Bound Brook, New Jersey

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For the stream named Bound Brook, see Bound Brook (New Jersey).
Bound Brook, New Jersey
—  Borough  —
Map showing location of Bound Brook in Somerset County. Inset: Location of Somerset County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Bound Brook, New Jersey
Coordinates: 40°34′03″N 74°32′15″W / 40.5675°N 74.5375°W / 40.5675; -74.5375Coordinates: 40°34′03″N 74°32′15″W / 40.5675°N 74.5375°W / 40.5675; -74.5375
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Somerset
Incorporated February 11, 1891
Government[1]
 • Type Borough (New Jersey)
 • Mayor Carey Pilato (term ends 2011)[2]
 • Administrator Randy W. Bahr[3]
Area[4]
 • Total 1.71 sq mi (4.4 km2)
 • Land 1.71 sq mi (4.4 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation[5] 43 ft (13 m)
Population (2010 Census)[6]
 • Total 10,402
 • Density 6,100/sq mi (2,400/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 08805[7]
Area code(s) 732/848
FIPS code 34-06790[8][9]
GNIS feature ID 0874865[10]
Website http://www.boundbrook-nj.org/
Queen's Bridge over Raritan River, Bound Brook, New Jersey

Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. At the United States 2010 Census, the population was 10,402.[6]

Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township. On February 11, 1891, it was incorporated as a borough, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.[11][12]

Contents

[edit] History

The town was first settled in 1681 and was established near the Bound Brook stream of the same name, which flows into the Raritan River via the Green Brook on the eastern side of the borough.[13]

A wooden bridge over the Raritan River was erected as early as 1761 and named Queen's Bridge in 1767. Later, it became a covered bridge. During the American Revolutionary War the bridge was used repeatedly by both sides including during the Battle of Bound Brook in 1777. In 1875, the wooden bridge was replaced by a steel pipe truss bridge, which was itself replaced by a steel girder bridge in 1984, still using the old pillars. The bridge was renovated and paved in 2007.

The Battle of Bound Brook, one of the battles in the New York and New Jersey campaign during the American Revolutionary War, occurred on April 13, 1777, and resulted in a defeat for the Continental Army, who were routed by about 4,000 troops under British command.

[edit] Geography

Bound Brook is located at 40°33′55″N 74°32′22″W / 40.565203°N 74.539513°W / 40.565203; -74.539513 (40.565203, -74.539513).[14]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.71 square miles (4.4 km2), all of it land.[4]

As the southern portion of the borough (including the downtown area) is a low-lying natural flood plain of the Raritan River, Bound Brook suffers occasional flooding after heavy rain. Flood control protection is now in place on the western and eastern sides of Bound Brook; however, the main flood levee that will protect the borough from damaging flood waters from the Raritan River is not expected to be completed until at least 2012. The flood levee is expected to provide protection from 150-year floods.[15]

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1910 3,970
—
1920 5,906 48.8%
1930 7,372 24.8%
1940 7,616 3.3%
1950 8,374 10.0%
1960 10,263 22.6%
1970 10,450 1.8%
1980 9,710 −7.1%
1990 9,487 −2.3%
2000 10,155 7.0%
2010 10,402 2.4%
Population sources:1910-1930[16]
1930-1990[17] 2000[18] 2010[6]

At the 2000 census[8], there were 10,155 people, 3,615 households and 2,461 families residing in the borough. The population density was 5,953.7 per square mile (2,292.9/km2). There were 3,802 housing units at an average density of 2,229.0 per square mile (858.5/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.57% White, 2.52% African American, 0.31% Native American, 2.88% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 8.67% from other races, and 2.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.87% of the population.[18]

There were 3,615 households of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.21.[18]

21.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 18.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 107.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.7 males.[18]

The median household income was $46,858 and the median family income was $51,346. Males had a median income of $32,226 versus $28,192 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $22,395. About 6.9% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.[18]

Bound Brook has become a Hispanic enclave in Somerset County, with many businesses in the downtown area, including restaurants and small markets, owned by Latinos. It has the highest Costa Rican population (more than 500) of any municipality in the United States, with 14.7% of residents in the 2000 Census reporting that they were of Costa Rican ancestry.[19]

