Watchung, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Watchung (Template:IPAc-en) is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located approximately Template:Convert west of New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 6,449,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 648 (+11.2%) from the 2010 census count of 5,801,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 188 (+3.3%) from the 5,613 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 located within the Raritan Valley region.
Watchung was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1926, from portions of North Plainfield Township (now Green Brook Township) based on the results of a referendum held on April 20, 1926.<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. 225. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref><ref name="auto">Watchung Profile, Borough of Watchung. Accessed October 22, 2015.</ref> The name "Watchung" comes from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans, meaning "high hills"<ref>South Mountain Reservation, Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs. Accessed February 3, 2015. "The presence of the early Lenape Indians lingers in the name given to the Watchung—the 'high hills.'"</ref> or from "watschu," meaning "hill."<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 21, 2015.</ref>
In 2012, Forbes.com listed Watchung as 384th in its listing of "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes", with a median home price of $767,507.<ref>Brennan, Morgan. "America's Most Expensive ZIP Codes 2012", Forbes, October 16, 2012. Accessed February 18, 2020.</ref>
The borough is one of the state's highest-income communities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) for 2014–2018, Watchung residents had a median household income of $153,341, almost double the statewide median of $79,363.<ref>https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/watchungboroughnewjersey,somersetcountynewjersey,NJ/PST045219 Template:Dead link</ref>
History
[edit]George Washington surveyed the British troops in Perth Amboy, 20 miles away, from the first ridge of the Watchung Mountains. The eastern edge of these ridges reaches to the Oranges in the direction of Newark. The name "Washingtonville" was used in early times, but was rejected as the name for the area by the United States Postal Service, which felt that the state already had too many places named Washington.<ref>Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In/Watchung, N.J.; Stunning Vistas, but Entry Is Not Cheap", The New York Times, March 11, 2001. Accessed April 30, 2012.</ref><ref>Wilk, Tom. "Awash in Washingtons: New Jersey has six towns named for the father of our country.", New Jersey Monthly, January 17, 2011. Accessed November 6, 2015. "In New Jersey, Washington can lay claim to another first. He's number one in names selected for the state's 566 municipalities. Bergen, Burlington, Gloucester, Morris and Warren counties all have a Washington Township. Warren also has a Washington Borough which, incidentally, is surrounded by Washington Township. The largest is Gloucester County's Washington, with 52,096 people; the smallest is the Washington in Burlington, with a population of 649. New Jersey had a sixth Washington Township in Mercer County until 2008, when voters there approved a name change to Robbinsville."</ref>
Watchung, in the 1900s was a semi-rural small community of about 3,200 people in comparison with the relatively larger and more urban communities of Plainfield and Somerville. The first mayor of the town was Henry Baldwin Macdonald, who served from 1926 to 1928. The 1967 Plainfield riots, caused an exodus of the large upper-middle class population from the nearby cities to the Watchung Hills area to communities such as Watchung, Warren Township and Bridgewater Township.Template:Citation needed
Watchung was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 23, 1926, from portions of North Plainfield Township (now Green Brook Township) based on the results of a referendum held on April 20, 1926.<ref name="Story"/><ref name="auto"/>
In the wake of public fear that ensued after the 1938 radio broadcast of Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds, National Guard troops were stationed around the hills in Watchung, as told on the vinyl record recording of news reports of the day.Template:Citation needed
Notable figures who have lived in Watchung include Bobby Thomson, Billy Ard and Carl Banks.
