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75-500: The Nixon Nitration Works, which included a number of plants, covered about 12 square miles (3,100 ha) on the Raritan River , near New Brunswick , in what was then officially known as Raritan Township (later changed to Edison ) and unofficially known as Nixon, New Jersey. It was created in 1915 by naval architect and industrialist Lewis Nixon to supply some European nations with gunpowder and other materials for World War I. When

150-724: A New Jersey Transit railroad bridge which carries the North Jersey Coast Line ; the Victory Bridge which carries Route 35 (connecting Perth Amboy and Sayreville, New Jersey ); the Edison Bridge , which carries U.S. Route 9 (connecting Woodbridge Township and Sayreville ); and the Driscoll Bridge , which carries the Garden State Parkway (connecting Woodbridge Township and Sayreville). The Raritan River

225-513: A German concentration camp into the United States from Mexico. The Nixon Nitration Works was rebuilt on the site, and returned to the business of cellulose nitrate manufacturing. Lewis Nixon died on September 23, 1940. His son Stanhope Wood Nixon , who assumed control of the business, had few of his father's qualities, and many vices. After World War II, the plastics industry evolved from nitrate-based products to acetate -based products, and

300-474: A Republican stronghold in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Middlesex County leaned Democratic for much of the 20th century beginning with Franklin Roosevelt 's victory in the county in 1932 . Throughout the twentieth century, in close elections, the county would always vote Democratic, sometimes by solid margins, but the county was willing to flip Republican in the midst of nationwide Republican landslides in

375-655: A branch of the Lenape people called the Nariticongs, the first people known to settle the Raritan Valley. Following conflict with the arriving Dutch colonists , the native people of the region were forced to sell their territory near the Raritan Bay and move further inland along the river valley. As English colonists took over the region, they took advantage of the river's location between New York and Philadelphia as well as

450-549: A critical link between Philadelphia (and the rest of the greater Mid-Atlantic region , at large) and New York (and the rest of the greater New England region , at large), as these cities were situated along the crucial rivers of the Delaware and the Hudson , respectively. The vast majority of traffic along the canal was Pennsylvania anthracite coal with the rest consisting mostly of agricultural and textile goods. At its peak in 1866

525-443: A female householder with no husband present and 27.8% were non-families. Of all households, 22.5% were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.8 and the average family size was 3.29. 22.9% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

600-603: A particularly rapid growth rate in its Indian American population, with an estimated 5,943 (13.6%) as of 2017, which was 23 times the 256 (0.9%) counted as of the 2000 Census; and Diwali is celebrated by the township as a Hindu holiday. Carteret 's Punjabi Sikh community, variously estimated at upwards of 3,000, is the largest concentration of Sikhs in New Jersey. In Middlesex County, election ballots are printed in English, Spanish , Gujarati , Hindi , and Punjabi . As of

675-452: A residential, commercial, and industrial stronghold and a centrally accessible transportation hub, Middlesex is also home to an extensive public park system with expansive greenways , totaling more than 6,300 acres (2,500 ha). Middlesex County is most demographically notable as the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Asian Indians , at nearly 20% in 2020, spanning the county's boundaries between Little India, Edison/Iselin in

750-559: A restraining order obtained by the navigator he had employed. Levine dissolved the injunction, freed the plane, and became the first transcontinental air passenger, reaching Germany from New York in a flight two weeks following Lindbergh's. Meanwhile, the federal government sued Levine's companies, claiming overcharges for their salvage work. Many lawsuits and prosecutions of Levine and his companies followed, including prosecutions for counterfeiting French coins, conspiring to smuggle tungsten powder from Canada, and smuggling an alien refugee from

825-663: A road network developed by the Lenape to turn the region into a transportation and commercial hub. As a result, the Raritan River became an important waterway for colonial travel and trade, allowing for the development of trade centers like Raritan Landing and New Brunswick , where agricultural and raw material goods could be sold. During the American Revolutionary War , the river was the site of guerilla warfare by American militiamen against British patrols, culminating in

