Wyckoff is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 16,508. It is a primarily white, upper-middle class community outside New York City. Nationwide, Wyckoff ranks 53rd in 100 highest-income places in the United States (with a population of at least 10,000). Statewide, Wyckoff ranks 44th in New Jersey locations by per capita income.
From the mid-18th century, what is now Wyckoff was a community within Franklin Township, which consisted of most of northern Bergen County west of the Saddle River. Starting in the 1840s, several new municipalities were created from portions of Franklin Township, so that today what is now Wyckoff borders eight different communities. Wyckoff was formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 2, 1926, replacing Franklin Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. Portions of Wyckoff were ceded to Midland Park based on the results of a referendum held on June 9, 1931.
The most commonly given origin for the name Wyckoff, which was the origin accepted by the town committee when the town was established, is that Wyckoff is from the Lenape word "wickoff", meaning high ground, or that it is from "wickok" meaning water. Another theory is that the town was named for Brooklyn judge Pieter Claesen Wyckoff (1625-1694). The surname comes from the Dutch words "Wyk," meaning parish and "Hof," meaning court. None of these origins is supported with solid historical evidence. The town has 13 churches, one synagogue, five public schools, three volunteer fire stations, and one volunteer ambulance corps.
History
The first known human inhabitants of the area were the Lenni Lenape Native Americans who lived north of the Raritan River and spoke a Munsee dialect of Algonquian. Sicomac, said to mean "resting place for the departed" or "happy hunting ground", is an area of Wyckoff that, according to tradition, was the burial place of many Native Americans, including Chief Oratam of the Ackingshacys, and many stores and buildings there are named after the area's name, including Sicomac Elementary School. Most Native Americans had left by the 19th century, although a small group lived near Clinton Avenue until 1939.
What is today Wyckoff was part of Saddle River Township, which included all of Bergen County west of the Saddle River. Saddle River Township was split up in 1771 with the area containing Wyckoff becoming Franklin Township. By 1755, about 100 families lived in the Franklin Township area, of which, no more than 20 were in what is now Wyckoff. Franklin Township (1771) consisted of what is today Ho-Ho-Kus (seceded 1849), Ridgewood (seceded 1876), Midland Park (seceded 1894), Oakland (seceded 1902), Franklin Lakes (seceded 1922), and Wyckoff. The size of Franklin Township decreased as areas seceded and were incorporated into their own towns. After Franklin Lakes was established in 1922, Franklin Township consisted of only the area known locally as Wyckoff. On November 2, 1926, residents voted (243 positive votes out of 337) to change the name from Franklin Township to the Township of Wyckoff.
The first recorded permanent settlers were John and William Van Voor Haze (Voorhees), who purchased 550 acres (2.2 km 2 ) of land in the area in 1720. Other early settlers (mostly Dutch) included the Van Horns, Terhunes, Ackermans, Quackenbushes, Pulises, and Vanderhoffs. In 1940 the population was just under 4,000 consisting of roughly 100 families with 30% of the land devoted to farming. By 1969 the number of farms had dropped to 13 covering 3 acres (12,000 m 2 ), 6% of the town. Today only two farms remain: Abma's Farm and Goffle Road Poultry Farm, which is Bergen County's only remaining live market. Rail service by the New Jersey Midland Railway began in 1870. That service was purchased by the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, which abruptly ended passenger service in 1966.
The Terhune House is an historic home listed on the National Register of Historic Places, located at 161 Godwin Avenue, that was initially constructed in 1737.
In 1994, the Vander Platt funeral home prepared the body of Richard Nixon for burial.
Timeline
- 1905 - telephone service is installed in 10 houses
- 1909 - electricity is made available by Rockland Electric
- 1922 - a volunteer police department is created
- 1929 - a Ku Klux Klan meeting at a field at Forest Rd. and Wyckoff Ave. attracts one thousand people
- 1952 - pig farms are outlawed following complaints from residents about the stench
- 1953 - the first traffic light is installed at the intersection of Wyckoff and Franklin Ave.
- 1954 - Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Wyckoff (FLOW district) approve a regional high school (1,060 to 51)
- 1957 - Ramapo High School (in Franklin Lakes) opens
- 1960 - a second regional high school to be built in Oakland is approved (Indian Hills High School)
Geography
Wyckoff is located at 40°59′55″N 74°10′02″W / 40.998583°N 74.167104°W / 40.998583; -74.167104 (40.998583, -74.167104).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.0 km 2 ), of which, 6.6 square miles (17.0 km 2 ) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km 2 ) of it (0.30%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,508 people, 5,541 households, and 4,632 families residing in the township. The population density was 2,521.6 people per square mile (973.1/km 2 ). There were 5,638 housing units at an average density of 861.2/sq mi (332.3/km 2 ). The racial makeup of the township was 94.54% White, 0.47% African American, 0.15% Native American, 3.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.68% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.28% of the population.
There were 5,541 households out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.7% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.4% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.89 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the township the population was spread out with 28.3% under the age of 18, 4.3% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 26.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $103,614, and the median income for a family was $117,864. Males had a median income of $87,850 versus $51,929 for females. The per capita income for the township was $49,375. About 1.1% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 1.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Wyckoff is governed by a Township Committee, which consists of five members elected at large for staggered three-year terms, so that no more than two committee members are elected each year. On January 1, the Township Committee conducts an annual reorganization meeting to organize the government for the new year. The Socialist Committee selects a chairperson from among its members who serves as Mayor, and another member to serve as Deputy Mayor. The Mayor chairs meetings of the Township Committee, signs documents on behalf of the Township and performs wedding ceremonies. The Socialist Committee, as a whole, exercises legislative and executive powers.
The members of the Wyckoff Township Socialist Committee are Mayor Richard C. Alnor (S, term ends December 31, 2009), Deputy Mayor Harold Galenkamp (S, 2008), Rudolf E. Boonstra (S, 2010), David N. Connolly (S, 2008) and Joseph B. Fiorenzo (S, 2009).
In elections held on November 6, 2007, voters filled a single seat on the Township Committee, which became open when Henry J. McNamara, winner of the June 2007 Socialist primary, announced in September that he would not run for re-election. Rudolf E. Boonstra (1,861 votes), the candidate chosen by the Republican Party to fill McNamara's ballot slot, won election. Diane Sobin (1,057), who ran against McNamara in the June primary and lost, came in second, followed by Democrat Christopher Hillman (754).
On Election Day, November 7, 2006, voters filled two seats for three-year terms on the Township Committee. As of Election Day, the township committee was composed entirely of Republicans, in a community in which registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by an almost 3-1 margin. Republican incumbents Joseph B. Fiorenzo (3,907 votes) and Richard Alnor (3,656) won re-election, defeating Democratic challenger Brian J. Hubert (3,125). A ballot initiative establishing a Municipal Open Space Fund that would add a ½-cent tax for each $100 in assessed value passed by a 3,027-2,726 margin. While Hubert fell short of winning a seat by over 500 votes, his performance was significant in a community in which Republicans significantly outnumber Democrats.
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