Kearny, New Jersey

Kearny (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell<ref name=SoccerTown/><ref>Wright, E. Assata. "Secaucus: How do you pronounce it? Development put town on map, but newcomers don't know where they are", The Hudson Reporter, July 6, 2011. Accessed November 30, 2022. "Therefore, the new neighbors may proudly totter about telling folks they live in Sih-KAW-cus or See-KAW-cus. However, natives prefer that the accent be on the first syllable, as in: SEE-kaw-cus.... Bayonne is bay-OWN, not ba-YON, locals say. Kearny is Kar-nee, not Keer-nee."</ref>) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, and a suburb of Newark. As of the 2020 United States census, the town's population was 41,999,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 1,315 (+3.2%) from the 2010 census count of 40,684,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 171 (+0.4%) from the 40,513 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>

Kearny is named after Civil War general Philip Kearny.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 2, 2015.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 172. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 2, 2015.</ref> It began as a township formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1867, from portions of Harrison Township. Portions of the township were taken on July 3, 1895, to form East Newark. Kearny was incorporated as a town on January 19, 1899, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.<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. 147. Accessed May 29, 2024.</ref> The Arlington section of town was named for Arlington Station on the Erie Railroad at the Arlington Mill plant, owned by Arlington Mills of Lawrence, Massachusetts.

History

Colonial roots

The area of Kearny Township, created in 1867, had been part of the original Crown Grant of Template:Convert obtained by Major William Sandford of Barbados on July 4, 1668. Major Sandford named it New Barbadoes Neck after his old home.<ref>Harvey, Cornelius Burnham. "Genealogical History Of Hudson And Bergen Counties New Jersey; Early Settlers Of Hudson County – Part A", Getnj.com, 1900. Accessed October 29, 2014.</ref> As was the custom of the time, the Major paid 20 pounds sterling to Chief Tantaqua of the Hackensack tribe for all their reserve rights and titles.<ref>"Congressman Dominick V. Daniels Hails Kearny, N.J., Centennial", p. 27112, Congressional Record, Volume 113, Part 20. United States Government Printing Office, 1967. Accessed November 13, 2019.</ref>

Sanford's Uncle, Major Nathaniel Kingsland acquired the property in 1708 and sold the upper western tract of the Grant for 300 pounds sterling to Captain Arent Schuyler two years later. The new purchase included present-day Kearny, North Arlington, Lyndhurst and Kingsland.<ref name=History>History, Town of Kearny. Accessed March 31, 2020.</ref>

Shortly after Schuyler's purchase of his new homestead, a peculiar green stone was uncovered. It was sent to England for analysis and he learned that it contained 80% copper. His opening of a copper mine brought the first steam engine to America from England; it was used to pump out the deep mine shaft. The engine was secretly delivered by its engineer, Josiah Hornblower. The engine and mines were destroyed by fire in 1772 and remained idle for some years.<ref>Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographs; Manuscript Group 651, Schuyler Family (New Barbados Neck, NJ) Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Historical Society. Accessed October 29, 2014.</ref><ref>Lienhard, John H. "No. 1085: The First American Steam Engine", University of Houston Engines of Our Ingenuity. Accessed October 29, 2015.</ref>

Schuyler Mansion played a role during the American Revolutionary War Era. When Lord Howe of England took possession of New York Harbor, the proximity of Schuyler Mansion drew many of his officers. They generally traveled over a road that today is referred to as the Belleville Turnpike, which was originally constructed in 1759 using cedar logs from the nearby swamps.<ref name=History/>

During September 1777, General Henry Clinton, head of the British Expeditionary Forces in America, selected Schuyler Mansion for his headquarters during one of his more important raiding operations, which included the famed Battle of Second River. The Mansion stood until 1924, a period of 214 years, when it was torn-down by a land development company, despite the company's offers to transfer the land to an organization that would be able to pay to maintain the property.<ref>Krasner, Barbara. Kearny, p. 10. Arcadia Publishing, 2000. Template:ISBN. Accessed July 7, 2011. "Constructed of stone and bricks imported from Holland, the mansion stood as a source of pride until 1924. When the mansion was about to be torn down, a development company offered to deed a section of the 60 acres to any historical society that would pay for the upkeep.... no one was able to do so and this monument was destroyed."</ref>

19th century

File:Knox Presbyterian Kearny jeh.jpg

Knox Presbyterian Church

In the middle 19th century, Kearny was the upper, or northern, section of the Township of Harrison. A prominent citizen and resident of the upper section, General N. M. Halsted, felt it was impossible under these political conditions for his section to obtain proper recognition. He engaged an energetic campaign for an independent township. He succeeded when the NJ Legislature of 1867 on March 14, adopted "an act creating the Township of Kearny". The town was named to honor Major General Philip Kearny, Commander of the New Jersey Forces in the Civil War and the owner of the mansion known as Belle Grove (or Belgrove), locally called "Kearny Castle".<ref>Cooper, Lee E. "Historic Kearny Family Plot in Jersey To Be Used as Site for New Apartments", The New York Times, January 4, 1939. Accessed July 5, 2018. "This was a part of 'Belgrove,' purchased about 1850 by Philip Kearny, father of General John Watts Kearny, and utilized by him as a site for a mansion which became popularly known as 'Kearny Castle.'"</ref>

On April 8, 1867, the first election of town officers was held. General N. M. Halsted was elected Chairman. The first official seat of Government was three rooms in the old Lodi Hotel, on the northeast corner of Schuyler and Harrison Avenues.<ref name=TownHall75>Hipp, Jessie M. Seventy-fifth Anniversary of Kearny Town Hall Template:Webarchive, Town of Kearny, November 1984. Accessed October 27, 2011.</ref>

In the early 1870s, Kearny erected its first Town Hall, on the corner of Kearny and Woodland Avenues, the present site of the Knox Presbyterian Church Parish Hall. This served as a Town Hall, Court House, and Schoolhouse. The Minute Book of the Township states on August 16, 1870, the first step toward establishing Kearny's present public school system was taken. The first schoolhouse was housed in the Town Hall built at Kearny and Woodland Avenues in 1873.<ref name=TownHall75/>

File:Highland Hose 1.jpg

Highland Hose No. 4

The Highland Hose No. 4 firehouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1895.<ref>Staff. "Historic firehouse under restoration", The Observer , November 24, 2011. Accessed November 13, 2019. "The structure is the oldest standing firehouse in town: a small two-story brick building on Halstead St., just west of Kearny Ave. It dates to 1895 and was originally the headquarters for Highland Hose Co. No. 4, back in the days when a clanging bell was the only way to alert firefighters to an emergency, and when rigs pulled by galloping horses raced through the streets to answer a call."</ref>

The town's nickname, "Soccer Town, U.S.A." is derived from a soccer tradition that originated in the mid-1870s, when thousands of Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in the town, after two Scottish companies, Clark Thread Company and Nairn Linoleum, opened two local mills and a factory.<ref name=SoccerTown>Hernandez, Raymond. "World Cup Hits Home In Soccer Town, U.S.A." The New York Times June 26, 1994. Accessed September 12, 2013. "In a nation that has not yet shared the world's enthusiasm for soccer, Kearny (pronounced CAR-nee) is certainly an anomaly. The town has two local soccer historians. On Kearny Avenue, the main strip, a sign proclaims: 'Welcome to Kearny. Soccer Town, U.S.A.'"</ref>

When the town's growth demanded larger quarters, the present Kearny Town Hall, built of Indiana limestone, was erected in 1909.<ref name=TownHall75/>

Factory town

The early influx and development of industry in Kearny dates back to 1875 when the Clark Thread Company of Paisley in Scotland extended its activities to the United States by erecting two large mills in Kearny, and adding two others in 1890. These mills brought to Kearny thousands of Scots immigrants. Many of them would play on Kearny's soccer teams in National Association Football League. Many are buried at Arlington Memorial Park in the Kearny Uplands.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

In 1876, the Mile End Thread Mills started operating, giving employment to several hundred operators.

