Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Demographics
As Basking Ridge is not an independent municipality, the following demographic data is based on the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
figures for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area
ZIP Code Tabulation Area
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are statistical entities developed by the United States Census Bureau for tabulating summary statistics from Census 2000. This new entity was developed to overcome the difficulties in precisely defining the land area covered by each ZIP code...
(ZCTA) for the 07920 ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
. Some figures temporarily unavailable will be provided shortly:
As of the United States 2000 Census, there are 24,600 people, 9,300 households, and 6,517 families residing in the ZCTA. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
is 1,137.1 people per square mile (1830.0/km²). There are 9,537 housing units at an average density of 440.8/sq mi (709.3/km²). The racial makeup of the ZCTA is 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 are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 9,300 households out of which 37.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% are married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 5.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% are non-families. 26.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.56 and the average family size is 3.15.
In the ZCTA the population is 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 are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39.3 years.
The median income for a household in the ZCTA is $105,471, and the median income for a family is $131,618. Males have a median income of $93,436 versus $60,101 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the ZCTA is $54,753. 1.4% of the population and 0.6% of families are 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 are living below the poverty line.
| Demographic | Town | National |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,424 | 272,334,966 |
| Median Age | 37.13 years | 33.93 years |
| Median Household Income | $93,946 | $40,985 |
| % 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
On December 13, 1776, General Charles LeeCharles Lee (general)
Charles Lee was a British soldier who later served as a General of the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. Lee served in the British army during the Seven Years War. After the war he sold his commission and served for a time in the Polish army of King Stanislaus II...
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 WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
is said to have picnicked in the late 1770s. - The Brick AcademyBrick Academyis the nickname for a Federal-style brick building built in 1809 to meet the growing needs of the Basking Ridge Classical School. That school existed prior to 1799, at least 10 years before the construction of this building in 1809. The brick building was constructed for the elementary school run...
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 UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
). It has also served as a public school, a union hall, and a town hall. It now serves as a historic museumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
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 JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Thousands of stones were hauled from the hedgeHedge (gardening)A hedge or hedgerow is a line of closely spaced shrubs and tree species, planted and trained in such a way as to form a barrier or to mark the boundary of an area. Hedges used to separate a road from adjoining fields or one field from another, and of sufficient age to incorporate larger trees, are...
rows 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 millMill (grinding)A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
paid for itself in the first year of operation. - The Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church is a Greek RevivalGreek Revival architectureThe Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
church built in 1839 and is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic PlacesNew Jersey Register of Historic PlacesThe New Jersey Register of Historic Places is the official list of historic resources of local, state, and national interest in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The program is administered by the Historic Preservation Office of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.The register was...
and the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. - In the center of town is an oak tree that was recorded in General William Lane's diary during the American Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary WarThe American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. On its eastern side is engraved the letters "WL". - 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 NJWeird NJWeird NJ is the title of a semi-annual magazine and two paranormal travel guides that chronicle local legends, hauntings, ghost stories, folklore and anything considered "weird" in the U.S. state of New Jersey....
magazine and the book based on it, has it that the tree is cursed or the property of the Devil.
Education
Ridge High SchoolRidge High School
Ridge High School is a four-year public high school serving students from Bernards Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Bernards Township School District...
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. In 1960 a contract was issued for the construction of a new Ridge High School
Ridge High School
Ridge High School is a four-year public high school serving students from Bernards Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Bernards Township School District...
and Cedar Hill School which were built on approximately 60 acres (24.3 ha) of land.
William Annin Middle School was originally named after a colonial patriot who settled in Basking Ridge in 1722. It was originally a junior high school but became a middle school in 1982. It houses grades six, seven, and eight and uses an interdisciplinary team approach.
National Register of Historic Places
The Basking Ridge Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1994, it is district #94000817. The Basking Ridge Classical School was added in 1976, it is building #76001185. The Alward Farmhouse was added in 1986, it is building #86000388.
- 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 ParkLord Stirling Park
Lord Stirling Park is a 925/950 acre park operated by the Somerset County Park Commission and located in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and separated from the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge by the Passaic River...
, Rebel Hill, Southard, and Harry Dunham. The fifth is Pleasant Valley Park which contains the town pool and miles of woodchip trails.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Basking Ridge include:- Chris Daggett (born 1950), former regional administrator of the United States Environmental Protection AgencyUnited States Environmental Protection AgencyThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental ProtectionNew Jersey Department of Environmental ProtectionThe New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is a government agency in the U.S. state of New Jersey that is responsible for managing the state's natural resources and addressing issues related to pollution...
who ran for Governor of New JerseyGovernor of New JerseyThe Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
in 2009 as an independent. - Scott FischerScott FischerScott E. Fischer was an American climber and guide, and the first American to summit 27,940-foot Lhotse, fourth highest mountain in the world.-Career:...
(1955-96), climber and guide who was the first American to climb LhotseLhotseLhotse is the fourth highest mountain on Earth and is connected to Everest via the South Col. In addition to the main summit at 8,516 metres above sea level, Lhotse Middle is and Lhotse Shar is...
, the fourth-highest mountain in the world. He died on May 11, 1996 in an attempt to climb Mount EverestMount EverestMount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
in the 1996 Everest Disaster1996 Everest DisasterThe 1996 Mount Everest disaster refers to the events of 10-11 May 1996, when eight people died on Mount Everest during summit attempts. In the entire season, fifteen people died trying to reach the summit, making it the deadliest single year in Mount Everest's history...
. - Patricia Lee GauchPatricia Lee GauchPatricia Lee Gauch is an author who has written over 30 works of children's literature. In 1993, Gauch was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. She has been a resident of the Basking Ridge section of Bernards Township, New Jersey...
, author of over 30 works of children's literatureChildren's literatureChildren's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
who was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame in 1993. - Tobin HeathTobin HeathTobin Powell Heath is an American soccer player, an Olympic Gold medalist, and a FIFA Women's World Cup Finalist. According to United States Soccer Federation, Heath is "perhaps the USA's most skillful player" and is "one of the team's best and most crafty dribblers"...
(born 1988), soccer player and member of the United States women's national teamUnited States women's national soccer teamThe United States women's national soccer team represents the United States in international soccer competition and is controlled by U.S. Soccer. The U.S. team won the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, and has since been a superpower in women's soccer. It is currently ranked first in the world...
. Won gold medal as youngest member of the US team in the 2008 Olympics. - Page McConnellPage McConnellPage Samuel McConnell is an American multi-instrumentalist most noted for his work as a songwriter and keyboardist with the American rock band Phish....
(born 1963), keyboardist best known for his work with PhishPhishPhish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
. - Robert E. Mulcahy IIIRobert E. Mulcahy IIIRobert Edward Mulcahy III was the director of athletics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.-Biography:Mulcahy attended Millburn High School in Millburn, New Jersey, and graduated from Villanova University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts in History...
, former athletic director at Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. - Samuel Lewis Southard (1787-1842), served as U.S. Senator, Secretary of the Navy, and the 10th Governor of New JerseyGovernor of New JerseyThe Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
. - LaDanian Tomlinson, NFL Football Player for the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 5 time Pro-Bowler and 2006 NFL Most Valuable Player.
External links
- Basking Ridge History web site
- Bernards Twp 250th Anniversary Celebration web site
- Basking Ridge Fire Company No. 1 Website
- History of Ridge High School
- History of Basking Ridge and Annin Middle School
- NJ Estates.net ZIP Code demographics
- Hills List Local information for Basking Ridge and Bedminster