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==Notable residents==
==Notable residents==
Notable current and former residents of East Brunswick Township include:
Notable current and former residents of East Brunswick Township include:
* [[Jay Sean]], British-Indian singer.
*[[Derek Jeter]], star-shortstop for the New York Yankees
* [[Lorie Van Auken]], one of the "Jersey Widows" (aka "Jersey Girls" and "Witches of East Brunswick", by Ann Coulter) - who lost her husband Kenneth in the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. She was very vocal in demanding the US administration to investigate the intelligence failures which led to 9/11.
* [[Lorie Van Auken]], one of the "Jersey Widows" (aka "Jersey Girls" and "Witches of East Brunswick", by Ann Coulter) - who lost her husband Kenneth in the attack on the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. She was very vocal in demanding the US administration to investigate the intelligence failures which led to 9/11.
* [[Chris Cimino]], [[WNBC]] weatherman.<ref>[http://www.wnbc.com/tiny/1169160/detail.html Chris Cimino profile], [[WNBC]], accessed March 25, 2007. "He currently resides with his family in East Brunswick, NJ."</ref>
* [[Chris Cimino]], [[WNBC]] weatherman.<ref>[http://www.wnbc.com/tiny/1169160/detail.html Chris Cimino profile], [[WNBC]], accessed March 25, 2007. "He currently resides with his family in East Brunswick, NJ."</ref>

Revision as of 16:58, 2 October 2010

East Brunswick Township, New Jersey
Township
Location of East Brunswick Township in Middlesex County.
Location of East Brunswick Township in Middlesex County.
Census Bureau map of East Brunswick, New Jersey
Census Bureau map of East Brunswick, New Jersey
CountryUnited States
StateNew Jersey
CountyMiddlesex
IncorporatedFebruary 28, 1860
Government
[2]
 • TypeFaulkner Act
 • MayorDavid Stahl (D)
 • Township AdministratorJames White[1]
Area
 • Total22.4 sq mi (58.0 km2)
 • Land22.0 sq mi (56.9 km2)
 • Water0.4 sq mi (1.1 km2)
Elevation
[3]
121 ft (37 m)
Population
 (2008)[4]
 • Total47,279 (2,008 Est.)
 • Density3,110/sq mi (1,200.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (EDT)
ZIP code
08816
Area code732
FIPS code34-19000Template:GR[5]
GNIS feature ID0882163Template:GR
Websitewww.eastbrunswick.com

This article is about the township in New Jersey, for the suburb in Melbourne, Victoria see; Brunswick East, Victoria

East Brunswick is a Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey on the southern shores of the Raritan River, that is a suburb of New York City. According to the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 46,756 and it is estimated now to be 47,279 (2008 est.). It takes approximately 30–50 minutes to reach New York City, depending on traffic. Approximately 60% of all working residents commute to New York City daily. Route 18 runs through the eastern part of the township. The town lies on Exit 9 of the New Jersey Turnpike.

It was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1860, from portions of both Monroe Township and North Brunswick Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Washington town within the township (February 23, 1870; became independent as South River on February 28, 1898), Helmetta (March 20, 1888), Milltown (January 29, 1889) and Spotswood (April 15, 1908).[6]

Based on the results of the 2000 Census, New Jersey's center of population is located on Milltown Road in East Brunswick.[7]

History

The general area of central New Jersey was once occupied by the Lenape Native Americans.

According to a 1677 bill of sale now in Trenton State Museum, Mr. Thomas Lawrence, a New York Baker, purchased land from local Indians named Querameck, Kesyacs, Isarick, Metapis, Peckawan, and Turantecas; the fairness of such deals is questionable. In this document, the Lawrence Brook was called the Piscopeek. It then took on maps Mr. Lawrence's name. This document needs further analysis.

Around the late 17th century, settlers began arriving in the northern part of East Brunswick, and by the mid-19th century, 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.

East Brunswick was also the site of the Turnpike Exit 9 shootout in 1973.

