Old Tappan was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 18, 1894, from portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[22] The borough was formed during the "Boroughitis" phenomenon then sweeping through Bergen County, in which 26 boroughs were formed in the county in 1894 alone.[23] On April 23, 1896, additional territory was annexed from Harrington Township.[22] The borough's name is derived from the Tappan tribe of Native Americans.[24]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 4.163 square miles (10.78 km2), including 3.315 square miles (8.59 km2) of land and 0.848 square miles (2.20 km2) of water (20.38%).[1][2]
One of only four confluence points in New Jersey, the 41ยฐN 74ยฐW crossing, is in Old Tappan on watershed property owned by United Water.[25]
Of the 1,931 households, 40.0% had children under the age of 18; 73.1% were married couples living together; 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present and 17.5% were non-families. Of all households, 16.1% were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.35.[19]
27.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 18.0% from 25 to 44, 32.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.2 males.[19]
The Census Bureau's 2006โ2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $125,435 (with a margin of error of +/โ $30,643) and the median family income was $158,140 (+/โ $27,026). Males had a median income of $90,536 (+/โ $18,555) versus $61,875 (+/โ $9,686) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $58,673 (+/โ $7,319). About 2.4% of families and 2.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.8% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.[35]
Same-sex couples headed 8 households in 2010, an increase from the 6 counted in 2000.[36]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[16] there were 5,482 people, 1,778 households, and 1,541 families residing in the borough. There were 1,804 housing units at an average density of 558.6 per square mile (215.7/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.69% Caucasian, 15.63% Asian, 0.60% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.44% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 2.75% of the population.[37][34]
In 2000, there were 1,778 households, out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.7% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.3% were non-families. 12.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.28.[37][34]
In the borough the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 5.9% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 28.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.0 males.[37][34]
The median income for a household in the borough was $102,127, and the median income for a family was $106,772. Males had a median income of $77,635 versus $48,047 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $48,367. About 1.0% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0.9% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.[37][34]
Parks and recreation
Old Tappan Golf Course is a nine-hole golf course located on DeWolf Road. The golf course is a private club that is open to the public.[38] Stone Point Park is located on Westwood Avenue and is the site of many community events such as Town Day.[39] Stone Point has four baseball fields, two basketball courts, a playground, a seasonal skate park, and four soccer fields. Oaks Park is a small park on Central Avenue with a small walking trail. It is the site of the borough's annual Halloween Parade.[40] There is also a little league field called Gallagher Field, which was renamed in 2006 for Edward J. Gallagher, who had served as the borough's mayor for 16 years; The field is located on Charles Place near the elementary and middle school.[41] There is also a track and football field as well as a dozen tennis courts at the high school that are open to the general public.
Government
Local government
Old Tappan 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.[42] The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough 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 borough council is comprised 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.[6] The borough form of government used by Old Tappan 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.[43][44] This seven-member governing body enacts local ordinances, levies municipal taxes, conducts the affairs of the borough and in almost all cases, can review and approve the actions of other borough boards, committees and agencies. The mayor and borough council conduct all of its business during monthly meetings open to the public. All legislative powers of the borough are exercised by the mayor and council in the form of a resolution, ordinance or proclamation.[3]
As of 2024[update], the mayor of Old Tappan is Republican Thomas E. Gallagher, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Old Tappan Borough Council are Council President Jin Yhu (R, 2024), Ron E. Binaghi Jr. (R, 2026), William R. Boyce IV (R, 2025), Guy J. Carnazza (R, 2024), Cort Gwon (R, 2025) and Christine P. Massaro (R, 2026).[3][45][46][47][48][49]
In June 2019, the borough council selected Jin Yhu from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that had become vacant following the resignation of Anna Haverilla, who took office as the Borough Administrator; Yhu, the borough's first Korean-American councilmember, served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election,[50] when voters elected him to serve the balance of the term of office.[51]
In February 2016, the borough council selected Thomas Gallagher from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the council seat expiring in December 2017 that was vacated by John Kramer when he took office as mayor. Gallagher will serve until the November 2016 general election, when voters will select a replacement to fill the balance of the term of office.[52]
Federal, state and county representation
Old Tappan is located in the 5th Congressional District[53] and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.[54][55][56]
