Harrison is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in the western part of

Hudson County Hudson County is the most densely populated county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It lies west of the lower Hudson River, which was named for Henry Hudson, the sea captain who explored the area in 1609. Part of New Jersey's Gateway Region in ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

. It is part of the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...

. It is a suburb of the nearby city of

Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. As of the

2020 U.S. census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, Harrison's population was 19,450, reflecting an increase of 5,830 (+42.8%) from the 13,620 counted in the 2010 Census,"2010 Census Populations: Hudson County"
'' Asbury Park Press''. Accessed September 4, 2011.DP-1 – Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 for Harrison town, Hudson County, New Jersey
,

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

. Accessed December 15, 2011.Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 for Harrison town
,

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The New Jersey Civil Service Commission is an independent body within the New Jersey state government under the auspices of the ...

. Accessed December 15, 2011. which had in turn decreased by 804 (−5.6%) from the 14,424 counted in the 2000 Census. Once considered "the beehive of industry", the town is undergoing a residential renewal, particularly along the Passaic River.

History

Colonial era to 19th century

The area that is now Harrison was the southernmost part of the land grant awarded to

William Sandford William Sandford (26 September 1841 – 29 May 1932) was an English-Australian ironmaster, who is widely regarded as the father of the modern iron and steel industry in Australia. Early life in England Sandford was born at Torrington in ...

in 1668. When that grant was divided in 1671 between Sandford and his uncle, Nathaniel Kingsland of

Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...

, Sandford's 5,000-acre (7.8 square mile) share included Harrison. While Sandford and his family established a plantation on the northern portion of his tract, there is no evidence they developed any significant part of Harrison. Upon his death in 1691, Sandford's land passed to his wife, Sarah Sandford (née Whartman). Upon her death , she passed most of the land, including Harrison, to her son William (). In 1729, William transferred the southern parts of his upland to three of his sons, John, Robert and Peter, each receiving a lot that included a portion of Harrison's upland. John and Robert sold their lots to members of the Schuyler family in 1733 and 1736, respectively, and migrated westward, John to

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

and Robert to Pine Brook. The disposition of Peter's lot is not known, but no further record of him is found in or near Harrison. A road to the

Hudson Waterfront The Hudson Waterfront is an urban area of northeastern New Jersey along the lower reaches of the Hudson River, the Upper New York Bay and the Kill van Kull. Though the term can specifically mean the shoreline, it is often used to mean the contigu ...

was completed in 1750, named for Douwe's Ferry which it met at its eastern end to cross the Hackensack River. In 1790 the state legislature decided that "public good would be served by a 64-foot road from

Paulus Hook Paulus Hook is a community on the Hudson River waterfront in Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.Bridge Street Bridge) were built creating an uninterrupted

toll road A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...

connection. It is now known as the Newark Turnpike. In 1826, the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

formed Lodi Township from the southern portion of New Barbadoes Neck in

Bergen County Bergen County is the most populous county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Hackensack. In 1840, the inhabitants of Lodi Township joined with present-day

Secaucus Secaucus ( ) is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the town's population was 16,264,Bayonne, Jersey City,

Hoboken Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58,69 ...

Weehawken Weehawken is a township in the northern part of Hudson County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is located largely on the Hudson Palisades overlooking the Hudson River. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 17,197.

, and Union City and petitioned for the creation of a new county due to the great distance which the petitioners had to travel to reach the county seat in Hackensack. This appeal resulted in the creation of

and the first mention of Harrison occurs in the law which was passed on April 13, 1840. Harrison Township was thereby established.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
, Bureau of Geology and Topography,

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784.History of Harrison
, Town of Harrison. Accessed October 30, 2017. The first committee meeting of the Township of Harrison was held on April 16, 1840, and it is widely accepted that Harrison was named for President

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

, who was elected that year.