In 1883, the Marshall Flax Spinning Company of England erected a large plant in Kearny, known as the Linen Thread Company. Their need for experienced flax spinners brought an influx of workers from other sections of the British Isles. Families of those early textile workers were the nucleus of Kearny's present population.

The Puraline Manufacturing Company, later called the Arlington Company, which became a subsidiary of E. I. DuPont de Nemours Company, had purchased a large tract of land east of the Arlington Station on the Erie Railroad extending well out, north of the railroad embankment, into the meadowland.

In 1887, Sir Michael Nairn established the Nairn Linoleum Company of Kirkcaldy in Scotland, now the Congoleum Nairn Company of Kearny, giving further impetus to local industrial growth. This also led to the growth in the Scottish American population which in the 1960s was about 21,000, accounting for more than half of the town's residents.<ref>Prentice, Claire. "The Scots of Kearny, New Jersey – home of The Sopranos", The Herald, March 22, 2010, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 7, 2013. Accessed November 13, 2019. "The story of the Scots in Kearny goes back to the 1860s, when two Scottish companies, Paisley thread mill Clark's and Kirkcaldy linoleum company Nairn's, opened factories in the area. They wanted to avoid paying import taxes on goods shipped from Scotland and Kearny's tax breaks and location, at the confluence of the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers, made it an ideal choice. Word got out back in Scotland that skilled workers were needed. By the 1960s, there were 21,000 Scots living in Kearny (as of the 2000 United States Census, the town's population was approximately 40,000)."</ref>

In 1902, the Lovell–Dressel Company, manufacturers of marine and railway lamps and fixtures, located in Kearny adjacent to the Erie Railroad.

Other industries which located in Kearny include: Swift & Company, Koppers Company, Theobald Industries, Standard Tool & Manufacturing, Wilkata Box Company, Harris Steel Company and L & R Manufacturing.

Cargo ships were built at Kearny Yards during World War I, and warships during World War II.<ref>Kearny Yards, GlobalSecurity.org</ref>

Kearny Works

Template:Expand section On June 15, 1928, Western Electric broke ground on their second manufacturing facility at 110 Central Avenue to be known as Kearny Works, which would grow to Template:Convert throughout the years and be the second- largest Western Electric manufacturing plant built before the 1930s, behind the Hawthorne Works at Cicero, Illinois.<ref>Western Electric Company Kearny Works, Kearny, New Jersey. [graphic]., Library Company of Philadelphia. Accessed March 27, 2024. "Aerial view of the Western Electric Kearny Works factory, Distribution Avenue, Kearny, NJ along the Passaic River looking west/northwest.... Probably taken September 1926."</ref>

Between 1925 and 1986, the Kearny Works of Western Electric employed as many as 24,000 in producing a variety of hardware and supplies for the Bell System. It was sold by AT&T in 1984, by which time the plant had 4,000 employees who earned a total of $128 million a year, making it one of the county's largest employers.<ref>via Associated Press. "Kearny, N.J., Plant Is Sold", The New York Times, May 22, 1984. Accessed September 12, 2013. "A.T.& T. Technologies Inc. today announced the sale of the Western Electric Company plant here to the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation for use as an industrial park designed to employ more than 4,000 people.... In January 1983, Western Electric said it would phase out the 59-year-old Kearny works by mid-1985."</ref><ref>Hanley, Robert. "Kearny Plant Is Dying, Along With An Old Era", The New York Times, January 29, 1983. Accessed September 12, 2013. "At its robust best just after World War II, Western Electric's Kearny Works employed 24,000 people and boasted that it was the busiest manufacturing plant in the American Telephone and Telegraph Company's empire.... Only about 4,000 workers remain.... The plant's annual payroll is $128 million, money that is spent in thousands of small businesses in the dozens of communities where the workers live."</ref> Henry J. Hill, the mayor of Kearny at the time of the AT&T Kearny Works closure, had himself worked 41 years at the facility as a manufacturing manager and retired three years prior to the closure.<ref name="NYT1983">Kleinfeld, N. R. "Western Electric Plans Shutdown of Jersey Plant", The New York Times, January 28, 1983. Accessed January 11, 2023. "'There'll be a lot of economic ripples spreading from this,' said Kearny's Mayor, Henry J. Hill, who retired three years ago as the plant's manufacturing manager after 41 years with Western Electric."</ref>

Movie and television filming

In 1982, filming occurred in Kearny at a railroad bridge previously owned by Conrail until closure in 1977. The abandoned bridge, located at the Passaic River is called the NX Bridge and it was used for the motion picture, Annie. Several scenes were done with the bridge in its open position. Locals call this bridge the "Annie Bridge" and has not had freight operations since the closure.<ref>"Erie's 1922-77 NX (Annie) Bridge over the Passaic River", Industrial History, May 14, 2016. Accessed January 11, 2023.</ref>

Scenes from the HBO drama series The Sopranos were filmed in Kearny. One of its buildings, used for Satriale's Pork Store, was later razed to prepare for a parking lot. An Irish pub now resides where Satriale's was located.<ref>Caldwell, Dave. "Ice Cream, Onion Rings and Tony Soprano", The New York Times, August 26, 2007. Accessed September 1, 2014. "The owner of the Kearny building used for Satriale's pork store intends to sell pieces of the facade when he has it razed for a condo development."</ref>

The film Spinning Gold, which had been delayed during the pandemic for completion, had scenes filmed in Kearny.<ref>Kausch, Katie. "These 15 movies were filmed, produced in N.J. towns last year. See if yours made the list.", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, August 7, 2022. Accessed January 11, 2023.</ref>

The 2022 horror movie, Smile had a scene filmed at Jersey Oil located at 926 Passaic Avenue. The film is attributed as entirely filmed in New Jersey.<ref>'Bros, The Greatest Beer Run in History, and Smile - All Filmed In Jersey", New Jersey Stage, September 28, 2022. Accessed January 11, 2023. "Studio interiors were completed at Palisade Stages in Kearny, this being first project to shoot in the facility since it opened in early 2021.... Other scenes were completed at a townhouse on Bentley Avenue in Jersey City and at Jersey Oil in Kearny, a house in Montclair, and at Lewis Morris Park in Morristown."</ref>

Kearny Point has two studios that are part of the film and television industry. Kearny Mayor Al Santos confirmed, "...our vision for Kearny Point as a hub for film and television production. This investment will create employment opportunities and bring increased economic activity to our community."<ref>Zeitlinger, Ron. "Second film studio opens in Kearny", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 21, 2022. Accessed January 11, 2023. "10 Basin Studios has opened at the Kearny Point Business Center, the second soundstage at the South Kearny peninsula between the Hackensack and Passaic rivers. Early last year Palisades Stages opened in the building next door."</ref>

Theaters

Kearny had a few theaters for film showings starting in the early 20th Century. The few that had opened approximately before World War I were no longer listed among the three theaters of the 1920s and 1930s that opened. Those early movie theaters had been repurposed for other building uses either as apartments or meeting places. The ones that opened during the 1920s and 1930s took a few decades to close. The Lincoln Theater was operating until August 2015. The empty Lincoln Theater was placed for sale after the closure, until September 2022 when it was purchased for $975,000. The new owner realized opening the theater again, without movie business knowledge, would not be the plans for the business and will proceed instead to have apartments approved by the town for the property redevelopment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are no movie theaters currently operating in the township.

Here was a list of the former theaters:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Name	Address	Built	Seats	Association	Closure	Significance	Current Status
Arlington Playhouse	Kearny and Midland Ave	1912	?	?	?	Saturday matinees.	Closed
Crescent	Midland Ave between Forest and Elm Streets	1908	?	?	1914	First movie theater by Alonzo Nicholas. Admission five cents.<ref name="Town's lone movie house is history">Template:Cite web</ref>	Closed
The Grand	25 Kearny Ave	?	?	?	?	?	Closed, currently an apartment building
The Casino	95 Kearny Ave	?	?	?	?	?	Closed, currently Irish-American Club
The Temple	225 Kearny Ave	?	?	?	?	?	Closed, currently the Copestone Masonic Temple
Hudson Theatre	65 Kearny Avenue	1927	1,491	-	1950	Provided two first run movies and children's showings.<ref name="Regent Theater">Template:Cite web</ref>	Closed, current as Kearny Family Health Center
Lincoln Cinemas	838 Kearny Avenue	1934	1,267	Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.	1995	Started as one screen and then became three screens in the 1970s. The movie theater caught on fire in the mid 1970s. Upon closure, was six screens.<ref name="Town's lone movie house is history"/>	Closed, building sold 2022
Regent Theater	413 Kearny Avenue and Grove Street	1922	1,781		mid 1950s-	August 30, 1952, a fire occurred and 300 people escaped. Roof damaged due to fire.<ref name="Regent Theater"/>	Closed

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town had a total area of Template:Convert, including Template:Convert of land and Template:Convert of water (13.91%).<ref name="CensusArea" /><ref name="GR1" />

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the town include Arlington, New Jersey, Schuylers Corner and West Arlington.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>

The town is bordered by East Newark and Harrison in Hudson County, and by Lyndhurst and North Arlington in Bergen County. The Passaic River separates the town from Newark and Belleville, both located in Essex County. The Hackensack River separates it from Secaucus and Jersey City.<ref name="Info">Information, Town of Kearny. Accessed October 27, 2011.</ref><ref>Areas touching Kearny, MapIt. Accessed March 31, 2020.</ref><ref>Hudson County Map Template:Webarchive, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed March 31, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

The town is varied in topography and roughly divided into three parts: the Kearny Uplands, the Kearny Meadows and South Kearny, where the Hackensack and Passaic rivers meet.<ref>Schuyler Avenue Redevelopment Plan Template:Webarchive, Town of Kearny. Accessed January 31, 2018. "The Town can be divided into three distinct geographic areas: Uplands, Kearny Meadows, South Kearny Peninsula."</ref> Main thoroughfares include the eponymous Kearny Avenue (the local segment of Ridge Road / Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard), Bergen Avenue, Midland Avenue, Schuyler Avenue and Passaic Avenue.

A number of small parks running along the Passaic River are collectively called Riverbank Park. The largest, located on the colloquial "Bunnyland Hill", is a gift from Kearny's veterans. It is named after a small zoo named Bunnyland, which was maintained by the local Kiwanis Club, that occupied part of the present Bunnyland Hill in the 20th century. During Kearny's Fourth of July celebrations (which include a fireworks display), Bunnyland Hill is the primary gathering spot for celebrants and observers. The largest park is West Hudson Park, shared with Harrison, which contains a variety of sports fields, recreational areas, and an artificial pond.<ref>West Hudson Park, Hudson County, New Jersey. Accessed November 12, 2012.</ref> The second largest recreational zone is the Kearny Playground at Gunnel Oval.

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 40,684 people, 13,462 households, and 9,921 families in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 14,180 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 73.57% (29,933) White, 5.37% (2,186) Black or African American, 0.40% (163) Native American, 4.41% (1,793) Asian, 0.08% (32) Pacific Islander, 12.53% (5,099) from other races, and 3.63% (1,478) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.95% (16,253) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 13,462 households, 33.5% had children under the age of 18; 51.6% were married couples living together; 15.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 26.3% were non-families. Of all households, 21.0% were made up of individuals and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.28.<ref name=Census2010/>

20.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 26.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, the population had 106.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 105.7 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $58,698 (with a margin of error of ±$3,838) and the median family income was $66,272 (±$3,803). Males had a median income of $45,360 (±$2,598) versus $38,668 (±$3,893) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $24,977 (±$1,022). About 7.6% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Kearny town, Hudson County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 40,513 people, 13,539 households, and 9,802 families residing in the town. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 13,872 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the town was 75.75% White, 3.97% African American, 0.37% Native American, 5.50% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 10.04% from other races, and 4.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 27.34% of the population.<ref name="Census2000">Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Kearny town, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref><ref name="Census2000SF1">DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Kearny town, Hudson County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref>

There were 13,539 households, out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.6% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.28.<ref name="Census2000" /><ref name="Census2000SF1" />

In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 35.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.0 males.<ref name="Census2000" /><ref name="Census2000SF1" />

The median income for a household in the town was $47,757, and the median income for a family was $54,596. Males had a median income of $38,672 versus $30,620 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,886. About 6.1% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.1% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.<ref name="Census2000" /><ref name="Census2000SF1" />

Economy

File:Kearny Works jeh.JPG

Former Western Electric Kearny Works

In 1982, the Kearny Works plant was assessed for property tax purposes at $23.9 million and represented about 7.3 percent of the towns' total tax base. The real estate taxes for the plant were $1.6 million but a closure was upcoming for 1983. According to Mayor Hill, Western Electric was one of the largest taxpayer's for the town. According to Ronnie Connors, assistant tax assessor, the company appealed with the town December 1982 for tax relief and agreement was reduced assessment to between $17 million and $18 million for 1983. With the closures evident, the officials needed to offset the $1.6 million loss by drawing new industry to Kearny with incentives.<ref name=NYT1983/>

Portions of the town are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. Kearny was selected in 1983 as one of the initial group of 10 zones chosen to participate in the program.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Tax Questions and Answers, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, May 2009. Accessed October 28, 2019. "The Urban Enterprise Zone Program (UEZ) was enacted in 1983. It authorized the designation of ten zones by the New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zone Authority: Camden, Newark, Bridgeton, Trenton, Plainfield, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Kearny, Orange and Millville/Vineland (joint zone)."</ref> In addition to other benefits to encourage employment and investment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the Template:Frac% rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Program, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Businesses participating in the UEZ Program can charge half the standard sales tax rate on certain purchases, currently 3.3125% effective 1/1/2018"</ref> Established in November 1992, the town's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in November 2023.<ref>Urban Enterprise Zone Effective and Expiration Dates, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs. Accessed January 8, 2018.</ref> Since its inception, there has been $27 million in tax revenue that has been invested based on revenue from the Urban Enterprise Zone.<ref>Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone, Kearny, New Jersey. Accessed March 31, 2020. "Since its establishment in 1985, by agreement and annual contract between the Mayor and Council and the State of New Jersey, the Kearny UEZ has invested over twenty-seven million dollars of sales and use taxes collected by qualified retailers in the KUEZ."</ref>

Arts and culture

File:Kearny Public Library 2023 jeh.jpg

Library

The Kearny Public Library is one of New Jersey's remaining Carnegie libraries,<ref>Homepage Template:Webarchive, Kearny Public Library. Accessed August 29, 2013.</ref> and houses a museum on its third floor which mounts exhibitions related to the history and culture of the town and has a collection of artifacts related to the town's namesake.<ref name=Heritage>Krasner, Barbara. Kearny's Immigrant Heritage, Arcadia Publishing, 2003. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 1, 2014.</ref><ref>Kearny Museum Template:Webarchive</ref>

In 2023, the town acquired a former church for $1.5 million, which it intends to convert to a cultural center.<ref>West, Teri. "Kearny moves to acquire Scandinavian church for new public arts center", The Jersey Journal, April 16, 2023. Accessed May 9, 2023. "The town of Kearny is finalizing a deal to buy the First Lutheran Church property at 61-71 Oakwood Ave, sending another Hudson County religious building toward a secular fate. The $1.46 million deal, which Kearny says will provide the space for a new arts and community center, means First Lutheran joins the ranks of a handful of other church buildings sold in recent years that are being repurposed or redeveloped."</ref>

