Teaneck, New Jersey
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Township of Teaneck, New Jersey | |
 | |
| Coordinates: | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Bergen |
| Incorporated | 1895 |
| Mayor | Elie Y. Katz |
| Township Manager | Helene Fall |
| Area | |
| - City | 16.2 km² (6.2 sq mi) |
| - Land | 15.7 km² (6.0 sq mi) |
| - Water | 0.5 km² (0.2 sq mi) |
| Population | |
| - City (2004) | 39,853 |
| - Density | 875.5/km² (2,505.5/sq mi) |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Website: http://www.TeaneckNJGov.org | |
Teaneck (pronounced /ˈtiːˌnɛk/) is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and is a suburb of New York City. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 39,260. The Census Bureau's 2004 population estimate for the township is 39,853.
Teaneck was created on February 19, 1895 by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature. Teaneck was formed from portions of Englewood Township and Ridgefield Township, both of which are now defunct (despite existing municipalities with similar names), along with portions of Bogota and Leonia. On May 3, 1921 and on June 1, 1926, portions of what had been Teaneck were transferred to Overpeck Township.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Teaneck is located at (40.890964, -74.011156)GR1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 16.2 km² (6.2 mi²). 15.7 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.5 km² (0.2 mi²) of it (3.20%) is water.
Teaneck is bordered to the West by River Edge and Hackensack which lie across the Hackensack River, to the North by New Milford and Bergenfield, to the East by Englewood and Leonia, and to the South by Ridgefield Park and Bogota.
Teaneck has 23 municipally owned parks, of which 14 are developed. Overpeck County Park, along the shores of Overpeck Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River, is more than 8,000 acres (32 km²) in size, of which about 500 were donated by Teaneck, and which is also in portions of Englewood, Leonia, Ridgefield Park and Palisades Park. Major institutions within Teaneck are a campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University and Holy Name Hospital. The Teaneck Armory is the home of the New Jersey National Guard's 50th Main Support Battalion.
[edit] Demographics
[edit] 2000 Census
As of the census GR2 of 2000, there were 39,260 people, 13,418 households, and 10,076 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,505.5/km² (6,486.2/mi²). There were 13,719 housing units at an average density of 875.5/km² (2,266.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 56.25% White, 28.78% African American, 0.15% Native American, 7.13% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.16% from other races, and 3.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.45% of the population.
There were 13,418 households out of which 34.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.3% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 21.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the township the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.9 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $74,903, and the median income for a family was $84,791. Males had a median income of $53,327 versus $40,085 for females. The per capita income for the township was $32,212. About 2.4% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.7% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Historical population data
Township of Teaneck | County of Bergen | |||||
| Census Year </p> | Total Population </p> | Population Change </p> | Percent Change </p> | Total Population </p> | Population Change </p> | Percent Change </p> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900</p> | 768 | 78,441 | ||||
| 1910</p> | 2,082 | 1,314 | 171.1% | 138,002 | 59,561 | 75.9% |
| 1920</p> | 4,192 | 2,110 | 101.3% | 210,643 | 72,641 | 52.6% |
| 1930</p> | 16,513 | 12,321 | 293.9% | 364,977 | 154,334 | 73.3% |
| 1940</p> | 25,275 | 8,762 | 53.1% | 409,646 | 44,669 | 12.2% |
| 1950</p> | 33,772 | 8,497 | 33.6% | 539,139 | 129,493 | 31.6% |
| 1960</p> | 42,085 | 8,313 | 24.6% | 780,255 | 241,116 | 44.7% |
| 1970</p> | 42,355 | 270 | 0.6% | 897,148 | 116,893 | 15.0% |
| 1980</p> | 39,007 | -3,348 | -7.9% | 845,385 | -51,763 | -5.8% |
| 1990</p> | 37,825 | -1,182 | -3.0% | 825,380 | -20,005 | -2.4% |
| 2000</p> | 39,260 | 1,435 | 3.8% | 884,118 | 58,738 | 7.1% |
After its founding as a township, Teaneck saw rapid growth in its population during the first half of the 20th century. As Teaneck changed from a sparsely populated rural area into a suburb, particularly after development of property that had been part of the Phelps estate started in the late 1920's, Teaneck's population grew rapidly, far outpacing the growth of Bergen County.
