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Madison, New Jersey

Encyclopedia : M : MA : MAD : Madison, New Jersey

Madison is a Borough in Morris County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 16,530. It is known as "The Rose City."

Contents

History

The earliest settlers of European descent arrived about 1715 and established "Bottle Hill" at the crossroads of Ridgedale Avenue and Kings Road. The Luke Miller house at 105 Ridgedale Avenue is thought to be the oldest remaining home in the Borough, built around 1730. Morris County, created in 1739, was divided into three townships. The area in Madison north of Kings Road was in Hanover Township and the area to the south was part of Morris Township. A meeting house for the Presbyterian Church of South Hanover, as Madison was then called, was started in 1747 where the Presbyterian Cemetery still exists between Kings Road and Madison Avenue. Later, in 1806, Chatham Township was formed, comprising the present Madison, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, and Florham Park, and thus the political division of the village was ended. In 1834, the name of the village was changed to Madison, and in 1889, with a population of 3,250 persons, it seceded from Chatham Township and became a borough in order to develop a local water supply system.

Madison's growth accelerated after the Civil War. The railroad provided good transportation for its farm produce. Later it made possible the establishment of a flourishing rose growing industry, still commemorated in Madison's nickname, The Rose City. The Morris and Essex Lines became one of America's first commuter railroads, attracting well-to-do families and contributing to the development of "Millionaire's Row," which stretched from downtown Madison to Morristown.

The rose industry and the large estates in the area attracted working class people of all kinds. As a result, Madison very early developed a varied population, both in terms of socio-economic status and ethnic background. The original settlers were of British stock; French settlers came after the Revolution; African Americans have been members of the community from early in the 19th century; Irish came in mid century and then Germans and Italians around the turn of the century. To this day there is a substantial community of Italian descent in Madison. Today Madison remains a diverse community, with many of the more recent immigrants coming from Central and South America and from Asia.

Geography

Madison is located at [40°45′31″N, 74°24′58″W] (40.758750, -74.416098)[Geographic references#1GR1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 10.9 km² (4.2 mi²), all land.

Demographics

As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 16,530 people, 5,520 households, and 3,786 families residing in the borough. The population density was 1,519.6/km² (3,935.6/mi²). There were 5,641 housing units at an average density of 518.6/km² (1,343.1/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough was 89.69% White, 3.00% African American, 0.13% Native American, 3.77% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 1.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.97% of the population.

There were 5,520 households out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 17.6% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $82,847, and the median income for a family was $101,798. Males had a median income of $62,303 versus $42,097 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $38,416. About 2.0% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Madison operates under the Borough form of New Jersey government, with a mayor and a six-member Borough Council. The mayor serves a four-year term and is elected directly by the voters. Borough Council members serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

The Mayor of Madison is Ellwood R. Kerkeslager (term ends December 31, 2007; in office since January 1, 1999). Members of the Borough Council are Council President Carmela Vitale (term ends 2008; in office since 2003), Astri J. Baillie (ends 2007; since 2002), Donald J. Bowen (ends 2007; since 2002), Robert H. Conley (ends 2008; in office since July 6, 2005), John M. Elias (ends 2006) and Mary-Anna Holden (ends 2006; since 1998).

Federal, state and county representation

Madison Borough is in the Eleventh Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 21st Legislative District.

New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District, covering western portions of Essex County, all of Morris County, and sections of Passaic County, Somerset County and Sussex County, is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Union City).

The 21st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Thomas Kean Jr. (R, Westfield) and in the Assembly by Jon Bramnick (R, Westfield) and Eric Munoz (R, Summit). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Morris County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Morris County's Freeholders are: Margaret Nordstrom (Freeholder Director), John Inglesino (Freeholder Deputy Director), Douglas R. Cabana, Frank J. Druetzler, Cecilia G. Laureys John J. Murphy and Jack Schrier.

Education

The Madison Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district consist of three elementary schools — [Central Avenue School] (K-6), [Kings Road School] (K-6) and [Torey J. Sabatini School] (PreK-6) — and [Madison Junior School] (7 and 8). Madison is served by Madison High School, which also serves the residents of neighboring Harding Township. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Neil O'Donnell and actress Janeane Garofalo are notable Madison High alumni.

Saint Vincent Martyr School (SVMS) is a Catholic school that serves students in grades PK-3 through six. SVMS is a recipient of the No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon award for 2005-2006.

Drew University is located in Madison, on a leafy 200 acre (809 km²) campus.

A portion of Fairleigh Dickinson University's Florham-Madison campus is located in Madison.

In 1967 the trustees of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, UMDNJ, had wanted to build a consolidated school on a 150-acre (607,000 m²) estate in Madison. Hitherto, UMDNJ's medical facilities were in Newark, and its dental facilities were in Jersey City. Newark, already reeling from industrial job losses, made a desperate offer to compete with the bucolic Morris County suburb. Mayor Addonizio, offered to condemn and raze 150 acres (607,000 m²) of the densely populated Central Ward. After the 1967 Newark riots, the decision was made to remain in Newark and to abandon the plans to move to Madison.

Transportation

New Jersey Transit's Madison station provides commuter service on the Morristown Line, with trains heading to Hoboken Terminal, and to Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Kearny Connection.

Business

Madison's downtown is a thriving central business district. It is supported by a Downtown Development Commission and a Downtown Manager. The Madison Civic Commercial Historic District, which includes much of "downtown" as well as Borough Hall and the train station, is on the State Register of Historic Places. At any time there is very little vacant commercial space. In recent years Madison has become noted for the number and quality of its restaurants.

Giralda Farms, a planned office development, occupies 175 acres (0.7 km²) of the former Dodge Estate in Madison. Five of a possible seven projects have been completed. These include the corporate headquarters of Atlantic Mutual Insurance, Maersk Lines, and Wyeth (formerly called American Home Products), and the offices of Schering-Plough. The development regulations require that 85% of the land be maintained as open space with almost all vehicle parking underground.

Sister City

Madison's sister city is Madison, Connecticut.

Points of interest

References

External links

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