Government

File:Kearny Town Hall HDR 2023 jeh.jpg

Town Hall

Local government

File:Kearny Community Police Center jeh.jpg

Community Police Center

Kearny is governed under the Town form of New Jersey municipal government. It is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey Template:Webarchive, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and Town Council, who are elected on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected directly by the voters at-large to a four-year term of office. The Town Council, comprised of eight members, is elected by the voters to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one of the two seats from each of the four wards coming up for election in two consecutive years followed by two years with no elections.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 142.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey" Template:Webarchive, p. 5. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Mayor and Council operate on a legislative basis, with the Mayor having veto power. The day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the Town Administrator whose duties are specified by local ordinance, and who generally carries out the policies adopted by the Mayor and Council.<ref>Mayor & Council, Town of Kearny. Accessed January 31, 2018.</ref>

The mayor of Kearny is Independent Carol Jean Doyle, who was elected to serve an unexpired term of office ending December 31, 2025.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor's Office, Town of Kearny. Accessed February 7, 2024. "Mayor Carol Jean Doyle made history and was elected as Mayor of the Town of Kearny on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Mayor Carol Jean Doyle is the first woman mayor since 1938 and the first woman ever elected by the voters of Kearny."</ref> Members of the Town Council are Members of the Town Council are Renato da Silva (D, 2025; 3rd Ward, elected to serve an unexpired term), Marytrine De Castro (D, 2025; 1st Ward), Eileen Eckel (D, 2026; 3rd Ward), Gerald J. Ficeto (D, 2025; 4th Ward), Richard P. Konopka (D, 2025; 2nd Ward), Dennis Solano (D, 2026; 2nd Ward, elected to serve an unexpired term), Stathis Theodoropoulos (D, 2026; 4th Ward) and George Zapata (D, 2026; 1st Ward).<ref>Town Council, Town of Kearny. Accessed February 7, 2024.</ref><ref>2023 Municipal Data Sheet, Town of Kearny. Accessed February 27, 2024.</ref><ref name=HudsonDirectory>Elected Officials, Hudson County, New Jersey Clerk. Accessed April 18, 2022.</ref><ref name=Hudson2023>General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results, Hudson County, New Jersey, December 1, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Hudson2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results, Hudson County, New Jersey, November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Hudson2021>General Election November 2, 2021 Official results, Hudson County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

During the July 11, 2023, council meeting, Peter Santana (Councilman for the 2nd Ward) was appointed Mayor until a special election was held in November 2023. Al Santos, who had been mayor since January 1, 2000, resigned his role on this same date when the New Jersey Senate's Judiciary Committee confirmed his appointment as a Hudson County Superior Court Judge. In the November 2023 general election, Independent candidate Carol Jean Doyle became the first woman to serve the town as mayor after she defeated Democrat Peter Santana and Republican Sydney Ferreira.<ref>Zeitlinger, Ron. "Hudson election roundup: Doyle makes history in Kearny; Hoboken incumbents triumph", The Jersey Journal, November 7, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2024. "Carol Jean Doyle, the longtime councilwoman who ran independently after the appointed mayor was given the Democratic party line, has defeated two rivals to become the first woman elected mayor in Kearny's long history. Doyle, 76, defeated Mayor Peter Santana — who was appointed in July when Mayor Al Santos was appointed a state superior court judge — and Sydney Ferreira in a close race to serve the remaining two years of Santos' term."</ref> In December 2023, Renato da Silva was appointed to fill the 3rd Ward seat expiring in 2025 that became vacant when Doyle took office as mayor.<ref>Heinis, John. "Kearny council appoints da Silva to succeed Doyle as new 3rd Ward council member", Hudson County View, December 9, 2023. Accessed February 7, 2024. "The Kearny Town Council voted to appoint Renato da Silva, a career educator, to succeed new Mayor Carol Jean Doyle as the new 3rd Ward council member on Tuesday."</ref>

In February 2019, the Town Council appointed Gerald Ficeto to fill the 2nd Ward seat expiring in December 2021 that had been held by Michael D. Landy until he resigned from office in December 2018.<ref>Zeitlinger, Ron. "Retired Kearny HS teacher appointed to Fourth Ward council seat", The Jersey Journal, February 7, 2019. Accessed November 13, 2019. "A retired Kearny High School music teacher has been appointed to the Kearny Fourth Ward town council position, replacing Michael Landy, who resigned in December."</ref> in November 2019, Ficeto was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Hudson2019>Hudson County General Election 2019 Statement of Vote November 5, 2019, Hudson County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 13, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

On January 7, 2017, 2nd Ward Councilman Jonathan Giordano died, creating a vacancy on the Town Council.<ref>Mota, Caitlin "Kearny Councilman Jonathan Giordano dies at 50", The Jersey Journal, January 8, 2016. Accessed January 16, 2017.</ref> In February 2017, Peter Santana was selected unanimously to fill Giordano's seat that expires in December 2018; Santana served on an interim basis until the November 2017 general election, when voters elected him to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Canessa Jr., Kevin. "Council selects tri-lingual Santana for Second Ward opening", The Observer Online, February 16, 2017. Accessed May 4, 2017. "Davis Ave. resident Peter Santana was appointed Second Ward Councilman at a special council meeting Monday, Feb. 6, taking the seat once occupied by the late Councilman Jonathan Giordano, who died suddenly last month."</ref><ref name=Hudson2017>Hudson County General Election 2017 Statement of Vote November 7, 2017, Hudson County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 17, 2017. Accessed January 1, 2018.</ref>

In February 2015, the Town Council selected Marytrine De Castro, as chosen by the Democratic municipal committee, to fill the vacant First Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Alexa Arce until she resigned the previous month.<ref>Duger, Rose. "De Castro selected to fill vacant council seat in Kearny", The Jersey Journal, February 20, 2015. Accessed July 7, 2016. "Kearny's Democratic County Committee has named Marytrine De Castro to fill the vacant First Ward seat on the Town Council.... De Castro will occupy Arce's First Ward seat until after November's general election, when a permanent replacement will be selected to complete the final two years of Arce's unexpired term."</ref> In the November general election, De Castro was elected to serve the balance of the term.<ref name=Hudson2015>2015 General Election Results, Hudson County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 10, 2015. Accessed November 14, 2019.</ref>

Fire department

The town is protected by the Kearny Fire Department,<ref>Home Template:Webarchive. Kearny Fire Department. Accessed March 8, 2012.</ref> which operates out of four fire stations.<ref name=Stations>Stations Template:Webarchive. Kearny Fire Department. Accessed March 8, 2012.</ref> The current Chief of Department is Steve Dyl.<ref>Members Template:Webarchive. Kearny Fire Department. Accessed March 8, 2012.</ref> Below is a list of fire station locations and apparatus of the Kearny Fire Department.

