Fort Lee sits in Bergen County, New Jersey, on the Hudson River, perched atop the Palisades cliffs directly across from Manhattan. It is a borough of about 40,000 people and one of the most urban, transit-oriented communities in the county, functioning as the New Jersey gateway to New York City through the George Washington Bridge, whose western terminus lies within the borough. The town holds a distinctive place in American cultural history. From roughly 1909 to 1918, Fort Lee was the center of the United States motion picture industry — the country's first film town — home to early studios and hundreds of productions before the industry moved west to Hollywood. That legacy is commemorated locally, but Fort Lee's modern identity is more commonly tied to its bridge and its skyline. Residential life is defined by the Palisades. A row of high-rise condominium and cooperative towers lines the cliff edge, their residents drawn by Manhattan views and a commute measured in minutes. Behind the towers, older streets of single-family homes and low-rise apartments preserve a more conventional borough character. Main Street anchors the borough's dining and shopping, reflecting a diverse, international population. Education is provided by the Fort Lee Public Schools, a pre-K through 12th grade district operating elementary schools, the Lewis F. Cole intermediate and middle schools, and Fort Lee High School. Commuters reach Manhattan by NJ Transit bus across the bridge — about 13 minutes to the bridge's bus station — or via routes through the Lincoln Tunnel. Fort Lee suits urban-minded households seeking dense, convenient living with dramatic views and the shortest possible bridge crossing into Manhattan.