and Kinderkamack are just two of these names. However, after Dutch and other European settlers began arriving in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Lenape population was decimated. It is estimated that by 1750, 90% of the Lenape population in and around present-day New Jersey was killed by European settlement through war and European diseases.''About the Lenape - 1600-1750: Fur Traders, Disease, Settlers''
(see reference material linked therein) Washington Township was created 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 ...

on April 13, 1840, from the territories between the

Hackensack River The Hackensack River is a river, about 45 miles (72 km) long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban ar ...

and Saddle River that had been part of Harrington Township.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 88. Accessed May 30, 2024. At the time of its creation, the township encompassed an area of , more than .Our History
Township of Washington. Accessed December 22, 2013. "We have a number of interesting places in our town, one of which is Seven Chimneys, a large 18th century stone house that stands high on a grassy knoll in the southern portion of the Township. Legend has it; George Washington stayed there a short period of time, which gives our community special history and pride." The township was named for

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

, one of more than ten communities statewide named for the first president. It is one of five municipalities in the state of New Jersey with the name " Washington Township". Another municipality, Washington Borough, is completely surrounded by Washington Township, Warren County. Growth in the area exploded after the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

with the completion of the New Jersey and New York Railway through the

Pascack Valley The Pascack Valley is the name for a region of New Jersey, United States, contained within Bergen County. It is named for the Pascack Brook. The region consists of eight municipalities: Montvale, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale, Westwoo ...

, as communities were established near the railroad's stations. Orvil Township was created on January 1, 1886, from the western portion of The Township of Washington and the southern portion of

Hohokus Township Hohokus Township was a township that existed in Bergen County, New Jersey and was established in 1849 from the northern part of Franklin Township and extended from the Saddle River on the east to the western boundary of Bergen County with Passaic ...

. The Borough Act resulted in a flurry of new boroughs created from portions of the township in 1894 as the "

Boroughitis Boroughitis (also borough fever or borough mania) was the creation in the 1890s, usually by referendum, of large numbers of small boroughs in the U.S. state of New Jersey, particularly in Bergen County. Attempts by the New Jersey Legislature to ...

" phenomenon swept through the Township of Washington, with Westwood (May 8, 1894), Park Ridge (May 14, 1894), Eastwood (part; created June 6, 1894, borough lasted until 1896), Montvale (part; created August 31, 1894) and Woodcliff (part; created August 31, 1894, name changed to Woodcliff Lake in 1910) formed among the 26 boroughs created that year in the county. Hillsdale Township (now a borough) was created on March 25, 1898. Etna Borough, which ultimately became Emerson, was formed on April 8, 1903. River Vale (part) was the last to leave when it was created on April 30, 1906. The departures have taken the township from over to its current size. Seven Chimneys is a house with the described seven chimneys, located on Ridgewood Road atop a small hill.

is said to have stayed at the house during the Revolutionary War. Seven Chimneys, the oldest house in the township, is an impressive example of eighteenth-century, regional, domestic architecture and is an important remnant of the community's early settlement period. The house is listed on the State Register and

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. Notable visitors include Theodore Roosevelt. The house was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. On November 3, 1968, the Bergen County Historical Society placed a historic-site marker on the property and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. During the mid-1950s, the completion of the

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...

split the township in two. The Parkway created two access routes with Exit 166 on the southern border closest to Paramus and Exit 168 on Washington Avenue. The northernmost toll plaza was built off of East Glen. During the decade after the Parkway was completed, the township dramatically increased in population. Efforts to gain a ZIP Code for the township back to the mid-1970s, when efforts were made to have the unused 07676 code allocated to the Township of Washington. Previously, the township had been served by the Westwood post office as ZIP Code 07675, which also served Old Tappan, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake. ZIP Code 07676 for Township of Washington was established effective July 2000.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the township had a total area of , including of land and of water (1.67%). The township is located in the northern portion of Bergen County, which in turn is in the far northeastern corner of

, northwest of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. It is within the

watershed, which comprises Musquapsink Brook, Schlegel Lake,

Pascack Brook Pascack Brook is a tributary of the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. History At least one late 18th-century map calls the brook "Great Pascack River." Its tributary Musquapsink Brook is shown as "Little Pascack Rive ...