Engine company	Ladder company	Special unit	Command unit	Address
Engine 1		Quick Attack Response Vehicle 1 (QRV), Two flood rescue boats (Zodiacs)		47 Davis Avenue<ref name=Stations/>
Squad 2 (Rescue Pumper), Engine 6 (spare)	Ladder Tower 2	Rescue 2 (cross staffed)	Car 2 (Deputy Chief)	109 Kearny Avenue<ref name=Stations/>
Engine 3, Engine 5 (Spare)	Ladder Tower 1 (Spare)	Service 3 (Utility Truck), Marine 3 (Fireboat)	Car 3 (Safety Officer)	109 Midland Avenue<ref name=Stations/>
Engine 4		Foam Unit 1, MPV 4 (Multi Purpose Vehicle), Haz-Mat Decon Trailer		83 John Miller Way<ref name=Stations/>

Federal, state, and county representation

Kearny is split between the 8th and 9th Congressional Districts<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 31st state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

Prior to the 2010 Census, Kearny had been part of the 9th Congressional District and the Template:Ushr, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government Template:Webarchive, p. 59, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref> In the redistricting that took effect in 2013, 22,572 (about 55%) Kearny residents were placed in the 8th District, with the remaining 18,112 (about 45%) located in the extreme northwest corner of the town placed in the 9th District.<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Congressional Districts 2012–2012: Kearny Map, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref>

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 16,348 registered voters in Kearny, of which 7,030 (43.0%) were registered as Democrats, 1,922 (11.8%) were registered as Republicans and 7,390 (45.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered to other parties.<ref>Voter Registration Summary – Hudson, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 68.9% of the vote (7,579 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 29.9% (3,293 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (129 votes), among the 11,076 ballots cast by the town's 17,601 registered voters (75 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.9%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 60.4% of the vote (6,953 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 37.9% (4,365 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (121 votes), among the 11,508 ballots cast by the town's 18,057 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.7%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hudson County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 57.0% of the vote (6,363 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 41.7% (4,650 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (87 votes), among the 11,154 ballots cast by the town's 16,633 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 67.1.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Hudson County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|49.5% 6,528	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|47.9% 6,226	2.6% 305
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|37.8% 5,477	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|59.4% 8,594	2.8% 153
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|33.8% 3,922	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|62.4% 7,251	3.4% 394
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012<ref name=2012Election>Template:Cite web</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|29.9% 3,293	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|68.9% 7,579	1.2% 129
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hudson County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 24, 2024.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|37.9% 4,365	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|60.4% 6,953	1.1% 121
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2004<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Hudson County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|41.7% 4,650	style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|57.0% 6,363	0.5% 87

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 49.5% of the vote (2,667 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 48.8% (2,634 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (92 votes), among the 5,597 ballots cast by the town's 18,001 registered voters (204 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 31.1%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 52.9% of the vote (3,838 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 38.5% (2,790 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 5.4% (390 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (80 votes), among the 7,249 ballots cast by the town's 16,417 registered voters, yielding a 44.2% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Hudson County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 13, 2012.</ref>

Education

File:Washington School Kearny jeh.jpg

Washington Elementary School

File:Kearny Public Library.jpg

Kearny Library and Museum

Public schools

The Kearny School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Kearny Public Schools District Bylaw 0110 - Identification Template:Webarchive, Kearny School District. Accessed May 2, 2022. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Kearny School District. Composition: The Kearny School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Town of Kearny."</ref> As of the 2021–22 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 5,142 students and 455.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.3:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Kearny, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2021–22 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Kearny School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed December 1, 2022.</ref>) are Franklin Elementary School<ref>Franklin Elementary School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 842 students in grades PreK-6, Garfield Elementary School<ref>Garfield Elementary School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 439 students in grades PreK-6, Roosevelt Elementary School<ref>Roosevelt Elementary School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 385 students in grades PreK-6, Schuyler Elementary School<ref>Schuyler Elementary School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 410 students in grades PreK-6, Washington Elementary School<ref>Washington Elementary School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 474 students in grades PreK-6, Lincoln Middle School<ref>Lincoln Middle School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 752 students in grades 7-8 and Kearny High School<ref>Kearny High School, Kearny School District. Accessed December 24, 2023.</ref> with 1,742 students in grades 9-12.<ref>School Performance Reports for the Kearny Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 1, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Kearney School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Charter schools

Kearny also includes Hudson Arts and Science Charter School, a charter school that operates as part of iLearn Schools, based in Elmwood Park.<ref>Hudson Arts and Science Charter School, iLearn Schools. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref> HASCS has two campuses, an elementary and middle school. The elementary school is located at 131 Midland Avenue (formerly Mater Dei Academy) and the middle school is located at 114 Chestnut Street (formerly Mount Carmel Guild High School). HASCS Elementary serves grades K-3 and HASCS Middle serves grades 4-8. The two schools have a combined total of 815 students.

Private schools

Schools in Kearny include:<ref>Schools Template:Webarchive, Town of Kearny. Accessed October 27, 2011.</ref>

• Kearny Christian Academy, a Christian school founded in 1981 by the City of Hope International Church that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Our History Template:Webarchive, Kearny Christian Academy. Accessed September 12, 2013.</ref>
• Mt. Carmel Guild School (now the site of Hudson Arts and Science Charter School - Middle)
• The Little Neighborhood Learning Center
• Happy Time Preschool & Day Care

In the face of declining enrollment, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark closed Mater Dei Academy at the conclusion of the 2011–2012 school year. Mater Dei had been opened three years earlier as the merger of two existing schools, St. Stephen's and Holy Cross (the latter in Harrison), but attendance declined from 250 in its first year to 170 in its final year.<ref>Conte, Michaelangelo, Conte. "Newark Archdiocese to close St. Anne's School in Jersey City, Mater Dei Academy in Kearny", The Jersey Journal, February 17, 2012. Accessed October 15, 2012. "St. Anne's School in Jersey City and Mater Dei Academy in Kearny are slated to close their doors after this school year because of diminishing attendance and rising debt, school and church officials said today."</ref> Other former Catholic schools in Kearny include: Sacred Heart School and St. Cecilia School.<ref name=HudsonCountySchools1998>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

File:2020-07-12 08 24 52 View south along Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur) at Exit 15W (Interstate 280, Newark, Kearny) in Kearny, Hudson County, New Jersey.jpg

The southbound New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Kearny

File:West Arlington Station site.JPG

Former West Arlington Station

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the town had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Hudson County, Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Hudson County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed December 1, 2013.</ref>

Several roadways pass through and intersect in the town.<ref>Hudson County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 28, 2023.</ref><ref>Enlarged View 46 (Kearny Town, Hudson County), New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2019. Accessed March 1, 2023.</ref> The Belleville Turnpike (Route 7) forms the northern border of the town with North Arlington and crosses the Rutgers Street Bridge over the Passaic River into Belleville.<ref>Route 7 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2015. Accessed February 28, 2023.</ref> Kearny Avenue passes through the town and continues north as Ridge Road, the beginning of Route 17. U.S. Route 1/9 (Pulaski Skyway) and US 1/9 Truck pass through.<ref>U.S. Route 1 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2018. Accessed February 28, 2023.</ref> The Essex Freeway (Interstate 280) passes through the town and ends at Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike eastern and western spurs) at the tollgate for Exit 15W.<ref>Interstate 280 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2016. Accessed February 28, 2023.</ref>

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan and to other New Jersey communities. Bus service to Newark is available on the 1, 30, 40, and 76 routes.<ref>Template:Cite web, NJ Transit. Accessed July 7, 2011.</ref><ref>Hudson County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed November 12, 2019.</ref><ref>2018 Hudson County Transit Map, Hudson Transportation Management Association. Accessed November 12, 2019.</ref>

File:2021-09-19 10 55 25 View east towards New Jersey Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex, as seen from Interstate 95 (New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur) in Kearny, Hudson County, New Jersey.jpg

The NJ Transit Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny

Kearny was formerly served by trains of both the Erie Railroad's Newark Branch (later Erie-Lackawanna and then Conrail's Newark Industrial Branch) and its Greenwood Lake Division (later the Erie-Lackawanna's Greenwood Lake-Boonton Line; and Conrail and New Jersey Transit's Boonton Line) which stopped at the now-abandoned Arlington station. Newark Branch passenger service was terminated in October 1966. But freight service continued until 2005, when the last remaining shipper, Spar-Tech PolyCom, shut down. However, freight service on the Newark side is still active. New Jersey Transit discontinued Boonton Line service in 2002 when the Montclair Connection was opened.<ref>Galant, Debra. "Jersey; Montclair's Connection Has Its Price", The New York Times, September 29, 2002. Accessed July 7, 2011. "On Sept. 20, New Jersey Transit officially terminated service at Mr. Wilson's beloved Benson Street stop, as well as at the Rowe Street stop in Bloomfield and the Arlington stop in Kearny. Those closings were part of the price of progress."</ref><ref>"Rail Shuttle Buses To Transport Commuters Affected By Station Closures: NJ Transit Buses and Trains Will Cross-Honor September Monthly Passes For Arlington Station Customers" Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit press release dated August 27, 2002. Accessed July 7, 2011. "On Monday, September 30, NJ Transit will launch its MidTOWN DIRECT – Montclair rail service, resulting in the closure of Benson Street, Rowe Street and Arlington stations on the Boonton Line following the last scheduled trip on Friday, September 20."</ref> Through the early 1970s trains also stopped at a second station along this route known as West Arlington. This station was just to the east of the now abandoned WR Draw movable bridge. Prior to April 30, 1967, a station in South Kearny, was served by the Central Railroad of New Jersey's Newark and New York Branch via the PD Draw over the Passaic River. This station was popular with employees of the giant Western Electric plant, and other industries in the area. In the final years of this service a pair of rush hour trains ran in each direction between South Kearny, and the CNJ's Broad Street Station in downtown Newark, as well as a single rush hour round trip between South Kearny, and Plainfield. This train operated via Elizabethport, and the CNJ main line. Kearny is also the location of the Meadows Maintenance Complex, the primary maintenance facility for NJ Transit rail operations.

The closest airport with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located Template:Convert away in Newark and Elizabeth.

