Belvidere, New Jersey


Belvidere is a town in and the county seat of Warren County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 2,520, a decrease of 161 from the 2010 census count of 2,681, which in turn reflected a decline of 90 from the 2,771 counted in the 2000 census.
Belvidere was incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 7, 1845, from portions of Oxford Township, based on the results of a referendum held that day. The town's name means "beautiful to see" in Italian.
WWW belviderenj.com

Geography and climate

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town had a total area of 1.48 square miles, including 1.45 square miles of land and 0.04 square miles of water. Dildine Island is located in the Delaware River, approximately north of Belvidere.
Belvidere borders White Township in Warren County and Northampton County in Pennsylvania across the Delaware River.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 2,681 people, 1,054 households, and 682 families in the town. The population density was. There were 1,140 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup was 96.01% White, 1.57% Black or African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.62% of the population.
Of the 1,054 households, 30.8% had children under the age of 18; 48.8% were married couples living together; 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.3% were non-families. Of all households, 28.7% were made up of individuals and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.17.
25.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.0 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.5 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $60,707 and the median family income was $74,028. Males had a median income of $53,796 versus $32,000 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,220. About 0.8% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census, there were 2,771 people, 1,088 households, and 716 families residing in the town. The population density was. There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the town was 98.02% White, 0.51% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.25% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.31% of the population.
There were 1,088 households, out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 32.2% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.5 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $52,792, and the median income for a family was $62,212. Males had a median income of $41,800 versus $31,444 for females. The per capita income for the town was $23,231. About 1.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.4% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

A large site of DSM-Firmenich Nutritional Products that includes of facilities in the town, manufacturing products including arachidonic acid and beta-carotene by fermentation processes, is located on the town's border with White Township.

Holidays

Belvidere, once every year, on the first Saturday after Labor Day, celebrates their founding and legacy with the "Victorian Days" event, where people dress in a similar style to the 1800s. The location, Garret Wall, usually contains fun facts about Belvidere, prize games, timed events, horse rides, etc. It is a day where the county seat of Belvidere unites together as one.

Government

Local government

Belvidere is governed under the town form of municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities statewide that use this traditional form of government. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the six-member Town 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 town 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 Mayor of Belvidere is Republican Kathy B Miers, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Town Council are Council President Laurel Napolitani, Glen E. Matlock, Kathleen Miers, Donald Mitchell, Joseph Roth and Adam Zmigrodski.
Glen Matlock was elected in November 2020 to serve the term of office expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Charles A. Makatura Jr. until he resigned from office in January 2020.
In March 2015, the town council selected Timothy Petre from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by William J. Murphy until he resigned from office. Petre served on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, when Laurel Napolitani was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.
In December 2014, the town council selected Laurel Napolitani from among three names nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the term expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Michael Viglianco, who resigned from council in December 2014 after moving out of Belvidere. Napolitani served on an interim basis until the November 2015 general election, when Walter Tutka was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state, and county representation

Belvidere is located in the 7th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,687 registered voters in Belvidere, of which 380 were registered as Democrats, 611 were registered as Republicans and 694 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens. Among the town's 2010 Census population, 62.9% were registered to vote, including 84.3% of those ages 18 and over.

Education

The Belvidere School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 580 students and 55.4 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.5:1. Schools in the district are
Belvidere Elementary School with 259 students in grades PreK–8 and
Belvidere High School with 318 students in grades 9–12. Students from Harmony Township, Hope Township and White Township attend the district's high school as part of sending/receiving relationships with the respective districts.
Students from the town and from all of Warren County are eligible to attend Ridge and Valley Charter School in Blairstown or Warren County Technical School in Washington borough, with special education services provided by local districts supplemented throughout the county by the Warren County Special Services School District in Oxford Township.
In 2018, Belvidere was rated one of the Top 5 Schools in each county with the highest rate of drug/violence/bullying incidents, based on the number of incidents per every 100 enrolled students.

Transportation

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Warren County.
The most prominent highway is County Route 620.
The Riverton–Belvidere Bridge crosses the Delaware River, connecting Belvidere with Riverton, Pennsylvania, operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. There is no toll for crossing on either side, after tolls were abolished by the Joint Commission for the Elimination of Toll Bridges in 1929. The bridge is long, connecting County Route 620 Spur in Belvidere to former Pennsylvania Route 709 on the Riverton side.

Notable people

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

Places of interest

  • Belvidere Cemetery – Dating back to 1834, the cemetery is the burial site of several historical figures, many associated with the Civil War, and has been included in tours conducted as part of the town's annual Victorian Days celebration.
  • Foul Rift is a Class II rapids on the Delaware River located south of Belvidere, in which a drop of in elevation in a span of creates one of the river's most dangerous stretches.
  • Four Sisters Winery – Established in 1984, the winery was named for the four daughters of the founders.
  • Robert Morris House – Built by Robert Morris, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the house is one of the town's oldest homes.
  • Warren County Courthouse – Future New Jersey governor-elect Garret D. Wall donated the land in 1825 and the courthouse was completed in 1826 at a cost of $10,000. In 1892, the courthouse was the site of the county's most recent public hanging.
  • Warren County Museum – Now the home of the Warren County Historical and Genealogical Society, the museum is located on Garret D. Wall county square in a townhome constructed and purchased in 1980, which houses many items related to the history of Warren County.