Oradell Reservoir The Oradell Reservoir is a reservoir formed by the Oradell Dam on the Hackensack River in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. Geography The Oradell Reservoir Dam is located primarily in the borough of Oradell, but the reservoir also extend ...

, Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, and

Lake Tappan Lake Tappan is a reservoir impounded by the Tappan Dam on the Hackensack River, straddling the border between the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. Within New Jersey, the lake traverses the border separating the municipalities of River Va ...

. The township borders the Bergen County municipalities of Emerson, Hillsdale,

Ho-Ho-Kus Ho-Ho-Kus () is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,258, an increase of 180 (+4.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,078, which in turn reflected an i ...

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 ...

, Ridgewood, Saddle River and Westwood. Located within the Pascack Valley of north-central Bergen County, elevations rise gradually in an east to west/south to north trajectory, and range anywhere from or less in the wooded swamplands behind Westwood Regional High School to approximately just west of Van Emburgh Avenue. Three hills are in the township: at the border of Westwood, west of Pascack Road, and another located west of Van Emburgh Avenue. Being higher in elevation, it is slightly cooler and less prone to flooding than the rest of the valley and other parts of northwestern Bergen County. The southern end of the township bordering Emerson and Paramus is wooded wetlands at the convergence of Musquapsink Brook and three cemeteries, and has consistently the densest overnight and morning fog in the area.

Demographics

2020 Census

2010 Census

The 2010 United States census counted 9,102 people, 3,261 households, and 2,632 families in the township. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 3,341 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 90.50% (8,237)

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.08% (98) Black or African American, 0.01% (1) Native American, 6.47% (589) Asian, 0.02% (2)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.62% (56) from other races, and 1.31% (119) from two or more races.

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While many use the terms interchangeably, for example, the United States Census Bureau ...

of any race were 5.44% (495) of the population. Of the 3,261 households, 33.1% had children under the age of 18; 71.0% were married couples living together; 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 19.3% were non-families. Of all households, 16.9% were made up of individuals and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.15. 22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.7 males. The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

showed that (in 2010

inflation-adjusted In economics, nominal value refers to value measured in terms of absolute money amounts, whereas real value is considered and measured against the actual goods or services for which it can be exchanged at a given time. Real value takes into acco ...

dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two 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 und ...

was $117,394 (with a margin of error of +/− $14,960) and the median family income was $133,191 (+/− $10,285). Males had a median income of $91,038 (+/− $11,435) versus $56,599 (+/− $4,609) for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the township was $48,415 (+/− $4,855). About 1.6% of families and 2.0% 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 1.8% of those under age 18 and 0.6% of those age 65 or over.

Same-sex couples A same-sex relationship is a romantic or 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 unions may exist in countries ...

headed 27 households in 2010, an increase from the 10 counted in 2000.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,938 people, 3,219 households, and 2,687 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 3,245 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 92.07%

, 0.98%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.04% Native American, 5.57% Asian, 0.44% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 3.35% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Washington township, Bergen County, New Jersey

. Accessed March 4, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Washington township, Bergen County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed March 4, 2013. There were 3,219 households, out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.5% were non-families. 14.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.07. In the township, the population was spread out, with 22.7% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.9 males. The median income for a household in the township was $83,694, and the median income for a family was $88,017. Males had a median income of $67,090 versus $41,699 for females. The

for the township was $39,248. About 1.5% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the

, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Washington Town Center is a shopping mall located in the center of the township on Pascack Road. The privately held Washington Town Center is the township's single largest taxpayer. Through a quirk in the town's tax code, the not-for-profit Washington Township Recreation Club remains the township's second-largest taxpayer.