Notable people

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

• Tomasz Adamek (born 1976), Polish professional heavyweight boxer who is the former WBC Light Heavyweight Champion and the former IBF & IBO & The Ring Cruiserweight Champion<ref>Idec, Keith. "Tomasz Adamek impressive in victory", The Record, March 25, 2012, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 28, 2012. Accessed January 31, 2018. "Tomasz Adamek methodically made a successful comeback Saturday night from his lopsided loss to Vitali Klitschko.... Adamek, a native of Poland who resides in Kearny, improved to 45–2."</ref>
• Karen Akunowicz (born 1978), award-winning chef, Top Chef contestant<ref>Canessa, Kevin. "Kearny native competing for Top Chef", The Observer, December 15, 2015. Accessed December 10, 2019. "Karen Akunowicz remembers making an apron in the seventh-grade at Lincoln School in home economics class back in 1991.... When she left Kearny after graduating Kearny High School in 1996 for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, it was her plan to be a social worker.... And despite all of the fame she's gained from being on the show, she hasn't forgotten her Kearny roots one bit."</ref>
• Marcello Borges (born 1997), soccer player<ref>"The Future Is Bright: Climbing the Ladder | Marcello Borges", New York Red Bulls, June 7, 2016. Accessed January 31, 2018. "Borges, a native of Kearny, N.J., is a freshman at Michigan and a former New York Red Bulls Academy and Red Bulls II player."</ref>
• Rachel Breton (born 1990), soccer striker and defender who played for Sky Blue FC and New Jersey Wildcats<ref>Rachel Breton Template:Webarchive, Villanova Wildcats. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Hometown: Manalapan, N.J.... Born 8/4/90 in Kearny, N.J."</ref>
• Davey Brown (1898–1970), soccer player and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee<ref>Player Bios Template:Webarchive, US Soccer Hall of Fame. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Brown, who lived his entire life in Kearny, N.J., scored 189 goals during his 11 ASL seasons."</ref>
• Marques Brownlee (born 1993), YouTube personality who reviews technology<ref>Amenabar, Teddy. "Marques Brownlee is one of the biggest voices in consumer tech. Even Will Smith knows him.", The Washington Post, April 14, 2019. Accessed November 4, 2019. "Brownlee operates out of a dedicated studio in Kearny, N.J., with three full-time staffers, posting roughly two videos a week on new phones, laptops, and tablets."</ref>
• John F. Cali (1928–1992), politician who served three terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 30th Legislative District from 1974 to 1980<ref>Wildstein, David. "Paul McCurrie, elected Assemblyman from Hudson in 1961, dies at 91", New Jersey Globe, May 17, 2020. Accessed November 30, 2022. "The Kearny seat continued to be rotated – John McLaughlin in 1965, Norman Doyle in 1967, Joseph Healey in 1969, and David Wallace in 1971 – until John F. Cali, the secretary to the warden of the Hudson County Jail, won the seat in 1973."</ref>
• Guy W. Calissi (Template:Circa–1980), New Jersey Superior Court judge who lived in an orphanage here<ref>Kihss, Peter. "Guy W. Calissi, 71, Retired Judge And a Jersey Prosecutor, Is Dead; College Scholarship Yielded Byrne Made 1970 Appointment", The New York Times, December 9, 1980. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Born in New York City, Mr. Calissi spent part of his childhood in a Kearny, N. J. orphanage bacause of family poverty.""</ref>
• Gary Michael Cappetta (born 1952), professional wrestling ring announcer, author, voice over artist, screenwriter and stage performer<ref>Cappetta, Gary Michael. Bodyslams!: Memoirs of a Wrestling Pitchman, p. xvii. ECW Press, 2006. Template:ISBN. Accessed October 2, 2015. "As a child, my family lived every summer in the shore community of Seaside Park. The month I graduated from Kearny High School in Northern New Jersey, my family moved to Ocean County, where my father established a lucrative amusement business on the local boardwalk."</ref>
• Ownie Carroll (1902–1975), Major League Baseball pitcher who played nine seasons in the major, from 1925 to 1934<ref>Staff. "Ownie Carroll, Baseball Coach, Holy Cross Pitching Star, Dies", The New York Times, June 10, 1975. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Mr. Cartoll,' a native of Kearny, NJ; had a 49–2 record at St. Benedict's Prep in Newark before going to Holy Cross."</ref><ref>Ownie Carroll, The Baseball Cube. Accessed August 19, 2007.</ref>
• Jennifer Dore (born 1971), rower who competed in women's quadruple sculls at the 2000 Summer Olympics<ref>Sullivan, Jeff. "Troubled waters for US; Quad team controversy had to be settled by arbitrator", The Boston Globe, August 26, 2000. Accessed November 30, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "On Aug. 9, the US Rowing Association submitted the names of Gehman, a native of Wolfeboro, N.H.; Kelly Salchow of Cincinnati; Laurel Korholz of La Jolla, Calif.; and Jennifer Dore-Terhaar of Kearny, N.J., to the USOC as the women's quad team based on a promise apparently made by US Rowing coach Igor Grinko."</ref>
• George Dunlap (1908–2003), golfer best known for winning the United States Amateur Championship in 1933<ref>"Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Spotlight: Max Marston", New Jersey State Golf Association, March 12, 2021. Accessed November 30, 2022. "His 1934 effort came on the heels of finishing as runner-up in the 1933 U.S. Amateur, where he lost in the final match to Kearny, N.J. native George Dunlap, 6 and 5."</ref>
• James Ford (born 1889), soccer outside right who earned one cap with the U.S. national team in 1916<ref name=SASH>Farnsworth, Ed. "Behind the footage: The opening game of the USMNT's 1916 Scandinavian tour", Society for American Soccer History, September 4, 2020. Accessed November 30, 2022. "Then, Kearny, New Jersey's James Ford (Jersey AC), playing at outside right, 'by brilliant individual work, took the ball up in the right way' before centering to center forward and fellow Kearny native John Heminsley (Newark Scottish Americans)."</ref>
• Santiago Formoso (born 1953), soccer defender who played five seasons in the North American Soccer League<ref>Biggane, Brian. "Kicks Across The Hudson; The epicenter of soccer in the United States? Try a small town in North Jersey.", The Palm Beach Post, June 30, 1996. Accessed November 30, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Kearny Olympians: Nine players from Kearny, N.J., have represented the United States in Olympic soccer over the past 72 years.... Santiago Formoso 1976"</ref>
• James Gallagher (1909–1992), soccer player who earned two caps with the United States national soccer team<ref>"James A. Gallagher", Asbury Park Press, April 18, 1992. Accessed August 14, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Gallagher was born in Kearny and lived in Belmar since 1932."</ref>
• Franco Gamero (born 1990), international footballer who has played for the Puerto Rico national football team<ref>Franco Gamero, NJIT Highlanders. Accessed November 30, 2022. "Hometown: Kearny, NJ High School: Kearny"</ref>
• Ted Gillen (born 1968), former professional soccer player<ref>Kurland, Bob. "Metrostars Minus Two – Donadoni, Ramos To Miss Opener", The Record, April 12, 1996. Accessed September 12, 2013. "Kearny native Ted Gillen, who grew up in Toms River, was placed on injured reserve due to a slow-healing hamstring."</ref>
• Albert Gonzalez (born 1981), government informant and computer criminal<ref>Meek, James Gordon; and Siemaszko, Corky. "'Soupnazi' hacker Albert Gonzalez went from nerdy past to life of sex, guns and drugs", New York Daily News, August 19, 2009. Accessed October 12, 2012. "After graduation, Gonzalez moved north to Manhattan and lived on the East Side for three months in 2000 before setting up shop in Kearny, N.J., records show. It was while living there in an anonymous garden apartment with mostly senior citizens as neighbors that Gonzalez was busted for hacking in 2003."</ref><ref>Gaudin, Sharon. Government informant is called kingpin of largest "Government informant is called kingpin of largest U.S. data breaches", Computerworld, August 18, 2009. Accessed October 12, 2012.</ref>
• Ed Halicki (born 1950), former professional baseball pitcher with a no-hitter to his credit, pitched on August 24, 1975, against the New York Mets<ref>Koppett, Leonard. "Jersey Pitcher Recalled From Minors in May; Halicki's No-Hitter Beats Mets", The New York Times, August 25, 1975. Accessed July 5, 2018. "A native of New Jersey, where he was a star at Kearny High School, Halicki is a self-confessed Met fan who turned pro in 1972 while attending Monmouth College."</ref><ref>Ed Halicki, CNN/SI. Accessed April 17, 2008.</ref>
• John Harkes (born 1967), professional soccer player<ref name=SoccerTown/><ref>Bondy, Filip. "Soccer; Harkes, Accent and All, Back for Tourney", The New York Times, June 6, 1993. Accessed August 29, 2013. "John Harkes, the pride of Kearny, N.J., rejoined the United States national soccer team this week to resuscitate his old mates in the U.S. Cup '93 opener today against Brazil in New Haven."</ref>
• Al Hartley (1921–2003), comic book writer-artist known for his work on Archie Comics<ref>Staff. "Al Hartley, 81; Illustrated 'Archie' Comic Strips", Los Angeles Times, May 29, 2003. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Al Hartley, 81, who spent nearly three decades illustrating the 'Archie' comic strips and also drew for Marvel Comics, died Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla.... Hartley was a native of Kearny, N.J."</ref>
• Fred A. Hartley Jr. (1902–1969), New Jersey Congressman best known for being the House of Representatives sponsor of the Taft-Hartley Act<ref>Hartley, Fred Allan Jr., (1902 - 1969), Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 1, 2014. "library commissioner of Kearny, N.J., in 1923 and 1924; police and fire commissioner 1924-1928"</ref><ref>Staff. "Fred A. Hartley, Labor Act's Co-Author, Dies; Called 1947 Law Correction of New Deal's Mistakes Jersey Republican Rebelled Against Case Nomination", The New York Times, May 12, 1969. Accessed July 5, 2018. "He was first elected as a municipal commissioner in 1924 in Kearny, N. J."</ref>
• Herbie Haymer (1916–1949), jazz saxophonist<ref name="allmusic guide">[[[:Template:AllMusic]] allmusic guide], Allmusic. "Tony Mottola... attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton..."</ref>
• John Hemingsley, soccer center forward who played the first two U.S. national team games in 1916<ref name=SASH/>
• Frank Iero (born 1981), rhythm guitarist and backup vocalist for My Chemical Romance<ref>La Gorce, Tammy. "Bellowing Like Iron Maiden, but Very, Very Sensitive", The New York Times, November 7, 2004. Accessed July 5, 2018. "Which is more what Mr. Way – along with his bassist and brother, Mikey; Ray Toro, a guitarist from Belleville; Frank Iero, a guitarist from Kearny; and the Chicago-area drummer Bob Bryer – is going for..."</ref>
