Kearny, New Jersey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kearny (pronounced /kɑrni/) 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.

Kearney 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.[1]

The town has been used for location filming of the HBO series The Sopranos.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Kearny is located at 40°45′47″N, 74°8′14″W (40.763051, -74.137187).GR1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.4 km² (10.2 mi²). 23.7 km² (9.1 mi²) of it is land and 2.7 km² (1.0 mi²) of it (10.30%) is water.

Kearny distinguishes itself from neighboring towns in its balanced use of space; a blend of residence, business, industrial, educational, and park. Main thoroughfares include the titular Kearny Avenue (the local segment of Ridge Road / Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard), Bergen Avenue, Midland Avenue, Schuyler Avenue and Passaic Avenue.

There are a number of small memorial parks running along Passaic Ave (adjacent to the Passaic River) collectively called River Bank Park. The largest of which, located on the colloquial "Bunny Hill", is a gift from Kearny's veterans. During Kearny's Fourth of July celebrations (which include a fireworks display), Bunny 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, Belleville, North Arlington, Newark and Jersey City.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1930 40,716
–
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. 2005 38,771 [2] -4.3%
Population 1930 - 1990.[3]

As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 40,513 people, 13,539 households, and 9,802 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,711.4/km² (4,433.2/mi²). There were 13,872 housing units at an average density of 586.0/km² (1,518.0/mi²). 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.

[edit] Government

[edit] Local government

Governmental operation in the Town of Kearny is by a Mayor and Council form of government with the Mayor elected at-large by the voters to a two-year term and an eight-member Council elected by the voters, two from each of the four wards, on a staggered basis for two-year terms. 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.

Members of the Town Council are:[4]

  • Council members 1st Ward: Alexa Arce and David Krusznis
  • Council members 2nd Ward: Barbara Cifelli Sherry and Laura Cifelli-Pettigrew
  • Council members 3rd Ward: Carol Jean Doyle and Eileen Eckel
  • Council members 4th Ward: Michael D. Landy and Susan McCurrie

[edit] 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.[5]

New Jersey's Ninth Congressional District, covering the southern portion of Bergen County and sections of Hudson County and Passaic County, is represented by Steve Rothman (D, Fair Lawn). New Jersey's Thirteenth Congressional District, covering portions of Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, and Union Counties, is now represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York), who won a special election held on November 7, 2006 to fill the vacancy the had existed since January 16, 2006. The seat had been represented by Bob Menendez (D), who was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the seat vacated by Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine. New Jersey is represented in the Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).

The 32nd legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Nicholas Sacco (D, North Bergen) and in the Assembly by Vincent Prieto (D, Secaucus) and Joan M. Quigley (D, Jersey City). The Governor of New Jersey is Jon Corzine (D, Hoboken).

Hudson County's County Executive is Thomas A. DeGise. The executive, together with the Board of Chosen Freeholders in a legislative role, administer all county business. Hudson County's nine Freeholders (as of 2006) are: District 1: Doreen McAndrew DiDomenico; District 2: William O'Dea; District 3: Jeffrey Dublin; District 4: Eliu Rivera; District 5: Maurice Fitzgibbons; District 6: Tilo Rivas; District 7: Gerald Lange Jr.; District 8: Thomas Liggio; and District 9: Albert Cifelli.

[edit] Education

The Kearny School District is dedicated to the education of the more than 5,000 culturally diverse students in the district. The District has seven schools: four Pre Kindergarten-8 schools; Franklin School with 988 students, Lincoln School with 635 students, Schuyler School with 501 students and Washington School with 636 students — and two Pre-K to 6 schools (Garfield School with 552 students and Roosevelt School with 412 students). Kearny High School serves 1,660 students in grades 9 - 12.

[edit] Transportation

New Jersey Transit offers bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to other New Jersey communities.

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 Route 17.

The closest airport with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located 6.5 miles away in Newark / Elizabeth.

[edit] History

The 9.3 square mile area of Kearney Township, created in 1867, had been part of the original Crown Grant of 30,000 acres 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 1800’s, 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 1870’s, 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 own.

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.

The early influx and development of industry in Kearny dates back to 1875 when the Clark Thread Company of Scotland extended its activities to this country by erecting two large mills in Kearny, and adding two others in 1890. These mills brought to Kearny thousands of Scots immigrants.

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, now the Congoleum Nairn Company of Kearny, giving further impetus to local industrial growth.

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

Other industries which located in Kearny include: Swift & Company, Koppers Company, Theobald Industries, Western Electric Co., Standard Tool & Manufacturing, Wilkata Box Company, Harris Steel Company, and L & R Manufacturing.

[edit] Trivia

  • My Chemical Romance lead guitarist Ray Toro and ex-drummer Matt Pelissier are from Kearny.
  • 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.[6]
  • Kathryn Minner, an elderly character actress best known as The Little Old Lady from Pasadena in a series of television commercials for Dodge which aired in Southern California from 1964 to 1969, once lived in Kearny.
  • Famous 1960s pop music station, WMCA AM 570, "The Home Of The Good Guys", used to broadcast from a 3-tower transmitter site on the Hackensack River, in Kearny. The transmitters are easily visible from the New Jersey Turnpike. The towers were demolished in January, 2007.
  • Kearny High School graduates, brothers James and Alex Webster played professional football in the '50s and '60s. James played halfback for Marquette University earning MVP in 1959, and professionally for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and for the UFL Grand Rapids Shamrocks/Blazers (1960-1964). Alex Webster played halfback for North Carolina State University and began playing professionally for the Montreal Alouettes earning MVP and was an All-Star in 1954. In 1955 he was drafted into the NFL and played for the New York Giants (1955-1964). Alex Webster eventually became assistant coach under Allie Sherman, later being promoted to head coach (1967-1973) where he won NFL Coach of the year in 1970.
  • HBO Hit drama series The Sopranos films frequently in Kearny. The pork store "Satriale's" (in the show), which houses Tony Soprano's office, is located in Kearny. It was actually an auto parts store and remains abandoned. The pig is placed back on the roof when The Sopranos is back in Kearny for exterior shots.

[edit] References

  1. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 147.
  2. ^ Census data for Kearny town, United States Census Bureau, accessed March 1, 2007
  3. ^ Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990, accessed March 1, 2007
  4. ^ Meet the Mayor & Council, accessed March 16, 2007
  5. ^ League of Women Voters: 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, p. 55, accessed August 30, 2006
  6. ^ Soccer ruminations recall Soccertown USA, The University News (Saint Louis University), April 28, 2005

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
This box: view • talk • edit
Municipalities of Hudson County, New Jersey
(County seat: Jersey City)
Cities Bayonne | Hoboken | Jersey City | Union City
Townships North Bergen | Weehawken
Towns Guttenberg | Harrison | Kearny | Secaucus | West New York
Borough East Newark
Communities Exchange Place | Greenville | Liberty State Park | Newport | Paulus Hook
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../k/e/a/Kearny%2C_New_Jersey_624d.html"
In other languages