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, located in the Raritan Valley. 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, which is between New Hampshire and Maine. It could also mean "great deer" in the Lenape language. The area was settled in 1666 by Quakers and Baptists who left the Puritan colony in New Hampshire.

Piscataway Township was formed on December 17, 1666, and officially incorporated on February 21, 1798. Over time, parts of Piscataway were used to create other towns, including Edison, Dunellen, Middlesex, and South Plainfield.

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, along with part of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

History

The area now known as Piscataway was first home to the Lenape Native Americans, who called their land Lenapehoking. In 1666, European settlers from New England bought land from the Lenape and began to settle in the area. These settlers included people from Massachusetts who were looking for new land to live on and freedom from religious persecution.

Piscataway was founded in 1666 by settlers granted land by the first Governor of the Province of New Jersey, Philip Carteret. These settlers came from places like the Piscataqua River area in New Hampshire and brought their traditions and skills with them. They signed agreements that allowed them to govern themselves and practice their own religions freely. Over time, Piscataway grew, and many of the old trails 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 took place 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, with 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. Historically, some areas of Piscataway had important communities and villages.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States Census counted a population of 60,804 in Piscataway, an increase from the 56,044 people counted in 2010.

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 56,044 people living in Piscataway. Many different groups made up the population, including White, Black or African American, Asian, and others. Most people lived in families, and many households had children under 18 years old.

2000 census

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

Economy

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

Additionally, Piscataway 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 and has space for 41,500 people. It was made bigger in 2009 so it could hold 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. It was also where the New Jersey Nets basketball team played from 1977 to 1981.

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

Government

In 1966, people in Piscataway voted to choose a new way to run their town. They picked a plan called Mayor-Council Plan F, which started in 1969. In this plan, the mayor helps run things, and a group of seven council members makes decisions. Some council members represent different 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 a group of 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 served by volunteer rescue squads and fire companies. In 2021, the township council decided to have Hackensack Meridian Health 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 includes 11 schools, with about 7,300 students and 550 teachers, giving a ratio of about 13 students per teacher. Schools range from preschools to high school and include several elementary, intermediate, and middle schools, ending with Piscataway High School.

Students in eighth grade from across Middlesex County can apply to special career and technical programs at the Middlesex County Magnet Schools, located in several towns including Piscataway. There are also private schools and special programs for students with different learning needs. Additionally, parts of Rutgers University and other educational centers are located 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 of them 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. Each of these individuals added something special to the town's story.