Highland Park is a

borough A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History ...

in Middlesex County, in the

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 ...

, in the

New York City 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 ...

. The borough is located on the northern banks of the

Raritan River The Raritan River is a river of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous areas in the North Jersey, northern and Central Jersey, central sections of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay near ...

, in the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 15,072, an increase of 1,090 (+7.8%) from the 2010 census count of 13,982, which in turn reflected a decline of 17 (−0.1%) from the 13,999 counted in the 2000 census. Highland Park was formed as a borough by an act of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and ...

on March 15, 1905, when it broke away from what was then known as Raritan Township (present-day Edison).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170. Accessed May 28, 2024. The borough was named for its location above the

History

The earliest settlers of the land that would become Highland Park were 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, who hunted in the hills along the

and had trails that crisscrossed the area, providing a link between the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

and

Hudson River The Hudson River, historically the North River, is a river that flows from north to south largely through eastern New York (state), New York state. It originates in the Adirondack Mountains at Henderson Lake (New York), Henderson Lake in the ...

areas.Cheslow, Jerry
"If You're Thinking of Living In/Highland Park, N.J.; Small in Size but Large in Diversity"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', October 8, 2000. Accessed December 4, 2019. "Raritan Avenue was originally part of the Leni Lenape Indian Assunpink Trail, a path that connected the Hudson and Delaware River Valleys." In 1685, John Inian bought land on both shores of the Raritan River and built two new landings downstream from the Assunpink Trail's fording place, which was later developed as Raritan Landing. He established a ferry service and the main road then was redirected to lead straight to the ferry landing. This river crossing was run by generations of different owners and a ferry house tavern operated for many years in the 18th century.Kolva, Jeanne; and Pisciotta, Joanne
''Highland Park; Borough of Homes''
pp. 18–19. Charleston, SC:

Arcadia Publishing Arcadia Publishing is an American Publishing, publisher of neighborhood, local history, local, and regional history of the United States in pictorial form.(analysis of the successful ''Images of America'' series). Arcadia Publishing also runs th ...

, 2005. . Accessed May 1, 2012. A toll bridge replaced the ferry in 1795. The wood plank Albany Street Bridge was dismantled in 1848 and reconstructed in 1853. The present day seven-span stone arch road bridge was built in 1892 and stretches across the Raritan River to

New Brunswick New Brunswick is a Provinces and Territories of Canada, province of Canada, bordering Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to the northeast, the Bay of Fundy to the southeast, and the U.S. state of Maine to ...

. It became the

Lincoln Highway The Lincoln Highway is one of the first transcontinental highways in the United States and one of the first highways designed expressly for automobiles. Conceived in 1912 by Indiana entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, and formally dedicated Octob ...

Bridge in 1914 and was widened in 1925. In the late 17th century, Henry Greenland became one of the area's first European settlers; he owned nearly of land on the Mill Brook section of the Assunpink Trail, where he operated an inn for travelers. Others early settlers included Captain Francis Drake and other members of the Drake family, relatives of the famous explorer. In the early 18th century, a few wealthy Europeans including the Van Horns and Merrills settled on large tracts of land establishing an isolated farmstead pattern of development that would continue for the next 150 years. The Reverend John Henry Livingston of the famous

Livingston family The Livingston family of New York (state), New York is a prominent family that migrated from Scotland to the Dutch Republic, and then to the Province of New York in the 17th century. Descended from the 4th Lord Livingston, its members included s ...

, newly chosen head of Queen's College (now

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 ...

), purchased a plot of land in 1809, which would hereafter be known as the Livingston Manor. A gracious Greek Revival house built around 1843 by Robert and Louisa Livingston stands on this property, which remains Highland Park's most prominent historic house. The Livingston Homestead, which is listed in the

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 ...

, was owned by the Waldron family throughout most of the 20th century. In the early 19th century, both the Delaware & Raritan Canal and a railroad were constructed largely to serve the commercial center of

across the river. In 1836, the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Company built a rail line that terminated on the Highland Park side of the Raritan River and established a station named "East New Brunswick."Kolva, Jeanne
History of Highland Park
Borough of Highland Park. Accessed February 24, 2024. "The native Lenape people inhabited this hilly land aside the gently flowing Raritan River and their trails crisscrossed the land. One of the earliest recorded European settlers in the Highland Park area was Henry Greenland who owned 384 acres of land and operated an inn along the Mill Brook section of the Assunpink Trail during the late 1600s. " The Camden and Amboy Railroad built a wood, double-deck bridge which eliminated the station stop in 1838. It was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1878. A replacement iron truss bridge was constructed on the existing enlarged stone piers, which in turn was replaced in 1902 by the current twelve-span stone arch bridge encased in concrete in the 1940s. Despite the canal and the railroad, Highland Park's land continued to be used for agriculture. Residential development slowly began 30 years later, with several stately houses constructed on Adelaide Avenue and more modest houses constructed on Cedar, First, and Second Avenues and Magnolia, Benner, and Johnson Streets. In the 1870s, the small hamlet became better known as "Highland Park", a name derived from the suburban housing development although the area adjacent to the railroad tracks continued to be called "East New Brunswick." 1870 was also the year in which Highland Park was annexed to the newly formed township now called Edison, but at the time called Raritan Township. Dougboy Highland Park

