Califon, New Jersey

Califon, New Jersey
Borough
Victorian house on Main Street
Victorian house on Main Street
Official seal of Califon, New Jersey
wordmark
Location of Califon in Hunterdon County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Location of Califon in Hunterdon County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Hunterdon County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Census Bureau map of Califon, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of Califon, New Jersey
Califon is located in Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Califon
Califon
Location in Hunterdon County
Califon is located in New Jersey
Califon
Califon
Location in New Jersey
Califon is located in the United States
Califon
Califon
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 40°43′09″N 74°50′13″W / 40.71917°N 74.83694°W / 40.71917; -74.83694[1][2]
Country United States
State New Jersey
CountyHunterdon
IncorporatedApril 2, 1918
Named forCalifornia
Government
[6]
 • TypeBorough
 • BodyBorough Council
 • MayorCharles Daniel (D, term ends December 31, 2026)[3][4]
 • Administrator / Municipal clerkKaren Mastro[5]
Area
[7]
 • Total
0.98 sq mi (2.54 km2)
 • Land0.96 sq mi (2.48 km2)
 • Water0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)  2.04%
 • Rank502nd of 565 in state
23rd of 26 in county[8]
Elevation
[1]
479 ft (146 m)
Population
 (2020)[9]
 • Total
1,005
 • Estimate 
(2023)[10]
1,013
 • Rank531st of 565 in state
24th of 26 in county[11]
 • Density1,048.1/sq mi (404.7/km2)
  • Rank378th of 565 in state
8th of 26 in county[11]
Time zoneUTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code
07830[12][13]
Area code908[14]
FIPS code3401909280[8][15][16]
GNIS feature ID885176[1]
Websitewww.califonboro.org

Califon is a borough in Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,005,[9] a decrease of 71 (−6.6%) from the 2010 census count of 1,076,[17][18] which in turn reflected an increase of 21 (+2.0%) from the 1,055 counted in the 2000 census.[19]

The borough's name is said to have been inspired by the California gold rush of 1849.[20][21] The name was shortened to Califon, supposedly because the longer name could not be fit on signs at the train station.[22]

  1. ^ a b c "Borough of Califon". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Government was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ 2023 New Jersey Mayors Directory, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated February 8, 2023. Accessed February 10, 2023.
  5. ^ Staff Directory, Borough of Califon. Accessed March 2, 2023.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference DataBook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  8. ^ a b 2019 Census Gazetteer Files: New Jersey Places, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 1, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference LWD2020 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference PopEst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ a b Population Density by County and Municipality: New Jersey, 2020 and 2021, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Accessed March 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Look Up a ZIP Code for Califon, NJ, United States Postal Service. Accessed November 14, 2012.
  13. ^ ZIP Codes, State of New Jersey. Accessed September 8, 2013.
  14. ^ Area Code Lookup - NPA NXX for Califon, NJ, Area-Codes.com. Accessed September 8, 2013.
  15. ^ U.S. Census website, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 4, 2014.
  16. ^ Geographic Codes Lookup for New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed April 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference Census2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference LWD2010 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ 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.
  20. ^ Resnick, Abraham. "Where Did This Name Come From", The New York Times, February 25, 1990. Accessed July 3, 2011. "In the western part of the state, Califon is believed to have been named during the California gold rush, because an enterprising mill operator sold a special cattle feed that resembled gold."
  21. ^ Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed March 15, 2023.
  22. ^ Califon History, Californ Historical Society. Accessed March 21, 2023. "1849 Jacob Neighbor returns from the California Gold Rush and christens the town California. 1875 Legend has it that the train station sign painters could not fit California on the new station signs, and so shortened the name to Califon."