South Bound Brook, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
South Bound Brook is a Borough
in Somerset County
, New Jersey
, United States
. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,563.
What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town
within Franklin Township
. On March 16, 1869, the name of the community was changed to Bloomington, which lasted until May 29, 1891, when the name reverted back to South Bound Brook town. South Bound Brook was incorporated as an independent borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on April 11, 1907, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1907.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 4,492 people, 1,632 households, and 1,103 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 5,765.3 people per square mile (2,223.6/km2). There were 1,676 housing units at an average density of 2U.S. Census,151.1/sq mi (829.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 78.01% White, 7.77% African American, 0.27% Native American, 4.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 6.57% from other races
, and 3.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.89% of the population.
There were 1,632 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,984, and the median income for a family was $58,214. Males had a median income of $36,955 versus $30,082 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $21,131. About 3.6% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
The Mayor
of South Bound Brook is Terry Warrelmann. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Dennis Quinlan, Kathleen Conner, Michele Duh, Peter Dykes, Tamas (Tom) Ormosi and Caryl Shoffner.
In 2010 and 2011, Republican Mayor Terry Warrelmann, was involved in a controversy involving his family and the Borough’s refusal to release police reports surrounding the incident. On July 9, 2010, John Paff, filed a lawsuit seeking the release of the documents. On December 17, 2010, New Jersey Superior Court Assignment Judge Yolanda Ciccone, sitting in Somerville, New Jersey, conducted a hearing on Paff's lawsuit. On March 31, 2011, Paff received a 79-page file containing the redacted versions of documents within that investigative file. The records show that Mayor Warrelmann, along with his son Stephen, Nancy Santora and an unidentified juvenile, were suspects in an investigation of a November 21, 2009 burglary of a shed at 60 Elizabeth Street, South Bound Brook. No charges, however, were brought against any of the suspects.
The South Bound Brook School District
serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Robert Morris School, named after Robert Morris, a financier of the American Revolution, had an enrollment of 425 students as of the 2008-09 school year.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Bound Brook High School
in Bound Brook
, as part of a sending/receiving relationship
with the Bound Brook School District
.
The South Bound Brook Fire Department has been in existence for over 100 years. They currently have four pieces of apparatus at their Edgewood Terrace Headquarters: One E-One Engine, one E-One 75-foot ladder, a new Seagrave Rescue/Pumper and one Chevy Suburban for a Chief's vehicle. Their Chief is currently Michael Tomaro Jr.
The South Bound Brook First Aid Squad has seen many changes over the past several years. The squad was initially incorporated by their current name, then in 1990 became South Bound Brook/Franklin Township Rescue Squad. In 2002 the service area was cut back to just South Bound Brook, and the squad's name reverted to South Bound Brook First Aid Squad. They currently run two ambulances from their Garfield Ave headquarters, two Ford Type III Ambulances. They are no longer capable of rescue; all water rescue and extrication equipment was sold after the 2002 change. The Chief of the South Bound Brook First Aid Squad is Richard Ungerleider. The squad responds to calls for EMS service on nights and weekends. Somerset Medical Center EMS Units take calls in South Bound Brook during the workday due to lack of volunteer personnel available.
The South Bound Brook Office of Emergency Management is a growing department of two personnel. Originally the Civil Defense Board, and then briefly called Disaster Control in the 1990s, the Office of Emergency Management is charged with Emergency Preparedness and Planning. They are also responsible for the emergency operations plan, which is updated yearly by all departments of the borough. During major emergencies, they play a significant role in recovery efforts. They are also charged with borough compliance in the National Incident Management System
. Their coordinator is Paul Kaminsky.
and named Bloomington, South Bound Brook was incorporated as a borough by the New Jersey Legislature
in 1907.
The area was originally a Dutch community with apple orchards and just west peach orchards. The Abraham Staats House (c. 1740), located on the south side of Main Street, served as the headquarters of Baron Von Steuben
during the American Revolutionary War
., The house today is privately owned.
