South Amboy, New Jersey facts for kids

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South Amboy, New Jersey

City

Downtown South Amboy along Broadway

Seal

Nickname(s):

"The Gateway to the Shore"

Location of South Amboy in Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).

Census Bureau map of South Amboy, New Jersey

South Amboy, New Jersey

Location in Middlesex County, New Jersey

South Amboy, New Jersey

Location in New Jersey

South Amboy, New Jersey

Location in the United States

February 21, 1798

Government

• Type

Faulkner Act (mayor–council)

• Body

City Council

Area

• Total

2.70 sq mi (6.99 km²)

• Land

1.54 sq mi (3.98 km²)

• Water

1.16 sq mi (3.01 km²) 42.76%

Area rank

365th of 565 in state
19th of 25 in county

Elevation

9 ft (3 m)

Population

(2020)

• Total

9,411

• Estimate

(2023)

10,237

• Rank

254th of 565 in state
19th of 25 in county

• Density

6,119.0/sq mi (2,362.6/km²)

• Density rank

88th of 565 in state
6th of 25 in county

Time zone

UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))

• Summer (DST)

UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))

ZIP Codes

08879

Area code(s)

732 and 848

FIPS code

3402368550

GNIS feature ID

0885399

South Amboy is a city in New Jersey. It's located in Middlesex County, right on the Raritan Bay. In 2020, about 9,411 people lived there. This was an increase from 8,631 people in 2010.

South Amboy and Perth Amboy are often called "The Amboys." Perth Amboy is just across the Raritan River. You might see signs for "The Amboys" on the New Jersey Turnpike.

History of South Amboy
- Early Days and Growth
- Ammunition Explosions in South Amboy
  - 1918 Explosion During World War I
  - 1950 Explosion at the Pier
Geography of South Amboy
Population and People
- Population Changes Over Time
- Facts from the 2010 Census
Education in South Amboy
Transportation Options
- Roads and Highways
- Public Transportation
Notable People from South Amboy
Images for kids
See also

History of South Amboy

South Amboy was first settled by the Lenape Native Americans. They called the area "Ompoge," which means "level ground." Later, it became an important port for trade. Goods traveled between Lower New York Bay and Philadelphia.

Europeans settled here in 1684. The Dutch fishermen called it Radford's Ferry. It was also important for protecting New Amsterdam from the British. The city was named New Perth to honor James Drummond, Earl of Perth. The Native American name "Ambo" was combined with the colonial name. This is how "South Amboy" came to be.

Early Days and Growth

South Amboy was mentioned during the American Revolutionary War. George Washington wrote about an "officer stationed on the South Amboy shore." He also said he was "now in Jersey" and that the enemy might "proceed to South Amboy."

Around 1685, South Amboy became one of the earliest and largest townships. It was about 18 miles long and six miles wide.

Many important things happened in South Amboy over the years:

1808: The first store opened.
1831: The famous "John Bull" steam engine arrived for the Camden & Amboy Railroad.
1844: The first post office was set up.
1880: The Great Beds Lighthouse was built offshore.
1890: A big fire destroyed a city block. This led to the first fire station.
1912: New Jersey's first air mail flight happened between South Amboy and Perth Amboy.
1914: The South Amboy Public Library was established.
1919: The first public high school opened.
1927: The Victory Bridge was built, connecting South Amboy to Perth Amboy.
1998: Raritan Bay Waterfront Park opened.

South Amboy has changed its official type of municipality several times. It started as part of Perth Amboy Township. It became a township in 1798. Later, parts of it split off to form other towns like Monroe Township and Sayreville. In 1888, it became a borough. Finally, in 1908, South Amboy officially became a city.

Ammunition Explosions in South Amboy

South Amboy's location made it a key transportation spot. Because of this, it was hit by two major explosions involving military explosives.

1918 Explosion During World War I

The 1918 explosion happened during World War I. It was at the Gillespie Shell Loading Plant, just south of the city.

1950 Explosion at the Pier

The 1950 explosion occurred when workers were moving ammunition from a train to barges. Both disasters caused many injuries and damaged hundreds of buildings. They also left ammunition pieces scattered around.

Geography of South Amboy

South Amboy covers about 2.68 square miles (6.95 square kilometers). About 1.54 square miles (3.98 square kilometers) is land. The rest, about 1.15 square miles (2.97 square kilometers), is water.

South Amboy shares borders with:

Sayreville to the south and west.
Perth Amboy to the north, across the Raritan River.
Staten Island to the east, across the Raritan Bay in New York City.

The area codes 732 and 848 are used in South Amboy. Some nearby areas, like parts of Sayreville and Old Bridge, also use the South Amboy Zip Code of 08879. Neighborhoods within South Amboy include Mechanicsville, White's Dock, and Thomas J. Dohany Homes.

