River Vale, New Jersey
|
|
River Vale Township is a township located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 9,449. River Vale is governed under the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) system of municipal government.
| Contents |
Geography
River Vale is located at 41°0'55" North, 74°0'37" West (41.015284, -74.010324)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 11.2 km² (4.3 mi²). 10.6 km² (4.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.6 km² (0.2 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 5.34% water.
River Vale is bordered by Montvale to the northwest, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake (a very small section) and Hillsdale to the west, Westwood to the southwest, a small section bordering Emerson to the south, Harrington Park to the southeast, Old Tappan to the east, and Pearl River, New York to the north.
Its borders are defined by the Hackensack River to the east, which was dammed to form Lake Tappan, and the Pascack Brook to the south. The northern border is defined by the New York-New Jersey state border. The western border has several sections, including a section defined by an unnamed creek and a section defined by Cedar Lane.
River Vale holds the record lowest temperature ever recorded in New Jersey, at -34° F (-37° C) on January 5, 1934.
History
Before 1841, the area comprising River Vale was part of Harrington Township. It used to be known as the "Over Kill Neighboorhood" or just "Over Kill" -- it being over the kill (Hackensack River) from Tappan. It was later called Eastwood (as opposed to Westwood).
River Vale was incorporated as a Bergen County township in 1906. It was formed from portions of the towns of Hillsdale and Washington Township. In 1929, part of River Vale became part of the town of Park Ridge. In 1959 territory was acquired from Montvale.
Baylor's Massacre
In 1967, it was discovered that there is a mass grave site in River Vale from an event in 1778 during the American Revolutionary War. This became widely known due to a February 1968 report to the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, "1778 - The Massacre of Baylor's Dragoons". Facing suburban development, the burial site was made into a county park in 1972 with a dedication on October 15.
Colonel George Baylor [1] (http://www.famousamericans.net/georgebaylor/) of the Third Dragoons of Virginia secured quarters for his troops (numbering about 100) in the barns of serveral farms on Overkill Road (now Rivervale Road) on September 27, 1778. While they slept, a deployment of British troops were made aware of their presence through local loyalists. The British used their bayonets to maintain the element of surprise as they went from house to house. At least 67 of the dragoons were killed, injured or taken prisoner. Eleven were killed outright, four were left and died of their wounds.
The bodies of six of the dead were buried in three abandoned tanning vats until their discovery in 1967. The vats were from Haring's Tannery, which used to be on the site. The remains were identified by artifacts such as buttons and clothing remnants. The remains were reinterred in 1972 within the park.
The plaque at the site reads:
- In memory of American soldiers killed during the Revolutionary War in the 'Baylor Massacre' on September 28, 1778. Lt. Col. George Baylor's 3rd Regiment of Continental Dragoons took quarters for the night on several nearby farms. Tories betrayed their presence to a British force who surrounded the Dragoons during the night. A number of Americans were killed or wounded after they surrendered.
External links
- Photo: Plaque (http://www.online96.com/towns/photos/data/media/5/Baylor_Massacre_Site_River_Vale_NJ.jpg)
- Photo: Burial Site (http://www.online96.com/towns/photos/data/media/5/Baylor_Massacre_Site_River_Vale_NJ_2.jpg)
- Baylor Massacre History (http://www.rivervalepolice.com/BM.htm)
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 9,449 people, 3,275 households, and 2,675 families residing in the township. The population density is 894.2/km² (2,317.7/mi²). There are 3,312 housing units at an average density of 313.4/km² (812.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the township is 92.33% White, 0.58% African American, 0.00% Native American, 5.89% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 3.22% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 3,275 households out of which 40.7% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.1% are married couples living together, 6.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 18.3% are non-families. 15.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 7.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.87 and the average family size is 3.22.
In the township the population is spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township is $95,129, and the median income for a family is $105,919. Males have a median income of $77,794 versus $39,732 for females. The per capita income for the township is $40,709. 2.8% of the population and 2.4% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.1% of those under the age of 18 and 5.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Historical Population Levels
- 2000: 9,449
- 1990: 9,410
- 1980: 9,489
- 1970: 8,883
- 1960: 5,616
- 1950: 1,699
- 1940: 1,112
- 1930: 871
source: U.S. Census data
Schools
River Vale has three schools and is part of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District. River Vale's high school students attend Pascack Valley High School in Hillsdale.
- Holdrum Middle School
- Woodside Elementary School
- Roberge Elementary School
External links
- River Vale official website (http://www.rivervalenj.org/)
- River Vale Schools (http://www.rivervaleschools.com/)
- River Vale Police Department (http://www.rivervalepolice.com)
- Baylor's Massacre (http://www.bergencountyhistory.org/Pages/baylormassacre.html)
- Pascack Valley Regional High School District (http://www.pascack.k12.nj.us/)
- Bob Secor's River Vale - As I Knew It (1929 - 1954) (http://members.cox.net/rivervale/)
- See also: River Vale (Images of America series), Edmund Moderacki 2002, ISBN 0738510807