Geography

East Brunswick is located at 40°26′03″N 74°24′18″W / 40.434239°N 74.405040°W / 40.434239; -74.405040 (40.434239, -74.405040).Template:GR 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%).

The town is located 35 miles (56 km) southwest of New York City and 60 miles northeast of Philadelphia.

Lawrence Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the western border of the township. Farrington Lake and Westons Mill Pond are sections the Lawrence brook that have been widened by the presence of man-made dams.

Climate

Template:East Brunswick, New Jersey weatherbox

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19302,711—
19403,70636.7%
19505,69953.8%
196019,965250.3%
197034,16671.1%
198037,71110.4%
199043,54815.5%
200046,7567.4%
2008 (est.)47,279[4]
Population 1930–1990.[8]

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2008, there were 47,760 people, 16,852 households in the township. The population density was 2 (2,170.18/mi2).The racial makeup of the township was 76.0% White, 4.2% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 16.58% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 2.12% from two or more races. 6.0% 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%).[9]

English is spoken by 71.25% of the township. The most common languages spoken other than English are Chinese (5.22%), Spanish (3.7%), Russian (3.14%), and Arabic (2.5%).[10]

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 $125,956 in 2000, with a 2005 estimate of $94,200,[9] and the median income for a family was $143,863. Males had a median income of $92,790 versus $60,534 for females. The per capita income for the township was $55,286. 1.8% of the population and 2.1% of families were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

The median price of a home is $600,000.[9]

Government

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.[2][1]

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 Mayor of East Brunswick is David Stahl (D); he was first elected in 2008 [11]

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.

Members of the Township Council are:[12]

Name Elected Political Party Position
David Stahl 2008 Democrat Mayor
Edward Luster 2006 Democrat Council President
Denise Contrino 2008 Democrat Council Vice President
Catherine Diem 2002 Democrat Councilwoman
Nancy Pinkin 2004 Democrat Councilwoman
Camille Ferraro 2009 Republican Councilwoman

Federal, state and county representation

East Brunswick is in the Twelfth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 18th Legislative District.[13]

For the 118th United States Congress, New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman (D, Ewing Township).[14][15] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrat Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027)[16]. One seat is currently vacant after Senator Bob Menendez (Englewood Cliffs) resigned on August 20, 2024.[17][18][19]

For the 2024-2025 session, the 18th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Patrick J. Diegnan (D, South Plainfield) and in the General Assembly by Robert Karabinchak (D, Edison) and Sterley Stanley (D, East Brunswick).[20] Template:NJ Governor

Template:NJ Middlesex County Freeholders

Education

Main article: East Brunswick Public Schools

The East Brunswick Public Schools serve students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. They are consistently praised by the state as being among its most successful school districts. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics[21]) are Bowne-Munro (298 students), Central (newly expanded/renovated for 2007-08, including 14 new classrooms; 442), Murray A. Chittick (557), Frost (528), Irwin (533), Lawrence Brook (newly expanded/renovated for 2007-08, including 12 new classrooms; 452), Memorial (379)(recently destroyed in a fire) and Warnsdorfer (585). All students in kindergarten through grade 5 attend the elementary school closest to them; There are two middle-level schools; Hammarskjold Middle School for grades 6 and 7 (1,466) and Churchill Junior High School for grades eight and nine (1,495). The secondary school of the district is East Brunswick High School (2,298).

A Hebrew-language charter school might be opening in September 2010 for grades K-2, eventually expanding to eight grade.[22] However, there has been controversy and opposition regarding the funding for the school, which will come from the East Brunswick Board of Education budget.[23]

Transportation

Route 18 passes through East Brunswick, and is an important artery connecting not only to New Brunswick/U.S. Route 1 to the Jersey Shore, but also to the New Jersey Turnpike, Interstate 95 (which also passes through the township). Route 18 connects with Exit 9 of the Turnpike around mile marker 83.43. Currently, there are 15 lanes at the 9 toll gate. The Turnpike's Joyce Kilmer service area is located between Interchanges 8A and 9 northbound at milepost 78.7.[24] Major county roads that pass thru include CR 527 and CR 535. Other limited access roads are accessible outside the township, such as the Garden State Parkway in neighboring Sayreville and Old Bridge, and Interstate 287 in neighboring Edison Township.