19th century to present

Union Township (now Lyndhurst) was created as of February 19, 1852, from portions of the township and became part of Bergen County. General N. N. Halstead succeeded in getting the necessary laws passed in Trenton and April 8, 1867, Kearny became a separate Township from land that was a part of Harrison, which included East Newark at the time; East Newark later seceded from Kearny, establishing their own Borough. On March 25, 1869, Harrison town was incorporated, replacing the township. While campaigning for re-election in 1912, President

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

told residents gathered for a rally that "you have reason to be proud of this Hive of Industry", from which was coined the town's motto, "The Beehive of Industry", which is still used today.Jones, Richard G
"As Newark Neighbor Moves Toward Rebirth, Some Pains Are Felt"
, ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', February 21, 2007. Accessed December 15, 2011. "It was a sobering descent from the days when Harrison, which juts into the Passaic River just across from Newark, was the city where the likes of R.C.A., Otis Elevator and Thomas A. Edison helped forge the town's motto: 'Beehive of Industry.'" The town's proximity to rail lines and a large waterfront made Harrison favorably situated for trade. Some of the industries which called Harrison home included the Edison Lamp Works, Worthington Pump and Machinery, the

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

Company, the Peter Hauck Brewery, Driver-Harris Company, Crucible Steel Company,

Otis Elevator Otis Worldwide Corporation ( branded as the Otis Elevator Company, its former legal name) is an American company that develops, manufactures and markets elevators, escalators, moving walkways, and related equipment. Based in Farmington, Connec ...

, Hartz Mountain, Remco Industries, Nopco Chemical and Hyatt Roller Bearing. As the U.S. moved into the 20th century, these facilities played a major role in the development of new products for both the private and public sector, peaking during World War II. The small town of about only 14,000 residents had more than 90,000 workers commuting into it on a daily basis. In the 21st century the town is undergoing a transformation from a manufacturing center to a residential and service sector town.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town had a total area of 1.33 square miles (3.44 km²), including 1.21 square miles (3.14 km²) of land and 0.12 square miles (0.30 km²) of water (8.72%).

Unincorporated communities An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

located partially or completely within Harrison include Manhattan Transfer. The town borders the municipalities of East Newark and Kearny in Hudson County; and

across the Passaic River in Essex County.

Demographics

2010 census

2000 census

As of the

2000 United States Census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...

there were 14,424 people, 5,136 households, and 3,636 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 11,811.1 people per square mile (4,564.9/km²). There were 5,254 housing units at an average density of 4,302.2 per square mile (1,662.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 66.10%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 0.98%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.40% Native American, 11.89%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 15.96% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 4.65% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 36.97% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Harrison town, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 12, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Harrison town, Hudson County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed November 12, 2012. As of the 2000 census, 7.22% of Harrison's residents identified themselves as being of

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

ancestry. This was the fifth-highest percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. There were 5,136 households, out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.27. In the town, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $41,350, and the median income for a family was $48,489. Males had a median income of $33,069 versus $26,858 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $18,490. About 10.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Harrison is governed under the

Town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 9 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and Town Council, all of whom are elected on a partisan basis as part of the November general elections. A mayor is elected directly by the voters at-large to a four-year term of office. The Town Council is comprised of eight members who are elected to serve four-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat from each of the town's four wards up for vote one year, one seat from each of the four wards up the next year and then two years with no elections.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy of Rutgers University (The Bloustein School) serves as a center for the theory and practice of urban planning, public policy and public health/health administration scholarship. The sc ...

, March 2013, p. 142. The town is divided into four electoral wards, with each ward represented by two council members, with a total of eight council members on the Town Council. Each ward is divided into three districts (except for the 1st Ward, which has two districts), for a total of 11 electoral districts. The head of the government is the mayor. The mayor chairs the Town Council and heads the municipal government. The Mayor may both vote on legislation before the council and veto ordinances. The Mayor's veto can be overruled by ¾ of the Town Council voting to overrule the veto. Town Council meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm (except in July and August, when no meetings are held, at the call of the chairman), in Council Chambers, which is located on the second floor of the Town Hall at 318 Harrison Avenue. Public Caucus Meetings are held at 6:30 pm. , the Mayor of Harrison is

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

James A. Fife, who is serving a term of office ending December 31, 2022. Members of the Harrison Town Council are Laurence M. Bennett (D, 2022; Ward 3), Maria J. Camano (D, 2023; Ward 1), Michael T. Dolaghan (D, 2023; Ward 4), James P. Doran (D, 2022; Ward 4), Jesus R. Huaranga (D, 2022; Ward 1), Ellen Mendoza (D, 2022; Ward 2), Delfim Sarabando (D, 2023; Ward 3 – appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Eleanor Villalta (D, 2023; Ward 2).Mayor and City Council
Town of Harrison. Accessed May 22, 2022.2022 Municipal Data Sheet
Town of Harrison. Accessed May 22, 2022.Elected Officials

Hudson County, New Jersey Hudson County is the most densely populated county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It lies west of the lower Hudson River, which was named for Henry Hudson, the sea captain who explored the area in 1609. Part of New Jersey's Gateway Region in t ...

