Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey
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}}Template:Main other Monroe Township is a township located in southern Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is centrally located within the Raritan Valley region and is an outer-ring suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area.<ref>Smothers, Ronald."Monroe Township Journal; By the Road an Old Oak Stands. That's the Rub.", The New York Times, March 16, 2003. Accessed July 9, 2023.</ref><ref>Cheslow, Jerry. "If You're Thinking of Living in/Monroe Township; Split by Phone and Mail, but Not in Spirit", The New York Times, October 31, 1993. Accessed July 2, 2023.</ref><ref>New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 29, 2018.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 48,594,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 9,462 (+24.2%) from the 39,132 recorded at the 2010 census,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 11,133 (+39.8%) from the 27,999 counted in the 2000 census.<ref name=Census2000/><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> Monroe Township also comprises the largest land area of any municipality in Middlesex County, at approximately Template:Convert.<ref name=CensusArea/>
Monroe Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1838, from portions of South Amboy Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. Portions of the township were taken to form East Brunswick (February 28, 1860), Cranbury (March 7, 1872), and Jamesburg (March 19, 1887).<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. 171. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref>
There are several age-restricted communities in Monroe Township.<ref>Home Page, Clearbrook website.</ref><ref>Home Page, Concordia website.</ref><ref>Home Page Template:Webarchive, Rossmoor website.</ref><ref>Home Page, Greenbriar at Whittingham.</ref> Despite significant senior citizen population growth, the median age in Monroe has changed from 52.5 in 1990, increasing to 58.9 in 2000, before decreasing to 53.2 in 2010, as more growth recently has resulted from single-family detached homes than from senior citizen developments. Based upon analysis of data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports for 2022 and 2023, Monroe Township was ranked as the safest small city in the United States.<ref name=MonroeTownshipSafe1>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=MonroeTownshipSafe2>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
HistoryEdit
The earliest settlers in what would become Monroe Township were the Lenape Native Americans. Monroe Township was founded in April 1838 and named in honor of the fifth President of the United States, James Monroe.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 7, 2015.</ref>
For many decades, the township area was largely a farming community. After parts of the township grew into the more densely populated neighborhoods of Helmetta, Jamesburg, and Spotswood in the late 19th century, they seceded.<ref name=Story/> Railroads came into Monroe from just about the very beginning, starting with the Camden and Amboy Rail Road in the 1830s and 1840s.<ref>Carpello, Sandy. "Buggy rides take residents on trip through old J'burg", Sentinel, December 26, 2002. Accessed December 7, 2019. "Buckelew was the driving force in the establishment of the Camden and Amboy Railroad in 1831, and the establishment of the Jamesburg & Freehold Agricultural Railroad in 1853."</ref>
In 1905, Bernarr Macfadden, the proponent of physical culture, came to the part of Monroe near Helmetta and Spotswood, and attempted to set up a camp called "Physical Culture City", where he could teach his beliefs in relative peace. However, in 1907, Macfadden was arrested for distribution of pornography and the camp dissolved.<ref>"History of Spotswood" Template:Webarchive, copy of article from Home News Tribune, January 20, 2000, from Borough of Spotswood. Accessed August 6, 2013. "1913: Spotswood becomes a summer vacation spot with the opening of a health camp on Spotswood Lake -- now known as DeVoe. A few years earlier, a publisher named Bernarr Macfadden had established a Physical Culture City along Daniel Road, on the border of Spotswood and Monroe."</ref> The area of this camp became the Outcalt neighborhood.
The New Jersey State Home for Boys, later known as the Training School for Boys, and now the New Jersey Training School for Boys was established near Jamesburg. It was opened in 1867 as a home for troubled youth; however, by the mid-20th century, its purpose was to incarcerate juvenile delinquents.<ref>New Jersey Training School, New Jersey Attorney General, Juvenile Justice Commission. Accessed August 6, 2013. "The New Jersey Training School (NJTS) is the Juvenile Justice Commission's largest facility currently housing approximately 200 male juveniles."</ref> One of the better known residents of the State Home was Rubin "Hurricane" Carter.<ref>Raab, Selwyn. "Rubin (Hurricane) Carter, Boxer Found Wrongly Convicted, Dies at 76", The New York Times, April 20, 2014. Accessed December 7, 2019. "At 11, after stabbing a man, he was sent to the Jamesburg State Home for Boys (now called the New Jersey Training School for Boys)."</ref> Clarence Clemons of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band was a counselor there for many years during the 1960s before he found fame as a saxophone player with Springsteen.<ref>Jordan, Chris. "Big Man Bash: The Legacy of Clarence Clemons Day", Asbury Park Press, January 5, 2017. Accessed December 7, 2019. "Clemons had a history of helping young people. He and his wife Jacqueline Clemons were counselors at the then-called Jamesburg State Home for Boys before he became a music star, and later in his life he was a strong supporter of Little Kids Rock, which strives to bring music education to underserved kids."</ref>
The township became more suburban between 1960 and 1968, when the New Jersey Turnpike opened up Exit 8A in the western part of Monroe, in conjunction with the effort to develop the Leisure World age-restricted community of Rossmoor. Since then, at least five more communities for senior citizens have joined Rossmoor: Concordia, Clearbrook, Greenbriar at Whittingham, The Ponds, Encore, Stonebridge, and the Regency at Monroe, with more under development.<ref name=NYT2007/> At the same time, and over the next few decades, suburban communities for people of all ages spread into the northern parts of Monroe Township, prompting the expansion of several schools and the construction of new ones. Since 1980, in addition to the age restricted communities, Monroe has added shopping centers, synagogues, a recreation center, and a new library.