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900-414: A well-respected scholar, author, and teacher. A residence hall at Purdue is named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Shreve. Charles A. Levine earned a fortune as a result of his companies' contracts with the federal government to salvage shells. In 1927, he financed an effort to become the first to fly from New York to Paris, only to have Charles A. Lindbergh reach Paris first while Levine's plane was grounded by

975-593: Is a Desi-focused commercial strip in Middlesex County, the U.S. county with the highest concentration of Indians. The Oak Tree Road strip runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring Iselin in Woodbridge Township , near the area's sprawling Chinatown and Koreatown , running along New Jersey Route 27 . It is the largest and most diverse Desi cultural hub in the United States. Monroe Township in Middlesex County has experienced

1050-544: Is an important source of drinking water for the central portion of New Jersey. A water filtration plant operated by New Jersey American Water is located in Somerset and draws its water at the confluence of the Raritan River and its largest tributary (the Millstone River ), providing an average of 132,000,000 US gallons (500,000 m ) of water per day. The New Jersey Water Supply Authority operates two reservoirs off of

1125-603: Is largely flat. The majority of the county is located on the inner coastal plain , with the remainder of the county being located on the Eastern Piedmont . The elevation ranges from sea level to 300 feet (91 m) above sea level on a hill scaled by Major Road/ Sand Hill Road near Route 1 in South Brunswick Township . Another area with higher elevation in the county is the Perth Amboy Moraine, left by

1200-581: Is part of the New York metropolitan area . Many communities within the county serve as commuter towns to and from New York City and other points north . The county is part of the Central Jersey region of the state. The county is located in the middle of the Northeast megalopolis of the U.S. Its county seat is the city of New Brunswick , a center for the sciences, arts, and cultural activities , and

1275-717: Is upgrading the Route 18 "avenue" to a freeway between the Route 1 interchange all the way up to the new 18 Extension in Piscataway . The Turnpike Authority planned to build Route 92 , which was to start near the intersection of Ridge Road & Route 1 in South Brunswick to Interchange 8A in Monroe Township. This plan was cancelled on December 1, 2006. The southern end of the "dual-dual" configuration (inner car lanes and outer truck lanes) used to be one mile south of Interchange 8A at

1350-555: The 1900 census . Middlesex County hosts an extensive transportation network, including several rail stations along the heavily traveled Northeast Corridor Line of the New Jersey Transit commuter rail system, as well as the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway , the state's two busiest motor vehicle roadways, in Woodbridge Township . Middlesex County calls itself The Greatest County in

1425-755: The Atlantic Ocean . Geologists assert that the lower Raritan provided the course of the mouth of the Hudson River approximately 6,000 years ago. Following the end of the last ice age , the Narrows had not yet been formed and the Hudson flowed along the Watchung Mountains to present-day Bound Brook , then followed the course of the Raritan eastward into Lower New York Bay . The name Raritan possibly derives from

1500-612: The Battle of Bound Brook where a large British force attacked an American outpost south of the river. The success of the Erie Canal (completed in 1825) sparked a "canal fever" in the United States, catalyzing the construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal (D&R) between New Brunswick on the Raritan and Bordentown on the Delaware River . The D&R was completed in 1834 and provided

1575-509: The Census of 2020 , the county had 863,162 people, 285,906 households, and 209,808 families. The population density was 2,794 inhabitants per square mile (1,078.8/km ). There were 315,521 housing units at an average density of 1,021.4 per square mile (394.4/km ). The county's racial makeup was 41.9% White , 9.8% African American , 0.53% Native American , 26.5% Asian , and 9.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22.4% of

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1650-527: The Green Brook Flood Control Project , which is designed to protect Bound Brook from a 150-year flood. In August 2011, record flooding occurred once again after Hurricane Irene swept through the area. This problem was exacerbated by well-above average rainfall that fell in the weeks before the storm hit, and spurred completion of the Army Corps of Engineers flood control project. As of 2015,

1725-528: The Keystone and Northeast Regional have regular stops within Middlesex County, at either New Brunswick or Metropark station. The Acela service also occasionally stops at Metropark. Bus service in Middlesex County is provided by New Jersey Transit, Coach USA 's Suburban Transit , the extensive Rutgers Campus bus network , the MCAT shuttle system, and DASH buses. There are bus routes that serve all townships in

