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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,[10][11] an increase of 5,342 (+8.3%) from the 2010 census count of 64,270,[21][22] which in turn reflected a decline of 5,554 (−8.0%) from the 69,824 counted in the 2000 census.[23] The city was the state's 17th most populous municipality in 2020,[24] after having been ranked 20th in 2010 and 14th statewide in 2000.[25] The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 68,446 in 2022,[10] ranking the city the 553rd-most-populous in the country.[12]

East Orange, New Jersey

 United States

 New Jersey

Essex

March 4, 1863

City

City Council

Theodore R. "Ted" Green (D, term ends December 31, 2025)[3][4]

Solomon Steplight[5]

Cynthia Brown[6]

3.93 sq mi (10.17 km2)

3.93 sq mi (10.17 km2)

0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)  0.00%

301st of 565 in state
10th of 22 in county[1]

177 ft (54 m)

69,612

68,446

553rd in country (as of 2022)[12]
17th of 565 in state
2nd of 22 in county[14]

17,722.0/sq mi (6,842.5/km2)

13th of 565 in state
2nd of 22 in county[14]

UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))

UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))

07017–07019[15][16]

973[17]

3401319390[1][18][19]

0885200[1][20]

www.eastorange-nj.gov

History[edit]

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.[26] 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.[27]


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.

: 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.

Ampere

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.

[33]

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, and North Grove Street to the east, Springdale Avenue to the South and the Garden State Parkway to the West.

Montclair-Boonton Line

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.[35]

[34]

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.

[36]

Parks and recreation[edit]

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.[56] Paul Robeson Stadium, located on North Clinton Street, hosts local sports teams and typically, the city's annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration.[57]


The city owns East Orange Golf Course, located 10 miles (16 km) away in Short Hills.[58]

Education[edit]

The East Orange School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.[110] The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke[111] which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority.[112][113]


As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 20 schools, had an enrollment of 10,072 students and 744.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.5:1.[114] Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[115]) are Althea Gibson Early Childhood Academy[116] (159 students; in grades Pre-K and K), Wahlstrom Early Childhood Center[117] (156; Pre-K–K), Benjamin Banneker Academy[118] (511; Pre-K–5), Edward T. Bowser, Sr. School of Excellence[119] (609; Pre-K–5), George Washington Carver Institute of Science and Technology[120] (325; Pre-K–5), Johnnie L. Cochran Jr. Academy[121] (193; K–5), Mildred Barry Garvin School[122] (356; Pre-K–5), Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative & Performing Arts[123] (369; Pre-K–8), Langston Hughes Elementary School[124] (589; Pre-K–5), J. Garfield Jackson Sr. Academy[125] (256; K–5), Ecole Touissant Louverture[126] (297; Pre-K–5), Gordon Parks Academy School of Radio, Animation, Film and Television[127] (285; Pre-K–5), Cicely L. Tyson Community Elementary School[128] (504; Pre-K–5), Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship[129] (462; Pre-K–5), Future Ready Prep[130] (NA; 6–7), Patrick F. Healy Middle School[131] (392; 7), John L. Costley Middle School[132] (367; 8), Sojourner Truth Middle School[133] (406; 6), Cicely Tyson School of Performing and Fine Arts[134] (740; 6–12), East Orange Campus High School[135] located on the former campus of Upsala College (1,651; 9–12), East Orange STEM Academy[136] (358; 9–12) and Fresh Start Academy Middle / High – Glenwood Campus[137] (NA; 6–12).[138][139]


East Orange Community Charter School is a public charter school that operates independently of the school district under a charter granted by the New Jersey Department of Education.[140]


Ahlus Sunnah School is a K–12 madrasah that has been in East Orange since 2005.[141]


The East Orange Public Library at one time included three branch buildings of the original 36 Carnegie-funded libraries in New Jersey; the original building opened in 1903 with costs covered by a gift of $50,000 (equivalent to $1.7 million in 2023) from Andrew Carnegie.[142] It has a collection of 344,000 volumes and circulates about 319,000 items annually[143] from four locations.

Healthcare[edit]

East Orange is served by East Orange General Hospital, located on Central Avenue in the southern part of the city. The 211 bed hospital is the only independent, fully accredited, acute care hospital in Essex County. The hospital was recently acquired by Prospect Medical Systems and renamed to CareWell Health Medical Center in 2022.[144] East Orange is also home to the US Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, also known as the East Orange VA Hospital. It is located on Tremont Avenue near S.Orange Ave. and serves many vets from the region.[145]

Hart, William. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.

East Orange.

Stuart, Mark A. A Centennial History of East Orange. East Orange, NJ: East Orange Centennial Committee, 1964.

East Orange website