Historic places
[edit]Eaton House is a Watchung historic site that was owned by congressman Charles Aubrey Eaton and has been the residence of other notables over the years. Known also as the Sunbright Farm farmhouse, the home was damaged in April 2014 when it was hit by trees that fell as a result of a likely microburst in a severe storm that rolled through the area.<ref name=Eaton>O'Brien, Walter. "Photos: 'Bizarre' winds flatten trees, damage historical Watchung farmhouse", NJ.com, April 19, 2004. Accessed August 7, 2014. "She said the home has also had a number of other famous residents through the years, including comedian Katt Williams and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Chaka Khan."</ref>
The borough is home to Watchung Valley Golf Club, which moved from its original nine-hole course in North Plainfield to its current location on Mountain Boulevard in 1927. The club was known as the Twin Brooks Country Club from 1933 to 2017, when it re-adopted its name as Watchung Valley Country Club, which was in use from 1928 to 1933.<ref>"Watchung Valley G.C. Proves To Be Stern Test In Amateur Qualifying", New Jersey State Golf Association, June 12, 2018. Accessed October 22, 2019. "The club was originally founded in 1898 in North Plainfield as The Park Club. It moved to its current site in 1927 as the Hydewood Country Club. It was renamed Watchung Valley Country Club in 1928 when the Plainfield Courier newspaper compared it to Baltusrol Golf Club for its beauty and championship layout."</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of Template:Convert, including Template:Convert of land and Template:Convert of water (0.46%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Washingtonville.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>
The borough borders Green Brook Township, North Plainfield and Warren Township in Somerset County; and Berkeley Heights, Plainfield, and Scotch Plains in Union County.<ref>Areas touching Watchung, MapIt. Accessed March 8, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
The Stony Brook flows through Watchung borough, making its way from Warren Township to the Watchung Lake, then through the gorge in the first Watchung mountain and over the Wetumpka Falls, on its way to the Green Brook.<ref>Paglia, Bernice. "From pond to park: Evolution of Watchung Lake", Courier News, November 27, 2001. Accessed April 30, 2012.</ref>
The borough is roughly a 40-minute drive from New York City and a 20-minute drive from Newark.Template:Citation needed
Demographics
[edit]2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 5,801 people, 2,114 households, and 1,613 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,234 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 80.52% (4,671) White, 3.45% (200) Black or African American, 0.12% (7) Native American, 12.69% (736) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 0.81% (47) from other races, and 2.41% (140) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.29% (307) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 2,114 households, 32.3% had children under the age of 18; 66.2% were married couples living together; 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 23.7% were non-families. Of all households, 20.1% were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.12.<ref name=Census2010/>
23.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 18.8% from 25 to 44, 32.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46.9 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.3 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $112,917 (with a margin of error of +/− $21,189) and the median family income was $144,883 (+/− $38,172). Males had a median income of $92,667 (+/− $15,969) versus $63,811 (+/− $15,306) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $59,177 (+/− $6,617). About 3.2% of families and 2.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Watchung borough, Somerset County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed April 30, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 5,613 people, 2,098 households, and 1,617 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,155 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 84.30% White, 3.37% African American, 0.09% Native American, 9.85% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.71% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Watchung borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Watchung borough, Somerset County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref>
There were 2,098 households, out of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 4.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.9% were non-families. 19.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% 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 3.00.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the borough the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 4.7% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the borough was $101,944, and the median income for a family was $120,764. Males had a median income of $80,658 versus $54,167 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $58,653. About 0.5% of families and 2.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.6% of those under age 18 and 1.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Government
[edit]
Local government
[edit]Watchung 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>Form of Government, Borough of Watchung. Accessed May 4, 2022. "Mayor and 6 Council. Elected at-large. Mayor has a 4 year term. Council has staggered 3 year terms. Partisan"</ref><ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 94.</ref> The borough form of government used by Watchung 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 Watchung Borough is Republican Ronald Jubin, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Watchung Borough Council are Sonia Abi-Habib (R, 2026), Curt S. Dahl (R, 2024), Christine B. Ead (R, 2024), Paul Fischer (R, 2025), Robert L. Gibbs (R, 2026) and Paolo Marano (R, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor and Council, Borough of Watchung. Accessed February 29, 2024.</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Watchung. Accessed February 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>2023 Directory of County & Municipal Offices, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed February 29, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2023>2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Certified Official Results RESULTS, Somerset County, New Jersey, November 29, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Final Certified Results, Somerset County, New Jersey, updated November 23, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Somerset2021>2021 General Election Winning Candidates, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>
In December 2019, the borough council selected Ronald Jubin to complete the term expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Robert L. Gibbs until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Parker-Magyar, Alex. "Watchung appoints Jubin to fill Borough Council vacancy", Echoes-Sentinel, December 11, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2020. "The Borough Council voted unanimously Tuesday, Dec. 10, to appoint Ronald 'Ron' Jubin as its newest member. Jubin, 54, of Birchwood Lane, was appointed to fulfill the unexpired term of former Borough Council President Robert Gibbs, who resigned effective Tuesday, Nov. 26. The term expires Dec. 31, 2020."</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Watchung is located in the 7th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 21st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011–2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 07 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Somerset County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,154 registered voters in Watchung, of which 845 (20.3% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,483 (35.7% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,823 (43.9% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary – Somerset, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 71.6% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 93.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% 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 February 14, 2013.</ref>
