Ridgefield Park, New Jersey

Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the village's population was 13,224,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 495 (+3.9%) from the 2010 census count of 12,729,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 144 (−1.1%) from the 12,873 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> Of the 564 municipalities in the state, Ridgefield Park is one of only four with a village type of government, though it operates a Walsh Act (city commission) form of government. Of the four New Jersey villages, Loch Arbour also uses the commission form of government, while Ridgewood operates under the council-manager form, and the Township of South Orange Village operates under a special charter form with many characteristics of village government.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Municipalities (publication of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities), March 2007. Accessed August 5, 2008.</ref>

Ridgefield Park was formed as a village on June 15, 1892, within Ridgefield Township, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 6, 1892. Overpeck Township was formed on March 23, 1897, to be coextensive with Ridgefield Park village, and was created within Ridgefield Township for the purpose of administering a Board of Education. Portions of the village gained in both 1921 and 1926 were taken from Bogota and Teaneck. On May 31, 1938, Overpeck Township became Ridgefield Park 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. 85. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> The village was named for the area's terrain.<ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 26. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 21, 2015.</ref>

The village's Fourth of July Parade, first established in 1894, is said to be the longest continuously celebrated such event in New Jersey and one of the oldest in the country.<ref>Klein, Alvin; and Emblen, Mary L. New Jersey Guide, The New York Times, July 3, 1994. Accessed July 12, 2011. "Ridgefield Park will strike up the band with extra gusto at this year's Fourth of July parade tomorrow because it is the 100th and, the sponsors assert, the longest consecutively produced one in the nation. Residents of the village took seriously the suggestion made years before by John Adams that the nation's citizenry to celebrate independence with parades, fireworks and joyous gatherings. Volunteer committees have put together an observance every year since 1894 in spite of two World Wars, the Great Depression and other distractions."</ref> The village eliminated its July 4 fireworks in 2009, citing the $50,000 cost amid a difficult economy, but has restored the tradition since then.<ref>Kocieniewski, David. "Bad Economy Dampens Celebrations for July 4th", The New York Times, June 21, 2009. Accessed July 12, 2011. "But in Ridgefield Park, N.J., home of the state's oldest Fourth of July celebration, village leaders decided this year that because of the exceptionally bleak economic outlook, they could not afford to put on their traditional show, which costs about $50,000. "'I'm not going to say it's a luxury, because fireworks are a very important tradition, and Fourth of July is a very important day,' said Ridgefield Park's mayor, George D. Fosdick. 'But if you're confronting a situation where you're afraid you may have to lay people off and cost a family its livelihood, then it's a decision that you have to make.' Mr. Fosdick said the village would hold the rest of its Independence Day celebration, including its home- and business-decorating contest and two parades."</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village had a total area of Template:Convert, including Template:Convert of land and Template:Convert of water (10.84%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The village borders the Bergen County municipalities of Bogota, Hackensack, Leonia, Little Ferry, Palisades Park, Ridgefield and Teaneck.<ref>Areas touching Ridgefield Park, MapIt. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 3, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the village include Overpeck and West View.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 13,235 people and 4,795 households in the village. The population density was Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 37.2% (4,887) White, 4.2% (552) Black or African American, 0.2% (26) Native American, 10.1% (1,327) Asian, 0.1% (13) Pacific Islander, and 11.5% (1,511) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 46.9% (6,160) of the population.<ref name=Census2020/>

Of the 4,795 households, 89.1% were living in the same housing unit as the year before. The average household size was 2.69.<ref name=Census2020/>

23.0% of the population were under the age of 18, and 12.5% were 65 years of age or older. 3.14% of the population were veterans. 37.1% of the population were foreign-born persons. 91.3% of those over age 25 had a high degree, and 38.5% of those over age 25 had a bachelor's degree or higher. The mean travel time to work was 31.3 minutes.<ref name=Census2020/>

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 12,729 people, 4,851 households, and 3,274 families in the village. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,164 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 66.09% (8,413) White, 6.40% (815) Black or African American, 0.35% (44) Native American, 11.48% (1,461) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 11.93% (1,519) from other races, and 3.74% (476) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.18% (4,605) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 4,851 households, 31.1% had children under the age of 18; 48.5% were married couples living together; 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.5% were non-families. Of all households, 27.7% were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.25.<ref name=Census2010/>