Highland Park had its own school district and on March 15, 1905, the Borough of Highland Park was formed. Highland Park's drive for independence from Raritan Township arose over the issue of public schooling. Residents wanted an independent school system and there was a related dispute over school taxes. The fire department, which had formed in 1899, also wanted more local control over their affairs. The 1905 New Jersey census counted 147 dwellings in the new borough. In 1918, Robert Wood Johnson II was appointed to the Highland Park Council and became mayor in 1920. His summer house and estate was located on River Road, just north of the railroad tracks. Since its establishment as a borough, Highland Park's lands have been parceled into ever-smaller suburban residential plots. Planned developments included Watson Whittlesey's Livingston Manor development begun in 1906; the Viehmann Tract, also on the north side; Riverview Terrace on the south side; Raritan Park Terrace in the triangle between Raritan and Woodbridge Avenues; and East New Brunswick Heights in the Orchard Heights neighborhood. It has taken years of continuously constructing houses and apartment buildings to create the largely residential borough. Highland Park's industrial development in the 19th and 20th centuries included such businesses as a brewery,

Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical technologies corporation headquartered in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Its common stock is a c ...

, The John Waldron Machine Company, Turner Tubes, and the Janeway & Carpender Wallpaper factory. The borough is the birthplace of the Band-Aid. and Flako Products packaged mixes for baked goods. However, the industrial nature of the borough completely declined by the 1960s. The commercial zones along both Raritan and Woodbridge Avenues continue to thrive with "mom & pop" shops, many that have lasted for generations. Throughout the 20th century, Highland Park's religious institutions, educational facilities, and municipal governance have kept pace with the growth of the borough. The trends of local autonomy and control that shaped Highland Park in the past continue to this day. In 2012, Highland Park became the first municipality in the state to contract a home performance company to help residents consume less energy. The program is a one-of-a-kind program that can offer up to a 30% energy savings for homeowners. In 2016, Highland Park became the state's first registered HeartSafe community.

Livingston Manor Historic District

Livingston Manor was a subdivision built upon the lands surrounding the Livingston Homestead. This subdivision was the brainchild of Watson Whittlesey (1863–1914), a real estate developer born in Rochester, New York. Whittlesey was more than a typical land speculator; he was a community builder, which was noted by his residency in various Livingston Manor houses from 1906 to 1914, and by his active involvement in the municipal affairs of Highland Park. Instead of auctioning lots like his 19th century predecessors, Whittlesey sold subdivided lots with either a house completely built by his company or with the promise of providing a company-constructed house similar to those previously constructed. The suburban development grew between 1906 and 1925, when Whittlesey's company, the Livingston Manor Corporation and its successor, the Highland Park Building Company, constructed single-family houses from plans produced by a select group of architects. While a variety of building types and styles are present on each block, the buildings in the district are distinguished by the use of specific building plans found nowhere else in Highland Park and by the embellishments that are typical of the Craftsman philosophy, which emphasized the value of the labor of skilled artisans who showed pride in their abilities. In the first years of this development, the houses were constructed one entire block at a time beginning with the southeast side of Grant Avenue between Lawrence Avenue and North Second Avenue. The next block to be developed was the northwest side of Lincoln Avenue between Lawrence Avenue and North Second Avenue. Six stucco bungalows were then constructed on the southern side of Lawrence east of Lincoln Avenue. As the housing development grew in popularity, houses were constructed less systematically by block, and more often on lots that individual homeowners selected from the remaining available properties. Whittlesey used plans from architects George Edward Krug and Francis George Hasselman, as well as plans generated by several local architects including John Arthur Blish and William Boylan. Several of Livingston Manor's Tudor Revival houses were designed by Highland Park's eminent architect Alexander Merchant. Merchant created numerous buildings in New Brunswick and Highland Park (see list below). Like other early-20th century architects, he was active during the period of early American modernism, but, having trained at the firm of Carrère and Hastings, Merchant developed and maintained a classical design vocabulary. Many workers in the building trades, such as Harvey E. Dodge, the carpenter Frederick Nietscke and the contractor Harold Richard Segoine, have also been identified as Livingston Manor Corporation employees as well as Livingston Manor residents. Whittlesey, with his wife Anna, also lived in several Livingston Manor houses, including the Spanish Colonial style house at 35 Harrison Avenue designed specifically for them. On December 1, 1906, the first deeds were transferred to two individual homeowners. Many prominent New Brunswick and Highland Park residents bought houses in this new neighborhood. They included Rutgers College professors, school teachers, bank employees, factory owners, and store owners. Census data show that most of the women were housewives and mothers. There were many extended families. Some families took in boarders and several households included live-in servants. Sixty-two houses had been constructed in Livingston Manor by 1910. In 1912, Watson Whittlesey hired a sales agent, John F. Green, and began selling bungalow lots. These properties were smaller and less expensive, and a set of plans for a bungalow was given to any purchaser. By 1913, 120 houses had been constructed in Livingston Manor. Dubbed "Lord of the Manor", Whittlesey created a neighborhood spirit by giving receptions for the residents, by providing playgrounds for the children, and by encouraging the men to take a more active part in public affairs. After his death on April 8, 1914, Manor residents turned out in the hundreds to attend a memorial service at his house. The Highland Park Building Company was incorporated in 1914 by long-standing members of his company including builder Robert Lufburrow and engineer Harold Richard Segoine. In 1916, Mrs. Whittlesey, who was president of the Livingston Manor Corporation, turned over the privately owned streets, sidewalks, and curbs to the borough. Remarkably, there were no provisions for the borough to accept public ownership of the sewers. That required an act of legislation at the statehouse in Trenton, which was accomplished by Senator Florance and Assemblyman Edgar and signed by Governor Walter Evans Edge the following year. Anna Wilcox Whittlesey, "Lady of the Manor", died on August 16, 1918. She was remembered as "a woman of rare refinement and culture, and the soul of hospitality." Highland Park's identity as a

