Located in Bergen County, with a population of around 25,000, Ridgewood was ranked 26th in Money magazine's "Best Places to Live" in America, 2011. This upscale neighborhood is also known for the quality of its school system. For commuters, the Ridgewood station is served by the New Jersey Transit Main Line as well as the Bergen County Line. Ridgewood is home to several locations on the National Historic Register including the Archibal-Vroom house, a rare example of an 18th century sandstone house.

Ancestral home of the Leni-Lenape Indians and colonized by Dutch settlers, the area was a wooded wilderness when the first home in what is now the township was built in 1700. At that time, the area was called Hochaos after the Native American name for the brook which runs through the village. What had been strictly an agricultural community, saw big changes with the opening of the Paterson and Ramapo Railroad in 1848. Opening access to New York, several wealthy business bought estates and relocated their families to the area, taking advantage of the clean air and beautiful countryside. While further removed from its agricultural past, the town is still popular for the same reasons.