Metuchen, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Metuchen is a Borough
in Middlesex County
, New Jersey
, United States, which is 8 (12 km) miles northeast of New Brunswick
, 18 (28 km) miles southwest of Newark
, 24 (38 km) miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan
, all part of the New York metropolitan area
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,574.
Metuchen was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
on March 20, 1900, from portions of Raritan Township (now known as Edison
).
The Borough of Metuchen is completely surrounded by Edison
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the borough has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all of it land.
of 2010, there were 13,574 people, 4,992 households, and 3,584 families residing in the borough. The population density
was 4,684.8 people per square mile (1,809.3/km2). There were 5,104 housing units at an average density of 1,862.2 per square mile (719.2/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.30% White, 3.38% African American, 0.10% Native American, 7.23% Asian, 1.12% from other races
, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.96% of the population.
There were 4,992 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $75,546, and the median income for a family was $85,022. Males had a median income of $58,125 versus $43,097 for females. The per capita income
for the borough was $36,749. About 3.4% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year. The Mayor presides at Council meetings, approves ordinances, signs contracts, and appoints officials and members of various boards and commissions. The Council adopts ordinances and resolutions and makes all policy in the Borough government. Each member is assigned as a liaison to several departments, boards and commissions with the consent of Council.
, the Mayor
of Metuchen is Thomas Vahalla, who was elected for a four-year term ending December 31, 2011. Members of the Borough Council are Peter Cammarano (2011), Stanley Lease (2011), John J. Muldoon (2012), Dorothy Rasmussen (2013), Sheri-Rose Rubin (2012) and James Wallace (2013).
Metuchen is in the
serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
) are
Moss School (Kindergarten; 145 students),
Campbell Elementary School (1-4; 609),
Edgar Middle School (5-8; 603) and
Metuchen High School
for grades 9-12 (587).
The Borough is also home to St. Joseph High School, a private all-boys Catholic prep school, notable for its academics and sports awards.
There have been two historical schools named for Benjamin Franklin
. The Old Franklin Schoolhouse is a one-room school on Route 27 (Middlesex Avenue) near Main Street built in 1807 and used until 1870. In 1906, it was acquired and restored by the Borough Improvement League and is currently used as a community music venue. A larger Franklin School, built in 1906, once stood at the intersection of Middlesex and Lake Avenues but fell into disrepair in the mid 1980s. It has since been demolished to make way for a residential development called Franklin Square.
Until 1870, what is now Metuchen was part of Woodbridge Township
. Because the settlers in the western part of the township were so far removed from the village of Woodbridge, they early developed a separate identity. The name "Metuchen" first appeared in 1688/1689, and its name was derived from the name of a Native American chief, known as Matouchin. In 1701, an overseer of roads was appointed for "Metuchen district". In 1705, Main Street was laid out at the same time as the road from Metuchen to Woodbridge, which one source calls a "reworking of the original road".
Sometime between 1717 and 1730, a meeting house was constructed for weekday meetings conducted by the pastor of the Woodbridge Presbyterian Church. In 1756, Metuchen Presbyterians succeeded in forming their own congregation, attesting to their growing numbers. In 1770, the congregations merged, with Metuchen getting 2/5 of the pastor's services and Woodbridge 3/5s; by 1772 Metuchen had grown sufficiently to warrant 50% of his time. In 1793, the two churches again separated.
From the late 18th to the early 19th century Metuchen grew little. A map of 1799 shows ten buildings in the center of town along Main Street. By 1834, a Presbyterian church, a store, two taverns and about a dozen dwellings could be found. The opening of the Middlesex and Essex Turnpike (now Middlesex Avenue, portions in concurrency
with Route 27) in 1806, and the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook Turnpike in 1808 seem not to have spurred growth to any appreciable extent. Not until the beginning of the railroad era did commercial and residential development surge.
In 1836, the New Jersey Railroad was completed to New Brunswick
. The construction of a station at Main Street made it inevitable that this would develop as the principal street. A business section soon began to appear between Middlesex Avenue and the railroad tracks, and commercial and service establishments gradually began to assume a more modern aspect (the typical 18th century tavern, for example, was replaced by the equally typical 19th century hotel).
The second half of the 19th century was a period of social, cultural and religious diversification in Metuchen. Between 1859 and 1866 the Reformed Church was organized, the first Catholic
mass was celebrated and St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded. In 1870 both the Building and Loan Association and the library opened, the same year that Raritan Township was incorporated. As the largest village in the new township, Metuchen naturally became its commercial and cultural center and acquired substantial political control. In 1879, the literary and debating society was formed, and in 1883 the Village Improvement Society. By 1882, Metuchen School #15 had an enrollment of 256 pupils, and by 1885 the New Jersey Gazette listed thirty-seven businesses.
The decade of the 1890s was a period of expansion for public utilities. In 1894, telegraph service was begun and in 1897 telephone service begun by the N.Y. and N.J. Telephone Company. In the same year the Midland Water Company commenced operation and supplied hydrants for "newly-formed" volunteer fire companies. In 1899, new street lighting system installed. At about the same time the Metuchen Wheelmen, a bicycling organization was formed, which lobbied for improved roads. Trolley service began in 1900. In addition, by the end of the decade, commerce had grown to such an extent that the New Brunswick Directory listed 91 businesses in 1899.
Metuchen attracted an influx of artists, literary figures and noted intellectuals during this time, acquiring the nickname "the Brainy Boro". One of the Borough's two post offices is named Brainy Boro Station.
The new century began with what residents saw as the biggest improvement of all, incorporation, in 1900.
On November 19, 1981, Metuchen became the Seat of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen
. The diocese includes Hunterdon
, Middlesex
, Somerset
and Warren
counties and more than 500,000 Catholics.
Metuchen was ranked 332nd in the New Jersey Monthly
s Best Places to live in New Jersey.
Metuchen Borough Hall
, dedicated in 2005, replaced a structure built in 1924 during the City Beautiful movement
.
and New Brunswick enhanced the borough's reputation as a prestigious place to live, and the modern suburban ideal of small-town life where tired businessmen could escape the pace of the city grew in popularity. Today, Metuchen Station
on New Jersey Transit
's Northeast Corridor Line
, provides service to many destinations including Trenton and Penn Station
in Midtown Manhattan
.
The biggest change to affect Metuchen between the World Wars was the rise of the automobile. In the 1920s, service stations were built, and the construction of U.S. Route 1
in 1930 diverted traffic away from Middlesex Avenue, and undoubtedly helped the borough retain its residential character.
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
in Middlesex County
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, United States, which is 8 (12 km) miles northeast of New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, 18 (28 km) miles southwest of Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, 24 (38 km) miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, all part of the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,574.
Metuchen was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
on March 20, 1900, from portions of Raritan Township (now known as Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
).
The Borough of Metuchen is completely surrounded by Edison
Edison, New Jersey
Edison Township is a township in Middlesex County, New Jersey. What is now Edison Township was originally incorporated as Raritan Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1870, from portions of both Piscataway Township and Woodbridge Township...
.
Geography
Metuchen is located at 40.541054°N 74.360992°W (40.541054, -74.360992).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the borough has a total area of 2.7 square miles (7 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 13,574 people, 4,992 households, and 3,584 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 4,684.8 people per square mile (1,809.3/km2). There were 5,104 housing units at an average density of 1,862.2 per square mile (719.2/km2). The racial makeup of the borough was 93.30% White, 3.38% African American, 0.10% Native American, 7.23% Asian, 1.12% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.96% of the population.
There were 4,992 households out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.05.
In the borough the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 91.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.
The median income for a household in the borough was $75,546, and the median income for a family was $85,022. Males had a median income of $58,125 versus $43,097 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the borough was $36,749. About 3.4% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.6% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Local government
Metuchen is governed under the BoroughBorough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....
form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year. The Mayor presides at Council meetings, approves ordinances, signs contracts, and appoints officials and members of various boards and commissions. The Council adopts ordinances and resolutions and makes all policy in the Borough government. Each member is assigned as a liaison to several departments, boards and commissions with the consent of Council.
, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Metuchen is Thomas Vahalla, who was elected for a four-year term ending December 31, 2011. Members of the Borough Council are Peter Cammarano (2011), Stanley Lease (2011), John J. Muldoon (2012), Dorothy Rasmussen (2013), Sheri-Rose Rubin (2012) and James Wallace (2013).
Federal, state and county representation
Metuchen is in the 6th Congressional district.Metuchen is in the
Education
The Metuchen School DistrictMetuchen School District
The Metuchen School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Metuchen, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States....
serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
) are
Moss School (Kindergarten; 145 students),
Campbell Elementary School (1-4; 609),
Edgar Middle School (5-8; 603) and
Metuchen High School
Metuchen High School
Metuchen High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school that serves students in ninth through twelfth grades from Metuchen in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Metuchen School District...
for grades 9-12 (587).
The Borough is also home to St. Joseph High School, a private all-boys Catholic prep school, notable for its academics and sports awards.
There have been two historical schools named for Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
. The Old Franklin Schoolhouse is a one-room school on Route 27 (Middlesex Avenue) near Main Street built in 1807 and used until 1870. In 1906, it was acquired and restored by the Borough Improvement League and is currently used as a community music venue. A larger Franklin School, built in 1906, once stood at the intersection of Middlesex and Lake Avenues but fell into disrepair in the mid 1980s. It has since been demolished to make way for a residential development called Franklin Square.
History
Woodbridge Township, New Jersey
-Communities:Many distinct communities exist within Woodbridge Township. Several of these communities have their own ZIP codes, and many are listed by the United States Census Bureau as census-designated places, but they are all unincorporated areas and neighborhoods within the Township that,...
. Because the settlers in the western part of the township were so far removed from the village of Woodbridge, they early developed a separate identity. The name "Metuchen" first appeared in 1688/1689, and its name was derived from the name of a Native American chief, known as Matouchin. In 1701, an overseer of roads was appointed for "Metuchen district". In 1705, Main Street was laid out at the same time as the road from Metuchen to Woodbridge, which one source calls a "reworking of the original road".
Sometime between 1717 and 1730, a meeting house was constructed for weekday meetings conducted by the pastor of the Woodbridge Presbyterian Church. In 1756, Metuchen Presbyterians succeeded in forming their own congregation, attesting to their growing numbers. In 1770, the congregations merged, with Metuchen getting 2/5 of the pastor's services and Woodbridge 3/5s; by 1772 Metuchen had grown sufficiently to warrant 50% of his time. In 1793, the two churches again separated.
From the late 18th to the early 19th century Metuchen grew little. A map of 1799 shows ten buildings in the center of town along Main Street. By 1834, a Presbyterian church, a store, two taverns and about a dozen dwellings could be found. The opening of the Middlesex and Essex Turnpike (now Middlesex Avenue, portions in concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Route 27) in 1806, and the Perth Amboy and Bound Brook Turnpike in 1808 seem not to have spurred growth to any appreciable extent. Not until the beginning of the railroad era did commercial and residential development surge.
In 1836, the New Jersey Railroad was completed to New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. The construction of a station at Main Street made it inevitable that this would develop as the principal street. A business section soon began to appear between Middlesex Avenue and the railroad tracks, and commercial and service establishments gradually began to assume a more modern aspect (the typical 18th century tavern, for example, was replaced by the equally typical 19th century hotel).
The second half of the 19th century was a period of social, cultural and religious diversification in Metuchen. Between 1859 and 1866 the Reformed Church was organized, the first Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
mass was celebrated and St. Luke's Episcopal Church was founded. In 1870 both the Building and Loan Association and the library opened, the same year that Raritan Township was incorporated. As the largest village in the new township, Metuchen naturally became its commercial and cultural center and acquired substantial political control. In 1879, the literary and debating society was formed, and in 1883 the Village Improvement Society. By 1882, Metuchen School #15 had an enrollment of 256 pupils, and by 1885 the New Jersey Gazette listed thirty-seven businesses.
The decade of the 1890s was a period of expansion for public utilities. In 1894, telegraph service was begun and in 1897 telephone service begun by the N.Y. and N.J. Telephone Company. In the same year the Midland Water Company commenced operation and supplied hydrants for "newly-formed" volunteer fire companies. In 1899, new street lighting system installed. At about the same time the Metuchen Wheelmen, a bicycling organization was formed, which lobbied for improved roads. Trolley service began in 1900. In addition, by the end of the decade, commerce had grown to such an extent that the New Brunswick Directory listed 91 businesses in 1899.
Metuchen attracted an influx of artists, literary figures and noted intellectuals during this time, acquiring the nickname "the Brainy Boro". One of the Borough's two post offices is named Brainy Boro Station.
The new century began with what residents saw as the biggest improvement of all, incorporation, in 1900.
On November 19, 1981, Metuchen became the Seat of the newly established Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen
Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen is a Roman Catholic diocese in New Jersey, centered in the borough of Metuchen. It was erected on November 19, 1981, from the territory of the Diocese of Trenton....
. The diocese includes Hunterdon
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
, Middlesex
Middlesex County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...
, Somerset
Somerset County, New Jersey
Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....
and Warren
Warren County, New Jersey
Warren County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 108,692. Its county seat is Belvidere...
counties and more than 500,000 Catholics.
Metuchen was ranked 332nd in the New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly
New Jersey Monthly is a monthly glossy publication featuring issues of possible interest to residents of the United States state of New Jersey...
s Best Places to live in New Jersey.
Metuchen Borough Hall
Metuchen Borough Hall
Metuchen Borough Hall is the town hall for Metuchen, New Jersey located at 500 Main Street. The two-story concrete building, with brick facade and lettering Metuchen Municipal Building, was built in 2003 and dedicated on September 1, 2005....
, dedicated in 2005, replaced a structure built in 1924 during the City Beautiful movement
City Beautiful movement
The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy concerning North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of using beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. The movement, which was originally associated mainly with Chicago,...
.
Transportation
Commuting had become a way of life for Metuchen residents by the turn of the century. Daily commuters numbered 400 out of a population of 1,786 by the year 1900. Accessibility to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and New Brunswick enhanced the borough's reputation as a prestigious place to live, and the modern suburban ideal of small-town life where tired businessmen could escape the pace of the city grew in popularity. Today, Metuchen Station
Metuchen (NJT station)
Metuchen Station is a New Jersey Transit station on the Northeast Corridor Line, in Metuchen, New Jersey. It is on Main Street between Pennsylvania and Woodbridge Avenues; the platforms are on an overpass over Main Street. The New York City-bound platform and station office are accessible from...
on New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...
's Northeast Corridor Line
Northeast Corridor Line
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail operation run by New Jersey Transit along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor. It is the successor to commuter services provided by the Pennsylvania Railroad along the section between Trenton, New Jersey and New York Penn Station...
, provides service to many destinations including Trenton and Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
.
The biggest change to affect Metuchen between the World Wars was the rise of the automobile. In the 1920s, service stations were built, and the construction of U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in New Jersey
U.S. Route 1 is a United States highway which parallels the East Coast of the United States, running from Key West, Florida in the south to Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border in the north. Of the entire length of the route, of it runs through New Jersey...
in 1930 diverted traffic away from Middlesex Avenue, and undoubtedly helped the borough retain its residential character.
Notable residents
Noted current and former residents include:- Marqus BlakelyMarqus BlakelyMarqus Austin Blakely is an American professional basketball player with the Houston Rockets of the NBA.-College:Blakely gained a reputation at Vermont by winning the Kevin Roberson America East Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year twice and the America East Defensive Player of the Year...
(born 1988), Two-time America East player of the Year, winner of the 2010 college slam dunk contest at University of Vermont, and a member of the Houston RocketsHouston RocketsThe Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
. - Charles BrownCharles Brown (actor)Charles Brown was a Tony Award-nominated actor and a member of New York City, New York theater troupe the Negro Ensemble Company...
(1946–2004), actor. - Barbara BuonoBarbara BuonoBarbara Buono is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where she represents the 18th Legislative District....
(born 1953), New Jersey State SenatorNew Jersey SenateThe New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
. - Edmund O'Brien (born 1945), longest-serving elected official in the history of Metuchen. Former Mayor and Council.
- John CiardiJohn CiardiJohn Anthony Ciardi was an American poet, translator, and etymologist. While primarily known as a poet, he also translated Dante's Divine Comedy, wrote several volumes of children's poetry, pursued etymology, contributed to the Saturday Review as a columnist and long-time poetry editor, and...
(1916–1986), poet. - David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield (illusionist)David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
(born 1956), magician and illusionist. - Scott CowenScott CowenScott S. Cowen is 14th president of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he is also Seymour S. Goodman Memorial Professor in the A.B. Freeman School of Business and professor of economics in Tulane's School of Liberal Arts. He has written more than a hundred peer-reviewed journal...
(born 1946), president of Tulane UniversityTulane UniversityTulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
. - James FlorioJames FlorioJames Joseph "Jim" Florio is a Democratic politician who served as the 49th Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994, the first Italian American to hold the position...
(born 1937), Governor of New JerseyGovernor of New JerseyThe Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
from 1990 to 1994. - Mary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was a prominent 19th century American author.- Biography :She was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, for one year, from 1870–71...
(1852–1930), author and novelist. - Robert HegyesRobert HegyesRobert Hegyes is an American actor, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Epstein in the 1970s television series Welcome Back, Kotter.-Early life:...
(born 1951), actor who played the character "Epstein" in the 1970s TV series Welcome Back, KotterWelcome Back, KotterWelcome Back, Kotter was an American television sitcom starring Gabe Kaplan and featuring a young John Travolta.It originally aired on the ABC network from September 9, 1975 to June 8, 1979.-Premise:...
. - Jerome H. LemelsonJerome H. LemelsonJerome "Jerry" Hal Lemelson was a prolific American engineer, inventor, and patent holder...
(1923–97), inventor and holder of more than 550 patents. - Dejuan MillerDejuan MillerDejuan Miller is an American football wide receiver for the Oklahoma Sooners.-Early years:Born Eric Dejuan Cunningham, Miller grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey and attended Metuchen High School where he was all-state in 2007 as well as a finalist for the Gatorade Player of the Year Award...
(born 1990), football player at University of Oklahoma. - Lonny PriceLonny PriceLonny Price is an American actor, writer, and director, primarily in theatre. He is known for making statements on current events in versions of his musicals. His acclaimed May 2008 New York Philharmonic production of Camelot was making a statement about the current war including having different...
(born 1959), actor, writer and director. - Jack WaldmanJack WaldmanJack Waldman was a jazz and rock musician, composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey....
(1952–86), jazz and rock musician, composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. - Marvin WebsterMarvin WebsterMarvin Nathaniel Webster was an American professional basketball player. Nicknamed "The Human Eraser" and "Marvin the Magnificent", he played one season in the American Basketball Association and nine in the National Basketball Association with the Denver Nuggets , Seattle SuperSonics , New York...
(1952–2009), NBA basketball player, spent half his career with the New York KnicksNew York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
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External links
- Metuchen Borough website
- Metuchen School District
- Data for the Metuchen School District, National Center for Education StatisticsNational Center for Education StatisticsThe National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...
- Metuchen-Edison Historical Society website