Guttenberg, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Guttenberg (ˈɡʌtənbɜrɡ), is a town
in Hudson County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 11,176. Only four blocks wide, Guttenberg is one of the smallest municipalities in New Jersey and the most densely populated incorporated place in the country.
and the Racetrack Section
in North Bergen
and north of West New York
. Its western border is Kennedy Boulevard. Bergenline Avenue is a the commercial corridor of North Hudson
. Its eastern border is the Hudson River, opposite Manhattan's Upper West Side.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), of which, 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (16.67%) is water.
, Pleasant Valley
, Fort Lee
, and Spring Street in Manhattan
.
Guttenberg was formed as a town on March 9, 1859, from portions of North Bergen Township
.
Galaxy Towers
, developed by Prudential Insurance Company. were built in the late 1970s on Boulevard East
. The three octagonal skyscrapers rise 415 ft (126 m) and contain 1,075 apartments.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 10,807 people, 4,493 households, and 2,619 families residing in the town. The population density
was 56,012.0 inhabitants per square mile (21,961.1/km2), making it the most densely populated municipality in The United States,with over twice the density of New York City. There were 4,650 housing units at an average density of 24,100.7 per square mile (9,449.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 64.98% White, 3.81% African American, 0.38% Native American, 7.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 16.42% from other races
, and 7.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.33% of the population.
There were 4,493 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples
living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,515, and the median income for a family was $47,440. Males had a median income of $38,628 versus $33,154 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $27,931. About 11.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
The town is a bedroom community with about 36% of its employed residents working in New York City
.
form of New Jersey municipal government, and is governed by a mayor and a five-member council. Town council members are elected at-large to two-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections.
The Mayor
of Guttenberg is Gerald Drasheff. Members of the Guttenberg Town Council are Drasheff, Alfonso Caso, Donna Florio,
Adela Martinez and Efrain Velez.
Guttenberg is in the
is a county fire department serving northern Hudson County
The first law officers of the town were township constables. They were occupied, in the early days of the town's history, mainly with the serving of official notices and the collection of delinquent taxes. One of the earliest, mentioned in 1860 records, was Peter Erlenbach.
In 1876, the township constables were by ordinance also appointed by special officers of the town, charged especially with the enforcement of town ordinances. If the offender arrested by constable was found guilty and fined, the constable was entitled to fifteen per cent of the fine. If a jail sentence was imposed, the constable received fifty cents for the arrest and conviction, and $1.50 additional for conveying the defendant to the county jail. The first of these so-called "ordinance officers" of whom record is found were William Tallman, Van C. Short, Michael Waters, George Weitz, and Philip Gregory. The paid police department was organized in April 19, 1915. It has been headed by Captains Henry Baum and John Lawlor, Sr., and by Chief William F. Brunner.
Today the police department has 22 full time police officers, 5 class two special police officers, and two civilian dispatchers. The police department is overseen by a civilian police director (non-law enforcement officer). The police department currently has one police captain, one police lieutenant, five police sergeants, five police investigators, and 10 police officers.
) attend the Anna L. Klein School as part of the Guttenberg Public School District
.
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend North Bergen High School
in North Bergen
, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the North Bergen School District
.
. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax
rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide). The Guttenberg Urban Enterprise Zone covers business in the following areas:
(NJT) bus service is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
in Midtown Manhattan
and Bergen County
destinations on the 128, 154, 156, 158, 159, 165, 166, 168 routes. Service north to Fort Lee
and the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
is available the 181 and 188 routes. Hudson County local service is provided on the 22, 23, 84/86, 88 and 89 routes. NJT bus lines are augmented by guagua (minibus) service.
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 Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 11,176. Only four blocks wide, Guttenberg is one of the smallest municipalities in New Jersey and the most densely populated incorporated place in the country.