Parks and recreation

The Township of Washington offers various sports activities—baseball, softball, football, cheerleading, and soccer—which are played at the numerous parks and fields throughout the town. Clark Field includes a little league baseball field with two large dugouts and electronic scoreboard, a basketball court, a playground, sandbox, and a concession stand. The playground has many slides, monkey bars, games, gliders, fire poles, regular swings, baby swings, and a tire swing. Memorial Field is in the major recreation site in the township and provides facilities for multiple uses: baseball, softball, soccer and youth football. Adjacent to the Washington Elementary School, it also includes a recreation building with concession stand and a covered picnic pavilion. Other fields include Sherry Field which is close to the border of Westwood and township and offers a baseball field with two playing areas. The other field is Gardener Field which is a baseball field and also a playground. Both of these fields include a concession stand. As the township does not provide for any recreational pool service, the Washington Township Recreation Club (WTRC) fills this void. Membership at the Washington Township Recreation Club, more commonly known as the 'swim club' or 'pool', is not limited to township residents and is open to any individual or family who wishes to join. In addition to the Olympic sized outdoor pool, the WTRC also offers a game room and picnic area. Additional recreational facilities include the Bergen County YJCC, offering fitness programs, indoor swimming and a variety of classes for all denominations. The town also has a privately owned Racquet and Health Club. Schlegel Lake, once referred to as Schlegel's Pond and commonly referred to as Washington Lake, is a artificial body of water privately owned and managed by the Washington Lake Association (WLA) since 1947, whose members have exclusive rights to use of the pond and surrounding property. WLA members may enjoy fishing, boating, picnicking, nature observation and other outdoor activities.

Government

Local government

The Township of Washington 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 Mayor-Council system of municipal government (Plan E), implemented based on the recommendations of a

Charter Study Commission 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 ...

as of January 1, 1970. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a five-member Township Council, all of whom 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 tha ...

on a partisan basis to four-year terms of office, as part of the November general election. Members of the Township Council are elected to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for election together and the other two seats (along with the mayor) up for election two years later in odd-numbered years.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

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

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. 165. , the

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

of the Township of Washington is Republican Peter Calamari, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025. Members of the Township Council are Council President Desserie Morgan (R, 2023), Council Vice President Steven Cascio (R, 2023), Stacey Feeney (R, 2023), Tom Sears (R, 2025) and Daisy Velez (R, 2025).Mayor & Council
Township of Washington. Accessed March 17, 2023.''2024 County and Municipal Directory''

Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results

Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Bergen County November 5, 2019 General Election Statement of Vote

Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Plan Components Report

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 ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 6,381 registered voters in the Township of Washington, of which 1,364 (21.4% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,412 (37.8% 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 2,601 (40.8% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as

Libertarians Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...

or Greens.Voter Registration Summary - Bergen

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 22, 2013. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 70.1% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 91.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide). In the

2016 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/ federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *7 January: Kiri ...

, Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

received 3,036 votes (56.1% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...

with 2,184 votes (40.3% vs. 54.2%) and other candidates with 196 votes (3.6% vs. 4.6%), among the 5,484 ballots cast by the township's 7,010 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.2% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County). 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: ...

, Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...

received 2,883 votes (58.3% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

with 2,000 votes (40.5% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 33 votes (0.7% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,941 ballots cast by the township's 6,619 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.6% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County). In the 2008 presidential election, Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...

received 3,146 votes (58.1% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,159 votes (39.8% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 42 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,418 ballots cast by the township's 6,735 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.4% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).2008 General Election Results for Washington Township
''

The Record The Record may refer to: Music * The Record (Fear album), ''The Record'' (Fear album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Record (Boygenius album), ''The Record'' (Boygenius album), a 2023 studio album by the indie rock supe ...

''. Accessed December 22, 2013. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

received 3,207 votes (59.6% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...

with 2,137 votes (39.7% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 27 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 5,379 ballots cast by the township's 6,582 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.7% (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 and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...

received 69.3% of the vote (2,079 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 29.6% (889 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (31 votes), among the 3,067 ballots cast by the township's 6,527 registered voters (68 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican

received 2,329 votes (56.7% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of 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 f ...

with 1,475 votes (35.9% vs. 48.0%), 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 200 votes (4.9% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 4,110 ballots cast by the township's 6,623 registered voters, yielding a 62.1% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).

Education

Public school students in

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cen ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...

attend the Westwood Regional School District, a comprehensive regional school district serving students from both the Township of Washington and Westwood Borough. The district is the county's only regional district serving grades K-12. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 2,828 students and 259.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...

of 10.9:1.District information for Westwood Regional School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...

