Piscataway, New Jersey

Piscataway is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a suburb of the New York metropolitan area.

As of the 2020 United States census, the township had a population of 60,804 people.

The name Piscataway may come from the Piscataqua River. The area was settled in 1666 by Quakers and Baptists.

Piscataway Township was formed on December 17, 1666, and officially incorporated on February 21, 1798.

Today, Piscataway is home to part of Rutgers University's main campus. SHI Stadium, where the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team plays, is also located in Piscataway.

History

The area now called Piscataway was first home to the Lenape Native Americans, who named their land Lenapehoking. In 1666, settlers from New England bought land from the Lenape and began to live there. These settlers were from Massachusetts and wanted new land and freedom from religious trouble.

Piscataway was founded in 1666 by settlers who were given land by Philip Carteret, the first Governor of the Province of New Jersey. These settlers came from places like the Piscataqua River area in New Hampshire and brought their traditions and skills. They made agreements to govern themselves and practice their religions freely. Over time, Piscataway grew, and old paths used by the Lenape became important roads. The township is one of the oldest in New Jersey and the United States.

In 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, a battle happened in Piscataway between British troops and local American militia.

Geography

Piscataway is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It covers about 19 square miles and has a small amount of water. It is part of the Raritan Valley and is close to New Brunswick, Highland Park, and South Plainfield. The township is about 45 minutes from New York City and 53 minutes from Philadelphia.

Piscataway shares borders with several nearby towns and counties, including Dunellen, Edison, and Franklin Township. Some parts of Piscataway are part of Rutgers University.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States Census counted 60,804 people in Piscataway. This was more than the number counted in 2010.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 56,044 people in Piscataway. Many different groups lived there, including White, Black or African American, and Asian people. Most people lived in families, and many homes had children under 18 years old.

2000 census

The 2000 United States census counted 50,482 people in Piscataway. The population included White, Asian, and African American residents. Most people lived in families, and many homes had children under 18 years old.

Economy

Piscataway has many big companies. Some of these are American Standard Brands, Cintas Corporation, and Colgate-Palmolive’s research team. Other important companies are GenScript Biotech, Gorgias Press, which focuses on Eastern Christianity, and Hapag-Lloyd America, an international shipping company.

The town also has offices for IEEE, Ingersoll Rand and its subsidiary Trane, Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., Pepsi Cola Bottling Group, and Siemens Hearing Instruments, the largest maker of hearing aids in the world. The world headquarters of Telcordia Technologies was once in Piscataway until Ericsson bought the company in 2011.

Sports

SHI Stadium was built in 1994 for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team. It can hold 41,500 people. In 2009, it was made bigger so it could fit 52,454 people.

Jersey Mike's Arena is where Rutgers University men's and women's basketball teams play. It used to be called the Rutgers Athletic Center and can fit 9,000 people. The New Jersey Nets basketball team also played there from 1977 to 1981.

Yurcak Field is a stadium for soccer and lacrosse games. It opened in 1994 and can hold 5,000 people. Rutgers University teams play their home games here.

Government

In 1966, people in Piscataway chose a new way to run their town. They picked the Mayor-Council Plan F, which started in 1969. In this plan, the mayor helps run things, and seven council members make decisions. Some council members represent parts of the town, and others represent the whole town.

As of 2024, the mayor of Piscataway is Brian C. Wahler. The council has seven members who help make decisions for the town.

Piscataway is part of New Jersey’s 17th legislative district. For the United States Congress, it is in the 6th District and is represented by Frank Pallone. New Jersey’s senators are Cory Booker and Andy Kim.

Middlesex County has seven commissioners who help run the county. They are chosen by people in the county to serve for three years.

Emergency services

Fire and EMS

Piscataway has four fire districts. Each district has volunteer rescue squads and fire companies. In 2021, the township council chose Hackensack Meridian Health to provide emergency medical services instead of the volunteer rescue squads.

District 1 includes the Arbor Rescue Squad, River Road Rescue Squad, New Market Fire Company, and North Stelton Fire Rescue.

District 2 includes the River Road Rescue Squad, River Road Fire Company, Holmes Marshall Fire Company, and Possumtown Fire Company.

District 3 includes the Arbor Rescue Squad and Arbor Hose Company.

District 4 includes the North Stelton Volunteer Fire Company.

The Fire Marshall’s Office helps prevent fires.

Police

The main law enforcement group in Piscataway is the Piscataway Police Department. The Rutgers University Police Department works on the university’s campuses in Piscataway. The New Jersey State Police watches over the part of Interstate 287 that goes through the township.

Education

The Piscataway Township Schools teach students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grades. The district has 11 schools with about 7,300 students and 550 teachers. There are about 13 students for each teacher. Schools include preschools, elementary schools, middle schools, and end with Piscataway High School.

Students in eighth grade from Middlesex County can apply to special career and technical programs at the Middlesex County Magnet Schools in several towns, including Piscataway. There are also private schools and special programs for students with different learning needs. Parts of Rutgers University and other educational centers are in Piscataway.

Transportation

Piscataway has many roads and highways. Interstate 287 goes through the town and has several exits. Some county roads, like CR 501 and CR 529, also run through the area. Route 18 connects to Interstate 287.

There are buses that go to Midtown Manhattan, Newark, and nearby places. Some buses even go to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Trains do not stop in Piscataway, but you can take them from nearby stations.

Points of interest

Piscataway has many interesting places to visit. WVPH is a radio station run by Piscataway High School and Rutgers University. You can also see historic sites like the Ferrer Colony and Modern School and Fellowship Farm Cooperative Association, which started as Utopian societies in the 1910s. The Road Up Raritan Historic District has nine old homes along River Road, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

The Metlar-Bodine House is a museum that shows how Piscataway has changed over time, from old Indian trails to modern highways. It opened in 1979 in a house that is over 280 years old. Another historic spot is the Cornelius Low House, built in 1741 and also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is now a museum for Middlesex County. At East Jersey Old Town Village in Johnson Park, you can see 16 old farm houses that have been moved and rebuilt there.

Notable people

See also: Category:People from Piscataway, New Jersey

Piscataway has been home to many interesting people. Some became famous in sports, like Mike Alexander, a former football player, and Karl-Anthony Towns, a current basketball star for the New York Knicks. Others made their mark in entertainment, such as Lisa Marie, who acted in movies like Planet of the Apes. There are also people who helped shape history, like Luther Martin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.