East Brunswick Township, New Jersey

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A Map Of East Brunswick
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A Map Of East Brunswick

East Brunswick Township is a suburban Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey near the Raritan River. According to the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 46,756. Route 18 runs through the eastern part of the township. The town lies on Exit 9 of the New Jersey Turnpike.

Contents

[edit] History

The general area of central New Jersey was once occupied by the Lenape Native Americans. Around the late 1600s, settlers began arriving in the northern part of East Brunswick, and by the mid-1800s, a small village had formed in the southeastern part, known as the Old Bridge section of the town. This area is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The area today known as East Brunswick was composed of parts of North Brunswick and Monroe townships. The township was incorporated in 1860 and grew steadily as a rural farming community.

After decades as a quiet farming area, East Brunswick began to change in the 1930s. Large scale housing and road construction, especially after World War II, transformed the sleepy community into a large suburban town. The extension of the New Jersey Turnpike to East Brunswick in 1951 led to a sharp spike in population growth.

In the early 1970s a citizens group Concerned Citizens of East Brunswick sued the New Jersey Turnpike Authority over a proposed major widening project. The citizens group effectively won this case gaining concessions in turnpike design, scale and mitigation measures for noise and air quality. The citizens group presented technical data from their own experts and prevailed in what was one of the earliest technical confrontations regarding urban highway design related to environmental factors in U.S. history.

[edit] Geography

East Brunswick Township highlighted in Middlesex County
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East Brunswick Township highlighted in Middlesex County

East Brunswick is located at 40°26′3″N, 74°24′18″W (40.434239, -74.405040)GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 58.0 km² (22.4 mi²) of which 56.9 km² (22.0 mi²) is dry land and 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²) is water (1.92%).

East Brunswick Township borders South River and the Sayreville on the east; Old Bridge Township on the southeast; Spotswood and Helmetta on the south; Monroe Township and South Brunswick Township on the southwest; North Brunswick Township and Milltown on the northwest; and the New Brunswick and Edison Township on the north.

The town is located exactly 23 miles South West of New York City.

[edit] Demographics

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 46,756 people, 16,372 households, and 13,081 families residing in the township. The population density was 822.4/km² (2,129.7/mi²). There were 16,640 housing units at an average density of 292.7/km² (758.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the township was 77.56% White, 2.83% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 16.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. 4.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Ancestries include Italian (15.0%), Irish (13.8%), Polish (11.5%), German (10.6%), Russian (7.8%), United States (4.2%)[1].

Of the 16,372 households, 40.5% included children under the age of 18, 68.6% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.1% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $95,956GR2, with a more current estimate of $81,777[2], and the median income for a family was $86,863. Males had a median income of $60,790 versus $38,534 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,286. About .1% of families and .8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

The median price of a home is $296,705 [2].

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

The Township of East Brunswick was established in 1860. Since January 1, 1965, the Township has operated under the Mayor-Council Plan E form of government pursuant to the Faulkner Act, Chapter 69A of Title 40 of the New Jersey Statutes.

The Mayor is the chief executive of the community who is chosen for a four year term at the regular Presidential election in November and serves part-time. While the Mayor does not preside over, nor have a vote on the Council, he or she may vote in the case of a tie on the question of filling a Council vacancy. The Mayor also has veto power over ordinances, but vetoes can be overridden by a two-thirds vote of the Council.

The Township Council is the legislative body. There are five members elected at large for staggered four-year terms at the general election held in even-numbered years. The Council's powers consist of: adopting all ordinances; reviewing, revising and adopting the budget; making appropriations; levying taxes; authorizing bond issues; providing for the internal structure of the local government; providing by ordinance for the creation and abolition of jobs; fixing salaries; and establishing general municipal policy.

The Council has the authority to initiate hearings for the purposes of gathering information for ordinance making, airing public problems and supervising the spending of its appropriations.

The Mayor of East Brunswick is William P. Neary (D). Members of the Township Council are Nancy Pinkin (D) (Council President), Donald E. Klemp (D) (Council Vice President), Catherine Diem (D), Christi Calvano (R) and David Stahl (D).[3]

[edit] Federal, state and county representation

East Brunswick is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 18th Legislative District.[4]

New Jersey's Twelfth Congressional District, covering all of Hunterdon County and portions of Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Morris County, and Somerset County, is represented by Rush D. Holt Jr. (D). New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Robert Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 18th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Barbara Buono (D, Edison) and in the Assembly by Peter J. Barnes (D, Edison) and Patrick J. Diegnan (D, South Plainfield). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Middlesex County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders. Middlesex County's Freeholders are: Freeholder Director David B. Crabiel, Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina, Camille Fernicola, H. James Polos, John Pulomena, Christopher D. Rafano and Blanquita B. Valenti.

