Fanwood, New Jersey

Fanwood is a borough in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Located on a ridge in northern-central New Jersey, the borough is a commuter town of New York City in the New York metropolitan area. Fanwood is located in the Raritan Valley and Rahway Valley regions. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,774,

Fanwood was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 2, 1895, from portions of Fanwood Township (now known as Scotch Plains), based on the results of a referendum held the previous day. The borough was named for Fannie Wood, an author.

History

In 1831, the Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad received a legislative charter to construct a railroad through the area. The line reached here in 1837 and a station, known as the Scotch Plains station, was built in 1839. The company became the Central Railroad of New Jersey in 1849. The line was later moved to reduce the grade and a new station, known as the Fanwood station, was built in 1874. At the same time, the Central New Jersey Land Improvement Company began development of Fanwood Park, a residential community around the station. The development featured curvilinear streets. John Taylor Johnston, then president of CNJ, named the community after his wife, Frances, also known as Fanny, according to his daughter, Emily. In 1878, Fanwood Township was created from Plainfield and Westfield Townships.

Historic district

The Fanwood Park Historic District is a historic district located along North Avenue and North Martine Avenue in the community. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 2004, for its significance in architecture, community planning and development, landscape architecture, and transportation. The district has 57 contributing buildings, including the Fanwood station, which was previously listed individually on the NRHP. A key contributing property, the Georgian Revival style Urner/Gibbs house was built in 1894 by Benjamin Urner, as a wedding gift for his daughter who had married William M. Gibbs.

The Robinsons Branch of the Rahway River additionally flows through Fanwood en route to the Robinson's Branch Reservoir.

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

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

|+Fanwood borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |Pop 2020

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|6,132

|5,853

|style='background: #ffffe6; |5,604

|85.48%

|79.98%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |72.09%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|364

|374

|style='background: #ffffe6; |386

|5.07%

|5.11%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.97%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3

|0.10%

|0.07%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.04%

|Asian alone (NH)

|315

|490

|style='background: #ffffe6; |713

|4.39%

|6.70%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.17%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2

|0.03%

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03%

|Other race alone (NH)

|10

|12

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11

|0.14%

|0.16%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.14%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|76

|126

|style='background: #ffffe6; |326

|1.06%

|1.72%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.19%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|268

|458

|style='background: #ffffe6; |729

|3.74%

|6.26%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |9.38%

|Total

|7,174

|7,318

|style='background: #ffffe6; |7,774

|100.00%

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

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Fanwood had a population of 7,774. The median age was 41.1 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.7 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,725 households in Fanwood, of which 42.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 68.1% were married-couple households, 8.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 20.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census Among Fanwood residents, 23.2% identified as being of Italian ancestry, 23.0% as being of Irish ancestry and 20.6% as having German ancestry.

There were 2,574 households, out of which 38.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.0% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 18.0% 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 2.76 and the average family size was 3.13.

Government

Local government

Fanwood 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. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes 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. The borough form of government used by Fanwood 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.

The borough council is Fanwood's legislative body and may pass, adopt, amend and repeal any ordinance or where permitted, any resolution, for any purpose required for the government of the municipality, and also controls and regulates the finances of the municipality. The council may investigate any activity of the municipality, remove any officer of the municipality for cause other than those excepted by law and shall have all the executive responsibilities of the municipality not placed by general law, in the office of the mayor. The mayor of Fanwood is responsible for serving as the chief executive officer of borough government. The mayor presides over the borough council, appoints various boards and committees, oversees borough administration, and serves as the borough's ceremonial head.

, the mayor of Fanwood Borough is Democrat Colleen M. Mahr, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Fanwood Borough Council are Council President Gina Berry (D, 2028), Jeffrey Banks (D, 2026), Anthony Carter (D, 2026), Erin A. McElroy-Barker (D, 2027), Katherine Mitchell (D, 2028) and Patricia Walsh (D, 2027).

In January 2019, Jeffrey Banks was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Russell Huegel until he resigned from office to accept the position as the borough's municipal attorney.

Fire department

The Fanwood Fire Department is a volunteer fire department with 30 members that operate out of one fire station. The department has two engines, one quint and a chief's vehicle. The Fanwood Volunteer Fire Company predates the incorporation of the borough, having first been established in 1890 with its first firehouse constructed in 1897.

Federal, state, and county representation

Fanwood is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,033 registered voters in Fanwood, of which 1,614 (32.1% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,210 (24.0% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 2,205 (43.8% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 68.8% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 95.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,164 votes (54.8% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 1,710 votes (43.3% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 49 votes (1.2% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,947 ballots cast by the borough's 5,239 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.3% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,287 votes (54.7% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 1,817 votes (43.5% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 37 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,179 ballots cast by the borough's 5,143 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.3% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 2,045 votes (50.2% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,957 votes (48.1% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 41 votes (1.0% vs. 0.7%), among the 4,070 ballots cast by the borough's 5,013 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.2% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).

In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy received 1,615 votes (59.5% vs. 65.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno with 1,037 votes (38.2% vs. 32.6%), and other candidates with 61 votes (2.2% vs. 2.1%), among the 2,751 ballots cast by the borough's 5,547 registered voters, for a turnout of 49.6%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.8% of the vote (1,503 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 39.3% (1,003 votes), and other candidates with 1.9% (49 votes), among the 2,604 ballots cast by the borough's 5,151 registered voters (49 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.6%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,468 votes (50.2% vs. 41.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,140 votes (39.0% vs. 50.6%), Independent Chris Daggett with 276 votes (9.4% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 16 votes (0.5% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,922 ballots cast by the borough's 5,064 registered voters, yielding a 57.7% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education

left|thumb|Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

Public school students in Fanwood attend the schools of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Regional School District, which serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade from Fanwood and Scotch Plains. The district has five elementary schools (PreK–4), two middle schools (grades 5–8) and a comprehensive high school (grades 9–12). As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 5,758 students and 451.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are

Howard B. Brunner Elementary School with 415 students in grades PreK–4,

J. Ackerman Coles School with 548 students in grades PreK–4,

Evergreen School with 425 students in grades PreK–4,

William J. McGinn School with 549 students in grades K–4,

School One Elementary School with 412 students in grades PreK–4,

Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School with 933 students in grades 5–8,

Terrill Middle School with 834 students in grades 5–8 and

Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School with 1,551 students in grades 9–12. Seats on the nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent districts, with two seats assigned to Fanwood.

Transportation

Roads and highways

thumb|right|[[New Jersey Route 28|Route 28 in Fanwood]]

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Union County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 28 (known in Fanwood as South Avenue) passes through the borough, connecting Plainfield and Scotch Plains.

Another major thoroughfare is South and North Martine Avenue, which connects Fanwood to U.S. Route 22 .

Public transportation

thumb|right|View of Fanwood Station South Side Parking Lot from overpass bridge

The Fanwood station is an NJ Transit railroad station offering commuter rail service. The ticket office is in the station building on the south side of the tracks (eastbound platform). The building on the north side of the tracks (westbound platform) is a historic Victorian building and, like the north building at Westfield station, is used by a non-profit organization. The station provides service on the Raritan Valley Line to Newark Penn Station, and from there via connections to Hoboken Terminal or New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan.

Currently riders can take one-seat rides to New York Penn Station during rush hour on weekdays, with transfer at Newark Penn Station required to reach to New York Penn Station at all other times, including weekends. The Raritan Valley Railroad Coalition has been promoting the economic benefits of one-seat ride access to New York City since 1998. RVRC has succeeded in gaining one-seat rides during off peak hours during the week; there are nine trains in each direction where riders do not need to transfer at Newark Penn Station. The ultimate goal of RVRC is to extend such one-seat rides during rush hours, which would have been achieved with the Access to the Region's Core tunnel program, but this had been cancelled by then Governor Chris Christie.

NJ Transit offers bus service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 113 and local service on the 822 route.

Newark Liberty International Airport is approximately 25 minutes away to the east.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Fanwood include:

Edith Ajello (born 1944), politician who has served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives
H. W. Ambruster (1879–1961), football coach, chemical engineer, actor and lecturer
Bill Austin (–2015), former football player
Derrick Caracter (born 1988), power forward/center who played for the Los Angeles Lakers, now with A.S. Ramat HaSharon of the Israeli Liga Leumit
Maryanne Connelly (born 1945), former mayor of Fanwood and 2000 House candidate
Gerry Cooney (born 1956), boxer
Róisín Egenton, selected The Rose of Tralee in 2000
Emma Kenney (born 1999), actress who portrayed Debbie Gallagher on Shameless
Eleanor C. Lambertsen (1916–1998), nurse who was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame in 2012
William Lowell Jr. (1863–1954), golf tee manufacturer
Hiram Maxim (1840–1916), inventor of the Maxim gun, a curling iron, fire sprinklers and other devices
Raj Mukherji (born 1984), businessman, lawyer, actor and politician, who has represented the 32nd legislative district in the New Jersey Senate since 2024
Michael Noriega (born 1978), lawyer who has served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey since 2023
Zahid Quraishi (born 1975), United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Todd D. Robinson (born ), American diplomat who was U.S. ambassador to Guatemala and Venezuela, and is now a senior advisor for Central America in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs
Linda Stender (born 1951), member of the New Jersey General Assembly from 2002 to 2016 and former mayor of Fanwood
Robert T. Stevens (1899–1983), businessman and former chairman of J.P. Stevens and Company
Sada Thompson (1927–2011), actress
Thomas Chatterton Williams (born 1981), cultural critic and author, whose works include the 2019 book Self-Portrait in Black and White

References

External links

Fanwood Borough website
Fanwood Environmental Commission