Belvidere, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Belvidere is a Town
in Warren County
, New Jersey
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat
of Warren County.
Belvidere was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on April 7, 1845, from portions of Oxford Township
, based on the results of a referendum held that day.
Belvidere is located in the eastern section of the Lehigh Valley
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.48%) is water.
Dildine Island
is located in the Delaware River
approximately four miles north of Belvidere.
of 2000, there were 2,771 people, 1,088 households, and 716 families residing in the town. The population density
was 2,091.7 people per square mile (810.5/km2). There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of 879.4 per square mile (340.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.51% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.
There were 1,088 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,792, and the median income for a family was $62,212. Males had a median income of $41,800 versus $31,444 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $23,231. About 1.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
of Belvidere is Charles J. Liegel, Sr. (D
; term ends December 31, 2011). Members of the Town Council are Council President Howard Thompson (R, 2012), John Clemmer (R, 2013), Sylvia Dixon-McInerney (D, 2011), Harold Hess (R, 2013), A. Morris Scott (R, 2011) and Linda Stettler (R, 2012).
based on the results of the 2010 Census. 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.
serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Third Street School (Grades K-3; 145 students),
Oxford Street Elementary School (Grades 4-8; 194 students) and
Belvidere High School (grades 9-12; 552 students).
Students from Harmony Township
, Hope Township
and White Township
attend Belvidere High School as part of sending/receiving relationship
s.
Town (New Jersey)
A Town in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government...
in Warren County
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New 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...
, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Warren County.
Belvidere was incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on April 7, 1845, from portions of Oxford Township
Oxford Township, New Jersey
Oxford Township is a Township in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 2,514...
, based on the results of a referendum held that day.
Belvidere is located in the eastern section of the Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
.
Geography
Belvidere is located at 40.828299°N 75.076496°W (40.828299, -75.076496).According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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...
, the town has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), of which, 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (1.48%) is water.
Dildine Island
Dildine Island
Dildine Island is located in the Delaware River approximately four miles north of Belvidere, New Jersey. The island is located at ....
is located in the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
approximately four miles north of Belvidere.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,771 people, 1,088 households, and 716 families residing in the town. 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...
was 2,091.7 people per square mile (810.5/km2). There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of 879.4 per square mile (340.8/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.51% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.
There were 1,088 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were 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, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,792, and the median income for a family was $62,212. Males had a median income of $41,800 versus $31,444 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 town was $23,231. About 1.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
The MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Belvidere is Charles J. Liegel, Sr. (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
; term ends December 31, 2011). Members of the Town Council are Council President Howard Thompson (R, 2012), John Clemmer (R, 2013), Sylvia Dixon-McInerney (D, 2011), Harold Hess (R, 2013), A. Morris Scott (R, 2011) and Linda Stettler (R, 2012).
Federal, state and county representation
Belvidere is in the 5th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. The borough was relocated to the 24th state legislative district by the New Jersey Apportionment CommissionNew Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...
based on the results of the 2010 Census. 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.
Education
The Belvidere School DistrictBelvidere School District
The Belvidere School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade from Belvidere in Warren County, New Jersey, United States....
serves students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2008-09 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Third Street School (Grades K-3; 145 students),
Oxford Street Elementary School (Grades 4-8; 194 students) and
Belvidere High School (grades 9-12; 552 students).
Students from Harmony Township
Harmony Township, New Jersey
-Transportation:The only major road that traverses Harmony is CR 519 which leads to U.S. Route 22 to the south and U.S. Route 46 to the north.The closest limited access road is Interstate 78 which is in neighboring Greenwich and Franklin.- Local government :...
, Hope Township
Hope Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,891 people, 697 households, and 538 families residing in the township. The population density was 102.2 people per square mile . There were 747 housing units at an average density of 40.4 per square mile...
and White Township
White Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,245 people, 1,668 households, and 1,179 families residing in the township. The population density was 155.1 people per square mile . There were 1,770 housing units at an average density of 64.7 per square mile...
attend Belvidere High School as part of sending/receiving relationship
Sending/receiving relationship
A sending/receiving relationship is one in which a public school district sends some or all of its students to attend the schools of another district. This is often done to achieve costs savings in smaller districts or continues after districts have grown as part of a historical relationship...
s.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of Belvidere include:- Charles W. ButtzCharles W. ButtzCharles Wilson Buttz was a U.S. Representative from South Carolina.Born in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Buttz moved with his parents to White Township, New Jersey, in 1839. He went on to study law in Belvidere, New Jersey, and was admitted to the bar in 1863...
(1837–1913), member of the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from South CarolinaSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. - Henry S. HarrisHenry S. HarrisHenry Schenck Harris , was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1883 to 1885.Harris was born in Belvidere, New Jersey on December 27, 1850...
(1850–1902), former U.S. Member of Congress. - Joseph JohnsonJoseph Johnson (Virginia politician)Joseph Johnson was a United States Representative and was the 32nd Governor of Virginia from 1852 to 1856. Born in Orange County, New York, he moved with his mother to Belvidere, New Jersey in 1791 and thence to Bridgeport, Virginia in 1801...
(1785–1877), former Member of Congress and Governor of VirginiaGovernor of VirginiaThe governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
. - George W. ScrantonGeorge W. ScrantonGeorge Whitfield Scranton was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania from March 4, 1859, until his death in 1861.-Early life:...
(1811–61), former Member Congress and founder of the city of ScrantonScranton, PennsylvaniaScranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
. - Chris WyldeChris WyldeChris Wylde is the stage name of an American actor and comedian who was born on August 22, 1976 in Hackettstown, New Jersey as Christopher Scott Noll.-Early life:...
(born 1976), actor and comedian.
Places of interest
- Belvidere CemeteryBelvidere CemeteryBelvidere Cemetery is a cemetery located in Belvidere, in Warren County, New Jersey that was founded in 1834. It includes many graves of people who fought in the American Revolutionary War. -Notable interments:...
- Foul RiftFoul RiftFoul Rift is an approximately quarter-mile long stretch of Class II rapids in the Delaware River, locate about a mile south of Belvidere, New Jersey. The rapids are caused by a descent in the elevation of the riverbed, and are considered by locals to be the most dangerous on the Delaware River,...
, Delaware RiverDelaware RiverThe Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
rapids just south of Belvidere, New Jersey - Warren County (N.J.) Courthouse site of 19th century hangings
- Warren County Museum open Sundays 2-4pm.
- Robert Morris House signer of Declaration of Independence
External links
- Belvidere Town website
- Warren County Page for Belvidere Town
- Belvidere School District
- Data for the Belvidere School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- History of Belvidere, New Jersey