[edit] Education

Main Article: East Brunswick Public Schools

The East Brunswick Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The school system consists of 8 elementary schools: Bowne-Munro, Central, Chittick, Frost, Irwin, Lawrence Brook, Memorial and Warnsdorfer. All students in grades 1 through 5 attend the elementary school closest to them.

There are two middle-level schools, Hammarskjold Middle School (HMS) for grades 6 and 7, and Churchill Junior High School (CJHS) for grades eight and nine. The secondary school of the district is East Brunswick High School (EBHS).

East Brunswick is the only district in the state of New Jersey with eight schools that have been designated as a Blue Ribbon School / National School of Excellence by the United States Department of Education.[5] Schools that have been recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools are Irwin School (1989-90), East Brunswick High School (1990-91), Lawrence Brook School (1991-92), Churchill Junior High School (1994-95), Hammarskjold Middle School (1994-95), Bowne-Munro School (1996-97), Murray A. Chittick Elementary School (1998-99) and Warnsdorfer Elementary School (2000-01).[6]

[edit] Transportation

Route 18 passes through East Brunswick, and is an important artery connecting not only the New Brunswick to the Jersey Shore, but also to the New Jersey Turnpike. Route 18 connects with the Turnpike around mile marker 83.43. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through East Brunswick Township, and connects with Route 18, which also intersects with US 1. The Turnpike's Joyce Kilmer service area is located between Interchanges 8A and 9 northbound at milepost 78.7[7].

[edit] About the town

East Brunswick is the home of over 1,000 acres of parkland and open spaces provide an array of recreational opportunities. The Division of Parks maintains 12 developed and 3 undeveloped parks with extensive facilities for tennis, basketball, handball, soccer, and baseball. Playgrounds, nature trails and lakes and rivers for fishing and boating complete a well-rounded system that beckons young and old alike to enjoy rest and recreation close to home. The township is also the home of Crystal Springs Family Aquatic Center, a township-operated waterpark for residents of all ages.

Playhouse 22 - East Brunswick's Community Theatre and Performing Arts - will be residing in the new multi-purpose community arts center to be opened this fall at Heavenly Farms, East Brunswick's newest park. Recognized in 2000, as Community Theatre of the Year in New Jersey, Playhouse 22 has staged many hit musicals, dramas, comedies and original works. The East Brunswick Arts Commission also hosts the annual Young Musicians Concert, featuring high school students, as well the Visual Arts' League Arts Festival every June around the Municipal Complex.

The Tower Center complex includes two 23-story office towers and a 12-story Hilton Hotel, located at the intersection of Route 18 and the New Jersey Turnpike. The two towers are among the tallest structures in Central Jersey, and can be plainly seen for several miles up and down the Turnpike and Routes 1 and 18. The towers are so tall that they cast a shadow into the Rutgers Village neighborhood in New Brunswick.

Several Weird NJ destinations are in East Brunswick, including the Mary Murray Ferry (seen from the Turnpike) and Port Street, near Helmetta.

The town also has a golf course (Tamarack) as well as a landfill, trailer park, the County Fair Grounds, the Giarmese Farm, and Lake-View Day Camp.

[edit] Noted residents

[edit] References

  1. ^ City Data for East Brunswick, New Jersey, accessed April 7, 2006
  2. ^ a b Best Places to Retire 2005: East Brunswick, NJ, CNN Money, accessed May 23, 2006
  3. ^ Mayor and Township Council Members, accessed July 9, 2006
  4. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 56, accessed August 30, 2006
  5. ^ Awards and Accomplishments, accessed May 23, 2006
  6. ^ Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982-1983 through 1999-2002 (PDF), accessed May 11, 2006
  7. ^ New Jersey Turnpike: Joyce Kilmer Service Area, accessed May 31, 2006

[edit] External links

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Municipalities of Middlesex County, New Jersey
(County Seat: New Brunswick)
Cities New Brunswick | Perth Amboy | South Amboy
Townships Cranbury | East Brunswick | Edison | Monroe Township | North Brunswick | Old Bridge | Piscataway | Plainsboro Township | South Brunswick | Woodbridge
Boroughs Carteret | Dunellen | Helmetta | Highland Park | Jamesburg | Metuchen | Middlesex | Milltown | Sayreville | South Plainfield | South River | Spotswood
CDPs and Communities Clearbrook Park | Avenel | Brownville | Colonia | Concordia | Dayton | Deans | Fords | Heathcote | Hopelawn | Iselin | Keasbey | Kendall Park | Kingston | Laurence Harbor | Madison Park | Menlo Park Terrace | Monmouth Junction | Plainsboro Center | Port Reading | Princeton Meadows | Raritan Landing | Rossmoor | Sewaren | Society Hill | Whittingham
Historic Houses Buccleuch Mansion | Cornelius Low House | Henry Guest House | James Buckelew Mansion | Joyce Kilmer House | Metlar/Bodine House | Rockingham
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