Growth in Bloomingdale was driven by the development in the late 1860s of a rubber mill and other factories in neighboring Butler. The New Jersey Midland Railroad, later known as the New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway, laid tracks adjacent to the settlement, with a Bloomingdale station located in what today is Riverdale. The northern section of Riverdale and most of Butler were known as East Bloomingdale and West Bloomingdale respectively during most of the 19th century. Despite crossing a county border, they also shared a school district and residents considered the whole area as "Bloomingdale" until about 1881 when a Post Office named Butler was designated. This began a period of rivalry which caused a schism between the residents of Butler and Bloomingdale resulting in separate schools, churches and even town bands.
Bloomingdale was incorporated as an independent borough on February 23, 1918, when Pompton Township was split up into three new municipalities along with Wanaque and Ringwood.[24] Prior to that, the area was known as Bloomingdale throughout the 19th century and was initially a farming community starting about 1712 with the "Bloomingdale Forge" built shortly thereafter to take advantage of the iron in the hills. The business district along the Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike and the Pequannock River began about the middle of the 19th century.
Bloomingdale, like most municipalities in northeastern North Jersey, is a suburb of New York City. Some of the things that still link Bloomingdale to its past are its two churches (Methodist and Baptist), the Samuel R. Donald School (originally built in 1886) and the Bloomingdale Cornet Band continuously active since 1884.
DeLazier Field, used by the Triboro Little League, was the home field for the Minor League Baseball team known as the Bloomingdale Troopers of the North Atlantic League from 1946 to 1948.[25]
The History of Bloomingdale can be found in three separate books published by the borough in 1958, 1968 and 1993. Additionally, more history can be found in microfilmed local newspapers located at the Butler Museum,[26] the Morristown Library,[27] the Paterson Library[28] and the New Jersey State Archives.[29]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 9.25 square miles (23.95 km2), including 8.80 square miles (22.79 km2) of land and 0.45 square miles (1.16 km2) of water (4.82%).[1][2]
Lake communities in the borough include Glen Wild Lake, Lake Iosco, Kampfe Lake and Lower / Upper Morse Lake.[30]
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Cold Spring Lake, Glenwild Lake, Iosco Lake, Lake Kampfe, Morse Lakes, Mothers Lake, Norvin Green State Forest, Pompton Junction, Star Lake and Twilliger Lake.[31]
Of the 2,935 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 56.0% were married couples living together; 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.7% were non-families. Of all households, 25.1% were made up of individuals and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.10.[20]
21.1% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 29.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.4 males.[20]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $79,044 (with a margin of error of +/− $15,773) and the median family income was $103,972 (+/− $5,906). Males had a median income of $56,974 (+/− $6,604) versus $47,204 (+/− $7,582) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $32,417 (+/− $3,746). About 3.3% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.[40]
Same-sex couples headed 23 households in 2010, up from the 14 counted in 2000.[41]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[17] there were 7,610 people, 2,847 households, and 2,078 families residing in the borough. The population density was 864.7 inhabitants per square mile (333.9/km2). There were 2,940 housing units at an average density of 334.1 per square mile (129.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 95.55% White, 0.42% African American, 0.12% Native American, 2.19% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.36% of the population.[38][39]
There were 2,847 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.9% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.09.[38][39]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.9 males.[38][39]
The median income for a household in the borough was $67,885, and the median income for a family was $75,433. Males had a median income of $46,351 versus $36,607 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,736. 3.4% of the population and 2.0% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 3.8% are under the age of 18 and 3.5% are 65 or older.[38][39]
Government
Bloomingdale Borough Hall
Local government
Bloomingdale is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.[42] The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[7] The borough form of government used by Bloomingdale is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.[43][44]
As of 2023[update], the mayor of the Borough of Bloomingdale is Democrat John D'Amato, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Bloomingdale Borough Council are Council President John Graziano (D, 2024), Dominic Catalano (D, 2025), Richard C. Dellaripa (D, 2025), Dawn R. Hudson (D, 2025), Evelyn M. Schubert (R, 2024) and Peyman "Ray" Yazdi (D, 2023).[3][45][46][47][48][49]
Council President John D’Amato was selected to serve as acting mayor, filling the seat expiring in December 2023 that became vacant following the death of Jonathan Dunleavy in November 2020.[50] In December 2021, after D'Amato was elected as mayor in the November 2021 general election, the borough council selected Dominic Catalano from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by John D'Amato until he stepped down from office after being certified as mayor; Catalano served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election, when voters chose him to serve the balance of the term.[51][47]
Federal, state, and county representation
Bloomingdale is located in the 5th Congressional District[52] and is part of New Jersey's 26th state legislative district.[53]
Passaic County is governed by Board of County Commissioners, comprised of seven members who are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms office on a partisan basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year term.[60] As of 2024[update], Passaic County's Commissioners are:
Constitutional officers, elected on a countywide basis are:
Clerk Danielle Ireland-Imhof (D, Hawthorne, 2028),[73][74]
Acting Sheriff Gary Giardina (D, Wayne, 2024)[75][76] and
Surrogate Zoila S. Cassanova (D, Wayne, 2026).[77][78][69]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,993 registered voters in Bloomingdale, of which 1,333 (26.7% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,154 (23.1% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 2,505 (50.2% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.[81] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 65.2% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 82.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).[81][82]
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 51.7% of the vote (1,849 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 46.7% (1,670 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (57 votes), among the 3,608 ballots cast by the borough's 5,215 registered voters (32 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 69.2%.[83][84] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,077 votes (53.1% vs. 37.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,732 votes (44.3% vs. 58.8%) and other candidates with 50 votes (1.3% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,911 ballots cast by the borough's 5,159 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.8% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County).[85] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,078 votes (55.2% vs. 42.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,603 votes (42.6% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.0% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,767 ballots cast by the borough's 4,996 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.4% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).[86]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.6% of the vote (1,599 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 29.9% (697 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (36 votes), among the 2,370 ballots cast by the borough's 5,219 registered voters (38 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.4%.[87][88] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,401 votes (54.3% vs. 43.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 934 votes (36.2% vs. 50.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 191 votes (7.4% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 30 votes (1.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,580 ballots cast by the borough's 4,932 registered voters, yielding a 52.3% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).[89]
Education
Shrubs and boulders on a hill overlooking Bloomingdale.
