RevRagnarok (talk | contribs) m →Community: tweaks, removed dead link speculation |
reinsert details re parks |
||
Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
At various times between 1798 and 1892, issues arose which caused dissatisfaction between the Caldwell and Verona areas. These included a desire of the citizens of Verona to more closely control their own governmental affairs. With the population growing, Verona needed to centrally locate essential services such as schools and places of worship; problems with the water supply; and the disposition of road repair funds. And so, in 1892, the citizens of Verona voted to secede from Caldwell Township to form Verona Township. Further growth and the need for a water system and other public utilities found Verona moving ahead of the other half of the township and in 1902 the two areas decided to separate into 2 separate municipalities: Verona Township and Verona Borough. It took two sessions of the state legislature to approve the new borough, but on [[May 13]], [[1907]], the borough of Verona was incorporated. Verona Township was later renamed to Cedar Grove Township. |
At various times between 1798 and 1892, issues arose which caused dissatisfaction between the Caldwell and Verona areas. These included a desire of the citizens of Verona to more closely control their own governmental affairs. With the population growing, Verona needed to centrally locate essential services such as schools and places of worship; problems with the water supply; and the disposition of road repair funds. And so, in 1892, the citizens of Verona voted to secede from Caldwell Township to form Verona Township. Further growth and the need for a water system and other public utilities found Verona moving ahead of the other half of the township and in 1902 the two areas decided to separate into 2 separate municipalities: Verona Township and Verona Borough. It took two sessions of the state legislature to approve the new borough, but on [[May 13]], [[1907]], the borough of Verona was incorporated. Verona Township was later renamed to Cedar Grove Township. |
||
In the 1970s the borough of Verona was renamed to “The Township of the Borough of Verona,” as part of an effort to obtain greater federal aid from progarms that granted additional funds to [[Township (New Jersey)|Township]]s, but not to [[Borough (New Jersey)|Borough]]s and other forms of |
In the 1970s the borough of Verona was renamed to “The Township of the Borough of Verona,” as part of an effort to obtain greater federal aid from progarms that granted additional funds to [[Township (New Jersey)|Township]]s, but not to [[Borough (New Jersey)|Borough]]s and other forms of l |
||
==Demographics== |
|||
By national standards, Verona is an upper middle class town. |
|||
As of the [[census]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 13,533 people, 5,585 households, and 3,697 families residing in the township. The [[population density]] was 1,900.0/km² (4,917.4/mi²). There were 5,719 housing units at an average density of 803.0/km² (2,078.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 92.99% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 1.53% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.02% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 3.41% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.06% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.71% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.27% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 3.45% of the population. |
|||
There were 5,585 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.06. |
|||
In the township the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males. |
|||
The median income for a household in the township was $74,619, and the median income for a family was $97,673. Males had a median income of $60,434 versus $43,196 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $41,202. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over. |
|||
== Transportation == |
|||
Major roads around the township are State routes [[Route 3 (New Jersey)|3]], [[Route 7 (New Jersey)|7]], [[Route 10 (New Jersey)|10]], [[Route 21 (New Jersey)|21]] and [[Route 23 (New Jersey)|23]]; [[U.S. Route 46|US 46]]; Interstates [[Interstate 80|80]], [[Interstate 280 (New Jersey)|280]] and [[Interstate 287|287]]. The [[Garden State Parkway]] and [[New Jersey Turnpike]] are minutes away. |
|||
== Government == |
|||
=== Local government === |
|||
