East Orange, New Jersey

East Orange is a city in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 69,612, The city was the state's 17th most populous municipality in 2020, after having been ranked 20th in 2010 and 14th statewide in 2000. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 69,556 for 2023,

History

East Orange had its origins in Connecticut's New Haven Colony. In 1666, a group of 30 of New Haven's families traveled by water to found "a town on the Passayak" River. They arrived on territory now encompassing Newark, the Oranges, and several other municipalities. The area was situated in the northeast portion of a land grant conveyed by King Charles II of England to his brother James, Duke of York. In 1664, James conveyed the land to two proprietors, Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret. Since Carteret had been Royal Governor of the Isle of Jersey, the territory became known as New Jersey.

East Orange was initially a part of Newark and was originally known as Newark Mountains. On June 7, 1780, the townspeople of Newark Mountains officially voted to adopt the name Orange. At the time, there was a significant number of people in favor of secession from Newark. However, this would not occur until November 27, 1806, when the territory now encompassing all of the Oranges was finally detached. On April 13, 1807, the first government was elected, but not until March 13, 1860, was Orange officially incorporated as a city. Immediately, the new city began fragmenting into smaller communities, primarily because of local disputes about the costs of establishing paid police, fire, and street departments. South Orange was organized on January 26, 1861; Fairmount (later to become part of West Orange) on March 11, 1862; East Orange on March 4, 1863; and West Orange (including Fairmount) on March 14, 1863. East Orange was reincorporated as a city on December 9, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.

East Orange was known, at one time, for the shade trees that lined the city's residential streets. This is still evident today, as many of the tall trees still stand.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 3.93 square miles (10.17 km2), all of which was land.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Ampere and Brick Church.

Neighborhoods

left|thumb|A reminder of East Orange's former wealth. The [[Ambrose-Ward Mansion was built in 1898 for a book manufacturer, now the home of the African-American Fund of New Jersey.]]

East Orange is officially divided into five wards, but is also unofficially divided into neighborhoods, still with many well maintained streets and homes.

Ampere: Anchored by the now defunct train station of the same name, The Ampere section was developed on land owned by Orange Water Works, after the construction of the Crocker Wheeler Company plant spurred development in the area. The station was named in honor of André-Marie Ampère, a pioneer in electrodynamics and reconstructed as a new Renaissance Revival station in 1907 and 1908. Roughly bounded by the Ampere North CDP in Bloomfield to the north, Lawton Street and Newark to the east, 4th Avenue to the south, and North Grove Street to the West.
Greenwood (Teen Streets): So named after Greenwood Avenue and the "teen" streets that run through it. It is often grouped together with Ampere. This area was severely disturbed by the construction of Interstate 280 and the Garden State Parkway. The Grove Street station of the former Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad was located at Grove and Main streets. Roughly bounded by 4th Avenue to the North, North 15th Street/Newark to the east, Eaton Place/NJ Transit Morris & Essex Lines, and North Grove Street to the eest.
Presidential Estates: Recently designated due to the streets in this area being named after early presidents of the United States. There are many large well kept homes situated on streets lined with very old, very large shade trees in this neighborhood that are characteristic of the northern section of the city. Roughly Bounded by Bloomfield to the North, Montclair-Boonton Line and North Grove Street to the east, Springdale Avenue to the South and the Garden State Parkway to the West.
Elmwood: Located in the southeastern part of the city. Elmwood Park serves this section of the city, with 7 tennis courts on Rhode Island Avenue, a basketball court on the corner of Elmwood Avenue and Oak Street, a swimming pool with a pool house, a walking track, a baseball field, a softball field and a renovated field house. The area holds one of the surviving Carnegie Libraries, the Elmwood Branch of the East Orange Public Library, opened in 1912.
Doddtown (Franklin): Named after John Dodd, who founded and surveyed the area of the "Watsessing Plain". The former campus of Upsala College is located here. It was converted into the new East Orange Campus High School on the east side of Prospect Street, and an adjacent new housing subdivision. Roughly bounded by Bloomfield to the North, the Garden State Parkway to the East, Park Avenue to the South and Orange to the West.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+East Orange city, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

|White alone (NH)

|4,596

|1,874

|1,422

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,388

|6.25%

|2.68%

|2.21%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.99%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|65,098

|61,604

|55,702

|style='background: #ffffe6; |54,689

|88.51%

|88.23%

|86.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |78.56%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|287

|130

|186

|style='background: #ffffe6; |164

|0.39%

|0.19%

|0.29%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.24%

|Asian alone (NH)

|449

|294

|436

|style='background: #ffffe6; |501

|0.61%

|0.42%

|0.68%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.72%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|N/A

|37

|29

|style='background: #ffffe6; |6

|N/A

|0.05%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.01%

|Other race alone (NH)

|141

|288

|335

|style='background: #ffffe6; |570

|0.19%

|0.41%

|0.52%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.82%

|Mixed-race or multiracial (NH)

|N/A

|2,313

|1,065

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,262

|N/A

|3.31%

|1.66%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.69%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|2,981

|3,284

|5,095

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9,032

|4.05%

|4.70%

|7.93%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |12.97%

|Total

|73,552

|69,824

|64,270

|style='background: #ffffe6; |69,612

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, East Orange had a population of 69,612. The median age was 36.6 years. 23.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 83.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 77.5 males age 18 and over.