Circa 1980, it was found that a landfill which was located at the corner of what is now Spotswood Gravel Hill Road and Carnegie Street, contaminated the ground water which forced Outcalt residents to get municipal-supplied water. The Template:Convert site had been run as a landfill for municipal waste since 1955, first by the township and later by an independent operator.<ref>Monroe Township Landfill, Monroe Township, New Jersey, United States Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed December 7, 2019. "The Monroe Township Landfill is located in Middlesex County, New Jersey. The landfill operated on an 86-acre area from 1955 to 1978. Monroe Township was the original owner and operator of the landfill and continues to own the site property. The Township operated the landfill from the mid-1950s until 1968, when it was leased to Princeton Disposal Service for operation under the service contract to Monroe Township."</ref>
On March 22, 2006, ten residents of Monroe Township, from The Ponds retirement community, were killed in a tour bus accident in the Andes mountains in northern Chile.<ref>Silent embraces, kisses mark memorial, Home News Tribune, March 24, 2006.</ref> The tour had been arranged by Jewish organization B'nai B'rith.
Since the early 2000s, Monroe has experienced a surge in residential development. New communities are being erected, usually around Route 33 and the New Jersey Turnpike. Portions of Monroe's farmland are receiving commercial zoning. Roads have been widened to allow for the extra vehicular volume. Warehouses are being/have been constructed in the last few years along CR 535, located near the 8A toll gate. The northern section of the township is already developed, with developers heading further south in Monroe to start new communities. New adult communities have set ground in central Monroe, along Route 33 and on CR 615. While these new senior citizen housing units are being built, luxury homes are also being constructed.
There is an ongoing expansion of the Monroe Township High School that is relocating it onto portions of Thompson Park. This project slowly received approval after an archaeological study concluded that the land was not historically significant, except about Template:Convert of land. The controversy that led to the study involved a Lenape settlement, Bethel Indian Town, which protesters contended existed on the site, whereas supporters of the move of the high school claimed that Bethel Indian Town was a half-mile away. In late April 2008, construction started on the new high school, which then opened in September 2011. The old high school building is now being reused as the middle school.
By early 2008, the State Preservation Office and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection gave full sanction to the de-accession of the land as a protected park. Ground breaking began immediately, only to be halted in June 2008 when additional remains were found. The consultant identified these stone foundation remains as a 19th-century farmstead, with no earlier association.<ref>Bethel Indian Town, Richard S. Walling, February 2009.</ref>
The township's Route 33 Land Development Task Force is considering options for developing the area of land along Route 33 from the township's border with East Windsor to Millstone Township.
