CITIES, TOWNS, BOROUGHS, AND VILLAGES
The cities, towns, boroughs, and villages of New Jersey may be placed in six groups: first, those in the New York City Metropolitan District; second, places lying just outside the Metropolitan District of New York; third, Trenton and the towns of the Upper Delaware Valley; fourth, places in the Philadelphia Metropolitan District; fifth, places in the southern part of the state, near Delaware Bay; sixth, cities and towns on the Atlantic coast.
Metropolitan District of New York.—The following are the chief cities of New Jersey in the Metropolitan District of New York: Newark, Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Perth Amboy.
Newark and its Environs.—Newark, in 1910, had a population of 347,469 and in 1920 of 414,216. It is the largest city in the state and fifteenth in the United States. It was settled in 1666 by settlers from Connecticut. It is located on the Passaic River and Newark Bay and has a frontage on the river and bay of eleven miles. It has water communication with New York Bay by way of Newark Bay and Kill van Kull. The United States government has dredged a channel in the bay three hundred fifty feet wide by twenty feet deep. This great improvement and improvements made by the city at great expense will greatly increase the commerce of the city. The city enjoys excellent railroad facilities. Nine railroads including the great trunk lines have fourteen stations in the city. It is directly connected with the city of New York by passenger trains which pass through the Hudson tunnels. It has numerous banks, fine office buildings, and large department stores. Many trolley lines which radiate from it bring to it the trade of the many neighboring cities.
Storage-battery factory, West Orange
Storage-battery factory, West Orange
Newark is the first city in the state in the variety of its manufactures and in the value of its manufactured products. It is eleventh among the cities of the United States in the value of such products. Its great progress in manufactures is due to an early start, to the stimulus given by the opening of the Morris Canal and by railroad and water transportation. It has a large number of important industries which include smelting and refining, the making of shoes, leather goods of all kinds, hats, jewelry, iron, steel, and brass products of all kinds, watch cases, paints and varnishes, clothing, electrical machinery and appliances, automobile supplies, tinware, advertising novelties,celluloid products, trunks, fertilizers, furs, brewery products, and cigars.
Newark has an excellent supply of water which is drawn from the valley of the Pequannock River in the northern part of the Passaic basin, twenty-six miles from the city.
Surrounding Newark are many important cities and towns which reflect the social, commercial, and industrial influences of that city as well as those of New York. Among these areBelleville,Nutley,Montclair,Glen Ridge,Bloomfield,Orange,East Orange,West Orange,South Orange,Irvington, andSummit. These are all largely residential towns whose location and abundance of eligible sites for homes are attractive. They are all exceptionally active in providing educational facilities. They are all closely connected with Newark and the city of New York by many railroad and trolley lines. In most of them land is in such demand for residential purposes, that it cannot be used profitably for manufacturing purposes, so that this industry is naturally discouraged. In some of them, however, especially those nearest to Newark, large industrial establishments have grown up.Belleville, just north of Newark, has long been noted for its industrial activity and is rapidly growing in importance in this respect. Nutley, farther to the north, is well known as a town of beautiful homes.Montclair, located on the slope of the Orange Mountains, is noted for its beautiful scenery, its commanding view of many square miles of surrounding country with many populous cities, and its multitude of beautiful homes, and is the home of one of the state normal schools.Glen RidgeandBloomfield, similarly situated, are also characterized by their fine dwellings. Bloomfield contains many extensive manufacturing establishments. Among the products are electrical lamps and appliances, woolen and worsted goods, colored labels, cream separators, chemicals, rubber goods, and iron and steel products. Besides being an attractive center for residences.Orangeis a very productive industrial center. Its principal industry is the manufacture of hats.East Orangehas long been famous because of its superior attractiveness for dwelling purposes and is filled with beautiful homes. While the high cost of land does not invite manufactures, several large industries are located here. Electrical motors and generators, surgical appliances, electrical appliances, machinery, lamps, and hats are manufactured in large quantities.West Orangeis noted for the manufacture of phonographs, phonograph records, moving picture instruments and films, and storage batteries. Hats are also extensively manufactured.South OrangeandSummitare most attractive residential places, and are developing rapidly along this line rather than in the line of manufactures. Summit has an important silk industry.Irvington, while long known as a town devoted to residences, is feeling the industrial impulse of Newark, of which it is a suburb, and is rapidly becoming a manufacturing center of great importance. Its industries are varied and include the production of castings, graphite products, tools, cutlery, and gold, silver, and platinum products. Across the Passaic River from Newark areEast Newark,Harrison, andKearney, the last includingArlington. These municipalities are located in Hudson County and are, therefore, officially connected with Jersey City as its county seat. But they are much nearer Newark, with which they are closely connected by industrial and commercial ties. They are prosperous manufacturing centers with industries of national importance. InEast Newarkthe most important manufactures are sewing thread and shade rollers. In Harrison the industries are varied and the products include iron and steel, incandescent lamps, steam pumps, roller bearings, elevators, steel and tin toys, electric wire, trunks, brass products, tools, metal novelties, castings, and machinery. InKearneythe important manufactures are linoleums, yarns, twine, glue, oils, fertilizers, ships, and castings.
