Location of South Amboy in
Middlesex County highlighted in red (left). Inset map: Location of Middlesex County in
New Jersey highlighted in orange (right).
First settled by the
LenapeNative Americans, who called the area around
Perth Amboy by the name "Ompoge" (meaning "level ground"), the settlement ultimately became a key port for commerce between
Lower New York Bay and
Philadelphia, connected first by stagecoach and eventually by railroad.[25][26] The city was initially founded as a village by Dutch fishermen known as Radford's Ferry, but later become a key city to safeguard
New Amsterdam from the British.[27] When settled by Europeans in 1684, the city was named New Perth in honor of
James Drummond, Earl of Perth, one of the associates of a company of Scottish proprietaries. The
Algonquian language name was corrupted to Ambo, or Point Amboy, and eventually a combination of the native and colonial names was used.[28][29][30] South Amboy is mentioned during the Revolutionary War in letters to and from George Washington referring to an "officer stationed on the South Amboy shore" and by General Washington himself writing that he was "now in Jersey" and suggesting the enemy "may proceed to South Amboy". Once known as Radford's Ferry, as well as the South Ward of Perth Amboy, South Amboy became one of the earliest townships around 1685 as well as one of the largest at 18 miles long and six miles wide.[31]
In 1808, the first store was opened by Samuel Gordon. In 1831,
Robert L. Stevens brought the steam engine "
John Bull" to the
Camden & Amboy Railroad. In 1832, Charles Moore became the town's first lawyer. In 1844, the first post office was established in the town. In 1852, the Swan Hill Pottery was established. Most of the town's churches were established between the 1850s-1880s. In 1880, the
Great Beds Lighthouse is built offshore. In 1882, local
newspaper "The Citizen" was established. In 1888, Amboy National Bank was established. In 1889, the oldest active
fraternal organization, the
Knights of Pythias Lodge was established. In 1890, a huge fire destroyed an entire city block of wooden houses on the east side of Broadway, which led to the establishment of the city's first
fire station that same year. In 1912, the
Woman's Club was formed. In 1912, New Jersey's first
air mail flight was made between South Amboy and
Perth Amboy. In 1914, the South Amboy
Public Library was established. In 1919, the first public
high school was established. In 1924, the South Amboy Hospital was built. In 1927, the
Victory Bridge was built, connecting South Amboy to Perth Amboy. In 1931, the South Amboy
First Aid Squad was established. In 1972, the library was rededicated as Sadie Pope Dowdell Public Library. In 1984, scenes for The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) were filmed in South Amboy at the Raritan Diner.[32] In 1991, the South Amboy-Sayreville Times newspaper was established. In 1993, the Amboy Beacon newspaper was established. Raritan Bay Waterfront Park opened in 1998. In 1999, filming for Coyote Ugly (2000) took place in South Amboy, where the film partially is set.[32] In 2002, the South Amboy Neighborhood Preservation Program started. In 2002, the
Seastreak Ferry service began. In 2004, South Amboy joined the New Jersey
Main Street Program. In 2010, the
YMCA and
senior center opened.[27]
South Amboy has passed through three of the five types of New Jersey municipalities. It was first mentioned on May 28, 1782, in minutes of the
Board of Chosen Freeholders as having been formed from
Perth Amboy Township. It was formally incorporated as a
township by the
Township Act of 1798 on February 21, 1798. Over the next 90 years, portions split off to form
Monroe Township (April 9, 1838),
Madison Township (March 2, 1869; later renamed as Old Bridge Township) and
Sayreville Township (April 6, 1876; later Borough of Sayreville). Other modern municipalities included in these splits are
Jamesburg,
South Brunswick, and
Cranbury.[31] As of February 25, 1888, South Amboy
borough was formed, replacing South Amboy Township. On April 11, 1908, South Amboy was incorporated as a city, replacing South Amboy borough, confirmed by a referendum held on July 21, 1908.[33][34]
Ammunition explosions
As a result of South Amboy's strategic location as a transportation hub, the city has been heavily damaged by military explosives in two major incidents. The
1918 explosions occurred during World War I at the Gillespie Shell Loading Plant, just south of the town. The
1950 explosion struck as Healing Lighterage Company dockworkers were transferring ammunition from a freight train onto barges. Both disasters killed dozens and injured hundreds of local victims, damaged hundreds of South Amboy buildings, required emergency declarations of martial law, and scattered wide areas of ammunition remnants that continue to surface occasionally.[35][36][37][38][39][40]
Area codes 732 and 848 are used in South Amboy.[16] The city had been in
area code 908, until January 1, 1997, when 908 was split forming area code 732. South Amboy has an enclave of apartments near Kohl's in Sayreville, whose residents use a South Amboy mailing address. The Melrose and Morgan sections of Sayreville and the Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge also use the South Amboy Zip Code of 08879. [citation needed] Mechanicsville, White's Dock, and Thomas J. Dohany Homes are neighborhoods in the city.