This proposal would include the construction of new luxury houses, a new grocery store, a baseball park, a performing arts center, a bus stop, new restaurants, and new businesses.<ref>Mandel, Seth. "Monroe moving ahead on Rt. 33 development; Officials believe baseball stadium is still a viable plan along state highway", News Transcript, July 27, 2005. Accessed June 11, 2015. "The Route 33 Land Development Task Force, assembled by Mayor Richard Pucci and headed by township Environmental Protection Manager Joe Montanti, has been looking into future development possibilities along the state corridor in light of the idea that a ballpark will be built there."</ref>
In May 2021, Monroe Township coordinated a financial relief effort toward the COVID-19 pandemic in India.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
GeographyEdit
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township comprised a total area of 42.19 square miles (109.26 km2), including 41.94 square miles (108.63 km2) of land and 0.24 square miles (0.63 km2) of water (0.58%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 /> It is the largest municipality in Middlesex County in terms of total area.<ref name=CensusArea/>
Clearbrook (with a 2010 population of 2,667),<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Clearbrook Park CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref> Concordia (3,092 in 2010),<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Concordia CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref> Encore at Monroe, Forsgate, Monroe Manor, Regency at Monroe, Renaissance at Monroe, Rossmoor (2,666 as of 2010),<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Rossmoor CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref> Stonebridge, The Ponds, and Whittingham (2,476 in 2010)<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Whittingham CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref> are unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Monroe Township.<ref>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed November 25, 2012.</ref><ref>GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref>
Monroe completely surrounds Jamesburg, making them one 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> The township borders Cranbury Township, East Brunswick Township, Helmetta, Old Bridge Township, South Brunswick Township, and Spotswood in Middlesex County; East Windsor Township in Mercer County; and Manalapan Township and Millstone Township in Monmouth County.<ref>Areas touching Monroe Township, 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>
Neighborhoods and historical place namesEdit
Monroe Township is not officially broken down into traditional neighborhoods (the Census-designated places oriented around active adult communities notwithstanding), but over the years, residents have given names to various unincorporated neighborhoods within the township. Three common names heard in the township are Mill Lake Manor (an area centered on Monmouth Road and 10th Avenue) and Outcalt (in the northern part of the township, near Spotswood and Helmetta). For those who have lived in Mill Lake Manor, the area is broken down further into the "Old" and "New" Manor (split by Monmouth Road on the east and west sides, the Old being east and the New being the west side). The Manor also encompasses the developments of Inwood. The neighborhood east of Spotswood-Englishtown Road, centered on Monmouth Road, extending down to 1st Avenue, is called North Manor or Manor Heights.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Applegarth, Gravel Hill (also spelled as Gravelhill), Half Acre (home to the retirement communities of Concordia and Whittingham), Hoffman, Jamesburg Gardens, Lower Jamesburg, Matchaponix, Middlesex Downs, Mounts Mills, Old Church, Outcalt, Pineview Estates, Prospect Plains (home to the retirement communities of Rossmoor and Clearbrook), Spotswood Manor, Texas, and Wyckoffs Mills.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>
Historical railroads (no longer active):
- Camden and Amboy Railroad
- Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad
- Pennsylvania Railroad Amboy Division (formerly the Camden and Amboy Railroad)
- Jamesurg Railroad Amboy Division (formerly the Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad)
DemographicsEdit
| CitationClass=web
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Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 30,185 | 62.1% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,655 | 3.4% | |
| Native American | 64 | 0.1% | |
| Asian | 12,913 | 26.6% | |
| Pacific Islander | 5 | 0.0% | |
| Other/Mixed | 3,021 | 6.2% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2,746 | 5.7% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 48,594 people and 20,289 occupied housing units in the township. Monroe Township, like Middlesex County overall, has experienced a rapid growth rate in its Indian American population,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> with an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017,<ref name=IndiansMonroe>DP05: ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES from the 2013-2017 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Monroe township, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 11, 2019.</ref> which was 23 times the 256 (0.9%) counted as of the 2000 Census; and Diwali is celebrated by the township as a Hindu holiday.<ref name=Census2000SF1/> Monroe has simultaneously emerged as a growing hub for congregations of Jewish Americans, hosting since 2010 the largest public menorah in New Jersey to celebrate Chanukah.<ref name=JewishMonroe>Template:Cite news</ref>
2010 censusEdit
The 2010 United States census counted 39,132 people, 16,497 households, and 10,872 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 18,002 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 81.55% (31,913) White, 3.92% (1,533) Black or African American, 0.08% (33) Native American, 12.60% (4,930) Asian, 0.01% (4) Pacific Islander, 0.62% (244) from other races, and 1.21% (475) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.28% (1,673) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 16,497 households, 22.4% had children under the age of 18; 60.2% were married couples living together; 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 34.1% were non-families. Of all households, 31.1% were made up of individuals and 25.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.<ref name=Census2010/>
18.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 17.0% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 34.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 53.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 85.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 80.9 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $74,202 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,156) and the median family income was $99,727 (+/− $5,718). Males had a median income of $84,790 (+/− $4,546) versus $57,058 (+/− $4,789) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,959 (+/− $1,676). About 2.6% of families and 3.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Monroe township, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref>
2000 censusEdit
