With a rich history, beautiful landscapes, and many famous “firsts” in science, sports, and entertainment, there’s a reason why New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the U.S. Here’s a list of some fun facts about our commonly misunderstood state.
1. New Jersey is the birthplace of college football.
On November 6, 1869, in New Brunswick, NJ, Rutgers hosted Princeton in the first intercollegiate football game, which Rutgers won, 6-4. @University of Alabama you’re welcome.
2. The longest boardwalk in the world is in Atlantic City.
Spanning 5.5 miles, the Atlantic City boardwalk is not only the longest in the world, but also the oldest boardwalk in the U.S., opening in 1870. Everything you could ever desire is all within walking distance courtesy of the thousands of wooden planks that lay atop the sand. With restaurants, famous candy shops, ice cream parlors, casinos, rides, games, and performances by musicians and comedians, the boardwalk by day is the perfect spot for a relaxing walk alongside a dazzling view of the Atlantic Ocean. By night it transforms into a magical seaside amusement park.
3. Cape May is one of the oldest seashore destinations in the United States.
Beginning in the mid-1800s, visitors from Philadelphia flocked to the picturesque and charming seaside resort for summer vacations. With ocean waves that sparkle under the summertime sun, boardwalk rides and games that light up and awaken the shore line at night, and nearly 600 extravagant Victorian homes, Cape May remains an enchanting vacation haven. Visitors hop on trolleys to tour the historic district, walk along Sunset Beach in search of Cape May diamonds (polished quartz that often washes up along the shore), catch a glimpse of dolphins and whales, and stop by Cape May Bird Observatory, also known as the birding migration capitol of the U.S.
4. The first baseball game was played in Hoboken.
On October 6, 1845, The Knickerbockers played the New York Baseball Club at Elysian Fields in Hoboken, NJ. The New York Baseball Club won 23-1 in four innings.
5. The Statue of Liberty proudly stands above the waters of Jersey City.
Liberty Island is an exclave of New York (a portion of territory of one state completely surrounded by territory of another). This means that Liberty Island is actually on the New Jersey side of the state line and is therefore surrounded by NJ waters. Basically, if you want to visit Lady Liberty, you have to travel through Jersey. Don’t worry New Yorkers, you can come visit any time! (Side note: both New Jersey and New York are correct answers to the question “Where is the Statue of Liberty?” on U.S. government-conducted tests).
6. The first submarine ride took place in the Passaic River.
Irish engineer and inventor John P. Holland built his first submarine prototype in 1878. Holland tested his submarine in the Passaic River in Paterson just above the Great Falls. The submarine dove 12 feet and stayed under water for an hour. After several revisions, Holland later developed the first submarine officially commissioned by the U.S. Navy. Britain and Japan later adopted Holland’s designs for their own Navy fleets.
7. Camden is home to the first Drive-In Movie theater.
On June 6, 1933, excited drivers paid a whopping 25 cents per car plus 25 cents per person and rolled back their car seats to watch the British comedy, Wives Beware, on the big-screen under the stars at the theater.
8. New Jersey was the first state to sign the Bill of Rights.
New Jersey has many famous firsts (the birthplace of electricity - thank you NJ - and home to Thomas Edison, the location of the first U.S. hot air balloon flight, and the location of the first U.S. national historic park, Morristown National Historic Park, to name a few). Along with these impressive firsts, in 1789, New Jersey was the first state to sign the Bill of Rights and take a revolutionary step towards establishing democracy and the new United States.
9. Over 100 Revolutionary War battles were fought in New Jersey, making NJ the “Pathway of Revolution.”
Many important turning points and morale boosters during the Revolutionary War occurred in New Jersey. The Battle of Trenton, Battle of Monmouth, Crossing of the Delaware, and the 1779-1780 winter the Continental Army endured in Morristown are a few of the crucial events that paved the way for the Colonists’ victory. General George Washington fittingly received news of the war’s end at his headquarters in Kingston, NJ.
10. New Jersey ranks 2nd in blueberry production, 3rd in cranberry production, and 3rd in bell peppers.
New Jersey is the named the Garden State for a reason. With more than 9,800 farms spanning 790,000 acres, NJ has beautiful greenery and substantial vegetation. New Jersey also ranks 4th in peach and lettuce production.
11. The world’s largest spoon collection is in New Jersey.
Lambert Castle Museum in Paterson, NJ, features over 5,400 spoons owned by Bertha Schaefer Koempel (1882-1966). Koempel grew up in Paterson and began collecting spoons as a young girl. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, elaborately decorated spoons were a popular item sold in gift shops around the world. Koempel’s collection rapidly expanded as friends and family brought back spoons from their travels and gave them to Koempel. Interesting tidbit: The collection has even been a question on Jeopardy multiple times.
12. New Jersey has the most horses per square mile in the U.S.
With 4,654 horse farms in NJ, Steven J. Wolf, a spokesman for the Freehold-based Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey, said “New Jersey may rightly be called the Garden State, but it also can rightly be called the Horse State.” You can watch more horse races in New Jersey than in Kentucky. (Naturally) the horse is New Jersey’s state animal, and the United States Equestrian Team is headquartered in Gladstone, NJ.
13. New Jersey is the Diner Capital of the World.
Most people know that NJ is the diner jackpot and that we New Jerseyans love our diners (Belgium waffles and milkshakes at 2AM are a way of life). Most people may not know that New Jersey is actually home to the most diners in the world (over 600).
14. The first complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered in Haddonfield.
In 1858, New Jersey became the birthplace of modern paleontology when William Parker Foulke and his crew dug up the bones of Hadrosaurus in Haddonfield. Now, Hadrosaurus is the official dinosaur for the state of NJ.
15. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Frank Sinatra, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Whitney Houston, John Travolta, Meryl Streep, Lea Michele, Kelly Ripa, Queen Latifa, Shaquille O’Neil, Thomas Edison, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, and Grover Cleveland are all Jersey natives.
The list above is a condensed version of the well-known Jersey men and women who made their mark. As such an awesome state, it’s only natural for the people born and raised in NJ to be just as cool.