Bergen County is governed by a directly elected County Executive, with legislative functions performed by a Board of County Commissioners composed of seven members who are elected at-large to three-year terms in partisan elections on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each November; a Chairman and Vice Chairman are selected from among its seven members at a reorganization meeting held every January. As of 2025[update], the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.[61]
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,821 registered voters in Old Tappan, of which 749 (19.6% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,015 (26.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 2,057 (53.8% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.[89] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 66.5% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 91.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).[89][90]
In the 2016 presidential election, Republican Donald Trump received 1,663 votes (53.3% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Hillary Clinton with 1,365 votes (43.7% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 94 votes (3.0% vs. 3.0%), among the 3,150 ballots cast by the borough's 4,318 registered voters (28 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.9% (vs. 73.0% in Bergen County).[91] In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 1,792 votes (61.8% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,072 votes (37.0% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 23 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,898 ballots cast by the borough's 4,040 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.7% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).[92][93] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,736 votes (56.3% vs. 44.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,309 votes (42.4% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 17 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 3,084 ballots cast by the borough's 3,986 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).[94][95] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,690 votes (56.2% vs. 47.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,289 votes (42.9% vs. 51.7%) and other candidates with 20 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,006 ballots cast by the borough's 3,848 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.1% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).[96]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.8% of the vote (1,174 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.6% (386 votes), and other candidates with 0.6% (10 votes), among the 1,590 ballots cast by the borough's 3,933 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 40.4%.[97][98] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,201 votes (61.0% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 671 votes (34.1% vs. 48.0%), Independent Chris Daggett with 72 votes (3.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 6 votes (0.3% vs. 0.5%), among the 1,969 ballots cast by the borough's 3,921 registered voters, yielding a 50.2% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).[99]
Emergency services
Police
The Old Tappan Police Department is a full-time professional department that provides police services to the Borough of Old Tappan. As of 2016[update], there are a total of 13 members of the department: one Chief, one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, and nine Officers.[100]
The force is responsible for all aspects of policing in the borough, including responding to fire and medical emergency calls. Each patrol car is equipped with a first aid kit, oxygen tank, and an automated external defibrillator.
Dispatching is provided by the 9-1-1 call center at the River Vale Police Department as part of an interlocal arrangement that dates back to the early 1970s or earlier.[101]
Officers of the Old Tappan Police Department are members of Pascack Valley Local 206 of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association.[102]
Fire
The Old Tappan Volunteer Fire Department (OTVFD) is an all-volunteer fire department. Established in 1932, the department consists of one Chief, one deputy chief, one Captain, and four Lieutenants. In addition, there is a Fire Marshal who heads the Old Tappan Bureau of Fire Prevention. The department is staffed by approximately 55 fully trained firefighters, and is a municipal-run public volunteer fire department that is funded by taxes.[103]
The OTVFD has one station, located at 231 Old Tappan Road. The station houses one pumpers, Engine 64 (first due), one Squad, one tower ladder, Ladder 63, and one rescue unit, Rescue 61.
Ambulance
Old Tappan Sunday School, Old Tappan Road
The Old Tappan First Aid Corps (OTFAC) was started in 1939, and is located at 4 Russell Avenue. The corps is run by administrative officers, line officers, and Trustees. The administrative officers are the president, vice president, treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, and Financial Secretary. The line officers are the Captain, 1st Lieutenant, and 2nd Lieutenant. The OTFAC is an all-volunteer independent public emergency medical service. As such, they do not bill for services, and their equipment is not directly paid for by the borough. Funding is provided by donations and support from the borough.[104]
The OTFAC is a member of the New Jersey State First Aid Council, the Pascack Valley Volunteer Ambulance Association and the Pascack Valley Mutual Aid Group.
Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.[117][118]
As of May 2010[update], the borough had a total of 32.72 miles (52.66 km) of roadways, of which 27.54 miles (44.32 km) were maintained by the municipality and 5.18 miles (8.34 km) by Bergen County.[119]
Main roads include Old Tappan Road, Washington Avenue, Westwood Avenue, and Orangeburg Road.
^Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. Genealogical History of Hudson and Bergen Counties, New Jersey, p. 11, New Jersey Genealogical Publishing Company, 1900. Accessed September 3, 2013. "For a period of sixteen years following the passage of this act few boroughs were organized in the State, only three of them being in Bergen County.... As it was twenty-six boroughs were created in the county from January 23, 1894, to December 18, of the same year."