Clerk. Accessed May 1, 2022.General Election November 2, 2021 Official results

, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.Hudson County General Election November 3, 2020 Official Results

Clerk, updated November 19, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.Hudson County General Election 2018 Statement of Vote November 5, 2019

Clerk, updated November 13, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. Harrison had one of the longest-serving mayors in United States history, Frank E. Rodgers, who was first elected in 1946, defeating incumbent Frederick J. Gassert who had served for 16 years, and served for 48 years, from 1947 to 1995, being elected to 24 two-year terms. He also served two terms in the

New Jersey State Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

, from 1978 to 1984.Nieves, Evelyn
"Our Towns; 24 Terms Are Enough, Harrison Mayor Decides"
, ''

'', March 29, 1994. Accessed July 9, 2016. While serving a term scheduled to end on December 31, 2014, longtime Mayor Raymond McDonough died on February 12, 2014, after suffering a heart attack at town hall. Later that month, the town council selected James Fife, a former

Harrison High School Harrison High School may refer to: in the United States ''(by state)'' *Harrison High School (Harrison, Arkansas), listed on the National Register of Historic Places * Harrison High School (Colorado Springs) — Colorado Springs, Colorado * Har ...

principal, to complete term of McDonough's seat as mayor, which he had held since 1995.Staff
"Harrison picks ex-principal Fife to succeed McDonough as mayor"
, ''

The Jersey Journal ''The Jersey Journal'' is a daily newspaper, published from Monday through Saturday, covering news and events throughout Hudson County, New Jersey. ''The Journal'' is a sister paper to ''The Star-Ledger'' of Newark, ''The Times'' of Trenton an ...

'', February 26, 2014. Accessed August 2, 2014. "Former Harrison High School Principal James A. Fife was selected by the Harrison Town Council yesterday to succeed Raymond J. McDonough as mayor. McDonough, who had been mayor since 1995, suffered a massive heart attack in his Town Hall office Feb. 12 and died." In 2018, the town had an average property tax bill of $11,109, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide. In February 2022, the Town Council selected Delfim Sarabando from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fille the Ward 3 council seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Francisco Nascimento until he stepped down from office.

Federal, state, and county representation

Harrison is located in the 8th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
,

New Jersey Redistricting Commission The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington; t ...

, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 32nd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, Harrison had been part of the , a change made by the

that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
, p. 58, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015.

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,454 registered voters in Harrison, of which 3,207 (58.8%) were registered as Democrats, 312 (5.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,934 (35.5%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...

received 78.4% of the vote (2,699 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 20.0% (689 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (54 votes), among the 3,473 ballots cast by the town's 5,940 registered voters (31 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 58.5%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 68.0% of the vote (2,347 cast), ahead of Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two terms ...

with 30.0% (1,036 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (38 votes), among the 3,453 ballots cast by the town's 5,827 registered voters, for a turnout of 59.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party (Unite ...

received 64.8% of the vote (2,142 ballots cast), outpolling Republican

George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...

with 34.1% (1,128 votes) and other candidates with 0.3% (16 votes), among the 3,306 ballots cast by the town's 5,411 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 61.1. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in N ...

received 53.2% of the vote (896 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 45.2% (762 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (27 votes), among the 1,718 ballots cast by the town's 6,032 registered voters (33 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 28.5%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat

Jon Corzine Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006 and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran fo ...

received 69.0% of the vote (1,542 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 24.8% (554 votes), Independent

Chris Daggett Christopher Jarvis Daggett (born March 7, 1950) is an American businessman who is the president and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, one of the largest foundations in New Jersey. A former regional administrator of the United States En ...

with 3.9% (87 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (30 votes), among the 2,234 ballots cast by the town's 5,225 registered voters, yielding a 42.8% turnout.