Demographics
As The New York Times said of South Amboy in 2000: "The population mix has not changed much since the beginning of the 20th century, when Irish and Polish immigrants came to work on the three railroads that crisscrossed the city."[44] South Amboy remains a strong enclave of Polish ethnicity, including 21% of its population in the 2000 census,[45] and the historic Sacred Heart Church and School.[46]
Of the 3,372 households, 28.0% had children under the age of 18; 46.8% were married couples living together; 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present and 33.1% were non-families. Of all households, 26.7% were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.11.[20]
20.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 29.8% from 25 to 44, 29.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 93.2 males.[20]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010
American Community Survey showed that (in 2010
inflation-adjusted dollars)
median household income was $61,566 (with a margin of error of +/− $6,388) and the median family income was $80,815 (+/− $4,285). Males had a median income of $54,000 (+/− $5,767) versus $49,303 (+/− $4,574) for females. The
per capita income for the borough was $31,590 (+/− $2,232). About 10.2% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.[58]
2000 census
As of the
2000 United States census[17] there were 7,913 people, 2,967 households, and 2,041 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,102.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,969.9/km2). There were 3,110 housing units at an average density of 2,005.3 per square mile (774.3/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.22%
White, 0.86%
African American, 0.19%
Native American, 1.38%
Asian, 0.03%
Pacific Islander, 1.71% from
other races, and 1.62% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 6.75% of the population.[56][57]
There were 2,967 households, out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were
married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.22.[56][57]
In the city the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 32.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.0 males.[56][57]
The median income for a household in the city was $50,529, and the median income for a family was $62,029. Males had a median income of $42,365 versus $29,737 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $23,598. About 6.7% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.[56][57]
Government
Local government
South Amboy is governed within the
Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the
Mayor-Council system of municipal government. The city is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.[59] The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member City Council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters. The City Council includes five members, two of whom are elected on an
at-large basis while three are elected from
wards. All members of the governing body are elected in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis in even-numbered years as part of the November general election, with the three ward seats up for election together and the two at-large seats and the mayoral seat up for vote together two years later.[8][60]
As of 2024[update], the
Mayor of South Amboy is
Democrat Fred Henry, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.[4] Members of the City Council are Council President Michael "Mickey" Gross (D, 2026; at-large), Anthony Conrad (D, 2026; at-large), Zusette Dato (D, 2024; Third Ward), Brian H. McLaughlin (D, 2024; First Ward) and Thomas B. Reilly (D, 2024; Second Ward).[61][62][63][64]
In February 2015, the City Council appointed Thomas Reilly to fill the Second Ward expiring in December 2016 that became vacant when Christine Noble took office in an at-large seat.[65] In the 2015 November general election, Reilly was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[66]
Following the death of Russell Stillwagon in June 2010, after serving nearly two decades on the City Council, Donald Applegate was chosen the following month by council members from among three names proposed to fill the vacancy representing the First Ward.[67]
Federal, state and county representation
South Amboy is located in the 6th Congressional District[68] and is part of New Jersey's 19th state legislative district.[69][70][71]
Middlesex County is governed by a
Board of County Commissioners, whose seven members are elected
at-large on a partisan basis to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects from among its members a commissioner director and deputy director.[78] As of 2024[update], Middlesex County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year, and residence listed in parentheses) are:
As of November 2018, there were a total of 5,876 registered voters in South Amboy, of which 2,948 (50.%) submitted ballots in the last General Election. Incumbent Mayor Fred Henry (1,490) secured his third term by defeating Republican candidate Peter Pisar (923) and independent amateur Brandon Russell (403).[94][95]
Of the 5,876 registered voters: 2,410 (41.0%) were registered as
Democrats, 658 (11.2%) were registered as
Republicans and 2,803 (47.7%) were registered as
Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as
Libertarians or
Greens.[96]
In the
2012 presidential election, Democrat
Barack Obama received 55.6% of the vote (1,790 cast), ahead of Republican
Mitt Romney with 42.7% (1,373 votes), and other candidates with 1.7% (54 votes), among the 3,269 ballots cast by the city's 5,491 registered voters (52 ballots were
spoiled), for a turnout of 59.5%.[97][98] In the
2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 50.8% of the vote (1,875 cast), ahead of Republican
John McCain with 46.6% (1,722 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (64 votes), among the 3,693 ballots cast by the city's 5,382 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.6%.[99] In the
2004 presidential election, Democrat
John Kerry received 52.4% of the vote (1,784 ballots cast), outpolling Republican
George W. Bush with 46.0% (1,566 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (37 votes), among the 3,405 ballots cast by the city's 4,971 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 68.5.[100]
In the
2013 gubernatorial election, Republican
Chris Christie received 65.0% of the vote (1,341 cast), ahead of Democrat
Barbara Buono with 33.4% (689 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (33 votes), among the 2,104 ballots cast by the city's 5,486 registered voters (41 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 38.4%.[101][102] In the
2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 52.7% of the vote (1,288 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat
Jon Corzine with 35.4% (865 votes), Independent
Chris Daggett with 9.2% (226 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (41 votes), among the 2,445 ballots cast by the city's 5,298 registered voters, yielding a 46.1% turnout.[103]
Raritan Bay Catholic Preparatory—Sacred Heart School was a parochial elementary school opened in 1895 and serving Pre-K–3 to eighth grade that operated under the auspices of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen, until it was closed in June 2016 due to insufficient enrollment.[113]Cardinal McCarrick High School closed at the end of the 2014–2015 school year, in the wake of an increasing financial deficit.[114]
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010[update], the city had a total of 23.65 miles (38.06 km) of roadways, of which 18.73 miles (30.14 km) were maintained by the municipality, 3.50 miles (5.63 km) by Middlesex County, and 1.42 miles (2.29 km) by the
New Jersey Department of Transportation.[115]
Plans for the ferry service to Lower and Midtown Manhattan were announced in November 2018.[129] In June 2020, the project received $5.3 million in federal funding for construction of a terminal near the train station.[130] On October 30, 2023, the
NY Waterway began service between South Amboy and
Manhattan, with stops at
Downtown (
Brookfield Place/Battery Park City) and
Midtown (
W39th Street) at 100 Radford Ferry Road. Free local shuttles run between
Sayreville and South Amboy with various current bus stops, as well as one at
South Amboy Station. As of now, the ferry schedule is limited to Monday-Friday during mornings and evenings, each with four departures. Morning departures from South Amboy begin at 5:45AM and end at 8:45AM, with all trips arrive about 55 minutes to Brookfield Place, and only the last two going to Midtown, which arrives about 10 minutes later. There are no trips to South Amboy in the mornings. Evening departures from Manhattan only leave Midtown at 3:15PM and 4:15PM, while departures are at every hour from 3:30PM to 6:30PM at Brookfield Place. There are two return trips from South Amboy to Manhattan at 4:25PM and 5:25PM. The ferry includes free transfers to
Weehawken,
Hoboken, and
Jersey City. The ferry offers tea, coffee, and refreshments on board. There is free parking by the ferry terminal. There is currently only a temporary terminal at the end of an abandoned industrial pier, but a $30 million dollar permanent facility is in the process of being built nearby with a planned opening in 2025.[131][132]
The
Raritan River Railroad provided passenger service to the city from 1888 to 1938.[133] The railroad is now defunct along this part of the line. Proposals have been made to use the line as a
light rail route.[134]
Harold G. Hoffman (1896–1954), mayor, congressman for New Jersey's 3rd congressional district between 1927-1931, and 41st governor of New Jersey between1935-1938, for whom South Amboy Elementary School is named[142]
^
abcdBurkard, Tom.