As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 27,999 people, 12,536 households, and 8,236 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 13,259 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 93.31% White, 2.93% African American, 0.06% Native American, 2.34% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.38% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Monroe township, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Monroe township, Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed September 9, 2012.</ref>
There were 12,536 households, out of which 15.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 3.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 28.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 2.70.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township, the population was spread out, with 16.0% under the age of 18, 4.2% from 18 to 24, 16.3% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 43.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $53,306, and the median income for a family was $68,479. Males had a median income of $56,431 versus $35,857 for females. The per capita income for the township was $31,772. About 1.3% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
EducationEdit
The Monroe Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Monroe Township Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Monroe Township School District, reaffirmed February 13, 2019. Accessed February 21, 2025. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades kindergarten through twelfth in the Monroe Township School District. Composition: The Monroe Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Monroe Township."</ref> As of the 2023–24 school year, the district, comprised of eight schools, had an enrollment of 6,906 students and 546.3 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Monroe Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2023–24 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Monroe Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 15, 2024.</ref>) are Applegarth Elementary School<ref>Applegarth Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 442 students in grades 4–5, Barclay Brook Elementary School<ref>Barclay Brook Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 366 students in grades PreK–2, Brookside Elementary School<ref>Brookside Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 406 students in grades 3–5, Mill Lake Elementary School<ref>Mill Lake Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 479 students in grades PreK–2, Oak Tree Elementary School<ref>Oak Tree Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 588 students in grades PreK–3, Woodland Elementary School<ref>Woodland Elementary School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 252 students in grades 3–5, Monroe Township Middle School<ref>Monroe Township Middle School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 1,704 students in grades 6–8 and Monroe Township High School<ref>Monroe Township High School, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref> with 2,620 students in grades 9–12.<ref>District Contact Information, Monroe Township School District. Accessed February 21, 2025.</ref><ref>Monroe Township School District 2013 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed September 7, 2014. "The district is rapidly growing and now serves over 6000 students in eight schools: Barclay Brook (pre-k-2), Mill Lake (pre-k-2), Oak Tree (pre-k-3), Brookside (3-5), Woodland (3-5), Applegarth (4-5), Monroe Township Middle School (6-8), and Monroe Township High School (9-12)."</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Monroe Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 3, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Monroe Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
Thompson Park During the 1991–1992 academic school year, Mill Lake Elementary School received the National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence from the United States Department of Education, the highest honor that an American school can achieve. This honor was followed during the 1998–1999 academic school year, to Barclay Brook Elementary School across town. Both of Monroe Township's Pre-K through third grade schools received the recognition.<ref>Blue Ribbon Schools Program: Schools Recognized 1982–1983 through 1999–2002 (PDF), United States Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2025.</ref>
About 300 students from Jamesburg attend Monroe Township High School as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Jamesburg Public Schools that has been in effect since 1980.<ref>Monroe Township High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 12, 2017. "Monroe Township High School is centrally located within a forty-three square mile suburban community in Southern Middlesex County. Originally opened on Perrineville Road in 1973, the high school became a receiving school for approximately 300 high school age students from neighboring Jamesburg in 1980."</ref><ref name=NYT2007>Cheslow, Jerry. "A Townful of Empty Nesters", The New York Times, October 14, 2007. Accessed December 7, 2019. "Since 1960, when the population stood at 5,831, the township has grown more than sixfold, to 36,000 — fueled in part by the opening in 1968 of the New Jersey Turnpike Exit 8A, but also by the availability of open land and the town’s welcoming attitude.... In addition to the four elementary schools, the Applegarth Middle School teaches Grades 7 and 8, and the 1,400-student Monroe Township High School covers Grades 9 through 12. It is shared with the borough of Jamesburg, the 'hole in the doughnut' municipality in the center of the township."</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>
SportsEdit
The township has three cricket fields, which host amateur leagues and tournaments. The township is the home of the United Cricket Club, which participates in the US Cricket League. In 2023, Monroe Township High School launched New Jersey's first ever high school cricket team.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Parks and recreationEdit
Thompson Park is a Template:Convert park, connected to sports fields operated by Monroe Township High School, and straddles both Monroe Township and Jamesburg. It is the largest park in the Middlesex County Park System, and features Lake Manalapan where people could fish (motorboats are not allowed on the lake, but rowing is permitted). The park also has its own dog park, various hiking trails, and a small fenced in zoo that has various native and exotic animals on display.<ref>Thompson Park, Middlesex County Parks. Accessed May 28, 2024. "The 675 acre Thompson Park is the largest developed park in our Park System and is located in Monroe Township and Jamesburg. The park features Manalapan Lake, a 30 acre lake periodically stocked with fish by the State Division of Fish and Wildlife. This lake is a favorite spot for local anglers. While gas powered boats are prohibited, park visitors are welcome to use the lake for canoeing, kayaking, or small boats powered by electric motors. "</ref>
Other parks in the township include Veteran's Park Playground and Spray Park, James Monroe Memorial Park, Thomas L. Allen Softball Complex, Daniel P. Ryan Field, and Monroe Township Soccer Complex.<ref>Recreation & Parks, Township of Monroe. Accessed December 19, 2020.</ref>
GovernmentEdit
Local governmentEdit
Monroe Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council system of New Jersey municipal government. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.<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 a directly-elected mayor and a five-member township council, all elected on a partisan basis in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election. There are three township council seats elected from wards, which come up for vote together, followed two years later by the two at-large seats and the mayoral seat.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 70.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:As of, the Mayor of Monroe Township is Democrat Stephen Dalina, who is serving a term of office ending December 31, 2027. Dalina had been appointed to office in 2021 and was elected for a full term in November 2023.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Members of the Township Council are Council President Miriam Cohen (D, 2027; at-large), Vice President Terence G. Van Dzura (D, 2027; at-large), Charles G. Dipierro (R, 2025; Ward 3), Michael A. Markel (D, 2025; Ward 1) and Rupa P. Siegel (D, 2025; Ward 2).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor and Council, Monroe Township. Accessed February May 28, 2024.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Monroe Township. Accessed May 28, 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=Middlesex2021>November 2, 2032 General Election Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey, updated November 19, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>
In January 2021, the Township Council selected councilmember Stephen Dalina from a list of three candidates nominated to fill the seat as mayor expiring in December 2023 that became vacant following the death of Gerald Tamburro the previous month.<ref>Loyer, Susan. "Veteran Monroe Township official Stephen Dalina tapped as interim mayor", Courier News, January 21, 2021. Accessed February 14, 2022. "The Township Council has appointed an interim replacement following last month's death of former Mayor Gerald Tamburro. Councilman Stephen Dalina, who was nominated by Township Council President Miriam Cohen at Wednesday's special meeting, was unanimously selected to serve as interim mayor."</ref> In February 2021, Terence Van Dzura was selected from the three candidates nominated to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Dalina until he took office as mayor.<ref>Chang, Kathy. "Attorney sworn in to fill unexpired council-at-large seat in Monroe", CentralJersey.com, February 3, 2021. Accessed February 14, 2022. "Newly appointed Councilman-at-Large Terence “Terry” Van Dzura, who fills the seat vacated by Stephen Dalina, pledges to listen to township residents while making decisions in the best interest of the township.... A special election will be held in November to elect a candidate who will fill the unexpired term of Dalina, who was sworn in as township mayor on Jan. 20. The council selected Dalina to fill in as interim mayor after the passing of Mayor Gerald Tamburro on Dec. 31."</ref> Dalina and Van Dzura served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when they were elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Middlesex2021/>
In March 2017, the Township Council selected Miriam Cohen from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated the previous month by Leslie Koppel when she took office on the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.<ref>"Monroe welcomes newcomers to council, administration", Courier News, March 8, 2017. Accessed December 7, 2019. "Sifting through a pool of qualified candidates recently put forth by the Monroe Township Democratic Organization, council members selected township resident Miriam Cohen to fill an open at-large seat vacated by former Councilwoman Leslie Koppel on Feb. 16. The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders tapped Koppel to join its ranks following the retirement of former Freeholder Carol Bellante."</ref> In November 2017, Cohen was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Middlesex2017>November 7, 2017 General Election Official Results, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2018.</ref>
In January 2016, the Township Council appointed Blaise Dipierro to fill the Second Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Gerald W. Tamburro until he stepped down to take office as mayor; Dipierro will serve on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Chang, Kathy. "Dipierro follows father's footsteps, joins Monroe council" Template:Webarchive, East Brunswick Sentinel, January 20, 2016. Accessed July 13, 2016. "The Township Council unanimously appointed Blaise Dipierro as the Ward 2 councilman at a special meeting on Jan. 12 to fill the position vacated by Gerald Tamburro when he became mayor."</ref>
State governmentEdit
The New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission operates the New Jersey Training School, a juvenile detention center for boys, in the township.<ref>New Jersey Training School, New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission. Accessed December 16, 2015. "Grace Hill Road Monroe Township, NJ 08831"</ref> In 2018, the state approved funding to close the two Civil War-era youth prisons in New Jersey. It has not been decided yet what will be done with the property after its closure.<ref>Russell, Suzanne."State to close NJ Training School for Boys in Monroe", Courier News, January 8, 2018. Accessed October 7, 2020.</ref>
Federal, state and county representationEdit
Monroe Township is located in the 12th 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 14th 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>
Template:NJ Congress 12 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Middlesex County Commissioners
PoliticsEdit
As of March 2011, there were a total of 29,992 registered voters in Monroe Township, of which 11,616 (38.7%) were registered as Democrats, 5,448 (18.2%) were registered as Republicans and 12,912 (43.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 16 voters registered as either Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Middlesex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 24, 2012.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2024<ref name="2024Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.0% 15,394 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|49.8% 15,942 | 2.2% 600 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|45.1% 13,841 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|54.1% 16,593 | 0.8% 257 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|46.7% 11,956 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|51.3% 13,147 | 2.0% 518 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic"|2012<ref name="2012Elections"/> | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican"|45.8% 10,361 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic"|53.5% 12,113 | 0.7% 166 | |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref name=":0" /> | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|44.8% 10,150 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|54.4% 12,319 | 0.7% 169 | |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2004<ref name=":1" /> | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|43.2% 8,806 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|55.7% 11,363 | 0.4% 103 |