After World War II, the 1950 census showed growth in Teaneck (33.6%) pacing Bergen County overall (31.6%). Starting in 1960, a substantial decline in the rate of growth compared to Bergen County occurred as Teaneck reached the limits of developable land, and the township neared its peak population. Population growth in the 1970 census was small, but positive, with Teaneck reaching its historical maximum of 42,355. Absolute declines in population followed in both the 1980 (-7.9%) and 1990 (-3.0%) data. The 2000 census showed recovery in Teaneck's population to 39,260, though growth (3.8%) was smaller than in Bergen County overall (7.1%)
With almost no land left to develop for housing, Teaneck's population is likely to remain stable for the foreseeable future. A reluctance to permit high-rise development as a means to increase population density also places a limit on growth. Changes in family size are one of the few influences that may affect population over time.
[edit] History
[edit] Early history
The origin and meaning of the name "Teaneck" is not known. The resemblance to certain Dutch words has encouraged speculation about a possible Dutch derivation and meaning. Likewise, the two syllables "Tea" and "Neck" have equally distinct English meanings. But most experts agree Teaneck is probably Native American in origin, and may mean "place where there are woods". This is as good a definition as any other.
In the early days, the name "Teaneck" referred to the high ridge of land that runs roughly north and south through the town and on which today's Queen Anne Road runs. Early trails and camp sites established by tribes of the Lenni Lenape Native Americans were laid out on either side of the ridge. At the time European explorers arrived in New Jersey and New York, a powerful sachem or chief named Oratam was the ruler of a large tribe of Lenape in this area. They lived in a village that they called Achikinhesacky, on the banks of the Tantaqua (Overpeck) Creek, on the eastern slope of Teaneck Ridge near Fycke Lane.
Troubles persisted between the Native Americans and the Europeans until 1655, and it wasn't until 1704 that any reference to a permanent structure within Teaneck's current boundaries can be found. Later, more houses and farm buildings were constructed along the old Indian trail that ran along and above the west bank of the Hackensack River. The neighborhood that grew here came to be known as East Hackensack or New Hackensack.
A separate group of Dutch farm houses was constructed along the eastern slope of the Teaneck ridge. There were only a few European families in this neighborhood. Today, Teaneck is fortunate to have several of these early stone houses still standing. Officially designated as historic houses and maintained by private owners, they are reminders of Teaneck's 17th and 18th century Dutch farm heritage.
[edit] The Revolutionary War period
During November of 1776, Teaneck was witness to General George Washington's famous withdrawal of Colonial forces from nearby Fort Lee on the Hudson River. Early on the morning of November 20, 1776, Washington rode by horseback from his headquarters in Hackensack through Teaneck and across the Overpeck Creek to Fort Lee. There he watched as 6,000 British troops made their way by boats up the Hudson River. He arranged for his owns troops to abandon their vulnerable position on the Palisades. Abandoning camp and most of their provisions, they hastily made their way across Overpeck Creek and through Teaneck to New Bridge Landing (today's Brett Park in Teaneck). They crossed the bridge, marching barefoot, two abreast, their garments so worn that they were exposed to the cold rain that fell that day.
Bergen County was the site of many such events, and Teaneck was right in the middle of it. Throughout the war, both British and American forces occupied several local homesteads at various times, and Teaneck citizens played key roles on both sides of the conflict.
After the war, Teaneck returned to being a quiet farm community. Fruits and vegetables grown locally were taken by wagon to busy markets in nearby Paterson and New York City. New growth and development were aroused at mid-century by the establishment of railroads throughout the regions. Wealthy New Yorkers and others purchased large tracts of land on which they built spacious mansions and manor houses. They maintained New York City as their principal places of employment and traveled daily to work by train, thus becoming Teaneck's first suburban commuters.
