| Sayreville, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| — Borough — | |
| Location of Sayreville in Middlesex County. Inset: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey. | |
| Census Bureau map of Sayreville, New Jersey | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Jersey |
| County | Middlesex |
| Incorporated | April 29, 1919 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Borough (New Jersey) |
| • Mayor | Kennedy O'Brien (term ends 2011)[1] |
| • Administrator | Jeff Bertrand[2] |
| Area[3] | |
| • Total | 18.75 sq mi (48.6 km2) |
| • Land | 15.90 sq mi (41.2 km2) |
| • Water | 2.85 sq mi (7.4 km2) 15.20% |
| Elevation[4] | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population (2010 Census)[5] | |
| • Total | 42,704 |
| • Density | 2,277.5/sq mi (878.7/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 08871-08872[6] |
| Area code(s) | 732/848 |
| FIPS code | 34-65790[7][8] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885386[9] |
| Website | http://www.sayreville.com |
Sayreville is a borough located on the Raritan River, near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 42,704.[5]
Sayreville was originally incorporated as a township on April 6, 1876, from portions of South Amboy Township. On April 2, 1919, the borough was reincorporated as the Borough of Sayreville, based on the results of a referendum held on April 29, 1919.[10]
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Sayreville is located at (40.465769, -74.324043).[11]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 18.75 square miles (48.6 km2), of which, 15.90 square miles (41.2 km2) of it is land and 2.85 square miles (7.4 km2) of it (15.20%) is water.[3]
Sayreville is bordered the southwest by and the south by Old Bridge Township.
As the crow flies, the borough is approximately 24 miles (39 km) southwest of downtown New York City, 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Staten Island, and 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Philadelphia on the southern bank of the Raritan River. Area codes 732 and 848 and Area code 908 are used in Sayreville.
Sayreville uses four ZIP codes 08879, and 08859. 08872 and 08871 are the Sayreville zip located in the borough itself. 08879 is the South Amboy zip located in the informal sections of Morgan and Melrose of Sayreville, the City of South Amboy, and the informal section of Laurence Harbor of Old Bridge Township. 08859 is the Parlin ZIP code located partially in the Borough of Sayreville and Old Bridge Township.
| Edison Township | Woodbridge Township | Perth Amboy | ||
| South Amboy | ||||
| Sayreville | ||||
| East Brunswick Township and South River |
Old Bridge Twp | Staten Island, NY and Raritan Bay/ Atlantic Ocean |
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 8,658 |
|
|
| 1940 | 8,186 | −5.5% | |
| 1950 | 10,338 | 26.3% | |
| 1960 | 22,553 | 118.2% | |
| 1970 | 32,508 | 44.1% | |
| 1980 | 29,969 | −7.8% | |
| 1990 | 34,986 | 16.7% | |
| 2000 | 40,377 | 15.4% | |
| 2010 | 42,704 | 5.8% | |
| Population sources: 1930-1990[12] 2000[13] 2010[5] |
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As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 40,377 people, 14,955 households, and 10,917 families residing in the borough. The population density was 2,539.4 people per square mile (980.5/km2). There were 15,235 housing units at an average density of 958.1 per square mile (370.0/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 76.47% White, 8.62% African American, 0.13% Native American, 10.56% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.12% from other races, and 2.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.29% of the population.[13]
There were 14,955 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.[13]
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.[13]
The median income for a household in the borough was $58,919, and the median income for a family was $66,266 (these figures had risen to $68,762 and $81,778 respectively as of a 2007 estimate[14]). Males had a median income of $47,427 versus $35,151 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,736. About 3.4% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.[13]
Sayreville is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a six-member Borough Council, with all positions elected at large in partisan elections. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the Borough Council are elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.[15]
As of 2011[update], the Mayor of Sayreville is Kennedy O'Brien, whose term of office ends December 31, 2011.[16] Members of the Borough Council are Council President Kenneth P. Kelly, Sr. (2011), Frank J. Bella (2012), Daniel Buchanan (2013), Lisa Eicher (2011), William J. Henry (2013) and Nicholas Perrette (2012).[17]
Sayreville is in the 6th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 19th state legislative district.[18] The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission based on the results of the 2010 Census.[5]
New Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is represented by Frank Pallone (D, Long Branch). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Frank Lautenberg (D, Cliffside Park) and Bob Menendez (D, Hoboken).