21.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.2% from 25 to 44, 28.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.6 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $60,656 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,846) and the median family income was $83,189 (+/− $13,092). Males had a median income of $51,781 (+/− $2,949) versus $47,714 (+/− $8,394) for females. The per capita income for the village was $30,893 (+/− $2,038). About 3.1% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Ridgefield Park village, Bergen County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 29, 2012.</ref>

Same-sex couples headed 34 households in 2010, an increase from the 21 counted in 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed July 24, 2013.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 12,873 people, 5,012 households, and 3,242 families residing in the village. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,134 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the village was 78.20% White, 4.10% African American, 0.22% Native American, 7.85% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 6.50% from other races, and 3.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.24% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Ridgefield Park village, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 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 Ridgefield Park village, Bergen County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 13, 2013.</ref>

There were 5,012 households, out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households 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 2.56 and the average family size was 3.24.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the village, the population was spread out, with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the village was $51,825, and the median income for a family was $62,414. Males had a median income of $44,507 versus $35,217 for females. The per capita income for the village was $24,290. About 4.7% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Economy

File:Samsung Ridgefield Park, New Jerey.jpg

Samsung headquarters

Overpeck Corporate Office Park is located on Challenger Road on the east side of the village (east of I-95), to the south of Bergen County's Overpeck Park. The office park contains approximately Template:Convert of Class-A office space which has undergone substantial renovations and upgrades. The Office Park also contains an AMC Movie Theater and Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. Corporate residents of Overpeck Corporate Park include the headquarters of American Stock Transfer and Samsung Electronics America, the latter of which announced plans to move to Englewood Cliffs in 2024.<ref>Contact Information, Samsung Electronics America. Accessed October 21, 2013.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government

Local government

File:Ridgefield Park New Jersey Municipal Building.jpg

Municipal building in Ridgefield Park on Main Street

Ridgefield Park has been governed under the Walsh Act since 1912.<ref>"The Commission Form of Municipal Government", p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 8. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The village is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide to use the commission form of government,<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century; Ridgefield Park is one of six Walsh Act municipalities in North Jersey and most are in shore communities.<ref>Proctor, Owen; and Sobko, Katie. "Town commissions have become a New Jersey rarity", The Record, April 30, 2018, updated May 6, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Commissions rose in popularity, up to 60 statewide in the early part of the last century, from large cities and older suburbs to seaside resorts.... Today, only about 30 of New Jersey's 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. There are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County."</ref> The Board of Commissioners is comprised of five members, who are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 157.</ref>

Template:As of, the members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners are Mayor Adam A. MacNeill (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), William G. Gerken (Commissioner of Public Affairs), John H. Anlian (Commissioner of Public Safety), Wanda C. Portorreal (Commissioner of Public Works) and Askar H. Mirza (Commissioner of Parks and Public Property), all serving concurrent terms of office ending on May 23, 2028.<ref name="Commissioners">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Commissioners Reorganization Meeting Agenda, May 28th 2024</ref>

In the election held on May 14, 2024, 19-year-old college student Askar Mirza defeated incumbent commissioner Mark Olson by a 2-vote margin, becoming the youngest commissioner ever elected in the village.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In June 2017, Theresa Kohles was appointed to fill the commissioner seat that became vacant following the resignation of Maggie Boyd.<ref>"Message from the Board of Commissioners" Template:Webarchive, Village Newsletter, June 2017. Accessed October 6, 2019. "We welcome to the Board of Commissioners Theresa Kohles who was selected to fill the vacany created by the resignation of Commissioner Boyd.... An accountant in her own business, Commissioner Kohles brings a fresh voice to the Board and will serve as Commissioner of Parks, Property and Buildings and as liaison to the Rescue Squad."</ref> In the 2017 November general election, Kohles was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Bergen2017>Bergen County November 7, 2017 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 15, 2017. Accessed March 18, 2018.</ref>