Geography
Guttenberg is located atop the Hudson Palisades, south of WoodcliffWoodcliff, North Bergen
Woodcliff is a neighborhood in northeastern North Bergen, New Jersey. The center of area is a large Hudson County park known as North Hudson Park, which refers to the collective name of the municipalities in northern part of the county, and is officially named for James J...
and the Racetrack Section
Racetrack Section, North Bergen
The Racetrack Section of North Bergen, New Jersey is a mostly residential district between Bergenline and Kennedy Boulevard. Its east-west streets follow the numbering of other North Hudson towns while its north-south streets are called avenues and are numbered First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth...
in North Bergen
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
and north of West New York
West New York, New Jersey
West New York is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, situated upon the New Jersey Palisades. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 49,708.-Geography:...
. Its western border is Kennedy Boulevard. Bergenline Avenue is a the commercial corridor of North Hudson
North Hudson, New Jersey
North Hudson is the collective name of the municipalities of Weehawken , Union City , West New York , Guttenberg and North Bergen in Hudson County, New Jersey...
. Its eastern border is the Hudson River, opposite Manhattan's Upper West Side.
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 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), of which, 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (16.67%) is water.
History
Guttenberg was formerly a farm owned by William Cooper, sold in 1853 to a group of New Yorkers, who had formed a Weehawken Land and Ferry Association. Like nearby Union Hill, it was subdivided and lots were sold mostly to Germans. The company ran two ferries, the "Hultz" and the "Flora", which plied the Hudson from the landings at the foot of Bulls Ferry RoadBulls Ferry
Bulls Ferry is the area along the Hudson River in the North HudsonCounty, New Jersey municipalities of West New York, Guttenberg, and North Bergen....
, Pleasant Valley
Shadyside, Edgewater
Shadyside is the southernmost neighborhood of Edgewater, New Jersey that overlaps the waterfront of neighboring North Bergen, New Jersey. It likely takes its name from the fact that its position on the west bank of the Hudson River is sometimes in the shadow of the Hudson Palisades...
, Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
, and Spring Street in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.
Guttenberg was formed as a town on March 9, 1859, from portions of North Bergen Township
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
.
Galaxy Towers
Galaxy Towers
Galaxy Towers, also known as the Galaxy Towers Condominium Association or "GTCA", are a trio of octagonal towers are located in the southeastern corner of Guttenberg, New Jersey, USA, overlooking the Hudson River. They were erected in the late 1970s, and contain a mix of condominiums, retail, and...
, developed by Prudential Insurance Company. were built in the late 1970s on Boulevard East
Boulevard East
Boulevard East is a two-way, mostly two lane, scenic thoroughfare in the North Hudson, New Jersey municipalities of Weehawken, West New York, Guttenberg and North Bergen. Apart from small sections at either end, the road runs along the crest of the Hudson Palisades, affording it views of the Hudson...
. The three octagonal skyscrapers rise 415 ft (126 m) and contain 1,075 apartments.
Demographics
Census
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 10,807 people, 4,493 households, and 2,619 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 56,012.0 inhabitants per square mile (21,961.1/km2), making it the most densely populated municipality in The United States,with over twice the density of New York City. There were 4,650 housing units at an average density of 24,100.7 per square mile (9,449.3/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 64.98% White, 3.81% African American, 0.38% Native American, 7.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 16.42% 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 7.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 54.33% of the population.
There were 4,493 households out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% 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, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 36.9% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $44,515, and the median income for a family was $47,440. Males had a median income of $38,628 versus $33,154 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 $27,931. About 11.1% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
The town is a bedroom community with about 36% of its employed residents working in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Local government
Guttenberg operates under the TownTown (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...
form of New Jersey municipal government, and is governed by a mayor and a five-member council. Town council members are elected at-large to two-year terms on a staggered basis in partisan elections.
The Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Guttenberg is Gerald Drasheff. Members of the Guttenberg Town Council are Drasheff, Alfonso Caso, Donna Florio,
Adela Martinez and Efrain Velez.
Federal, state and county representation
Guttenberg is in the 13th Congressional district.Guttenberg is in the
Public safety
North Hudson Regional Fire and RescueNorth Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue
North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue provides fire protection and medical assistance to the North Hudson communities of North Bergen, Union City, Weehawken, West New York, and Guttenburg, New Jersey. The fire department serves a population of over 195,000 people.Its members numbered 76 when it...
is a county fire department serving northern Hudson County
The first law officers of the town were township constables. They were occupied, in the early days of the town's history, mainly with the serving of official notices and the collection of delinquent taxes. One of the earliest, mentioned in 1860 records, was Peter Erlenbach.
In 1876, the township constables were by ordinance also appointed by special officers of the town, charged especially with the enforcement of town ordinances. If the offender arrested by constable was found guilty and fined, the constable was entitled to fifteen per cent of the fine. If a jail sentence was imposed, the constable received fifty cents for the arrest and conviction, and $1.50 additional for conveying the defendant to the county jail. The first of these so-called "ordinance officers" of whom record is found were William Tallman, Van C. Short, Michael Waters, George Weitz, and Philip Gregory. The paid police department was organized in April 19, 1915. It has been headed by Captains Henry Baum and John Lawlor, Sr., and by Chief William F. Brunner.
Today the police department has 22 full time police officers, 5 class two special police officers, and two civilian dispatchers. The police department is overseen by a civilian police director (non-law enforcement officer). The police department currently has one police captain, one police lieutenant, five police sergeants, five police investigators, and 10 police officers.
Political scandal
Recent scandals include the convictions of the mayor, David Delle Donna, and his wife, a member of the town planning board, on federal extortion and mail fraud charges; a former mayor, Peter LaVilla, who pleaded guilty in 2003 to misappropriating campaign funds and using the money for a private brokerage account; a councilman who resigned after being accused of receiving illegal advances on his salary; and a chief financial officer, who pleaded guilty in 2002 to misappropriation of funds.Education
For Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade, 1,423 public school students from Guttenberg (as of 2005-06, per the National Center for Education StatisticsNational 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...
) attend the Anna L. Klein School as part of the Guttenberg Public School District
Guttenberg Public School District
The Guttenberg Public School District is a community public school district that serves students in Pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade from Guttenberg, New Jersey, United States....
.
For grades 9 - 12, public school students attend North Bergen High School
North Bergen High School
North Bergen High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school, serving students in ninth through twelfth grade from North Bergen, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the North Bergen School District....
in North Bergen
North Bergen, New Jersey
North Bergen is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township had a total population of 60,773. Originally founded in 1843, the town was much diminished in territory by a series of secessions. Situated on the Hudson Palisades, it is one...
, as part of a 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...
with the North Bergen School District
North Bergen School District
The North Bergen School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from North Bergen, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States....
.
Commerce
Portions of Guttenberg are part of an Urban Enterprise ZoneUrban Enterprise Zone
In the United States, Urban Enterprise Zones , also known as Enterprise Zones, are intended to encourage development in blighted neighborhoods through tax and regulatory relief to entrepreneurs and investors who launch businesses in the area. UEZs are areas where companies can locate free of...
. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide). The Guttenberg Urban Enterprise Zone covers business in the following areas:
- Bergenline Avenue – 68th Street to 71st Street
- Park Avenue – 68th Street to 71st Street
- 70th Street – Park Avenue to Bergenline Avenue
- 69th Street – Park Avenue to Boulevard East
- 69th Street to 71st Street – Boulevard East
- 70th Street to 71st Street – Broadway
Transportation
New Jersey TransitNew Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
(NJT) bus service is available to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
and Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
destinations on the 128, 154, 156, 158, 159, 165, 166, 168 routes. Service north to Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
and the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal
The George Washington Bridge Bus Station is a commuter bus terminal located at the east end of the George Washington Bridge in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan in New York City, New York....
is available the 181 and 188 routes. Hudson County local service is provided on the 22, 23, 84/86, 88 and 89 routes. NJT bus lines are augmented by guagua (minibus) service.
Notable residents
- Boštjan Nachbar (born 1980), NBA athlete for the New Jersey NetsNew Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. - Steve CarellSteve CarellSteven John "Steve" Carell is an American comedian, actor, voice artist, producer, writer, and director. Although Carell is notable for his role on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, he found greater fame in the late 2000s for playing Michael Scott on The Office...
, film and television actor, lived in Guttenberg during his time on The Daily ShowThe Daily ShowThe Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
.
External links
- Town of Guttenberg
- Guttenberg School District: Anna L. Klein School
- Data for the Guttenberg 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...
- North Bergen High School
- North Bergen Reporter, Incorporating the Town of Guttenberg