[edit] The Phelps Estate
The largest estate built in Teaneck belonged to William Walter Phelps, the son of a wealthy railroad magnate and New York City merchant. In 1865, Phelps arrived in Teaneck and enlarged an old farmhouse into a spectacular Victorian mansion on the site of the present Municipal Government Complex. Phelps' "Englewood Farm" eventually encompassed nearly 2,000 acres (8 km²) of landscaped property within the central part of Teaneck. Subsequent development and house construction refocused along the perimeters of the Township, the central part being a tract crisscrossed by roads and trails.
[edit] Township formed
The Township of Teaneck was established on February 19, 1895 and was comprised of portions of Englewood Township, Ridgefield Township and Bogota. Teaneck's choice to incorporate as a Township was unusual in an era of "Boroughitis," where the overwhelming majority of new municipalities were being formed using the Borough form of government.
At a referendum held on January 14, 1895, 46 of 53 voters approved incorporation as a Borough. Citizens of Englewood Township challenged the creation of the borough, but accepted the new municipality as a Township, given its more rural character. A bill supporting the creation of the Township of Teaneck was put through the New Jersey General Assembly on February 18, 1895 and in the New Jersey Senate on the 19th. Governor of New Jersey George Werts signed the bill into law, and Teaneck was an independent municipality.<ref>A Centennial Review of Bergen County Borough Fever 1894-95, accessed August 9, 2006</ref>
William W. Bennett, overseer of the Phelps Estate, chaired the three-man Township Committee (later replaced by the current seven member Town Council). The town's population was 811. During these early days of the 20th century, the town's affairs focused on construction of streets and street lamps (originally gaslights), trolley lines (along DeGraw Avenue), telephones and speeding traffic. Social activities centered on church events and harness racing at the popular racetrack on Cedar Lane, near River Road. Several small inns offered fine dining and dancing to overnight guests.
[edit] Growth in early 20th century
Residential development began in earnest after the opening of the Phelps Estate in 1927. The completion of the George Washington Bridge in 1931 and its connection to Teaneck via Route 4 brought hundreds of curious and eager new home buyers. The population nearly quadrupled between 1920 and 1930, growing from 4,192 to 16,513.
Such rapid growth was not without its pains. Financial turmoil and inefficiencies in the town government resulted in the adoption of a new Council-Manager form of government in a referendum on September 16, 1930. A full-time Town Manager, Paul A. Volcker, Sr. (father of former Federal Reserve Chairman, Paul A. Volcker, Jr.), was appointed to handle Teaneck's day-to-day business affairs. Volcker's 20-year term, from 1930 to 1950, provided Teaneck with economic stability, zoning and long-term development plans, a paid fire department and civil service for Township employees. It also established a model for future administrations.
[edit] Development after World War II
Teaneck's reputation was enhanced when it was selected in 1949 from over 10,000 communities as America's model community. A film made, and photographs taken, in Teaneck was shown in Occupied Japan as a part of the United States Army's education program to show democracy in action.<ref>Teaneck Virtual Village: Teaneck as a Model Town, accessed May 9, 2006</ref>
After World War II, there was a second major spurt of building and population growth. The rapid changes and complicated demands of the modern era were met by careful consideration and adherence to the principles established by Teaneck's early citizens and planners. Never was this better illustrated that in 1965 when, after a long and difficult struggle, Teaneck became the first town in the nation where a white majority voted voluntarily for school integration. The sequence of events was the subject of a book entitled Triumph in a White Suburb written by Township resident Reginald G. Damerell (1968. New York: William Morrow & Company, Inc.).
The African-American population in the Northeast corner of Teaneck grew substantially starting in the 1960s, accompanied by white flight triggered by blockbusting efforts of township real estate agencies. As this de facto racial segregation increased, so did tensions between residents of the Northeast and the predominately white male Teaneck Police Department. On the evening of April 10, 1990, the Teaneck Police Department responded to a call from a resident complaining about a teenager with a gun. After an initial confrontation near the Bryant School and a subsequent chase, Phillip Pannell, an African-American teenager, was shot and killed by Gary Spath, a white Teaneck police officer. Spath said he thought Pannell had a gun and was turning to shoot him. Many witnesses said Pannell was unarmed and had been shot in the back. Protest marches, some violent, ensued, with most African-Americans believing that Pannell had been killed in cold blood, and White residents insisting that Spath had been justified in his actions. Spath was ultimately acquitted on charges of reckless manslaughter in the shooting. The incident was an international news event that brought Reverend Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson to the community and inspired the book Color Lines: The Troubled Dreams of Racial Harmony in an American Town, by Mike Kelly.