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 53.5% of the vote (12,113 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 45.8% (10,361 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (166 votes), among the 22,840 ballots cast by the township's 31,297 registered voters (200 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 73.0%.<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 53.9% of the vote (12,319 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 44.4% (10,150 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (169 votes), among the 22,875 ballots cast by the township's 29,295 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.1%.<ref name=":0">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 24, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 55.7% of the vote (11,363 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 43.2% (8,806 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (103 votes), among the 20,405 ballots cast by the township's 25,675 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.5.<ref name=":1">2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 24, 2012.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2021<ref name="2021Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|47.6% 10,209 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|51.7% 11,077 | 0.6% 145 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2017<ref name="2017Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.9% 7,982 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|49.4% 8,066 | 1.7% 272 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2013<ref name="2013Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|64.0% 10,209 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.2% 5,605 | 0.8% 131 |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2009<ref name=":2" /> | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.0% 8,292 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|45.1% 7,785 | 6.1% 1,050 | |
| style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2005<ref name="2005Elections">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Republican|38.5% 6,111 | style="text-aligncenter;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|56.9% 9,028 | 3.0% 472 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 64.0% of the vote (10,209 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 35.2% (5,605 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (131 votes), among the 16,180 ballots cast by the township's 31,967 registered voters (235 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.6%.<ref name="2013Elections"/><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 48.0% of the vote (8,292 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 45.1% (7,785 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.5% (948 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (102 votes), among the 17,277 ballots cast by the township's 29,164 registered voters, yielding a 59.2% turnout.<ref name=":2">2009 Governor: Middlesex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 24, 2012.</ref>
InfrastructureEdit
TransportationEdit
_from_the_overpass_for_New_Jersey_State_Route_32_and_Middlesex_County_Route_612_(Forsgate_Drive)_in_Monroe_Township,_Middlesex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highwaysEdit
Template:As of, the township 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 and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Middlesex County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
Major highways serving Monroe Township include the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95),<ref>Interstate 95 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated August 2014. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> Route 32 and Route 33.<ref>Route 33 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2017. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> Exit 8A of the Turnpike is located on the western edge of Monroe Township, with a nine-lane toll gate featuring a "modified" double trumpet interchange (with a few ramps continuing into South Brunswick Township).<ref>Travel Resources: Interchanges, Service Areas & Commuter Lots, New Jersey Turnpike Authority. Accessed September 1, 2014.</ref> A number of county routes pass through Monroe Township, including County Route 535,<ref>County Route 535 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated October 2012. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 527,<ref>County Route 527 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2012. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 522,<ref>County Route 522 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2013. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 625,<ref>Middlesex County Route 625 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 619,<ref>Middlesex County Route 619 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 615,<ref>Middlesex County Route 615 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 614,<ref>Middlesex County Route 614 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> County Route 613<ref>Middlesex County Route 613 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref> and County Route 612.<ref>Middlesex County Route 612 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2011. Accessed December 7, 2019.</ref>
Other limited-access roads that are accessible outside the municipality include Interstate 195 in neighboring Millstone Township and the Garden State Parkway in bordering Old Bridge Township.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority had proposed to build two roads that were to pass through Monroe. The first was the Driscoll Expressway which was to start from the Garden State Parkway at exit 80 in South Toms River and end Template:Convert north of exit 8A along the turnpike in South Brunswick. This project was terminated in the 1980s. The other was a west–east spur, Route 92. It would have started at U.S. Route 1 just north of the intersection with Ridge Road in the township of South Brunswick and ended at the Exit 8A toll gate in Monroe Township. However, this was cancelled on December 1, 2006, and the Authority instead focused on the Turnpike widening between Exit 6 and Exit 8A.
Public transportationEdit
RailEdit
In the 19th & 20th centuries, Jamesburg Borough and Monroe Township had a major railway in the area, which was the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad. This railway was owned and operated by the Camden & Amboy Railroad Company (C&A), in which surveying for the line began on September 8, 1851, grading began on October 19, 1852, and the first track was laid on April 4, 1853.<ref name=MonmouthSteam>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The first section of line was opened on July 18, 1853.<ref name=1858anniv>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The establishment of the Freehold & Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad caused this region to become a transportation hub.<ref>Template:Cite news Template:Open access</ref> The Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad was abandoned by the early 1930s. A Template:Convert portion of the former railroad's right-of-way was later approved to be sold by the New Jersey Board of Public Utility Commissioners (PUC) to Jersey Central Power & Light Company in 1966, with occasional freight service still being utilized through the Freehold Industrial Track.