There were 27,410 households in East Orange, of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 23.4% were married-couple households, 23.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 46.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

| White || 2,054 || 3.0%

| Black or African American || 55,873 || 80.3%

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 355 || 0.5%

| Asian || 517 || 0.7%

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 15 || 0.0%

| Some other race || 5,315 || 7.6%

| Two or more races || 5,483 || 7.9%

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 9,032 || 13.0%

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 64,270 people, 24,945 households, and 14,742 families in the city. The population density was 16,377.1 per square mile (6,323.2/km2). There were 28,803 housing units at an average density of 7,339.5 per square mile (2,833.8/km2). The racial makeup was 4.13% (2,657) White, 88.51% (56,887) Black or African American, 0.39% (248) Native American, 0.72% (465) Asian, 0.06% (38) Pacific Islander, 3.69% (2,370) from other races, and 2.50% (1,605) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.93% (5,095) of the population.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

thumb|right|Public playgrounds in East Orange, 1908

thumb|right|A pre-WWII apartment on South Munn Avenue in East Orange

There were 26,024 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.0% were married couples living together, 28.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% 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 3.37.

Although still a small percentage of total residents, Orange and East Orange have the largest concentrations of Guyanese Americans in the country. In the 2000 Census, 2.5% of East Orange residents identified as being of Guyanese ancestry. While Queens and Brooklyn had larger populations in terms of raw numbers, Orange (with 2.9%) and East Orange had the highest percentage of people of Guyanese ancestry of all places in the United States with at least 1,000 people identifying their ancestry.

Economy

thumb|Central Avenue Commercial Historic District

Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. East Orange was selected in 1996 as one of a group of seven zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in June 1996, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in June 2027.

The main commercial avenues of the city are Central Avenue and Main Street, both of which flow east to west, the latter of which was disturbed by the construction of Interstate 280. Recent efforts have been made to revitalize the commercial area, especially along Main Street and Evergreen Place. New apartments buildings & commercial space have been proposed and built over the last decade. Along South Harrison Street, new apartment buildings have gone up, while existing ones have been updated.

Parks and recreation

East Orange is served by five parks: Columbian Park, Elmwood Park, Francis-Haire Park, Memorial Park and Rowley Park. Sports grounds, such as Oval Playground and Soverel Field, the city's largest, offer athletic fields and facilities. Paul Robeson Stadium, located on North Clinton Street, hosts local sports teams and typically, the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration.

The city owns East Orange Golf Course, located away in Short Hills.

Government

thumb|right|City Hall

East Orange is governed under the city form of New Jersey municipal government. The city is one of 15 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government. The government is comprised of a mayor and a city council made up of ten members, two representing each of the city's five geographic political subdivisions called wards. The mayor is elected directly by the voters. The ten members of the city council are elected to four-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat in each ward coming up for election in odd-numbered years.

The City Council performs the legislative functions of municipal government by enacting ordinances, resolutions or motions, and is responsible for review and adoption of the municipal budget that has been submitted by the mayor. Members of the City Council are Christopher Awe (D, 2029; 2nd Ward), Naimma Fauntleroy (D, 2027; 5th Ward), Tameika Garrett-Ward (D, 2029; 4th Ward), Casim L. Gomez (D, 2023; 4th Ward), Alicia Holman (D, 2029; 5th Ward), Christopher D. James (D, 2029; 1st Ward), Bergson Leneus (D, 2029; 3rd Ward), Amy Lewis (D, 2027; 1st Ward), Sammed Monk (D, 2027; 2nd Ward) and Vernon Pullins Jr. (D, 2027; 3rd Ward).

In July 2018, the City Council selected Christopher Awe to fill the Second Ward seat expiring in December 2021 that became vacant when Romal D. Bullock resigned to become the city's tax assessor. In November 2018, Awe was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

In December 2018, Tameika Garrett-Ward was appointed to fill the Fourth Ward seat expiring in December 2021 that became vacant when Tyshammie L. Cooper was sworn into office on the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders; she was elected to serve the balance of the term in November 2019.

The first African-American mayor of East Orange was William S. Hart Sr., who was elected to two consecutive terms, serving in office from 1970 to 1978. Hart Middle School was named after him.

Federal, state and county representation

thumb|right|Post office

East Orange is located in the 10th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 34th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 36,280 registered voters in East Orange, of which 21,646 (59.7%) were registered as Democrats, 396 (1.1%) were registered as Republicans and 14,228 (39.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 10 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 98.5% of the vote (24,862 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1.3% (330 votes), and other candidates with 0.2% (46 votes), among the 25,375 ballots cast by the city's 39,668 registered voters (137 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.0%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 97.7% of the vote (24,718 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1.6% (408 votes) and other candidates with 0.1% (35 votes), among the 25,304 ballots cast by the city's 36,891 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.6%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 93.2% of the vote (19,447 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 5.9% (1,225 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (128 votes), among the 20,856 ballots cast by the city's 33,328 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 62.6.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 88.0% of the vote (9,413 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 11.3% (1,212 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (75 votes), among the 11,269 ballots cast by the city's 41,016 registered voters (569 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 27.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 94.4% of the vote (12,554 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2.9% (380 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 1.2% (153 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (63 votes), among the 13,295 ballots cast by the city's 36,157 registered voters, yielding a 36.8% turnout.