During the American Revolution, the Queens Bridge was used by both the American and British forces. At this spot in what is now known as Boundbrook on January 4, 1777, General Washington made the decision to abandon any intention to attack New Brunswick. Instead he moved his troops to Morristown for the winter, thus ending the victorious Trenton-Princeton campaign.
At dawn on April 13, 1777, Hessian Captain Ewald's assault over the Queens Bridge spanning the Raritan River between South Boundbrook and Boundbrook was pinned down by "murderous fire" from the American soldiers stationed at half moon battery. Advancing North along present day Easton Avenue, Hessian Colonel Donop pushed aside American outposts and arrived 15 minutes after Ewald's attack had faltered. Advancing over the Queens Bridge, Donop's troops engaged the Americans causing them to retreat from the battery. Donop, Ewald's, and General Grant's troops pursued the American troops as they fought through the streets of Bound Brook.
The Reformed Church, also on Main Street (near borough hall) was built in 1848 and has been declared a local historical site by the borough council. Originally called the Dutch Reformed Church of Bound Brook, it has gone through very few changes over the years. The one sad removal was a pipe organ received from Andrew Carnegie
; and the stained glass windows, which had been added well after the original construction. The Reverend Thomas DeWitt Talmadge was a member and preached at the church. His home was in the Middlebush section of Franklin Township, not Bound Brook as listed on the Bound Brook site.
In the mid-1970s a teen from the town created a plan for an environmental commission and presented it to the council. James Manley (Bound Brook High, Class of '75) got his commission and the first order of business was to find out what the white piles of waste on the tow path between the Delaware and Raritan Canal
and Raritan River
consisted of. It turned out to be 17% crystal asbestos
by volume. Since there was no New Jersey State regulation for the disposal, this became a landmark case. The waste was hauled in dump trucks through Bound Brook to the floodplain
south of West Main Street and dumped. A trail of asbestos dust led from the old dump site to the new dump location.
A roofing material manufacturing facility known as GAF Manufacturing
was located in South Bound Brook for over a century along Main Street. The site was dormant for about two decades and sat as an eyesore and reminder of the town's industrial past. New townhomes have been built on the GAF Manufacturing site, along the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which provide the downtown area a new modern look and many new residents.
Part of the redevelopment is being held up by a lawsuit by John Fanaro of Fanaro Carpeting over the right of eminent domain
, as the town tries to seize property along Main Street that is in front of the new townhomes. The redevelopment plan called for the older stores to be razed and replaced with new stores that had parking in back and a dozen rental apartments on the second floor.
A new 55-and-older condominium development is also being built along Elizabeth Street in the central part of town but is currently a defunct project as the builder has gone bankrupt.
, which forms the northern and eastern boundaries of the town. The canal and its D&R Canal Trail
are used for numerous recreational purposes from light boating to hiking and biking. Also of note is the Raritan River
which lies on the far side of the canal and provides further recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing. The Queens Bridge crosses the canal and river, connecting to Bound Brook.
The Raritan River Greenway
is a proposed path that would link Branchburg Township
to the East Coast Greenway
with the Delaware and Raritan Canal trail in South Bound Brook.
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
is headquartered in South Bound Brook. St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary
, St. Andrew's Memorial Church, and a large Ukrainian Orthodox cemetery right behind the church, where graves of many politicians from the Ukrainian People's Republic
era can be visited, are located on the south side of the town.
ing that its sister town Bound Brook
on the north bank of the Raritan River has, flooding can be a problem in South Bound Brook during major river flooding events, such as a 100-year flood
event. In September 1999, the remnants of Hurricane Floyd
caused a record flood crest on the Raritan River. While escaping the worst flooding, due to its elevated perch above the Raritan River, South Bound Brook did experience flood waters in the two- to three-foot range near the canal, including in portions of the downtown area along Main Street.