The Monmouth Ocean Middlesex Line is a proposal by New Jersey Transit to restore passenger railway service to the region, by utilizing the same tracks as the Freehold Industrial Track. Jamesburg would be a potential railway stop on the proposed 'MOM' Line.<ref>Template:Cite map</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name = NJTPAROW>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The nearest train stations to the Monroe area are located at Metuchen, New Brunswick, and Princeton Junction, all along on the Northeast Corridor Line.
BusEdit
NJ Transit currently provides bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 138 and 139 routes.<ref>Middlesex County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed November 25, 2012.</ref> Coach USA Suburban Transit and Academy Bus Lines provide weekday commuter service to PABT<ref>Line 300 Schedule, Coach USA. Accessed September 14, 2022.</ref> and to Wall Street.<ref>Line 600 Wall Street, Coach USA. Accessed September 14, 2022.</ref>
Middlesex County Area Transit (MCAT) shuttles provide weekday service to and from Monroe on routes operating across the county.<ref>Middlesex County Area Transit (MCAT), Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed September 14, 2022.</ref> The M1 route operates between Jamesburg and the New Brunswick train station,<ref>M1 – New Brunswick Train Station to Jamesburg / Exit 8A, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed September 14, 2022.</ref> and the M2 route (suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic) connects Jamesburg, Helmetta and Spotswood with East Brunswick, including the Brunswick Square Mall.<ref>M2 Brunswick Square Mall – Monroe – Jamesburg Shuttle, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed September 14, 2022.</ref>
HealthcareEdit
Monroe Township is served by CentraState Healthcare System. Located in neighboring Freehold Township, the 287-bed hospital is a partner of Atlantic Health System and is affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.<ref>Who We Are, CentraState Medical Center. Accessed July 9, 2023.</ref> CentraState Healthcare system also provides healthcare through its various family practices in communities across western Monmouth and southern Middlesex counties in central New Jersey. One of those six family practices has an office located in Monroe Township.<ref>[1] CentraState Medical Center: Who We Are. Accessed July 9, 2023.</ref>
The next closest hospitals to the township are Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center in nearby Plainsboro Township, the Old Bridge Division of Raritan Bay Medical Center in nearby Old Bridge Township, and Saint Peter's University Hospital and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in nearby New Brunswick.
Notable peopleEdit
Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Monroe Township include:
- Randy Beverly (born 1944), cornerback for the New York Jets best known for making two key interceptions that helped the Jets to their historic victory in Super Bowl III in 1969<ref>Todaro, Vincent. "Former Jets star enjoys retirement in Monroe Randy Beverly, now 57, was a key player for the Jets in Super Bowl III", East Brunswick Sentinel, July 13, 2001. Accessed December 8, 2019. "Monroe Township resident Randy Beverly may have been only 5 feet 11 inches tall and 190 pounds, but to Baltimore Colts quarterbacks in Super Bowl III, he was a monster."</ref>
- Irene Craigmile Bolam (1904–1982), subject of a 1970 book which claimed that she was Amelia Earhart<ref>"Will the Real Amelia . . .", Time (magazine), November 23, 1970. Accessed November 27, 2007. "The woman they name as Amelia is Mrs. Guy Bolam, widow of a businessman and now living in Monroe Township, N.J."</ref><ref>"New Earhart Book Called 'Nonsense'", The New York Times, November 11, 1970. Accessed November 25, 2018. "Mrs. Bolam, who lives in the Leisure World retirement community in Monroe Township, N. J., said she had met Mr. Gervais, a retired Army major, at a meeting of plane enthusiasts..."</ref>
- Craig Carpenito (born 1973), former United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey<ref>DeMarco, Jerry. "Sessions Names Christie Ally Interim U.S. Attorney For New Jersey", Hackensack Daily Voice, January 3, 2018. Accessed November 25, 2018. "Carpenito, of Middlesex County's Monroe Township, 'has successfully prosecuted white collar criminals and fraudsters,' Sessions said, 'and as Interim United States Attorney for New Jersey, he will continue to put criminals out of business — and behind bars.'"</ref>
- Nick Dini (born 1993), catcher for the Kansas City Royals<ref>"Ex-Wagner College baseball player Nick Dini invited to spring training with Royals", Staten Island Advance, January 17, 2018. Accessed August 8, 2019. "Dini played a total of 88 games between the Lexington Legends (Class-A) and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals (Double-A) in 2017. In 24 games with Lexington, the Monroe Township, NJ native batted .283 with a .323 on-base percentage and a total OPS (on-base + slugging percentage) of .780."</ref>