19th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature, which is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Joseph Vitale (D, Woodbridge Township) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Craig Coughlin (D, Fords) and John S. Wisniewski (D, Sayreville).[19] The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham).[20] The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).[21]
Middlesex County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. As of 2010 , Middlesex County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Christopher D. Rafano (South River), Freeholder Deputy Director Ronald G. Rios (Carteret), Carol Barrett Ballante (Monmouth Junction), Stephen J. "Pete" Dalina (Fords), H. James Polos (Highland Park), Mildred Scott (Piscataway) and Blanquita B. Valenti (New Brunswick). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Elaine M. Flynn (Old Bridge Township), Sheriff Mildred S. Scott (Piscataway) and Surrogate Kevin J. Hoagland (New Brunswick).[22]
The Sayreville Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[23]) are four K-3 elementary schools — Emma Arleth Elementary School (518 students), Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary School (508), Harry S. Truman Elementary School (482) and Woodrow Wilson Elementary School (381) — Sayreville Upper Elementary School for grades 4&5 (938), Sayreville Middle School for grades 6-8 (1,376), and Sayreville War Memorial High School for grades 9-12 (1,701). Jesse Selover Elementary School (12 students) offers a half-day program for children ages 3 to 5 years with mild to moderate disabilities, and a full-day program for children of the same age with moderate disabilities who require a greater degree of time and attention.
Native Americans were the first settlers of Sayreville. Tribes of the Navesink lived along the South River where Jernee Mill Road is located today. This was noted on a 1656 New Jersey map by A. Vanderdonck, a Dutch surveyor and map maker. During the 20th century, amateur archaeologists have found thousands of Indian artifacts at the location shown on the map.[24]
Predating the incorporation of Sayreville in 1703, the Morgan Inn - later known as the Old Spye Inn - was established in what is now the Morgan section of Sayreville. The inn was located on a hill overlooking the Raritan Bay. The original owners, the Morgans were said to be related to the famous pirate, Captain Henry Morgan, who is said to have visited the Inn on more than one occasion.[25]
It was during the American Revolutionary War that the Morgan Inn gained its new name, the Old Spye Inn, according to local legends. A local British loyalist Abe Mussey was captured by American troops while signaling to British Ships on the Raritan Bay in 1777. He was tried as a spy at the Inn, convicted in one-day trial and sentenced to death by hanging. Mussey's execution was carried out using a tree near the Inn's entrance. Mussey was reported to be buried behind the inn in an unmarked grave. The Inn was destroyed by fire in the late 20th century, but its ruins remain on the National Register of Historic Places.[26]
Originally known as Roundabout (for the river bends in the area) and then as Wood's Landing, it was renamed in the 1870s for James R. Sayre, Jr. of Newark, co-owner of Sayre & Fisher Brick Company (along with Peter Fisher of New York) that once flourished here. Extensive clay deposits supported the brick industry from the early 19th century until 1970. From its inception, Sayre and Fisher Brick Company quickly grew into one of the top brick making companies in Middlesex County. Brick production grew from 54,000,000 bricks annually in 1878, to 178,000,000 bricks in 1913. Company representatives in 1950 had estimated that a total of 6,250,000,000 bricks had been produced since the founding of the company.[27]
In 1898 DuPont begins production of gun powder at its plant on Washington Road.[28] The company would later build additional facilities in Sayreville for the production of Paint and Photo Products.
At one time the Raritan River Railroad passed through Sayreville and had several spurs to service Sayre & Fisher and other local industries. Featured in a 1914 episode titled "The Juggernaut" of the silent movie serial "The Perils of Pauline", the railroad got a brief taste of stardom.[29] The episode was staged on the line, including the construction of a bridge over Ducks Nest Pond in Sayreville. The pond is located in the back of Bailey Park, which is found on North Minisink. The park was once a place to come and enjoy the day, swimming in the pond and interacting with others. The pond is available for fishing but is no longer used for swimming. Sayreville residents can use the park, by permit, for picnics and camping. The park is located near the DuPont and Hercules factories.
Although the borough remains an industrial town, the addition of many technology companies and a growing residential population has changed the landscape of this central New Jersey town.
Randy Corman, Executive Director of the Sayreville Economic and Redevelopment Agency (SERA), has been heading up the development of the parcel of land commonly referred to as the National Lead Site / Amboy Cinemas lot since about 2000. This new "City" will clear woods, trees, and wetlands and install an entire city complete with commercial, industrial, residential, and recreational, all near the Middlesex County Utilities Authority (Sewerage Authority) and the Middlesex County Fire Academy.[30] There has also been much litigation as to the makeup of the members and public opinion about this project has never been put to a ballot.[31] In addition, closed door meetings have been accused of going against the Sunshine Open Meeting Act.[32]
As of 2011, the master plan of the area shows a mixed use development which includes a strip center, luxury mall, apartments, town homes, offices, and multiple marinas. Phase 1 on the development project is slated to open Fall 2013.
Sayreville enjoys proximity to several major roadways - the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95), Interstate 287 which becomes Route 440 — providing access to Staten Island and Long Island, New York points — U.S. 1, U.S. 9, Route 18, Route 34, Route 35 and Route 36.
Three highway bridges span the Raritan River from the Sayreville side. The Edison Bridge on U.S. 9 and the Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway connect Woodbridge on the north with Sayreville on the south. The Victory Bridge carries Route 35, connecting Sayreville with Perth Amboy.
New Jersey Transit offers service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan via the 131 and 139. Service within New Jersey is offered to Newark on the 67, to Jersey City on the 64, and to other local destinations on the 815 and 817 routes.[33]
Sayreville's EMS-Rescue System is operated by an all-volunteer membership. The Sayreville Emergency Squad was founded in 1936 and provides EMS-Rescue Service with its sister Squad, Morgan First Aid. Both squads provide Emergency medical services, Motor Vehicle Extrication, Boat and Water Rescue, Search and Rescue, and any other rescue function needed. As one of the only completely volunteer first aid squads remaining in central New Jersey, they provide these services free to the citizens of Sayreville. The Sayreville Emergency Squad has been offering rescue services to the Borough since its formation in 1936 and has had a dedicated extrication crash truck as early as the 1940s.
Sayreville also has an all-volunteer fire department. It has four fire companies, Sayreville Engine Company #1, Melrose Hose Company #1, Morgan Hose & Chemical Company #1, and the President Park Volunteer Fire Company.
Sayreville operates an all-volunteer Auxiliary Police. The Auxiliary Police assist the police department and are seen though out the town doing numerous jobs such as night patrols, Sunday church crossings and various borough events. They are also called into action in the event of large scale borough emergencies where the police department is stressed for manpower.
Sayreville is home to the Starland Ballroom concert venue. Sayreville also has several night clubs such as PURE, Deko, Club 35, Ale House! among other bars, clubs, and pubs. The community is home to the Faith Fellowship Ministries World Outreach Center, a non-Denominational "megachurch" with weekly attendance of 9,200.[34]
Sayreville has two community football and cheerleading teams, the Sayreville Leprechauns and Morgan-Parlin Panthers.
Sayreville has a newly constructed Skate Park, located in Kennedy Park, for skaters and bikers all around New Jersey. Along with NJ Skateshop, it has brought skateboarders such as Bam Margera to the site. The skate park has also been home to numerous action sport competitions, and has brought a lot of publicity to the town.[35]
Notable current and former residents of Sayreville include:
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