Garwood, New Jersey

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Garwood is a borough in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,454,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 228 (+5.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,226,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 73 (+1.8%) from the 4,153 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

History

Garwood was incorporated as a borough on March 19, 1903, from portions of Cranford and Westfield Town.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 239. Accessed October 25, 2012.</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.65 square miles (1.68 km²), all of which was land.<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The borough is roughly bisected by the tracks of NJ Transit's Raritan Valley Line, originally built as part of the Jersey Central railroad. On the north side of the railroad, most of the streets are numbered, while on the south side of Garwood most of the streets are named after trees.

Garwood borders the Union County municipalities of Cranford and Westfield.<ref>Areas touching Garwood, MapIt. Accessed August 3, 2016.</ref><ref>Union County Municipal Profiles, Union County, New Jersey. Accessed February 21, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,226 people, 1,778 households, and 1,118 families in the borough. The population density was 6,362.7 per square mile (2,456.7/km²). There were 1,870 housing units at an average density of 2,815.5 per square mile (1,087.1/km²). The racial makeup was 93.23% (3,940) White, 1.06% (45) Black or African American, 0.02% (1) Native American, 2.04% (86) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.80% (76) from other races, and 1.85% (78) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.83% (373) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 1,778 households, 23.9% had children under the age of 18; 47.5% were married couples living together; 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 37.1% were non-families. Of all households, 29.9% were made up of individuals and 10.6% 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 3.00.<ref name=Census2010/>

19.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 92.3 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $72,254 (with a margin of error of +/− $9,274) and the median family income was $86,959 (+/− $8,603). Males had a median income of $58,258 (+/− $3,197) versus $43,455 (+/− $3,625) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $35,753 (+/− $2,821). About 0.9% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Garwood borough, Union County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 1, 2013.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 4,153 people, 1,731 households, and 1,125 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,782 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 95.91% White, 0.36% African American, 1.32% Asian, 1.54% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.98% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Garwood borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Garwood borough, Union County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

There were 1,731 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.96.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the borough the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the borough was $52,571, and the median income for a family was $64,053. Males had a median income of $50,951 versus $36,538 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,944. About 3.5% of families and 5.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

Local government

File:Garwood, NJ municipal building from northeast (2), Oct. 2024.jpg

Garwood Municipal Building

Garwood is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The 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.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 95.</ref> The borough form of government used by Garwood 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 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.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

Template:As of, the mayor of Garwood is Democrat Jen Blumenstock, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Garwood Borough Council are Council President Clarissa Nolde (D, 2025), Karina Boto (D, 2026), Sean Foley (D, 2027), Vincent Kearney (D, 2026), Marc Lazarow (D, 2025), and Chase Padusniak (D, 2027).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor and Council, Borough of Garwood. Accessed January 18, 2025. "The Borough of Garwood is a Borough form of Government with a Mayor and six (6) Council people elected by the citizens. There are four (4) districts in the Borough of Garwood and the Governing Body is elected by the citizens at large."</ref><ref name=UnionOfficials>Union County Elected Officials, Union County, New Jersey Clerk. Accessed January 18, 2025.</ref><ref name=Union2024>General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results, Union County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2024. Accessed January 18, 2025.</ref><ref name=Union2023>General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results, Union County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 3, 2024.</ref><ref name=Union2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results, Union County, New Jersey, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In December 2022, the borough council appointed Rachel Herz to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Louis Petruzzelli, who served briefly before resigning. Petruzzelli had been appointed to fill the seat that had originally been held by Heather Loffredo until she stepped down from office in September 2022.<ref>Mehorter, Kelly."Garwood Appoints Republican Rachel Herz To Vacant Seat", Union County Hawk, December 14, 2022. "At its December 8 meeting, the Garwood Borough Council appointed Republican Rachel Herz to fill Councilman Louis Petruzzelli’s vacated seat after he resigned last month.... Ms. Herz’s seat on the council has been vacated twice in the past six months – first by Councilwoman Heather Loffredo, who stepped down in September, and then by Mr. Petruzelli, who resigned in November after attending only one meeting as an official member of the governing body."</ref>

