Basking Ridge, New Jersey: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
remove individual with no evidence of notability (no article, no independent reliable and verifiable sources)
No edit summary
Line 33: Line 33:
|government_type =
|government_type =
|leader_title = <!-- Mayor -->
|leader_title = <!-- Mayor -->
|leader_name =
|leader_name = Carolyn Gaziano
|leader_title1 =
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|leader_name1 =
|established_title =
|established_title =
|established_date =
|established_date = 1760


<!-- area -->
<!-- area -->

Revision as of 19:51, 3 January 2013

Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Unincorporated community
Lyons Station
Lyons Station
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountySomerset
TownshipBernards
Government
Area
 • Total13.46 sq mi (34.85 km2)
 • Land13.44 sq mi (34.81 km2)
Elevation
[1]
335 ft (102 m)
Population
 (2000 Census)
 • Total21,424
 • Density1,600/sq mi (610/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP code
07920, 07939[2]
Map of Basking Ridge ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA)

Basking Ridge is an unincorporated community located within Bernards Township in the Somerset Hills region of Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 21,424.

The area settled during colonial times. It was home to the old AT&T Headquarters, now owned by Verizon. Basking Ridge is the current headquarters for Verizon Wireless, Avaya, and Barnes & Noble College Booksellers.

The community of Basking Ridge is part of greater Bernards Township, which also includes Lyons, Liberty Corner, and West Millington.

Geography

Basking Ridge is located at 40°42′22″N 74°32′58″W / 40.7062122°N 74.5493233°W / 40.7062122; -74.5493233 (40.7062122, -74.5493233).

Demographics

As Basking Ridge is not an independent municipality, the following demographic data is based on the United States Census Bureau figures for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) for the 07920 ZIP Code.

As of the 2000 United States CensusTemplate:GR there were 24,600 people, 9,300 households, and 6,517 families residing in the ZCTA. The population density was 1,137.1 people per square mile (1830.0/km²). There were 9,537 housing units at an average density of 440.8/sq mi (709.3/km²). The racial makeup of the ZCTA was 89.2% Caucasian, 1.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 7.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,300 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.5% of all households 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 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the ZCTA the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18 , 3.2% from 18 to 24 , 31.2% from 25 to 44 , 25.4% from 45 to 64 , and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years.

The median income for a household in the ZCTA was $105,471, and the median income for a family was $131,618. Males had a median income of $93,436 versus $60,101 for females. The per capita income for the ZCTA was $54,753. 1.4% of the population and 0.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.2% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Demographic Town National
Population 21,424 308,745,538[3]
Median Age 37.13 years 37.2 years[3]
Median Household Income $93,946 $51,144[4]
% of Single Households 37.39% 30.22%
% of Married Households 62.61% 69.78%
% Families 70.72% 69.40%
Avg. Household Size 2.42 people 2.58 people
% College or Higher 59.76% 26.46%
% White Collar 82.53% 55.54%
Homes Owner Occupied 79.84% 57.72%
Avg. Dwelling Size 6 rooms 4.5 rooms

History

Basking Ridge was originally settled in the 1720s by British and Scottish people escaping religious persecution.[citation needed] The land was bought from the Lenape Indians.[citation needed] On December 13, 1776, General Charles Lee was captured by the British in his room in town. Lee had ranked next to Washington in command.

Historic sites

  • The Old Oak Tree is situated in the graveyard of the Presbyterian Church. This 600-year old white oak tree is a site where George Washington is said to have picnicked in the late 1770s. This tree did not sustain any damage from the October 2012 storm, Hurricane Sandy.
  • The Brick Academy was built as the Basking Ridge Classical School; its function was to prepare young men for the College of New Jersey (now known as Princeton University). It has also served as a public school, a union hall, and a town hall. It now serves as a historic museum for Basking Ridge.
  • The Van Dorn Mill was built in 1768 as a wooden structure; it was rebuilt in 1843 as the finest stone structure in New Jersey. Thousands of stones were hauled from the hedgerows of nearby farms. Builders were paid one dollar per day to build the stone mill. Altogether, this amounted to $5,000, a large amount of money in the 1800s. However, the mill paid for itself in the first year of operation.
  • The Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church is a Greek Revival church built in 1839 and is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places.
  • In the center of town is an oak tree that was recorded in General William Lane's diary during the American Revolutionary War. On its eastern side is engraved the letters "WL".[citation needed]
  • The Devil's Tree is a solitary oak, with some dead limbs, growing in an undeveloped field on Mountain Road, opposite Emerald Valley Lane, a recently constructed subdivision. Local legend, documented in Weird NJ magazine and the book based on it, has it that the tree is cursed or the property of the Devil. The Tree has also been a site of lynchings for the Ku Klux Klan in the past. Devil's Tree Weird NJ

Climate

Events

Education

Ridge High School was originally founded by the Bernards Township Board of Education in 1924. When Bernardsville separated from Bernards Township, the schools still remained one system until 1947 when the original high school became the property of Bernardsville. From 1948, however, township students continued attending Bernardsville High School as tuition students.[5] In 1960 a contract was issued for the construction of a new Ridge High School and Cedar Hill School which were built on approximately 60 acres (24 ha) of land.

William Annin Middle School was originally named after a colonial patriot who settled in Basking Ridge in 1722. Construction started in 1968 and the school was dedicated on September 28, 1969 as William Annin Junior High School and contained grades 5 through 8. It became a middle school in 1982. It currently contains grades 6 through 8.[6] The school is one of the few in the United States to have a seismograph.[7][8]

There are four elementary schools in Basking Ridge.