, which provides access and connections to large parts of New Jersey and New York is located very near the western boundary of South Bound Brook and provides two local interchanges.
New Jersey Transit
provides frequent train service on the Raritan Valley Line
to/from Newark and New York via the nearby Bound Brook Train Station
, which is about a five to ten minute walk from downtown South Bound Brook.
NJ Transit bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
in Midtown Manhattan
is provided on the 114 and 117 routes, with service to Newark
available on the 65 bus line.
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Somerset County
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
, 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 borough population was 4,563.
What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town
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...
within Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...
. On March 16, 1869, the name of the community was changed to Bloomington, which lasted until May 29, 1891, when the name reverted back to South Bound Brook town. South Bound Brook was incorporated as an independent borough 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 11, 1907, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1907.
Geography
South Bound Brook is located at 40.553803°N 74.529761°W (40.553803, -74.529761).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 borough has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
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 4,492 people, 1,632 households, and 1,103 families residing in the borough. 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 5,765.3 people per square mile (2,223.6/km2). There were 1,676 housing units at an average density of 2U.S. Census,151.1/sq mi (829.6/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 78.01% White, 7.77% African American, 0.27% Native American, 4.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 6.57% 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 3.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.89% of the population.
There were 1,632 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% 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, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.31.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 36.2% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.4 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $48,984, and the median income for a family was $58,214. Males had a median income of $36,955 versus $30,082 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 borough was $21,131. About 3.6% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Local government
South Bound Brook is governed under the BoroughBorough (New Jersey)
A borough 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. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.
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 South Bound Brook is Terry Warrelmann. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Dennis Quinlan, Kathleen Conner, Michele Duh, Peter Dykes, Tamas (Tom) Ormosi and Caryl Shoffner.
Political corruption
In 2005, Republican Mayor Jo-Anne Shubert resigned as Mayor of South Bound Brook a week before admitting that she gave a $35,000 no-bid computer contract to a company owned by her brother and where she was employed as an office manager.In 2010 and 2011, Republican Mayor Terry Warrelmann, was involved in a controversy involving his family and the Borough’s refusal to release police reports surrounding the incident. On July 9, 2010, John Paff, filed a lawsuit seeking the release of the documents. On December 17, 2010, New Jersey Superior Court Assignment Judge Yolanda Ciccone, sitting in Somerville, New Jersey, conducted a hearing on Paff's lawsuit. On March 31, 2011, Paff received a 79-page file containing the redacted versions of documents within that investigative file. The records show that Mayor Warrelmann, along with his son Stephen, Nancy Santora and an unidentified juvenile, were suspects in an investigation of a November 21, 2009 burglary of a shed at 60 Elizabeth Street, South Bound Brook. No charges, however, were brought against any of the suspects.
Federal, state and county representation
South Bound Brook is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 16th state legislative district.Education
South Bound Brook School District
The South Bound Brook School District is a community public school district that serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade from South Bound Brook, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States....
serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. Robert Morris School, named after Robert Morris, a financier of the American Revolution, had an enrollment of 425 students as of the 2008-09 school year.
For grades 9-12, public school students attend Bound Brook High School
Bound Brook High School
Bound Brook High School is a comprehensive community public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Bound Brook, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Bound Brook School District....
in Bound Brook
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.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...
, 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 Bound Brook School District
Bound Brook School District
The Bound Brook School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in Prekindergarten through twelfth grade from Bound Brook, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States....
.
Emergency services
The South Bound Brook Police Department is a 13 person department consisting of one Chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, one K9 officer, and eight officers on patrol. The Chief is William King. The Police Department does not have their own dispatchers; South Bound Brook currently uses Somerset County Communications for all 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls.The South Bound Brook Fire Department has been in existence for over 100 years. They currently have four pieces of apparatus at their Edgewood Terrace Headquarters: One E-One Engine, one E-One 75-foot ladder, a new Seagrave Rescue/Pumper and one Chevy Suburban for a Chief's vehicle. Their Chief is currently Michael Tomaro Jr.