Jersey City as seen from the Hudson
Jersey City as seen from the Hudson
Jersey City and its Environs.—A long narrow peninsula lies between the Hudson River and New York Bay on the east, and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay on the west. On this peninsula are located many prosperous cities. On the southern half, which is in Hudson County, is found the most densely populated part of the state, with many large cities of great industrial and commercial importance.
Jersey City, the largest of this group, had, in 1910, a population of 267,779, and in 1920, according to the United States Census, 297,864. It is the second city of the state in size, and twenty-first in the United States. Parts of it were occupied by the Dutch soon after New York was settled, but the first permanent government was established in 1660 at Bergen, which is now a part of the city. Here were also established the first school and the first church in the state. It is located on New York Bay and the Hudson River and extends westward from these waters to Newark Bay and the Hackensack River. It has a frontage on tidal waters of about twelve miles and has therefore unexcelled facilities for transportation by vessels of any size to all the seaports of the world. Thirteen railroads have terminals in the city. Besides these, there are eleven other passenger and freight stations in the city. Here the railroads bring the products of all parts of the country directly to the ships which sail to all parts of the world.
The city is connected directly with the city of New York by railroads which pass through tunnels under the Hudson. Numerous trolley lines connect the different parts of the city with each other and with other parts of the state. There are nineteen banks and trust companies. In manufacturing, Jersey City ranks second in the state. Its great commercial and industrial growth is due to its nearness to New York, to its connection with that city by ferries and railroad tunnels, by which passengers and freight are carried to the heart of the city of New York in a few minutes, and to the abundance of facilities for all kinds of transportation. The most important products are sugar, printers' type, soaps and perfumes, meats, silks and embroideries, graphite products, lead pencils, tobacco, cigars, iron, steel and brass products, fire hose, rubber goods, soups, watches, chemicals, electrical supplies, heating and lighting apparatus, rope, and paints and varnishes.
The water used by the city is of excellent quality and is brought from the basin of the Rockaway River in the northern part of the state. The city has eight municipal parks and one county park, containing nearly two hundred fifty acres. The city maintains a normal school for the training of its teachers and has an excellent public library.
Besides being an active industrial center it is a residential city. Many thousands whose occupations are in the city of New York live in Jersey City.
North of Jersey City and adjacent to it isHoboken. It is the most densely populated city in the state. It has connections with several railroads, and one of the great trunk lines has its terminal station here. The steamships of several of the most important transatlantic lines, including Scandinavian and Dutch, dock in Hoboken. Hoboken is connected with the city of New York by the Hudson River tunnels and by ferries and with other cities of the state by many trolley lines. Its manufacturing industries include shipbuilding and repairing and the making of leadpencils, surveying and nautical instruments, marine engines and boilers, silk goods, furniture, and wall paper. Here is located the well-known Stevens Institute of Technology.
North of Hoboken and Jersey City are several cities and towns which are very important industrially and are rapidly growing in population. Their nearness to these cities and to each other makes their industries and interests similar. These areWest Hoboken,Union,West New York,North Bergen,Weehawken,Guttenberg, andSecaucus. These are all populous and thriving communities. There are many valuable industries, among which the manufacture of silks and embroideries is the most important. This section leads the state in the manufacture of embroideries and is second only to Paterson in that of silk goods. Other industries are machine shops, marine construction, and the manufacture of pianos, lamps, lard, and rubber goods. InSecaucusvegetable gardening is important.
South of Jersey City lies the city ofBayonne, which is the third city of the state in the value of manufactured products. Its frontage on New York Bay on the east, Newark Bay on the west, and Kill van Kull on the south, gives it exceptional facilities for deep-water transportation. It has, besides, ample railroad facilities. It is the most important center for the refining of petroleum in the world. The oil is brought in pipe lines from the oil fields of Pennsylvania and Ohio to the refineries, from which the many refined products are carried to all parts of the world. There are many other extensive industries, of which the following may be mentioned: the manufacturing of steam boilers, iron, steel, and bronze products, cottonseed oil, nickel and copper products, borax, insulated wire, and silk goods.
The northern part of the peninsula, which is in Bergen County, contains many attractive towns which are largely residential in character. Among them areEnglewoodandFort Lee.Edgewateron the Hudson at the foot of the Palisades has important industries. The chief products are sugar and sirups.
Docks at Hoboken. The principal port of embarkation and debarkation of United States troops in the World War
Docks at Hoboken. The principal port of embarkation and debarkation of United States troops in the World War
Paterson and Neighboring Cities and Towns.—Paterson, located at the Falls of the Passaic River, had a population in 1920 of 135,866 and is the third city of the state in size. The founding of the city was suggested by Alexander Hamilton, who foresaw the value of the power generated by the falls and made plans to use it for manufacturing purposes. Its great growth as a manufacturing center is largely due to this power. In the value of its manufactures, it is the fifth among the cities of the state. Its most important industry is the manufacture of silk products of all kinds. In this industry it stands first among the cities of the country. It has many other extensive industrial plants, which include machine shops, foundries, rolling mills, locomotive works, dyeing establishments, and thread and cordage mills.
Passaic, located on the Passaic River a few miles southeast of Paterson, is specially noted for its manufacture of woolen and worsted goods, in which it is the first city of the state. It has other extensive industries, including the manufacture of handkerchiefs and other cotton goods, rubber goods, belting and packing material, machinery, metal, leather and silk goods, and print and chemical works. Passaic is, besides, an attractive residential city.
Northeast of Passaic isHackensackon the Hackensack River, which is a prosperous residential town. Between Paterson and Passaic areClifton, a growing manufacturing town,Lodi, with its extensive dyeing industry, andGarfieldwith its large establishments for the manufacture ofwoolen and worsted goods, waxed paper, embroideries, and yarns. Southwest of Paterson isLittle Falls, whose principal manufactures are carpets and rugs.Rutherford,Hasbrouck Heights,Ridgewood, andWestwoodare towns in this section which are specially inviting to residents.
Elizabeth and Neighboring Towns.—Elizabeth is one of the oldest towns in the state. It was settled in 1664 and was the residence of Sir Philip Carteret, the first Governor of New Jersey. It is most favorably situated for both manufacturing and residential purposes. Its location on Arthur Kill and Newark Bay gives it deep water connection through Kill van Kull with New York Bay, and it has besides ample railroad facilities. It has many industries, the largest of which, and the largest of its kind in the world, is the manufacture of sewing machines. Other industries are the manufacture of iron and steel products of all kinds, and of electrical appliances, tanning, printing, and shipbuilding. It has always been popular as a place of residence with many whose business is in New York.
Rahway, a few miles southwest of Elizabeth, is a flourishing city whose chief industries are the manufacture of felt, cereals, steel products, clothing, music boxes, and printing and book binding.Roselle,Roselle Park,Cranford, andWestfieldare attractive residential towns west of Elizabeth, with excellent educational facilities.Garwood, in this vicinity, is an important manufacturing town.
Perth Amboy and Neighboring Towns.—Perth Amboy was settled in 1684 and alternated with Burlington as the meeting place of the New Jersey assembly after the union of the provinces in 1702. Its great industrial activity has increased its population by more than 100 per cent in the last fifteen years. Its rapid industrial growth is due to its location at the mouth of the Raritan River and on Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill, as well as to its railroad facilities, and to the extensive deposits of clay which are found here. The development of these has led to the establishment of large manufacturing plants whose products are terra cotta, earthenware, and tile of all kinds. Other important industries are the refining of gold, silver, copper, and lead, the preparation of vaseline, boat building, the shipping of coal, and the manufacture of cigars, insulated wire, chemicals, and steel products. It is the fourth city in the state in the value of manufactured products.
Near Perth Amboy areMetuchen,Woodbridge,South Amboy,Sayreville, andSouth River, which are populous towns and have extensive industries similar to those of Perth Amboy. InWoodbridgethe output of fire brick is specially important. InSayrevilleandSouth Riverspecial attention is given to the manufacture of building brick. In all there is considerable shipping of clays to other points. Many varied industries are found in Carteret to the northeast of Woodbridge.
Places on the Outskirts of the Metropolitan District of New York.—Lying just beyond the New York City Metropolitan District, yet feeling its influence more and more as the facilities for communication are increased, are a number of important towns.
Morristown, in Morris County, is famous because of Its Revolutionary associations. It is distinctively a residential town, which possesses great municipal and educational advantages.Madisonis another residential town, whose peculiar and most important industry is the cultivation of roses.BoontonandDoverhave picturesque locations and are industrially active. Their chief products are boilers, furnaces, hosiery, iron, hats, and silk goods.
In Union County isPlainfield, which is well known on account of its residential advantages, its unexcelled schools, and its industrial importance. Its principal manufactures are printing presses, electrical appliances, garments, machine tools, and machine shop products.North Plainfieldis a residential suburb.
Somervilleis an attractive and prosperous town with industries which manufacture clothing, laces, and iron pipe.Bound Brookis at the junction of three trunk line railroads and is located on the Raritan Canal. It is therefore an active industrial center. AtFinderne, between Somerville and Bound Brook, are large asbestos works.
New Brunswick, which was built up about the ferry established here in 1697, is situated on theRaritan River and at the eastern end of the Raritan Canal, and enjoys superior facilities for water and railroad transportation. Its most extensive industry is the manufacture of surgical dressings. Other manufactured products are machinery, woolen goods, iron and steel products, automobiles, cigars, and wall paper. Here is situated Rutgers College, which includes the State Agricultural College and Experiment Station. The State Home for Boys is located atJamesburg.Keyport, with its fisheries and growing manufacturing industries, is situated on lower New York Bay and has rail and water connections with that city.Freeholdis always associated with the battle of Monmouth. It has important canning and rug-making industries.
Trenton and the Towns of the Upper Delaware Valley.—Trenton, the capital of the state since 1790, was settled about 1679. Here occurred the Battle of Trenton, which is commemorated by an imposing monument. It is situated on the Delaware at the head of navigation. The Delaware and Raritan Canal passes through the city. It thus has the advantage of transportation by water and railway. The water power developed by the Falls of the Delaware encouraged the establishment and growth of the city's industries, but these have grown so extensive that they do not rely upon it. In the neighborhood of Trenton are deposits of clay which were the basis of the pottery industry. It has forty-eight potteries and in this industry it is rivaled by only one city in the United States. The local clay is now used very little. The better grades of pottery require the finer clays which are obtained from England, France, and some states of this country. It manufactures more sanitary earthenware than any other city in the country. Other extensive industries are automobile factories, iron and steel works, machine shops, foundries, rubber works, woolen mills, watch factories, and oilcloth and linoleum factories.
The state and city acting together have created a large public park which extends along the Delaware River and includes the grounds around the state capitol. The trade of the surrounding country makes the city a thriving business center.
Northeast of Trenton isPrinceton, memorable as the scene of the Battle of Princeton and rich in historic associations. Here is located Princeton University, founded in 1746.
Lambertville, on the Delaware northeast of Trenton, is a prosperous town with considerable water power, whose principal industries are rock quarries, rubber works, and canning factories.PenningtonandHopewellin the interior are industrious canning centers. AtPhillipsburg, on the Delaware, opposite the mouth of the Lehigh, five railroads meet. It is the western terminus of the Morris Canal. These transportation facilities make it a strongly industrial town. Its principal products are air compressors and rock drills, horseshoes, canisters, iron pipe, boilers, and silks. The principal cement works of the state are located near Phillipsburg.Belvidere, on the Delaware above Phillipsburg;Washington,Hackettstown, andBlairstown, in the interior, are popular residential towns. InWashingtonpianos and organs, and inHackettstownsaws and leather, are the chief industrial products. InHackettstownandBlairstownwell-known educational institutions are located.Newtonis located in the picturesque mountain region of Sussex County. Here dairy farming is important. Its chief manufactures are shoes, silks, and dyeing.
FlemingtonandHigh Bridge, in Hunterdon County, though not located in the Delaware Valley, are near it. They are important centers of trade in agricultural sections with growing industries.High Bridgeis in the heart of the peach-growing section and has large steel works. So alsoFranklin Furnace, in Sussex County, is in the Wallkill Valley and is the center of the zinc-mining industry.