"Movies/Films In South Amboy/Sayreville", South Amboy-Sayreville Times, January 26, 2022. Accessed May 27, 2024. "In 1985, Director/Actor Woody Allen brought his movie Purple Rose of Cairo to South Amboy, and shooting took place at the legendary Raritan Diner on Bordentown Ave.... Back in September 1999, Coyote Ugly had scenes shot in South Amboy, and on July 12, 2000, the movie crew returned to town to shoot final scenes for the movie, at the South Amboy Knights of Columbus Council #426 on Fourth St. and North Stevens Ave."
^Raum, John O.
The History of New Jersey: From Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume 1, p. 248, J. E. Potter and company, 1877. Accessed July 21, 2013. "South Amboy township is located on Raritan bay at the mouth of Raritan river and has a population of 4,525. This is the termination of the Camden and Amboy division of the Pennsylvania railroad. There is near this village a superior quality of clay from which stoneware is extensively manufactured."
^Durett, Jacqueline.
"Applegate takes place on South Amboy council: Residents raise concerns about beach, other issues", Sayreville Suburban, July 29, 2010. Accessed May 26, 2011. "There is a new face on the South Amboy City Council. Donald Applegate, a First Ward resident, was joined by his family as he took the oath at the start of the July 21 council meeting. Mayor John O'Leary conducted the swearing-in. Applegate replaces Councilman Russell Stillwagon, who died at age 78 on June 29."
^Biography, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. Accessed January 3, 2019. "Frank Pallone, Jr., was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, where he grew up and still resides."
^Biography of Bob Menendez,
United States Senate, January 26, 2015. "Menendez, who started his political career in Union City, moved in September from Paramus to one of Harrison's new apartment buildings near the town's PATH station.."
^Board of County Commissioners,
Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed May 1, 2022. "The residents of Middlesex County's 25 municipalities elect seven persons to serve as members of the Board of County Commissioners. The Commissioners are elected at large to staggered three-year terms in the November general election. In January of each year, the Board reorganizes, selecting one Commissioner to be County Commissioner Director and another to be County Commissioner Deputy Director."
^Heyboer, Kelly.
"How to get your kid a seat in one of N.J.'s hardest-to-get-into high schools", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, May 2017. Accessed November 18, 2019. "Middlesex County has two stand-alone career academies for high-achieving students: the Academy for Science, Math and Engineering Technology, located on the campus of Middlesex County College in Edison, and the Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge. How to apply: Students must attend a mandatory information session and submit an application by November of their 8th grade year."
^Loyer, Susan.
"Sacred Heart School in South Amboy is closing", Courier News, April 15, 2016. Accessed December 25, 2019. "Sacred Heart Elementary School, a staple in the community for more than 100 years, is the latest school in the Diocese of Metuchen to be closing its doors.... The Pre-K to Grade 8 school has 191 registered students this academic year but only 80 registered for the 2016-2017 academic year, according to the diocese.... The decision to close McCarrick followed a 2013 decision to create the Raritan Bay Catholic Preparatory School, an umbrella organization for the high school and Sacred Heart Elementary School."
^Milo, Paul.
"McCarrick High School in South Amboy closing in June, report says", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, May 19, 2015. Accessed September 23, 2015. "The Diocese of Metuchen announced that Cardinal McCarrick St. Mary's High School will close due to a cash shortfall, News 12 New Jersey reported Tuesday.... Parents interviewed by the station expressed surprise when they learned the school had been grappling with financial problems for 5 years and now faces a $1.8 million deficit."
^Ursillo, Jen.
"South Amboy passenger ferry soon to become a reality,
WKXW. November 19, 2018. Accessed July 21, 2020. "The ferry will start at the Radford Ferry Overpass and it's expected the transit from South Amboy to Manhattan will be 40 minutes, with stops at Wall Street and Midtown. Eight hundred parking spaces will be available to start, Skarzynski said. If the ferry proves to be successful and more spaces are needed, then there will be plans for expansion."
^Warren, Michael Sol.
