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Woodbridge Township, New Jersey facts for kids

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Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Township
Township of Woodbridge
Jonathan Singletary Dunham House
Official seal of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Seal
Map of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County. Inset: Location of Middlesex County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Map of Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County. Inset: Location of Middlesex County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey is located in New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey is located in the United States
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
Location in the United States
Country  United States
State  New Jersey
County Middlesex
Settled 1664
Chartered June 1, 1669
Incorporated February 21, 1798
Named for John W. Woodbridge
Government
 • Type Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
 • Body Township Council
Area
 • Total 24.61 sq mi (63.74 km2)
 • Land 23.26 sq mi (60.24 km2)
 • Water 1.35 sq mi (3.50 km2)  5.50%
Area rank 110th of 565 in state
5th of 25 in county
Elevation
59 ft (18 m)
Population
 • Total 99,585
 • Estimate 
(2019)
100,145
 • Rank 6th of 566 in state
2nd of 25 in county
 • Density 4,290.0/sq mi (1,656.4/km2)
 • Density rank 138th of 566 in state
11th of 25 in county
Time zone UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes
07001 - Avenel
07064 - Port Reading
07067 - Colonia
07077 - Sewaren
07095 - Woodbridge
08830 - Iselin
08832 - Keasbey
08840 - Menlo Park Terrace
08861 - Hopelawn
08863 - Fords
Area code 732
FIPS code 34-82000
GNIS ID 882165

Woodbridge Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. The township is both a regional hub for Central New Jersey and a major bedroom suburb of New York City in the much larger New York Metropolitan Area, located within the core of the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a total population of 99,585, reflecting an increase of 2,382 (+2.5%) from the 97,203 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 4,117 (+4.4%) from the 93,086 counted in the 1990 Census. Woodbridge was the seventh-most-populous municipality in New Jersey in the 2020 census, after being ranked sixth in 2000 and 2010. Woodbridge hosts the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, the two busiest highways in the state, and also serves as the headquarters for the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

According to Joshua Coffin, the early settlers included "Captain John Pike, the ancestor of General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who was killed at the battle of Queenstown in 1813; Thomas Bloomfield, the ancestor of Joseph Bloomfield, some years governor of New Jersey, for whom the township of Bloomfield, New Jersey is named; John Bishop, senior and junior; Jonathan Haynes; Henry Jaques; George March; Stephen Kent; Abraham Toppan, junior; Elisha Ilsley; Hugh March; John Bloomfield; Samuel Moore; Nathaniel Webster; John Ilsley; and others." Woodbridge was the site of the first gristmill in New Jersey. The mill was built by Jonathan Singletary Dunham (married to Mary Bloomfield, a relative of Joseph Bloomfield).

History

The Township of Woodbridge is the oldest original township in New Jersey and was granted a royal charter on June 1, 1669, by King Charles II of England. It was reincorporated on October 31, 1693. Woodbridge Township was incorporated by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, as part of the initial group of 104 townships incorporated in the state under the Township Act. Portions of the township were taken to form Rahway (April 19, 1858), Raritan Township (March 17, 1870, now Edison Township) and Roosevelt (April 11, 1906, now Carteret). The township is named after Reverend John W. Woodbridge (1613–1691) of Newbury, Massachusetts, who settled in the future township in 1664.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 24.507 square miles (63.473 km2), including 23.213 square miles (60.122 km2) of land and 1.294 square miles (3.350 km2) of water (5.28%).

The township borders Carteret, Edison, Perth Amboy and Sayreville in Middlesex County, Clark, Linden and Rahway in Union County, and the Borough of Staten Island in New York City.

Area codes 732 and 848 are used in Woodbridge.

Communities

Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places (CDPs), but they are all unincorporated communities and neighborhoods within the Township that, together, make up Woodbridge Township.

Avenel (with 2010 Census population of 17,011), Colonia (17,795), Fords (15,187), Iselin (18,695), Port Reading (3,728), Sewaren (2,756), Woodbridge Proper (19,265) are census-designated places and unincorporated communities located within Woodbridge Township.