Federal, state, and county representation

Ridgefield Park is located in the 5th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 37th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 6,593 registered voters in Ridgefield Park, of which 2,249 (34.1% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 957 (14.5% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,382 (51.3% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 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 14, 2013.</ref> Among the village's 2010 Census population, 51.8% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 66.4% 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 14, 2013.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,162 votes here (66.3% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,508 votes (31.6% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 45 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,768 ballots cast by the village's 7,035 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.8% (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 14, 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 14, 2013.</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 3,256 votes here (61.6% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,932 votes (36.5% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 47 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,288 ballots cast by the village's 6,980 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (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 14, 2013.</ref><ref name=Results2008>2008 General Election Results for Ridgefield Park Template:Webarchive, The Record. Accessed January 29, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,681 votes here (55.4% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 2,104 votes (43.5% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 31 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,835 ballots cast by the village's 6,575 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.5% (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 14, 2013.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 55.6% of the vote (1,473 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 43.0% (1,138 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (36 votes), among the 2,686 ballots cast by the village's 6,694 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.1%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 1,657 ballots cast (53.7% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,223 votes (39.6% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 166 votes (5.4% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 11 votes (0.4% vs. 0.5%), among the 3,085 ballots cast by the village's 6,753 registered voters, yielding a 45.7% 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 14, 2013.</ref>

Education

The Ridgefield Park Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,178 students and 180.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.1:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Ridgefield Park Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Ridgefield Park Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref>) are Grant Elementary School<ref>Grant Elementary School, Ridgefield Park Public Schools. Accessed December 2, 2022.</ref> with 244 students in grades K-6, Lincoln Elementary School<ref>Lincoln Elementary School, Ridgefield Park Public Schools. Accessed December 2, 2022.</ref> with 374 students in grades PreK-6, Roosevelt Elementary School<ref>Roosevelt Elementary School, Ridgefield Park Public Schools. Accessed December 2, 2022.</ref> with 339 students in grades PreK-6 and Ridgefield Park High School<ref>Ridgefield Park High School, Ridgefield Park Public Schools. Accessed December 2, 2022.</ref> with 1,189 students in grades 7–12.<ref>Our Schools, Ridgefield Park Public Schools. Accessed December 2, 2022. "They include Grant School, Lincoln School and Roosevelt School, our three Pre-K - 6 elementary schools, and Ridgefield Park Jr./Sr. High School which contains grades 7-12. Our PK - 8th grade students come from Ridgefield Park while our high school includes students from both The Village of Ridgefield Park and the borough of Little Ferry."</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Ridgefield Park Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Ridgefield Park Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Students from Little Ferry attend the high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Little Ferry Public Schools that has been in place since 1953.<ref>About Us Template:Webarchive, Little Ferry Public Schools. Accessed February 1, 2020. "The Little Ferry School District is a New Jersey Public School District located in Bergen County, New Jersey. Our Prek-8 district serves approximately 950 students in two schools located across the street from each other in the town of Little Ferry, New Jersey.... Little Ferry's 9–12 students attend Ridgefield Park High School in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey."</ref><ref>James, George. "School Districts' Battle On Tuition Goes to Court", The New York Times, December 16, 1989. Accessed August 19, 2013. "School officials in the borough, Little Ferry, which sends 202 students to the 546-student high school, say a partial audit several years ago raised suspicions that Ridgefield Park has overcharged them by hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent years.... Little Ferry, a borough of 1.5 square miles and 9,900 people, has sent its high school students to this neighboring 1.92-square mile village of 12,000 people, since 1953."</ref>

The district is one of the small number in the state with schools recognized by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program in consecutive years, with Grant Elementary School earning the designation in 2010 and Lincoln Elementary School being honored in 2011.<ref>Decicco, Robin. "Ridgefield Park's Lincoln School recognized as a Blue Ribbon School", Ridgefield Park Patriot, September 23, 2011. Accessed August 19, 2013. "Lincoln Elementary School was recently named a Blue Ribbon School by the New Jersey Department of Education, the most prestigious title in education, said Chris Onorato, superintendent of Ridgefield Park School District.... Ridgefield Park is one of the only districts in the country to receive two Blue Ribbon titles in back to back years. Last year, Grant Elementary School was named a Blue Ribbon School."</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 14, 2013.</ref><ref>Admissions Template:Webarchive, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 29, 2016.</ref>

Transportation

File:2021-05-26 16 47 57 View north along Interstate 95 from the overpass for Emerson Street in Ridgefield Park, Bergen County, New Jersey.jpg

View north along the Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike) in Ridgefield Park

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the village 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 and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Bergen County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed December 14, 2013.</ref>

Highways passing through the village include Interstate 80,<ref>Interstate 80 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated April 2014. Accessed July 21, 2022.</ref> Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike)<ref>Interstate 95 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated August 2014. Accessed July 21, 2022.</ref> and U.S. Route 46.<ref>U.S. Route 46 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed July 21, 2022.</ref><ref>Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed December 2, 2022.</ref>

The historic Winant Avenue Bridge, also known as the Route 46 Hackensack River Bridge, crosses the river to Little Ferry. The double-leaf bascule bridge was constructed in 1934 and extends for Template:Convert, with the draw bridge at the center of the span.<ref>Route 46 Hackensack River Bridge Overview, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed October 21, 2013.</ref>

Public transportation

For much of the 20th century Ridgefield Park was served by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railroad (NYSW) and the West Shore Railroad, a division of New York Central (NYCRR)<ref>Kaminski, Edward S. New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad in New Jersey, p. 19. Arcadia Publishing, 2010. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref><ref>Rose-McEntee, Donna E. Ridgefield Park, p. 114. Arcadia Publishing, 2003. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref> at three passenger station in the village: Little Ferry Station, Ridgefield Park station and Westview station.<ref name = MtVernon>Agnes, Kristen. "Mount Vernon Street train station in Ridgefield Park was a popular place for commuters", Ridgefield Park Patriot, March 27, 2015. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref>

NJ Transit bus routes 155, 157, 161, 165, 167 and 168 provide service between Ridgefield Park and the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, and the 83 route provides service to Hackensack and the Journal Square Transportation Center in Jersey City.<ref>Routes by County: Bergen County, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 12, 2011.</ref><ref>Bergen County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref>

Popular culture

Scenes in the 1998 movie Rounders, starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton, were filmed in the Elks Lodge.<ref>http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2016/01/amazon_prime_video_sopranos_boardwalk_new_jersey.html "N.J. binge-watching guide: 36 Amazon Prime picks from the Garden State", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, January 14, 2016. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Rounders - This 1998 movie stars Matt Damon and Edward Norton (and John Malkovich!) as underground poker players. Some scenes were filmed at Rutgers School of Law in Newark and the Elks lodge in Ridgefield Park."</ref>

