High Bridge, New Jersey

Infobox Settlement
official_name = High Bridge, New Jersey
settlement_type = Borough
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

imagesize =
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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Map of High Bridge in Hunterdon County. Inset: Location of Hunterdon County highlighted in the State of New Jersey.


mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of High Bridge, New Jersey

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Hunterdon
government_footnotes =
government_type = Borough (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Mark Desire
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = March 29, 1871

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 6.3
area_land_km2 = 6.2
area_water_km2 = 0.1
area_total_sq_mi = 2.4
area_land_sq_mi = 2.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2007
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3701
population_density_km2 = 604.6
population_density_sq_mi = 1566.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|885251|Borough of High Bridge, Geographic Names Information System, accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 93
elevation_ft = 305
latd = 40 |latm = 40 |lats = 06 |latNS = N
longd = 74 |longm = 53 |longs = 44 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08829
area_code = 908
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-31320GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0885251GR|3
website = http://www.highbridge.org
footnotes =

High Bridge is a borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 3,776.

High Bridge was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 29, 1871, from portions of both Clinton Township and Lebanon Township and Bethlehem Township. On February 19, 1898, the borough of High Bridge was incorporated from portions of the township, with the remainder returned to Clinton and Lebanon Townships."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 155.]

High Bridge Borough is located on the South Branch of the Raritan River in the north central part of Hunterdon County. Water from the South Branch was a valuable power source for one of the first ironworks in the United States, established by William Allen and Joseph Turner of Philadelphia. Allen was the mayor of Philadelphia, a Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and a prominent landowner in New Jersey. The Central Railroad of New Jersey built a high bridge across the river from which structure the locality ultimately took its name. [ [http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/mun/highbrdg.htm Hunterdon County webpage for High Bridge Borough] , Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed March 20, 2007.]

Geography

High Bridge is located at coor dms|40|40|7|N|74|53|33|W|city (40.668594, -74.892415)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 2.4 square miles (6.3 km²), of which, 2.4 square miles (6.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.82%) is water.

High Bridge borders Clinton Township and Lebanon Township.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 1860
1940= 1781
1950= 1854
1960= 2148
1970= 2606
1980= 3435
1990= 3886
2000= 3776
estimate= 3701
estyear=2007
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US3429460&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US34%7C16000US3429460&_street=&_county=high+bridge&_cityTown=high+bridge&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for High Bridge borough] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 29, 2008.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 3,776 people, 1,428 households, and 1,051 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,566.0 people per square mile (604.9/km²). There were 1,478 housing units at an average density of 613.0/sq mi (236.8/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 96.24% White, 0.79% African American, 0.34% Native American, 1.43% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.12% of the population.

There were 1,428 households out of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.4% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the borough the population was spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 6.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $68,719, and the median income for a family was $75,357. Males had a median income of $56,607 versus $35,450 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $29,276. About 1.9% of families and 3.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.9% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

High Bridge is governed under the Borough 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."2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 103.] [ [http://www.highbridge.org/government/index.html High Bridge Borough Government: Overview] , Borough of High Bridge. Accessed March 12, 2007.]

The Mayor of High Bridge Borough is Mark Desire. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Tom Flynn (2009), Brendan Coughlin (D, 2010), Colleen Hann, Lynn Hughes, Mary Murdock (D, 2010) and Jon Valenta (2009). [http://www.highbridge.org/council.html High Bridge Council] , Borough of High Bridge. Accessed September 29, 2008.] [http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/mun/highbrdg.htm Web page for High Bridge Borough] , Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed September 29, 2008.]

In the 2007 General Elections held on November 6, Democrats Brenden Coughlin (522 votes) and Mary Murdock (497) won terms on the Borough Council, defeating Republican incumbent Ralph Tuck Batch (344) and his running mate Patrick Vitale (448). [ [http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/election/2007general/official110607_dtl.htm#cont27 2007 General Election Results] , Hunterdon County, New Jersey, last updated November 13, 2007. Accessed September 23, 2008.] [Staff. [http://www.nj.com/elections/index.ssf/2007/11/hunterdon_county.html "Hunterdon County"] , "The Star-Ledger", November 6, 2007. Accessed September 29, 2008.]

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, Mark Desire was elected as Mayor to succeed Alfred W. Schweikert, and took office on January 1, 2007. Thomas Flynn and Jon Valenta won three-year seats on the Borough Council. [ [http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/election/2006general/highbridge.htm High Bridge Borough Election Results] , Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Accessed December 3, 2006.]

Federal, state and county representation

High Bridge Borough is in the Seventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 58. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

The High Bridge School District serves students in grades K to 8. Schools in the districts (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3407110 Data for the High Bridge School District] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed March 4, 2008.] ) are [http://www.hbschools.org/eschool.htm High Bridge Elementary School] for grades Pre-K - 5 (300 students) and [http://www.hbschools.org/mschool.htm High Bridge Middle School] for grades 6 - 8 (142 students).