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include: Boynton Beach, Demarest Hill Top, Edgars, Fairfield, Hazelton,

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 3,520
1810 4,247
1820 4,226 −0.5%
1830 3,969 −6.1%
1840 4,821 21.5%
1850 5,141 6.6%
1860 3,987 −22.4%
1870 3,717 −6.8%
1880 4,099 10.3%
1890 4,665 13.8%
1900 7,631 63.6%
1910 8,948 17.3%
1920 13,423 50.0%
1930 25,266 88.2%
1940 27,191 7.6%
1950 35,758 31.5%
1960 78,846 120.5%
1970 98,944 25.5%
1980 90,074 −9.0%
1990 93,086 3.3%
2000 97,203 4.4%
2010 99,585 2.5%
2019 (est.) 100,145 0.6%
Population sources: 1790-1920
1810-1930 1840 1850-1870
1850 1870 1880-1890
1890-1910 1910-1930
1930-1990 2000 2010
* = Lost territory since previous census.

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 99,585 people, 34,615 households, and 25,754 families residing in the township. The population density was 4,290.0 per square mile (1,656.4/km2). There were 36,124 housing units at an average density of 1,556.2 per square mile (600.9/km2)*. The racial makeup of the township was 59.18% (58,935) White, 9.85% (9,810) Black or African American, 0.32% (321) Native American, 22.42% (22,324) Asian, 0.04% (39) Pacific Islander, 5.28% (5,254) from other races, and 2.91% (2,902) from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.63% (15,562) of the population.

There were 34,615 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the township, the population was spread out with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 98.0 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,277 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,537) and the median family income was $88,656 (+/- $2,537). Males had a median income of $60,139 (+/- $1,971) versus $46,078 (+/- $1,635) for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,144 (+/- $717). About 3.8% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Woodbridge Community Center is a YMCA approved Community Center that has a gym, a pool, community rooms, a playground, and also has "The Arenas", which have a roller skating rink with arcade and an ice skating rink, home to the Special Hockey International Team, the Woodbridge Warriors (formerly the Wolfpack). The Warriors have their practices and home games at the ice rink and also host the annual ASHA (American Special Hockey Association) Special Needs Hockey Day Camp in the summer for all SHI teams.

Transportation

Roads and highways

2021-05-25 17 05 16 View north along Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike) from the overpass for Middlesex County Route 514 (Main Street) in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey
View north along the New Jersey Turnpike (I-95) at the interchange with the Garden State Parkway and US 9 in Woodbridge

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 303.32 miles (488.15 km) of roadways, of which 244.16 miles (392.94 km) were maintained by the municipality, 28.79 miles (46.33 km) by Middlesex County, 17.69 miles (28.47 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and 12.68 miles (20.41 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.

The Garden State Parkway extends 7+12 miles (12.1 km) through the Township, including exits 127 to 131. The Parkway connects Sayreville in the south to Clark in the north. In addition, the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) passes through Woodbridge Township for about 5+14 miles (8.4 km), and is accessible at Exit 11 (which features a 24-lane toll gate). The Turnpike's Grover Cleveland service area is located between Interchanges 11 and 12 northbound at milepost 92.9 and the Thomas Edison service area is located between Interchanges 11 and 12 southbound at milepost 92.9.

U.S. Route 1 and U.S. Route 9 serve the township and merge heading north of the township as the U.S. Route 1/9 concurrency. Other roadways passing through the township are Route 27, Route 35, Route 184, and Route 440.

The 15-lane Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway and the adjacent 6-lane Edison Bridge on U.S. Route 9 both span the Raritan River, connecting Woodbridge Township on the north with Sayreville on the south.

The first cloverleaf interchange in the world, the Woodbridge Cloverleaf, opened in 1929 at the intersection of Route 25 (now U.S. Route 1/9) and Route 4 (now Route 35).

Public transportation

There are three train stations in the township: Metropark, Avenel and Woodbridge. Service is provided at Metropark by NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line and at Avenel and Woodbridge on the North Jersey Coast Line. The Metropark station also offers Amtrak Northeast Corridor services to Newark (Penn Station), New York (Penn Station), Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Boston. In September 2019, NJ Transit initiated increased daily service at the Avenel station and announced the resumption of weekend service after more than 20 years.

NJ Transit provides bus service on the 115 and 116 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 48 to Elizabeth and local service on the 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 810, 813 and 815.

