Metuchen, New Jersey

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}}Template:Main other Metuchen (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a suburban borough in Middlesex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The borough is a commuter town of New York City, located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region within the New York Metropolitan area.<ref>Lasky, Julie. "Living In Metuchen, N.J.: A ‘Doughnut Hole’ with a Storied Past and New Development", The New York Times, September 13, 2017. Accessed July 18, 2022.</ref> The borough, along with Edison (which completely surrounds Metuchen), is a regional commercial hub for Central New Jersey. The borough is Template:Convert northeast of New Brunswick, Template:Convert southwest of Newark, Template:Convert southwest of Jersey City, and Template:Convert southwest of Manhattan.<ref>Distance from Metuchen, NJ to New Brunswick, NJ, Distance between cities. Accessed July 18, 2022.</ref><ref>from Metuchen, NJ to Newark, NJ, Distance between cities. Accessed July 18, 2022.</ref><ref>from Metuchen, NJ to Jersey City, NJ, Distance between cities. Accessed July 18, 2022.</ref><ref>from Metuchen, NJ to New York, NY, Distance between cities. Accessed July 18, 2022.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 15,049,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 1,475 (+10.9%) from the 2010 census count of 13,574,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 734 (+5.7%) from the 12,840 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

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).<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 170. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> Metuchen's Main Street won Great American Main Street of the Year in 2023.<ref name=MetuchenGreatAmericanMainStreetWinner/>

History

File:PostcardMetuchenNJMainStFromRRStation1911.jpg

View from train station 1911

The earliest residents of the area were the Raritan people of the Lenape Native Americans, who lived in the area and travelled through it to the shore. In 1646, Chief Matouchin was part of a group that included 1,200 warriors.<ref>History of Metuchen, Federal Writers' Project of the Works Project Administration, 1941. Accessed December 3, 2019. "The local natives were doubtless a group of the Raritans who belonged to the Unami tribe. Philhower, an expert on New Jersey’s Indians, describes them as 'a quickwitted, modest, fine looking people, black-haired and of a dark copper color' who spoke the Lenape dialect. In 1646 the tribe consisted of 1200 warriors and twenty chiefs, among whom tradition has it was Matouchin, chief of the Indians in this section."</ref>

Until 1870, what is now Metuchen was part of Woodbridge Township. The settlers in the western part of the township developed their own separate identity, because they were so far removed from the main settlement of Woodbridge. The name "Metuchen" first appeared in 1688/1689, and its name was derived from the name of a Native American chief, whose name was variously spelled as Matouchin or Matochshegan.<ref>Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living in: Metuchen", The New York Times, August 5, 1990. Accessed April 6, 2015. "Named for the Raritan Indian chief Matouchin, who lived in the area in the late 17th century, Metuchen is one of the oldest settlements in New Jersey. Deeds in the area date to the 1680s, when it was part of Woodbridge Township, chartered by Lord Carteret in 1688."</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 5, 2015.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 21. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 5, 2015.</ref> 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 3/5; by 1772, Metuchen had grown sufficiently to warrant half of his time. In 1793, the two churches again separated.

Metuchen was little changed from the late 18th to the early 19th century. A map from 1799 shows ten buildings in the center of the community 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 did not spur growth. 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.<ref>Next Stop Metuchen: Three Railroads Shape a Crossroads Community Template:Webarchive, RichardGrubb.com. Accessed April 6, 2015.</ref> 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 1873, the town hosted Howard Newton Fuller and the Rutgers College Glee Club in the first-ever performance of their alma mater.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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 37 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 began operation and supplied hydrants for "newly formed" volunteer fire companies. In 1899, a new street lighting system was installed. At about the same time a bicycling organization was formed, the Metuchen Wheelmen, which lobbied for improved roads. Trolley service began in 1900. In addition, 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".<ref>Spies, Stacy E. "Images of America: Metuchen", accessed via Google Books, May 26, 2008.</ref> One of the Borough's two post offices is named Brainy Boro Station.

The new century began with the borough's incorporation, in 1900.<ref name=Story/>

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.<ref>A Short History of St. Francis of Assisi Cathedral Parish Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Accessed May 26, 2008. "On November 19, 1981, Pope John Paul II established the Diocese of Metuchen, naming Auxiliary Bishop Theodore McCarrick of New York as its first Bishop."</ref>

Metuchen Borough Hall, dedicated in 2005, replaced a structure built in 1924 during the City Beautiful movement.<ref>Metuchen Borough Hall, Metuchen Edison History. Accessed November 25, 2012. "The Metuchen Borough Hall is locally significant under National Register Criterion A for its association with Metuchen's development as an independent municipality, and its representation of the national City Beautiful Movement effort to improve communities."</ref>

From 1948 until 2004, the Ford Motor Company manufactured seven million Ford and Mercury vehicles, including the Ford Mustang, at Edison Assembly, which was named for Metuchen until 1980.<ref>via Associated Press. "N.J. plant closes after building 7 million Fords", Deseret News, February 27, 2004. Accessed May 27, 2024. "Opened in 1948 and headed by the 28-year-old grandson of Henry Ford, the 1 million square-foot plant was part of Ford's major postwar expansion; it came on line along with facilities in St. Louis and Los Angeles.... The Edison facility, known until 1980 as the Metuchen plant, played a major role in that effort."</ref>

In 2022, Metuchen was nominated as one of the eight semifinalists for the 2023 Great American Main Street Award .<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> They later won the award.<ref name="MetuchenGreatAmericanMainStreetWinner" />

American Girl's 2023 "Girl of the Year" character, Kavi Sharma, is described as being from Metuchen. She is the first "Girl of the Year" doll of South Asian ancestry.<ref>Asmelash, Leah. "Kavi Sharma is American Girl's first South Asian 'Girl of the Year'", CNN, December 29, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023. "American Girl's latest "Girl of the Year" is a spunky Broadway-loving dancer and singer -- and also the line's first-ever South Asian main character.... Kavi lives in Metuchen, New Jersey, according to American Girl. The town is a train ride away from New York City, home to all her favorite Broadway shows, and is also in a part of New Jersey with a significant Asian population."</ref>

In April 2024, Metuchen was named by Money Magazine as the best place to live in New Jersey and one of the best to live in the country.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.85 square miles (7.39 km²), including 2.85 square miles (7.38 km²) of land and <0.01 square miles (0.01 km²) of water (0.07%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

The Borough of Metuchen is completely surrounded by Edison,<ref>Areas touching Metuchen, MapIt. Accessed February 27, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed December 1, 2019.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.<ref>DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton, New Jersey, merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.</ref>

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Jefferson ParkTemplate:Citation needed and Robinvale.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>

Metuchen has been a state-designated "town center" since 1996 and "transit village" since 2001. The borough has been recognized for its smart growth development.<ref>"Town Center Design and Development Winner: Borough of Metuchen; supporting partner: Looney Ricks Kiss Architects", NJ Future. Accessed April 6, 2015.</ref> Plans to build a residential and commercial center with 700 parking spaces on a parking lot adjacent to the train station were announced in July 2014.<ref>Amaral, Brian. "Major Metuchen development will bring uncertainty, change", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, July 26, 2014. Accessed April 6, 2015.</ref>

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 15,049 people and 5,255 households in the borough. There were 6,053 housing units. The racial makeup was 63.71% (9,588) White, 4.66% (702) Black or African American, 0.24% (36) Native American, 18.88% (2,841) Asian, 0.02% (3) Pacific Islander, 0.02% (458) from other races, and 9.44% (1,421) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.03% (1510) of the population.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Of the 5,255 households, 26.1% had children under the age of 18; 65.6% were married couples living together and 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.35.<ref name=":0" />

The Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5 Year Data (2009-2021) showed that median household income was $141,915 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,343) and the median family income was $163,438 (+/− $8,003). The per capita income for the borough was $61,344 (+/− $3,711). About 1.7% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.1% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=":0" />

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 13,574 people, 5,243 households, and 3,744 families in the borough. The population density was 4,910.4 per square mile (1,895.9/km²). There were 5,440 housing units at an average density of 1,967.9 per square mile (759.8/km²). The racial makeup was 77.92% (10,577) White, 4.88% (662) Black or African American, 0.07% (10) Native American, 12.96% (1,759) Asian, 0.02% (3) Pacific Islander, 1.39% (189) from other races, and 2.76% (374) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.89% (935) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 5,243 households, 33.6% had children under the age of 18; 58.3% were married couples living together; 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 28.6% were non-families. Of all households, 23.9% were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.10.<ref name=Census2010/>

24.2% of the population were under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 29.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 88.2 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $94,410 (with a margin of error of +/− $10,474) and the median family income was $126,123 (+/− $7,549). Males had a median income of $78,974 (+/− $8,613) versus $57,271 (+/− $5,731) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $46,949 (+/− $3,227). About 1.9% of families and 2.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 5.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Metuchen borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 5, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 12,840 people, 4,992 households, and 3,584 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 5,104 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. 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.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Metuchen borough, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Metuchen borough, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

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.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Parks and recreation

Metuchen includes a variety of public spaces, parks, historical sites, a war memorial, and a greenway.

The Middlesex Greenway is a Template:Convert mixed-use bicycle and pedestrian paved trail between Metuchen and Woodbridge Township. It is part of the East Coast Greenway.<ref>Middlesex Greenway, Middlesex County Parks & Recreation. Accessed July 4, 2018.</ref>Template:Multiple imageCovering Template:Convert, Centennial Park is Metuchen's largest park and is accessible from Grove Avenue. The park includes Beacon Hill, which at Template:Convert is the highest point in the borough.<ref>Centennial Park, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed May 27, 2024. "Centennial Park, a 13 acre tract extending from Grove Avenue to Wakefield Avenue, is the largest natural open space in Metuchen. The Grove Avenue service road grants access to the area. Centennial Park includes Beacon Hill, Metuchen’s highest point, with an elevation of 169 feet."</ref>

Woodwild Park is a Template:Convert park consisting of undeveloped land that is managed by the Woodwild Park Association and accessible from Middlesex Avenue.<ref>About the Park, Woowild Park Association. Accessed December 5, 2019. "Woodwild Park is a 3.5-acre park in Metuchen, New Jersey located between Middlesex Avenue, Oak Avenue, and East Chestnut Avenue."</ref> It is part of the Middlesex Avenue–Woodwild Park Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 2017.<ref name=Zerbe>Zerbe, Nancy. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form for Middlesex Avenue–Woodwild Park Historic District (Draft) Template:Webarchive, National Park Service, March 2017. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref>

George Olmezer Memorial Park is a park dedicated to George Olmezer, a councilman for Metuchen and former member of the Borough Council. It was established in 1982.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Olmezer passed away in 1981 at 68.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Metuchen Memorial Park is a war memorial that was created starting in 1925 to honor those who served during World War I and has been updated since then to honor those Metuchen residents who served in other of the nation's wars. For 90 years, the park has been the planned destination of the borough's annual Memorial Day Parade.<ref>Hatala, Greg. "Glimpse of History: A 90-year tradition in Metuchen", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, May 25, 2017, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed December 5, 2019. "Metuchen will hold its 90th annual Memorial Day Parade May 29 starting at 10 a.m. The parade will begin at New and Pearl streets and travel to Memorial Park for an 11:30 a.m. ceremony."</ref><ref>Metuchen Hosts 90th Annual Memorial Day Parade & Ceremony on May 29, Metuchen Area Chamber of Commerce. Accessed December 5, 2019. "Located at the intersection of Lake and Essex Avenues, the park was constructed in 1925-1926 to honor residents who served in World War I. Since that time, the park has been redesigned with new monuments to honor those who have served in more recent wars and conflicts."</ref>

File:Sign in front of George Olmezer Memorial Park, Metuchen, New Jersey.jpg

Sign in front of George Olmezer Memorial Park

Tommy's Pond, on a Template:Convert site donated to the borough in 1929, includes a Template:Convert pond that is used for an annual fishing derby.<ref>Tommy's Pond, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed May 27, 2024. "Thomas Park was donated to the Borough of Metuchen in 1929 by the grandchildren of David Graham Thomas. This beautiful 1.8 acre property includes a 0.4 acre pond."</ref> The pond has also been used in the past for ice skating during the winter.

The Dismal Swamp is a nearby natural area known as the "Everglades of Central New Jersey."<ref>Home Page, Edison Wetlands Association: Dismal Swamp. Accessed July 4, 2018.</ref>

Government

File:Metuchen Borough Hall.jpg

Borough Hall

Local government

Metuchen is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 84.</ref> The borough form of government used by Metuchen is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

Template:As of, the mayor of Metuchen is Democrat Jonathan Busch, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027; Busch took office as mayor when he was appointed in December 2017 to fill the balance of the four-year term that had been held by Peter Cammarano ending December 31, 2019, and was elected in November 2018 to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed May 27, 2024. "Described by The Metuchen Mirror as 'a man on a mission', Jonathan M. Busch was selected as the 36th Mayor of the Borough of Metuchen on December 18, 2017, was elected to the unexpired term on November 6, 2018, and was re-elected to a full four-year term on November 5, 2019."</ref> Members of the borough council are Council President Jason Delia (D, 2024), Joel Branch (D, 2024), Dorothy Giamboi (D, 2025), Lisa Hyman (D, 2025), Vinita Jethwani (D, 2026) and Tyler Kandel (D, 2026).<ref>Metuchen Borough Council, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed May 27, 2024.</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed February 18, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2023>November 7, 2023 General Election Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey, December 7, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2022>November 8, 2022 General Election Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2021>General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey, updated November 19, 2021. Accessed April 13, 2022.</ref>

In January 2019, the borough council unanimously selected Daniel Hirsch from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant following the resignation of Reed Leibfried.<ref>Borough Council Meeting Minutes for January 14, 2019, Borough of Metuchen. Accessed December 5, 2019. "Receive and Accept Resignation of Councilman Reed Leibfried – Effective Immediately... Mayor Busch asked for a discussion concerning the three candidates that has been recommended to fill the vacant council seat created by the resignation of Councilman Leibfried. Mayor Busch stated that nominations will be taken... Resolution carried, 5-0. Mayor Busch congratulated newly appointed Councilman Hirsch and asked him and his family to come forward to be sworn in by Denis Murphy, Borough Attorney."</ref> Hirsch served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Middlesex2019>November 5, 2019 General Election Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In December 2017, Jonathan Busch was selected from three names submitted by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that had been held by Peter Cammarano until he resigned from office to become the chief of staff for Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy.<ref>Loyer, Susan. "Metuchen names mayor to replace Cammarano", Courier News, December 19, 2017. Accessed January 27, 2018. "Borough resident Jonathan Busch was appointed by the Borough Council at Monday's meeting to fill the remainder of Peter Cammarano's term, which expires Dec. 31, 2019. Cammarano announced his plans to resign at the Dec. 4 borough council meeting, following his appointment to serve as Governor-elect Phil Murphy's chief of staff. Busch, who was sworn in at the meeting, was among three whose names were submitted by the Metuchen Democratic Organization as possible candidates for mayor."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Metuchen is located in the 6th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 18th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 9,520 registered voters in Metuchen, of which 4,120 (43.3%) were registered as Democrats, 1,528 (16.1%) were registered as Republicans and 3,858 (40.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Middlesex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref>

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024<ref name="2024Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|31.3% 2,578	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|66.4% 5,468	2.3% 193
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|29.4% 2,548	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|68.8% 5,953	1.8% 147
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|32.6% 2,407	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|63.1% 4,664	4.3% 316
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012<ref name="2012Elections"/>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|37.4% 2,618	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|61.3% 4,286	1.3% 90
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|38.3% 2,900	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|60.1% 4,554	1.0% 74
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2004<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|40.6% 2,914	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|57.9% 4,152	0.9% 80

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 61.3% of the vote (4,286 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 37.4% (2,618 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (90 votes), among the 7,049 ballots cast by the borough's 9,779 registered voters (55 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.1%.<ref name="2012Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 60.1% of the vote (4,554 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 38.3% (2,900 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (74 votes), among the 7,579 ballots cast by the borough's 9,809 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.3%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.9% of the vote (4,152 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 40.6% (2,914 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (80 votes), among the 7,170 ballots cast by the borough's 9,348 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.7.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref>

Gubernatorial Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2021<ref name="2021Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|33.0% 1,760	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|65.7% 3,505	1.3% 67
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2017<ref name="2017Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|33.8% 1,605	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|63.1% 2,994	3.0% 144
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2013<ref name="2013Elections"/>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.1% 2,397	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|48.5% 2,319	1.4% 69
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2009<ref name="2009Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|43.4% 2,256	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|47.0% 2,281	9.0% 468
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2005<ref name="2005Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|39.3% 1,938	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|56.6% 2,791	4.1% 202

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 50.1% of the vote (2,397 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 48.5% (2,319 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (69 votes), among the 4,844 ballots cast by the borough's 9,822 registered voters (59 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.3%.<ref name="2013Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 47.0% of the vote (2,440 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 43.4% (2,256 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 8.2% (425 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (43 votes), among the 5,197 ballots cast by the borough's 9,479 registered voters, yielding a 54.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Middlesex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 23, 2012.</ref>

Education

Public schools

The Metuchen School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Metuchen Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Metuchen School District. Accessed January 5, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }} through 12 and preschool handicapped in the Metuchen School District. Composition: The Metuchen School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Borough of Metuchen."</ref> As of the 2019–20 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,300 students and 182.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Metuchen Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2021.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2019–20 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>) are Mildred B. Moss Elementary School<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with 122 students in Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, Campbell Elementary School<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with 702 students in grades 1–4, Edgar Middle School<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with 722 students in grades 5–8, and Metuchen High School<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with 729 students in grades 9–12.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Metuchen Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 1, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Metuchen School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Middlesex County Magnet Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at its schools in East Brunswick, Edison, Perth Amboy, Piscataway and Woodbridge Township, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.<ref>Heyboer, Kelly. "How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 23, 2019. Accessed February 8, 2025. "Middlesex County has two stand-alone career academies for high-achieving students: the Academy for Science, Math and Engineering Technology, located on the campus of Middlesex County College in Edison, and the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge. How to apply: Students must attend a mandatory information session and submit an application by November of their 8th grade year."</ref><ref>About Our Schools, Middlesex County Magnet Schools. Accessed February 8, 2025. "These high schools are free public schools that offer hands-on, integrated learning opportunities for students in grades 9-12 interested in all types of careers as well as higher education. Any student who resides anywhere in Middlesex County's 25 municipalities student may apply to the school district. If accepted, the home school district will permit the student to attend and will organize daily transportation at no cost to the student's family."</ref>

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<ref>Tour offers an eclectic view of Metuchen, Edison-Metuchen Sentinel, January 4, 2006.</ref> 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. It was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) in 1942 and given a Certification of Eligibility (COE) for the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1990. In 2017, the Schoolhouse was listed in the New Jersey and National Registers as a Key Contributing Site in the Middlesex Avenue-Woodwild Park Historic District. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A larger Franklin School, built in 1909, once stood at the intersection of Middlesex and Lake Avenues but fell into disrepair in the mid-1980s. It was demolished in 1999 to make way for a residential development called Franklin Square.<ref>About, Franklin Square. Accessed April 6, 2015.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Private schools

The borough is home to St. Joseph High School, a private all-boys Catholic prep school, notable for its academics and sports awards, that is conducted by the Brothers of the Sacred Heart and operated under the supervision of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen.<ref>Schools in the Diocese of metuchen Listed by County Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref><ref>School Overview, Saint Joseph High School. Accessed July 28, 2013.</ref> Saint Francis Cathedral School,<ref>Schools in the Diocese of Metuchen Listed by County Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref> a Pre-K–8 school that is also part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, was one of eight private schools recognized in 2017 as an Exemplary High Performing School by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program of the United States Department of Education.<ref>Pries, Allison. 17 "New Jersey schools earn National Blue Ribbon Award", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 29, 2017. Accessed October 18, 2017.</ref>

Historic district

The Middlesex Avenue–Woodwild Park Historic District is a historic district located in Metuchen. It was added onto the National Register of Historic Places on July 31, 2017. It includes 197 contributing buildings, five contributing objects, and one contributing site.<ref name=Zerbe/>

• 300 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ - Corbin House.jpg

  300 Middlesex Avenue
  The Corbin House

• 480 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen, NJ - Public Library.jpg

  480 Middlesex Avenue
  Metuchen Public Library

• 17 Oak Avenue, Metuchen, NJ - St. Luke's Episcopal Church.jpg

  17 Oak Avenue
  St. Luke's Episcopal Church

Transportation

Commuting had become a way of life for Metuchen residents by the start of the 20th century. Daily commuters numbered 400 out of a population of 1,786 by the year 1900. Accessibility to New York City and New Brunswick enhanced the borough's reputation as a 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.

Roads and highways

File:2021-06-23 09 36 52 View north along Interstate 287 (Middlesex Freeway) from the overpass for the rail line just south of New Jersey State Route 27 (Lincoln Highway) on the border of Edison Township and Metuchen in Middlesex County, New Jersey.jpg

View northbound along I-287 on the south edge of Metuchen

Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Middlesex County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Middlesex County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 24, 2014.</ref>

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 just south of Metuchen in 1930 diverted traffic away from Middlesex Avenue, helping the borough retain its residential character.

Both Route 27<ref>Route 27 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2018. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref> and CR 531<ref>County Route 531 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated December 2012. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref> pass through and intersect at the heart of the borough, while Interstate 287 runs along the southern border. Metuchen also includes portions of CR 501,<ref>County Route 501 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2012. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref> CR 660 and CR 669.<ref>Middlesex County Route 660 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref><ref>Middlesex County Route 669 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 5, 2019.</ref>

Other limited access roads are nearby, such as the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in surrounding Edison Township and the Garden State Parkway in Woodbridge Township.<ref>Middlesex County Road Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed December 1, 2019.</ref>

Public transportation

The Metuchen station<ref>Metuchen train station, NJ Transit. Accessed December 1, 2014.</ref> provides service to many destinations along NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor Line between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station.<ref>Northeast Corridor Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed July 29, 2014.</ref>

NJ Transit local bus service is available on the 810, 813 and 819 routes.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Metuchen include:

• Joy M. Bergelson (born 1962), professor of genomics at New York University<ref>Joy M. Bergelson, National Academy of Sciences. Accessed January 22, 202. "Bergelson was born in Brooklyn, NY and grew up in Metuchen, NJ."</ref>
• Marqus Blakely (born 1988), two-time America East Men's Basketball Player of the Year, winner of 2010 slam dunk contest<ref>Staff. "Metuchen's Marqus Blakely carries success to Vermont, NCAA Tournament", The Star-Ledger, March 18, 2010. Accessed January 23, 2011.</ref>
• Charles Brown (1946–2004), actor<ref name=NYT2001/>
• Henry T. Brown (1932–2020), chemical engineer who was the first African American in borough government<ref>"Henry T. Brown", The History Makers. Accessed May 22, 2020. "In 1967, Brown moved to Metuchen, New Jersey to work as a development engineer for the Squibb Institute for Medical Research."</ref>
• Edward T. Buckingham (1874–1942), politician who served as Mayor of Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 1909 to 1911 and from 1929 to 1933<ref>"Former Resident Of Metuchen Wins Recognition", Courier News, August 24, 1939. Accessed January 20, 2024, via Newspapers.com. "A former Metuchen resident received prominent recognition today in Connecticut where he has served as mayor of Bridgeport and is now compensation commissioner for the Fourth Congressional District."</ref>
• Barbara Buono (born 1953), New Jersey State Senator<ref>Barbara Buono profile Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 7, 2007. "Public/Party Service: Metuchen Town Council 1993-94".</ref>
• John Ciardi (1916–1986), poet<ref>Boorstin, Robert O. "John Ciardi, Poet, Essayist And Translator, 69", The New York Times, April 2, 1986. Accessed July 28, 2013. "Mr. Ciardi, who made his home in Metuchen, N.J., was 69 years old."</ref>
• David Copperfield (born 1956), magician and illusionist<ref>Witchel, Alex. "A Maestro of the Magic Arts Returns to His Roots", The New York Times, November 24, 1996. Accessed July 28, 2013. "David Seth Kotkin was born in Metuchen, N.J., 40 years ago; David Copperfield was born when David Kotkin turned 18, at the suggestion of the wife of a New York Post reporter. Which is why his passport reads David Kotkin, a.k.a. David Copperfield."</ref><ref>"The life by David Copperfield", Accessed November 21, 2006.</ref>
• Scott Cowen (born 1946), president of Tulane University<ref>Staff. "Le Grand Executif: Scott Cowen, president of Tulane University", New Orleans CityBusiness, October 25, 2004. Accessed January 23, 2011.</ref>
• Paula Danziger (1944–2004), children's author who wrote more than 30 books, including her 1974 debut young adult novel, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit<ref>Woo, Elaine. "Paula Danziger, 59; Wrote Novels for Teens", Los Angeles Times, July 10, 2004. Accessed February 19, 2018. "Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Metuchen, N.J., Danziger was the daughter of a garment worker and a nurse who often told interviewers that she grew up in an unhappy family and turned to books 'to escape all the yelling.'"</ref>
• Betsy Dunn, politician who served in the Vermont House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019<ref>Representative Elizabeth "Betsy" Dunn, Vermont General Assembly. Accessed December 27, 2020. "I was raised in Metuchen, New Jersey."</ref>
• Bernard J. Dwyer (1921–1998), politician, who served in the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey from 1981 to 1993<ref>Staff. "B. J. Dwyer, New Jersey Congressman, 77", The New York Times, November 5, 1998. Accessed August 4, 2019. "Bernard James Dwyer, a former Representative from New Jersey, died Saturday in Edison, N.J., at the John F. Kennedy Medical Center, which he had served as a trustee. He was 77 and, a longtime Edison resident, had lived in Metuchen, N.J., for the last few years."</ref>
• Gail Fisher (1935–2000), first black actress to win an Emmy<ref>Tufaro, Greg. "Metuchen High School Hall of Fame inductees honored at reception", Courier News, November 20, 2015. Accessed January 9, 2017.</ref>
• James Florio (1937-2022), Governor of New Jersey from 1990 to 1994<ref>Jacobs, Andrew. "Primary In New Jersey: The Loser; For Florio, His Days as the 'Comeback Kid' May Be Over", The New York Times, June 8, 2000. Accessed May 5, 2012. "Mr. Florio, who lost the race, 42 percent to 58 percent, spent the day with his wife, Lucinda, in their home in Metuchen."</ref>
• Lucinda Florio (1947–2022), teacher and advocate for education and literacy, First Lady of New Jersey (1990–1994)<ref>Johnson, Brent. "NJ.com Lucinda Florio, former N.J. first lady and wife of Gov. Jim Florio, dies just weeks after husband’s passing", MSN.com, November 16, 2022. Accessed July 24, 2023. "The couple lived in Metuchen for years before returning to South Jersey, in Moorestown, later in life."</ref>
• Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930), author and novelist<ref>Chapter 6: Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman (1852-1930) Template:Webarchive, accessed April 8, 2007. "Freeman did eventually marry Charles, on New Year's Day, 1902, and they made their home in Metuchen, New Jersey."</ref>
• James Freis (born 1970), global fraud expert and former director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network<ref>"140 seniors win Byrd scholarships", Courier News, June 19, 1988. Accessed December 24, 2020, via Newspapers.com. "Middlesex County: James Freis of Metuchen, St. Joseph's High School"</ref>
• Samuel L. Greitzer (1905–1988), mathematician who was founding chairman of the United States of America Mathematical Olympiad<ref>Klamkin, Murray S., "The Olympiad Corner", Crux Mathematicorum, 5 (3): p. 62–69 (March 1979). Accessed May 22, 2016. "Professor S.L. Greitzer, Chairman, U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad Committee, 350-A Lafayette Road, Metuchen, New Jersey 08840."</ref>
• Robert Hegyes (1951–2012), actor who played the character "Epstein" in the 1970s TV series Welcome Back, Kotter<ref>Jordan, Chris. "Metuchen native enjoying Welcome Back, Kotter anniversary", Courier News, April 16, 2011. Accessed June 27, 2011. "Welcome back, Robert Hegyes. The Metuchen native, who played Epstein on Welcome Back, Kotter, is enjoying new acclaim as the show marks its 35th anniversary."</ref>
• Cecelia Holland (born 1943), historical novelist<ref>Holland, Cecelia. The Firedrake, p. 245. Atheneum Books, 1966. Accessed May 5, 2012. "Cecelia Holland was born on New Year's Eve, 1943, in Henderson, Nevada, and was raised in Metuchen, New Jersey, and Woodbridge, Connecticut."</ref>
• Elie Honig (born 1977) , attorney and CNN senior legal analyst<ref>Baxter, Christopher. "New N.J. chief of criminal prosecutions sharpened skills battling N.Y. mobsters", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, March 24, 2013. Accessed January 12, 2023. "'I went into law school with a less idealistic view than a lot of people going into law school,' said Honig, who lives with his wife and young son and daughter in Metuchen."</ref>
• Ed Kalegi (born 1967), voice actor, radio personality, host and actor<ref>"Ed Kalegi To Serve As In-house Voice Of The Ironmen", Our Sports Central, November 27, 2007. Accessed July 4, 2018. "Outside of the sports world, Kalegi serves as the voice of Weather Phone in New York City, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine. The Metuchen native has also worked as a voice actor, appearing in commercials, narrations and audio books."</ref>
• Robert Kaplow (born Template:Circa), teacher and novelist whose coming-of-age novel was made into a film titled Me and Orson Welles<ref>Stone, D. Z. "A Teacher's Dream Gets to the Screen", The New York Times, November 13, 2009. Accessed October 26, 2015. "Mr. Kaplow, 55, who lives in Metuchen, describes the book as 'a romantic comedy about the way we are both hurt and exhilarated by our attempts to create art.'"</ref>
• Jerome H. Lemelson (1923–1997), inventor and holder of more than 550 patents<ref>About Jerome Lemelson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Accessed June 27, 2011. "The Lemelsons first resided in Metuchen, New Jersey, followed by Princeton, NJ and finally Incline Village, NV."</ref>
• KC Navarro (born 1999), professional wrestler with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling<ref>"TNA Wrestling Signs KC Navarro", Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, October 17, 2024. Accessed January 8, 2025. "Graduated from Metuchen High School in 2017 in Metuchen, New Jersey."</ref>
• Lonny Price (born 1959), actor, writer and director<ref name=NYT2001>Gardner, Amanda. "Theater; Tony Awards' New Jersey Ties", The New York Times, June 3, 2001. Accessed May 5, 2012. "Lonny Price (best book of a musical, A Class Act) grew up in Metuchen. Charles Brown (best performance by a featured actor in a play, King Hedley II), grew up and still lives in Metuchen."</ref>
• Thomas Mundy Peterson (1824–1904), first African-American to vote in an election under the just-enacted provisions of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution<ref>"To Cast a Freedman's Vote", Metuchen-Edison Historical Society, Accessed February 24, 2020. "The story of Peterson’s childhood is sketchy at best, though not for want of trying by local historians. He was born in what is now Metuchen (then part of Woodbridge) and local historians Tyreen Reuter and Walter Stochel have been researching that part of his life. His parents were Thomas and Lucy, and their story is something of a muddle if you go by the various subsequent articles and histories that mention them."</ref>
• Hester Martha Poole (1833–1932), writer, poet, art critic, artist, and an advocate for women's rights<ref>Listed here are some of the accomplished residents who have made Metuchen, NJ the "Brainy Borough.", Metuchen-Edison Historical Society. Accessed July 7, 2020.</ref><ref>Willard, Frances E.; and Livermore, Mary A. A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches Accompanied by Portraits of Leading American Women in All Walks of Life, p. 585. Charles Wells Moulton, 1893. Accessed July 9, 2020. "Poole, Mrs. Hester Martha, author, artist and critic was born in western Vermont, around 1843.... Her present residence is in Metuchen, N. J."</ref>
• Matt Popino (born Template:Circa), college football coach, who has been the head football coach for Carthage College since 2024<ref>Matt Popino, Worcester State Lancers football. Accessed January 23, 2024. "Hometown: Metuchen, NJ; High School: Bishop Ahr"</ref>
• Brian Ralph (born 1973), alternative cartoonist, whose graphic novel, Daybreak, was adapted for the Netflix series Daybreak<ref>Muscavage, Nick. "Netflix series Daybreak an adaptation of Metuchen man's graphic novel", Courier News, February 10, 2020. Accessed February 13, 2020. "Ralph, who grew up on New York Avenue in Metuchen, has lived in Savannah, Georgia, for 11 years."</ref>
• Nancy A. Roseman, 28th president of Dickinson College<ref>Amaral, Brian. "Metuchen native makes history as new president of Dickinson College", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, September 24, 2013. "Metuchen – Nancy Roseman, a native of the so-called 'Brainy Borough,' will live up to that hometown moniker when she's officially installed as president of Dickinson College at a ceremony on Saturday."</ref>
• Tom Ruegger (born 1955/1956), animator, screenwriter, storyboard artist and lyricist, who created Animaniacs and Histeria!<ref>O'Donnell, Chuck. "Cartoon genius inspired by childhood in Metuchen", Courier News, July 20, 2014. Accessed March 6, 2022. "Executive Producer Tom Ruegger says the secret to making great cartoons is being able to channel your inner child. And for him, that means reaching back to his childhood in Metuchen in the late 1960s and early 1970s and recalling an idyllic time filled with Saturday morning cartoons, Sunday newspaper comic strips and summer afternoons playing Little League."</ref>
• Quinn Shephard (born 1995), actress, writer, director and producer, whose directorial debut film Blame was shot in Metuchen<ref>Stewart, Sara. "This 22-year-old director wrote her screenplay in high school", New York Post, January 4, 2018. Accessed May 31, 2018. "'I got made fun of for being weird and artsy,' says Quinn Shephard, who wrote, directed and stars in the drama Blame, out in theaters Friday.... The Metuchen, NJ, native graduated from public high school early and went on to a role in the CBS drama Hostages."</ref>
• Robert Taub (born 1955), concert pianist, recording artist, scholar, author and entrepreneur<ref>"Plainfield Symphony: Renowned Pianist Robert Taub in 98th Season Opener", TAP into Plainfield, September 24, 2017. Accessed March 6, 2022. "Taub, who was raised in nearby Metuchen, New Jersey, received his earliest music instruction from Plainfield’s French School of Music and made numerous community appearances at an early age."</ref>
• Jack Waldman (1952–1986), jazz and rock musician, composer, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

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• Marvin Webster (1952–2009), former professional basketball player who spent half his NBA career with the New York Knicks<ref>Araton, Harvey. "Remembering Marvin Webster, Once a Knicks Savior", The New York Times, April 8, 2009. Accessed June 27, 2011. "I had an address for him at a condominium development in Metuchen, N.J., where he was said to be working in real estate. A few months after Marvin Jr.'s death, I slipped a note under his door, with my telephone number, which went uncalled. A neighbor told me that Webster was not seen very often and generally kept to himself."</ref>
• Richard Wenk (born 1956), screenwriter and director best known for his work on The Expendables 2 (2012), The Equalizer (2014), and The Magnificent Seven (2016)<ref>Schwartz, David. "Richard Wenk, Vamping Out", The Washington Post, July 27, 1986. Accessed March 6, 2022. "It took more than five years for Wenk to get the break that would allow him to work with such big-name stars. Born and raised in Metuchen, N.J. (his father is an electrical contractor), he graduated from NYU in 1979, and went to Los Angeles with his thesis film, a half-hour musical vampire comedy titled Dracula Bites the Big Apple."</ref>
• Julian E. Zelizer (born 1969), author and professor of political history at Princeton University<ref>Strauss, Robert. "Julian Zelizer: Presidents & Precedents; The Princeton history professor talks about his new book, how we expect too much out of our presidents, and why Congressional gridlock isn't anything new.", New Jersey Monthly, July 8, 2015. Accessed July 13, 2020. "Growing up in Metuchen in the 1980s and 1990s, the son of a rabbi and a sociology professor, Julian Zelizer developed a fascination with American history. In his senior year at Metuchen High School, two teachers inspired him to delve into the Civil Rights era."</ref>

External links

• Metuchen Borough website
• Metuchen School District
• Template:NJReportCard
• School Data for the Metuchen School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Metuchen-Edison Historical Society website
• Metuchen Public Library website