Teaneck, and the neighboring communities of Bergenfield and New Milford, has drawn a very large number of Modern Orthodox Jews who have established fourteen synagogues and four yeshivas (three high schools and one for young men). It's the functional center of northern New Jersey Orthodox community with nearly twenty kosher shops (restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets). It is within ten minutes driving time of Yeshiva University in New York City. This community tends to be involved with many Religious Zionist causes and offers strong support of Israel.
[edit] Historic homes
Several homes in Teaneck date back to the colonial era and to the period after the American Revolutionary War and have been preserved and survive to this day. Teaneck sites on the National Register of Historic Places are:
- Adam Vandelinda House - circa 1751. 586 Teaneck Road.
- Banta-Coe House - 18th century. 884 Lone Pine Lane.
- Brinkerhoff-Demarest House - circa 1728. 493 Teaneck Road.
- Caspar Westervelt House - 1763. 20 Sherwood Avenue.
- James Vandelinda House - 1805-1820. 566 Teaneck Road.
- Zabriskie-Kipp-Cadmus House - circa 1751. 664 River Road.
[edit] Government
[edit] Local government
From its founding in 1895, Teaneck used the traditional Township form of government, led by a three-man Township Committee (later expanded to five seats) elected on a partisan basis. On September 16, 1930, Teaneck residents voted to establish a nonpartisan Council-Manager form of government under the terms of the 1923 Municipal Manager Law, with five members elected concurrently on an at-large basis. In 1962, the Council was expanded to its current size of seven members and the position of Deputy Mayor was created. In 1987, a referendum to alter the form to a Faulkner Act Council-Manager form of government was approved, providing for staggered terms for the Council. With this change, Council elections now take place every two years on the second Tuesday in May. The Council's seven members serve staggered, four-year terms which expire in even numbered years as follows: three will expire in 2008, four will expire in 2010, etc. Members are elected to the Council at large.
The Township Council serves as Teaneck's governing body. It sets policies and standards and passes laws, known as ordinances. It adopts an annual budget and approves contracts and agreements for services. The Council appoints the Manager, Clerk, Auditor, Attorney, Magistrate and Assessor. The Council also appoints seven members of the Planning Board, the members of the Redevelopment Agency, Board of Adjustment, and all other statutory and advisory boards.
Members of the Teaneck Township Council are:<ref>Teaneck Township Council, accessed July 1, 2006</ref>
- Mayor Elie Y. Katz (term as Councilmember ends in June 30, 2010; term as Mayor ends in 2008)
- Deputy Mayor Lizette Parker (term as Councilmember ends in 2010; term as Deputy Mayor ends in 2008)
- Kevie Feit (2010)
- Adam Gussen (2010)
- Monica Honis (2008)
- Jacqueline B. Kates (2008)
- Elnatan Rudolph (2008). Rudolph was elected on May 9, 2006, to fill the remaining two years of the seat vacated by Deborah Veach when she stepped down to accept a position as Teaneck's Municipal Prosecutor. The seat had been filled on an interim basis by David Langford, who was unanimously chosen by the Township Council, at their January 17, 2006, meeting, to fill the portion of the unexpired term until June 30, 2006.
On July 1st following a municipal election, the Township Council holds an Organizational Meeting at which time those individuals elected (or re-elected) to serve on the Council are sworn in and begin their terms of office. The Municipal Clerk presides over the meeting until a Mayor is elected by the new Council from among its members. Following the election of the Mayor, a Deputy Mayor is elected who presides in the absence of the Mayor.
The Mayor, elected from among the Council members themselves, serves for a two-year term of office. The Mayor presides over all meetings and votes on every issue as a regular member. The Mayor is a member of the Planning Board and the Library Board. The Mayor appoints the members of the Library Board, and one member of the Planning Board. The Mayor executes bonds, notes, contracts and written obligations of the Township and is empowered by State Law to perform marriages.