1800-569: The New Jersey Constitution . The County Clerk and Surrogate serve five-year terms and the Sheriff serves a three-year term of office. In 2016, freeholders were paid $ 23,438 and the freeholder director was paid an annual salary of $ 24,428, though Ronald Rios has accepted a salary of $ 8,340 as director. As of 2024 , Middlesex County's Commissioners (with terms for director and deputy ending every December 31) are: Article VII Section II of

1875-734: The New Jersey State Constitution requires each county in New Jersey have three elected administrative officials known as "constitutional officers." These officers are the County Clerk and County Surrogate (both elected for five-year terms of office) and the County Sheriff (elected for a three-year term). Middlesex county's constitutional officers are: Republicans have not won countywide in Middlesex County since 1991. The Middlesex County Prosecutor has been Yolanda Ciccone since June 2020. Middlesex County constitutes Vicinage 8 of

1950-788: The New Jersey Superior Court ; the vicinage is seated at the Middlesex County Courthouse, at 56 Paterson Street in New Brunswick. The Middlesex Vicinage also has facilities for the Family Part at the Middlesex County Family Courthouse at 120 New Street, also in New Brunswick; there are also other facilities in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy for Probation. The Assignment Judge for Vicinage 8 is Alberto Rivas. The 6th and 12th congressional districts cover

2025-535: The Raritan Valley region to the northern portion of the Jersey Shore . As of the 2020 United States census , the county was the state's third-most populous county with a population of 863,162, its highest decennial count ever and an increase of 53,304 (+6.6%) from the 2010 census count of 809,858, which in turn reflected an increase of 59,696 (8.0%) from the 750,162 counted in the 2000 census . Middlesex

2100-413: The U.S. Census Bureau , as of the 2020 Census, the county had a total area of 322.87 square miles (836.2 km ), of which 309.22 square miles (800.9 km ) was land (95.8%) and 13.65 square miles (35.4 km ) was water (4.2%). The county is named after the historic English county of Middlesex . Bisected by the Raritan River , the county is topographically typical of Central Jersey in that it

2175-504: The headquarters of the state's flagship academic institution, Rutgers University . The county's most populous place, with 107,588 residents as of the 2020 census, is Edison , while Monroe Township covers the largest area of any municipality, at 42.19 square miles (109.3 km ). Since the 2010 census, the state's center of population is in East Brunswick ; the center of population for New Jersey has been in Middlesex County since

2250-420: The 1970s and 1980s. However, since the 1990s, Middlesex County has become a Democratic stronghold at the national level. In 2008 , Barack Obama carried Middlesex County by a much larger 21.8% margin over John McCain , Obama taking 60.2% of the vote to McCain's 38.4%, while Obama won New Jersey overall by 15.5% over McCain. In 2012 , Obama won an even more commanding victory in the county, receiving 63.2% of

2325-634: The Ammonite Co. Secretary of War John W. Weeks also ordered an inquiry, for the more limited purpose of determining whether the Raritan Arsenal was in any way responsible for the explosion. Some theorized that the blast was triggered by small quantities of TNT that remained in the ammonium nitrate at the Ammonite facility after the ammonium nitrate was removed from the shells. Lewis Nixon embraced this explanation. Ammonite disputed this theory, asserting that

1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster - Misplaced Pages Continue

2400-681: The D&;R transported more cargo than the Erie Canal. In 1932 the D&R canal shut down for commercial use. In 1974 the canal was developed as a state park for recreational use and remains in use as a water supply for central New Jersey. Various mill towns were formed along the canal and the aforementioned river (and tributaries), most notably (from south to north / west to east) being Trenton , Kingston , Blackwells Mills , Griggstown , Hillsborough , Manville , Chester , Bernards , Clinton , Raritan , Milltown , and Woodbridge . The river forms at

2475-427: The Delaware to the Raritan river and serves over 1 million customers along the way The Raritan River has persistent flooding problems when excessive rain from storms affects the river basin. The flooding problems mainly affect the town of Bound Brook , which is partially built on a natural floodplain at the junction of several tributaries, and Manville , which has a large neighborhood known as Lost Valley that lies on

2550-572: The Land . The county was primarily settled due to its optimal location along the Raritan River . Middlesex was originally formed as one of four administrative districts within Province of East Jersey in 1675, together with Bergen , Essex and Monmouth districts. Middlesex County was formed within East Jersey on March 7, 1683. The population increased so the county was partitioned on October 31, 1693, into

2625-463: The New York City metro area in late October 2012, just a few days before the election. In 2016 , Democrat Hillary Clinton carried Middlesex County by a tighter 21.4% margin over Republican Donald Trump , while Clinton won New Jersey overall by 14.1% over Trump. In 2020 , Democrat Joe Biden carried Middlesex County by a margin of 22.03%, a slight improvement from 2016, with Biden taking 60.22% of

2700-447: The Nixon name is still used by the local post office and postal district. 40°29′24″N 74°21′47″W  /  40.490°N 74.363°W  / 40.490; -74.363 Raritan River The Raritan River is a river of the U.S. state of New Jersey . Its watershed drains much of the central region of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay near Staten Island on

2775-509: 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. The Commissioner Director appoints commissioners to serve as chairpersons and members on the various committees which oversee county departments. Middlesex County also elects three "constitutional officers" whose existence is laid out in

2850-421: The Raritan as well. The tidal portions of the river host migratory salt water species such as striped bass , fluke , winter flounder , weakfish and bluefish . Recently, efforts to restore anadromous fish populations have been made, done by removing many of the obsolete dams and the constructing dam bypass infrastructure. Hopefully this will result in restoring shad , striped bass, and sturgeon populations in

2925-620: The Raritan river, the Spruce Run Reservoir and Round Valley Reservoir , and controls releases of water to ensure the “minimum passing flow rates” enforced by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection . Additionally, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, managed by the New Jersey Water Supply Authority, serves as a water supply that pumps over 100,000,000 US gallons (380,000 m ) of water per day from

3000-777: The Works' nitrocellulose buildings sat a storage house leased to the Ammonite Company, which used the building to salvage the contents of artillery shells for use as agricultural fertilizer . That salvage was performed after the trinitrotoluene (TNT) was extracted from the shells at the nearby Raritan Arsenal by the Columbia Storage Company, owned by aeronautic pioneer Charles A. Levine . The Ammonite building reportedly contained 1 million US gallons (3,800 m) of stored ammonium nitrate , plus 15 tank cars that each held 90,000 US gallons (340,000 L) of ammonium nitrate in

3075-408: The arsenal's high-explosive magazines had been crushed by the initial explosion and the roofs of two others blown in. Through the efforts of exhausted firefighters , the fire did not reach the arsenal. Two days after the explosion, newspapers reported that 18 people were killed, two were missing (and presumed killed), and 15 others remained hospitalized. The blast injured 100 people. The dead included

1924 Nixon Nitration Works disaster - Misplaced Pages Continue

3150-407: The arsenal, also disagreed that residual TNT was to blame, and believed that the explosion was due to conditions in the plant. In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, federal, state, and local officials considered whether plants containing explosives should be banned from Middlesex County . One month after the disaster, Ammonite sued Nixon Nitration Works for $ 400,000 in damages, alleging that

3225-424: The average content of TNT in the salvaged ammonium nitrate was only two-tenths of one percent. However, under questioning, Shreve acknowledged that this would have caused 120 pounds (54 kg) of TNT filtered from ammonium nitrate to flow every day into a small stream on the site, and that there might have been "several percent" of TNT in tanks of ammonium nitrate remaining at the site. Major A.S. Casand, commander of

3300-578: The border of Cranbury and Monroe Township. It was relocated to Exit 6 in Mansfield Township in Burlington County after the Turnpike widening project was completed in early November 2014. NJ Transit provides Middlesex County with frequent commuter rail service along the North Jersey Coast Line , Northeast Corridor Line , and Raritan Valley Line . The North Jersey Coast Line runs through

