South Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,863, an increase of 300 (+6.6%) from the 2010 census count of 4,563, which in turn reflected an increase of 71 (+1.6%) from the 4,492 counted in the 2000 census.Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.
What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town within Franklin Township. On March 16, 1869, the name of the community was changed to Bloomington, which lasted until May 29, 1891, when the name reverted to South Bound Brook town. South Bound Brook was incorporated as an independent borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 11, 1907, based on the results of a referendum held on May 1, 1907.Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 225. Accessed May 30, 2024.Honeyman, Abraham Van Doren. Index-analysis of the Statutes of New Jersey, 1896-1909: Together with References to All Acts, and Parts of Acts, in the 'General Statutes' and Pamphlet Laws Expressly Repealed: and the Statutory Crimes of New Jersey During the Same Period, p. 262. New Jersey Law Journal Publishing Company, 1910. Accessed October 7, 2015.
History
The area had historically been occupied by the Lenape Native Americans. The first European settlement was in 1681 and a community was established near the Bound Brook stream of the same name, which flows into the Raritan River via the Green Brook on the eastern side of the borough.A Note About Places, from From Voices of Raritan Landing, backed up by the Internet Archive as of October 1, 2011. Accessed October 7, 2015. The brook, which was mentioned as a boundary in a Native American deed, provides the source of the borough's name.Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed October 7, 2015.Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 53. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed October 7, 2015.
The area was originally a Dutch community with apple orchards and just west peach orchards. The Abraham Staats House (), located on the south side of Main Street, served as the headquarters of Baron Von Steuben during the American Revolutionary War.Our Mission, Abraham Staats House. Accessed May 17, 2011. The house remained a private home until it was acquired by the Borough of South Bound Brook in 1999. It was placed on the New Jersey and National Registers in 2002. It is currently the headquarters for the Friends of Abraham Staats House, Inc. https://www.staatshouse.org, who maintain it as a museum.
A wooden bridge over the Raritan River was erected as early as 1761 and named Queen's Bridge in 1767. Later, it became a covered bridge. During the Revolutionary War, the bridge was used repeatedly by both sides including during the Battle of Bound Brook in 1777. In 1875, the wooden bridge was replaced by a steel pipe truss bridge.Snell, James P. History of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, New Jersey, p. 666. Everts & Peck, 1881. Accessed November 15, 2015. "A bridge across the river at this place was ordered built by an act of Legislature passed in 1728. It was not erected however until 1731 for a supplementary act was passed that year in reference to it. It was afterwards called the Queen's Bridge The present bridge was built in 1875 at a cost of about $75,000." More than 100 years later, that bridge was itself replaced by a steel girder bridge in 1984, still using the old pillars.Somerset County - Historic Places, NJ Town Guide. Accessed August 27, 2013. The bridge was renovated and paved in 2007.
At this spot on January 4, 1777, General Washington decided to move his troops to Morristown for the winter, thus ending the victorious Trenton-Princeton campaign, rather than attack New Brunswick.
The Battle of Bound Brook, one of the battles in the New York and New Jersey campaign during the American Revolutionary War, occurred on April 13, 1777, and resulted in a defeat for the Continental Army, who were routed by about 4,000 troops under British command.Monsport, Welson. "The Battle of Bound Brook", New Jersey Skylands. Accessed August 27, 2013.
At dawn on April 13, 1777, Hessian Captain Ewald's assault over the Queens Bridge spanning the Raritan River between South Bound Brook and Bound Brook was pinned down by "murderous fire" from the American soldiers stationed at half moon battery. Advancing North along present day Easton Avenue, Hessian Colonel Donop pushed aside American outposts and arrived 15 minutes after Ewald's attack had faltered. Advancing over the Queens Bridge, Donop's troops engaged the Americans causing them to retreat from the battery. Donop, Ewald's, and General Grant's troops pursued the American troops as they fought through the streets of Bound Brook.The Battle of Boundbrook. Accessed May 17, 2011.