The Municipal Manager, appointed to the position by the Council, is the Township's full-time professional chief executive officer. The duties include implementation of Council policies, enforcing ordinances and coordination of the activities of all departments and employees. The Manager makes recommendations to the Council on relevant matters, appoints and removes Township employees and investigates and acts on complaints. The Manager also appoints the Municipal Courts Prosecutor and Public Defender, members of the Rent Board and one member of the Teaneck Economic Development Corporation, and one member of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.
[edit] Federal, state and county representation
Teaneck is part of New Jersey's 37th Legislative District and is in the Ninth Congressional District.<ref>League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 64, accessed August 30, 2006</ref>
New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Bergen County and sections of Hudson County and Passaic County, is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).
The 37th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Loretta Weinberg (D, Teaneck) and in the Assembly by Valerie Huttle (D, Englewood) and Gordon M. Johnson (D, Englewood). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).
Bergen County's County Executive is Dennis McNerney (D). The executive, along with the Board of Chosen Freeholders administer all county business. Bergen County's Freeholders are Chairwoman Bernadette P. McPherson (D, Rutherford), Vice-Chairman David L. Ganz (D, Fair Lawn), Elizabeth Calabrese (D, Wallington), James M. Carroll (D, Demarest), Tomas J. Padilla (D, Park Ridge), Elizabeth Randall (R), Westwood) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D, Englewood).
Other countywide elected officials are Sheriff Leo McGuire (D), Surrogate Court Judge Mike Dressler (D, Cresskill) County Clerk Kathleen Donovan (R).
[edit] Politics
As of April 1, 2006, out of a 2004 Census estimated population of 39,853, there were 23,378 registered voters (58.7% of the population, vs. 55.4% in all of Bergen County). Of registered voters, 7,889 (33.7% vs. 20.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,704 (7.3% vs. 19.2% countywide) were registered as Republicans and 13,774 (58.9% vs. 60.1% countywide) were registered as Undeclared. There were 11 voters registered to other parties.<ref>"County of Bergen: Voter Statistics by Municipality, Ward & District," dated April 1, 2006</ref>
On the national level, Teaneck leans strongly toward the Democratic Party. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 69% of the vote here, defeating Republican George W. Bush, who received around 30%.<ref>2004 Presidential Election results: Bergen County New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety: Division of Elections, dated December 13, 2004</ref>
[edit] Taxation
New Jersey has the highest median property tax rates in the United States.<ref>New Jersey Reporter, June 2006, p. 30</ref> Teaneck, situated in Bergen County, the fourth wealthiest county in New Jersey, has among the highest tax rates in New Jersey.
Roughly 60% of a Teaneck property owner's tax goes to support the local school system (ranked 93rd out of 104 from lowest to highest cost in per-pupil spending, relative to comparable K-12 school districts in the state).<ref>New Jersey Department of Education Comparative Spending Guide March 2006</ref> Most of the rest of the property tax (33%) goes to municipal taxes and the remainder (7%) to county services. Much of Teaneck's current cost structure is a result of long term labor agreements.
The 2005 tax rate is $4.38 per $100 of assessed value, which is comprised of school taxes of $2.573, municipal taxes of $1.460, county taxes of $0.327, and county and municipal open space taxes of one cent each per $100 of assessed value. A property assessed at the township average of $200,000 would pay annual property taxes of $8,760. The average sale price of a single family home in Teaneck during 2003 was $357,834; the estimated 2006 average price is well over $400,000.
In 2006, Teaneck is undergoing a revaluation of all privately owned real estate, as required periodically by the state. This revaluation will adjust property values to market prices, to ensure that taxes are equitably allocated to reflect changes in valuation in different neighborhoods.
Also in 2006, the local electorate voted against approving the local school budget.
[edit] Education
[edit] Public Schools
The Teaneck Public Schools serves students in pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade. Schools in the district (with 2003-04 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) include Bryant School, with 396 students in pre-K and Kindergarten; three lower schools serving grades 1-4: Hawthorne School with 372 students, Lowell School with 383 students and Whittier School with 425 students; two middle schools serving grades 5-8: Benjamin Franklin Middle School with 656 students and Thomas Jefferson Middle School with 747 students; and Teaneck High School, which has an enrollment of 1,407 students in grades 9-12.
