Caldwell, New Jersey
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Caldwell is a borough located in Essex County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 7,584.
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Geography
Caldwell is located at 40°50'20" North, 74°16'37" West (40.838932, -74.277033)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²). 3.1 km² (1.2 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 7,584 people, 3,311 households, and 1,814 families residing in the borough. The population density is 2,460.7/km² (6,396.4/mi²). There are 3,396 housing units at an average density of 1,101.9/km² (2,864.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 91.22% White, 2.27% African American, 0.11% Native American, 4.06% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.20% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. 4.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 3,311 households out of which 23.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% are married couples living together, 9.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 45.2% are non-families. 38.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.17 and the average family size is 2.93.
In the borough the population is spread out with 18.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 82.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 78.6 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $61,250, and the median income for a family is $81,989. Males have a median income of $53,548 versus $40,543 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $34,630. 4.8% of the population and 2.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.0% of those under the age of 18 and 7.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Government Structure
In 1892, the Borough of Caldwell was incorporated. Its legislative body consists of a mayor, a chief administrator, and a council of six people. This body makes town policy, appropriates town money, and passes ordinances. The government establishes committees that help make decisions. Also, the mayor appoints, with consent of the council, to the boards of planning, library, Health and Local Assistance boards, in addition to the Environmental Commission, Zoning Board, the Senior Citizen's Advisory Council, and Local Defense Council. The Borough’s Chief Administrator is also appointed by the mayor to oversee the municipal staff, which includes the Borough Clerk. This person maintains all records of the government, issues permits and licenses, and registers our voters. The council is elected by the population of Caldwell.
Caldwell and West Caldwell share a great deal of services, including the Recreation Department and the school system. The Board of Recreation Commissioners of the Boroughs of Caldwell and West Caldwell was established in 1947. The school system, which was consolidated in 1872, is an organization of four elementary schools, one middle school, and a high school. Washington, Jefferson, and Wilson elementary schools are located in West Caldwell. Lincoln elementary is located in Caldwell. These schools begin with Kindergarten and end with fifth grade. There are four school districts within the two towns. Each district encompasses one school. There is no choice of elementary school, although special arrangements can be made. For instance, Jefferson School is the only elementary school with contained classrooms for special education children. Also, the school system will allow students who have moved into a different district to stay at the first school with a parent's request. All four districts attend Grover Cleveland Middle School in Caldwell from grade six to eight. This group moves to James Caldwell High School in West Caldwell from grades nine to twelve. The area contains two colleges, Essex County College’s West Essex Campus and Caldwell College.
Historical information
In 1702, settlers purchased the 14,000 acre Horse Neck Tract from the Lenni Lenape Indians for goods equal to $325. This purchase encompassed much of West Essex County, from the First Mountain to the Passaic River. Caldwell is located in the center of the Horse Neck Tract. Settlement began about 1740 by Thomas Gould and Saunders Sanders.
The Horse Neck Tract consisted of modern day Caldwell, West Caldwell, North Caldwell, Fairfield, Verona, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Roseland, and portions of Livingston and West Orange. This land was part of the larger purchase and referred to as the Horse Neck Tract until February 17, 1787, when the town congregation voted to change the name to Caldwell, in honor of the Reverend who pushed for their organization’s creation.
In 1892, the Township of Caldwell carved out two areas, Franklin (present day West Caldwell) and Westville (Caldwell), from the Tract. This prepared the large town for its imminent division into two separate entities from the original Township. In 1904, this division became permanent. True boundaries were drawn up and accepted by the towns. Lewis G. Lockward was elected the first mayor of Caldwell. In 1929, a failed attempt to consolidate the three Caldwells was rejected by voters.
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president of the United States of America, and the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, was born in Caldwell, New Jersey on March 18, 1837. His father, Rev. Richard Cleveland, was pastor of the Caldwell Presbyterian Church. (Note: The current Presbyterian church, located on Bloomfield Avenue, and which dominates the commercial center of Caldwell, post-dates the Clevelands' residence.) The Grover Cleveland birth-place -- the church's former rectory -- is now a museum and is open to the public.
Many famous historical people have visited Caldwell. George Washington and his staff made their way through the town during the Revolution. They stopped at the old stone house of Saunders Sanders, one of the two people to settle the original area, for lunch. Also, Marquis de Lafayette visited in 1824. The town held a celebration party at the Crane Tavern. During the 1928 Presidential campaign, Herbert Hoover visited the Grover Cleveland Birthplace with his wife. Moreover, Tom Washington, a golf pro played at the nine hole course on Prospect Street by the Monomonock Inn. And of course, Grover Cleveland lived the first four years of his life in Caldwell.
There were many interesting events. In October 1897, a severe fire ripped through a large portion of Bloomfield Avenue, destroying buildings in its wake. These buildings were replaced, in part, by the Hasler Building, opposite the Presbyterian Church. This became the town’s first brick building. In 1914, during a Fourth of July fireworks celebration, a bomb fell, injuring twenty people. The town Church’s raised funds to supplement the medical bills of the injured. In 1968, the town’s historic cannon was stolen off the town green. The cannon was given to the town by Colonial Peter Decatur in 1824. In 1971, NBC-TV spotlighted the town as part of its footage on suburban traditions for Memorial Day. On July 14, 1974, the landmark Park Theatre was destroyed in a fire. In 1976, the town celebrated its bicentennial university.