streetcar suburb A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Such suburbs developed in the United States in the years before the automobile, when ...

was transformed to that of an automobile suburb during the 1920s. By 1922, there had been 210 dwellings constructed in Livingston Manor. The Livingston Manor Corporation continued to have transactions into the 1960s, but the area's significant development had taken place by 1925. The Livingston Manor is an important neighborhood in Highland Park. The Livingston Manor Historic District was listed in the

New Jersey Register of Historic Places The New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the New Jersey's state historic preservation office wit ...

on April 1, 2004, and in the

on July 7, 2004.

Buildings designed by Alexander Merchant

Alexander Merchant (1872–1952) designed the following buildings: * 55 South Adelaide Avenue (1909) * Lafayette School on South Second Avenue and Benner Street (original school-1907 and Second Avenue wing-1915). The third wing on Second Avenue was designed by Merchant's son Alexander Merchant Jr. in 1952. The Lafayette School is now condominiums and no longer a school. * Reformed Church of Highland Park on South Second Avenue (original church-1897 and auditorium wing ) * Irving School on Central Avenue (original building-1914) * The Center School on North Third Avenue (formerly the Hamilton School–opened 1915) * The Pomeranz Building on Raritan Avenue and South Third Avenue (1920) * 82 Harrison Avenue (1913) * Two houses on Cliff Court (1914) * Several houses on South Adelaide Avenue near Cliff Court (1910–1914) * The Highland Park High School (original building-1926) * The Masonic Temple on Raritan Avenue at North Fourth Avenue (1923) It remains as a one-story commercial building after a fire on March 10, 1965, destroyed the upper levels of the auditorium and offices. * The Brody House at corner of Raritan and North Adelaide Avenues (built 1911–demolished 1997) * The former Police Station at 137 Raritan Avenue (demolished). * Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple on Livingston Avenue in neighboring

(1929)

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 borough had a total area of 1.83 square miles (4.74 km²), including 1.82 square miles (4.72 km²) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km²) of water (0.44%). The borough received its name for its "park-like" setting, on the "high land" of the banks of the

, overlooking New Brunswick. Highland Park borders the Middlesex County municipalities of Edison,

, and Piscataway.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 13,982 people, 5,875 households, and 3,267 families in the borough. 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 7,728.1 per square mile (2,983.8/km²). There were 6,203 housing units at an average density of 3,428.5 per square mile (1,323.8/km²). The racial makeup was 68.26% (9,544)

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 ...

, 7.83% (1,095) Black or African American, 0.14% (20) Native American, 17.84% (2,495) Asian, 0.03% (4)

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 ...

, 3.28% (458) from other races, and 2.62% (366) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.95% (1,252) of the population. Of the 5,875 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18; 43.2% were married couples living together; 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 44.4% were non-families. Of all households, 31.4% were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.10. 21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 91.0 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 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 $78,821 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,312) and the median family income was $103,316 (+/− $6,807). Males had a median income of $72,533 (+/− $8,231) versus $55,591 (+/− $3,873) 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 borough was $41,300 (+/− $3,714). About 5.4% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census there were 13,999 people, 5,899 households, and 3,409 families residing in the borough. The population density was . There were 6,071 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the borough was 72.06%

, 7.94%

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 ...

, 0.11% Native American, 13.63% Asian, 0.09%

, 3.59% from other races, and 2.59% 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 8.18% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Highland Park borough, New Jersey
,

. Accessed May 1, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Helmetta borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 23, 2012. Of residents reporting their ancestry, 9.8% were of

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

, 9.1% Irish, 8.1%

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

, 7.8%

Russian Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

, 7.5% Polish. 66.2% spoke English, 7.2% Spanish, 6.4% Chinese, 2.2%

Hebrew Hebrew (; ''ʿÎbrit'') is a Northwest Semitic languages, Northwest Semitic language within the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family. A regional dialect of the Canaanite languages, it was natively spoken by the Israelites and ...

, 1.8%

, 1.2% Hungarian, 1.1% French and 1.1%

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

as their language spoken at home. There were 5,899 households, out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 3.06. In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 37.1% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.4 males age 18 and over. The median income for a household in the borough was $53,250, and the median income for a family was $71,267. Males had a median income of $47,248 versus $36,829 for females. The

for the borough was $28,767. About 5.3% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the

, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

Community

Highland Park has at times been a bedroom community for nearby

and

in New Brunswick, with a resulting academic flair to the community. Nobel laureate

Selman Waksman Selman Abraham Waksman (July 22, 1888 – August 16, 1973) was a Russian-born American inventor, biochemist and microbiologist, whose research into the decomposition of organisms that live in soil enabled the discovery of streptomycin and severa ...

(

Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

, 1952) lived in the borough until he moved to Piscataway in 1954, and laureate

Arno Penzias Arno Allan Penzias (; April 26, 1933 – January 22, 2024) was an American physicist and radio astronomer. Along with Robert Woodrow Wilson, he discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physi ...

(

Physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...

, 1978) lived in the borough until the 1990s. There is a new state-of-the-art environmental center on River Road, just a few hundred feet upstream from the Albany Street Bridge. The borough's Environmental Commission envisions this center as a stop along a riverbank walking trail that would link Johnson Park with Donaldson Park and beyond, to the Meadows environmental area on the Edison border. In 1978, Highland Park became the first municipality in New Jersey to have an

eruv An ''eruv'' (; , , also transliterated as ''eiruv'' or ''erub'', plural: ''eruvin'' or ''eruvim'') is a ritual ''halakhic'' enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally Activities prohibited on Shabbat, prohibited ...

, a symbolic enclosure that allows

Orthodox Jews Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tr ...

to perform certain activities outdoors on the Sabbath that would be otherwise prohibited. Through an arrangement with New Jersey Bell (now

Verizon Verizon Communications Inc. ( ), is an American telecommunications company headquartered in New York City. It is the world's second-largest telecommunications company by revenue and its mobile network is the largest wireless carrier in the ...

), a continuous wire was strung from pole to pole around portions of the borough. Eventually this expanded and includes portions of Edison and connects with

. The wires are inspected every Friday to ensure that the connections are complete. When intact, this eruv satisfies most Orthodox Jewish religious requirements allowing residents to carry objects during the Sabbath.

Government

Local government

Highland Park is governed under the

form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 (of the 564) municipalities statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions 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 as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 81. The borough form of government used by Highland Park is a " weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can

veto A veto is a legal power to unilaterally stop an official action. In the most typical case, a president (government title), president or monarch vetoes a bill (law), bill to stop it from becoming statutory law, law. In many countries, veto powe ...

ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council. The borough operates through Committees of the Council: Administration, Finance, Public Works, Public Safety, Community Affairs, Public Utilities, and Health, Welfare and Recreation. The various departments, boards and commissions report to the council through these committees. All elected positions are part-time; the mayor and council members typically hold outside jobs, and receive small salaries from their elected offices. , the mayor of Highland Park is Democrat Elsie Foster, whose term of office ending on December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Matthew Hersh (D, 2026), Tara Canavera (D, 2024), Philip George (D, 2025), Matthew Hale (D, 2025), Stephany Kim-Choban (D, 2024) and Jason Postelnik (D, 2026).Mayor & Borough Council
Borough of Highland Park. Accessed May 27, 2024.November 7, 2023 General Election Official Results

Middlesex County, New Jersey Middlesex County is a County (United States), county located in the North Jersey, north-Central Jersey, central part of the U.S. state of New Jersey, extending inland from the Raritan River, Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the ...

, December 7, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.November 8, 2022 General Election Official Results

, updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results

, updated November 19, 2021. Accessed April 13, 2022. In January 2023, the borough council appointed Elsie Foster to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Gayle Brill Mittler until she resigned from office the previous month citing a desire for more time with her family. The next month, Jason Postelnik was appointed to the council seat expiring in December 2023 that was vacated by Elsie Foster when she took office as mayor. In January 2017, the borough council selected Matthew Hersh to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that became vacant following the death of Jon Erickson the previous October before Election Day; Erickson's name remained on the ballot and he was elected to serve the three-year term. Hersh had earlier been chosen to serve the balance of Erickson's previous term that expired in December 2016. In July 2018, Hersh resigned to accept a position with a state agency and was replaced by Matthew Hale.

Mayors

The mayors are: *James B. Archer (D), 1905–1907. *Lorenz Volkert (R), 1908–1913. *George White (D), 1914–1915. *Russell E. Watson (R), 1916–1919. * Robert Wood Johnson II (R), 1920–1921. *Cornelius B. McCrelis Jr. (R), 1922–1923. *George F. Leonard (D), 1924–1925. *Benjamin Erickson (R), 1926–1928. *Edwin W. Eden (R), 1928–1929. *Richard T. Parker (R), 1930–1931. *Irving D. Buttler (R), 1932–1935. *Russell C. Smalley (R), 1936–1937. *Russell B. Howell, 1938–1939. *Walter K. Wood, 1940–1941. *Harold W. Drake (R), 1942–1946. *George W. Miller (R), 1946–1948. *Alvah H. Cole (R), 1948–1951. *Joseph C. DeCoster (D), 1952–1953. *William C. Campbell (D), 1954–1955. *Luther H. Martin (D), 1956–1959. *Samuel J. Kronman (D), 1960–1965. *Herbert M. Tanzman (D), 1966–1969. *Samuel J. Kronman (D), 1970–1971. *Gasper Paul Beck (D), 1972–1975. *Harold "Hesh" Berman (D), 1976–1979. *Charles W. Muhollen (D), 1980–1983. *Harold "Hesh" Berman (D), 1984–1987. *Jeffrey M.Orbach (R), 1988–1991. *H. James Polos (D), 1992–1999. * Meryl Frank (D), 2000–2010 (resigned office). *Steve Nolan (D), 2010–2012. *Gary Minkoff (D), 2013–2014 (resigned office). *Padraic Millet (D), 2014 (acting) *Gayle Brill Mittler (D), 2014–2022. Re-elected on November 5, 2019, to serve another 4-year term, which would expire on December 31, 2023; she resigned in December 2022. * Elsie Foster (D), 2023–present after being appointed to fill Gayle Britt Mittler's vacant seat

Federal, state and county representation

Highland Park is located in the 6th Congressional DistrictPlan 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 18th 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 8,506 registered voters in Highland Park, of which 5,082 (59.7%) were registered as Democrats, 634 (7.5%) were registered as Republicans and 2,776 (32.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 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. In the 2012 presidential election, 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 ...

received 72.7% of the vote (4,470 cast), ahead of 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 ...

with 24.9% (1,528 votes), and other candidates with 2.4% (148 votes), among the 6,191 ballots cast by the borough's 9,052 registered voters (45 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 72.1% of the vote (4,699 cast), ahead of 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 ...

with 25.6% (1,667 votes) and other candidates with 1.5% (96 votes), among the 6,518 ballots cast by the borough's 9,072 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, 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 ...

received 72.0% of the vote here (4,550 ballots cast), outpolling 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 ...

with 26.4% (1,669 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (70 votes), among the 6,319 ballots cast by the borough's 8,507 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 74.3. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 64.1% of the vote (2,449 cast), ahead of 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) ...

with 33.9% (1,294 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (79 votes), among the 3,867 ballots cast by the borough's 9,065 registered voters (45 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.7%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon S. Corzine received 65.7% of the vote here (2,842 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 26.0% (1,125 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.5% (280 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (39 votes), among the 4,329 ballots cast by the borough's 8,342 registered voters, yielding a 51.9% turnout.

Education

The Highland Park Public Schools serve students in

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

through

twelfth grade Twelfth Grade (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 ...

. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 1,558 students and 145.7 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 10.7:1.District information for Highland Park Boro 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 February 15, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the

) are Irving Primary School with 248 students in grades Pre-K–1, Bartle Elementary School with 437 students in grades 2–5, Highland Park Middle School with 364 students in grades 6–8 and Highland Park High School with 477 students in grades 9–12. The community is also served by the Greater Brunswick Charter School, a K–8

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

serving students from Highland Park, Edison, Milltown and

. As of the 2020–2021 school year, the school had an enrollment of 394 students and 31.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

of 12.4:1. Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Middlesex County Magnet Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its schools in East Brunswick, Edison, Perth Amboy, Piscataway and Woodbridge Township, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. The Center School serves students with learning and emotional challenges in grades K–12. Founded in 1971 in Bound Brook, the school moved in 1989 to a former public school building in Highland Park. A fire in the school's building in February 2012 forced the school to relocate to Branchburg Township on an interim basis.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Middlesex County, and by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...

. There are five main roads in Highland Park: * New Jersey Route 27 – Known as Raritan Avenue, it traverses for about through downtown and the outskirts of Highland Park. The section between Adelaide and Fifth Avenues runs virtually east to west and divides the town into the north and south sides.Route 27 Straight Line Diagram

, updated May 2018. Accessed December 4, 2019. * County Route 514 – Enters Highland Park concurrent with Route 27, then heads eastward on Woodbridge Avenue at South Sixth Avenue. It runs through the southeast region of the borough.County Route 514 Straight Line Diagram

, updated October 2012. Accessed December 4, 2019. * Middlesex County Route 622 – River Road in Highland Park, stretches for over in the western region of the borough following the curving bank of the Raritan River.Middlesex County Route 622 Straight Line Diagram

, updated June 2011. Accessed December 4, 2019. * Middlesex County Route 676 – This is Duclos Lane and it forms a portion of Highland Park's eastern border with Edison. Road spends in Highland Park.Middlesex County Route 676 Straight Line Diagram

, updated June 2011. Accessed December 4, 2019. * Middlesex County Route 692 – Cedar Lane in the northern section of the borough intersects with River Road.Middlesex County Route 692 Straight Line Diagram

, updated June 2011. Accessed December 4, 2019. U.S. Route 1 and

New Jersey Route 18 Route 18 is a List of state highways in New Jersey, state highway in the central part of the US state of New Jersey. It begins at an intersection with New Jersey Route 138, Route 138 in Wall Township, New Jersey, Wall Township, Monmo ...

are accessible close to Highland Park, just beyond its southeastern and southwestern borders.

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 ...

local bus service is provided on the 810 and 814 routes.

Atlantic City Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city in Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Atlantic City comprises the second half of the Atlantic City- Hammonton metropolitan sta ...

weekend service is available on Suburban Transit's 700 route.

northbound trains to Penn Station New York, and southbound to the Trenton Transit Center via the

Northeast Corridor Line The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in the United States. The service is the successor to Pennsylvania Railroad ...

can be found in neighboring New Brunswick station and Edison station.

Wildlife

White-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known Common name, commonly as the whitetail and the Virginia deer, is a medium-sized species of deer native to North America, North, Central America, Central and South America. It is the ...

are common enough in and around Highland Park to be seen as a problem. A deer population survey which includes Highland Park was conducted by Raritan Valley Community College in December 2019; the borough's government was using this survey in 2020 as it made plans for deer management.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Highland Park include: * Adele Astaire (1896–1981), acclaimed vaudeville and musical theater dancer, actressDonnelly, Marea
"Fred Astaire's sister was the real dance and vaudeville star"
''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'', September 10, 2016. Accessed November 8, 2020. "When bookings dropped off from 1910 as they lost their cute appeal and Adele shot up over Fred, they attended classes at New Jersey's Highland Park public school for two years." *

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...

(1899–1987), dancer, singer, actor, recipient of three Emmy and three Golden Globe Awards and an honorary Academy Award *

Jim Axelrod Jim Axelrod (born January 25, 1963) is the Chief Investigative Correspondent for CBS News and reports across all CBS News programs and platforms. Axelrod was one of CBS News' embedded correspondents in Iraq and was the first TV reporter to broa ...

(born 1963), CBS news correspondentGranieri, Laurie. "Actor, journalists honored as alumni", ''

Home News Tribune The ''Central New Jersey Home News Tribune'' is a daily newspaper serving Middlesex County, New Jersey. The paper has an average daily weekday circulation of about 49,000. The newspaper is the result of the 1995 merger of ''The Home News'' of E ...

'', May 6, 2005."On May 14, the borough high school will honor alumni Willie Garson, best known as Stanford Blatch on the former HBO series ''Sex and the City,'' CBS news correspondent Jim Axelrod and WNYC Public Radio news anchor and ''Morning Edition'' host Soterios Johnson." * Harvey Jerome Brudner (1931–2009), engineer and inventor * David Clewell (1955–2020), poet and creative writing instructor at Webster University who served as the Poet Laureate of Missouri * Earle Dickson (1892–1961), inventor of the Band-AidThe Mayor's Viewpoint: Celebrating a century of progress
Highland Park Chamber of Commerce, backed up by the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...

as of May 22, 2001. Accessed April 9, 2011. * Nancy Dorian (1936–2024),

linguist Linguistics is the scientific study of language. The areas of linguistic analysis are syntax (rules governing the structure of sentences), semantics (meaning), Morphology (linguistics), morphology (structure of words), phonetics (speech sounds ...

who carried out research into the decline of the East Sutherland dialect of

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic (, ; Endonym and exonym, endonym: ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Celtic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a member of the Goidelic language, Goidelic branch of Celtic, Scottish Gaelic, alongs ...

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. ...

(born Issur Danielovitch; 1916–2020), actor, producer, director, philanthropist and writer *

Michael Douglas Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the ...

(born 1944), actor, director and producer * Samuel G. Freedman, author and columnist for ''

'' * Willie Garson (1964–2021), actor best known for his role as Stanford Blatch in ''

Sex and the City ''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...

'' *

Israel Gelfand Israel Moiseevich Gelfand, also written Israïl Moyseyovich Gel'fand, or Izrail M. Gelfand (, , ; – 5 October 2009) was a prominent Soviet and American mathematician, one of the greatest mathematicians of the 20th century, biologist, teache ...

(1913–2009), renowned mathematician * Rebecca Goldstein (born 1950), author, philosopher, and 1996 MacArthur "Genius Award" winner * Alan Guth (born 1947), physicist and cosmologist * Dwayne Haskins (1997–2022), American football

quarterback The quarterback (QB) is a position in gridiron football who are members of the offensive side of the ball and mostly line up directly behind the Lineman (football), offensive line. In modern American football, the quarterback is usually consider ...

* Amy Herzog, playwright * John Hulme (born 1987), author of the book series '' The Seems'' and director of the documentary ''Blood, Sweat & Tears: A Basketball Exorcism'' * John Seward Johnson II (1930–2020), sculptor and founder of the Johnson Atelier in

Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey Hamilton Township is a Township (New Jersey), township and the most populous municipality in Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the largest suburb of Trenton, New Jersey, Trenton, the state's capi ...

* Robert Wood Johnson II (1893–1968), Johnson & Johnson President, general and philanthropist, who served as mayor of Highland Park from 1920 to 1922 * Soterios Johnson,

WNYC WNYC is an audio service brand, under the control of New York Public Radio, a non-profit organization. Radio and other audio programming is primarily provided by a pair of nonprofit, noncommercial, public radio stations: WNYC (AM) and WNYC- ...

radio host * Seth Kaper-Dale,

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

pastor A pastor (abbreviated to "Ps","Pr", "Pstr.", "Ptr." or "Psa" (both singular), or "Ps" (plural)) is the leader of a Christianity, Christian congregation who also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation. In Lutherani ...

who was a Green Party candidate in the New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017 * Sacha Killeya-Jones (born 1998), American-British basketball player for

Hapoel Gilboa Galil Hapoel Gilboa Galil () is a professional basketball club that is based in north-east Israel. The club plays its home game in the Israeli Basketball Premier League (the top tier of Israeli basketball) in a 2,250-seat arena in Gan Ner. History T ...

of the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl (, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is a professional basketball league in Israel and the highest level of basketball in the country. The league's name is abbreviated as either BSL ...

* Sheldon Lavin (1932–2023), CEO and chairman of meat processor OSI Group * Jerry Levine (born 1957), actor and director of television and theater, best known for appearing on ''

Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a Gay men, gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra ...

'' and in the films ''

Teen Wolf ''Teen Wolf'' is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy film directed by Rod Daniel and written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman. Michael J. Fox stars as the title character, a high school student whose ordinary life is changed when he discover ...

'' and '' Casual Sex?'' *

Roy Lichtenstein Roy Fox Lichtenstein ( ; October27, 1923September29, 1997) was an American pop artist. He rose to prominence in the 1960s through pieces which were inspired by popular advertising and the comic book style. Much of his work explores the relations ...

(1923–1997), pop artist who moved to a home at 66 South Adelaide Avenue in 1960 * Seth Mandel (born 1982),

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

author who is editor of ''

The Washington Examiner The ''Washington Examiner'' is an American conservative news magazine based in Washington, D.C., consisting of a website and a weekly printed magazine. It is owned by Philip Anschutz through MediaDC, a subsidiary of Clarity Media Group. From 20 ...