^"Gallagher Field Dedication Ceremony Speech by Mayor Victor M. Polce April 15, 2006", Old Tappan News, Summer 2006. Accessed December 12, 2017. "It is indeed a great privilege and honor for me to be here this morning to dedicate and rename this Little League Field in honor of Edward J. Gallagher, Mayor of Old Tappan for 16 years, from 1980 through 1995."
^Olohan, Michael. "'Truly An Honor': Jin Yhu Appointed to Old Tappan Council", Pascack Press, June 3, 2019. Accessed October 5, 2019. "The boroughโs first Korean-American councilman was appointed May 20 by a unanimous council who welcomed 16-year-resident Jin Yhuโa volunteer firefighter and local recreational coachโto fill the position of a former councilwoman recently hired as borough administrator. Yhu, a Republican, will serve the unexpired term of former longtime councilwoman Anna Haverilla, which runs through November 2021. Haverilla was hired April 1 to fill the position of borough administrator following the retirement of longtime administrator Patrick OโBrien, who officially retired April 30."
^Christie, Robert. "Old Tappan appoints new councilman", Northern Valley Suburbanite, February 4, 2016. Accessed May 15, 2016. "The Mayor and Council welcomed Thomas Gallagher to the governing body during the Feb 1 Mayor and Council meeting.... Gallagher is filling Mayor John Kramer's former council seat."
^Biography, Congressman Josh Gottheimer. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Josh now lives in Wyckoff, New Jersey with Marla, his wife who was a federal prosecutor, and their two young children, Ellie and Ben."
^Cattafi, Kristie. "Democrats pick Bergenfield councilman to fill vacancy on Bergen County commissioners board", The Record, March 13, 2023. Accessed March 16, 2023. "A Democratic councilman from Bergenfield will be sworn in as a Bergen County commissioner Wednesday night, filling a vacancy on the governing body for almost 1 million residents. Rafael Marte will serve until Dec. 31, taking on the unexpired term left by former Commissioner Ramon Hache, a Democrat who resigned last week to lead the Ridgewood YMCA as its chief executive officer."
^Our Staff, Old Tappan Police Department. Accessed June 20, 2016.
^Redmond, Kimberley. "Dispatch agreement with Old Tappan renewed", Pascack Valley Community Life, October 28, 2009. Accessed December 24, 2011. "During the Monday, Oct. 26 River Vale Council meeting, Mayor Joseph Blundo called attention to the importance of a recent renewal of an interlocal services agreement between the township and Old Tappan for dispatch services.... The previous agreement, which extended back to 2002, will expire this year. The mayor said Old Tappan and River Vale officials drew up another seven year agreement for the dispatch services.... For over 35 years, River Vale Police Department has served as the Public Safety Answering Point/911 dispatch center for Old Tappan. According to McCann, all police, fire and emergency calls for the neighboring borough are routed through the River Vale Police Department for dispatching."
^Home page, Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 4, 2011. Accessed October 14, 2014. "Welcome to Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, home of the Golden Knights. Although our students reside in four different towns; Harrington Park, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan, once they arrive here they are treated as one."
^Rockleigh Public Services, Rockleigh, New Jersey. Accessed October 14, 2014. "Rockleigh Borough is a 'sending district' in that there is no public school within the Borough, except for three special-education schools administered by Bergen County.... The Northern Valley Regional High School at Old Tappan, a nationally ranked high school, receives older children from Rockleigh Borough."
^Northern Valley Regional High School District 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 10, 2020. "Located in the upper North Eastern corner of the state, Northern Valley Regional is comprised of two high schools, Northern Valley at Demarest and Northern Valley at Old Tappan.... Our long standing successful and cost efficient Pre-K-12 consortium remains an exemplar model of shared services including seven local Pre-K-8 districts that send their students to the regional high schools: Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood and Old Tappan."
^Our Communities, Northern Valley Regional High School District. Accessed May 31, 2016. "The seven towns that make up the Northern Valley Regional High School District - Closter, Demarest, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Norwood, and Old Tappan - are situated in the northeast corner of Bergen County, New Jersey."
^Zeitchik, Steven. "In Person; Meet Joe Fan", The New York Times, January 23, 2005. Accessed October 5, 2019. "This couldn't be a better time for Mr. Benigno, who now lives in Old Tappan, to peak."
^Rohan, Virginia. "Old Tappan's P.J. Byrne co-stars on new CBS series 'Intelligence'", The Record, January 7, 2014. Accessed September 15, 2015. "It's a great time for P.J. Byrne. On the big screen, the actor with roots in Old Tappan can be seen as one of Leonardo DiCaprio's debaucherous crew in Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street."