The South Bound Brook First Aid Squad has seen many changes over the past several years. The squad was initially incorporated by their current name, then in 1990 became South Bound Brook/Franklin Township Rescue Squad. In 2002 the service area was cut back to just South Bound Brook, and the squad's name reverted to South Bound Brook First Aid Squad. They currently run two ambulances from their Garfield Ave headquarters, two Ford Type III Ambulances. They are no longer capable of rescue; all water rescue and extrication equipment was sold after the 2002 change. The Chief of the South Bound Brook First Aid Squad is Richard Ungerleider. The squad responds to calls for EMS service on nights and weekends. Somerset Medical Center EMS Units take calls in South Bound Brook during the workday due to lack of volunteer personnel available.
The South Bound Brook Office of Emergency Management is a growing department of two personnel. Originally the Civil Defense Board, and then briefly called Disaster Control in the 1990s, the Office of Emergency Management is charged with Emergency Preparedness and Planning. They are also responsible for the emergency operations plan, which is updated yearly by all departments of the borough. During major emergencies, they play a significant role in recovery efforts. They are also charged with borough compliance in the National Incident Management System
National Incident Management System
The National Incident Management System is emergency management doctrine used nationwide to coordinate emergency preparedness and incident management and response among the public and private sectors.NIMS is a comprehensive, national approach to incident management that is applicable at all...
. Their coordinator is Paul Kaminsky.
History
Originally part of Franklin TownshipFranklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey
-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...
and named Bloomington, South Bound Brook was incorporated as a borough by 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...
in 1907.
The area was originally a Dutch community with apple orchards and just west peach orchards. The Abraham Staats House (c. 1740), located on the south side of Main Street, served as the headquarters of Baron Von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben , also referred to as the Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian-born military officer who served as inspector general and Major General of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The 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...
., The house today is privately owned.
During the American Revolution, the Queens Bridge was used by both the American and British forces. At this spot in what is now known as Boundbrook on January 4, 1777, General Washington made the decision to abandon any intention to attack New Brunswick. Instead he moved his troops to Morristown for the winter, thus ending the victorious Trenton-Princeton campaign.
At dawn on April 13, 1777, Hessian Captain Ewald's assault over the Queens Bridge spanning the Raritan River between South Boundbrook and Boundbrook was pinned down by "murderous fire" from the American soldiers stationed at half moon battery. Advancing North along present day Easton Avenue, Hessian Colonel Donop pushed aside American outposts and arrived 15 minutes after Ewald's attack had faltered. Advancing over the Queens Bridge, Donop's troops engaged the Americans causing them to retreat from the battery. Donop, Ewald's, and General Grant's troops pursued the American troops as they fought through the streets of Bound Brook.
The Reformed Church, also on Main Street (near borough hall) was built in 1848 and has been declared a local historical site by the borough council. Originally called the Dutch Reformed Church of Bound Brook, it has gone through very few changes over the years. The one sad removal was a pipe organ received from Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
; and the stained glass windows, which had been added well after the original construction. The Reverend Thomas DeWitt Talmadge was a member and preached at the church. His home was in the Middlebush section of Franklin Township, not Bound Brook as listed on the Bound Brook site.
In the mid-1970s a teen from the town created a plan for an environmental commission and presented it to the council. James Manley (Bound Brook High, Class of '75) got his commission and the first order of business was to find out what the white piles of waste on the tow path between the Delaware and Raritan Canal
Delaware and Raritan Canal
The Delaware and Raritan Canal is a canal in central New Jersey, United States, built in the 1830s that served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was intended as an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City,...
and Raritan River
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
consisted of. It turned out to be 17% crystal asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
by volume. Since there was no New Jersey State regulation for the disposal, this became a landmark case. The waste was hauled in dump trucks through Bound Brook to the floodplain
Floodplain
A floodplain, or flood plain, is a flat or nearly flat land adjacent a stream or river that stretches from the banks of its channel to the base of the enclosing valley walls and experiences flooding during periods of high discharge...
south of West Main Street and dumped. A trail of asbestos dust led from the old dump site to the new dump location.
