Bloomfield, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and an inner-ring suburb of Newark. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 53,105,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 5,790 (+12.2%) from the 2010 census count of 47,315,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 368 (-0.8%) from the 47,683 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> It is the location of the Bloomfield Green Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.<ref>New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Essex County, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Historic Preservation Office, updated March 25, 2024. Accessed April 5, 2024.</ref>
History
[edit]
The earliest settlers of the area were the Lenape Native Americans. The initial patent for European settlement of the land that would become Bloomfield Township was granted to the English Puritan colonists of Newark, and the area assigned to Essex County in 1675, and Newark Township in 1693. From the 1690s to about the 1720s, much of the northern and eastern land was sold to descendants of New Netherland colonists who had settled Acquackanonk, and the remainder mostly to English families. Speertown (now Upper Montclair), Stone House Plains (now Brookdale), and Second River (now Belleville and Nutley) were essentially Dutch and Jersey Dutch-speaking, while Cranetown, Watsessing, and the Morris Neighborhood (now North Center) were predominantly English. Starting in the mid-18th century, the English and Dutch neighborhoods gradually integrated, with Thomas Cadmus being among the first Dutchmen to settle in an English neighborhood.
Numerous residents served in the Revolutionary War.<ref>Folsom, Joseph Fulford. Bloomfield, old and new: an historical symposium, Bloomfield Centennial Historical Committee, 1912. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> No significant engagements occurred in Bloomfield, although the locale was on the Continental Army's retreat route after the Battle of Long Island; British and American troops conducted foraging operations; and General George Washington is believed to have visited at least two residences.<ref>Folsom, Joseph Fulford. Bloomfield, old and new: an historical symposium, p. 32. Bloomfield Centennial Historical Committee, 1912. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> The Green was set aside to commemorate the use of that space for drilling of militia.<ref>Folsom, Joseph Fulford. Bloomfield, old and new: an historical symposium, p. 54. Bloomfield Centennial Historical Committee, 1912. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref>
The Presbyterian Society of Bloomfield (now the Bloomfield Presbyterian Church on the Green) was formed in 1794 and named in honor of then-brigadier Joseph Bloomfield, commander of New Jersey troops in the Whiskey Rebellion.<ref>Knox, Charles Eugene. Origin and Annals of the 'Old Church on the Green': The First Presbyterian Church of Bloomfield, Being a Historical Sermon: Covering Comprehensively the Period 1668-1896, with Explanatory and Reminiscent Notes, p. 25. S. Morris Hulin, 1901. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref> About the same time, the Dutch Reformed Church of Stone House Plains (now Brookdale Reformed Church) was established.<ref name= "Folsom">Folsom, Joseph Fulford. Bloomfield, Old and New : An Historical Symposium by Several Authors, Bloomfield Centennial Historical Committee, 1912. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref> The two churches became integral institutions of southern and northern Bloomfield, respectively.
Bloomfield was incorporated as a township from portions of Newark Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 23, 1812.<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. 126. Accessed January 28, 2012.</ref> At the time, the Presbyterian parish's namesake was governor of New Jersey and had recently been appointed brigadier general for service in the looming War of 1812.<ref name= BloomfieldHistory>Bloomfield, New Jersey - A Brief History Template:Webarchive, First Baptist Church of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Accessed August 21, 2007.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 49. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed August 27, 2015.</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 27, 2015.</ref>
At the time it was incorporated, the township covered Template:Cvt (almost four times its current area of Template:Cvt) and included several municipalities which were formed from portions of Bloomfield during the course of the nineteenth century, including Belleville (created on April 8, 1839), Montclair (April 15, 1868), Woodside Township (March 24, 1869) and Glen Ridge (February 13, 1895).<ref name=Story/><ref>Brief History of Bloomfield, Township of Bloomfield, New Jersey. December 8, 2014. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref> The Stone House Plains neighborhood was renamed as Brookdale in 1873.<ref name="Folsom"/>
In the township's first century, Brookdale farms thrived while southern Bloomfield industrialized, and the township's infrastructure, civil framework and social institutions developed. Several miles of the Morris Canal passed through Bloomfield.<ref>Morris Canal Map 1824-1924, Canal Society of New Jersey. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref> The Oakes woollen mill thrived as a major supplier to the Union Army.<ref>The Oakes Woolen Textile Mill, Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref>
Bloomfield was incorporated as a town on February 26, 1900.<ref name=Story/> In 1904, the city of Newark failed in its attempts to reannex Bloomfield as part of the "Greater Newark" movement.<ref>Karcher, Alan J. Multiple Municipal Madness, p. 168. Rutgers University Press, 1998. Template:ISBN. Accessed April 2, 2020. "Newark set out on three separate occasions to annex regions it had divested in the past. Referendums were conducted in 1903 and 1908 to annex Irvington, and in 1904 an effort was made to retrieve what still remained of Bloomfield."</ref> In 1981, the town was one of seven Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining four municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify themselves as townships in order to take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.<ref>Template:Usurped, p. 73. New Jersey State Commission on County and Municipal Government, 1992. Accessed September 24, 2015.</ref><ref>"Removing Tiering From The Revenue Sharing Formula Would Eliminate Payment Inequities To Local Governments", Government Accountability Office, April 15, 1982. Accessed September 24, 2015. "In 1978, South Orange Village was the first municipality to change its name to the 'township' of South Orange Village effective beginning in entitlement period 10 (October 1978 to September 1979). The Borough of Fairfield in 1978 changed its designation by a majority vote of the electorate and became the 'Township of Fairfield' effective beginning entitlement period 11 (October 1979 to September 1980).... However, the Revenue Sharing Act was not changed and the actions taken by South Orange and Fairfield prompted the Town of Montclair and West Orange to change their designation by referendum in the November 4, 1980, election. The municipalities of Belleville, Verona, Bloomfield, Nutley, Essex Fells, Caldwell, and West Caldwell have since changed their classification from municipality to a township."</ref><ref>Narvaez, Alfonso A. "New Jersey Journal", The New York Times, December 27, 1981. Accessed September 24, 2015. "Under the Federal system, New Jersey's portion of the revenue sharing funds is disbursed among the 21 counties to create three 'money pools.' One is for county governments, one for 'places' and a third for townships. By making the change, a community can use the 'township advantage' to get away from the category containing areas with low per capita incomes."</ref><ref>Karcher, Alan J. New Jersey's Multiple Municipal Madness, pp. 119-120. Rutgers University Press, 1998. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 24, 2015.</ref><ref>Bloomfield, New Jersey - A Brief History Template:Webarchive, First Baptist Church of Bloomfield. Accessed July 6, 2007. "In July of 1981, by a special election, it changed its designation to 'Township' again."</ref>
In the 20th century, GE, Westinghouse and Schering built major facilities, and among others, the Charms Candy Company was started and grew.<ref name=BloomfieldHistory/> After World War I, Brookdale's farms were developed into residential neighborhoods and supporting services. Substantial population growth continued into the 1950s. During World War II, while many Bloomfield men served in the armed forces, Bloomfield's farms and factories, largely staffed by women, supported the war effort. In the decades after the war, the township's industrial base steadily shut down with stricter environmental regulations, rising labor costs, and growing competition. These influences, as well as construction of the Garden State Parkway, further drove urban decay and related population turnover and stagnation through the latter part of the 20th century.
In the early 21st century, redevelopment of blighted and underutilized properties has further shifted Bloomfield towards being a primarily residential municipality.<ref>Ballinger, Barbara. "Former GE Plant–Turned–Housing Revives Run-down NJ Neighborhood", Multifamily Executive, June 15, 2014. Accessed November 3, 2019.</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 5.36 square miles (13.88 km2), including 5.34 square miles (13.82 km2) of land and 0.02 square miles (0.06 km2) of water (0.45%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Silver Lake (2010 total population of 4,243<ref>Template:Usurped, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 4, 2012.</ref>) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) defined by the United States Census Bureau as of the 2010 Census that is split between Belleville (with 3,769 of the CDP's residents) and Bloomfield (474 of the total).<ref name=CPH232>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012, p. III-3. Accessed November 4, 2012. "Silver Lake (formed from parts of deleted whole-township Belleville and Bloomfield CDPs)"</ref> Brookdale (2010 population of 9,239<ref>Template:Usurped, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 4, 2012.</ref>) is a CDP located entirely within Bloomfield.<ref name=CPH232/> Watsessing and Ampere North are CDPs in the southern part of the township that were first listed prior to the 2020 census.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Halycon.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref> Bloomfield is in the New York metropolitan area.
The township borders the municipalities of Belleville, East Orange, Glen Ridge, Montclair, Newark and Nutley in Essex County; and Clifton in Passaic County.<ref>Areas touching Bloomfield, MapIt. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities, Essex County, New Jersey Register of Deeds and Mortgages. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]Template:US Census population In 2014, the cost of living in Bloomfield was 20% higher than the U.S. average.<ref>Cost of Living in Bloomfield (ZIP 07003), New Jersey, Sperling's BestPlaces. Accessed December 22, 2014.</ref>
According to a 2007 report from CNNMoney.com, the quality of life in Bloomfield in terms of crime are 3 incidents per 1,000 people as compared to the "best places to live average" of 1.3 incidents per 1,000. There were 35 property crime incidents per 1,000 people in Bloomfield as compared to the "best places to live average" of 20.6.<ref>Template:Usurped, CNNMoney, backed up by the Internet Archive as of August 13, 2007. Accessed December 22, 2014.</ref>
2020 census
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2000<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Template:Partial<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | Template:Partial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 38,578 | 30,036 | 22,291 | 19,668 | 85.61% | 62.99% | 47.06% | 37.02% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 1,873 | 5,332 | 8,092 | 9,941 | 4.16% | 11.18% | 17.12% | 18.72% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 40 | 51 | 102 | 84 | 0.09% | 0.11% | 0.22% | 0.16% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 2,207 | 3,980 | 3,846 | 4,495 | 4.90% | 8.35% | 8.13% | 8.47% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | N/A | 30 | 14 | 4 | N/A | 0.06% | 0.03% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 52 | 296 | 407 | 713 | 0.12% | 0.62% | 0.86% | 1.34% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | N/A | 1,057 | 957 | 2,003 | N/A | 2.22% | 2.02% | 3.77% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2,311 | 6,901 | 11,606 | 16,197 | 5.13% | 14.47% | 24.55% | 30.52% |
| Total | 45,061 | 47,683 | 47,315 | 53,105 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 47,315 people, 18,387 households, and 11,768 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 19,470 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 59.61% (28,205) White, 18.51% (8,757) Black or African American, 0.41% (193) Native American, 8.22% (3,891) Asian, 0.04% (21) Pacific Islander, 9.35% (4,423) from other races, and 3.86% (1,825) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.53% (11,606) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 18,387 households, 28.3% had children under the age of 18; 44.2% were married couples living together; 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 36.0% were non-families. Of all households, 29.5% were made up of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.20.<ref name=Census2010/>
21.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, the population had 89.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 86.4 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $62,831 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,641) and the median family income was $77,936 (+/− $4,120). Males had a median income of $51,498 (+/− $1,805) versus $44,735 (+/− $2,867) for females. The per capita income for the township was $30,421 (+/− $1,122). About 5.8% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref>Template:Usurped, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 28, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 47,683 people, 19,017 households, and 12,075 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 19,508 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 70.09% White, 11.69% Black, 0.19% Native American, 8.38% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 6.42% from other races, and 3.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.47% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Bloomfield township, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 29, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>Template:Usurped, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 29, 2012.</ref>
There were 19,017 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.5% were non-families. 30.4% of all households 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 2.49 and the average family size was 3.16.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township, 21.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $53,289, and the median income for a family was $64,945. Males had a median income of $43,498 versus $36,104 for females. The per capita income for the township was $26,049. About 4.4% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Parks and recreation
[edit]Brookdale Park, established in 1928, covers over Template:Convert in Bloomfield and Montclair, making it the third-largest park in Essex County, of which Template:Convert are in Bloomfield.<ref>Brookdale Park, Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs. Accessed November 4, 2012.</ref> Watsessing Park, which is the county's fourth-largest park, covers Template:Convert split between Bloomfield and East Orange (Template:Convert in Bloomfield), and features sections of the Second River and Toney's Brook flowing through the park.<ref>Watsessing Park, Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs. Accessed November 4, 2012.</ref> Both parks are administered by the Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs.
The Bloomfield Parks and Recreation Department administers eight parks covering Template:Convert.<ref>Bloomfield Parks & Recreation Facilities Template:Webarchive, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref>
Government
[edit]
Local government
[edit]Template:Further Bloomfield operates under a special charter granted by an act of the New Jersey Legislature. The township is one of 11 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that operate under a special charter.<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 township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the six-member Township Council. The mayor and three councilmembers are elected at-large, and one member is elected from each of three wards, with all positions chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. Councilmembers are elected to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with the three at-large seats (and the mayoral seat) up for election together and the three ward seats coming up for election two years later and no election in the middle year of the 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. 128.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 15. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> Bloomfield's charter retains most of the characteristics of the Town form, with additional powers delegated to an administrator.<ref>Template:Usurped, New Jersey State Library. Accessed June 25, 2015.</ref>
Template:As of, the Mayor of Bloomfield is Democrat Jenny Mundell, who was elected to fill the balance of the term of office ending December 31, 2025. Members of the Bloomfield Township Council are Sarah Cruz (D, 2026; Third Ward), Wartyna "Nina" Davis (D, 2025; at-large), Rosalee Gonzalez (D, 2026; First Ward, appointed to serve an unexpired term), Nicholas Joanow (D, 2026; Second Ward), Widney Polynice (D, 2025; at-large, appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Monica Charris Tabares (D, 2025; at-large, elected to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=Officials>Your Elected Officials, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=EssexDirectory>County Directory, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2024>General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results, Essex County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2023>General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results, Essex County, New Jersey, updated November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Essex2022>November 8, 2022, General Election Official Results, Essex County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>
In December 2024, the township council appointed Rosalee Gonzalez to fill the first ward seat expiring in December 2026 that became vacant when Jenny Mundell took office as mayor and named Widney Polynice to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2026 that became vacant when Richard Rockwell stepped down from office. Both will serve on an interim based until the November 2025 general election, when voters will choose candidates to fill the balance of the terms of office.<ref>"Bloomfield Welcomes Two New Council Members: Widney Polynice and Rosalee Gonzalez Sworn In", Bloomfield Township, posted December 5, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2025. "The Township of Bloomfield is proud to announce that Widney Polynice (Councilmember-at-Large) and Rosalee Gonzalez (Councilmember for the 1st Ward) were officially sworn into office last night during a Township Council meeting.... Widney Polynice fills the vacancy left by former At-Large Councilmember Richard Rockwell, while Rosalee Gonzalez steps into the 1st Ward seat previously held by Mayor Jenny Mundell before her transition to her current role as Mayor."</ref>
The Township Council appointed Ted Gamble to serve as mayor in January 2024 to fill the seat vacated by Michael Venezia when he took office in the New Jersey General Assembly; Gamble will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Connolly, John. "Councilman Ted Gamble named Bloomfield's interim mayor", The Record, January 22, 2024. Accessed February 17, 2024. "At-Large Councilman Ted Gamble was named Bloomfield's interim mayor on Monday night, replacing Michael Venezia who was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in November.... Venezia stepped down as Bloomfield's mayor on Jan. 8, a day before he was sworn in as a state assemblyman representing District 34. He had been the mayor of Bloomfield since 2014."</ref> In February 2024, Monica Charris Tabares was chosen to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Ted Gamble; she will be sworn into office on February 24 and will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 election.<ref>Kiefer, Eric. "Bloomfield Town Council Chooses Tabares To Replace Gamble Bloomfield will soon have its first Latina member of the town council: Monica Charris Tabares.", Bloomfield, NJ Patch, February 15, 2024. Accessed February 17, 2024. "Bloomfield will soon have its first Latina member of the town council: Monica Charris Tabares. Earlier this week, the Bloomfield Town Council unanimously voted for Tabares to fill the vacant at-large seat previously occupied by the town's new mayor, Ted Gamble."</ref> In the November 2024 general election, Jenny Mundell was chosen to serve the balance of the term as mayor and Tabares was chosen to serve the balance of the at-large term.<ref name=Essex2024/>
In January 2018, the Township Council selected Richard Rockwell from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2019 that had been vacated the previous month by Carlos Pomares who resigned from office to serve on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.<ref>Kadosh, Matt. "Bloomfield pride: Council appoints its 2nd gay member", The Record, January 23, 2018. Accessed September 12, 2019. "Richard Rockwell, 64, is Bloomfield's second openly gay member of the Township Council. The local government approved his appointment to the seat left vacant by Carlos Pomares."</ref> Rockwell served on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Essex2018>November 6, 2018, General Election Unofficial Results, Essex County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>
The Township Council selected Jenny Mundell to fill the vacant First Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Elias N. Chalet until he resigned from office after being charged with accepting $15,000 in bribes in exchange for making sure that the township would proceed with the acquisition of a commercial property. After pleading guilty, Chalet was forced to resign from office and could be sentenced to five years in prison.<ref>Kadosh, Matt. "Former Bloomfield councilman's sentencing moved", The Record, October 6, 2017. Accessed October 31, 2017. "The sentencing for former councilman, Elias N. Chalet, which was previously set for Friday, is now anticipated to be heard in Judge Martin Cronin's court at Superior Court in Newark on Nov. 14. Chalet, 55, faces five years in prison with the possibility of parole after two years. The state Attorney General's Office had accused the former 1st Ward representative of promising a business owner that he would ensure the township continued its planned purchase of the man's commercial property."</ref>
Emergency services
[edit]The township maintains its own police department.<ref>Home Page, Bloomfield Police Department. Accessed July 1, 2016.</ref>
The town is protected by a fire department consisting of 78 active professional firefighters who operate out of four stations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is also a squad of volunteers. In 2009, the department received international accreditation.<ref>Accreditation, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed September 11, 2019. "On Tuesday March 10, 2009 the Bloomfield Fire Department received International Accreditation with the Center for Public Safety Excellence."</ref> The Fire Prevention Bureau established in 1953 and described as the first of its kind in the state, is operated by the department. It consists of one fire inspector, one fire official and a small support staff of civilians and fire personnel.<ref>John H. "Jack" Flaherty Fire Prevention Bureau, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed February 9, 2018. "In October of 2006 The Bloomfield Fire Department named our Fire Prevention Bureau in honor of former Fire Chief John H "Jack" Flaherty.... Listed are but a few of Chief Flaherty's initiatives and accomplishments that are now standards in most fire departments statewide. Created Bloomfield Fire Prevention Bureau 1953 - 1st of its kind in the state."</ref> The department apparatus consist of four engines (one is a rescue pumper), one Truck/Ladder, a rescue and three reserve apparatus. Engine 1 located at the fire headquarters frequently closes due to lack of manpower.<ref>Fire Suppression, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed September 1, 2019.</ref>
In 2018, the Insurance Services Office once again listed the fire department as a class 2 agency, recognizing it in the top five percent of the nation's fire departments, a ranking it had held for the ten previous years. As of 2020, the department is again working toward achieving accreditation status.<ref>Kiefer, Eric. "Bloomfield Fire Department Ranked In Top 5% Of Nation: Officials The Bloomfield Fire Department placed well – again – on the Insurance Service Organization's ratings for municipal fire agencies.", Bloomfield, NJ Patch, April 12, 2018. Accessed September 11, 2019. "The ISO rates 46,042 municipalities across the country, with only 241 receiving a class 1 distinction, and 1,324 receiving a class 2 distinction, placing The Township of Bloomfield in the top 5% of all municipal fire departments in the entire country. Bloomfield has been assessed a class 2 rating for over a decade."</ref>
The Fire Chief is Louis Venezia. He is the brother of former mayor, Michael Venezia.<ref name=Administration>Administration Template:Webarchive, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed March 16, 2018.</ref>
Federal, state, and county representation
[edit]Bloomfield is in the 11th Congressional district<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 34th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>
Before the redistricting that followed the 2020 census, the township had been split between the 10th and 11th Congressional districts<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> In the redistricting that went into effect in 2013, 24,480 residents in the northern portion of the township were placed in the 10th District, while 22,835 in the southern section were placed in the 11th District.<ref name=PCR2012/><ref>New Jersey Congressional Districts 2012-2021 for Bloomfield, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> Prior to the 2010 Census, Bloomfield had been part of the Template:Ushr, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government Template:Webarchive, p. 55, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 11 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Essex County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 28,398 registered voters in Bloomfield, of which 11,925 (42.0%) were registered as Democrats, 4,393 (15.5%) were registered as Republicans and 12,061 (42.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 19 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Essex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |}
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 69.9% of the vote (13,361 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 28.8% (5,501 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (245 votes), among the 19,242 ballots cast by the township's 29,923 registered voters (135 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% of the vote here (12,735 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 35.3% (7,154 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (186 votes), among the 20,251 ballots cast by the township's 27,981 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.4%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Essex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.0% of the vote here (10,829 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 41.5% (7,891 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (208 votes), among the 19,012 ballots cast by the township's 27,995 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 67.9.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Essex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 53.1% of the vote (5,808 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 45.6% (4,984 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (141 votes), among the 11,118 ballots cast by the township's 30,606 registered voters (185 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 53.8% of the vote here (6,241 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 37.6% (4,359 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 6.6% (761 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (147 votes), among the 11,599 ballots cast by the township's 27,929 registered voters, yielding a 41.5% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Essex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>
Education
[edit]Primary and secondary schools
[edit]Public schools
[edit]The Bloomfield Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Bloomfield Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Bloomfield Public Schools. Accessed February 6, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through twelve in the Bloomfield School District. Composition: The Bloomfield School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Bloomfield."</ref> As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of 11 schools, had an enrollment of 6,191 students and 538.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Bloomfield Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Bloomfield Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>) are Early Childhood Center at Forest Glen<ref>Early Childhood Center at Forest Glen, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (165 students; in grade PreK), Berkeley Elementary School<ref>Berkeley School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (446; K-6), Brookdale Elementary School<ref>Brookdale Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (320; K-6), Carteret Elementary School<ref>Carteret Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (375; K-6), Demarest Elementary School<ref>Demarest Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (480; K-6), Fairview Elementary School<ref>Fairview Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (452; PreK-6), Franklin Elementary School<ref>Franklin Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (343; K-6), Oak View Elementary School<ref>Oak View Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (314; PreK-6), Watsessing Elementary School<ref>Watsessing Elementary School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (270; K-6), Bloomfield Middle School<ref>Bloomfield Middle School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (971; 7-8) and Bloomfield High School / Bridges Academy<ref>Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield School District. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref> (1,986; 9-12).<ref>Principal Contact Information, Bloomfield Public Schools. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Bloomfield Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Bloomfield Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
As of the 2012–13 school year, the Bloomfield Public Schools had an actual Budgetary Per Pupil Cost of $11,848 (which is 16.4% below the statewide group average was $14,173), while Total Spending Per Pupil for the district was $15,848 (which is 16.0% below the $18,867 statewide).<ref>Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending 2013 for Bloomfield Twp (0410), New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref><ref>Taxpayers' Guide to Education Spending 2013 for Enrollment Group: G. K-12 / 3501 +, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref>
Bloomfield Tech High School is a regional, countywide magnet public high school that offers occupational and academic instruction for students in Essex County, as part of the Essex County Vocational Technical Schools.<ref>About Us Template:Webarchive, Bloomfield Tech High School. Accessed November 20, 2016.</ref>
Catholic schools
[edit]Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish School, which serves grades K–8, is operated under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.<ref>Template:Usurped, Saint Thomas the Apostle Parish School. Accessed July 25, 2013.</ref><ref>Essex County Catholic Elementary Schools, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed January 30, 2023.</ref>
Colleges and universities
[edit]Bloomfield College, a liberal arts college founded in 1868, is in downtown Bloomfield near the town green. The college has approximately 2,000 students and is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.<ref>About Us, Bloomfield College. Accessed November 20, 2016. "Bloomfield College is an independent, four-year, coeducational college, affiliated with Presbyterian Church (USA), founded in 1868.... Enrollment: About 2,000 students are enrolled at Bloomfield College either full or part time, with more than 50 nationalities represented on campus."</ref>
Transportation
[edit]Roads and highways
[edit]_from_the_overpass_for_Essex_County_Route_506_(Belleville_Avenue)_in_Bloomfield_Township,_Essex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Essex County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Essex County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
The major New Jersey highway artery that serves Bloomfield is the Garden State Parkway, the longest road in the state.<ref>Garden State Parkway Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated August 2014. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> It has four interchanges in the township. Interchanges 148 in the south of Bloomfield and 151 in the north are complete interchanges, while 149 and 150 are partials. The Parkway's Essex toll plaza is southbound just south of interchange 150 in the township. There are two service areas on the Parkway in Bloomfield, one for northbound and one southbound.<ref>Travel Resources: Interchanges, Service Areas & Commuter Lots, New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref> Troop D of the New Jersey State Police, which patrols the full length of the Garden State Parkway, has a station in Bloomfield at northbound milepost 153.<ref>Troop D Road Stations, New Jersey State Police. Accessed November 3, 2019. "Troop D is comprised of two regions: the Parkway Region and the Turnpike Region.... Troop D has a total of six stations: three in the Parkway Region and three in the Turnpike Region. The Parkway Region stations include Galloway, Holmdel and Bloomfield Station."</ref>
County Road 506,<ref>County Route 506 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> 506 Spur<ref>County Route 506 Spur Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> and 509<ref>County Route 509 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated July 2012. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> also serve Bloomfield.<ref>Essex County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref>
Commuter rail
[edit]South Bloomfield is served by two stations of the NJ Transit Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal or to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction.<ref>Montclair-Boonton Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref> About 55% of the weekday trains terminate in Penn Station via Midtown Direct. On weekends the line terminates in Hoboken. The Bloomfield train station is located off of Bloomfield Avenue in the downtown area.<ref>Bloomfield station, NJ Transit. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref> The Watsessing Avenue station is at the corner of Watsessing Avenue and Orange Street, and is located below ground.<ref>Watsessing Avenue station Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed July 22, 2014.</ref><ref>Essex County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed November 2, 2019.</ref>
Bloomfield used to be served by other passenger rail lines. The Rowe Street station was served by the Boonton Line until September 2002, when it was closed as part of the addition of Midtown Direct service to the township.<ref>"Rail Shuttle Buses To Transport Commuters Affected By Station Closures; NJ Transit Buses and Trains Will Cross-Honor September Monthly Train Passes For Rowe Street Customers", NJ Transit, August 27, 2002. Accessed July 22, 2014. "On Monday, September 30, NJ Transit will launch its Midtown Direct -- Montclair rail service, resulting in the closure of Benson Street, Rowe Street and Arlington stations on the Boonton Line after the last scheduled trip on Friday, September 20."</ref> The Walnut Street station, on the same line, was closed in 1953 when the Garden State Parkway was built through it.
Light rail
[edit]The Grove Street station on the Newark City Subway line of the Newark Light Rail at the south end of Bloomfield provides service to Newark Penn Station, created as part of an extension to Belleville and Bloomfield that opened in 2002.<ref>Staff. "Subway extension to open in summer, Newark officials hope that the $207.7 million downtown project will help spur a renaissance.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 13, 2006. Accessed July 18, 2011. "The last major expansion of the 4.3-mile subway in 2002 brought the service into the neighboring cities of Belleville and Bloomfield."</ref> This station was part of the Orange Branch of the New York & Greenwood Lake Line of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad with service to Jersey City which last saw passenger service in 1965. Freight service was discontinued in 2010 by Norfolk Southern with the loss of the last remaining shipper Hartz Mountain.
Buses
[edit]NJ Transit bus service is available to and from Newark on the 11, 27, 28, 29, 34, 72, 90, 92, 93 and 94 routes, with local service on the 709 bus line. Service to Port Authority Bus Terminal is provided by route 102.<ref>Template:Usurped, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed July 18, 2011.</ref> In October 2009, the Go Bus 28 route was introduced, offering service nearly all day from Bloomfield Train Station to Newark Liberty International Airport.<ref>NJ Transit Unveils New 'Go Bus 28' Service In Newark and Bloomfield; Enhanced bus service begins October 17, linking residents with major employment centers, NJ Transit press release dated October 16, 2009. Accessed July 18, 2011. "NJ Transit and local officials today previewed the second phase of 'Go Bus' service—an enhanced bus service that will provide a faster, more convenient trip between Bloomfield, downtown Newark and Newark Liberty International Airport when Go Bus 28 begins operating Saturday, October 17."</ref><ref>Go Bus 28 (Bloomfield - Newark - Newark Airport) Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed July 18, 2011. "Go bus 28 provides fast, convenient service along two of northern New Jersey's busiest corridors between the cities of Bloomfield and Newark, Bloomfield Avenue and Broad Street."</ref>
Airports
[edit]Bloomfield is Template:Convert from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark / Elizabeth, and Template:Convert from LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens.
Points of interest
[edit]- Glendale Cemetery
- Holsten's Brookdale Confectionery, filming location of the final scene in the final episode of The Sopranos.<ref>Caldwell, Dave. "Ice Cream, Onion Rings and Tony Soprano", The New York Times, August 26, 2007. Accessed November 4, 2012. "Holsten's is the site of the last scene of the 86th and final episode of The Sopranos. Tony Soprano, the fictitious mob boss, meets his family there for dinner. Then, as strangers lurk in the background, the screen goes black."</ref>
- The Oakes Estate, constructed in 1895 based on a design by Charles Granville Jones, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.<ref>History, Oakside Bloomfield Cultural Center. Accessed November 20, 2016.</ref>
Notable events
[edit]In 1942, the Westinghouse Lamp Plant in Bloomfield produced the majority of uranium metal used in the Chicago Pile-1, the world's first self-sustaining chain reaction which was a critical early phase of the Manhattan Project to create the first atomic bomb.<ref name="science">Template:Cite journal</ref>
On January 29, 2023, at 3 a.m. a person in a ski mask threw a lit Molotov cocktail at Temple Ner Tamid, in an apparent attempt to burn down the synagogue that was unsuccessful, with no damage done to the building.<ref>Tebor, Celina; Kaufman-Geballe, Isa; and Sottile, Zoe. "Man throws Molotov cocktail at New Jersey synagogue in arson attempt, police say", CNN, January 29, 2023. Accessed January 30, 2023. "A man threw a Molotov cocktail at a New Jersey synagogue in an arson attempt on Sunday morning, police and the synagogue said. The suspect lit and threw a Molotov cocktail at the front door of Temple Ner Tamid around 3 a.m. and fled the scene, Bloomfield police said in a news release. The bottle broke, but did not cause any damage to the building, police said."</ref> On February 1, a 26-year-old man was arrested and charged with one federal count of "attempted use of fire to damage a building", which could result in 20 years in jail and a fine of up to $250,000 if he is convicted of the crime.<ref>Frehse, Rob."Suspect in Molotov cocktail attack at New Jersey synagogue is charged with federal crime", CNN, February 1, 2023. Accessed February 5, 2023. "A New Jersey man has been arrested and charged with one count of attempted use of fire to damage a building after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at a New Jersey synagogue Sunday, according to court documents. Nicholas Malindretos, 26, of Clifton, will appear in federal court in Newark on Thursday for an initial appearance, the US Attorney's Office in the District of New Jersey said in a news release.... If convicted, Malindretos faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, according to prosecutors."</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Bloomfield include:
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Bloomfield Township website
- Bloomfield Public Schools
- Brief History of Bloomfield Template:Webarchive
- "Bloomfield, NJ: A Starter Spot for Suburbanites", The New York Times, May 24, 2009
- Template:Cite EB1911
Template:Essex County, New Jersey
Template:Geographic location Template:Passaic River Template:Authority control