The Bloomingdale School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.[90] As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 564 students and 44.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.[91] Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[92]) are
Martha B. Day Elementary School[93] with 142 students in grades Pre-K–1,
Samuel R. Donald Elementary School[94] with 173 students in grades 2–4 and
Walter T. Bergen Middle School[95] with 241 students in grades 5–8.[96][97][98]
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 29.54 miles (47.54 km) of roadways, of which 21.04 miles (33.86 km) were maintained by the municipality, 7.88 miles (12.68 km) by Passaic County and 0.62 miles (1.00 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[102]
Interstate 287 is the most significant highway passing through Bloomingdale. However, there is no direct access to it within Bloomingdale, with the nearest interchanges being in adjacent towns. County Route 511 is the most significant road serving Bloomingdale directly.
^ abBorough Council, Borough of Bloomingdale. Accessed March 19, 2023. "The Borough form of government was enabled by legislation in 1878 allowing citizens residing in an area no greater than four square miles and with less than 5,000 residents to establish a local government composed of a mayor and a six-member council. The original legislation was later modified to simplify the regulations relating to the Borough form of government."
^Zimmer, David M. "Passaic County's Friendship Park updated, renamed in honor of former Bloomingdale mayor", The Record, September 23, 2021. Accessed July 2, 2022. "The newly renamed and enhanced Mayor Dunleavy Memorial Park was dedicated this month by the county's Board of Commissioners in memory of Jonathan Dunleavy. Dunleavy, who grew up in Clifton, died on Nov. 6, 2020, about a decade after he was first elected Bloomingdale's mayor. John D’Amato, the acting mayor in Dunleavy's absence, said the dedication of the park was a fitting tribute to the community leader."
^Minutes of a Special Meeting of the Governing Body December 21, 2021, Borough of Bloomingdale. Accessed July 2, 2022. "Mayor D’Amato asked for motion to appoint Dominic Catalano to fill the vacant council seat; motion to appoint Dominic Catalano was made by John Graziano, seconded by Dawn Hudson & carried per the following roll call vote... Oath of Office given to Dominic Catalano..."
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^ abBoard of County Commissioners, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed June 21, 2022. "Passaic County is governed by a seven-member Board of County Commissioners. Each County Commissioner is elected at large for a three-year term. The board is headed by a director, who is selected for a one-year term at the board's annual reorganization meeting (at the first meeting of the year in January)."
^Bruce James, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed June 21, 2022.
^Bloomingdale Board of Education District Polict 0110 - Identification, Bloomingdale School District. Accessed February 7, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through eight in the Bloomingdale School District. Composition: The Bloomingdale School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Bloomingdale Borough."
^Butler Public Schools 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 14, 2017. "The district also engages in several Shared Service agreements with the Bloomingdale school district, beyond the send-receive high school experience, including sharing of school Library oversight, Special Education and sharing the services of the Student Assistance Counselor."
^Profile 2012-2013, Butler High School. Accessed January 26, 2015. "Butler High School is a public high school servicing the students of the Borough of Butler and the Borough of Bloomingdale."
^Rouse, Karen. "N.J. Transit bus No. 75, running from Passaic County to Newark, will no longer operate", The Record, August 29, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2015. "Starting Saturday, the NJ Transit No. 75 bus — which runs from Butler through Pompton Lakes, Pequannock, Wayne and Little Falls on its way to Newark — will no longer operate as NJ Transit's plan to save $2.5 million in operating costs takes effect."
^Rispoli, Michael. "McCain's Team Has Many Roots In Jersey", Asbury Park Press, September 4, 2008. Accessed July 10, 2012. "That reputation for being a gimmee for Democrats also churns out Republican operatives who have to deal with tough losses and think innovatively to win votes, said Bloomingdale native Michael DuHaime, political director for McCain's campaign."
^Feldman, Kate. "Tim O’Connor, Peyton Place star, dead at 90", New York Daily News, April 12, 2018. Accessed August 7, 2019. "Before launching his TV career, O'Connor worked on stage in New York with legends including Sir Laurence Olivier and Maureen O'Hara, commuting from a house on an island in Glen Wild Lake, near Bloomingdale, N.J., where he lived with first wife Mary." Note that Glen Wild Lake is in Bloomingdale (not merely "near" it)."
United States
New Jersey