^Oakes, Elizabeth H. "Eckerson, Sophia Hennion", p. 198. Encyclopedia of World Scientists, Infobase Publishing, 2007. ISBN9781438118826. "The exact date of Eckerson's birth is unknown, but she was probably born sometime around 1880 in Old Tappan, New Jersey."
^Doblin, Alfred P. "Doblin: Ferriero, The Little Flower of Old Tappan", The Record, September 18, 2009. Accessed December 11, 2013. "Joe Ferriero discovered fire. Joe Ferriero discovered America. Joe Ferriero discovered a cure for the common cold. Joe Ferriero discovered Wikipedia.... On Wednesday, the Ferriero Wikipedia listing was a better read than the latest Dan Brown novel. Who knew that Old Tappan resident Joseph Ferriero, former chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Organization, a modern-day Napoleon with a penchant for Ferragamo neckties, was New Jersey's St. Therese of Lisieux, otherwise known as The Little Flower?"
^Raab, Selwyn. "Strange Old Man on Sullivan St.: New Mob Power", The New York Times, February 3, 1988. Accessed October 5, 2019. "New Jersey State Police records list Mr. Gigante as having a home at 5 Arrow Head Road in Old Tappan in Bergen County, where his wife, Olympia Grippa, lives and where his five children grew up. Investigators said that in recent years Mr. Gigante has rarely been seen at the Old Tappan home."
^Rohan, Virginia. "Longtime soap As the World Turns comes to a halt this week", The Record, September 15, 2010. Accessed September 15, 2015. "For Kelley Menighan Hensley of Old Tappan, who has played Emily Stewart since 1992, that realism took getting used to. The actress, who'd grown up on ABC soaps and had never seen ATWT, checked it out before testing for the show.... Hensley, who met her husband, actor Jon Hensley (Holden Snyder), on ATWT, came to love being part of the show."
^Wuensch, Chris. "Happy Birthday To Old Tappan's Jon Hensley", Northern Valley Daily Voice, August 26, 2015. Accessed September 15, 2015. "Jon Hensley, an Old Tappan resident, turns 50 on Wednesday.... Hensley is best known for his role as Holden Snyder on the CBS Daytime Soap Opera As the World Turns, a role he held from 1985 until the show's final episode in 2010."
^Lewis, Robert A. "How We Dropped the A-Bomb", Popular Science, August 1957. Accessed May 26, 2015. "A more or less typical suburbanite, Bob Lewis lives with his family (above) in a new home he helped to build in Old Tappan, N.J."
^LaPointe, Joe. "Boy Who Helped Yankees Is a Hit Again", The New York Times, April 14, 2006. Accessed August 18, 2008. "For years, Maier avoided interviews about the incident, but he was a national story after it occurred. He was from Old Tappan, N.J., and the ticket to the game had been a present at his bar mitzvah, held a week earlier with a World Series theme."
^Price-Brown, Laura. "Are Off-Court Issues Affecting Nets?", Newsday, December 6, 2003. Accessed April 11, 2011. "The thought of shlepping every game night from his brand-new home in Old Tappan, NJ, to Uniondale was enough to make Kenyon Martin surlier than he already ..."
^Watson, John. "Cartoon hopes for good karma", The Record, July 27, 2001. Accessed June 10, 2020. "But cartoonist Mike Milo hopes that will change just a bit with the Cartoon Network's premiere of his new animated short, Swaroop.... The look of the Shukla family is based on photos of Rao's family, and Milo, who grew up in Old Tappan and now lives in Los Angeles, used memories of his old New Jersey neighborhood to draw Swaroop's new suburban home."
^Popper, Steve. "Yankees prospect, Old Tappan's Rob Segedin, getting healthy after hip surgery", The Record, August 31, 2013. Accessed May 25, 2016. "It was late April when Rob Segedin dove for a ball at third base, got up and didn't feel quite right. He finished the game and the next day, still feeling sore, went for an MRI and found out his season was over. The Old Tappan native saw his season with the Yankees' Class AA affiliate Trenton Thunder end after undergoing hip surgery."
Municipal Incorporations of the State of New Jersey (according to Counties) prepared by the Division of Local Government, Department of the Treasury (New Jersey); December 1, 1958.
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