. Accessed December 15, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the

) are Berkeley Avenue Elementary School with 282 students in grades K–5, Brookside Elementary School with 375 students in grades K–5, Jessie F. George Elementary School with 283 students in grades K–5, Washington Elementary School with 322 students in grades K–5, Westwood Regional Middle School with 683 students in grades 6–8 and

Westwood Regional High School Westwood Regional High School (formerly Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School) is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Borough of Westwood and the Township of Washingt ...

with 839 students in grades 9–12. Seats on the nine-member board are allocated based on population of the constituent municipalities, with five allocated to Westwood and four to Washington Township. Public school students from the township, 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, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The ...

, 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 all of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The school was fo ...

in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Bergen Tech campus in Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.

Immaculate Heart Academy Immaculate Heart Academy (IHA) is an all-girls college preparatory private Roman Catholic high school located in Washington Township, in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Immaculate Heart Academy has been accredited by the Commis ...

is a parochial, college preparatory, all-girls Catholic high school located on Van Emburgh Avenue, operating under the auspices of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark The Archdiocese of Newark () is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or archdiocese, of the Catholic Church in northeastern New Jersey in the United States. The mother church of the archdiocese is the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Hea ...

. The school was founded in 1960 as the first all-girls school operated by the Newark Archdiocese.

Emergency services

The Washington Township Volunteer Fire Department was founded in 1934. The station is located at 656 Washington Avenue and is home to Rescue 40, Tower Ladder 41, Engine 43, and Engine 44. The Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps was founded in 1957. The station is located at 354 Hudson Avenue and is home to Ambulance 4–6. The Washington Township Police Department was founded in 1934. The station is located at 350 Hudson Avenue in the municipal complex.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Bergen County 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 Town ...

. Located within the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...

's arterial network, the township is easily accessible by car. The

serves the Township with exits 166 (south) and 168 (north). The Parkway's final tool booth, the Pascack toll, is located in the township. County Route 502 also travels through the township. Route 17 is accessible nearby.

Public transportation

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...

bus route

165 Year 165 ( CLXV) was a common year starting on Monday 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''). The denomination 165 for this year ...

serves nearby Westwood with access to and from the Township of Washington to the

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

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

and local service on the

752 __NOTOC__ Year 752 ( DCCLII) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar, the 752nd year of Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 752nd year of the 1st millennium, the 52nd year of 8th century, and the 3rd year ...

route. Westwood train station can also be easily accessed from the township.

Rockland Coaches Rockland Coaches Inc., formerly known as The Red and Tan Lines, and locally shortened to Red and Tan, is a commuter coach company owned by Coach USA based in Westwood, New Jersey, that operates commuter bus service between New York City and poi ...

provides express service from Pascack Road and Washington Avenue via Garden State Parkway Exit 168, with weekday rush-hour service provided to the

, heading to New York in the morning and returning to the township weekday evenings on routes 46, 47 and 49.

Entertainment

The Township of Washington has a movie theater in the Washington Township Shopping Center, with three viewing screens. It closed in 2016 as Bowtie Cinemas, but reopened shortly thereafter as an independent cinema.

Community

The Township of Washington has its own TV station, Washington Community Television (WCTV), run entirely by volunteers. The non-profit, community access group is funded by cable franchise fees and provides a 24/7 electronic bulletin board telecast over several cable systems in surrounding towns. WCTV provides live programming and coverage of high school sports, local events and activities on the

Public, educational, and government access Public-access television (sometimes called community-access television) is traditionally a form of non-commercial mass media where the general public can create content television programming which is narrowcast through cable television special ...

(PEG)

cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television broadcast programming, programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This ...

channels as well as the Internet. Its volunteers have been honored for their efforts. Town Meetings are broadcast live and are archived on the WCTVNJ YouTube pages. The Township of Washington Public Library offers a collection of 48,325 volumes with a circulation of over 80,000 items per year. It is a member of the Bergen County Cooperative Library System. In addition to traditional materials, the library offers an online collection and specialty items not typically found in a library setting, including technology, housewares and hobby equipment. Laura Rifkin is the current Library Director. As the township does not provide residential trash pickup service, residents must pay for trash pickup services through a choice of two private garbage companies. Sevench

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with the Township of Washington include: *

Beverly Bower Beverly Bower (September 30, 1925 – March 24, 2002) was an American operatic soprano who had an active international opera career from the mid-1950s through the early 1970s. She began her opera career at the New York City Opera where she sang be ...