The members of the Verona Township Council are [[Mayor]] Jay Sniatkowski (term ends 2009), [[Deputy Mayor]] Jim Robbins (2007), Robert Detore (2007), Santi Condorelli (2009) and Ken McKenna (2009).<ref>[http://www.veronanj.org/ Verona Township Council 2005-2006], accessed [[June 8]], [[2006]]</ref> |
|||
=== Federal, state and county representation === |
|||
Verona is part of New Jersey's 40th Legislative District and is in the Eighth Congressional District. |
|||
{{NJ Congress 08}} {{NJ Senate}} |
|||
{{NJ Legislative 40}} {{NJ Governor}} |
|||
{{NJ Essex County Freeholders}} |
|||
=== Politics === |
|||
On the national level, Verona leans toward the Republican Party. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush received 51 percent of the vote here, defeating Democrat John Kerry, who received around 48 percent. |
|||
== Education == |
|||
The [[Verona Public Schools]] serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Verona has six schools which consist of (with enrollment data from the [[New Jersey Department of Education]]'s 2004-05 School Report Cards) four K-4 elementary schools — ([http://www.veronaschools.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=21&TPID=2546 Brookdale Avenue School] (148 students), [http://www.veronaschools.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=21&TPID=2547 Frederic N. Brown School] (268 students), [http://www.veronaschools.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=21&TPID=2548 Forest Avenue School] (213 students) and [http://www.veronaschools.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=21&TPID=2550 Laning Avenue School] (231 students) — strategically located in each corner of town. [http://www.veronaschools.org/Cit-e-Access/webpage.cfm?TID=21&TPID=2558 Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School] serves 584 students from grades 5-8, and 615 students in grade 9-12 attend [[Verona High School]]. The high school mascot is the "[[Hillbilly]]". However, this mascot has become controversial as a result of opposition from new school Superintendent. Some students have opposed the name change. While not officially changing the name, they are now often referred to as the "Maroon and White" by faculty, referring to the school colors. |
|||
For the 2004-05 school year, Laning Avenue School was named a "Star School" by the [[New Jersey Department of Education]], the highest honor that a New Jersey school can achieve.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/education/ss/ss3.pl?string=id=114&maxhits=10000 New Jersey Department of Education Star School Award recipients], accessed [[May 23]], [[2006]]</ref> |
|||
[http://www.myoll.org/ Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School] serves students in pre-school through eighth grade, and is situated near Verona Park. [http://www.tcischool.org/ The Children's Institute] (TCI) is a private, non-profit school approved by the [[New Jersey Department of Education]], serving children facing learning, language and social challenges, for children ages 3-21. |
|||
== Noted Verona residents (past and present) == |
|||
*[[John Bogle]], founder of [[The Vanguard Group]] |
|||
*[http://www.scottchesney.com/ Scott Chesney], [[Motivational speaker]] |
|||
*[[Anthony Fasano]], [[University of Notre Dame]] [[Tight End]], selected in the second round of the [[2006 NFL Draft]] by the [[Dallas Cowboys]] |
|||
*[[Jed Graef]], [[Gold Medal]] winner in the 200m Backstroke at the [[1964 Summer Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]]<ref>[http://www.vhsalumni.org/jed.htm 2004 VHSAA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES: Jed Graef, 1960, U.S. Olympic Gold Medal Winner], accessed [[July 12]], [[2006]]</ref> |
|||
*[[Jay Mohr]], actor/comedian |
|||
*[[Henry Orenstein]], professional poker player and helped push Hasbro to produce [[Transformers (toyline)]] |
|||
== Community == |
|||
*The all-volunteer Fire Department has 2 stations, 3 engines, 1 ladder truck, and 1 reserve engine. |
|||
*The Verona Rescue Squad (volunteer) has 3 Ambulances, and 1 heavy rescue truck in one station on Church Street. |
|||
*The main street in Verona is Bloomfield Avenue, where the Town Hall, Library, Middle School, and many shops, restaurants, and businesses are located. |
|||
*Most of Verona's housing stock is pre-[[World War II]]. |
|||
*At one point, Verona was serviced by a trolley line. |
|||
*During the [[American Revolutionary War]], [[George Washington]] and his troops used [[Eagle Rock Reservation]] as one of a chain of observation posts. |
|||