Redevelopment
The main downtown street in South Bound Brook, known as Main Street, has been refurbished with new sidewalks, lighting, signage and a number of newly renovated stores.A roofing material manufacturing facility known as GAF Manufacturing
GAF Materials Corporation
GAF Materials Corporation is a company based in Wayne, New Jersey, that has roots dating back to the late 19th century. The GAF acronym stands for General Aniline & Film. The company has historically been primarily focused on manufacturing of roofing materials for residential and commercial...
was located in South Bound Brook for over a century along Main Street. The site was dormant for about two decades and sat as an eyesore and reminder of the town's industrial past. New townhomes have been built on the GAF Manufacturing site, along the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which provide the downtown area a new modern look and many new residents.
Part of the redevelopment is being held up by a lawsuit by John Fanaro of Fanaro Carpeting over the right of eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
, as the town tries to seize property along Main Street that is in front of the new townhomes. The redevelopment plan called for the older stores to be razed and replaced with new stores that had parking in back and a dozen rental apartments on the second floor.
A new 55-and-older condominium development is also being built along Elizabeth Street in the central part of town but is currently a defunct project as the builder has gone bankrupt.
Points of interest
The main attraction in South Bound Brook is the Delaware and Raritan CanalDelaware and Raritan Canal
The Delaware and Raritan Canal is a canal in central New Jersey, United States, built in the 1830s that served to connect the Delaware River to the Raritan River. It was intended as an efficient and reliable means of transportation of freight between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and New York City,...
, which forms the northern and eastern boundaries of the town. The canal and its D&R Canal Trail
D&R Canal Trail
The D&R Canal trail is a recreational trail in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The trail is made up of three segments that transverse three counties: a canal towpath from New Brunswick to Trenton; a canal towpath / rail trail from Trenton to Bull's Island; and a rail trail from Bull's Island to...
are used for numerous recreational purposes from light boating to hiking and biking. Also of note is the Raritan River
Raritan River
The Raritan River is a major river of central New Jersey in the United States. Its watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.-Description:...
which lies on the far side of the canal and provides further recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing. The Queens Bridge crosses the canal and river, connecting to Bound Brook.
The Raritan River Greenway
Raritan River Greenway
The Raritan River Greenway is a proposed path in Somerset County, New Jersey that would link Branchburg Township to the East Coast Greenway with the Delaware and Raritan Canal trail in South Bound Brook...
is a proposed path that would link Branchburg Township
Branchburg Township, New Jersey
Branchburg Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 14,459....
to the East Coast Greenway
East Coast Greenway
The East Coast Greenway, or ECG, is a project to create a nearly urban path linking the major cities of the Atlantic coast of the United States, from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida, for non-motorized human transportation...
with the Delaware and Raritan Canal trail in South Bound Brook.
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA is a jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. It consists of three eparchies , ruled by two diocesan bishops, including about 85 active parishes and missions. The Church's current primate is Metropolitan Constantine...
is headquartered in South Bound Brook. St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary
St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary
The St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary located in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, USA was established in 1975 through the foresight of Metropolitan Mstyslav of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA.-External links:...
, St. Andrew's Memorial Church, and a large Ukrainian Orthodox cemetery right behind the church, where graves of many politicians from the Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian People's Republic
The Ukrainian People's Republic or Ukrainian National Republic was a republic that was declared in part of the territory of modern Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura.-Revolutionary Wave:...
era can be visited, are located on the south side of the town.