East Brunswick is 22 miles (35 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark / Elizabeth, via the New Jersey Turnpike. John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens is 35.7 miles (57.5 km) away, traveling via the Belt Parkway after crossing through Staten Island. LaGuardia Airport is 37.3 miles away.

New Jersey Transit bus service is provided on the 134 and 138 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan, on the 68 to Jersey City, and on the 811, 815 and 818 local routes.[25]

  • Suburban Transit operates to NYC every 10–15 minutes from both the Transportation Center and Tower Center; it takes about 30–50 minutes depending on traffic.

The turnpike's dual-dual setup was extended from Exit 10 in Edison Township to just south of Exit 9 in 1973. It wasn't until 1990 that the turnpike was further widened south of Exit 9 to Exit 8A.

At the present time, there are plans to widen the Turnpike between Exit 9 in East Brunswick Township to Exit 8A in Monroe Township. This would change the turnpike's dual-dual configuration to "3-3-3-3" (as opposed to 2-3-3-2). East Brunswick currently houses the section of the turnpike where an extra lane in the outer truck lanes begins/merges (which is located south of Exit 9). This project is anticipated to be completed by 2014 when the "dual-dual" setup is further extended to Exit 6 in Mansfield Township.

Tourism

  • The Two Tower Center complex includes two 23-story office towers and a 15-story Hilton Hotel, located near the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 18. 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 U.S. Route 1 and 18. The towers are so tall that they cast a shadow into the Rutgers Village neighborhood in New Brunswick.
  • Playhouse 22 - East Brunswick's Community Theatre and Performing Arts Center - resides in the multi-purpose Community Arts Center at Heavenly Park, 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.
  • Farrington Lake and Westons Mill Pond, 2 segments of Lawrence Brook, are favorites of canoeists, kayakists and nature lovers.
  • The town also has a public golf course (Tamarack), operated by the Middlesex County Improvement Authority; as well as the Giarmese Farm, and Lake-View Day Camp.
  • The County Fair Grounds is where the Middlesex County Fair is held every August for seven days and provides festivities and food for families not only in Middlesex County but throughout Central Jersey located on Cranbury Road (County Route 535).

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of East Brunswick Township include:

References

  1. ^ a b Mayor and Administrator, East Brunswick Township. Accessed June 7, 2007.
  2. ^ a b 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 84.
  3. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Township of East Brunswick, Geographic Names Information System, accessed April 16, 2007.
  4. ^ a b Census data for East Brunswick township, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 5, 2008.
  5. ^ A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey, Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.
  6. ^ "The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170.
  7. ^ "East Brunswick, N.J., Represents State's Population Center.", The Star-Ledger, march 27, 2001. Accessed September 17, 2007. " And the center of New Jersey, according to 2000 census data, is a litter-strewn patch of woods on Milltown Road in East Brunswick. Demographers call it the center of population, the place that would require the least amount of travel if all the state's 8.4 million residents were to converge on one spot.
  8. ^ New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930–1990, Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.
  9. ^ a b c City Data for East Brunswick, New Jersey, City-data.com. Accessed April 7, 2006.
  10. ^ MLA Language Map Data Center, Modern Language Association. Accessed January 5, 2008.
  11. ^ Mayor and Administrator
  12. ^ Mayor and Township Council Members, Township of East Brunswick. Updated January 8, 2010.
  13. ^ 2008 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 56. Accessed September 30, 2009.
  14. ^ Directory of Representatives: New Jersey, United States House of Representatives. Accessed January 3, 2019.
  15. ^ Biography, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Watson Coleman and her husband William reside in Ewing Township and are blessed to have three sons; William, Troy, and Jared and three grandchildren; William, Kamryn and Ashanee."
  16. ^ U.S. Sen. Cory Booker cruises past Republican challenger Rik Mehta in New Jersey, PhillyVoice. Accessed April 30, 2021. "He now owns a home and lives in Newark's Central Ward community."
  17. ^ Biography of Bob Menendez, United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
  18. ^ Fox, Lauren; Foran, Clare (July 23, 2024). "Bob Menendez will resign his US Senate seat effective August 20". CNN. Retrieved August 19, 2024.
  19. ^ Home, sweet home: Bob Menendez back in Hudson County. nj.com. Accessed April 30, 2021. "Booker, Cory A. - (D - NJ) Class II; Menendez, Robert - (D - NJ) Class I"
  20. ^ Legislative Roster for District 18, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 18, 2024.
  21. ^ Data for the East Brunswick Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed August 10, 2008.
  22. ^ Hatikvah charter school announces building plans. Sentinel. 8 April 2010.
  23. ^ Debate swirls around fiscal impact of charter school in East Brunswick. Racz, Gene. Home News Tribune. 25 July 2010.
  24. ^ New Jersey Turnpike: Joyce Kilmer Service Area, accessed May 31, 2006.
  25. ^ Middlesex County Bus/Rail Connections, New Jersey Transit. Accessed June 21, 2007.
  26. ^ Chris Cimino profile, WNBC, accessed March 25, 2007. "He currently resides with his family in East Brunswick, NJ."
  27. ^ "Dallenbach lays down task of laying down CART's law", The Star-Ledger, November 18, 1999. Accessed August 7, 2007. "Dallenbach, a native of East Brunswick, says the new chief steward will face a very different situation than he did in 1980."
  28. ^ Video: New York graffiti artist 'tags' US presidential Air Force One Boeing 747-200B, Flight International, April 18, 2006. "Ecko, who was born in Orange County, California and moved to East Brunswick, New Jersey to found Eckō Unltd in 1992, says he painted the aircraft to protest against laws against outdoor art in various cities including New York."
  29. ^ Faust, Michelle. "On the verge of stardom: Catch 22", Quinnipiac Chronicle, October 16, 2003. Accessed July 6, 2008.
  30. ^ "Corzine Nominates New Chief Justice and Attorney General", Governor of New Jersey press release dated June 4, 2007. Accessed June 22, 2007.
  31. ^ Josh Miller player profile, accessed March 28, 2007.
  32. ^ North Carolina's Heather O'Reilly Captures Honda Soccer Award, Atlantic Coast Conference press release dated December 20, 2006. Accessed May 4, 2007. "The East Brunswick, N.J. Native Is Also Automatically Nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award."
  33. ^ "POPSPOT", The Star-Ledger, February 6, 2000. Accessed August 7, 2007. "Home on the farm Matt Pinfield didn't stay off television for long. The East Brunswick native and enthusiastic Jersey guy left his longtime MTV VJ gig in August, but returned to TV Monday night, when a new weekly show, Farmclub.com, debuted on the USA network."
  34. ^ "Play it again, Badal Roy", India Abroad, September 10, 2004. Accessed June 26, 2008. "But last week, Roy, an East Brunswick, New Jersey–based tabla player, who has performed with the likes of Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and Yoko Ono, was part of the tournament's opening night act."
  35. ^ Jack Sinagra, New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 25, 1998. Accessed May 30, 2010.
  36. ^ No Place Like Old United States, Much Decorated Sergeant Says. Accessed October 2, 2007. 'Before the war, he lived near East Brunswick, N.J., the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Semchemko."
  37. ^ http://ebs.gmnews.com/news/2005/0929/Front_page/034.html
  38. ^ Micale, Jennifer. "A walk around the block: History echoes down the streets of this old town within a town", Home News Tribune, January 23, 2003. Accessed September 16, 2007. "Built in 1844, the Old Bridge Baptist Church rears its white steeple on Kossman Street, not far from the home of Henrietta Christian Wright, a children's author in the mid-1800s whose mother, Rachel, was brutally murdered there in 1906."
  39. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/health/policy/28autism.html?_r=1
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