The Teaneck Public Schools allocated $14,320 per year per public school pupil in the 2005-2006 school year (93rd of 104 comparable school districts in the state, ranked lowest to highest spending); this is up more than $2100 (more than 17%) since the 2003-2004 school year. Of the per-pupil allocation, $8,289 goes directly to classroom instruction (97th in the state).<ref>New Jersey Department of Education Comparative Spending Guide March 2006</ref>
The Teaneck Community Charter School is a charter school that operates independently of the Teaneck Public Schools under a charter granted by the Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education. Admission is open to the public for available slots (after returning students and siblings of existing students are entered) and covers kindergarten through eighth grade, with an after school program and summer camp. As the school is a public school, no tuition is charged. Funding comes from the Teaneck Public Schools (and other home districts of non-resident students), which provides 90% of its cost per pupil in the district, with the balance of funding coming directly from the state of New Jersey.
[edit] Private and Parochial Schools
Teaneck is home to the Metropolitan Campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University, which straddles the Hackensack River, in Teaneck and Hackensack.
Private Orthodox Jewish day schools include the Torah Academy of Bergen County (for males) and Ma'ayanot Yeshiva High School (for females), both high schools (grades 9-12).
Teaneck is also home to the Schechter Regional High School, a co-ed Conservative Jewish high school.
The Al-Ghazaly High School is a co-ed religious day school (grades 7 through 12) primarily serving the Muslim community. Students come from the greater Teaneck area.
The Community School is a private school, founded in 1968 to serve the bright child with learning and attentional disabilities. Both the lower school and high school are located in Teaneck.
[edit] Transportation
[edit] Highways
Teaneck is situated along a number of major transportation routes, including the northern terminus of the New Jersey Turnpike (a portion of Interstate 95). Teaneck is the eastern terminus of Interstate 80, which stretches over 2,900 miles west to downtown San Francisco, California. Route 4 runs east-west through Teaneck, where, unlike all other towns situated along the highway, there is no commercial development. New Jersey's other main trunk route, the Garden State Parkway, can be reached just a few miles west of Teaneck.
Access to New York City is available for motorists across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee which can be reached by highway via Route 4 or Interstate 95, and (via the Turnpike) through the Lincoln Tunnel in Hudson County into Midtown Manhattan.
[edit] Public transportation
Bus service is available from New Jersey Transit and private companies such as Red and Tan Lines to the Port Authority Bus Terminal and George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal, with frequent service on Teaneck Road, Route 4 and Cedar Lane, and less frequent service on other main streets.
While there is no passenger train operation in Teaneck, train service is available on New Jersey Transit on the Pascack Valley Line at the North Hackensack station (in River Edge) and the Anderson Street station (in Hackensack). This line runs north-south to Hoboken Terminal with connections to the PATH train from the Hoboken PATH station and New Jersey Transit connecting service to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction transfer station. Connections are also available at Hoboken Terminal to New York Waterways ferry service to the World Financial Center and other destinations and for the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail system, serving routes along the Hudson River in Hudson County.
Teaneck is split east and west by railroad tracks, which currently provide freight service by CSX Transportation. Until the 1950s, passenger train service was provided on these same tracks by the West Shore Railroad, with Teaneck stations at Cedar Lane and West Englewood Avenue. Service was available from these stations into Weehawken, with ferry service available across the Hudson River to New York City at 42nd Street and at the Financial District in lower Manhattan. Service was also available north along the west shore of the river to Albany. Efforts are continuing to restore passenger train service on this line for the many commuters heading into New York City. However, with recent decisions to extend Hudson-Bergen Light Rail service via the Northern Branch to Tenafly, this possibility seems far less likely.
