Peapack Gladstone, New Jersey

History

A lime kiln that was in operation until as late as 1950 is located at the center of Peapack. A detailed history of the town is described in the book A Journey Through Peapack and Gladstone as well as in New Jersey Country Houses: The Somerset Hills (written by John K. Turpin and W. Barry Thomson), Mountain Colony Press, Inc. The Peapack-Gladstone Bank was established on September 21, 1921, originally named the Peapack-Gladstone Trust Company. It operates as the local bank for the greater region and is publicly traded under NASDAQ with the ticker symbol PGC.

Horseback riding is very popular throughout the area. The United States Equestrian Team has its home in Gladstone.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 5.853 square miles (15.159 km²), including 5.808 square miles (15.044 km²) of land and 0.045 square mile (0.116 km²) of water (0.76%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Gladstone, Peapack and Ravine Lake.

The borough borders Bedminster Township to the southwest, Bernardsville to the east and Far Hills to the southeast in Somerset County; and Chester Township to the northwest and Mendham Township to the northeast in Morris County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 2,582 people, 887 households, and 675.9 families residing in the borough. The population density was 444.5 per square mile (171.6/km²). The borough contained 949 housing units at an average density of 163.4 per square mile (63.1/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 90.09% (2,326) White, 4.07% (105) Black or African American, 0.12% (3) Native American, 1.94% (50) Asian, 0.04% (1) Pacific Islander, 1.74% (45) from other races, and 2.01% (52) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 10.88% (281) of the population.

Out of a total of 887 households, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.5% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.8% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the borough, 26.5% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 21.1% from 25 to 44, 33.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.0 years. For every 100 females the census counted 97.4 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 95.2 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $123,875 (with a margin of error of +/- $16,668) and the median family income was $145,333 (+/- $23,674). Males had a median income of $86,379 (+/- $16,014) versus $60,833 (+/- $16,980) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $61,841 (+/- $12,910). About 0.0% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.0% of those under age 18 and 2.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,433 people, 840 households, and 646 families residing in the borough. The population density was 419.5 people per square mile (162.0/km²). There were 871 housing units at an average density of 150.2 per square mile (58.0/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 94.45% white, 3.12% African American, 0.08% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.70% from other races, and 0.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.78% of the population.

There were 840 households out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.5% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 18.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the borough the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.0 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $99,499, and the median income for a family was $118,770. Males had a median income of $62,446 versus $46,500 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $56,542. About 1.9% of families and 4.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.1% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Points of interest in the borough include:

The borough was a major shooting location of the CBS soap opera Guiding Light from 2007 until the show's conclusion in 2009.

Sports

Hamilton Farm Golf Club has been the site of the Sybase Match Play Championship since its inception in 2010, which is the only match play format event on the LPGA Tour.

The borough is home to Stronghold Soccer Club, which plays its matches at Mount St. John's on the grounds of Montgomery Academy.

Emergency services

Policing is provided by the Peapack and Gladstone Police Department, which has a staff of nine officers and a Chief.

Fire service has been provided since 1905 by the all-volunteer Peapack and Gladstone Volunteer Fire Company, known in the Somerset County Radio System as "51 Fire". The department operates out of the fire station located on Dewey Avenue. The department operates a 2010 Pierce Arrow Pumper known as 51-102 which acts as primary attack engine; a 1995 Marion Heavy Rescue known as 51-151, equipped with rescue equipment for emergencies such as confined space rescue and vehicle extrication; a 1999 Pierce Dash 2000, which acts as primary water supply truck as it is equipped with 3,000 feet (910 m) of 5-inch (130 mm) hose, and known as 51-103; and a 2001 Ford F-250 Brush Truck known as 51-141, which responds to all brush fires in and around the borough and is equipped with foam. The department retired a 1988 Pierce Lance in 2010 after many years of service.

Emergency medical services are provided by the non-profit, all-volunteer Peapack Gladstone First Aid Squad, known as "51 Rescue", based at a newly renovated location on St. Lukes Avenue. The Squad operates 2007 and 2005 Ford MedTec ambulances. Retired in 2007 was a 1993 Ford MedTec ambulance. The Squad provides around-the-clock service at no cost to its patients.

Emergency medical services are bolstered by Mobile Intensive Care Units (MICU) with paramedics from the local hospitals of Morristown Medical Center (also a regional trauma center) in Morristown and from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset (formerly Somerset Medical Center) in Somerville. In the event of a serious trauma accident, as occurs occasionally on Route 206 which runs through the borough, the services of the New Jersey State Police North Shock Trauma Air Rescue (NorthSTAR), which is based in neighboring Bedminster Township, may be called upon to provide medical evacuation to a trauma center.

Public works

The Peapack-Gladstone Department of Public Works (DPW) is responsible for maintenance for the borough's buildings, snow removal, sewer inspection, as well as the general maintenance of roads and other services.

Local government

Peapack-Gladstone is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The governing body consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, 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 consists 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. The Borough form of government used by Peapack-Gladstone, the most common system used in the state, 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.

As of 2016, the Mayor of Peapack-Gladstone is Republican William C. "Bill" Muller, whose term of office ends December 31, 2018. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Anthony T. Suriano (R, 2017), GianPaolo Caminiti (R, 2016), Mark Corigliano (R, 2016), Donald R. Lemma (R, 2018), T. William Simpson (I, 2018) and Royal F. Smith (R, 2017).

Borough offices are located at the former school building, in the same facility as the local library and police department. Municipal court is shared with Bedminster and Bernardsville. Court sessions are held in Bedminster Township.

Federal, state and county representation

Peapack-Gladstone is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Peapack-Gladstone had been in the 16th state legislative district.

New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District is represented by Leonard Lance (R, Clinton Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 23rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Michael J. Doherty (R, Washington Township, Warren County) and in the General Assembly by John DiMaio (R, Hackettstown) and Erik Peterson (R, Franklin Township, Hunterdon County). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Somerset County is governed by a five-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one or two seats coming up for election each year. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members. As of 2016, Somerset County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Patricia L. Walsh (R, Green Brook Township, term ends December 31, 2016), Freeholder Deputy Director Peter S. Palmer (R, Bernardsville, 2017), Patrick Scaglione (R, Bridgewater Township, 2018), Mark Caliguire (R, Skillman in Montgomery Township, 2018), and Brian D. Levine (R, Franklin Township, 2017), Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Brett A. Radi (R, Somerville, 2017), Sheriff Frank J. Provenzano (R, Raritan, 2016) and Surrogate Frank Bruno (R, Branchburg, 2018).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,743 registered voters in Peapack & Gladstone, of which 283 (16.2% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 957 (54.9% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 502 (28.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 67.5% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 91.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 62.3% of the vote (796 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 36.3% (464 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (18 votes), among the 1,279 ballots cast by the borough's 1,865 registered voters (1 ballot was spoiled), for a turnout of 68.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 790 votes (58.6% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 526 votes (39.0% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 21 votes (1.6% vs. 1.1%), among the 1,349 ballots cast by the borough's 1,681 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 860 votes (65.4% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 430 votes (32.7% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 18 votes (1.4% vs. 0.9%), among the 1,314 ballots cast by the borough's 1,566 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.9% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 79.2% of the vote (662 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 19.3% (161 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (13 votes), among the 847 ballots cast by the borough's 1,924 registered voters (11 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 657 votes (64.9% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 205 votes (20.3% vs. 34.1%), Independent Chris Daggett with 140 votes (13.8% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 5 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 1,012 ballots cast by the borough's 1,712 registered voters, yielding a 59.1% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).

Education

Students in public school for pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend the schools of the Somerset Hills Regional School District, a regional school district serving students from Bernardsville, Far Hills and Peapack-Gladstone, along with those from Bedminster Township who attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship. As of the 2013-14 school year, the district's three schools had an enrollment of 2,014 students and 164.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1. The three schools in the district (with 2013-14 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Bedwell Elementary School (grades PreK–4; 640 students), Bernardsville Middle School (5–8; 581) and Bernards High School (9–12; 793), all of which are located in Bernardsville.

Gill St. Bernard's School is a private, nonsectarian, coeducational day school, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The Cottage School and Cottage Elementary Schools serve students in preschool through the early elementary grades.

Roads and highways

As of May 2010, the borough had a total of 25.45 miles (40.96 km) of roadways, of which 18.20 miles (29.29 km) were maintained by the municipality, 5.17 miles (8.32 km) by Somerset County and 2.08 miles (3.35 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Public transportation

NJ Transit's Gladstone station is the terminus of the Gladstone Branch of the Morris and Essex Lines, taking many of the borough's commuters to Hoboken and New York Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan daily. Peapack has its own station less than 2 miles (3.2 km) before the terminus, close to Interstate 78, Interstate 287, U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 206.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Peapack-Gladstone include: