Kearny, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kearny, New Jersey
Town
Kearny Library and Museum, November 2011
Flag Seal
Nickname(s):  Soccer Town, U.S.A., K-Town
Kearny, New Jersey Location in Hudson County, New Jersey Show map of Hudson County, New Jersey Kearny, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Kearny, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Hudson
Incorporated	April 8, 1867
Named for	Philip Kearny
Government
• Type	Town
• Body	Town Council
Area
• Total	10.27 sq mi (26.61 km2)
• Land	8.84 sq mi (22.91 km2)
• Water	1.43 sq mi (3.70 km2)  13.91%
Area rank	209th of 565 in state 3rd of 12 in county
Elevation	7 ft (2 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	41,999
• Estimate  (2023)	39,370
• Rank	54th of 565 in state 7th of 12 in county
• Density	4,748.9/sq mi (1,833.6/km2)
• Density rank	122nd of 565 in state 11th of 12 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Codes	07032, 07099
Area code(s)	201 and 973
FIPS code	3401736510
GNIS feature ID	0885266

Kearny (KAR-nee) is a town in the western part of Hudson County, New Jersey. It's a suburb of Newark. In 2020, the town had a population of 41,999 people. This was an increase of 1,315 people since the 2010 census.

Kearny is named after Civil War General Philip Kearny. It started as a township on April 8, 1867. This happened when the New Jersey Legislature approved it. Parts of the township were later used to form East Newark in 1895. Kearny officially became a town on January 19, 1899. The Arlington area of town was named after a train station there.

Kearny's Rich History: From Colonial Times to Today

Early History: From Native Americans to Copper Mines

The land that became Kearny Township was first part of a large area given to Major William Sandford in 1668. He bought the land from Chief Tantaqua of the Hackensack tribe. Major Sandford named the area New Barbadoes Neck.

Later, in 1708, Major Nathaniel Kingsland owned the property. He sold a large part of it to Captain Arent Schuyler in 1710. This new land included what is now Kearny, North Arlington, and Lyndhurst.

A special green stone was found on Schuyler's land. It turned out to be 80% copper! Schuyler opened a copper mine here. This mine brought the first steam engine to America from England. It was used to pump water out of the deep mine. The engineer, Josiah Hornblower, brought the engine secretly. The mine and engine were destroyed by fire in 1772.

Schuyler Mansion was important during the American Revolutionary War. British officers often visited it because it was close to New York Harbor. They used a road called the Belleville Turnpike, built in 1759. In 1777, British General Henry Clinton used Schuyler Mansion as his headquarters. The mansion stood for 214 years until it was torn down in 1924.

19th Century: Becoming a Town and "Soccer Town, U.S.A."

Knox Presbyterian Church

In the mid-1800s, Kearny was the northern part of Harrison Township. General N. M. Halsted, a local leader, felt his area wasn't getting enough attention. He worked hard to make it an independent township. On March 14, 1867, the New Jersey Legislature created the "Township of Kearny." The town was named after Major General Philip Kearny. He was a Civil War commander and owned a mansion nearby called Belle Grove.

The first town election was held on April 8, 1867. General N. M. Halsted was chosen as Chairman. The first town office was in the old Lodi Hotel. In the early 1870s, Kearny built its first Town Hall. It was also used as a courthouse and schoolhouse. This building helped start Kearny's public school system.

Highland Hose No. 4

The Highland Hose No. 4 firehouse was built in 1895. It is now a historic landmark.

Kearny is known as "Soccer Town, U.S.A." This nickname comes from its strong soccer tradition. It started in the 1870s when many Scottish and Irish immigrants moved to the town. They came to work in new factories like the Clark Thread Company and Nairn Linoleum.

As the town grew, a larger Town Hall was needed. The current Kearny Town Hall, made of Indiana limestone, was built in 1909.

Kearny as a Factory Town

Kearny's industrial growth began in 1875. The Clark Thread Company from Scotland opened two large mills in Kearny. They added two more in 1890. These mills brought thousands of Scottish immigrants to Kearny. Many of them played on Kearny's soccer teams.

Other industries also came to Kearny. In 1876, the Mile End Thread Mills started. In 1883, the Marshall Flax Spinning Company from England built a large factory. This brought more workers from the British Isles. These early textile workers' families became a big part of Kearny's population.

In 1887, Sir Michael Nairn started the Nairn Linoleum Company. This company, now Congoleum Nairn, also helped Kearny's industry grow. It led to a large Scottish American population in the town.

Many other companies opened in Kearny. These included Swift & Company, Koppers Company, and DuPont. During World War I and World War II, cargo and warships were built at Kearny Yards.

Western Electric's Kearny Works

Former Western Electric Kearny Works

On June 15, 1928, Western Electric started building a huge factory in Kearny. It was called Kearny Works. This factory grew to be 3,579,000 square feet. It was the second-largest Western Electric plant built before the 1930s.

Between 1925 and 1986, Kearny Works employed up to 24,000 people. They made many things for the Bell System. In 1984, AT&T sold the plant. At that time, it had 4,000 employees. The plant's closure was a big change for Kearny.