'' * Tomás Eloy Martínez (1934–2010), journalist and writer, professor and director of the department of Latin American Studies at Rutgers, author of ''Santa Evita'' and ''The Peron Novel'' * Suzy Parker (1932–2003), fashion model and actress *

Arno Allan Penzias Arno Allan Penzias (; April 26, 1933 – January 22, 2024) was an American physicist and radio astronomer. Along with Robert Woodrow Wilson, he discovered the cosmic microwave background radiation, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Phys ...

(1933–2024), physicist and a co-winner of the 1978 Nobel Prize in physics * Susan Pitt (1948–2024), competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

and world record-holder in the 200-meter butterfly * Stav Prodromou (born 1944), businessman who was the founder and former

chief executive officer A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a chief executive or managing director, is the top-ranking corporate officer charged with the management of an organization, usually a company or a nonprofit organization. CEOs find roles in variou ...

of Poqet Computer Corporation * George T. Reynolds (1917–2005),

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

best known for his work in

particle physics Particle physics or high-energy physics is the study of Elementary particle, fundamental particles and fundamental interaction, forces that constitute matter and radiation. The field also studies combinations of elementary particles up to the s ...

biophysics Biophysics is an interdisciplinary science that applies approaches and methods traditionally used in physics to study biological phenomena. Biophysics covers all scales of biological organization, from molecular to organismic and populations ...

and environmental science * Susana Rotker (1954–2000), Venezuelan journalist, columnist, essayist and writer *

Rudy Rucker Rudolf von Bitter Rucker (; born March 22, 1946) is an American mathematician, computer scientist, science fiction author, and one of the founders of the cyberpunk literary movement. The author of both fiction and non-fiction, he is best known f ...

(born 1946),

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

, computer scientist and

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

author, best known for the novels in the Ware Tetralogy *

Neil Sloane __NOTOC__ Neil James Alexander Sloane FLSW (born October 10, 1939) is a British-American mathematician. His major contributions are in the fields of combinatorics, error-correcting codes, and sphere packing. Sloane is best known for being the cre ...

(born 1939), mathematician, creator and maintainer of the

On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences The On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS) is an online database of integer sequences. It was created and maintained by Neil Sloane while researching at AT&T Labs. He transferred the intellectual property and hosting of the OEIS to th ...

* L. J. Smith (born 1980), former NFL

tight end The tight end (TE) is an offense (sports), offensive position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a receiver (football), receiv ...

* Joan Snyder (born 1940), pioneering neo-expressionist feminist artist and 2007 MacArthur "Genius Award" winner * Ulrich P. Strauss (1920–2015),

chemist and 1971

Guggenheim Fellow Guggenheim Fellowships are grants that have been awarded annually since by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, endowed by the late Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim. These awards are bestowed upon individuals who have demonstrated d ...

* Darrell K. Sweet (1934–2011), illustrator best known for cover art for science fiction and fantasy novels * Endre Szemerédi (born 1940), mathematician who was the 2012 winner of the Abel Prize * Norman Tanzman (1918–2004), politician who served 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 ...

from 1962 to 1968 and in the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate is 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 232,225 (2020 figure ...

from 1968 to 1974 * Olga Von Till (1897–1996), classical pianist and piano teacher *

Alan Voorhees Alan Manners Voorhees (December 17, 1922 – December 18, 2005) was an American transportation engineer and urban planner who designed many large public works in the United States and elsewhere. Voorhees was born in Highland Park, New Jersey. ...

(1922–2005), engineer and

urban planner An urban planner (also known as town planner) is a professional who practices in the field of town planning, urban planning or city planning. An urban planner may focus on a specific area of practice and have a title such as city planner, tow ...

(1888–1973), biochemist and microbiologist who won the Nobel Prize for his work on antibiotics including Streptomycin for treating tuberculosisCheslow, Jerry
"If You're Thinking of Living in/Highland Park; Well-Established, but Unpretentious"
''

'', November 21, 1993. Accessed September 8, 2014. "Highland Park has been home to two Nobel laureates. The late Selman A. Waksman was awarded the prize in medicine and physiology in 1952 for his work with antibiotics and Dr. Arno A. Penzias, who shared the 1978 prize in physics for his work related to the big bang theory, still lives there."

References

External links

Borough of Highland Park website

Highland Park Public Schools
*
Highland Park Volunteer Fire Department

School Data for the Highland Park Public Schools

Historical Maps of Highland Park, Rutgers Special Collection

Highland Park Environmental Commission
{{Authority control 1905 establishments in New Jersey Borough form of New Jersey government Boroughs in New Jersey Boroughs in Middlesex County, New Jersey National Register of Historic Places in Middlesex County, New Jersey Populated places established in 1905 Streetcar suburbs New Jersey Register of Historic Places Historic district contributing properties in New Jersey Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey