Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Ho-Ho-Kus (Template:IPAc-en) is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,258,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 180 (+4.4%) from the 2010 census count of 4,078,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 18 (+0.4%) from the 4,060 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> The borough is the home of several historical landmarks, including the Ho-Ho-Kus Inn and The Hermitage.
Ho-Ho-Kus was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 12, 1908, from what had originally been the borough of Orvil, which was in turn created on March 8, 1905, from portions of Orvil Township.<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. 80. Accessed May 28, 2024.</ref><ref>Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey p. 7, lists a date of October 15, 1908 for the incorporation of Ho-Ho-Kus.</ref>
As of the 2000 census, Ho-Ho-Kus was the 15th-wealthiest community in New Jersey with a per capita money income of $63,594 as of 1999, an increase of 36.9% from the $46,451 recorded in 1989.<ref>Money Income (1989 and 1999) and Poverty (1999) New Jersey, Counties and Municipalities, New Jersey State Data Center, April 2003. Accessed August 27, 2012.</ref> The borough's median household income was $165,827 in 2013.<ref>Income in the past 12 months (in 2013 inflation-adjusted dollars) - Ho-Ho-Kus borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 20, 2015.</ref> In 2011, New Jersey Monthly magazine named Ho-Ho-Kus the best place to live in the state of New Jersey, citing its affluence, low crime rate and the quality of its school system, as well as its proximity to New York City and other major commercial destinations.<ref name=TopTown2011>"The #1 Town: Ho-Ho-Kus", New Jersey Monthly, August 15, 2011. Accessed September 7, 2011.</ref>
History of the name
[edit]The meaning of the name Ho-Ho-Kus has been disputed. From the official history on the borough's website, the most likely origin is a contraction of the Delaware Indian term "Mah-Ho-Ho-Kus" (or "Mehokhokus"), meaning "the red cedar".<ref name=Thinking/><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 1, 2015.</ref>
Other meanings have been suggested over the years and are listed on the borough's website, including: a Lenape word for running water; a cleft in the rock, or under the rock, or hollow rock; the word "hohokes", signifying the whistle of the wind against the bark of trees; the Chihohokies Indians, whose chief lived here; the Dutch Hoog Akers for "high acorns" or Hoge Aukers for "high oaks"; the Lenape word hoccus, meaning "fox", or woakus, meaning "gray fox"; or that the "Ho" part means joy or spirit, and the rest of the name comes from "hohokes", referring to a type of tree bark.<ref>About, Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. Accessed July 3, 2022.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 156. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 1, 2015.</ref>
Ho-Ho-Kus versus Hohokus
[edit]A constant source of confusion has been the manner in which the borough's name has been styled, with each syllable capitalized and separated by hyphens. The confusion is only exacerbated by the existence of Hohokus Township (now Mahwah), which comprised the area of present-day Ho-Ho-Kus and other surrounding communities, yet was styled without the multiple capitalization or the hyphens.
The name "Ho-Ho-Kus" was used explicitly in the resolution requesting a change of name passed by the Borough Council on October 12, 1908, and submitted to the Secretary of State of New Jersey requesting "That the Borough now known as the Borough of Orvil be hereafter known as the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus..."
A few theories have been offered for the hyphens and capitalization. One is that it was intended to differentiate between the borough and Hohokus Township, which was formed on April 9, 1849, and continued to exist until November 7, 1944, when a referendum was passed changing the name to present-day Mahwah.<ref name=Story/><ref name=MC1940/> Another explanation was that it was meant to avoid confusion by postal clerks with mail being sent to Hoboken.
While efforts had been made in the ensuing decades to change the name or to alter the way in which the name of the borough is capitalized and punctuated, the borough remains as "Ho-Ho-Kus."<ref>Background of Ho-Ho-Kus History pp. 149–150.</ref>
Geography
[edit]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.75 square miles (4.53 km2), including 1.74 square miles (4.51 km2) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) of water (0.63%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
The borough borders Hillsdale, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Waldwick and Washington Township.<ref>Areas touching Ho-Ho-Kus, MapIt. Accessed February 24, 2020.</ref><ref>Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed February 24, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 4,078 people, 1,401 households, and 1,154 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,462 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 92.03% (3,753) White, 0.22% (9) Black or African American, 0.07% (3) Native American, 5.79% (236) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.39% (16) from other races, and 1.50% (61) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.12% (168) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 1,401 households, 40.7% had children under the age of 18; 74.2% were married couples living together; 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.6% were non-families. Of all households, 15.5% 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 2.91 and the average family size was 3.26.<ref name=Census2010/>
29.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 18.8% from 25 to 44, 31.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.7 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $155,030 (with a margin of error of +/− $14,301) and the median family income was $157,202 (+/− $13,820). Males had a median income of $93,750 (+/− $26,877) versus $83,636 (+/− $27,361) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $67,238 (+/− $11,693). About 1.9% of families and 1.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.6% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Ho-Ho-Kus borough, Bergen County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed June 6, 2012.</ref>
Same-sex couples headed 8 households in 2010, unchanged from 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record (Bergen County), August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed December 1, 2014.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 4,060 people, 1,433 households, and 1,199 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,465 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 92.66% White, 0.59% African American, 0.10% Native American, 5.22% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.97% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Ho-Ho-Kus borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Ho-Ho-Kus borough, Bergen County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 5, 2013.</ref>
There were 1,433 households, out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.6% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.3% were non-families. Of all households 14.6% were made up of individuals, and 7.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.11.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 3.3% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $129,900, and the median income for a family was $144,588. Males had a median income of $92,573 versus $54,091 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $63,594. Of the population 2.1% of the people and 2.6% of families were below the poverty line. Of those 0.7% under the age of 18 and 1.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Affluence
[edit]Ho-Ho-Kus is primarily an upper-class and upper-middle class suburb of New York City, ranking 15th in the state of New Jersey in terms of per-capita income. According to the Forbes 2010 survey of the most expensive ZIP codes in America, Ho-Ho-Kus ranked 268th nationally, with a median home price of $901,841.<ref>Most Expensive ZIP Codes: Ho-Ho-Kus, Forbes. Accessed October 10, 2010.</ref>
The Ho-Ho-Kus School District is classified in District Factor Group "J," the highest of eight categories, in both the 2000 and 1990 rankings. District Factor Groups are used in the state of New Jersey to rank school districts according to common socioeconomic characteristics. Northern Highlands Regional High School, which receives students from Ho-Ho-Kus, Allendale, Upper Saddle River, and part of Saddle River, is placed in the same category.<ref>District Factor Groups (DFG) for School Districts, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 4, 2014.</ref>
Points of interest
[edit]
- The Hermitage, site of Aaron Burr's marriage, listed on the National Register of Historic Places<ref>The Prevosts: Late Colonial and Revolutionary War Era Template:Webarchive, accessed March 1, 2007.</ref>
- The Ho-Ho-Kus Inn (also known as Ho-Ho-Kus Inn & Tavern), is a historic landmark that is currently a restaurant.<ref>History, Ho-Ho-Kus Inn. Accessed May 15, 2016.</ref>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Ho-Ho-Kus 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 a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large 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.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 165.</ref> The borough form of government used by Ho-Ho-Kus 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 Ho-Ho-Kus is Republican Thomas W. Randall, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Douglas K. Troast (R, 2024), Kevin Crossley (R, 2025), Edmund M. Iannelli (R, 2023), Kathleen Moran (R, 2025), Dane M. Policastro (R, 2024) and Steven D. Shell (R, 2023).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Meet Our Mayor and Council, Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. Accessed March 14, 2023.</ref><ref>2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. Accessed July 3, 2022.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>2024 County and Municipal Directory, Bergen County, New Jersey, April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2022>Bergen County November 8, 2022 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Bergen2021>Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Bergen2020>Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Bergen2019>Bergen County November 5, 2019 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 10, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>
In February 2020, Kathleen Moran was selected from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Philip Rorty until he resigned from office earlier that month.<ref>Mayor and Council Meeting Minutes for February 25, 2020, Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. Accessed March 26, 2020. "Whereas, there presently exists a vacancy in the membership of the Governing Body by reason of the retirement of Councilman Philip Rorty, effective February 3, 2020; and Whereas, the Ho-Ho-Kus Republican County Committee has submitted three (3) nominees for the selection of a successor to fill the vacancy; and Whereas, the Governing Body has considered the matter; Now, Therefore, Be It Resolved by the Governing Body of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus that it hereby appoints Kathleen Moran as the councilperson to serve until the next general election in November, 2020, at which time the vacancy shall be filled for its unexpired term."</ref> Moran served on an interim basis until the November 2020 general election, when she was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Bergen2020/>
Thomas Fiato was selected in January 2016 from a list of three candidates nominated by the municipal Republican committee to fill the seat of Kimberley Weiss, who had resigned earlier that month after announcing that she was relocating out of the borough.<ref>Janoski, Steve. "New Ho-Ho-Kus councilman sets focus on affordable-housing obligation", The Record, March 2, 2016. Accessed November 5, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Fiato, 55, was sworn in Jan. 26 after the resignation of five-year Councilwoman Kimberly Weiss. Weiss, who won reelection last November, resigned in early January because she was moving out of the borough, local officials said."</ref>
William J. Jones is the Borough Administrator.<ref name=MayorCouncil/>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Ho-Ho-Kus is located in New Jersey's 5th congressional district<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of the New Jersey's 39th legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>
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Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there was a total of 2,981 registered voters in Ho-Ho-Kus, of whom 546 (18.3% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,456 (48.8% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 976 (32.7% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Bergen, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 73.1% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 103.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% 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 December 9, 2013.</ref>
In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 1,171 votes (48.1% vs. 41.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 1,131 votes (46.5% vs. 54.2%) and other candidates with 131 votes (5.4% vs. 4.6%), among the 2,462 ballots cast by the borough's 3,234 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.1% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County).<ref>Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results - Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, November 8, 2016. Accessed May 24, 2020.</ref> In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,447 votes (62.8% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 826 votes (35.9% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,303 ballots cast by the borough's 3,116 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.9% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).<ref>Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 13, 2013.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 13, 2013.</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,440 votes (58.1% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,009 votes (40.7% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 15 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,478 ballots cast by the borough's 3,066 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.8% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref><ref name=Results2008>2008 General Election Results for Ho-Ho-Kus, The Record. Accessed September 7, 2011.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,547 votes (62.2% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 916 votes (36.8% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 18 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,489 ballots cast by the borough's 2,987 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.3% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|46.3% 1,197 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|50.4% 1,305 |
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|44.3% 1,292 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|53.2% 1,550 |
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|48.1% 1,171 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|46.5% 1,131 |
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref name="2012Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|62.8% 1,447 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.9% 826 |
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref name="state.nj.us">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|58.1% 1,440 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|40.7% 1,009 |
| style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[1], New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref> | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Republican|62.2% '1,547 | style="text-align:center; Template:Party shading/Democratic|36.8% 916 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.4% of the vote (1,085 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.6% (358 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (15 votes), among the 1,479 ballots cast by the borough's 3,042 registered voters (21 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 48.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,063 votes (62.5% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 553 votes (32.5% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 76 votes (4.5% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 3 votes (0.2% vs. 0.5%), among the 1,701 ballots cast by the borough's 3,024 registered voters, yielding a 56.3% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref>
Education
[edit]
The Ho-Ho-Kus School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade at Ho-Ho-Kus Public School.<ref>Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Ho-Ho-Kus School District. Accessed September 4, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 in the Ho-Ho-Kus School district. Composition The Ho-Ho-Kus School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus."</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Ho-Ho-Kus School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref> As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 597 students and 49.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Ho-Ho-Kus School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> The school population increased more than 200 students in the decade through 2008.<ref>Ho-Ho-Kus School, School Digger. Accessed September 21, 2008.</ref>
Local secondary school students in public school attend Northern Highlands Regional High School in nearby Allendale, which serves students in the ninth through twelfth grades grades from Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Upper Saddle River and some students from Saddle River, as part of sending/receiving relationships with the Ho-Ho-Kus district.<ref name=TopTown2011 /><ref>Northern Highlands Regional High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed May 31, 2016. "A four-year public high school, Northern Highlands strives to address the needs of all of its students who come from four towns in northern Bergen County: Allendale, Upper Saddle River, Ho-Ho-Kus, and Saddle River."</ref> As of the 2020–21 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,364 students and 106.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1.<ref>School data for Northern Highlands Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Northern Highlands Regional High School as the 22nd-best high school of the 328 ranked schools in New Jersey in its 2012 rankings of the "Top Public High Schools" after being ranked 6th of 322 schools in 2010.<ref>Schlager, Ken; and Staab, Amanda. "The Top New Jersey High Schools: Alphabetical - Here are the 2012 Top High Schools ranking listed alphabetically.", New Jersey Monthly, August 16, 2012. Accessed August 22, 2013.</ref> The ten voting seats on the high school district's board of education are allocated based on a percentage of the enrollment coming from each constituent municipality, with one seat allocated to Ho-Ho-Kus.<ref>About the Board of Education, Northern Highlands Regional High School, updated June 20, 2020. Accessed January 25, 2022. "The Northern Highlands Regional High School Board of Education is comprised of a ten board members who are elected by the constituents in the three municipalities (Upper Saddle River, Allendale, and Ho-Ho-Kus) whose students attend the Northern Highlands Regional High School district. As Saddle River has less than 10% of the entire districts population, they have a non-voting liaison on the Board who serves as the 11th member. Currently, five members are elected from the Borough of Upper Saddle River, four from the Borough of Allendale and one from the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus. The numeric breakdown of members is determined by total student population from each specific town, one member for each 10% of the entire schools population."</ref>
After ending a long-standing sending relationship to Ridgewood High School in the mid-1970s, Ho-Ho-Kus students started attending Midland Park High School. The small size of the Midland Park school and the lack of electives led to efforts in the mid-1990s to find another high school to serve students from the borough.<ref name=Thinking>Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Ho-Ho-Kus; A Borough That Guards Its Traditions", The New York Times, February 5, 1995. Accessed August 22, 2011. "The district serves kindergarten through eighth grades. High school students are sent to nearby Midland Park, an arrangement Mayor Sayers terms 'unsatisfactory' because, he says, Midland Park High School is small and offers few electives. The Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education is discussing possible alternatives."</ref> Since then, high school students from Ho-Ho-Kus have been attending Northern Highlands Regional High School.<ref>Peterson, Iver. "Taxes May Fuse School Districts; Rising Expenses Test New Jerseyans' Love of Local Control", The New York Times, April 29, 1994. Accessed August 22, 2011. "The proposed district would send Ho-Ho-Kus ninth graders to Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale. Northern Highlands High is nationally known for quality, but it is operating at just over half capacity and desperately seeking ties to other districts. Now, Ho-Ho-Kus children go to Midland Park High School after eighth grade."</ref> The send / receive agreement between Ho-Ho-Kus and Northern Highlands began in the 1990s.<ref>Crusco, Jennifer. "Trustees approve new 10-year contract with Highlands", The Villadom Times, March 4, 2009. Accessed September 7, 2011. "The Ho-Ho-Kus Board of Education last week signed a new send/receive contract with Northern Highlands Regional High School in Annandale, which covers 2008 (retroactively) through 2018.... Ho-Ho-Kus has been sending its high school age students to Northern Highlands since the 1990s, when the district severed its send/receive relationship with Midland Park High School."</ref> In 2016, the Ho-Ho-Kus and Northern Highlands districts reached an agreement to extend the send / receive agreement through 2026 under a fixed-price contract by which Ho-Ho-Kus would pay $3.6 million for the 2016–17 school year, escalating by 2% a year to $4.3 million in 2025–26, regardless of the number of students from the borough sent to the high school.<ref>Northern Highlands Regional High School and the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus announced a new 10-year send/receive agreement through 2026 last week.... The total tuition to be paid by Ho-Ho-Kus for the 2016 to 2017 school year is $3,580,675. The fee increases by approximately 2 percent per year to $4,279,238 in the 2025 to 2026 school year."</ref>
Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.<ref>About Us Template:Webarchive, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref><ref>Admissions Template:Webarchive, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 29, 2016.</ref>
The borough is home to the Ho-Ho-Kus Waldwick Cooperative Nursery School.<ref>About Us, Ho-Ho-Kus Waldwick Cooperative Nursery School. Accessed July 31, 2013.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_in_Ho-Ho-Kus,_Bergen_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highways
[edit]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 Bergen County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Bergen County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed December 1, 2013.</ref>
Route 17, County Route 507, and County Route 502 travel through Ho-Ho-Kus.
Ho-Ho-Kus can also be accessed via exit 168 on the Garden State Parkway in neighboring Washington Township.
Public transportation
[edit]Ho-Ho-Kus is served by NJ Transit at the Ho-Ho-Kus station, which is located at Brookside Avenue and 1st Street, one block from Franklin Turnpike.<ref>Ho-Ho-Kus station, NJ Transit. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref> The station provides service on both the Bergen County Line and Main Line, which run north–south to Hoboken Terminal with connections via the Secaucus Junction transfer station to NJ Transit New York Penn Station and to other NJ Transit rail service. Connections are available at the Hoboken Terminal to other NJ Transit rail lines, the PATH train at the Hoboken PATH station, New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service.<ref>Main/Bergen-Port Jervis Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref><ref>Bergen County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed September 7, 2011.</ref><ref>Bergen County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref>
Short Line provides service between the borough and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan from a stop at Route 17 and Hollywood Avenue, with limited service offered at a stop at Franklin Turnpike and Maple Avenue.<ref>Schedule Details Hohokus, NJ to New York, NY, Coach USA. Accessed December 9, 2013.</ref>
In popular culture
[edit]The heavy metal band Twisted Sister, best known for the songs "We're Not Gonna Take It" and "I Wanna Rock", were based in Ho-Ho-Kus.<ref>Aberback, Brian. "Twisted Sister to play benefit concert for longtime drummer who died this year", The Record, June 13, 2015. Accessed May 15, 2016. "French, the sole original member, joined the band, originally known as Silver Star, in 1972. Silver Star changed its name to Twisted Sister in 1973. At the time, the band was based in Ho-Ho-Kus."</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Ho-Ho-Kus include:
- Aaron Burr (1756–1836), third Vice President of the United States, was married at The Hermitage and briefly lived there<ref>Staff. "The House Where Aaron Burr Courted Theodosia", The New York Times, September 1, 1977. Accessed November 12, 2017.</ref>
- Richard Chilton (born 1958), businessman, investor and philanthropist<ref>Hennessy, Christina. "Pull the cork: Darien oenophile shares decades of knowledge in new book",Connecticut Post, March 6, 2018. Accessed March 4, 2023. "It was 1976 and he and his brother, Chip, had convinced their father to convert an old bomb shelter at the family’s Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., home into a wine cellar."</ref>
- Doug Cook (born 1948), former professional basketball player<ref>Vazquez, Andy. "Fun Of Game Was Cook's Hook", The Record, March 15, 2011. Accessed October 7, 2024, via ProQuest. "Cook loved basketball growing up in Ho-Ho-Kus in the 1950s."</ref>
- David Duffield (born 1940), businessman and founder of Information Associates, Integral Software Systems, Business Software, PeopleSoft and Workday<ref>McManis, Sam. "A Man & His Money / David Duffield, CEO of Bay Area software giant PeopleSoft, has put his fortune behind his dream of a 'no-kill nation' for dogs and cats", San Francisco Chronicle, November 22, 1998. Accessed January 6, 2011. "Chance-taking has been characteristic of Duffield since he was a child growing up in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J. As a kindergartner, the budding entrepreneur had a brainstorm to grow gladiolas in the back yard and sell them for a dime each."</ref><ref>Stoltz, Marsha A. "Ho-Ho-Kus receives $10M from tech entrepreneur David Duffield for new school gym", The Record, December 20, 2022. Accessed March 29, 2023. "The Board of Education has received a $10 million gift — the largest in its history — from tech entrepreneur and former student David Duffield for construction of a new gymnasium and wellness center, President Mary Ellen Nye announced Monday.... 'I loved my childhood in Ho-Ho-Kus,' Duffield said in a written statement."</ref>
- Mark Fabish (born 1975), American football coach and former player who is the interim head coach for the Columbia Lions<ref>Schwartz, Paul. "Bergen Catholic alum takes over as Columbia University football coach", The Record, August 8, 2023. Accessed August 26, 2023. "Fabish, a 1993 Bergen Catholic graduate and native of Ho-Ho-Kus, was part of Bagnoli's first class of recruits at Penn and has spent the past 14 years as one of Bagnoli's assistants, both in his final six years at Penn and all eight years at Columbia."</ref>
- Jim Fassel (1949–2021), head coach of the New York Giants<ref>Anderson, Dave. "Sports of The Times; Fassel's Finished Basement", The New York Times, March 2, 2001. Accessed August 27, 2012. "Maybe that explains how the Fassels celebrated when he returned to their Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., home on Tuesday with a four-year, $10.75 million contract -- a guarantee that they will be living at the same address for at least eight years, their longest consecutive residence."</ref>
- Andrew McMahon (born 1982), musician / singer-songwriter who has been lead singer of Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate<ref>Osterhout, Jacob E. "Andrew McMahon, lead singer of Jack's Mannequin, overcomes leukemia and keeps on rockin'",New York Daily News, October 9, 2011. Accessed September 4, 2022. "Born in Massachusetts and raised for a time in Ho-Ho-Kus, N.J., McMahon first achieved success with the band Something Corporate while he was still in high school in Southern California."</ref>
- Dennis McNerney, former County Executive of Bergen County<ref>Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney Template:Webarchive, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed April 10, 2008. "He currently resides in Ho-Ho-Kus with his wife Catherine and their two children."</ref>
- Owen Murphy (1893–1965) , songwriter, film maker, and writer for radio, film, and theatre<ref>"Owen Murphy is Dead at 71; Was Composer; Songwriter Had Lived For Many Years In Bergen County", The Record, April 5, 1965. Accessed March 25, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "Ho Ho-Kus - Owen Murphy, a noted composer, died Saturday at Stone Harbor where he had resided after living at Jacqueline Avenue here for many years."</ref>
- Dan Reeves (1944–2022), former running back of the Dallas Cowboys, former head coach of the New York Giants<ref>Meisel, Barry. "On the Firing Line; A Death Wish for Reeves? No Way. He's Dying to Win", New York Daily News, September 11, 1996. Accessed May 8, 2017. "Pam and Dan Reeves live in a townhouse in Ho-Ho-Kus."</ref>
- R. Tom Sawyer (1901–1986), engineer, writer and inventor of the first successful gas turbine locomotive<ref>Langston, Lee S. "Our Founder – IGTI's R. Tom Sawyer", p. 79, Global Gas Turbine News, September 2015. Accessed July 2, 2017. His home was close to New York City in the singularly named New Jersey town of Ho-Ho-Kus (a contraction of a Delaware Indian name, 'the red cedar')."</ref>
- Chloe Troast (born 1997), comedian and actress, who joined the cast of the NBC sketch comedy series Saturday Night Live in 2023 for its 49th season<ref>DeVencentis, Philip. "Ho-Ho-Kus native Chloe Troast makes her debut on Saturday Night Live", The Record, October 15, 2023. Accessed December 3, 2023. "Troast, 26, who grew up in Ho-Ho-Kus and graduated in 2015 from Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, is the only newcomer to the cast of the award-winning sketch comedy series, now in its 49th year."</ref>
- Metta Victoria Fuller Victor (1831–1885), novelist, credited with authoring of one of the first American detective novels who wrote more than 100 dime novels, pioneering the field<ref>Victor, Metta Victoria Fuller Template:Webarchive, Pennsylvania State University Pennsylvania Center for the Book. Accessed May 15, 2016.</ref>
- Orville James Victor (1827–1910), theologian, journalist, editor and abolitionist who has been called the creator of the dime novel<ref>"Victor, Orville J.", Northern Illinois University, backed up by the Internet Archive as of September 1, 2006. Accessed December 9, 2013. "Victor died at his home in Hohokus, New Jersey, March 14, 1910, at the age of eighty-three."</ref>
- Richard Warch (1939–2013), 14th president of Lawrence University<ref>Richard Warch biography Template:Webarchive, Lawrence University. Accessed June 7, 2007. "A native of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, Warch earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Williams College in 1961, his Bachelor of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1964, and the Ph.D. in American studies from Yale University in 1968."</ref>
- Luke Wypler (born 2001), American football center for the Cleveland Browns<ref>Mattura, Greg. "Luke Wypler named All-American for St. Joseph; injury notes for Bergen Catholic game",The Record, October 9, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2023. "'Being around St. Joseph my whole life, this school has done so much for me,' said Wypler, 18, a resident of Ho-Ho-Kus."</ref>
Sources
[edit]- Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties) prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
- Clayton, W. Woodford; and Nelson, William. History of Bergen and Passaic Counties, New Jersey, with Biographical Sketches of Many of its Pioneers and Prominent Men. Philadelphia: Everts and Peck, 1882.
- Harvey, Cornelius Burnham (ed.), Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Co., 1900.
- Hudson, Sue F., Background of Ho-Ho-Kus History, under the auspices of the Woman's Club of Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, 1953
- Van Valen, James M. History of Bergen County, New Jersey. New York: New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Co., 1900.
- Westervelt, Frances A. (Frances Augusta), 1858–1942, History of Bergen County, New Jersey, 1630–1923, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1923.
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Ho-Ho-Kus borough website
- Ho-Ho-Kus Public School
- Template:NJReportCard
- School Data for the Ho-Ho-Kus Public School, National Center for Education Statistics
- Northern Highlands Regional High School
- Police Department