Emergency services

Police

In the 1870s, the township was patrolled by Phillip Mulligan and four constables. In 1878, Mulligan was eventually appointed "Police Justice" and in 1885, an ordinance was passed to regulate and establish a police department. In 1891, the first police officers were appointed under the 1895 ordinance. Michael Rodgers (father of Mayor Frank E. Rodgers) was among those appointed. He eventually became the first chief of police. On March 28, 1897, Officer John J. Clark was electrocuted while investigating a downed power line, becoming the first Harrison police officer to die in the line of duty. A plaque at police headquarters is dedicated in his memory. The Harrison Police Department is presently led by Chief of Police David Strumolo, who was sworn-in March 2018. The department currently consists of 39 members, down from a one-time high of 67 officers in the 1990s. The department consists of several divisions; Administrative, Patrol, Detective, Traffic Safety, Street Crimes, and Community Policing. The department participates in National Night Out, and various cultural and civic events, as well as "meet and greets." The department was among the many Hudson County agencies that responded to the January 2009 crash of

Flight 1549 US Airways Flight 1549 was a regularly scheduled US Airways flight from New York City (LaGuardia Airport), to Charlotte and Seattle, in the United States. On January 15, 2009, the Airbus A320 serving the flight struck a flock of birds short ...

, for which they received accolades from the survivors. The Harrison Police Department is recognized as an "accredited police agency" by the New Jersey Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission and the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police.

Fire

The Harrison Fire Department operates out of a fire station located at 634 Sussex Street and operates a fire apparatus fleet of three engines, one ladder, and several support units and spares. Due to cutbacks, the HFD usually is able to staff one engine with three members and one ladder with three members and one tour commander on duty. The HFD has a table of organization of 29 firefighters. In April 2013, officials from neighboring municipalities and fire departments expressed their frustration at the stresses placed on their firefighters in covering fires in Harrison. Currently Harrison is staffing two engines and one ladder 24/7. *Engine 1 (spare) 1994 Emergency-One Sentry 1250/750 *Engine 2 2020 Pierce Enforcer 1500/750 *Engine 3 2006 Emergency-One Typhoon 1500/720/10/20 *Ladder 1 2018 Pierce Arrow 107' Tillered Aerial *Ladder 2 (spare) 1991 Duplex/LTI 110' Tillered Aerial *Battalion Chief 2019 Ford Explorer Interceptor •Deputy Chief 2013 Ford Expedition

EMS

As of January 1, 2014,

Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation The Monmouth Ocean Hospital Service Corporation (MONOC) was a non-profit hospital services company which provided emergency and non-emergency medical transport services in New Jersey. MONOC was formed in 1978 as a cooperative by member hospitals ...

(MONOC) EMS provides 9-1-1 ambulance service to the city of Harrison and nearby East Newark. As part of the agreement, MONOC pays a $1,500 monthly fee for its use of the firehouse on Cleveland Avenue that had previously been used by Harrison Emergency Management Services.

Education

The

Harrison Public Schools The Harrison Public School District is a comprehensive public school district serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, located in the municipality of Harrison, in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. Harrison is located ...

serves students in

kindergarten Kindergarten is a preschool educational approach based on playing, singing, practical activities such as drawing, and social interaction as part of the transition from home to school. Such institutions were originally made in the late 18th cent ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

. The district is one of 31 former

Abbott district ''Abbott'' districts are school districts in New Jersey that are provided remedies to ensure that their students receive public education in accordance with the state constitution. They were created in 1985 as a result of the first ruling of ''Abb ...

s statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the

New Jersey Supreme Court The Supreme Court of New Jersey is the highest court in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, the Supreme Court of New Jersey is the final judicial authority on all cases in the state court system, including cases challenging the ...

in ''Abbott v. Burke'' which are now referred to as "SDA Districts" based on the requirement for the state to cover all costs for school building and renovation projects in these districts under the supervision of the

New Jersey Schools Development Authority The New Jersey Schools Development Authority (commonly referred to as NJSDA or SDA) is the State agency responsible for fully funding and managing the new construction, modernization and renovation of school facilities projects in 31 New Jersey sch ...

. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of four schools, had an enrollment of 2,409 students and 166.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 14.5:1.District information for Harrison Public Schools
,

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance ...

. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the

) are Harrison Early Childhood Program (grades Pre-K3 and Pre-K4), Lincoln Elementary School with 620 students in grades Pre-K to 3, Hamilton Intermediate School with 307 students in grades 4–5, Washington Middle School with 438 students in grades 6–8, and

with 692 students in grades 9–12. Holy Cross School of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark operated until 2009, when it merged into Mater Dei Academy in Kearny; the merged school closed in 2012.

Civic organizations

Harrison Lions Club was chartered on July 25, 1951. The Harrison Club is part of Multiple District 16 (New Jersey) which is part of Lions Clubs International (LCI), the world's largest service organization. The club supports and provides financial aid to the district, state, and international sight projects and is also involved in community programs.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the town had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Hudson County and by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...

. By car, Harrison depends on Interstate 280 which runs through town. Westward, I-280 leads to Route 21, the

Garden State Parkway The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May to the New York state line at Montvale. Its name refers to New Jersey ...

, and

Interstate 80 Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...

. Eastward, it leads to Route 7 and the

New Jersey Turnpike The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highways in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although maintained by NJTA, is not consi ...

. Replacement of Interstate 280's partial access in central Harrison with service roads, a new interchange, and an overpass (to improve access to Harrison Avenue, the PATH station, and Red Bull Arena, and to give north–south passage to local street traffic) is in the planning stages.

Public transportation

The Harrison station on the

PATH A path is a route for physical travel – see Trail. Path or PATH may also refer to: Physical paths of different types * Bicycle path * Bridle path, used by people on horseback * Course (navigation), the intended path of a vehicle * Desire p ...

rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...

system offers service to

, Jersey City,

and New York City. The station was built in 1913 and relocated to its present location in 1936. A major reconstruction for the Harrison Station was approved on March 28, 2012, and construction started in January 2013. The completion target, originally scheduled for April 2017, was tentatively moved to 2018; the expansion of the station was completed on June 15, 2019. The

Northeast Corridor The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is an electrified railroad line in the Northeast megalopolis of the United States. Owned primarily by Amtrak, it runs from Boston through Providence, New Haven, Stamford, New York City, Philadelphia, Wilmington, a ...

, built in the 19th century by the

Pennsylvania Railroad The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...

and now owned by Amtrak, carries

NJ Transit New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit, and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey, along with portions of New York State and Pennsylvania. It operates bu ...

trains, and passes through the city on the same alignment as the PATH. There was a stop on the Northeast Corridor in Harrison, but it was eliminated due to the ease of picking up trains in Newark at

Penn Station Pennsylvania Station is a name applied by the Pennsylvania Railroad to several of its grand passenger terminals. Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station may also refer to Current train stations * Baltimore Penn Station * Pennsylvania Station (Cinc ...

. Harrison is served by buses operated by several bus companies.

offers service within New Jersey on the 30, 40 routes. The closest airport in New Jersey with scheduled passenger service is Newark Liberty International Airport, located away in

and

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

Harrison Waterfront Development Plan

The Harrison Waterfront Redevelopment Plan invited developers to submit plans that capitalize on the presence of the Harrison PATH Station and the Passaic River within a area that covers 35% of the whole town. The Plan seeks to unite the developers' proposals with a design theme that includes motifs from Harrison's industrial, cultural, and environmental history as a means of fostering a new identity for Harrison that provides a variety of mixed-use, transit-oriented, pedestrian-scale development that will make Harrison a regional destination.

Red Bull Arena

Harrison is the location of the Red Bull Arena soccer stadium, home of the

New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. The club was established in October 1994 and be ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

. After years of construction delays, the arena opened on March 20, 2010, with an exhibition game against the

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

ian club

Santos FC Santos Futebol Clube (), commonly known simply as Santos or Santos FC and nicknamed the ''Peixe'' (; "fish"), is a Brazilian sports club based in Vila Belmiro, a '' bairro'' in the city of Santos. It is also the team with the most goals i ...

. The

soccer-specific stadium Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sports stadium either purpose-built or fundamentally redesigned for soccer and whose primary function is to host soccer matches, as opposed to a multi- ...

(SSS) was constructed at a cost of $200 million and has a capacity of approximately 25,000, with a natural grass field, featuring a full wavy translucent European-style roof that covers all of the seats in the stadium but not the field. The stadium sits alongside the Passaic River with a view of the Newark skyline, and is accessible via public transportation at the PATH train station in Harrison. The stadium is owned and operated by

Red Bull GmbH Red Bull GmbH () is an Austrian private company known for its range of energy drinks of the same name. It is also known for its sponsorship of a range of sporting events and teams. The headquarters of Red Bull GmbH are located in Fuschl am S ...

