1685Architecture
In 1685, John Inian bought land on both shores of the Raritan River and built two new landings downstream from the Assunpink Trail's fording place, which was later developed as ...
1795Architecture
A toll bridge replaced the ferry in 1795.
1809Education
The Reverend John Henry Livingston of the famous Livingston family, newly chosen head of Queen's College (now Rutgers University), purchased a 150-acre (0.61 km2) plot of land i...
1843Architecture
A gracious Greek Revival house built around 1843 by Robert and Louisa Livingston stands on this property, which remains Highland Park's most prominent historic house.
1848Architecture
The wood plank Albany Street Bridge was dismantled in 1848 and reconstructed in 1853.
1863History
This subdivision was the brainchild of Watson Whittlesey (1863–1914), a real estate developer born in Rochester, New York.
1870Government
Although the area adjacent to the railroad tracks continued to be called "East New Brunswick."
1870 was also the year in which Highland Park was annexed to the newly formed town...
1878Disaster
It was destroyed by a suspicious fire in 1878.
1892Architecture
The present-day seven-span stone arch road bridge was built in 1892 and stretches 595 feet (181 m) across the Raritan River to New Brunswick.
1897History
Reformed Church of Highland Park on South Second Avenue (original church-1897 and auditorium wing c.
1899Disaster
The fire department, which had formed in 1899, also wanted more local control over their affairs.
1902Architecture
A replacement iron truss bridge was constructed on the existing enlarged stone piers, which in turn was replaced in 1902 by the current twelve-span stone arch bridge encased in ...
1905Civil Rights
Highland Park was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1905, when it broke away from what was then known as Raritan Township (present-day Edi...
1906History
Whittlesey was more than a typical land speculator; he was a community builder, which was noted by his residency in various Livingston Manor houses from 1906 to 1914, and by his...
1908History
Lorenz Volkert (R), 1908–1913.
1910Architecture
Sixty-two houses had been constructed in Livingston Manor by 1910.
1911Architecture
The Brody House at corner of Raritan and North Adelaide Avenues (built 1911–demolished 1997)
The former Police Station at 137 Raritan Avenue (demolished).
1912History
In 1912, Watson Whittlesey hired a sales agent, John F.
1913Architecture
By 1913, 120 houses had been constructed in Livingston Manor.
1914Architecture
It became the Lincoln Highway Bridge in 1914 and was widened in 1925.
1916History
Watson (R), 1916–1919.
1918Government
In 1918, Robert Wood Johnson II was appointed to the Highland Park Council and became mayor in 1920.
1920History
Robert Wood Johnson II (R), 1920–1921.
1922Architecture
By 1922, there had been 210 dwellings constructed in Livingston Manor.
1924History
Leonard (D), 1924–1925.
1925History
The Livingston Manor Corporation continued to have transactions into the 1960s, but the area's significant development had taken place by 1925.
1926History
Benjamin Erickson (R), 1926–1928.
1928History
Eden (R), 1928–1929.
1930History
Parker (R), 1930–1931.
1932History
Buttler (R), 1932–1935.
1936History
Smalley (R), 1936–1937.
1942History
Drake (R), 1942–1946.
1946Economy
Miller (R), 1946–1948.
1948History
Cole (R), 1948–1951.
1952History
Nobel laureate Selman Waksman (Medicine, 1952) lived in the borough until he moved to Piscataway in 1954, and laureate Arno Penzias (Physics, 1978) lived in the borough until th...
1954History
Campbell (D), 1954–1955.
1956Culture
Martin (D), 1956–1959.
1960History
Kronman (D), 1960–1965.
1966History
Tanzman (D), 1966–1969.
1970History
Kronman (D), 1970–1971.
1971Government
Founded in 1971 in Bound Brook, the school moved in 1989 to a former public school building in Highland Park.
1972History
Gasper Paul Beck (D), 1972–1975.
1976History
Harold "Hesh" Berman (D), 1976–1979.
1978Government
In 1978, Highland Park became the first municipality in New Jersey to have an eruv, a symbolic enclosure that allows Orthodox Jews to perform certain activities outdoors on the ...
1980History
Muhollen (D), 1980–1983.
1984History
Harold "Hesh" Berman (D), 1984–1987.
1988History
Jeffrey M.Orbach (R), 1988–1991.
1992History
James Polos (D), 1992–1999.
2000History
=== 2000 census ===
As of the 2000 United States census there were 13,999 people, 5,899 households, and 3,409 families residing in the borough.
2004History
The Livingston Manor Historic District was listed in the New Jersey Register of Historic Places on April 1, 2004, and in the National Register of Historic Places on July 7, 2004.
2006History
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $78,821 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,31...
2009Government
In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon S.
2010History
== Demographics ==
=== 2010 census ===
The 2010 United States census counted 13,982 people, 5,875 households, and 3,267 families in the borough.
2011Civil Rights
=== Politics ===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 8,506 registered voters in Highland Park, of which 5,082 (59.7%) were registered as Democrats, 634 (7.5%) were registere...
2012Government
In 2012, Highland Park became the first municipality in the state to contract a home performance company to help residents consume less energy.
2013History
Gary Minkoff (D), 2013–2014 (resigned office).
2014Economy
Padraic Millet (D), 2014 (acting)
Gayle Brill Mittler (D), 2014–2022.
2016Culture
In 2016, Highland Park became the state's first registered HeartSafe community.
2018History
In July 2018, Hersh resigned to accept a position with a state agency and was replaced by Matthew Hale.
2019Government
Re-elected on November 5, 2019, to serve another 4-year term, which would expire on December 31, 2023; she resigned in December 2022.
2023History
In January 2023, the borough council appointed Elsie Foster to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Gayle Brill Mittler until she resigned from o...
2025Culture
As of 2025, Middlesex County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year, and residence listed in parentheses) are:
Director Ronald G.
2026Government
As of 2026, the mayor of Highland Park is Democrat Elsie Foster, whose term of office ending on December 31, 2027.
2027History
Members of the Borough Council are Council President Stephany Kim-Choban (D, 2027), Philip G.
2028History
George (D, 2028), Matthew L.