The Reformed Church, also on Main Street (near borough hall) was built in 1848 and has been declared a local historical site by the borough council. Originally called the Dutch Reformed Church of Bound Brook, it has gone through very few changes over the years. A pipe organ received from Andrew Carnegie has been removed, and the stained glass windows, which had been added well after the original construction. The Reverend Thomas DeWitt Talmadge was a member and preached at the church.
Originally part of Franklin Township and named Bloomington, South Bound Brook was incorporated as a borough by the New Jersey Legislature in 1907.
In the mid-1970s a teen from the town created a plan for an environmental commission and presented it to the council. James Manley got his commission and the first order of business was to find out what the white piles of waste on the tow path between the Delaware and Raritan Canal and Raritan River consisted of. It turned out to be 17% crystal asbestos by volume. Since there was no New Jersey state regulation for the disposal, this became a landmark case. The waste was hauled in dump trucks through Bound Brook to the floodplain south of West Main Street and dumped. A trail of asbestos dust led from the old dump site to the new dump location.
Redevelopment The main downtown street in South Bound Brook, known as Main Street, has been refurbished with new sidewalks, lighting, signage and a number of newly renovated stores.
A roofing material manufacturing facility known as GAF Manufacturing was located in South Bound Brook for over a century along Main Street. The site was dormant for about two decades and sat as an eyesore and reminder of the town's industrial past. New townhomes have been built on the GAF Manufacturing site, along the Delaware and Raritan Canal, which provide the downtown area a new modern look and many new residents.
Part of the redevelopment is being held up by a lawsuit by John Fanaro of Fanaro Carpeting over the right of eminent domain, as the borough tried to seize property along Main Street that is in front of the new townhomes. The redevelopment plan called for the older stores to be razed and replaced with new stores that had parking in back and a dozen rental apartments on the second floor.
A new condominium development along Elizabeth Street in the central part of town was finished in 2010.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.74 square miles (1.92 km2), including 0.65 square miles (1.67 km2) of land and 0.10 square miles (0.25 km2) of water (12.84%).
The borough borders the municipalities of Bound Brook, Bridgewater Township and Franklin Township in Somerset County, and both Middlesex Borough and Piscataway in Middlesex County.Areas touching South Bound Brook, MapIt. Accessed March 8, 2020.Municipalities, Somerset County, New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2020.New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, South Bound Brook had a population of 4,863. The median age was 38.2 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 13.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 103.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 102.7 males age 18 and over.
100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,854 households in South Bound Brook, of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.9% were married-couple households, 22.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 1,941 housing units, of which 4.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 3.9%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 2,465 50.7% Black or African American 568 11.7% American Indian and Alaska Native 75 1.5% Asian 402 8.3% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 1 0.0% Some other race 742 15.3% Two or more races 610 12.5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 1,537 31.6%
2010 census The 2010 United States census counted 4,563 people, 1,733 households, and 1,120 families in the borough. The population density was 6,933.8 per square mile (2,677.2/km2). There were 1,865 housing units at an average density of 2,834.0 per square mile (1,094.2/km2). The racial makeup was 67.19% (3,066) White, 10.10% (461) Black or African American, 0.13% (6) Native American, 6.14% (280) Asian, 0.04% (2) Pacific Islander, 11.83% (540) from other races, and 4.56% (208) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.28% (1,245) of the population.
Of the 1,733 households, 30.1% had children under the age of 18; 45.0% were married couples living together; 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 35.4% were non-families. Of all households, 27.6% were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.22.
21.4% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 33.6% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 105.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 102.4 males.
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $78,427 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,959) and the median family income was $83,438 (+/− $13,065). Males had a median income of $61,042 (+/− $10,592) versus $44,063 (+/− $4,877) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $33,112 (+/− $3,774). About 1.0% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for South Bound Brook borough, Somerset County, New Jersey , United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 14, 2013.
2000 census