In January 2019, the borough council selected Russell Graham from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant when Sara Todisco took office as mayor.<ref>Minutes of the Meeting of Mayor and Council for January 24, 2019, Borough of Garwood. Accessed February 21, 2020. "Motion by Councilman Benoit to nominate Russell Graham to fill the vacancy, second by Council President Lazarow.... Councilman Graham was sworn in by the Pete Corvelli, Union County Sheriff."</ref> Graham served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Union2019>General Election November 5, 2019 Official Results, Union County, New Jersey, updated December 5, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

The Borough Administrator is Kyle Harris. The Borough Clerk is Catherine D. Cameron.<ref name=Clerk/>

Federal, state, and county representation

Garwood is located in the 10th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,685 registered voters in Garwood, of which 796 (29.6% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 496 (18.5% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 1,393 (51.9% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Union, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 63.5% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 78.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |}

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 968 votes (48.8% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 957 votes (48.2% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 38 votes (1.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 1,985 ballots cast by the borough's 2,812 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.6% (vs. 68.8% in Union County).<ref>Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Union County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Union County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,090 votes (51.6% vs. 35.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 971 votes (46.0% vs. 63.1%) and other candidates with 31 votes (1.5% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,111 ballots cast by the borough's 2,782 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.9% (vs. 74.7% in Union County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Union County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 995 votes (50.5% vs. 40.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 928 votes (47.1% vs. 58.3%) and other candidates with 30 votes (1.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 1,970 ballots cast by the borough's 2,539 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.6% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Union County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 698 votes (49.8% vs. 65.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 654 votes (46.6% vs. 32.6%), and other candidates with 51 votes (3.6% vs. 2.1%), among the 1,466 ballots cast by the borough's 3,007 registered voters, for a turnout of 48.8%.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.1% of the vote (802 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 34.3% (429 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (20 votes), among the 1,297 ballots cast by the borough's 2,763 registered voters (46 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 46.9%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 823 votes (56.4% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 477 votes (32.7% vs. 50.6%), Independent Chris Daggett with 127 votes (8.7% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 18 votes (1.2% vs. 0.8%), among the 1,460 ballots cast by the borough's 2,681 registered voters, yielding a 54.5% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Union County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

Emergency services

Police

Garwood's primary law enforcement is the borough's police department, serving the borough since its establishment in 1906. The Garwood Police Department is a small force consisting of Chief of Police James H. Wright, one captain, two lieutenants, two sergeants, ten patrolmen, and four civilian dispatchers. Patrol operations normally consist of one north side car, one south side car, and one supervisor. Officers work 12-hour shifts, four days on, four days off, alternating between days and nights.<ref>Home page, Garwood Police Department. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

EMS

Garwood First Aid Squad serves as the emergency medical service in town. Founded in 1939, it is non-profit service, consists of a dedicated all volunteer staff serving the borough 24 hours per day, seven days a week, at no cost to the residents. Drivers and EMTs on the squad also answer calls for mutual aid when an ambulance is needed in other towns where one is not available. GFAS answers anywhere from 350 to 400 calls annually.

Fire

Garwood Fire Department is entirely volunteer, and serves the borough in the capacity of fire protection, fire prevention, and fire code enforcement. The fire chief is John Scalzadonna.<ref>Fire Department, Borough of Garwood. Accessed February 15, 2024. "The Garwood Fire Department was organized in 1903, and currently boasts a roster of 50 members. The Department covers an area of 1 square mile, which is known as the industrial center of Union County."</ref>

Education

The Garwood Public Schools serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Lincoln School.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Garwood Boro School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 15, 2024.</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 360 students and 31.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.4:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Garwood Boro, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Public school students in ninth through twelfth grades attend Arthur L. Johnson High School in neighboring Clark as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Clark Public School District.<ref>Clark Township Public Schools 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 5, 2016. "The school district educates more than 2,350 students in five buildings and enjoys a very positive and collaborative send/receive relationship with the Garwood Public Schools. Students from Garwood are educated in their local K-8 district. They subsequently attend grades 9-12 at our Arthur L. Johnson High School here in Clark."</ref><ref>About Us, Garwood Public Schools. Accessed June 5, 2016. "High school students attend ALJ High School in Clark, NJ"</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the school had an enrollment of 884 students and 69.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.<ref>School data for Abraham Clark High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Students from Garwood, and all of Union County, are eligible to attend one of the Union County Vocational Technical Schools.<ref>Full-Time Opportunities, Union County Vocational Technical Schools. Accessed July 10, 2014.</ref>