Population and People

South Amboy has always been a place where different groups of people live. At the start of the 20th century, many Irish and Polish immigrants moved here. They came to work on the railroads.

Even today, South Amboy has a strong Polish community. In 2000, about 21% of its population was of Polish background. The historic Sacred Heart Church and School are important to this community.

Population Changes Over Time

Here's how the population of South Amboy has changed:

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	2,626		—
1810	3,071		—
1820	3,406		10.9%
1830	3,782		11.0%
1840	1,825	*	−51.7%
1850	2,266		24.2%
1860	3,652		61.2%
1870	4,525	*	23.9%
1880	3,648	*	−19.4%
1890	4,330		18.7%
1900	6,349		46.6%
1910	7,007		10.4%
1920	7,897		12.7%
1930	8,476		7.3%
1940	7,802		−8.0%
1950	8,422		7.9%
1960	8,422		0.0%
1970	9,338		10.9%
1980	8,322		−10.9%
1990	7,863		−5.5%
2000	7,913		0.6%
2010	8,631		9.1%
2020	9,411		9.0%
2023 (est.)	10,237		18.6%
Population sources: 1790–1920 1840 1850–1870 1850 1870 1880–1890 1890–1910 1910–1930 1940–2000 2000 2010 2020 * = Lost territory in previous decade.

Facts from the 2010 Census

In 2010, there were 8,631 people living in South Amboy.

About 86.4% were White.
About 4.4% were Black or African American.
About 4.0% were Asian.
About 13.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

The average age in South Amboy was about 39.3 years old. About 20.8% of the population was under 18 years old.

Education in South Amboy

The South Amboy Public Schools educate students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. In the 2020–21 school year, about 1,100 students attended the two schools. There was about one teacher for every 13.6 students.

The schools in the district are:

South Amboy Elementary School (PreK-5)
South Amboy Middle High School (grades 6-12)

Students in Middlesex County can also apply to special high school programs. These are offered by the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools. They provide career and technical education. These schools include the Middlesex County Academy in Edison and the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge Township. There are also technical high schools in East Brunswick, Perth Amboy, and Piscataway. Students do not pay tuition to attend these schools.

Some private schools in the area have closed. Raritan Bay Catholic Preparatory—Sacred Heart School closed in 2016. Cardinal McCarrick High School closed in 2015.

Transportation Options

South Amboy has several ways to get around, including roads, highways, and public transportation.

Roads and Highways

View north along US 9 at Route 35 in South Amboy

As of 2010, South Amboy had about 23.65 miles of roads. Most of these roads are maintained by the city. Major roads like U.S. Route 9 and Route 35 pass through the city. Several exits for the Garden State Parkway are also very close by.

Public Transportation

South Amboy offers several public transport options:

Train Service: The South Amboy station has frequent train service on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line. Trains go north to Newark Penn Station and Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. Some trains also go to Hoboken Terminal. Southbound trains go to Bay Head.
Bus Service: NJ Transit also provides local bus service on two routes. The 815 bus travels between New Brunswick and the Woodbridge Center. The 817 bus runs between Middletown and Perth Amboy.
Ferry Service: In October 2023, NY Waterway started ferry service from South Amboy to Manhattan. Ferries stop in Downtown (Brookfield Place/Battery Park City) and Midtown (W39th Street). The ferry terminal is at 100 Radford Ferry Road. Free local shuttles connect to the ferry terminal. The ferry schedule is currently limited to weekday mornings and evenings. There is free parking at the ferry terminal. A new permanent ferry facility is being built and should open in 2025.

The Raritan River Railroad used to provide passenger service until 1938. There are ideas to use this old train line for a light rail route in the future.

Notable People from South Amboy

Many interesting people have connections to South Amboy:

Don Campbell (1916–1991): An American football player.
Allie Clark (1923–2012): A baseball player who won the World Series in 1947 and 1948.
Craig Coughlin (born 1958): A member of the New Jersey General Assembly.
Greg Evigan (born 1953): An actor known for TV shows like B. J. and the Bear and My Two Dads.
Harold G. Hoffman (1896–1954): A former mayor of South Amboy and governor of New Jersey. South Amboy Elementary School is named after him.
Benjamin Franklin Howell (1844–1933): The founder of Amboy Bank and a former congressman.
Jack McKeon (born 1930): A baseball manager who led the Florida Marlins to win the 2003 World Series.
Johnny O'Brien (born 1930) and Eddie O'Brien (1930–2014): Twin brothers who both played baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Charles Pettit (1736–1806): A lawyer and merchant who was a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation.
Thomas J. Scully (1864–1921): A former mayor of South Amboy and a congressman.
Marques Townes (born 1995): A basketball player.
Ted Weiss (1927–1992): A politician who served in the United States House of Representatives.