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Bound Brook is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government by a mayor and a six-member borough council, all elected at-large in partisan elections. The mayor is directly elected by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the borough council serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[1][20]

As of 2011, the Mayor of Bound Brook is Carey Pilato, whose term of office ends on December 31, 2011.[21] Members of the Borough Council are Council President Anthony Pranzatelli (D, 2013), John Buckley (D, 2012), Hal Dietrich (D, 2011), Mark Hasting (R, 2013), Vinnie Petti (D, 2011) and Howard Wagner (R, 2012).[22]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

Bound Brook is in the 7th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.[23] The borough was relocated to the 23rd state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[6] The new district will be in effect for the June 2011 primary and the November 2011 general election, with the state senator and assembly members elected taking office in the new district as of January 2012.[23]

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 16th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Christopher Bateman (R, Somerville) and in the General Assembly by Jack Ciattarelli (R, Hillsborough Township).[24] Peter J. Biondi won re-election to an eighth term in the Assembly but died days after the November 2011 election; He will be replaced by a Republican Party convention of district delegates and the remaining year on his seat will be filled in a November 2012 special election.[25] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[26] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[27]

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.[28] As of 2012, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Patricia L. Walsh (Green Brook Township, term ends December 31, 2013),[29] Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer (Bernardsville, 2014),[30] Mark Caliguire (Montgomery Township, 2012),[31] Patrick Scaglione (Bridgewater Township, 2012).[32] and Robert Zaborowski (Franklin Township, 2014),[33][34]

[edit] Education

The Bound Brook School District serves students in pre-kindergarten to twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[35]) are LaMonte School (preK-K; 159 students), LaMonte Annex (1-2; 284), Lafayette School (3-5; 320), Smalley School (6-8; 255) and Bound Brook High School (9-12; 510). Students from South Bound Brook, New Jersey, attended the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the South Bound Brook School District.[36] At the beginning of the 2011-12 school joined the Interdistrict Public School Choice Program, which allows students from other area communities to attend the Bound Brook schools.[37] In the 2011-12 school year, the high school started a biomedical program from Project Lead the Way in addition to the existing engineering academy program.[38]

There was also an Interparochial Catholic School in the borough, Holy Family Academy,[39] (pre-K to grade 8) serving the local and surrounding communities. Estimated enrollment was about 150 prior to closure.

[edit] Transportation

The Bound Brook New Jersey Transit Station offers New Jersey Transit service on the Raritan Valley Line. The station building on the north side of the tracks is now a restaurant; the other station building on the south side is now privately owned. A tunnel connects the south and north sides of the tracks. There are also Conrail tracks going through this station, used for freight trains going to Newark. The station is located at 350 E. Main Street, and was built in 1913.

NJ Transit bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 114 and 117 routes. Local service to Newark is available on the 65 and 66 routes.[40]

[edit] Flooding

The lower downtown area of the city has been infamous for flooding of the Raritan River. A major flood in 1896 caused major fires.[41] In September 1999, many structures in Bound Brook near the commercial zone were damaged or destroyed by floods from the Raritan River resulting from Hurricane Floyd. The flooding from this hurricane reinvigorated a long-planned effort called the Green Brook Flood Control Project that would protect Bound Brook from up to a 150 year flooding event from the Raritan River and its tributaries the Middle Brook and Green Brook that comprise the western and eastern boundaries of the town. The highest flooding level since 1800 in Bound Brook was reached during Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 (42.13 feet, according to the U.S. Geological Survey[42]). The second highest recorded level was after the April 2007 nor'easter, when the Raritan River crested above 38 feet, at two inches above the level set during Tropical Storm Doria in 1971. Main Street was also flooded in March 2010 and October 1996. Bound Brook's downtown flooding has led to several out-of-control fires over its history, including the fires of 1881 and 1887 which led to the formation of the Bound Brook Fire Department. During Hurricane Floyd in 1999, a fire began in Otto Williams Harley Davidson on Main Street. With the building cut off by flood water, the fire spread quickly to two other structures before being stopped by the efforts of the Bound Brook Fire Department, then under the command of Chief Richard S. Colombaroni. Utilizing Fire boats from the FDNY as well as extensive help from mutual aid companies, the fire was stopped before two other buildings on Main St. and others nearby on Mountain Avenue, could be affected. During the April 2007 Nor'easter, the BBFD stopped another fire from spreading through an area of close residential construction. Under the command of Chief James Knight, and again with the assistance of mutual aid companies including the Finderne Fire Department, fire loss was restricted to three residential buildings.

