Elizabethport

As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 137,298, making it New Jersey's fourth most populous city, after Newark, Jersey City, and Paterson. The first major industry, the Singer Sewing Machine Company came to Elizabeth and employed as many as 2,000 people. The Electric Boat Company got its start building submarines for the United States Navy in Elizabeth, New Jersey, beginning with the launch of USS Holland (SS-1) in 1897. Elizabeth grew in parallel to its sister city of Newark for many years, but has been more successful in retaining a middle-class presence and was mostly spared riots in the 1960s. On September 18, 2016, a backpack holding five bombs was discovered outside NJ Transit's Elizabeth train station. Police were initially unsure if this event was related to bombs in Seaside Park, New. Jersey and Manhattan that had exploded the previous day. Police arrested Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan-born naturalized U.S. citizen, for questioning in connection with all three incidents; the FBI considered Rahami to be armed and dangerous. Elizabeth is bordered to the southwest by Linden, to the west by Roselle and Rosellle Park, and to the northwest by Union and Hillside. To the east the city is across Newark Bay from Bayonne in Hudson County and the Arthur Kill from Staten Island, New York. It includes the main commercial district and a historic section as well as the First Presbyterian Church and St John's Episcopal Church.

History

Elizabeth, originally called "Elizabethtown" and part of the Elizabethtown Tract, was founded in 1664 by English settlers. During the American Revolutionary War, Elizabethtown was continually attacked by British forces based on Manhattan and Staten Island. The first major industry, the Singer Sewing Machine Company came to Elizabeth and employed as many as 2,000 people. In 1895, it saw one of the first car companies, when Electric Carriage and Wagon Company was founded to manufacture the Electrobat. The Electric Boat Company got its start building submarines for the United States Navy in Elizabeth, New Jersey, beginning with the launch of USS Holland (SS-1) in 1897. Elizabeth grew in parallel to its sister city of Newark for many years, but has been more successful in retaining a middle-class presence and was mostly spared riots in the 1960s. On September 18, 2016, a backpack holding five bombs was discovered outside NJ Transit's Elizabeth train station. One bomb detonated accidentally when a bomb squad robot failed to disarm the contents of the backpack; no one was hurt. The FBI considered Ahmad Khan Rahami, a 28-year-old Afghan-born naturalized U.S. citizen, for questioning in connection with all three incidents; the FBI considered Rahami to be armed and dangerous. He was arrested on September 19, and charged with five counts of making a terrorist act. The charges against Rahami were later reduced to one count each of making an act of terrorism and possessing a weapon of mass destruction.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 13.66 square miles (35.37 km²) The Elizabeth River is a waterway that courses through the city for 4.2 miles (6.8 km) To the east the city is across Newark Bay from Bayonne in Hudson County and the Arthur Kill from Staten Island, New York. The borders of Elizabeth, Bayonne, and Staten Island meet at one point on Shooters Island, of which 7.5 acres (3.0 ha) of the island is owned by Elizabeth. The city is located in the New York City borough of Staten Island and is part of the Staten Island borough of the City of New York, which is in the borough of New Jersey. Elizabeth is bordered to the southwest by Linden, to the west by Roselle and RoseLle Park, to. the northwest by Union and Hillside, and to the north by Newark (in Essex County) The city has a population of 2,838. It is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New Jersey and into New Jersey, and connects to the East River via the Raritan River and the Long Island Rail Road. It also shares a border with New Jersey's Port Authority, which has a station in Elizabeth. Elizabeth was the site of the World War II-era Battle of the Bulge, which was fought between the United States and Germany.

Districts and neighborhoods

Downtown / E-Port (a.k.a. The Port and Elizabethport) is the oldest neighborhood and perhaps the most diverse place in Elizabeth. Bayway is located in the southern part of the city and borders the City of Linden. Elmora and The West End is a middle/working-class neighborhood in the western part of Elizabeth. The El Mora section of Elizabeth is home to a large Modern Orthodox community. The area was once three distinct neighborhoods: Buckeye, Diamondville and New Mexico. It was the US home of the Singer Manufacturing Company, makers of Singer sewing machines, which constructed a 1,400,000-square-foot (130,000 m2) facility on a 32-acre (13 ha) site in 1873. With 6,000 employees working there in the 1870s, it employed the largest number of workers at a single facility in 18 73. The company moved out of Elizabeth in 1982. Elizabeth Marina is the site of year-round celebrations from a Hispanic festival in late spring to the lighting of a Christmas tree in winter. The name is derived from its dependence on businesses catering to seagoing ventures and was a thriving center of commerce between the 1660s through the middle of the 20th century. The neighborhood forms a "V" from approximate approximate RR tracks to the Central Railroad tracks. The western terminus of the Goethals Bridge, which spans the Arthur Kill to Staten Island can be found here.

Demographics

The 2010 United States census counted 124,969 people, 41,596 households, and 29,325 families in the city. The city's Hispanic population was the tenth-highest percentage among municipalities in New Jersey as of the 2010 Census. Colombia is the nation of birth for the highest number of foreign-born inhabitants of Elizabeth: it was the birthplace of 8,731 Elizabeth residents in the 2000 Census. The median household income was $43,770 (with a margin of error of +/ $1,488) in 2010. The per capita income for the borough was $19,196 (+/ $604). About 14.7% of families and 16.7%. of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 18.5%. of those age 65 or over. The racial makeup of the city was 55.78% White, 19.98% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 15.51% from other races, and 5.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 49.46% (74,353) of the town's population. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.43. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males. In the city, the median age was 33.2 years and for every 100 Females, the population had 98.6 males.

Economy

The Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal is one of the busiest ports in the world, as is Newark Liberty International Airport. Elizabeth also features Little Jimmy's Italian Ices (since 1932), The Mills At Jersey Gardens outlet mall, Loews Theater, and the Elizabeth Center. Elizabeth is home to the Bayway Refinery, a Phillips 66 refining facility that supplies petroleum-based products to the New York/New Jersey area, producing approximately 230,000 barrels (37,000 m3) per day. Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Elizabeth was selected in 1983 as one of 10 zones chosen to participate in the program. Established in November 1992, the city's UEZ status expires in November 2023. The city's Urban Enterprise zone status is set to expire in 2023, and Elizabeth will be one of 37 municipalities to lose its UE Zone status. The UE zone is designed to encourage employment and investment within the zone. Elizabeth has a 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the 6+58% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. In addition to other benefits to encourage investment and employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.2125% Sales tax rate at eligible retailers. The Elizabeth Center generates millions of dollars in revenue each year. The City of Elizabeth is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, which runs from New Jersey to New York.

Government

The City of Elizabeth is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the City Council. As of 2022, the city's Mayor is Democrat Chris Bollwage, a lifelong resident of Elizabeth who is serving his eighth term as Mayor, serving a term of office that ends December 31, 2024. Union County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners, whose nine members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis with three seats coming up for election each year. For the 117th U.S. Congress, New Jersey's Eighth Congressional District is represented by Albio Sires (D, West New York). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Bob Menendez (Harrison, term end 2025). For the 2022-2023 session, the 20th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature isrepresented in the State Senate by Joseph Cryan (D), and in the General Assembly by Reginald Atkins (D) and Annette Quijano (D). As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 44,415 voters in Elizabeth, which 24,88% of which were registered as Democrats, 53% as Republicans and 16,985 as Unaffiliated. There were 12,415 registered voters in Union County, which 12,5vs. 35% of Elizabeth's population in 2010.

Police department

The Elizabeth Police Department was established in May 1858. The current Police Director is Earl Graves and the Chief of Police is Giacomo Sacca. The Table of Organization authorizes 365 officers, including 9 captains, 21 lieutenants and 39 sergeants. The Police Department is based at the Elizabeth Police Station in Elizabeth, New Jersey. The department has a population of 2,000. It has a history of more than 100 years, dating back to 1858, when the department was established. It is one of the oldest police departments in New Jersey, with a history that dates back to the early 1800s. The police department was founded in 1858 and has been in existence ever since. It currently has 365 officers and a police force of 365 officers. It also has a fire department, ambulance service, and a sheriff's department. The station is located on the New Jersey Turnpike, near the town of Elizabeth. It was built in the late 1800s and the first police station opened in 1859. The Elizabeth Police department is located at the intersection of two main roads, the Elizabeth Road and the Elizabeth Creek Road. The city's population is 2,200. It had a police department until the end of the 19th century, when it was replaced by the Elizabeth City Police Department, which opened in the early 20th century. It now has a total of 365 police officers, with 365 officers in total. The table of organization authorizes 24 captains and 21 lieutenant captains, and 39 sergeant-at-arms.

Fire department

The Elizabeth Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the city of Elizabeth. There are 7 Engine Companies, 3 Ladder Companies, 1 Rescue Company, and several Special Units. The department is part of the Metro USAR Strike Team, which consists of nine North Jersey fire departments and other emergency services divisions working to address major emergency rescue situations. Emergency medical services are provided by the Elizabeth Fire department's Division of Emergency Medical Services. This is a civilian division of the fire department and handles approximately 20,000 calls a year. The division is made up of an EMS chief, 5 supervisors, 28 full-time emergency medical technicians, and approximately 12 per-diem EMTs. They also operate the NJ EMS Task Force Medical Ambulance Bus #1.Hatzalah of Union County provides EMS primarily to the Elmora Hills neighborhood of Elizabeth, and certain sections of Hillside, Union and Roselle Park. The fire department was established as a volunteer organization in 1837 when Engine Company # 1 was organized. In 1901, the volunteer department was no longer adequate and the department reorganized into a paid department on January 1, 1902. At its maximum staffing, the department aims to operate five ambulances and a supervisor on days (7am7pm) and three ambulances on nights (7pm7am) The department also provides EMS for certain parts of Elizabeth and Union County, New Jersey, such as Hillside and Union Park. It is a member of the New Jersey State Fire Chiefs Association.

Education

The city's public schools are operated by Elizabeth Public Schools, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court in Abbott v. Burke. As of the 201819 school year, the district, comprised of 36 schools, had an enrollment of 28,712 students and 2,173.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a studentteacher ratio of 13.2:1. With 5,300 students, Elizabeth High School had been the largest high school in the state of New Jersey and one of the largest in the United States. The school was the 294th-ranked public high school out of 322 schools statewide, in New Jersey Monthly magazine's September 2010 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", after being ranked 302nd in 2008 out of 316 schools. All of the district's schools (except high schools) became K8 schools, replacing the middle schools and elementary schools. A majority of students in a majority of the Elizabeth public schools failed basic skills tests. The Elizabeth Public Library has a main library and three branches, originally a Carnegie library, with a collection of about 115,000 volumes and circulation of about 6,000. The library was founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New York. The city is home to several private schools, including St. Mary of the Assumption High School, which was established 1930, and the all-girls Benedictine Academy.