*[http://www.annin.com/ Annin Flag Company], is the world's oldest & largest flag manufacturer and has a manufacturing plant in Verona. [[Annin & Company]] is the official flag manufacturer to the [[United Nations]], and a major supplier to the United States Government. |
|||
*[http://mountainsanatorium.net/ Essex Mountain Sanatorium] - During the first half of the 20th century, was the leading [[sanatorium]] in the nation for the treatment of [[tuberculosis]] because of the fresh mountain air Verona provided. |
|||
==References== |
|||
<references/> |
|||
==External links== |
|||
*[http://www.veronanj.org Official Website of the Township of Verona] |
|||
*[http://www.veronaschools.org/ Verona Public Schools] |
|||
*{{NJReportCard|13|5370|0|Verona Public Schools}} |
|||
*[http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3416740 National Center for Education Statistics data for the Verona Public Schools] |
|||
*[http://www.veronafd.org Verona Fire Department] |
|||
*[http://www.veronarescuesquad.org Verona Rescue Squad] |
|||
*[http://www.vcgtimes.com/ Verona-Cedar Grove Times (Local Newspaper)] |
|||
*[http://www.generalcode.com/webcode2.html#newj Verona Codes & Ordinances] |
|||
{{Mapit-US-cityscale|40.832449|-74.242276}} |
|||
{{Essex County, New Jersey}} |
|||
[[Category:Essex County, New Jersey]] |
|||
[[Category:Townships in New Jersey]] |
|||
[[de:Verona (New Jersey)]] |
Revision as of 01:16, 24 July 2006
Verona is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 13,533.
Geography
Verona is located at 40°49′57″N 74°14′32″W / 40.83250°N 74.24222°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (40.832449, -74.242276)Template:GR.
Verona lies between two mountains, with a small river, the Peckman, flowing at the bottom of the valley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²). 7.1 km² (2.8 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.72%) is water.
History
Verona and several neighboring towns were all originally one town known as "Horseneck". In the early 1700s, a group of settlers left Newark and purchased a large tract of land northwest of their home city for the equivalent of a few hundred dollars from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans. This piece of land extended west and north to the Passaic River, south to the town center of what would become Livingston, and east to the First Watchung Mountain, and was called Horseneck by the natives because it resembled the neck and head of a horse.
What was then known as Horseneck contained most of the present day northern Essex County towns: Verona, along with Caldwell, West Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, North Caldwell, and Roseland are all located entirely in Horseneck, and parts of what are today Livingston, Montclair, and West Orange also were contained in the Horseneck tract. After the Revolutionary War, Horseneck changed its name to "Caldwell Township" in honor of a local war hero and pastor, James Caldwell, who used burning pages from his church's bibles to ignite the ammo in soldiers' cannons and helped to drive the British out of Horseneck.
By the mid-19th century, the area of Caldwell to the east of Today's Caldwell Borough and Montclair became known as Vernon Valley. However, when application was made for a United States Post Office, the townspeople were informed that another Vernon Valley, in Sussex County, had first claim to the name. The name Verona was put forth by the townspeople as a suitable alternative and was eventually accepted.
At various times between 1798 and 1892, issues arose which caused dissatisfaction between the Caldwell and Verona areas. These included a desire of the citizens of Verona to more closely control their own governmental affairs. With the population growing, Verona needed to centrally locate essential services such as schools and places of worship; problems with the water supply; and the disposition of road repair funds. And so, in 1892, the citizens of Verona voted to secede from Caldwell Township to form Verona Township. Further growth and the need for a water system and other public utilities found Verona moving ahead of the other half of the township and in 1902 the two areas decided to separate into 2 separate municipalities: Verona Township and Verona Borough. It took two sessions of the state legislature to approve the new borough, but on May 13, 1907, the borough of Verona was incorporated. Verona Township was later renamed to Cedar Grove Township.
In the 1970s the borough of Verona was renamed to “The Township of the Borough of Verona,” as part of an effort to obtain greater federal aid from progarms that granted additional funds to Townships, but not to Boroughs and other forms of l