Points of interest

  • The Jonathan Singletary Dunham House was built near the location of the earliest grist mill in New Jersey by Jonathan Singletary Dunham who was a Member of the New Jersey Provincial Congress, and is President Barack Obama's eighth great-grandfather.
  • East Jersey State Prison is a male prison facility in Woodbridge Township, on the border of Rahway. However, the mailing address is in Rahway and the facility was known until 1988 as Rahway State Prison, leading many to believe the facility was located there.
  • J. J. Bitting Brewing Co., established in 1997, was the first brewery to operate in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, since the repeal of prohibition in 1933. The three-story restaurant resides in a restored 100-year-old brick building that once housed the J. J. Bitting Coal and Feed Depot that serviced the farming community of Woodbridge.
  • St. James Catholic Church, founded in 1860, has become one of the largest parishes in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.

Economy

Woodbridge Center, with a gross leasable area of 1,633,000 square feet (151,700 m2), is the third-biggest mall in New Jersey, behind Westfield Garden State Plaza and Freehold Raceway Mall.

Wakefern Food Corporation, owner of ShopRite, has its headquarters in Keasbey in the township.

Education

The Woodbridge Township School District serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. All schools in the district are accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Secondary Schools. The district's three high schools offer more than 150 courses, including Advanced Placement, college preparatory, business, vocational and cooperative work/study programs.

As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 26 schools, had an enrollment of 13,888 students and 1,122.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Mawbey Street School #1 (365; K-5 - built 1962), Avenel Street School #4&5 (398; K-5 - built 1912), Port Reading School #9 (392; K-5 - built 1962), Ross Street School #11 (383; K-5 - built 1920), Ford Avenue School #14 (247; K-5 - built 1924), Indiana Avenue School #18 (514; K-5 - built 1955), Menlo Park Terrace #19 (349; K-5 - built 1958), Claremont Avenue School #20 (305; K-5 - built 1958), Oak Ridge Heights School #21 (289; K-5 - built 1959), Lynn Crest School #22 (336; K-5 - built 1959), Woodbine Avenue School #23 (506; K-5 - built 1960), Kennedy Park School #24 (317; PreK-5 - built 1960), Lafayette Estates School #25 (483; K-5 - built 1960), Robert Mascenik School #26 (312; K-5 - built 1960), Pennsylvania Avenue School #27 (339; K-5 - built 1964), Matthew Jago School #28 (406; K-5 - built 1969), Oak Tree Road School #29 (524; K-5 - opened 2018) Avenel Middle School (590; 6-8), Colonia Middle School (619; 6-8), Fords Middle School (653; 6-8), Iselin Middle School (748; 6-8), Woodbridge Middle School (516; 6-8), Colonia High School (1,325; 9-12), John F. Kennedy Memorial High School (1,324; 9-12), Reaching Individual Student Excellence (RISE) (30; 9-12) and Woodbridge High School (1,473; 9-12).

Notable people

See also (related category): People from Woodbridge Township, New Jersey

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Woodbridge Township include:

  • Antonio Alfano, American football defensive tackle for the Colorado Buffaloes.
  • Joseph Bloomfield (1753–1823), 4th Governor of New Jersey was born in Woodbridge Township.
  • Percy Edgar Brown (1885–1937), soil scientist at Iowa State University, best known for the book, Soils of Iowa
  • John Carlson (born 1990), professional ice hockey defenseman who has played in the NHL for the Washington Capitals.
  • Craig Coughlin (born 1958), politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2010, where he represents the 19th Legislative District.
  • Lou Creekmur (1927–2009), left offensive tackle / guard who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
  • Clarence Madison Dally (1865–1904), glassblower and assistant to Thomas Edison.
  • Tom DeSanto (born 1968), film producer and screenwriter best known for his work with long-time friend Bryan Singer, especially with his contributions to the first two X-Men movies.
  • Jonathan Singletary Dunham (1640–1724), Member of the New Jersey Provincial Congress.
  • Robbie E (born 1983), professional wrestler with Impact Wrestling on POP TV.
  • John J. Fay Jr. (1927–2003), member of the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate.
  • Arline Friscia (1934–2019), member of the New Jersey General Assembly who also served on the Woodbridge Township Council.
  • Najee Glass (born 1994), sprinter.
  • John Gorka (born 1958), folk musician.
  • Kelsey Grammer (born 1955), actor who appeared in Frasier and Cheers.
  • Bob Grant (1929–2013), radio host who broadcast many of his shows from the Reo Diner.
  • John A. Hall (1877–1919), collegiate football player who was head coach of the Carlisle Indians football team in 1898.
  • Tom Higgins (born 1954), NFL and Canadian football player and coach.
  • Edward M. Hundert, medical educator and academic administrator.
  • Jack H. Jacobs (born 1945), graduated 1962; Medal of Honor recipient, awarded 1969.
  • Kyle Johnson (born 1978), fullback with the Denver Broncos from class of 1996.
  • Michael Jones (born 1987), actor, voice actor, and YouTube personality who works for Rooster Teeth.
  • Pat Lamberti (1937–2007), American football linebacker who played for the New York Titans and Denver Broncos in 1961.
  • Eric LeGrand (born 1990), football player, writer, actor, speaker.
  • Praise Martin-Oguike (born 1993), American football defensive end who played in the XFL for the Seattle Dragons.
  • Glen Mason (born 1950), former football player and coach who served as the head football coach at Kent State University from 1986 to 1987, the University of Kansas from 1988 to 1996, and the University of Minnesota from 1997 to 2006, compiling a career college football record of 123–121–1.
  • Laura McCullough (born 1960), poet.
  • John McCormac, former New Jersey Treasurer and Mayor of Woodbridge Township.
  • Jim McGreevey (born 1957), former Woodbridge mayor and Governor of New Jersey.
  • Stephen A. Mikulak, politician who served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, from 1992 to 1996, where he represented the 19th Legislative District.
  • Joseph Moore (1732–1793), Quaker peace negotiator sent to the 1793 talks between Native leaders of the Western Confederacy and American government representatives at Sandusky, Ohio.
  • Jazlyn Moya (born 1997), footballer who plays as a forward for United Women's Soccer club New Jersey Copa FC and the Dominican Republic women's national team.
  • Tim Mulqueen (born 1966), soccer goalkeeping coach and former goalkeeper who coached the US National Team at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
  • Sydney P. Noe (1885–1969), numismatist, specializing in Greek coins, who was librarian, then curator, of the American Numismatic Society.
  • Ernest L. Oros (c. 1924–2012), member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 1996.
  • James Parker (1714–1770), Colonial American printer and publisher who established the state's first permanent printing press in 1751 in Woodbridge.
  • Frank Pelzman (c. 1935–2006), former Woodbridge mayor.
  • John Pike (1613–1688/89), one of the founders and earliest settlers of Woodbridge Township.
  • Eleanor Platt (1910–1974), sculptor.
  • Dory Previn (1925–2012), singer-songwriter.
  • Dawn Marie Psaltis (born 1970) a.k.a. Dawn Marie, professional wrestling personality.
  • Zack Rosen (born 1989), All-American basketball player at Penn who plays professionally for Maccabi Ashdod in Israel.
  • Richie Sambora (born 1959), former member of the band Bon Jovi.
  • Tom Scharpling (born 1969), comedian, host of The Best Show and a writer/executive producer of the television series Monk.
  • Bret Schundler (born 1959), mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey.
  • Anthony Seratelli (born 1983), professional baseball second baseman who plays for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball.
  • Chris Smith (born 1953), U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 4th congressional district since 1981.
  • Norman Tanzman (1918–2004), served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1962 to 1968 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1968 to 1974.
  • Tico Torres (born 1953), drummer and percussionist for the rock band Bon Jovi.
  • Alan Turtletaub (1913–2005), founder of The Money Store.
  • Marc Turtletaub (born 1946), movie producer.
  • Benjamin A. Vail (1844–1924), politician who served as president of the New Jersey Senate.
  • Joseph Vitale (born 1954), State Senator and former mayor.
  • Rohit Vyas, broadcast journalist.
  • Dagmara Wozniak (born 1988), sabre fencer named to the U.S. Olympic team at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2012 Summer Olympics in women's sabre.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Municipio de Woodbridge (Nueva Jersey) para niños

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