Flooding issues
While South Bound Brook does not have the legacy of floodFlood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
ing that its sister town Bound Brook
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.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 the north bank of the Raritan River has, flooding can be a problem in South Bound Brook during major river flooding events, such as a 100-year flood
100-year flood
A one-hundred-year flood is calculated to be the level of flood water expected to be equaled or exceeded every 100 years on average. The 100-year flood is more accurately referred to as the 1% annual exceedance probability flood, since it is a flood that has a 1% chance of being equaled or exceeded...
event. In September 1999, the remnants of Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd
Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Floyd triggered the third largest evacuation in US history when 2.6 million coastal residents of five states were ordered from their homes as it approached...
caused a record flood crest on the Raritan River. While escaping the worst flooding, due to its elevated perch above the Raritan River, South Bound Brook did experience flood waters in the two- to three-foot range near the canal, including in portions of the downtown area along Main Street.
Transportation
Interstate 287Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
, which provides access and connections to large parts of New Jersey and New York is located very near the western boundary of South Bound Brook and provides two local interchanges.
New Jersey Transit
New 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...
provides frequent train service on the Raritan Valley Line
Raritan Valley Line
The Raritan Valley Line is a diesel-engine-powered commuter rail service operated by New Jersey Transit , originating out of Pennsylvania Station, located in Newark, New Jersey, with most trains terminating at the Raritan station, located in Raritan, New Jersey.Some weekday trains continue further...
to/from Newark and New York via the nearby Bound Brook Train Station
Bound Brook (NJT station)
Bound Brook is a New Jersey Transit railroad station on the Raritan Valley Line, in Bound Brook, New Jersey. 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 pedestrian tunnel connects the south and...
, which is about a five to ten minute walk from downtown South Bound Brook.
NJ Transit bus service 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...
is provided on the 114 and 117 routes, with service to Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
available on the 65 bus line.
Notable residents
Notable current and former residents of South Bound Brook include:- Heidi BohayHeidi BohayHeidi Bohay is an American actress and television presenter.Born in South Bound Brook, New Jersey, Bohay is best known for her role as Megan Kendall from 1983 to 1987 on the prime-time ABC drama Hotel. She appeared as a celebrity guest on game shows, including The $25,000 and $100,000 Pyramid,...
(born 1959), actress and television host. Her father still runs Hi-Tams, an ice cream parlor in the town. - Tunis CravenTunis CravenTunis Augustus Macdonough Craven was an officer in the United States Navy. His career included service in the Mexican-American War and the Civil War.-Early Life:...
(1813–64), commanding officer of the USS TecumsehUSS Tecumseh (1863)The first USS Tecumseh was an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.Tecumseh was launched on 12 September 1863 at Jersey City, New Jersey, by Secor and Company,of New York City; and was commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 19 April 1864,...
, an iron-hulled, single-turret monitor, commissioned in 1864 and sunk in the Battle of Mobile BayBattle of Mobile BayThe Battle of Mobile Bay of August 5, 1864, was an engagement of the American Civil War in which a Federal fleet commanded by Rear Adm. David G. Farragut, assisted by a contingent of soldiers, attacked a smaller Confederate fleet led by Adm...
. After being hit by a torpedo (actually moored mines) the Tecumseh began to heel rapidly; and men scrambled to abandon ship. Comdr. Craven arrived at the foot of the ladder leading to the main deck simultaneously with the pilot, John Collins. Craven stepped back, saying "After you, pilot," thus permitting Collins to escape. His gallantry cost Craven his life, for the ship sank in a frightfully fast 25 seconds. Resident of South Bound Brook from approximately 1844-1864. - Harry Kels Swan New Jersey Historian; Curator, National Museum of the American Revolution,President and founder of the Swan Historical Foundation http://www.nationalmuseumoftheamericanrevolution.org/index.htm
External links
- Municipal website
- South Bound Brook Fire Department Official Web Site
- South Bound Brook First Aid Squad Official Web Site
- South Bound Brook Police Department Official Web Site
- South Bound Brook School District: Robert Morris School
- Data for the South Bound Brook 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...
- Bound Brook High School Alumni Association and Hall of Fame