"N.J. city aims for new NYC ferry as project gets $5M boost from feds", NJ Advance Media for
NJ.com, July 21, 2020. Accessed July 21, 2020. "On Monday, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-6th Dist., announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation will grant $5.3 million to South Amboy for a ferry service between the Raritan Bay city and downtown Manhattan. The money, which comes from the DOT’s Passenger Ferry Grant program, will be used to help build a new ferry terminal in South Amboy."
^Stations of the Raritan River Railroad, Tom's Raritan River Railroad Page. Accessed December 25, 2019. "The line ran from South Amboy to New Brunswick, via Sayreville, Parlin, South River, East Brunswick, and North Brunswick."
^Preserving Rail Rights of Way in Middlesex County,
Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed December 3, 2019. "On this basis the following rail lines may merit future investigation on their feasibility for accommodating a light rail and/or busway type of passenger service. Raritan River Railroad. South Amboy, Sayreville, South River, East Brunswick, Milltown, North Brunswick, New Brunswick - This corridor could address some of the east-west travel needs in the central area of the County providing a transit way that would link the City of South Amboy and the City of New Brunswick. This could also provide a viable commuter travel alternative to the heavily used Route 18 Corridor."
^Fitzgerald's Legislative Manual, 1979, p. 236. Accessed April 20, 2020. "John H. Froude. Dem.. South River - Assemblyman Froude was born in South Amboy Feb. 1, 1930."
^Thomas Jr., Robert McG."Monroe Green, 92, Times Advertising Director", The New York Times, December 8, 1986. Accessed September 12, 2019. "The only child of the operator of a small clothing store in South Amboy, N.J., Mr. Green, whose father died when he was 10, worked his way through the University of Pennsylvania, went to work for Macy's after his graduation in 1927, and five years later, at the age of 27, was the store's advertising manager."
^Raley, Dan.
"Déjà two: A half-century apart, twins light up Seattle courts", Seattle Post-Intelligencer, March 8, 2003. Accessed June 19, 2007. "The O'Briens grew up in South Amboy, N.J., mainly as baseball players. They were cut from the basketball team as sophomores and juniors at St. Mary's High School for one reason: Too darn short.... The O'Briens never made it to the NBA. They were drafted by the old Milwaukee Hawks, but turned to pro baseball instead, as infielders and part-time pitchers. Each accepted a $25,000 signing bonus from the Pittsburgh Pirates and went straight to the majors, becoming the first set of twins to play together on the same big-league team, if not appear together on the same trading card."
^Charles Willson Peale - Charles Pettit, 1792,
Worcester Art Museum. Accessed October 6, 2015. "Pettit moved from Burlington to South Amboy with Franklin, but their relationship was severed when the governor decided to maintain his support of British authority and Pettit sided with the Whigs."
^"Elmer Stout Obituary", Asbury Park Press, September 24, 2013. Accessed October 6, 2015. "Born in South Amboy, he had resided in South River until his retirement from the former Goodkind & O'Dea Consulting Engineers for whom he worked his entire career."
^"Weiss, Theodore S. (1927-1992)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 21, 2020. "Weiss, Theodore S., a Representative from New York; born in Gava, Hungary, September 17, 1927; attended the primary schools of Hungary until 1938 when he emigrated to the United States and settled in South Amboy, N.J.; continued his education in the public schools of South Amboy; graduated from Hoffman High School, 1946"
^Nutt, Amy Ellis.
"Sandy causes N.J. supermarket to close up shop after 84 years", The Star-Ledger, November 25, 2012, updated March 30, 2019. Accessed July 24, 2020. "They include the white Colonial house he grew up in; a miniature Frank’s Meat Market, complete with a nearly microscopic potato-weighing scale; even the old Raritan Diner where Woody Allen’s 1985 movie Purple Rose of Cairo was shot."
^Foreman, Jonathan.
"It’s No Joke, Ugly Is Not A Pretty Picture", New York Post, August 4, 2000. Accessed July 24, 2020. "Violet hails from South Amboy, N.J., which the filmmakers conceive of as a desert island without TV, movies, libraries or magazines."
^Coyote Ugly, Cinema Review. Accessed July 24, 2020. "Filming commenced in New Jersey and in the meat district on Manhattan's lower West Side. The cast and crew spent the first month on location in Manhattan and in several other small towns in New Jersey including South Amboy and Sea Bright."