Notable people

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

• Joan M. Clark (born 1922), former United States Ambassador to Malta<ref>"Nomination of Joan M. Clark To Be Director General of the Foreign Service" Template:Webarchive, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, June 16, 1981. Accessed December 14, 2013. "Miss Clark resides in Washington, D.C. She was born March 27, 1922, in Ridgefield Park, N.J."</ref>
• Richard Easterlin (1926–2024), professor of economics at the University of Southern California, best known for the economic theory named after him, the Easterlin paradox<ref>Richard A. Easterlin, Population Association of America. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Richard Easterlin was born in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, in 1926 and studied engineering at the Stevens Institute of Technology, where he earned an ME degree with distinction in 1945."</ref>
• Alex Gaston (1893–1979), MLB catcher who played for the New York Giants and Boston Red Sox<ref>Nowlin, Bill. "Alex Gaston", Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed November 14, 2016. "His high school was Ridgefield Park in New Jersey, the community where Milt was born. At the time of the 1900 and 1910 censuses, the family lived in Overpeck, Bergen County, New Jersey."</ref>
• Milt Gaston (1896–1996), right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1924 to 1934<ref>Nowlin, Bill. "Milt Gaston", Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed November 14, 2016. "Nathaniel Milton Gaston was born on January 27, 1896, in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.... The family lived in Overpeek, Bergen County, New Jersey. Milt attended a number of schools in New York City and New Jersey, and completed one year of high school at Ridgefield Park, but then left school and went to work."</ref>
• Jimmy Gnecco (born 1973), musician from the band Ours<ref>Spelling, Ian. "Ours lead singer Jimmy Gnecco will perform in Manhattan", The Record, May 20, 2010. Accessed August 15, 2012. "Gnecco – who was born in Teaneck, raised in Ridgefield Park and lives in Bogota — plays every instrument on the album, which includes such songs as 'Rest Your Soul,' 'Take a Chance,' 'Mystery' and the title track."</ref>
• Leonard W. Hatton Jr. (1956–2001), special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who was killed in the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center when he entered one of the towers to help evacuate the occupants and stayed when the towers collapsed<ref>Calderone, Joe; and Zambito, Thomas. "Farewell To FBI Bomb Expert And Father of 4", New York Daily News, October 1, 2001. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Son of a cop, Hatton starred as halfback on the Ridgefield Park football team, married his high school sweetheart and took the only job he'd ever wanted, as an agent with the FBI. His work took him to New Orleans for years, but, after being assigned to the Joint Bank Robbery Task Force in New York, he returned to Ridgefield Park.... On Saturday, as strains of an Elton John song filtered through the church, Hatton's Ridgefield Park class, members of the Class of '75, wiped away tears."</ref>
• John Huchra (1948–2010), astronomer<ref>Overbye, Dennis. "John Huchra Dies at 61; Maps Altered Ideas on Universe", The New York Times, October 13, 2010. Accessed August 19, 2013. "John Peter Huchra was born on Dec. 23, 1948, in Jersey City and grew up in Ridgefield Park, N.J., reading science fiction and popular cosmological books."</ref>
• James Gordon Irving (1913–2012), commercial illustrator and painter, best known for illustrating the early Golden Guide series of nature books<ref>Fandrich, Leslie. "The Golden Nature of James Gordon Irving", Uppercase magazine, Issue 15, Fall 2012. Accessed May 14, 2016. "Gordon was born June 2, 1913, in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, just a few miles from the home he has lived in for the past 60 years."</ref>
• Jim Keogh (born 1948), author of nearly 100 books sold worldwide introduced PC programming nationally in his Popular Electronics magazine column in 1982<ref>Keogh, Jim. "Rumors about teachers take on a life of their own",The Record, September 13, 1994. Accessed July 21, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Jim Keogh Is a member of the Ridgefield Park school board and an evening professor in the computer science department at St Peter's College, Jersey City."</ref>
• Louis F. Kosco (born 1932), politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate<ref>Louis Kosco Class of 1950, Ridgefield Park Junior-Senior High School Alumni Foundation. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Senator Louis Kosco attended Lincoln School and was a member of the class of 1950 at Ridgefield Park High School."</ref>
• Robert A. Lewis (1917–1983), co-pilot of the Enola Gay<ref>Cowen, Richard. "Humble hero of the atomic age: Passaic retailer helped deliver 'the bomb'", The Record, August 9, 2013. Accessed August 19, 2013. "Robert Lewis, the co-pilot of the Enola Gay, was a Ridgefield Park High School graduate."</ref><ref name=AlumniHistory>Fosdick, George. History of Ridgefield Park High School, Ridgefield Park Jr. / Sr. High School Alumni Association. Accessed August 19, 2013. "Among those who rose to national prominence are Ozzie Nelson '23, a radio and television performer who often mentioned his RPHS experiences on his radio and television programs. Bud Lewis '37 was the co-pilot of the Enola Gay Aircraft which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, leading to the end of World War II, a war in which over 1,000 RPHS graduates served."</ref>