• James F. Kelley (1902–1996), President of Seton Hall College (since renamed as Seton Hall University) from 1936 to 1949<ref>Stout, David. "Msgr. James Kelley, 94, a President of Seton Hall", The New York Times, September 14, 1996. Accessed April 28, 2022. "Born in Kearny, N.J., Monsignor Kelley attended Seton Hall Preparatory School and graduated from the college in 1924."</ref>
• Jeffrey Klepacki (born 1968), three-time US Olympian in rowing and three-time world champion<ref>Wallace, William N. "Rowing; U.S. Heavyweights Win Gold at the Wire", The New York Times, September 19, 1994. Accessed October 27, 2011. "The favored United States crew, stroked by Jeff Klepacki, a Rutgers alumnus from Kearny, N.J., faltered in the final 500 meters after leading by almost a full boat length and won by six-tenths of a second over a surprising crew from the Netherlands."</ref>
• Buzz Kulik (1922–1999), film director and producer<ref>Vallance, Tom. "Obituary: Buzz Kulik", The Independent, January 29, 1999. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Born Seymour Kulik in KearneyTemplate:Sic, New Jersey, in 1922, he served in the army during the Second World War, then worked in the mailroom of the large advertising agency J. Walter Thompson."</ref>
• Joe Kyrillos (born 1960), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1992 to 2018, where he represents the 13th Legislative District<ref>"Joe Kyrillos (R)", The Wall Street Journal. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Joe Kyrillos was born in Kearney, N.J., and raised in Middletown, where he still resides."</ref>
• Joan Lippincott (born 1935), concert organist<ref>Wright, Chase. "Acclaimed organist to appear at St. Paul's on the Green", The Hour, April 24, 2010. Accessed September 1, 2014. "A native of Kearny, N.J., Lippincott is a graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music and Westminster Choir College, where she studied under notable organist and educator Alexander McCurdy."</ref>
• Monroe Jay Lustbader (1931–1996), politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 until his death, where he represented the 21st Legislative District<ref>Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, Volume 206, Part 1, p. 252. J.A. Fitzgerald, 1994. Accessed September 17, 2019. "Monroe Jay Lustbader, Rep., Millburn - Assemblyman Lustbader was born Jan. 15, 1931, in Kearny."</ref>
• Kevin Maguire (born 1960), comic book artist<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Meagan McClelland (born 2000), professional soccer goalkeeper for USL Super League club Carolina Ascent FC<ref>Meagan McClelland, Rutgers Scarlet Knights women's soccer. Accessed December 29, 2024. "Hometown: Kearny, N.J. High School: Kearny"</ref>
• Paul McCurrie (1929–2020), lawyer and politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly<ref>"Obituaries: May 20, 2020", The Observer, May 20, 2020. Accessed May 30, 2020. "Born and raised in Kearny, on Wilkinson Terrace, Paul graduated from Kearny High School in 1947."</ref>
• Tony Meola (born 1969), professional soccer player<ref>Curry, Jack. 'The Goalie With No Nerves; Meola's Calm Helps Keep U.S. in World Cup Play", The New York Times, January 3, 1990. Accessed September 12, 2013. "Kearny, N.J.— Whether reclining in a chair in his living room here or positioning himself on a soccer field in some other part of the world, Tony Meola, the goalkeeper for the United States national team, is relaxed."</ref>
• Dots Miller (1886–1923), Major League Baseball player from 1909 to 1921<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• Michael Moran (born 1962), author / analyst of international affairs and digital documentarian<ref>Moran, Michael. The Great Divide: Global Income Inequality and its Cost, GlobalPost. Accessed December 17, 2017. "My dad was an Irish immigrant who delivered us from the gritty, industrial town of Kearny, New Jersey to the bedroom community of Fairfield. He had made it."</ref>
• Tony Mottola (1918–2004), jazz guitarist<ref>Staff. "Passings; Tony Mottola; 86; Composer, Guitarist Played With Sinatra" Template:Webarchive, Los Angeles Times, August 13, 2004. Accessed October 12, 2012. "Mottola, a native of Kearny, NJ, began his career in 1936 when he toured with George Hall's orchestra."</ref><ref>[[[:Template:AllMusic]] allmusic guide]. "Tony Mottola was born April 18, 1918 in Kearny, NJ. He began playing guitar at the age of nine, and attended high school alongside ill-fated jazz saxophonist Herbie Haymer and future bandleader George Paxton; after graduating, Mottola toured with George Hall's orchestra, making his recorded debut on the group's rendition of 'Shine.'"</ref>
• Jim Murphy (1947–2022), author of more than nonfiction and fiction books for children, young adults, and general audiences, including more than 30 about American history<ref>Smith, Harrison. "Jim Murphy, children's author who humanized U.S. history, dies at 74", The Washington Post, May 19, 2022. Accessed May 19, 2022. "James John Patrick Murphy was born into an Irish-Italian family in Newark on Sept. 25, 1947, and grew up in nearby Kearny, N.J."</ref>
• Shamus O'Brien (1907–1981), soccer player inducted in 1990 into the National Soccer Hall of Fame<ref>Shamus O'Brien Template:Webarchive, National Soccer Hall of Fame. Accessed December 13, 2007.</ref>
• Brian O'Hara (born 1979), law enforcement official who is serving as the 54th Chief of the Minneapolis Police Department<ref>Canessa, Kevin A., Jr. "Kearny native named chief of Minneapolis Police Department", The Observer, November 6, 2022. Accessed March 5, 2023. "On Thursday, Nov. 3, the Minneapolis City Council approved Mayor Jacob Frey's nomination of Kearny native Brian O'Hara, Kearny HS Class of 1997, to serve as police chief. O'Hara joins the city after serving as deputy mayor of Newark, in charge of overseeing strategic public safety initiatives, and before that, having served as Public Safety Director in Newark."</ref>
• Hugh O'Neill (born 1954), soccer player who played in the NASL, ASL, and MISL<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Greg Pason (born 1966), National Secretary of the Socialist Party USA<ref>Staff. "A Socialist Speaks: Interview with Greg Pason", Socialist WebZine, August 4, 2009. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Greg Pason: I was born in Kearny, NJ in 1966."</ref>
• George Paxton (Template:Circa–1989), big band jazz leader, saxophonist, composer and producer<ref name="allmusic guide"/><ref>Staff. "George E. Paxton", The Miami Herald, April 21, 1989. Accessed May 3, 2011. "He was a native of Kearny, N.J., and learned his trade at the Juilliard School of Music, where he mastered many musical instruments."</ref>
• Matt Pelissier (born 1979), drummer for My Chemical Romance
• Bill Raftery (born 1943), college basketball analyst and former college basketball player for La Salle University<ref>Bill Raftery Commentator Men's College Basketball Analyst Template:Webarchive, ESPN MediaZone. Accessed November 7, 2014. "He is a native of Kearny, N.J."</ref>
• Tab Ramos (born 1966), retired soccer midfielder<ref>Mifflin, Lawrie. "Doing a Star Turn for the Home Team, at Last", The New York Times, August 18, 1996. Accessed February 25, 2012. "Giants Stadium is a short trip up the turnpike from Old Bridge, where Mr. Ramos lives with his wife, Amy – a former North Carolina State University soccer player like her husband – and their 16-month-old son, Alex. And it's just a few miles from where he grew up, in Harrison and Kearny, towns that have been soccer hotbeds for generations."</ref>
• James H. Rupp (1918–1998), Illinois state senator, Mayor of Monmouth, Illinois, and businessman<ref>'Illinois Blue Book 1985-1986,' Biographical Sketch of James H. Rupp, pg. 114</ref>
• Harold Hill Smith (1910–1994), geneticist who first fused a human cell and a plant cell<ref>Saxon, Wolfgang. "Harold Hill Smith, 84, Geneticist Whose Work Led to Cell Fusion", The New York Times, October 25, 1994. Accessed September 1, 2014. "Dr. Smith was born in Kearny, N.J. He graduated from Rutgers University and received master's and doctoral degrees in genetics at Harvard University."</ref>
• Bob Stanley (born 1954), professional baseball relief pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox<ref>Anderson, Will. "Bob Stanley", Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed November 13, 2019. "'The Steamer' – Bob Stanley – was 2 years old when his family packed up and moved from East Kidder Street in Portland to Kearny, New Jersey, Stanley's mother's hometown."</ref>
• Archie Stark (1897–1985), soccer pioneer in the United States and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame<ref>Francis, Shawn. "Welcome to New Jersey, home of the real football giants" Template:Webarchive, Major League Soccer, July 21, 2011. Accessed February 25, 2011. "Among the notables who called Kearny home are Archie Stark (232 goals in 205 matches for Bethlehem Steel), John Harkes (former U.S. national-team captain), Tony Meola (former U.S. captain and keeper) Ted Gillen (former MLS and U.S. player) and Billy Gonsalves (a U.S. veteran of two World Cups)."</ref>
• Ray Toro (born 1977), My Chemical Romance lead guitarist<ref>Holahan, Catherine. "No Way Back;My Chemical Romance is too big for New Jersey's basements" Template:Webarchive, The Record, October 12, 2005. Accessed August 29, 2013. "Part of the reason Toro might feel so nostalgic for Kearny and Belleville, where he and his band mates grew up, is they have been home for a total of about four weeks since releasing their major label debut, Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, in June 2004."</ref><ref>Ray, Michael. Alternative, Country, Hip-Hop, Rap, and More: Music from the 1980s to Today, p. 87. Britannica Educational Publishing, 2012. Template:ISBN. Accessed November 8, 2017, "The group's original lineup consisted of Way, brother Michael James (Mikey) Way (born September 10, 1980, Newark, New Jersey) on bass, drummer Matt Pelissier, and guitarists Ray Toro (born July 15, 1977, in Kearny, New Jersey) and Frank Iero (born October 31, 1981, in Belleville, New Jersey)."</ref>
• John Patrick Washington (1908–1943), Roman Catholic priest; one of the Four Chaplains, who gave their lives to save other soldiers during the sinking of the troop transport Dorchester during World War II
• Alex Webster (1931–2012), fullback and halfback in the NFL for the New York Giants, who was later head coach of the Giants<ref>"Giant Star Compares Grid Loops" Template:Webarchive, Hartford Courant, December 18, 1955. Accessed March 29, 2011. "Alex Webster returned to his Kearny, N.J. home today, but before he left the former star Montreal Alouette halfback made it clear he 'wants to jump back to Canada' rather than play again for the New York Giants in 1956."</ref><ref>Alex Webster career statistics, The Star-Ledger. Accessed July 7, 2011.</ref>
• Dick Weisgerber (1915–1984), professional football player for the Green Bay Packers<ref>Dick Weisgerber at Pro Football Reference, accessed December 28, 2010.</ref>
• Kenneth G. Wiman (1930–2021), U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral<ref>Rear Admiral Kenneth G. Wiman, United States Coast Guard. Accessed May 8, 2014.</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website
• Scene from Annie at the Kearny Passaic River bridge