Kearny, New Jersey

Kearny, New Jersey
—  Town  —
Map highlighting Kearny within Hudson County. Inset: Location of Hudson county highlighted in the State of New Jersey.
Census Bureau map of Kearny, New Jersey
Coordinates:
Country United States
State New Jersey
County Hudson
Incorporated April 8, 1867
Government[1]
 - Type Town (New Jersey)
 - Mayor Alberto G. Santos
Area
 - Total 10.2 sq mi (26.4 km2)
 - Land 9.1 sq mi (23.7 km2)
 - Water 1.0 sq mi (2.7 km2)
Elevation[2] 7 ft (2 m)
Population (2007)[3]
 - Total 37,295
 - Density 4,433.2/sq mi (1,711.7/km2)
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP codes 07032, 07099
Area code(s) 201
FIPS code 34-36510[4][5]
GNIS feature ID 0885266[6]
Website http://www.kearnynj.org

Kearny (pronounced /ˈkɑrni/, KAR-nee) is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was named after Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 40,513. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark.

Kearny was originally formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1867, from portions of Harrison Township. Portions of the township were taken on July 3, 1895, to form East Newark. Kearny was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.[7]

Contents

Geography

Kearny is located at (40.763051, -74.137187).[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 10.2 square miles (26.4 km²), of which, 9.1 square miles (23.7 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.7 km²) of it (10.30%) is water.

Main thoroughfares include the eponymous Kearny Avenue (the local segment of Ridge Road / Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard), Bergen Avenue, Midland Avenue, Schuyler Avenue and Passaic Avenue.

A number of small parks running along Passaic Ave (adjacent to the Passaic River) are collectively called River Bank Park. The largest, located on the colloquial "Bunnyland Hill", is a gift from Kearny's veterans. It is named after a small zoo named Bunnyland, which was maintained by the local Kiwanis Club, that occupied part of the present Bunnyland Hill in the 20th century. During Kearny's Fourth of July celebrations (which include a fireworks display), Bunnyland Hill is the primary gathering spot for celebrants and observers.

The largest park in Kearny is West Hudson Park, shared with Harrison, which contains a variety of sports fields, recreational areas, and an artificial pond. The next largest recreational zone is the Kearny Playground at Gunnel Oval.

The town is bordered by East Newark, Harrison and North Arlington. The Passaic River separates it from Newark and Belleville, and the Hackensack River separates it from Jersey City.

History

Colonial roots

The 9.3 square mile (24 km²) area of Kearny Township, created in 1867, had been part of the original Crown Grant of 30,000 acres (120 km²) obtained by Major William Sandford of Barbadoes Island on July 4, 1668. Major Sandford named it New Barbadoes Neck after his old home. As was the custom of the times, the Major paid Chief Tantaqua of the Hackensack Indians 20 English Pounds Sterling for all their reserve rights and titles. It would seem these transactions made Major Sandford Kearny's first citizen and founder. William Sandford died in 1690.

In 1708, his friend Major Nathaniel Kingsland took over the upper western tract of the Grant. In 1710 he sold it for 300 English Pounds Sterling to Captain Arent Schuyler, a former Dutch trader and Indian Agent. The new purchase included present-day Kearny, North Arlington, Lyndhurst and Kingsland.

Shortly after Schuyler's purchase of his new homestead, a peculiar green stone was uncovered. It was sent to England for analysis and he learned that that it contained 80% copper. His opening of a copper mine brought the first steam engine to America from England; it was used to pump out the deep mine shaft. The engine was secretly delivered by its engineer, Josiah Hornblower. The engine and mines were destroyed by fire in 1772 and remained idle for some years.

Schuyler Mansion played a role during the American Revolutionary War Era. When Lord Howe of England took possession of New York Harbor, the nearness of Schuyler Mansion drew many of his officers. They generally traveled over a road that today is referred to as the Belleville Turnpike. It was originally made of cedar logs from the nearby swamps in 1759.

During September 1777, General Henry Clinton, head of the British Expeditionary Forces in America, selected Schuyler Mansion for his headquarters during one of his more important raiding operations which included the famed Battle of Second River. The Mansion stood until 1924, a period of 214 years, when it was torn down by a land development company.