Kearny in Movies and TV Shows

Kearny has been a filming location for movies and TV shows. In 1982, the movie Annie filmed scenes at the NX Bridge. This abandoned railroad bridge crosses the Passaic River. Locals now call it the "Annie Bridge."

Scenes from the HBO drama series The Sopranos were also filmed in Kearny. One building used for "Satriale's Pork Store" was later torn down.

Other films like Spinning Gold and the 2022 horror movie Smile have filmed scenes in Kearny. Kearny Point now has two studios for film and television. This helps create jobs and brings money to the community.

Theaters in Kearny

Kearny used to have several movie theaters. The first ones opened before World War I. They were later changed into apartments or meeting places. More theaters opened in the 1920s and 1930s.

The Lincoln Theater was open until August 2015. It was sold in 2022. The new owner plans to turn it into apartments. Currently, there are no movie theaters operating in Kearny.

Here is a list of some former theaters:

Geography and Natural Features

Kearny covers about 10.27 square miles. About 8.84 square miles is land, and 1.43 square miles is water.

Kearny is bordered by several other towns. These include East Newark and Harrison in Hudson County. It also borders Lyndhurst and North Arlington in Bergen County. The Passaic River separates Kearny from Newark and Belleville. The Hackensack River separates it from Secaucus and Jersey City.

The town has different types of land. It has the Kearny Uplands, the Kearny Meadows, and South Kearny. This is where the Hackensack and Passaic rivers meet. Important roads include Kearny Avenue, Bergen Avenue, and Schuyler Avenue.

Kearny has several parks. Small parks along the Passaic River are called Riverbank Park. The largest park is West Hudson Park, which Kearny shares with Harrison. It has sports fields, play areas, and a pond. The Kearny Playground at Gunnel Oval is another large recreation area.

Population and Demographics

In 2010, Kearny had 40,684 people living there. There were 13,462 households. About 33.5% of households had children under 18. The average household had 2.83 people.

The population was diverse. About 73.57% were White, 5.37% Black or African American, and 4.41% Asian. About 39.95% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. The median age was 36.4 years.

Economy and Business

Kearny has an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). This is a special area that helps encourage jobs and businesses. Kearny was one of the first towns chosen for this program in 1983. In a UEZ, shoppers can pay a lower sales tax rate. This helps businesses grow and brings more money into the town. Kearny's UEZ status is set to expire in November 2023.

Arts and Culture

Library

The Kearny Public Library is a special library. It is one of New Jersey's remaining Carnegie libraries. On its third floor, there is a museum. The museum shows exhibits about Kearny's history and culture. It also has items related to the town's namesake, General Philip Kearny.

In 2023, the town bought a former church. They plan to turn it into a cultural center.

Education: Schools in Kearny

Washington Elementary School

Kearny Library and Museum

Public Schools

The Kearny School District serves public school students. It includes students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. In the 2021–22 school year, the district had seven schools. There were 5,142 students and 455.7 teachers. This means there were about 11 students for every teacher.

The elementary schools are:

• Franklin Elementary School (PreK-6)
• Garfield Elementary School (PreK-6)
• Roosevelt Elementary School (PreK-6)
• Schuyler Elementary School (PreK-6)
• Washington Elementary School (PreK-6)

Lincoln Middle School serves grades 7-8. Kearny High School serves grades 9-12.

Charter Schools

Kearny also has the Hudson Arts and Science Charter School (HASCS). It is part of iLearn Schools. HASCS has two campuses. The elementary school is at 131 Midland Avenue. The middle school is at 114 Chestnut Street. HASCS Elementary serves grades K-3. HASCS Middle serves grades 4-8. Together, they have 815 students.

Private Schools

Some private schools in Kearny include:

• Kearny Christian Academy: This school was founded in 1981. It serves students from kindergarten through twelfth grade.
• The Little Neighborhood Learning Center
• Happy Time Preschool & Day Care

Some Catholic schools in Kearny have closed due to fewer students. Mater Dei Academy closed in 2012. Other former Catholic schools include Sacred Heart School and St. Cecilia School.

Transportation: Getting Around Kearny

The southbound New Jersey Turnpike (Interstate 95) in Kearny

Former West Arlington Station

Roads and Highways

Kearny has many miles of roads. The Belleville Turnpike (Route 7) forms the northern border with North Arlington. It crosses the Rutgers Street Bridge into Belleville. Kearny Avenue goes through the town. U.S. Route 1/9 and US 1/9 Truck also pass through. The Essex Freeway (Interstate 280) goes through Kearny. It connects to Interstate 95 (the New Jersey Turnpike).

Public Transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service in Kearny. You can take buses to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan. Buses also go to other New Jersey towns. Bus service to Newark is available on routes like the 1 and 76.

The NJ Transit Meadows Maintenance Complex in Kearny

Kearny used to have train service. The Arlington station and West Arlington station were once active. Train service ended in 2002. Kearny is also home to the Meadows Maintenance Complex. This is where NJ Transit trains are maintained.

The closest airport with passenger flights is Newark Liberty International Airport. It is about 6.5 miles away.

Notable People from Kearny

See also

In Spanish: Kearny (Nueva Jersey) para niños