Camden and Neighboring Cities and Towns.—In this group are included the towns which are located in the southwestern part of the state and which are usually considered as belonging to the Metropolitan District of Philadelphia or are near it. All are vitally affected by its stimulating commercial and industrial impulse.
Canning factory, filling and capping cans, Camden
Canning factory, filling and capping cans, Camden
Canning factory, filling and capping cans, Camden
The largest city of this group isCamden, on the Delaware opposite Philadelphia, founded about 1680 and known in colonialdays as Cooper's Ferry. It shares with Philadelphia the advantages of the deep-water route to the ocean through the Delaware River and Bay. It owes Its first industrial impulse to the opening of the Camden and Amboy Railroad. From It many railroads radiate to all parts of the state and one crosses the Delaware to Pennsylvania. Direct communication with Philadelphia is maintained by ferries. More rapid communication will soon be obtained when the proposed tunnels under the Delaware are completed. Its industries, which are of the most varied character, have increased with astonishing rapidity. The most extensive are the manufacture of talking machines and shipbuilding. Here the largest battleships and merchant vessels can be built. One of the shipbuilding plants is the largest in the country. Other extensive industries are foundries, machine shops, woolen mills, chemical works, factories for the manufacture of cigars, paints, candies, leather, licorice, linoleum, writing pens, and the preparation of soups.
Camden, Philadelphia, and vicinity
Camden, Philadelphia, and vicinity
Northeast of Camden, on the Delaware, areRiversideandBeverly, which are important centers of manufacture and of truck farming. Farther up isBurlington, which was settled in 1677 and was the capital of West Jersey. It has ample facilities for transportation by rail and water. Its interests are both agricultural and manufacturing. Its principal products are shoes, iron pipe, and hardware.Bordentown, the southwestern terminus of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, also has excellent transportation facilities. Its most important industries are the canning of vegetables and the manufacture of yarns and clay products. In the interior, the old town.Mount Holly, is rich in agricultural products and has industries which produce hosiery, shoes, and tapestry goods. Eastand southeast of Camden areMerchantville,Moorestown,Collingswood, andHaddonfield, which are distinctively residential towns, but in which vegetable raising is an important industry.
Gloucester, on the Delaware south of Camden, is a growing industrial center. Its products are yarns, paper, and gas mantles. It has communication with Philadelphia by ferries, which transport the produce of the rich truck and fruit farms of the surrounding country to that city.Woodburyis a prosperous residential town with industries which make pianos and glass bottles. Next to the southward are Swedesboro,Glassboro, andClayton, whose principal industrial activities are connected with the making of glass and the raising and canning of vegetables and fruits.
Towns near Delaware Bay.—Farther south on the outskirts of the Philadelphia Metropolitan District are the very active business and industrial center,Salem, settled by the Quakers in 1675,Bridgeton,Vineland, andMillville.
In these towns the glass factories are extensive and make all kinds of glass articles. InBridgetonandMillvillemany persons are employed in the mining and shipping of glass sand. Molding sand is also a product. In and surrounding these towns are large areas of farm land devoted to the raising of all kinds of vegetables, berries, and tree fruits for the markets. Great quantities of these are preserved in the many large canning factories which are located in them.Vinelandproduces much bottled grape juice. These towns have also diversified industries of other kinds.
InCape May Court Housethe important industrial activities are the making of glass bottles and the raising of berries and other fruits.
Cities and Towns on the Atlantic Coast.—Along the Atlantic coast are many cities and towns which are popular health and pleasure resorts. The many railroads which connect them with the large cities have made them convenient of access so that thousands of people visit them in the summer time.
The largest of these isAtlantic City, which is the largest seaside resort in the country and is devoted entirely to the entertainment of visitors. It is said to contain more than one thousand hotels. Its permanent population numbers somewhat more than 50,000, but in the summer time its population is estimated at about 300,000. It has a climate favorable to those who are convalescing from illness or seek to recuperate their health. On this account it is a popular resort during the entire year. It has a superior school system and all the other facilities and institutions which mark the progressive city.Long Branch, farther north, is the oldest resort on the coast. Another resort of many years standing isCape May City. Other well-known resorts areOcean City,Point Pleasant,Sea Girt,Manasquan,Spring Lake,Belmar,Ocean Grove,Asbury Park,Sea Bright, andAtlantic Highlands.Red Bank, with its many attractive country homes, is situated on the Navesink and is classed as a seaside resort.
Lakewood, among the pines of Ocean County, is a popular winter health resort.