In the middle 1800s, Kearny was the upper, or northern, section of the Township of Harrison. A prominent citizen and resident of the upper section, General N. M. Halsted, felt it was impossible under these political conditions for his section to obtain proper recognition. He engaged an energetic campaign for an independent township. He succeeded when the NJ Legislature of 1867 on March 14 th, adopted “an act creating the Township of Kearny”. The town was named to honor Major General Phil Kearny, Commander of the New Jersey Forces in the Civil War and the late resident of well-known “Belle Grove”, locally called Kearny Castle.

On April 8, 1867, the first election of town officers was held. Every office in the new Township had to be filled. General N. M. Halsted was elected Chairman. The first official seat of Government was three rooms in the old Lodi Hotel, on the northeast corner of Schuyler and Harrison Avenues.

In the early 1870s, Kearny erected its first Town Hall, on the corner of Kearny and Woodland Avenues, the present site of the Knox Presbyterian Church Parish Hall. This served as a Town Hall, Court House, and Schoolhouse. When the town's growth demanded larger quarters, the present Kearny Town Hall, built of Indiana Limestone, was erected in 1909. It is located in almost the exact center of town.

The Minute Book of the Township states on August 16, 1870, the first step toward establishing Kearny's present public school system was taken. The first schoolhouse was housed in the Town Hall built at Kearny and Woodland Avenues.

Factory town

The early influx and development of industry in Kearny dates back to 1875 when the Clark Thread Company of Paisley in Scotland extended its activities to the United States by erecting two large mills in Kearny, and adding two others in 1890. These mills brought to Kearny thousands of Scots immigrants. Many of them would play on Kearny's soccer teams in National Association Football League.

In 1876, the Mile End Thread Mills started operating, giving employment to several hundred operators.

In 1883, the Marshall Flax Spinning Company of England erected a large plant in Kearny, known as the Linen Thread Company. Their need for experienced flax spinners brought an influx of workers from other sections of the British Isles. Families of those early textile workers were the nucleus of Kearny's present population.

The Puraline Manufacturing Company, later called the Arlington Company, which became a subsidiary of E. I. DuPont de Nemours Company, had purchased a large tract of land east of the Arlington Station on the Erie Railroad extending well out, north of the railroad embankment, into the meadowland.

In 1887, Sir Michael Nairn established the Nairn Linoleum Company of Kirkcaldy in Scotland, now the Congoleum Nairn Company of Kearny, giving further impetus to local industrial growth.

The Highland Hose No. 4 firehouse which is now on the National Register of Historic Places list was built in 1895.

In 1902, the Lovell-Dressel Company, manufacturers of marine and railway lamps and fixtures, located in Kearny adjacent to the Erie Railroad.

Former Western Electric Kearny Works

Other industries which located in Kearny include: Swift & Company, Koppers Company, Theobald Industries, Standard Tool & Manufacturing, Wilkata Box Company, Harris Steel Company and L & R Manufacturing. Between 1926 and 1986 the Kearny Works of Western Electric employed thousands in producing a variety of hardware and supplies for the Bell System and was the home of the "Kearny Standard" for tools and equipment.[9]

Cargo ships were built at Kearny Yards during World War I, and warships during World War II.[10]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1880 777
—
1890 7,064 809.1%
1900 10,896 54.2%
1910 18,659 71.2%
1920 26,724 43.2%
1930 40,716 52.4%
1940 39,467 −3.1%
1950 39,952 1.2%
1960 37,472 −6.2%
1970 37,585 0.3%
1980 35,735 −4.9%
1990 34,874 −2.4%
2000 40,513 16.2%
Est. 2007 37,295 [3] −7.9%
Population 1930 - 1990.[11]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 40,513 people, 13,539 households, and 9,802 families residing in the town. The population density was 4,433.2 people per square mile (1,711.4/km²). There were 13,872 housing units at an average density of 1,518.0/sq mi (586.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 75.75% White, 3.97% African American, 0.37% Native American, 5.50% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.04% from other races, and 4.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.34% of the population.

There were 13,539 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 106.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $47,757, and the median income for a family was $54,596. Males had a median income of $38,672 versus $30,620 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,886. About 6.1% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Kearny is governed under the Town form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and Town Council comprising eight council members. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Town Council is elected by the voters in partisan elections, two from each of the four wards, on a staggered basis for two-year terms, with one seat from each ward coming up for election each year.[1]

The Mayor and Council operate on a legislative basis, with the Mayor having veto power. The day-to-day operations fall within the jurisdiction of the Town Administrator whose duties are specified by local ordinance, and who generally carries out the policies adopted by the Mayor and Council.

The Mayor of Kearny is Alberto G. Santos, who has been Mayor of Kearny since January 1, 2000. Before his election as mayor, Santos served as councilman of Kearny's Second Ward for one year.

Southern fire station

Members of the Town Council are:[12]

Federal, state and county representation

Kearny is split between the Ninth and Thirteenth Congressional Districts and is part of New Jersey's 32nd Legislative District.[13]

Education

The Kearny School District is dedicated to the education of the more than 5,000 culturally diverse students in the district.

Public

Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[14]) are four Pre Kindergarten-8 schools; Franklin School 927 students), Lincoln School (765), Schuyler School (475) and Washington School (593); two Pre-K to 6 schools: Garfield School (530) and Roosevelt School (443) and Kearny High School for grades 9 - 12 (1,737).

Private

Commerce

Portions of Kearny are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3½% sales tax rate (versus the 7% rate charged statewide).[15]

Transportation

New Jersey Transit offers bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to other New Jersey communities. Bus service to Newark is available on the 1, 30, 40, 43, 76 and 80 routes.[16]

The Belleville Turnpike (Route 7) forms the northern border of the town with North Arlington. Kearny Avenue passes through the town and continues north as Ridge Road, the beginning of NJ 17. The Essex Freeway (I-280) passes through the boro and ends at Interstate 95(W) (the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern & Western Spurs) at Exit 15W. The 15W tollgate is located in Kearny, with a total of 14 lanes at the gate.

The closest airport with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 6.5 miles (10.5 km) away in Newark and Elizabeth.

Kearny was formerly served by the Boonton Line which stopped at the now abandoned Arlington Station. New Jersey Transit discontinued service in 2002 when the Montclair Connection was opened. Through the early 1970's trains also stopped at a 2nd station along this route known as West Arlington. This station was just to the east of the now abandonded WR movable bridge. Prior to April 30, 1967, a station in South Kearny, was served by the Central Railroad of New Jersey. This station was popular with employees of the giant Western Electric plant, and other industries in the area. In the final years of this service a pair of rush hour trains ran in each direction between South Kearny, and the CNJ's Broad Street Station in downtown Newark, as well as a single rush hour round trip between South Kearny, and Plainfield. This train operated via Elizabethport, and the CNJ main line.

In popular culture

The HBO drama series The Sopranos filmed frequently in Kearny. The location of the fictitious Satriale's Pork Store, which houses Tony Soprano's office in the show was at 101 Kearny Avenue. The pig was placed back on the roof when The Sopranos was filming in Kearny for exterior shots. Condominiums named "The Soprano" were planned to be built built on the site, however it currently is used as a parking lot.[17]

Famous 1960s pop music station, WMCA AM 570, "The Home Of The Good Guys", broadcasts from a 3-tower transmitter site on the Hackensack River, in Kearny. The transmitters are visible from the New Jersey Turnpike.

Professional soccer players John Harkes, Tab Ramos, and Tony Meola all grew up in Kearny, giving the town the moniker of "Soccertown, U.S.A.", especially after they played together on the United States team at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.[18]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Kearny include:

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 142.
  2. ↑ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Town of Kearny, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Census data for Kearny town, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 3, 2008.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  5. ↑ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  6. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  7. ↑ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 147.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  9. ↑ New York Times WECO works
  10. ↑ Kearny Yards
  11. ↑ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  12. ↑ Meet the Mayor & Council, Town of Kearny. Accessed April 28, 2008.
  13. ↑ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 55. Accessed September 30, 2009.
  14. ↑ Data for the Kearny School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 28, 2008.
  15. ↑ Geographic & Urban Redevelopment Tax Credit Programs: Urban Enterprise Zone Employee Tax Credit, State of New Jersey. Accessed July 28, 2008.
  16. ↑ Hudson County Bus/Rail Connection, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 23, 2007.
  17. ↑ Caldwell, Dave. "Ice Cream, Onion Rings and Tony Soprano", The New York Times, August 26, 2007. Accessed November 2, 2007. "The owner of the Kearny building used for Satriale's pork store intends to sell pieces of the facade when he has it razed for a condo development."
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Hernandez, Raymond. "World Cup Hits Home In Soccer Town, U.S.A." The New York Times June 26, 1994
  19. ↑ Kihss, Peter. "Guy W. Calissi, 71, Retired Judge And a Jersey Prosecutor, Is Dead; College Scholarship Yielded Byrne Made 1970 Appointment", The New York Times, December 9, 1980. Accessed October 19, 2009.
  20. ↑ Ownie Carroll, The Baseball Cube. Accessed August 19, 2007.
  21. ↑ Kurland, Bob. "METROSTARS MINUS TWO -- DONADONI, RAMOS TO MISS OPENER", The Record (Bergen County), April 12, 1996. "Kearny native Ted Gillen, who grew up in Toms River, was placed on injured reserve due to a slow-healing hamstring."
  22. ↑ Government informant is called kingpin of largest Sharon Gaudin. "Government informant is called kingpin of largest U.S. data breaches" Computer World, August 18, 2009
  23. ↑ Ed Halicki, CNN/SI. Accessed April 17, 2008.
  24. ↑ allmusic guide. "Tony Mottola... attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton..."
  25. ↑ La Gorce, Tammy. "Bellowing Like Iron Maiden, but Very, Very Sensitive", The New York Times, November 7, 2004. Accessed November 2, 2007. "Which is more what Mr. Way -- along with his bassist and brother, Mikey; Ray Toro, a guitarist from Belleville; Frank Iero, a guitarist from Kearny; and the Chicago-area drummer Bob Bryer -- is going for..."
  26. ↑ Curry, Jack. 'The Goalie With No Nerves;Meola's Calm Helps Keep U.S. in World Cup Play", The New York Times, January 3, 1990. Accessed September 15, 2008.
  27. ↑ allmusic guide. "Tony Mottola was born April 18, 1918 in Kearny, NJ. He began playing guitar at the age of nine, and attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton; after graduating, Mottola toured with George Hall's orchestra, making his recorded debut on the group's rendition of 'Shine.'"
  28. ↑ Shamus O'Brien, National Soccer Hall of Fame. Accessed December 13, 2007.
  29. ↑ Solid! - George Paxton
  30. ↑ allmusic guide. "Tony Mottola... attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton..."
  31. ↑ Mifflin, Lawrie. "Doing a Star Turn for the Home Team, at Last", The New York Times, August 18, 1996. Accessed January 7, 2008. "Giants Stadium is a short trip up the turnpike from Old Bridge, where Mr. Ramos lives with his wife, Amy -- a former North Carolina State University soccer player like her husband -- and their 16-month-old son, Alex. And it's just a few miles from where he grew up, in Harrison and Kearny, towns that have been soccer hotbeds for generations."
  32. ↑ Holahan, Catherine. "My Chemical Romance is too big for New Jersey's basements", The Record (Bergen County), October 12, 2005. Accessed December 13, 2007. "Part of the reason Toro might feel so nostalgic for Kearny and Belleville, where he and his band mates grew up, is they have been home for a total of about four weeks since releasing their major label debut, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, in June 2004."
  33. ↑ "Giant Star Compares Grid Loops", The Hartford Courant, December 18, 1955. Accessed December 13, 2007. "Alex Webster returned to his Kearny, N.J. home today, but before he left the former star Montreal Alouette halfback made it clear he "wants to jump back to Canada" rather than play again for the New York Giants in 1956."
  34. ↑ [1] Alex Webster NY Giants Stats

External links

Municipalities and communities of Hudson County, New Jersey
County seat: Jersey City
Cities
Borough

East Newark
Towns

Guttenberg | Harrison | Kearny | Secaucus | West New York
Townships

North Bergen | Weehawken