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Harrison include: * Angelo M. "Chubby" Cifelli (born 1939), singer, songwriter, musician. who had a 1967 hit with "Tell it to the Rain" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons *

Dave D'Errico David D'Errico (born June 3, 1952, in Newark, New Jersey) is a retired United States Men's National Team Captain and American soccer player. He spent eight years in the North American Soccer League (NASL), five in Major Indoor Soccer League (MI ...

(born 1952), former professional soccer player * Samuel Taylor Darling (1872–1925),

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causal, causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when us ...

and

bacteriologist A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology -- a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learning about bacteria, ...

Sam Dente Samuel Joseph Dente (April 26, 1922 – April 21, 2002) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between 1947 and 1955. Listed at , 175 lb., Dente batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Harrison, New ...

(1922–2002), major league baseball shortstop from 1947 to 1955 * Bhairavi Desai, founding member of the Taxi Workers Alliance in New York *

Jack Dunleavy John Francis Dunleavy (September 14, 1879 – April 11, 1944) was an outfielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis ...

(1879–1944), Major League Baseball outfielder and pitcher from 1903 to 1905 * Bernard Epstein (1920–2005), mathematician and physicist who wrote several widely used textbooks on mathematics * Robert Firth (1918–1984),

United States federal judge In the United States, federal judges are judges who serve on courts established under Article Three of the U.S. Constitution. They include the chief justice and the associate justices of the U.S. Supreme Court, the circuit judges of the U.S. ...

Tom Florie Thomas Florie (September 6, 1897 – April 26, 1966) was an American soccer forward. He played in both the first and second American Soccer Leagues, winning two National Challenge Cup titles. Florie was also a member of the United States men ...

(1897–1966),

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

forward Forward is a relative direction, the opposite of backward. Forward may also refer to: People * Forward (surname) Sports * Forward (association football) * Forward (basketball), including: ** Point forward ** Power forward (basketball) ** Sm ...

who played in both the first and second American Soccer Leagues, winning two National Challenge Cup titles and was inducted into the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1986 *

Daisy Fuentes Daisy Fuentes (born November 17, 1966) is a Cuban-American actress, comedian, model, television host and former weather presenter. Fuentes broke barriers as MTV's first Latina VJ (signed to MTV and MTV Latin America simultaneously) and as Revlon ...

(born 1966), model, actress and former

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

VJ *

Joe Gardi Joseph T. Gardi (March 2, 1939 – June 2, 2010) was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Hofstra University for 16 seasons, from 1990 to 2005, compiling a record of 119–62–2.

(–2010), head football coach at

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...

for 16 seasons, from 1990 to 2005, where he compiled a record of 119–62–2 * Kevin Gilmore (1949–1970), college football player who was a member of the 1970 Marshall University football team and died in the crash of

Southern Airways Flight 932 Southern Airways Flight 932 was a chartered Southern Airways Douglas DC-9 domestic United States commercial jet flight from Stallings Field (ISO) in Kinston, North Carolina, to Huntington Tri-State Airport/Milton J. Ferguson Field (HTS) near ...

. His body was not identified and his presumed remains are buried with five other unidentified players in the Springhill Cemetery *

Fred A. Hartley Jr. Frederick Allan Hartley Jr. (February 22, 1902 – May 11, 1969) was an American Republican politician from New Jersey. Hartley served ten terms in the United States House of Representatives where he represented the New Jersey's 8th and New Jer ...

(1902–1969), served ten terms in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

where he represented the New Jersey's 8th and New Jersey's 10th congressional districts *

Marty Kavanagh Martin Joseph Kavanagh (June 13, 1891 – July 28, 1960) was an American baseball player. He played professional baseball for six years from 1913 to 1918, including five seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers (1914–1916, 1918) ...

(1891–1960), Major League Baseball infielder from 1914 to 1918 *

Beverly Kenney Beverly Kenney (January 29, 1932, Harrison, New Jersey – April 13, 1960, Greenwich Village, New York City) was an American jazz singer. Early life Kenney was born in Harrison, New Jersey on January 29, 1932, the second of Charles Joseph and ...