In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 48.6% of the vote (1,551 cast), ahead of Republican Donald Trump who received 47.7% of the vote (1,523 votes), and other candidates with 3.7% (117 votes). 3,191 votes were cast in total. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.9% of the vote (1,687 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.1% (1,198 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (27 votes), among the 2,931 ballots cast by the borough's 4,396 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.7%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,803 votes (55.0% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,415 votes (43.2% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 29 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 3,277 ballots cast by the borough's 4,070 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.5% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Somerset County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,865 votes (54.5% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,516 votes (44.3% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 30 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,424 ballots cast by the borough's 3,795 registered voters, for a turnout of 90.2% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Somerset County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref>
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.8% of the vote (1,335 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 25.4% (466 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (32 votes), among the 1,861 ballots cast by the borough's 4,396 registered voters (28 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,428 votes (60.6% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 720 votes (30.5% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 178 votes (7.6% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 15 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,357 ballots cast by the borough's 4,155 registered voters, yielding a 56.7% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Somerset County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed February 14, 2013.</ref>
Education
[edit]Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are educated in the Watchung Borough Schools.<ref>Watchung Borough Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Watchung Borough Schools. Accessed July 30, 2024. "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 eight in the Watchung Borough School District. Composition: The Watchung Borough School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the Borough of Watchung."</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 671 students and 62.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.7:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Watchung Borough School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Watchung Borough Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Bayberry Elementary School<ref>Bayberry Elementary School, Watchung Borough Schools. Accessed July 30, 2024.</ref> with 410 students in grades PreK – 4 and Valley View School<ref>Valley View School, Watchung Borough Schools. Accessed July 30, 2024.</ref> with 254 students in grades 5 – 8.<ref>Our Schools, Watchung Borough Schools. Accessed July 30, 2024.</ref><ref>Public Schools Directory 2023–2024, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2024.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Watchung Borough Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Watchung Borough Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
Watchung's students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Watchung Hills Regional High School in Warren Township together with students from the neighboring communities of Green Brook Township and Warren Township (in Somerset County) and Long Hill Township (in Morris County).<ref>Watchung Hills Regional High School 2015 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 8, 2020. "Close to 2150 students from Green Brook, Long Hill, Warren, and Watchung meet high academic standards and broaden their worldviews as they explore and take risks, discover their passions, and find individual pathways to success."</ref><ref>Somerset County School Districts-Sending/Receiving/Regional, Somerset County Superintendent of Schools. Accessed March 8, 2020. "Watchung Hills ** 9-12 Receives 9-12 From Green Brook, Warren, Watchung, Longhill"</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,741 students and 150.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.<ref>School data for Watchung Hills Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> The district's board of education is comprised of nine members, who are elected directly by the voters to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with three seats up for each year. Of the nine elected seats, two are allocated to Watchung.<ref>Board of Education, Watchung Hills Regional High School District. Accessed February 10, 2020.</ref><ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Watchung Hills Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2020. Accessed May 7, 2021. "The Watchung Hills Regional High School District (the 'Board' or the 'District') is an instrumentality of the State of New Jersey, established to function as an education institution. The Board consists of nine elected officials from Warren Township, Long Hill Township and the Borough of Watchung and one appointed representative from Green Brook Board of Education."</ref>
Christian denomination Mount St. Mary Academy (9–12), which opened in 1908, is operated by the Sisters of Mercy under the supervision of Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.<ref>School History Template:Webarchive, Mount St. Mary Academy. Accessed September 1, 2013.</ref><ref>Find a school Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Accessed August 21, 2015.</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_from_the_overpass_for_Drift_Road_in_Watchung,_Somerset_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 Somerset County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Somerset County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
Interstate 78 runs through the northwestern portion of the borough, including interchange 41, entering in the east from Warren Township and continuing for Template:Convert to Berkeley Heights Township in Union County.<ref>Interstate 78 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, January 2009. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> U.S. Route 22 passes briefly through the borough's southeast corner, entering from North Plainfield in the west and continuing into Scotch Plains Township in Union County.<ref>U.S. Route 22 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, March 2006. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
County Route 527 (Mountain Boulevard / Valley Road) stretches Template:Convert across the length of the borough from Warren Township in the southwest to Berkeley Heights in the northeast.<ref>County Route 527 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, August 2006. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref> County Route 531 (Somerset Road / Hillcrest Road) runs for Template:Convert across the borough from North Plainfield in the south to the Interstate 78 interchange in Warren Township in the north.<ref>County Route 531 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, June 2007. Accessed November 11, 2013.</ref>
Nearby NJ Transit rail service for Watchung residents with access to New York Penn Station and Newark Penn Station is available at the nearby Plainfield, Netherwood and Fanwood stations.
NJ Transit provides bus service on the 65, 114 to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to Newark.
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Watchung include:
- Billy Ard (born 1959), former New York Giants football player<ref>Considine, Bob. "At memorial service, Bobby Thomson remembered for much more than just his 'Shot heard 'round the world'", The Star-Ledger, August 31, 2010. Accessed April 30, 2012. "Former New York Giants guard Billy Ard grew up in Watchung and said he was thrilled that the star hitter was so approachable."</ref>
- Carl Banks (born 1962), former New York Giants football player<ref>Sturken, Barbara. "Off the Field, Giants Call New Jersey Home", The New York Times, March 31, 1991. Accessed September 9, 2015. "And Carl Banks, linebacker, who lives in Watchung, has taken graduate courses in real estate and finance."</ref>
- Anne Casale (1930–2002, class of 1948), cookbook author and cooking teacher<ref>"Anne Lovi Casale, 72, noted gourmet cook and author; former Watchung resident", New Jersey Hills Media Group, December 19, 2002. Accessed January 18, 2020. "Anne Lovi Casale, 72, of Glendale, Ariz., and formerly of Watchung, died Monday, Dec. 2, 2002 at her home. Born in Perth Amboy, Mrs. Casale resided there before moving to North Plainfield in 1945. She lived in Watchung for more than 45 years and then moved to Glendale, Ariz."</ref>
- James Maxime DuPont (1912–1991), collector of meteorites<ref>Staff. "James M. DuPont, Manufacturer, 79", The New York Times, July 4, 1991. Accessed September 9, 2015. "James Maxime DuPont, founder and chairman of Thermoplastics Inc., a producer of plastic materials for automotive, textile and other products, died on Monday at his home in Watchung, N.J. He was 79 years old."</ref>
- Charles Aubrey Eaton (1868–1953), clergyman and politician who served in the United States House of Representatives, representing the Template:Ushr from 1925 to 1933, and the Template:Ushr from 1933 to 1953<ref>Charles Aubrey Eaton, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 9, 2007.</ref>
- Chaka Khan (born 1953), Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter<ref name=Eaton/>
- Stephen Kovacs (1972–2022), saber fencer and fencing coach, charged with sexual assault, died in prison<ref>Tarrazi, Alexis. "NJ Fencing Coach Accused Of Sex Assault On 2 Girls Dies In Jail Stephen Kovacs, 49, of Watchung owned Kaprica United Fencing Academy in Bridgewater and formerly served as a coach in Ridge High School.", Bridgewater, NJ Patch, January 19, 2022. Accessed January 23, 2022. "A New Jersey fencing coach who was charged in connection with sexual assaults of two girls in Bridgewater has died in jail, his attorney confirmed. Stephen Kovacs, 49, of Ridge Road in Watchung, died over the weekend at Somerset County Jail, said James Wronko, who has a firm in Somerville."</ref>
- Harold Norman Moldenke (1909–1996), botanist and taxonomist<ref>Archives and Manuscript Collections: Harold N. Moldenke Papers (1927–1990), New York Botanical Garden. Accessed November 11, 2013. "Harold Norman Moldenke (1909–1996) was born in Watchung, New Jersey."</ref>
- David Palmer, vocalist and songwriter, best known as a former member of Steely Dan and as the lyricist of the Carole King number two hit, "Jazzman"<ref>DiCorcia, Bob. "David Palmer: Q & A", The Steely Dan Reader, January 1, 1997. Accessed October 14, 2015. "Bob DiCorcia: Where were you born and raised? David Palmer: Born and raised in Warren township, Watchung, New Jersey which, despite being 45 minutes-an hour outside of Manhattan, was rural territory back then."</ref>
