Secaucus, New Jersey
The name Secaucus comes from Algonquian words meaning place of snakes. Early land transfers frequently mentioned Snake Hill or Rattlesnake Hill as landmarks within the territory. Director-General Peter Stuyvesant purchased this strip of firm land in 1658, though it was scarcely an island and surrounded by tidal marshes instead. The Smith family settled there by at least 1733, building a large farm on Great Neck before moving to what is now Secaucus. Abel I. Smith Burial Ground remains part of the local lore today.
In World War II, nearly 250,000 pigs lived on 55 farms within the town borders. This population outnumbered human residents by a ratio of 16 to 1 during that period. Farmers raised these animals to meet meat demands for Newark and New York City markets. Henry B. Krajewski served as one prominent pork peddler who ran for governor three times and president twice. A 1947 ordinance prohibited new farms, while the New Jersey Turnpike Authority bought 11 existing farms for highway construction in the early 1950s. Court orders shut down the last few operations in the late 1950s.
Two NJ Transit commuter trains collided at Bergen Junction on the 9th of February 1996, killing three people and injuring 168 passengers. The accident occurred during morning rush hour when a train running on the Main Line sideswiped another operating on the Bergen Line. This incident became NJ Transit's deadliest crash involving fatalities among passenger and crew members. Secaucus Junction opened in December 2003 with an initial parking lot holding 1,100 spaces. Exit 15X on the New Jersey Turnpike provides direct access to this rail station located in the south end of town.
Debris from Pennsylvania Station demolition was dumped in the Secaucus Meadowlands starting in 1963, including statues tossed unceremoniously into a trackside landfill. Robert A. Roe later saved Day and Night allegorical statues that had been carted out of Manhattan. Today the area hosts several large retail zones like Harmon Cove Outlet Center and Mill Creek Mall. Corporate headquarters for companies such as The Children's Place and Quest Diagnostics now occupy former industrial sites. Eleven data centers operate within the town due to proximity to New York City and favorable storm resiliency costs.
Mayor Dennis Elwell resigned amid corruption charges on the 28th of July 2009 after serving since 2000. Richard Steffens took over his term following a unanimous council vote in August 2009. Anthony Impreveduto served on Town Council from 1981 to 1992 before resigning from state Assembly after pleading guilty to using campaign funds for personal expenses. He received a $10,000 fine plus five years probation for those violations. Current Mayor Michael Gonnelli won a full four-year term in November 2009 and was re-elected for another four years in 2013.
WWOR-TV channel 9 operated studios in Secaucus until relocating to Fox Television Center on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The Morton Downey Jr. Show filmed there between 1987 and 1989 with live audiences present. The NBA Replay Center opened in 2014 featuring over 94 HD televisions for reviewing controversial calls during games. MLB Network and NHL Network maintain headquarters within the town boundaries. Men's soccer team Secaucus FC plays in the Garden State Soccer League while Major League Lacrosse held its first four seasons here before moving operations to Boston.
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Common questions
What is the origin of the name Secaucus New Jersey?
The name Secaucus comes from Algonquian words meaning place of snakes. Early land transfers frequently mentioned Snake Hill or Rattlesnake Hill as landmarks within the territory.
How many pigs lived in Secaucus New Jersey during World War II?
Nearly 250,000 pigs lived on 55 farms within the town borders during that period. This population outnumbered human residents by a ratio of 16 to 1 while farmers raised these animals to meet meat demands for Newark and New York City markets.
When did the NJ Transit train collision occur at Secaucus New Jersey?
Two NJ Transit commuter trains collided at Bergen Junction on the 9th of February 1996 killing three people and injuring 168 passengers. The accident occurred during morning rush hour when a train running on the Main Line sideswiped another operating on the Bergen Line.
Where was debris from Pennsylvania Station demolition dumped starting in 1963?
Debris from Pennsylvania Station demolition was dumped in the Secaucus Meadowlands starting in 1963 including statues tossed unceremoniously into a trackside landfill. Robert A. Roe later saved Day and Night allegorical statues that had been carted out of Manhattan.
Who served as mayor of Secaucus New Jersey after Dennis Elwell resigned in 2009?
Richard Steffens took over his term following a unanimous council vote in August 2009. Current Mayor Michael Gonnelli won a full four-year term in November 2009 and was re-elected for another four years in 2013.