- Peter P. Garibaldi (1931–2023), politician who served as mayor of Monroe Township, in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1968 to 1974 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1984 to 1988<ref>Schlsser, Art. "New Jersey Opinion; Needed: A Monroe (Township) Doctrine", The New York Times, January 19, 1986. Accessed December 7, 2021. "So when it comes to an identity crisis, Monroe Township has a split personality worse than ancient Gaul. For Mayor Peter P. Garibaldi to telephone home from his Town Hall office, it requires that he call 'long distance' - that is, from the 201 area code to 609 after first dialing 1."</ref>
- Ben-Ami Kadish (1923–2012), former U.S. Army mechanical engineer who pleaded guilty in December 2008 to being an "unregistered agent for Israel" during the 1980s<ref>Weiser, Benjamin. "Man, 85, Avoids Jail Time for Giving Military Secrets", The New York Times, May 29, 2009. Accessed September 7, 2014. "Mr. Kadish, who lives with his wife of 57 years in a retirement community in Monroe Township, N.J., said in court that he leaked classified United States military documents to an Israeli agent in the early 1980s."</ref>
- Rabbi Leon Klenicki (1930–2009), advocate for interfaith relations, particularly between Jews and Catholics<ref>Hevesi, Dennis. "Leon Klenicki, Rabbi Who Bridged Gaps Between Faiths, Dies at 78", The New York Times, January 30, 2009. Accessed September 7, 2014. "Rabbi Leon Klenicki, who was an influential advocate for improving interfaith relations, particularly with the Roman Catholic Church, but was not one to mince words when he believed that historic injustices were being glossed over, died Sunday at his home in Monroe Township, N.J."</ref>
- Leonard Leo (born 1965), lawyer and conservative legal activist who was the longtime vice president of the Federalist Society<ref>Olear, Greg. "Leonard Leo's Unheavenly Rewards", Prevail, March 7, 2023. Accessed October 2, 2023. "I don’t begrudge a fellow middle-class Jersey guy—Leo hails from Monroe Township, which is not to be confused with Alpine or Short Hills—from striking it rich."</ref>
- Sophie Lutterlough (1910–2009), entomologist at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History<ref>"Obituaries: Sophie G. Lutterlough – Age:98 Monroe Township", Asbury Park Press, February 13, 2009. Accessed March 19, 2017. "Sophie G. Lutterlough, died Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, at Cranberry Center, Monroe. She was 98. Mrs. Lutterlough was a lifelong resident of Washington, D.C. She moved to Monroe to reside with her daughter in 1999."</ref>
- Dave Meads (born 1964), former MLB relief pitcher who played for the Houston Astros<ref>Tufaro, Greg. "Royals draft former Monroe star Dini, Rutgers LHP McCoy", Courier News, June 10, 2015. Accessed December 12, 2017. "The only player from Monroe to reach the Major Leagues is former Houston Astros pitcher Dave Meads, a 1981 graduate of the high school who also played at Middlesex County College."</ref>
- Antonio Pierce (born 1978), former Pro Bowl Linebacker for the National Football League's New York Giants<ref>Vacchiano, Ralph. "Antonio Pierce cited on pit bull charge", New York Daily News, February 15, 2008. Accessed September 7, 2015. "Two pit bulls apparently either pushed open or snuck under a gate in a fence around Pierce's property in Monroe Township, N.J., while the Giants' linebacker was in Arizona, a few days before Super Bowl XLII."</ref>
- Frank J. Pino (1909–2007), lawyer and politician<ref>Staff. "Obituary: Frank J. Pino", New York Law Journal, November 14, 2007. Accessed September 7, 2014. "Frank J. Pino, a retired Brooklyn Supreme Court justice, died Saturday at his home in Rossmoor, N.J."</ref>
- Edwin Stern (born 1941), lawyer and judge who served as an acting justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court<ref>Ackermann, Peggy. "A political fight provides N.J. Supreme Court with apolitical legal mind", The Star-Ledger, October 24, 2010. Accessed July 9, 2016. "Residence: Raised in South Orange; lived in West Orange; currently lives in Monroe, Middlesex County"</ref>
See alsoEdit
- Applegarth, New Jersey
- Clearbrook Park, New Jersey
- Concordia, New Jersey
- Greenbriar at Whittingham, New Jersey
- Regency at Monroe, New Jersey
- Rossmoor, New Jersey
- Stonebridge, New Jersey
- The Ponds, New Jersey
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
- Monroe Township Official Website
- Monroe Township School District
- Template:NJReportCard
- School Data for the Monroe Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
Template:Geographic Location Template:Middlesex County, New Jersey Template:James Monroe Template:New York metropolitan area Template:Raritan River Template:Authority control