  • Liberty Corner School was built for a farming community in 1905. It is the oldest school in the district. Part of the original building still remains today. It is located in the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Township.[9]
  • Oak Street School was built in 1938, although it was completed late. It was dedicated on November 21, 1939 and opened on November 23, the day before Thanksgiving. Dr. Horatio Gates Whitnall originally owned the property on which Oak Street School was built. The land was used for farming and his home was what is now the Summit Bank. Over the years, the population rose rapidly. It serves downtown Basking Ridge which is the area around the Presbyterian Church and the Old Oak Tree.[10]
  • Cedar Hill School was built 1956. It is situated on land which was once the property of a succession of wealthy families: Owen, Lee, Bissell, and Astor. It was donated in the Mid 1950s by the Lees. It serves the area around William Annin and Ridge High School.[11]
  • Mount Prospect was built in 1999. The school was built because a new population rolled in by 2000. Basking Ridge was extended southward and a new subdivision was built: The Hills. Mount Prospect is the newest school in the district and serves the Hills.[12]

Transportation

Trains

The New Jersey Transit route runs through Basking Ridge: the Gladstone Branch. There are 2 stations that residents can use to get to New York City and Hoboken:

Cars

2 Interstates are located near Basking Ridge:

National Register of Historic Places

The Basking Ridge Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994, it is district #94000817.[13] The Basking Ridge Classical School was added in 1976, it is building #76001185. The Alward Farmhouse was added in 1986, it is building #86000388.[14]

  • Alward Farmhouse, added March 13, 1986
  • Basking Ridge Classical School, added July 21, 1976
  • Coffee House, added November 7, 1977
  • Presbyterian Church in Basking Ridge, added December 31, 1974
  • Lord Stirling Manor Site, added June 22, 1978

Parks and recreation

There are several parks within the town. Four are county parks: Lord Stirling Park, Rebel Hill, Southard, and Harry Dunham. The fifth is Pleasant Valley Park which contains the town pool and miles of woodchip trails.

Notable people

Notable current and former residents of Basking Ridge include:

References

  1. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Basking Ridge, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed July 3, 2012.
  2. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code for Basking Ridge, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed July 3, 2012.
  3. ^ a b 2010 Census Briefs: Age and Sex Composition
  4. ^ Household Income for States
  5. ^ Bernards Township School District Website. Bernards Township School District Site Ridge High School, Accessed March 27, 2011.
  6. ^ [1] Bernardsboe William Annin Middle School, Accessed March 27, 2011
  7. ^ [2], Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Cooperative Seismographic Network. Accessed October 17, 2012.
  8. ^ Hayes, Edward. "School in Bernards tracks earthquakes", Courier News, January 21, 201. Accessed October 17, 2012. "There are several colleges and universities that maintain seismology equipment for studying, tracking and monitoring earthquakes. And along with them is William Annin Middle School, which maintains its own seismograph for Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York."
  9. ^ [3] Bernardsboe Liberty Corner Elementary School, Accessed September 25, 2012
  10. ^ [4] Bernardsboe Oak Street Elementary School, Accessed September 25, 2012
  11. ^ [5] Bernardsboe Cedar Hill Elementary School, Accessed September 25, 2012
  12. ^ [6] Bernardsboe Mount Prospect Elementary School, Accessed September 25, 2012
  13. ^ NEW JERSEY - Somerset County - Historic Districts, National Register of Historic Places. Accessed November 18, 2006.
  14. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  15. ^ Nutt, Amy Ellis. "Chris Daggett, ever the policy wonk, concentrates on the details", The Star-Ledger, October 11, 2009. Accessed May 15, 2011. "As an independent, Daggett straddles more than just political parties. He’s a child of the free-thinking, authority-mocking 1960s — and a buttoned-down, plow-ahead grinder. The life-long Basking Ridge resident graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he says his college thesis was 'something out of the ’60s, like the study of personhood.'"
  16. ^ Powers, Phil. "Scott Style: Adventure Student Makes Good", The Leader of the National Outdoor Leadership School, Winter 1992. Accessed May 15, 2011. "Fischer's mountaineering background began at the young age of 14 when he took a NOLS Adventure Course. His father was an outdoor enthusiast who called Scott in to watch a television program one night at their home in Basking Ridge, New Jersey."
  17. ^ Horner, Shirley. "ABOUT BOOKS", The New York Times, October 3, 1993. Accessed December 19, 2007. "The other inductees are Patricia Lee Gauch of Basking Ridge, who has written more than 30 children's books"
  18. ^ Spelling, Ian. "The Disco Biscuits will play the Nokia Theatre in Manhattan", The Record (Bergen County), December 23, 2009. Accessed December 4, 2011. "Gutwillig – who grew up in Morristown/Basking Ridge — and the boys are actually several bands."
  19. ^ Giase, Frank. "Basking Ridge native Tobin Heath selected No. 1 overall in WPS Draft", The Star-Ledger, January 15, 2010. Accessed December 4, 2011. "Basking Ridge native Tobin Heath was selected with the first pick in the Women’s Professional Soccer Draft today at the Philadelphia Convention Center."
  20. ^ Page McConnell, Legacy Recordings. Accessed November 11, 2008.
  21. ^ Caldwell, Dave. "IN PERSON; Renaissance Man", The New York Times, December 4, 2005. Accessed January 24, 2008. "The taciturn Mulcahy, who graduated from Millburn High School and lives in Basking Ridge, did much of the groundwork that let Schiano, after a few tough seasons, become a success in his home state -- their home state."
  22. ^ Samuel Lewis Southard, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed July 29, 2007.
  23. ^ Bishop, Greg. "Tomlinson Relishes New Home, and New Opportunity", The New York Times, June 8, 2010. Accessed August 21, 2010. "Tomlinson Relishes New Home, and New Opportunity"

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Basking_Ridge,_New_Jersey&oldid=531136481"