[edit] Noted natives
Some noted current and former residents:
- Vincent M. Battle - former United States Ambassador to Lebanon
- Eef Barzelay - chief songwriter/singer/guitarist of alt-country indie rock band Clem Snide
- Pat Boone - star pop singer from the 1950s Love Letters in the Sand whose best-known hits were cover versions of songs originated by African-American artists Ain't That a Shame, Tutti-Frutti
- Philip Bosco - noted character actor
- Louis Bourgeois - architect active in design of Baha'i temples
- Chris Brancato - Hollywood writer and producer
- Leonie Brinkema - U.S. District Court judge in the Zacarias Moussaoui case
- Brendan Canty - drummer of critically-acclaimed, legendary indie rock band Fugazi (band)
- Tony Campbell - former NBA basketball player
- Gaius Charles, actor, Friday Night Lights<ref>Teaneck actor got in the zone to land 'Friday Night Lights' role, [[The Record (Bergen County)|]], November 26, 2006</ref>
- DMX - Rapper
- Howard Fast- novelist, author of Spartacus
- Matthew Feldman - Mayor of Teaneck from 1960-66; Member of the New Jersey Senate representing the 37th district, from 1966-68 and 1974-94<ref>Longtime State Senator Metthew Feldman Dies: "Always wanted to do what was right", The Record (Bergen County), April 12, 1994</ref>
- Eric Fettmann - op-ed columnist and editorial writer for The New York Post
- Lawrence Frank - Head Coach of the New Jersey Nets
- Doug Glanville - baseball player
- Al Hibbler - R&B singer; later civil rights activist
- Elston Howard - Baseball player New York Yankees
- The Isley Brothers - the influential African American music group who founded T-Neck Records (named for their base in the township) in 1964, becoming the first R&B band to form their own record label, then a rarity in black music.
- Moe Jaffe - Songwriter
- Jodeci - R&B group of the early 90s
- J. J. Johnson - Noted jazz trombonist
- Kevin Jonas of the Jonas Brothers was born in Teaneck
- Ben Jorgensen - Lead singer in Armor For Sleep
- Zab Judah, - Champion welterweight boxer
- Mike Kelly - Columnist for the The Record and author of Color Lines, a book about the 1990 shooting of Phillip Pannell, an African-American teenager, by Gary Spath, a white Teaneck police officer.
- Ben E. King - singer, Stand By Me
- Anthony Laciura - tenor, Metropolitan Opera
- Phoebe Laub - Singer / songwriter known by her stage name Phoebe Snow, which was selected from the name of a train that ran through Teaneck, the Phoebe Snow<ref>Biographical info for Phoebe Snow, NNDB, accessed June 30, 2006</ref>
- Damon Lindelof - Co-creator and executive producer of Lost (TV series) television series
- Don Maloney - author
- Mario - current R&B singer
- Bob McGrath - Plays the character "Bob" on TV's Sesame Street; The longest lasting human character on the program.
- Ozzie Nelson and Harriet Nelson - from the The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
- Ricky Nelson - son of Ozzie and Harriet; elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987
- Peter Pace - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff since September 30, 2005; the first Marine to hold this position
- Hilton Ruiz - Jazz pianist, Afro-Cuban style. Deceased June 6, 2006
- Nick Saviano - former tennis player, won 1 ATP title and reached 2 other finals
- Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath - Yiddish language poet
- Trey Songz - R&B singer
- David Stern - Commissioner of the National Basketball Association
- John Ventimiglia - actor, plays Artie Bucco on The Sopranos<ref>Actor behind Artie Bucco shows another side, Star-Ledger, September 18, 2000</ref>
- Paul A. Volcker, Jr. - Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and son of Paul A. Volcker, Sr., Teaneck's first Municipal Manager
- Christopher Wallace, rapper known as Notorious B.I.G.
- David West - NBA basketball player with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
- Dave Winfield- Hall of Fame baseball player
- The Wrens- International rock band
[edit] References
<references/>
[edit] External links
- Township of Teaneck official website
- Teaneck Public Library
- Teaneck Public Schools website
- Teaneck Public Schools's 2004-2005 School Report Card from the New Jersey Department of Education
- National Center for Education Statistics data for the Teaneck Public Schools
- Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps
- Teaneck Community Calendar
- Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Holy Name Hospital
- Historical Population Trends in Bergen County 1990 - 2000
- Teaneck Chamber of Commerce - Demographics
- Census 2000 Demographic Profile Highlights for Teaneck
- Teaneck Blog community issues discussion blog
- Teaneck Progress community issues discussion blog
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