3375-400: The company failed to make the transition. In 1951, as the company shrank, it gave 48 acres (19 ha) of land, and a dam, to New Brunswick. The site of the Works is now a part of Middlesex County College and Raritan Center Industrial Park. In 1954, the citizens of Middlesex County's Raritan Township renamed their community by referendum. The name Edison was chosen over Nixon. However,

3450-465: The confluence of the North and South Branches just west of Somerville at the border of Bridgewater , Branchburg , and Hillsborough Townships . It flows for approximately 16 mi (26 km) before slowing in tidewater at New Brunswick , and its estuary extends 14 mi (23 km) more entering the western end of Raritan Bay at South Amboy . Comprehensive measures have been taken to reduce

3525-1807: The county had a total of 2,584.38 miles (4,159.16 km) of roadways, of which 2,118.08 miles (3,408.72 km) were maintained by the municipality, 292.16 miles (470.19 km) by Middlesex County and 131.48 miles (211.60 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation , 41.49 miles (66.77 km) by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and 1.17 miles (1.88 km) by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey . County roads include CR 501 , CR 514 , CR 516 (only in Old Bridge ), CR 520 (only in Old Bridge), CR 522 , CR 527 , CR 529 , CR 531 , CR 535 , and CR 539 (only in Cranbury ). The state routes are: Route 18 , Route 26 (only in North Brunswick – entirely concurrent with Livingston Avenue), Route 27 , Route 28 , Route 32 , Route 33 (only in Monroe Township ), Route 34 (only in Old Bridge), Route 35 , Route 91 (concurrent with Jersey Avenue in North Brunswick and entering New Brunswick ), Route 171 , Route 172 (only in New Brunswick), Route 184 and Route 440 . U.S. Routes include: Route 1 , Route 9 , Route 1/9 (only in Woodbridge ) and Route 130 . The county also includes some limited access highways and Interstates as well. Middlesex County hosts

3600-523: The county seat of New Brunswick have ranged from a low of 22 °F (−6 °C) in January to a high of 86 °F (30 °C) in July, although a record low of −13 °F (−25 °C) was recorded in January 1984 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1999. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 2.98 inches (76 mm) in February to 5.08 inches (129 mm) in July. According to

3675-590: The county. For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 6th congressional district is represented by Frank Pallone ( D , Long Branch ). For the 118th United States Congress , New Jersey's 12th congressional district is represented by Bonnie Watson Coleman ( D , Ewing Township ). The 25 municipalities of Middlesex County are part of seven legislative districts. Robert D. Clifton (R) Tennille McCoy (D) Roy Freiman (D) Joseph Danielsen (D) Sterley Stanley (D) Yvonne Lopez (D) Michele Matsikoudis (R) Thomas N. Acken served as

3750-467: The current status of this project is: (In alphabetical order with 2020 population) The Raritan river is formed by the confluence of: Its main tributaries are: Others are: Lakes that are located within the Raritan Basin include: Middlesex County, New Jersey Middlesex County is a county located in the north - central part of the U.S. state of New Jersey , extending inland from

3825-529: The eastern part of the county. The Northeast Corridor Line runs through the northern and central part of the county. The Raritan Valley Line serves Dunellen and is accessible to other communities along the county's northern border with Union and Somerset counties. Intercity rail service is provided by Amtrak . The routes that run through Middlesex County are the Acela Express , Keystone , Northeast Regional , and Vermonter services, although only

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3900-445: The explosion and was fined a total of $ 9,000, reflecting a $ 600 fine for each of 15 employees killed in the blast. In May 1924, Nixon Nitration Works was ordered to pay $ 12,000 to the widow of a victim who worked for that company. Ammonite dissolved in 1926, for reasons attributed to the explosion. Ammonite owner Shreve, already a renowned chemical and industrial engineer, later joined the faculty at Purdue University , where he became

3975-512: The explosion soon set cellulose nitrate sheets afire in nearby buildings. Fires began to consume other buildings as well, including the offices of the Nitration Works. Six hours after the explosion, flames were still burning over an area of one square mile. As darkness fell, shifting winds suddenly began fanning the flames toward freight cars on a siding and toward the nearby Raritan Arsenal where 500,000 high-explosive shells were stored. Four of

