Jamesburg, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jamesburg, New Jersey
Borough
Jamesburg as seen across Lake Manalapan from Thompson County Park
Seal
Location of Jamesburg in Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
Jamesburg, New Jersey Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey Show map of Middlesex County, New Jersey Jamesburg, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Jamesburg, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Middlesex
Incorporated	March 19, 1887
Named for	James Buckelew
Government
• Type	Borough
• Body	Borough Council
Area
• Total	0.89 sq mi (2.31 km2)
• Land	0.88 sq mi (2.29 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2)  0.90%
Area rank	517th of 565 in state 24th of 25 in county
Elevation	85 ft (26 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,783
• Estimate  (2023)	5,735
• Rank	358th of 565 in state 23rd of 25 in county
• Density	6,556.7/sq mi (2,531.6/km2)
• Density rank	80th of 565 in state 5th of 25 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	08831
Area code(s)	732 exchanges 521,605 and 656
FIPS code	3402334890
GNIS feature ID	0885263
Website

Jamesburg is a small town, or borough, located in Middlesex County, in the state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 5,783 people lived here. This number was a little lower than in 2010.

History of Jamesburg

Jamesburg became a borough on March 19, 1887. It was created from parts of Monroe Township. The people voted for this change.

How Jamesburg Got Its Name

The town is named after a man named James Buckelew. He started a mill that became the center of the town. James Buckelew was a kind person. When officials in Monroe Township would not let an African-American student attend school, he built a new school. This school was open to all children. It was named in his honor, and that's how the town got its name.

Recent Events

On July 17, 2005, Jamesburg had a big rainstorm. About 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) of rain fell. This caused flooding in many areas. Around 75 to 100 families had to leave their homes. They stayed at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School for safety.

Geography of Jamesburg

Jamesburg is a small area, covering about 0.89 square miles (2.31 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.

A Town Within a Town

Jamesburg is special because it is completely surrounded by Monroe Township. This makes it one of 21 "doughnut towns" in New Jersey. It's like a small island of one town inside another!

Population of Jamesburg

Jamesburg has seen its population change over the years. Here's a quick look at how many people have lived in the borough:

Parks and Recreation in Jamesburg

Jamesburg offers great places for outdoor fun and sports.

Historic Buckelew Mansion, which overlooks Lake Manalapan

Waterfall from a dam at Lake Manalapan in Jamesburg

Thompson Park

Thompson Park is a large park covering 675 acres (2.73 square kilometers). It is located on the edge of Jamesburg and also in Monroe Township.

Activities at Thompson Park

The park has many things to do:

• Four tennis courts
• Four basketball courts
• Two handball courts
• Three baseball fields
• A softball field
• Many soccer fields
• Picnic areas with grills
• Three hiking and biking trails
• Fishing spots
• An animal haven
• A gazebo

Lake Manalapan

The 30-acre (12-hectare) Manalapan Lake is on the eastern side of Thompson Park. It's a beautiful spot for fishing and enjoying nature.

Education in Jamesburg

Students in Jamesburg attend schools run by the Jamesburg Public Schools district.

Local Schools

The district has two schools:

• John F. Kennedy Elementary School: For students in pre-kindergarten through 5th grade.
• Grace M. Breckwedel Middle School: For students in 6th through 8th grade.

High School Students

Jamesburg used to have its own high school, which closed in 1979. Now, high school students from Jamesburg attend Monroe Township High School in Monroe Township. This is part of a special agreement between the two school districts.

Vocational Schools

Students in 8th grade from all over Middlesex County can apply to special high school programs. These are offered by the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools. These schools focus on career and technical education. They have different campuses, like the Middlesex County Academy in Edison and the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge Township.

Transportation in Jamesburg

Getting around Jamesburg and to other places is possible through roads and public transport.

Roads and Highways

County Route 522 in Jamesburg

Jamesburg has about 16.53 miles (26.60 km) of roads. Most of these are maintained by the town itself. No major interstate highways or U.S. routes go directly through Jamesburg. However, several county roads pass through, like County Route 522. The closest major highway is the New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95).

Public Transportation

The Freehold Secondary railway line in Jamesburg as of June 2017

In the past, Jamesburg was a hub for a major railway called the Freehold and Jamesburg Agricultural Railroad. This railway helped the area grow.

Today, Middlesex County Area Transit (MCAT) provides shuttle services.

• The M1 route connects Jamesburg to the New Brunswick train station.
• The M2 route links Jamesburg, Helmetta, and Spotswood to East Brunswick, including the Brunswick Square Mall.

Notable People from Jamesburg

Many interesting people have connections to Jamesburg:

• Harrison Woodhull Crosby (1814–1892), who was the first person to can tomatoes in 1847.
• Reed Gusciora (born 1960), a politician who is currently the mayor of Trenton.
• Frankie Hayes (1914–1955), a professional baseball player who was a catcher for the Philadelphia Athletics.
• George Edward Pendray (1901–1987), a person who strongly supported space travel.

See also

In Spanish: Jamesburg (Nueva Jersey) para niños