Flooding of downtown occurred again in August 2011 when Hurricane Irene passed along the East Coast.[43] however, it was surmised that damage was mitigated by the not-yet-completed flood gate system.[44]

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 77.
  2. ^ 2011 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  3. ^ Borough Directory, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  4. ^ a b GCT-PH1. Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2000 for Somerset County, New Jersey -- County Subdivision and Place, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 5, 2011.
  5. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Borough of Bound Brook, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  6. ^ a b c d 2011 Apportionment Redistricting: Municipalities sorted alphabetically, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed June 7, 2011.
  7. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code, United States Postal Service. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  8. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  9. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  10. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  11. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 222.
  12. ^ The Borough of Bound Brook Municipal Resource, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  13. ^ A Note About Places, From "Voices of Raritan Landing", accessed April 19, 2007.
  14. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  15. ^ Staff. "Flood prevention project in Bound Brook keeps Hurricane Irene from becoming another Floyd ", The Star-Ledger, August 30, 2011. Accessed August 30, 2011. "Col. John Boulé of the Army Corps acknowledged that while project helped prevent major flooding, it also failed in some ways. 'This system was made for a 150-year storm, and this was a 500-year flood event. The magnitude of the storm, of course, was going to overpower the system,' Boulé said during a tour of the flooded areas."
  16. ^ "Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930 - Population Volume I", United States Census Bureau, p. 718. Accessed December 5, 2011.
  17. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 2, 2009. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  18. ^ a b c d e Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights: Bound Brook borough, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  19. ^ Top 101 cities with the most residents born in Costa Rica (population 500+), City-Data. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  20. ^ Borough Form of Government, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  21. ^ Office of the Mayor, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  22. ^ Borough Council Members Bound Brook Borough Council, Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed March 7, 2011.
  23. ^ a b 2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 54. Accessed June 7, 2011.
  24. ^ Legislative Roster 2012-2013 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2012.
  25. ^ Megerian, Chris. "Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi (R-Somerset), dies at 69, days after re-election", The Star-Ledger, November 10, 2011. Accessed January 11, 2012. "Assemblyman Peter Biondi, who on Tuesday was elected to his eighth term in the state Legislature representing the 16th District covering parts of Somerset and Morris Counties, died tonight after a battle with cancer, the Assembly Republican office said."
  26. ^ "About the Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/about/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  27. ^ "About the Lieutenant Governor". New Jersey. http://www.nj.gov/governor/lt/. Retrieved 2010-01-21. 
  28. ^ Somerset County Government: At Your Service, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  29. ^ Patricia Walsh, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  30. ^ Peter S. Palmer, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  31. ^ Mark Caliguire, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  32. ^ Patrick Scaglione, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  33. ^ Robert Zaborowski, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  34. ^ Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed January 25, 2012.
  35. ^ Data for the Bound Brook School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  36. ^ Minutes of August 20, 2009 Regular Meeting, South Bound Brook Board of Education. Accessed October 28, 2009. "Motion to accept the following costs for sending students to Bound Brook High School for the 2009-2010 school year (September 1, 2009- June 30, 2010)".