4050-432: The explosion was due to the Nixon company's carelessness. In 1928, a federal judge dismissed the claims and counterclaims between Ammonite and Nixon Nitration Works, leaving Columbia Salvage Company as the only defendant in the suit. In April 1924, Ammonite Corporation was indicted on fifteen counts of involuntary manslaughter and initially pleaded not guilty. The following year Ammonite pleaded guilty to charges arising from

4125-418: The floodplain between the Raritan River and its largest tributary river, which is known as the Millstone River . Other towns in the Raritan River basin also experience flooding to a lesser degree. Record flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999 (42.13 ft (12.84 m)) flood crest, 14 ft (4.3 m) above flood stage) caused renewed interest in a flood control project called

4200-400: The following, grouped by ranges of employees: Middlesex County is named after the county of the same name in England. Middlesex County is governed by a Board of Commissioners , which is comprised of seven members who 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

4275-507: The north and Monroe Township at its southern tip. Middlesex has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) which borders a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) on Raritan Bay and Arthur Kill . Average monthly temperatures in downtown New Brunswick range from 31.9 °F (−0.1 °C) in January to 75.6 °F (24.2 °C) in July, while in South Amboy they range from 32.3 °F (0.2 °C) in January to 75.9 °F (24.4 °C) in July. In recent years, average temperatures in

4350-406: The pollution and increase the water quality. These actions have benefited the fish population which include (but are not limited to) largemouth bass , smallmouth bass , sunfish , catfish , trout , chain pickerel , american eels , carp and yellow perch . Pike can be found in relative abundance in some portions of the river like Clinton and Califon. An occasional Musky has been taken out of

4425-444: The population. There were 285,906 households, of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples living together, 24.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 14.2% had a male householder with no wife present and 26.6% were non-families. 14.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

4500-481: The process of crystallization . The disaster began when ammonium nitrate in the Ammonite building exploded. Windows for a mile around the scene were broken inward and doors were blown from their hinges. The blast shook Staten Island , where business buildings in the Stapleton and St. George neighborhoods rocked, windows rattled, and doors were slammed. It was felt in lower New York City , Brooklyn , and 50 miles away in Mineola, New York . The flaming debris from

4575-455: The river. Many songbirds , wading birds , and waterfowl make their homes in and along the length of the river, such as mallards , canadian geese , great blue herons , double-crested cormorants , and common mergansers . Common songbirds include the american robin , song sparrow , northern mockingbird , common grackle , and the Red-winged blackbird . Crustaceans such as blue claw crab , fiddler crabs and green crabs are also found in

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4650-609: The sheriff in 1891. Joseph Spicuzzo served in 2014 and was arrested for bribery. Mildred S. Scott is the current county sheriff, she was sworn in on January 1, 2011, as the first female sheriff of Middlesex County and the first African-American sheriff in the state of New Jersey. As of August 1, 2020, there were a total of 545,795 registered voters in Middlesex County, of which 229,982 (42.1%) were registered as Democrats , 84,258 (15.4%) were registered as Republicans and 224,058 (41.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated . There were 7,497 (1.4%) voters registered to other parties. After being

4725-596: The southern end of I-287 which turns into Route 440 that connects to the Outerbridge Crossing . The Garden State Parkway passes through the eastern part of the county, which features nine interchanges and the northern start/end of the split-roadways ( Express & Local Lanes ). The New Jersey Turnpike carries I-95 through the center of the county. The Turnpike has five interchanges in Middlesex County: Exit 12 in Carteret , Exit 11 in Woodbridge , Exit 10 in Edison , Exit 9 in East Brunswick and Exit 8A in Monroe Township . The New Jersey Department of Transportation

4800-445: The southern limit of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Only the far northeastern area of the county was glaciated, and the Perth Amboy Moraine stretches from Perth Amboy, through Woodbridge, Edison and Metutchen, and stradles the border of Edison and South Plainfield before exiting the county. The area includes peaks of over 200 feet. Middlesex County is prominently known for its significant concentration of Indians . The growing Little India