Students in grades 9 through 12 attend Voorhees High School in Glen Gardner as part of the North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District. Voorhees High School serves students from Califon Borough (67 students), Glen Gardner Borough (75 students), Hampton Borough (87 students), High Bridge Borough (217 students), Lebanon Township (404 students) and Tewksbury Township (235 students). [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/19/3660/19-3660-060.html Voorhees High School 2007 Report Card Narratives] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 4, 2008. "Voorhees High School has consistently ranked among the top high schools in the state. With an enrollment of 1200 students in grades 9-12, the school serves the communities of Califon, Glen Gardner, Hampton, High Bridge, Lebanon Township, and Tewksbury Township."]

Transportation

The High Bridge station is the western terminus on New Jersey Transit's Raritan Valley Line. It is located at the southern end of the station. The parking lot for the station is located one block to the west. The station only uses the southern track for inbound and outbound trains. There is a station building that is no longer used and there are two small shelters. This station has limited weekday service and no weekend service. The station has been the western terminus of the line since 1983, although there have been proposals to once again have service to Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Recreation

High Bridge serves as the southern terminus of a rail trail that was created out of the former Central Railroad of New Jersey High Bridge Branch. The trail is maintained by Hunterdon County Parks and Recreation and is called the Columbia Trail. The trail runs northeastward from the center of the borough (at the junction of Main Street and Church Street) towards Califon, through a scenic area outside the borough limits, known as the Ken Lockwood Gorge.

Union Forge Park is High Bridge's main public park, located across the Raritan River from Taylor Wharton. Another park is the Borough Commons, conveniently situated at the start of the Columbia Trail.

Historic sites

Solitude House, built circa 1725, later became the centerpiece of the iron plantation that became Union Forge Ironworks. Later called Taylor Iron and Steel Company, it eventually became known as Taylor-Wharton. John Penn, the last royal governor of Pennsylvania was a political prisoner at Solitude House during the American Revolutionary War. Five generations of the Taylor family managed the business and continued to live in the house, until 1938. The museum houses the Taylor-Wharton Collection as well as exhibits that depict the life and times of the residents and ironworkers who lived in High Bridge. Union Forge Heritage Association, a 501(c)3 corporation, manages the Museum, as well as other historic buildings, including the TISCO Building, Springside Farms and Solitude Dam / Taylor's Falls

The Taylor Steel Workers Historical Greenway connects to the Columbia Trail. [ [http://www.highbridge.org/about/union_forge_heritage.html Solitude House Museum] , accessed August 31, 2006.]

Business

High Bridge has a resurgent downtown (Main Street) that is home to excellent eateries, services and professionals. Circa Restaurant, at the center of Main Street, has received acclaim from a variety of sources including a "New York Times" food editor who proclaimed, "Circa is the kind of place I wish were in my town." [Cook, Karla. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9504E4D81030F936A25753C1A9609C8B63 " DINING/HIGH BRIDGE; Having Fun, With Mussels and More"] , "The New York Times", October 15, 2006. Accessed September 28, 2008. "Yet Circa is the kind of place I wish were in my town. The space is magical; only the steak breaks the $30 mark in the dinner category; and Mr. Coury, who graduated from the French Culinary Institute and worked at the Ryland Inn in Whitehouse, the Frenchtown Inn and Nodo in Princeton, is having fun."]

High Bridge enjoys a mix of new and old establishments, with some businesses having very long standing in High Bridge. Carl & Company HairCare was established in 1963, while Reflections Salon celebrates 20 years in High Bridge. Metamorphosis Fitness-Nutrition Studio, Cafe Hola, Fitzgerald Architecture Studios and Dispenza Financial are more recent additions over the past few years.

The businesses are collectively marketed by the [http://www.hbbusiness.org High Bridge Business Association] , which assists its member businesses through co-operative advertising, press releases, goodwill and other benefits.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of High Bridge include:
*Dan Smith (1975-), former MLB pitcher who played for the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox. [ [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/Dan-Smith.shtml Dan Smith player profile] , The Baseball Cube. Accessed July 29, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.highbridge.org/ High Bridge Borough website]
* [http://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/mun/highbrdg.htm Web page for High Bridge Borough] , Hunterdon County, New Jersey
* [http://www.hbschools.org/ High Bridge School District]
*NJReportCard|19|2140|0|High Bridge School District
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3407110 Data for the High Bridge School District] , National Center for Education Statistics
* [http://www.nhvweb.net/ North Hunterdon-Voorhees Regional High School District]
* [http://www.hbes.org/ High Bridge Emergency Squad]
* [http://www.hlta.org Hunterdon Land Trust Alliance]
* [http://www.tallgeorge.com/highbridge.php Photo Essay of High Bridge from 1991]
* [http://www.butkus.org/postcards Old postcards of High Bridge and attractions.]
* [http://www.hbbusiness.org High Bridge Business Association]