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The Oranges Information
The Oranges are a group of four municipalities in Essex County, New Jersey,
all of which have the word Orange in their name. All of these communities were
named for the ruler of England, William III of England, also known as William of
Orange. The four municipalities are the City of Orange Township, City of East
Orange, Township of South Orange Village and Township of West Orange.
Orange was initially a part of the city of Newark, and remained such until
November 27, 1806, when the territory now encompassing all of the Oranges was
detached. On April 13, 1807, the first government was elected, but not until
March 13, 1860, was Orange officially incorporated as a city. Almost
immediately, the new city began fragmenting into smaller communities, primarily
because of local disputes about the costs of establishing paid police, fire, and
street departments. South Orange was organized on January 26, 1861, Fairmount
(later to become part of West Orange) on March 11, 1862, East Orange on March 4,
1863, and West Orange (including Fairmount) on March 14, 1863.
Today, the different municipalities of the Oranges are quite different from one
another. Orange and East Orange remain relatively urban and working-class, while
South Orange and West Orange are affluent suburban enclaves. In addition, the
residents of Orange (75.1%) and East Orange (89.5%) are predominantly African
American, while those of South Orange and West Orange are predominantly White
(with sizeable African American minorities, 31.3% and 17.5% respectively).
While each community has its own independent government, and the four
municipalities have no shared governance (other than Essex County), the term is
often used to refer to the area, including on highway exit signs. Signage for
Exit 47A on Interstate 80 and on Interstate 280 refer to "The Oranges" as a
destination.