4875-416: The tidal sections of the river. Crayfish can be found farther upstream. The river is also used for recreational boating, including use by the rowing team of Rutgers University in New Brunswick. The river is featured in the title of Rutgers' alma mater , On the Banks of the Old Raritan , and its flooding is mentioned in the song. Near its mouth, the river is spanned by the Raritan Bay Drawbridge ,

4950-406: The townships of Piscataway , Perth Amboy , and Woodbridge. Adjacent Somerset County was established on May 14, 1688, created from portions of Middlesex County. The county's first court met in June 1683 in Piscataway, and held session at alternating sites over the next century in Perth Amboy, Piscataway, and Woodbridge before relocating permanently to New Brunswick in 1778. Despite its status as

5025-546: The vote to Buono's 40%. In the 2017 gubernatorial election , Democrat Phil Murphy won Middlesex County with a wide 17% margin over Republican Kim Guadagno , with Murphy getting 57% of the vote to Guadagno's 40% of the vote. In the 2021 gubernatorial election , Republican Jack Ciattarelli received 43.4% of the vote (90,297 ballots cast) to Democrat Phil Murphy 's 55.9% (8116,352 votes). Middlesex County hosts various county roads, state routes, US routes, and interstate highways, as well as toll highways . As of May 2010 ,

5100-414: The vote to Donald Trump's 38.19%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election , Republican Chris Christie received 47% of the vote, defeating incumbent Democrat Corzine, who received around 45%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election , incumbent governor Chris Christie improved on his margin in Middlesex County from 2009, carrying the county by about 18% over Democrat Barbara Buono , with Christie receiving 58% of

5175-426: The vote to Republican Mitt Romney 's 35.6%, a Democratic victory margin of 27.6%, while carrying New Jersey overall by 17.8%. Like much of the New York City metropolitan area , Middlesex County was one of the few parts of the country to swing even harder in Obama's favor in 2012 compared to 2008, even as he lost ground nationally. Some credit the swing towards Obama to his response towards Superstorm Sandy , which hit

5250-414: The war ended, its facilities were put to broader uses, involving other explosive materials. The company manufactured cellulose nitrate (also known as nitrocellulose, guncotton, and several other names), a highly flammable material that was the first man-made plastic . Finished cellulose nitrate was piled in 50-by-20-inch (127 by 51 cm) sheets in surrounding buildings. Some 300 feet (91 m) from

5325-457: The wife and three children of an employee of the plant who lived 100 yards from the scene, a stenographer working at the plant, and 13 workmen who were repairing the roof of the building where the blast occurred. Prosecutor John E. Toolan of Middlesex County, New Jersey , began an inquiry two days after the blast. Among those summoned to appear for the inquiry were Lewis Nixon, his son Stanhope Wood Nixon , and R. Norris Shreve , then president of

5400-439: Was $ 107,149. About 8.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 11.1% of those under age 18 and 8.8% of those age 65 or over. The 2010 United States census counted 809,858 people, 281,186 households, and 203,016 families in the county. The population density was 2,621.6 per square mile (1,012.2/km ). There were 294,800 housing units at an average density of 954.3 per square mile (368.5/km ). The racial makeup

5475-416: Was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.32. About 21.6% of the county's population was under age 18, 9.3% was from age 18 to 24, 40.1% was from age 15 to 44, and 15.5% was age 65 or older. The median age was 39.3 years. The gender makeup of the county was 49.4% male and 50.5% female. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. The county's median household income was $ 93,418, and the median family income

5550-399: Was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 96.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 94 males. The Bureau of Economic Analysis calculated that the county's gross domestic product was $ 59.0 billion in 2021, which was ranked second in the state and was a 6.8% increase from the prior year. Major non-governmental employers in Middlesex County include

5625-440: Was 58.60% (474,589) White , 9.69% (78,462) Black or African American , 0.34% (2,777) Native American , 21.40% (173,293) Asian , 0.03% (251) Pacific Islander , 6.99% (56,569) from other races , and 2.95% (23,917) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 18.40% (148,975) of the population. Of the 281,186 households, 34.4% had children under the age of 18; 55.9% were married couples living together; 11.8% had

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