(1925–2002), operatic soprano *

Carol Higgins Clark Carol Higgins Clark (July 28, 1956 – June 12, 2023) was an American mystery author and actress. She was the daughter of suspense writer Mary Higgins Clark, with whom she co-authored several Christmas novels, and the former sister-in-law of aut ...

(1956–2023), mystery writer * Robert Dow (born 1945), fencer who competed in the team

saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...

event at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

* Thomas Fitzpatrick (1940–2009), pilot known for two intoxicated flights where he flew from

and landed on the streets of

Damon Harrison Damon Paul Harrison (born November 29, 1988) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at William Penn University and was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He was also a member of t ...

(born 1988),

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...

Mary Higgins Clark Mary Higgins Clark (born Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins; December 24, 1927 – January 31, 2020) was an American author of suspense novels. Each of her 51 books was a bestseller in the United States and various European countries, and all of her ...

(1927–2020), best-selling author of suspense novels * Raymond E. Johns Jr. (born 1955), General, Commander

Air Mobility Command The Air Mobility Command (AMC) is a List of Major Commands of the United States Air Force, Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force. It is headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, east of St. Louis, Missouri, ...

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

Pert Kelton Pert L. Kelton (October 14, 1907 – October 30, 1968) was an American stage, movie, radio, and television actress. She was the original The Honeymooners#Alice Kramden, Alice Kramden in ''The Honeymooners'' with Jackie Gleason. During the ...

(1907–1968), vaudeville, movie, radio and television actress, who originated the role of

Alice Kramden ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fol ...

in ''

The Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It f ...

'' with

Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...

* John Markert (1929–2011), politician who served as Mayor of the Township of Washington before being elected to 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 ...

, where he served three terms representing the 39th Legislative District * Miriam Moskowitz (1916–2018), schoolteacher who served two years in prison after being convicted for conspiracy as an atomic spy for the Soviet Union *

Jeffrey Nordling Jeffrey Richard Nordling (born March 11, 1962) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Jake Manning in ''Once and Again'', Larry Moss in '' 24'', Nick Bolen in ''Desperate Housewives'', and Gordon Klein in '' Big Little Lies'', as wel ...

(born 1962), actor who has appeared in the series ''

Dirt Dirt is any matter considered unclean, especially when in contact with a person's clothes, skin, or possessions. In such cases, they are said to become dirty. Common types of dirt include: * Debris: scattered pieces of waste or remains * Du ...

'' * B. J. Raji (born 1986), former NFL

nose tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that typically lines up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the Guard (American football), offensive guards; however, he may also line up opposite one of the offensive Tackle (gridir ...

who played for the

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They ar ...

Corey Raji Corey Raji (born November 7, 1988) is an American-Nigerian professional basketball player. He played college basketball for Boston College. High school career Raji attended Westwood Regional High School in Washington Township, New Jersey where ...

(born 1988), professional basketball player *

Bob Schroeder Robert Schroeder (born February 16, 1960) is an American businessman, Republican Party politician, and convicted felon who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2010 to 2014, where he represented the 39th Legislative District, having ...

(born 1960), member of the

and former councilmember in the Township of Washington, who was sentenced in 2017 to eight years in state prison for deception, misconduct and passing bad checks * Vito Trause (1925–2019),

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

veteran and

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

Katzban, Nicholas
"Vito Trause, who left school in Bergen County to fight in WWII, dies at 94"
''

'', November 3, 2019. Accessed October 11, 2021. "Washington Township — A resident known for dropping out of Becton Regional High School to fight in World War II and surviving five months as a German prisoner died Thursday."

References

Sources

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

External links

Township of Washington website
{{Authority control 1840 establishments in New Jersey Faulkner Act (mayor–council) Pascack Valley Populated places established in 1840 Townships in New Jersey Townships in Bergen County, New Jersey