- Laura Prepon (born 1980), actress who played the character of Donna Pinciotti on That '70s Show<ref>Dransfeldt, Jeffrey. "On the 'Road' again", Oregon Daily Emerald, January 31, 2008. Accessed February 5, 2008. "Prepon grew up in a small town herself in Watchung, N.J. She finds enthusiasm with low-key activities in horseback riding and fly fishing. She also has an understanding of the intimate nature of small-town life."</ref>
- Bjarne Stroustrup (born 1950), inventor of the C++ programming language<ref>Tolliver, Judy, ed. "A conversation with Bjarne Stroustrup, Gillies lecturer and inventor of C++", Stroustrup.com. Accessed August 30, 2016. "Stroustrup currently heads AT&T Bell Labs Large-scale Programming Research department and is a Bell Laboratories Fellow. In 1993, he received the ACM Grace Hopper award and is a Fellow of ACM as well. He lives in Watchung, New Jersey, with his wife and two children."</ref>
- Bobby Thomson (1923–2010), former professional baseball player for the New York Giants, who hit the famous Shot Heard 'Round the World to win the 1951 NL pennant<ref>"Baseball; 40 Years Later, Here's the Pitch", The New York Times, October 3, 1991. Accessed February 14, 2013. "Bobby Thomson and Ralph Branca will celebrate the 40th anniversary of their historic showdown at the Polo Grounds by spending today together and earning more money than if they had won the World Series. They will have an early wake-up call, Thomson at his home in Watchung, N.J...."</ref>
- Anthony Volpe (born 2001), professional baseball shortstop for the New York Yankees<ref>Hoch, Bryan. "Yankees sign first-round Draft pick Volpe", Major League Baseball, June 10, 2019. Accessed August 9, 2019. "A native of Watchung, N.J., Volpe led the USA Baseball 18U National Team to a gold medal at the Pan-American Championships this past December, earning all-tournament honors by hitting .459 (17-for-37) with 17 runs, 14 RBIs and six stolen bases in nine games."</ref>
- Katt Williams (born 1973), comedian, actor and rapper<ref name=Eaton/>
- H. Boyd Woodruff (1917–2017), soil microbiologist who discovered actinomycin and developed industrial production by fermentation of many natural products, including cyanocobalamin (a synthetic form of Vitamin B12), the avermectins and other important antibiotics<ref>Roberts, Sam. "H. Boyd Woodruff, Microbiologist Who Paved Way for Antibiotics, Dies at 99", The New York Times, February 3, 2017. Accessed February 4, 2017. "H. Boyd Woodruff, a farmer's son whose groundbreaking research enabled fellow scientists to harvest an arsenal of lifesaving antibiotics from ordinary dirt, died on Jan. 19 at his home in Watchung, N.J."</ref>
- Adella Wotherspoon (1903–2004), youngest and longest-lived survivor of the General Slocum, a steamship that sank in the East River killing over 1,000 in 1904<ref>Martin, Douglas. "Adella Wotherspoon, Last Survivor of General Slocum Disaster, Is Dead at 100", The New York Times, February 4, 2004. Accessed April 30, 2012. "After his death, Mrs. Liebenow and her daughter moved to Watchung, N.J., where Mrs. Wotherspoon made her home for the rest of her life."</ref> Her ashes are buried beside her husband's at Wilson Memorial Union Church Cemetery in Watchung.
References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Template:Commons category-inline
- Template:Official website
- Watchung Borough Schools
- Template:NJReportCard
- School Data for the Watchung Borough Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
- Watchung Hills Regional High School website
- Watchung Boy Scouts website
- Watchung Girl Scouts website
Template:Somerset County, New Jersey Template:Raritan River Template:Authority control