Transportation

Roads and highways

File:2018-06-20 17 42 14 View east along New Jersey State Route 28 (North Avenue) between Anchor Place and Winslow Place in Garwood, Union County, New Jersey.jpg

Route 28 eastbound in Garwood

Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Union County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Union County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 10, 2014.</ref>

Route 28 is the main highway through Garwood, connecting east to Cranford and west to Westfield. Route 59, which borders Cranford to the east, has been described as the shortest four-lane paved highway in the United States. It was built in the late 1920s, numbered Route 22 at the time and was originally planned to run from Fairfield Township to Rahway, but was never completed. Its total length is Template:Convert.<ref>Russell, Robert. The New Jersey Handbook, p.2. Hunter Publishing, Inc., 2004. Template:ISBN. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

Public transportation

The Garwood station offers limited NJ Transit rail service on the Raritan Valley Line. The station has limited service, does not have platforms and is not ADA compliant.<ref>Garwood station, NJ Transit. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref>

NJ Transit also provides bus service along two different lines, the 113 route to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and the 59 bus to Newark.<ref>Union County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 15 minutes away. Linden Airport, a general aviation facility is in nearby Linden, New Jersey.

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Garwood include:

• David Durante (born 1980), national men's gymnastics champion<ref>Mehta, Manish. "Garwood native David Durante could still make Olympic gymnastics team", The Star-Ledger, August 7, 2008. Accessed May 13, 2013.</ref>
• Loree Jon Hasson (born 1965), professional pool player<ref>Berkow, Ira. "Billiards; A Top Player Survives That Sinking Feeling", The New York Times, August 12, 1995. Accessed September 26, 2018. "Loree Jon had been a child prodigy, picking up the game at 4 from her pool-loving father, John Ognowski, in Garwood, N.J."</ref>
• Barry Lubin (born 1952), creator of the clown character "Grandma" of the Big Apple Circus<ref>Beckerman, Jim. "Visiting Grandma - Barry Lubin's character is feisty, mischievous - and totally lovable", The Record, May 16, 2004. "That's part of the mystique of Grandma, 2002 International Clown Hall of Fame inductee, who is busy putting on her face in the kitchen of Lubin's Garwood home."</ref><ref>Collins, Glenn. "Public Lives; Just in Time, Grandma Is Out of Retirement", The New York Times, November 20, 201. Accessed September 7, 2017. "In 1982, Mr. Lubin began his first of 13 different Big Apple seasons. Three years ago he made a wrenching decision and retired from the show so he could spend more time at home in Garwood, N.J., with his daughters, Danielle, now 16, and Emily, now 10, both of whom have performed with Big Apple."</ref>
• John J. McCarthy (1927–2001), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly and as Mayor of Garwood<ref>Results of the Primary Election Held June 5, 1973, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed September 7, 2017. "John J. McCarthy - 401 Brookside Pl., Garwood"</ref>
• Tom Perrotta (born 1961), author<ref>O' Sullivan, Eleanor. "Outtakes: Local Man Edits Lennon Documentary", Asbury Park Press, February 25, 2007. Accessed June 30, 2022. "Still, says Little Children co-screenwriter nominee Tom Perrotta, who grew up in Garwood and spent summer weekends basking in the sun at the Jersey Shore, the Oscar is the award that people really, really want."</ref>
• David Joseph Weeks (born 1944), neuropsychologist, educator and author best known for his study of eccentricity<ref>Japenga, Ann via Los Angeles Times. "Psychologist says eccentrics may be happier, healthier", Courier News, September 29, 1987. Accessed February 15, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Weeks, originally from Garwood, N.J., moved to Scotland in 1975."</ref>

External links

• Garwood's Official Website