As previously posted, we will be featuring information about our 50 States. As a Worked All States net, it may be interesting to refresh our memories about the states we hear and/or work on the net. This week we will focus on the state of New Jersey.
The first people to live on the land now known as New Jersey were the Delaware Indians. They lived there starting at least 10,000 years ago. Anywhere from 8,000 to 20,000 Delaware Indians lived in the area when the first Europeans arrived. Their name means “original people” or “genuine people.” They spoke an Algonquian dialect.
Around 1524, Giovanni de Verrazano became the first European to explore New Jersey. He sailed along the coast and anchored off Sandy Hook. The colonial history of New Jersey started after Henry Hudson sailed through Newark Bay in 1609. Although Hudson was British, he worked for the Netherlands, so he claimed the land for the Dutch. It was called New Netherlands.
In 1787, New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution and the first state to sign the Bill of Rights. In 1790, Trenton officially became the state capital of New Jersey. William Livingston became New Jersey’s first state governor.
New Jersey grew and prospered during the early 1800s. New factories sprung up throughout the state. Paterson became a textile center and later became known for producing trains and silk. Trenton produced clay products, iron, and steel. Camden, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Newark, and Passaic all became major manufacturing centers in the 1800s.
Some Interesting New Jersey Statistics:
New Jersey has . . .
- 21 counties and 565 municipalities.
- 2 United States Senators.
- 12 United States Representatives.
- 40 State Senators.
- 80 Members of the General Assembly.
- 8,908,520 residents (as of 2018).
- 3,199,111 households (as of 2017).
- 298 public libraries.
- 2,000 public elementary schools.
- 517 public secondary schools.
- 156 private high schools.
- 39 four-year colleges.
- 21 two-year colleges.
- 45 engineering colleges.
- 5 medical college.
- 7 theological colleges.
- 7,354 square miles of land.
- 1,368 square miles of water.
- 8,723 square miles total area.
- 127 miles of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean.
- more than 800 lakes and ponds.
- more than 100 rivers and creeks.
- 28 state parks.
- 11 state forests.
- 256 historic & memorial sites.
- 43 natural areas.
- 5 recreational areas.
- 6 state marinas.
- 39,000 miles of highways and roads.
These are just a few of the interesting facts about New Jersey. Have fun working NJ as you pursue your W.A.S. or any of the GERATOL Awards and endorsements, that require you contact the Garden State.