Basking Ridge is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP)State of New Jersey Census Designated Places - BVP20 - Data as of January 1, 2020 , United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 1, 2023. located within Bernards Township in the Somerset Hills region of Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Locality Search , State of New Jersey. Accessed June 9, 2016.
Settled during colonial times, Basking Ridge is in the Raritan Valley and is a commercial hub for northern-central New Jersey and is a commuter town of New York City.Capuzzo, Jill P., "Living in Basking Ridge, N.J.: A Polished Past and Polite People" , New York Times, Published April 2, 2013. Accessed July 24, 2023. It was home to the old AT&T Headquarters, now operated by Verizon. Basking Ridge is the current headquarters for Verizon Wireless and Peraton Labs (both AT&T successors), Collabera, and Lawyer.com. The community also hosts a train station along the Gladstone Branch (one of the two branches of the Morris & Essex Lines), which connects to Hoboken Terminal and New York Penn Station.
The community of Basking Ridge is part of greater Bernards Township, which also includes the neighborhoods of Liberty Corner, Lyons and West Millington.
It was first listed as a CDP in the 2020 census with a population of 7,196.
History Basking Ridge was originally settled in the 1720s by British Presbyterians escaping religious persecution. The land was bought from the Lenape Native Americans.Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living In: Basking Ridge, N.J.;A Rich Hamlet That Gobbled Up a Town" , The New York Times, November 19, 1995. Accessed October 11, 2015. "The recorded history of Basking Ridge goes back to 1717, when John Harrison, an agent of King James III, bought most of what is now Bernards Township from Chief Nowenok of the Leni Lenape Indians for the equivalent of $50. According to Mrs. Kennedy, the first settlers were English and Scottish Presbyterians escaping religious persecution."
Bernards Township was officially chartered on May 21, 1760, granted by King George II and granted to Sir Francis Bernard, first governor of the noted section which includes Basking Ridge.
On the morning of December 13, 1776, General Charles Lee was captured by the British at Widow White's tavern. Lee had ranked next to Washington in command.Staff. "December 13 - This Day in History; 1776 -General Charles Lee leaves his troops for Widow White's tavern" , History (U.S. TV channel). Accessed October 11, 2015. "On this day in 1776, American General Charles Lee leaves his army, riding in search of female sociability at Widow White's Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.... Lee rode to Widow White's tavern with a minimal guard and it was there that Banastre Tarleton and the 16th Queen's Light Dragoons captured him on the morning of December 15."
A referendum to create an independent borough of Basking Ridge failed in June 1921. Voters rejected the proposed borough by a more than 4–1 margin."Ridge Defeats Borough Act" , Bernardsville News, June 9, 1921. Accessed July 18, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Basking Ridge by defeating the borough proposition today by a majority of 127 votes, chose to remain in the Township with Bernardsville and Liberty Corner. There were 161 ballots cast against the borough and 34 in favor."
The downtown area of Bernards Township known as Basking Ridge was added to the New Jersey and National Registries as a Historic District. on August 8, 1974.
Demographics
Basking Ridge appeared as an unincorporated place in the 1950 U.S. census and the 1960 U.S. census. It did not appear in subsequent censuses until it was listed as a census designated place in the 2020 U.S. census.
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Basking Ridge had a population of 7,196. The median age was 45.4 years. About 25.7% of residents were under the age of 18, and 18.1% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 87.4 males age 18 and over.
According to the 2020 census, 96.2% of residents lived in urban areas and 3.8% lived in rural areas.
The census counted 2,579 households, of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 63.5% were married-couple households, 10.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 2,706 housing units, of which 4.7% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.7%.
+Basking Ridge CDP, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2020% 2020White alone (NH)5,66678.74%Black or African American alone (NH)460.64%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)10.01%Asian alone (NH)6719.32%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)00.00%Other race alone (NH)210.29%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)2723.78%Hispanic or Latino (any race)5197.21%Total7,196100.00%
2010 census Prior to 2020, demographic data was based on the United States Census Bureau figures for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) for the 07920 ZIP Code. As of the 2010 census, the population for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area (ZCTA) 07920 was 26,747.DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 from 2010 Demographic Profile Data for ZCTA5 07920 , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2013.