  37. ^ Calefati, Jessica. "N.J. adds 56 districts to interdistrict school choice roster for upcoming year", The Star-Ledger, April 14, 2011. Accessed December 5, 2011.
  38. ^ Academies at Bound Brook High School _2_.pdf The Academies at Bound Brook High School, Bound Brook High School. Accessed December 4, 2011. "Bound Brook High School has created a new academy for the 2011‐2012 schoolyear! The new academy will be Bio‐Medical Project Lead the Way that will be implemented following the tremendous success of our Engineering Project Lead the Way academy."
  39. ^ Holy Family Academy
  40. ^ Somerset County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed August 30, 2011.
  41. ^ About Bound Brook, accessed June 21, 2007.[dead link]
  42. ^ Bound Brook Flood Analysis, accessed April 25, 2007. Archived May 22, 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  43. ^ Eugene Paik (August 29, 2011). "Flood waters cover Bound Brook as smell of oil is in the air.". http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/flood_waters_cover_bound_brook.html. 
  44. ^ "Bound Brook crediting flood controls with minimizing Irene damage.". August 30, 2011. http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20110830/NJNEWS/308300020/Bound-Brook-crediting-flood-controls-minimizing-Irene-damage?odyssey=nav%7Chead. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 
  45. ^ Isaac Blackford, "Sketches of Prominent Citizens". Accessed June 21, 2007. "Judge Blackford was a native of New Jersey, born the village of Bound Brook, Somerset county, on the 6th day of November, 1786.
  46. ^ Margaret Bourke-White, Photography at Temple University. Accessed June 21, 2007. "She grew up in Bound Brook, NJ, and graduated from Plainfield High School."
  47. ^ Staff. "Bridgewater Q&A", Courier News (New Jersey), November 5, 2003. Accessed June 7, 2011. "Artist Robert Florczak, who grew up in Bound Brook, will be signing copies of his new book featuring his works of art at 1 p.m. Nov 8. at Barnes & Noble..."
  48. ^ Martin, Douglas. "William Gottlieb, 89, Jazz Photographer", The New York Times, April 25, 2006. Accessed March 8, 2011.
  49. ^ "History of Bound Brook", Borough of Bound Brook. Accessed August 4, 2010.
  50. ^ Fordham, Dai'ja. "Five Things ... About Grahams", Detroit Free Press, January 8, 2008. Accessed June 7, 2011. "The graham cracker was developed in the 1820s by a Presbyterian minister the Rev Sylvester Graham in Bound Brook N.J."
  51. ^ William Griffith, Biographical Directory of Federal Judges. Accessed March 8, 2011.
  52. ^ What Is It?, Center for History and New Media, George Mason University. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  53. ^ "George La Monte Dies Suddenly". The New York Times: p. N5. 1927-12-25. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10D15FE3C5812738DDDAC0A94DA415B878EF1D3. Retrieved 2008-12-03. 
  54. ^ Staff. "IS NOW BISHOP OF TRENTON; JAMES A. McFAUL CONSECRATED BY ARCHBISHOP CORRIGAN. High Dignitaries of the Church from All Parts of the Country Witness the Imposing Ceremonies at St. Mary's Church -- A Choir of Fifty Voices Furnish Music -- Sketch of the Life Work of the Successor of Bishop O'Farrell.", The New York Times, October 19, 1894. Accessed March 8, 2011.
  55. ^ Staff. "Manville Bound Brook news", Courier News (New Jersey), November 12, 2003. Accessed March 8, 2011.
  56. ^ Staff. "Player, administrator George Pfister dies", Press-Telegram, August 15, 1997. Accessed March 8, 2011. "George Pfister, a former player, manager and coach who had worked for 23 years in the baseball commissioner's office, died of a heart attack Thursday morning at Somerset, N.J., Hospital. He was 78. Born in 1918 in Bound Brook, N.J., Pfister began his professional baseball career as a catcher with Williamsport, then the Eastern League affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics, in 1939."
  57. ^ McDowell, Edwin. "Sinclair's Jungle with All the Muck Restored", The New York Times, August 22, 1988. Accessed November 10, 2007. "Sinclair died in a Bound Brook, N.J., nursing home in 1968 at the age of 90."
  58. ^ Samuel Swan, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  59. ^ Thomas De Witt Talmage, Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition. Accessed April 29, 2008.
  60. ^ McFadden, Robert D. "Henry H.F. Trefflich, Importer of Animals, Dies at 70; 'Monkey King of America' Co-author of Two Books", The New York Times, July 10, 1978. Accessed March 8, 2011. "Henry H.F. Trefflich, who retired five years ago as the country's largest importer of wild animals and as proprietor of a famed animal dealership in lower Manhattan, died on Friday at his home at 431 East Union Avenue in Bound Brook, N.J. He was 70 years old."

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