(1932–1960), jazz singer who recorded six albums before her suicide * Ray Lucas (born 1972), former NFL quarterback who played for the New York Jets, among other teams * Edward F. McDonald (1844–1926), represented

New Jersey's 7th congressional district New Jersey's 7th congressional district includes all of Hunterdon and Warren Counties; and parts of Morris, Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties. The district is represented by Republican Thomas Kean Jr., who was first elected in 2022, de ...

from 1895 to 1899 * Patrick "Paddy" McGuigan (–1938), bare-knuckle boxer who was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame *

Matt Pinfield Matthew Pinfield (born May 28, 1961) is an American television host, disc jockey, and music executive. He first reached national prominence as VJ on MTV. He served two stints as the host of the alternative music program ''120 Minutes'', from 19 ...

(born 1966), music personality and

TV host A television presenter (or television host, some become a "television personality") is a person who introduces, hosts television programs, often serving as a mediator for the program and the audience. Nowadays, it is common for people who garner ...

, best known for being a video deejay on

and VH1 * Henry Pogorzelski (born 1922), mathematician best known for his work on Goldbach's conjecture, the still-unsolved problem of whether every even number can be represented as a sum of two

prime number A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...

s *

Tab Ramos Tabaré "Tab" Ramos Ricciardi (born September 21, 1966) is an American former soccer player and current head coach of Hartford Athletic in the USL Championship. Over his thirteen-year professional career, Ramos played as a midfielder in Spain, ...

(born 1966), retired soccer midfielderMifflin, Lawrie
"Doing a Star Turn for the Home Team, at Last"
, ''

'', August 18, 1996. Accessed September 11, 2013. "Giants Stadium is a short trip up the turnpike from Old Bridge, where Mr. Ramos lives with his wife, Amy – a former North Carolina State University soccer player like her husband – and their 16-month-old son, Alex. And it's just a few miles from where he grew up, in Harrison and Kearny, towns that have been soccer hotbeds for generations." * Frank E. Rodgers (1909–2000), politician who as Mayor of Harrison for 48 years from 1946 to 1995, having been elected to 24 consecutive two-year terms in office and placing him among the longest-serving mayors in U.S. history * Fred Shields (1912–1985), soccer player for the United States at the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...

in Berlin who was elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1968 *

Omar Sowe Omar Sowe (born 28 October 2000) is a Gambian professional footballer who plays as a forward for 1. deild karla club Leiknir Reykjavík. Career Early career Raised in Harrison, New Jersey, Sowe attended Harrison High School and became the schoo ...

(born 2000),

player who plays as a

for

New York Red Bulls II New York Red Bulls II is an American professional soccer team based in Montclair, New Jersey. They are the reserve team of the New York Red Bulls and play in MLS Next Pro, the third tier in the American soccer pyramid. History Red Bull New Yo ...

in the

USL Championship The USL Championship (USLC) is a professional men's soccer league in the United States that began its inaugural season in 2011. The USL is sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation (U.S. Soccer) as a Division II league since 2017, p ...

Joe Stripp Joseph Valentine Stripp (February 3, 1903 – June 10, 1989) was an American professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston Bees between 1928 ...

(1903–1989), Major League Baseball third baseman from 1928 to 1938 * Aloysius Michael Sullivan (1896-1980), poet, magazine editor, radio announcer and author, best known for his collection of poems ''Songs of the Musconetcong'' *

Bill Summers Bill Summers may refer to: * Bill Summers (car builder) (1935–2011), American car builder and longtime speed record holder * Bill Summers (musician) (born 1948), American jazz percussionist *Bill Summers (umpire) William Reed Summers (November ...

(1895–1966),

umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French nonper, ''non'', "not" and ''per'', ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

who worked in the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

from 1933 to 1959 *

George Tintle George Tintle (December 24, 1892 in Harrison, New Jersey – January 14, 1975 in Harrison, New Jersey) was a U.S. soccer goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, ...

(1892–1975), soccer goalie elected to the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1952George J. Tintle
, National Soccer Hall of Fame. Accessed December 30, 2007.

References

External links

* * * {{authority control 1840 establishments in New Jersey Populated places established in 1840 Town form of New Jersey government Towns in Hudson County, New Jersey