2000 census As of the 2000 United States censusU.S. Census website , United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014. there were 24,600 people, 9,300 households, and 6,517 families residing in the ZCTA. The population density was . There were 9,537 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the ZCTA was 89.2% Caucasian, 1.4% African American, 0.1% Native American, 7.8% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.DP-1 - Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 from Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for ZCTA5 07920 , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2013.
There were 9,300 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.8% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 26.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the ZCTA the population was spread out, with 27.3% under the age of 18 , 3.2% from 18 to 24 , 31.2% from 25 to 44 , 25.4% from 45 to 64 , and 12.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years.
The median income for a household in the ZCTA was $105,471, and the median income for a family was $131,618. Males had a median income of $93,436 versus $60,101 for females. The per capita income for the ZCTA was $54,753. 1.4% of the population and 0.6% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 1.2% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Demographic profile Demographic BaskingRidge UnitedStates Population 21,424 308,745,538 Median Age 37.13 years 37.2 years Median Household Income $183,611 $51,144 % of Single Households 37.39% 30.22% % of Married Households 62.61% 69.78% % Families 70.72% 69.40% Avg. Household Size 2.42 people 2.58 people % College or Higher 59.76% 26.46% % White Collar 82.53% 55.54% Homes Owner Occupied 79.84% 57.72% Avg. Dwelling Size 6 rooms 4.5 rooms Arts and culture
Cultural events
Basking Ridge has an annual event in May called Charter Day. Many rides are set up in the Oak Street field—a bounce house, inflatable race tracks, and spinning rides. Also, in the center of the town hundreds of stands are set up mostly promoting school sports, but there are also many kettle corn stands, which is a traditional food children eat during Charter Day. At night, the traditional Battle of the Bands takes place, which many teenagers sign up for to play their favorite songs.
Historic sites
Basking Ridge was home to the Old Oak Tree, a 600-year-old white oak, perhaps the oldest white oak in the world.Hickey, Magee. "Basking Ridge rallies behind 600-year-old white oak tree" , WPIX, June 29, 2016. Accessed July 2, 2016. The tree was located on the historic graveyard of the local Presbyterian church. The tree was high and had a trunk circumference of and its lower branches were supported.A Walking Tour of Historic Basking Ridge Village , The Historic Society of the Somerset Hills. Accessed July 2, 2016. "Over the tombstones broods the ancient White Oak (Quercus alba), more than 600 years old. It stands tall at 97', with a spread of 156' and a circumference of 18'." In 2016 the tree showed signs of distress as its upper parts failed to sprout leaves. A big portion of the tree was cut down in 2017 due to decay.Barron, James. "A 600-Year-Old Oak Tree Finally Succumbs" , The New York Times, October 16, 2016. Accessed February 22, 2017. "Basking Ridge, N.J. — The locals say that George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette — the Frenchman who bankrolled the American patriots with cold, hard cash — picnicked in the shade it provided. Rank-and-file soldiers are said to have rested under it, gathering strength before going on to beat the redcoats. It is a huge oak tree, now estimated to be 600 years old." The tree has since been cut down as of April 26, 2017. A specially designed experimental hospital was built in 1779 by local resident John "Rebel Banker" Morton with the help of Dr. James Tilton in the winter of 1779-80. The hospital was built with three wards, that held patients in its hub and each of the three wards held eight patients. Patient beds were oriented so that their heads were closest to the walls of the buildings. When temperatures fell, a "fire was built in the midst of the ward, without any chimney, and the smoke circulating about, passed off through an opening about 4 inches wide in the ridge of the roof." Tilton described how the design of the building allowed infection to be fought using smoke, "without giving the least offense to the patient, for it always rose above their heads, before it spread abroad in the ward." This hospital, which could accommodate up to 55 patients, provided an uncrowded but fully ventilated space in which those with infectious disease could be kept apart from those who were wounded."Basking Ridge in Revolutionary Days" , Somerset County Historical Quarterly, Volume 2, p. 245. Accessed March 22, 2020.Risch, Erna. Supplying Washington's Army , p. 375. United States Army Center of Military History, 1981. Accessed March 22, 2020. The Bernards Township Municipal Hall was once owned by the Astors. The estate was built in 1912 by Samuel Owen of Newark, New Jersey.