• George Lowe (1895–1981), relief pitcher who appeared in a single game for the Cincinnati Reds during the 1920 season<ref>George Lowe, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed December 14, 2013.</ref>
• Bobby Messano (born 1954), artist, guitarist and musician<ref>Ross, Rob. "Album Review: Bobby Messano, Welcome To Deltaville, popdose.com, July 31, 2014. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Ridgefield Park, New Jersey native (and current Nashville resident) Bobby Messano steps up to the front of the line with his newest release on Marty Scott's JEM Recordings, Welcome To Deltaville. 10 slices of heavy blues that definitely make their mark."</ref>
• Dick Messner (1907–1972), band leader who led a sweet-styled dance orchestra bearing his name from about 1938 to about 1942.<ref>"Kiwanians Hear Program Given By Bandleader; Dick Messner Entertains Park-Teaneck Club At Meeting", The Record, October 4, 1935. Accessed December 2, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Dick Messner of Ridgefield Park, leader of the famed Messner Brothers orchestra, was guest yesterday of the Ridgefield Park-Teaneck Kiwanis Club at Its weekly luncheon meeting at Bernhardt's Inn, Teaneck."</ref>
• Johnny Messner (1909–1986; class of 1928), bandleader, composer, saxophonist and vocalist during the big band/swing heyday<ref>Staff. "Messner Into Army", Billboard, February 12, 1944. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Johnny Messner, the master of Ridgefield Park, N. J. and the maestro at McAlpin's Marine Grill for so many years, enters the army March 21."</ref>
• Ozzie Nelson (1906–1975), actor<ref name=AlumniHistory/><ref>via Associated Press. "Ozzie Nelson Honored By Town", The Robesonian, October 19, 1992. Accessed August 19, 2013. "The actor, whose TV family entertained millions during the 1950s grew up in Ridgefield Park and graduated in 1923 from the town's high school."</ref>
• Lawrence Nuesslein (1895–1971), sports shooter who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics where he won a total of five medals: two gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals<ref>Hall of Fame - Lawrence Nuesslein, USA Shooting. Accessed November 14, 2016.</ref>
• Gregory Olsen (born 1945), entrepreneur, engineer and scientist who, in October 2005, became the third private citizen to make a self-funded trip to the International Space Station<ref>George, Jason. "From a C Student to a Celestial Traveler", The New York Times, May 16, 2004. Accessed December 14, 2013. "In 1962, with an F in trigonometry and a C average at Ridgefield Park High School in New Jersey, Gregory Olsen seemed destined for the final frontier of a steady job, evenings in front of the television and, if lucky, vacations on the Jersey Shore."</ref>
• Amelia Stone Quinton (1833–1926), social activist and advocate for Native American rights, who co-founded the Women's National Indian Association in 1883<ref>"Mrs. Amelia Stone Quinton", The New York Times, June 25, 1926. Accessed November 17, 2017. "Mrs. Amelia Stone Quinton, 91, died on Wednesday at her home, 160 Preston Street, Ridgefield Park, N. J."</ref>
• Hatch Rosdahl (1941–2004), football player who played for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs<ref>Gavin, John A. "Harrison 'Hatch' Rosdahl, ex-pro football player, at 62", The Record, June 18, 2004. Accessed July 31, 2014. "Ridgefield Park - Harrison 'Hatch' Rosdahl, a professional football player for seven years, died from injuries suffered in a fall at his home Tuesday."</ref>
• David Rothenberg (born 1933), Broadway producer and prisoners' rights activist<ref>Beckerman, Jim. "A play about ex-cons, played by themselves", The Record, July 6, 2008. Accessed January 21, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "That's the combined prison time of the four ex-convicts who play themselves in this unique off-Broadway play, conceived and directed by Bergen County native David Rothenberg.... Rothenberg, who grew up in Ridgefield Park and Teaneck (Teaneck High School, class of 1951), began his career as a part-time sports writer for The Record."</ref>
• Daniel Ruch (born 1983), assistant soccer coach with Virginia Wesleyan who played professionally for two years for the Virginia Beach Mariners and the Wilmington Hammerheads<ref>Dan Ruch, Old Dominion Monarchs soccer, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 7, 2011. Accessed November 15, 2017. "Hometown: Ridgefield Park, NJ; High School: Ridgefield Park"</ref>
• Hal Turner (born 1962), conservative talk radio host<ref>Harold "Hal" Turner, Turner2000.org, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 31, 2000. Accessed October 17, 2017. "At age 4, Hal's family moved from Union City to Ridgefield Park, in Bergen County. He attended Roosevelt School on Teaneck Road in Grades K - 8. Hal graduated from Ridgefield Park High School in 1980."</ref>
• George Warrington (1952–2007), served as executive director of NJ Transit<ref>Levin, Jay. "Their lives made ours a little richer", The Record, January 1, 2008. Accessed May 27, 2008.</ref>
• Yoojin Grace Wuertz (born 1980), novelist who wrote the 2017 book Everything Belongs To Us<ref>Passow, Sam. "Passing Down Stories: Oradell resident Yoojin Grace Wuertz", The Record, April 4, 2017. Accessed June 5, 2017. "Wuertz, who lives in Oradell after growing up in Paramus and Ridgefield Park, released Everything Belongs to Us in February."</ref>

Sources

• 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.
• Ridgefield Park 1685–1985 Template:Webarchive
• 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.
• 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.

External links

• Ridgefield Park official website