Perth Amboy is a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in Middlesex County,

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 ...

. Perth Amboy 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 ...

. 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 ...

, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy has a Hispanic majority population. In the 2010 census, the

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 ...

population made up 78.1% of the population, the second-highest in the state, behind Union City at 84.7%. Perth Amboy is known as the "City by the Bay", referring to its location adjoining

Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by P ...

. The earliest residents of the area were the

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

Native Americans, who called the point on which the city lies "Ompoge". Perth Amboy was settled in 1683 by Scottish colonists and was called "New Perth" after

James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth James Drummond, 1st Duke of Perth KT PC (164811 May 1716), also 4th Earl of Perth and 7th Lord Drummond, was a Scottish statesman, and Jacobite. Family The eldest son of James Drummond, 3rd Earl of Perth by his spouse Lady Anne, daughter o ...

; the native name was eventually corrupted and the two names were merged. Perth Amboy was formed by

Royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, bu ...

in 1718, and 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 ...

reaffirmed its status in 1784, after independence. The city was a capital of the

Province of New Jersey The Province of New Jersey was one of the Middle Colonies of Colonial America and became the U.S. state of New Jersey in 1783. The province had originally been settled by Europeans as part of New Netherland but came under English rule after the ...

from 1686 to 1776. During the mid-1800s, the

Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...

and immigration grew the city, developing a variety of neighborhoods which residents from a diverse range of ethnicities lived in. The city developed into a

resort town A resort town, often called a resort city or resort destination, is an urban area where tourism or vacationing is the primary component of the local culture and economy. A typical resort town has one or more actual resorts in the surrounding ...

for the

Raritan Bayshore The Raritan Bayshore region of New Jersey is a subregion of the larger Jersey Shore. It is the area around Raritan Bay from The Amboys to Sandy Hook, in Monmouth and Middlesex counties, including the towns of Woodbridge, Perth Amboy, South Amboy, ...

near it, but the city has grown in other industries since its redevelopment starting in the 1990s. Perth Amboy borders the

Arthur Kill The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It is a major navigational channel of the Port of ...

and features a historic waterfront. The

Perth Amboy Ferry Slip The Perth Amboy Ferry Slip, located on the Arthur Kill in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, was once a vital ferry slip for boats in New York Harbor. It was added to the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and Nationa ...

was once an important

ferry slip A ferry slip is a specialized docking facility that receives a ferryboat or train ferry. A similar structure called a barge slip receives a barge or car float that is used to carry wheeled vehicles across a body of water. Often a ferry intend ...

on the route south from New York City; it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1978. The Raritan Yacht Club, one of the oldest

yacht club A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to yachting. Description Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a mari ...

s in the United States, is located in the city. Perth Amboy is connected to the

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...

borough of

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 ...

via the

Outerbridge Crossing The Outerbridge Crossing, also known as the Outerbridge, is a cantilever bridge that spans the Arthur Kill between Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and Staten Island, New York. It carries New York State Route 440 (NY 440) and New Jersey R ...

History

Name

The

Native Americans called the point on which the city is built "Ompoge", meaning "level ground"Cheslow, Jerry
"If You're Thinking of Living In/Perth Amboy; A Waterfront City Planning a Comeback"
''

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 ...

'', December 2, 2001. Accessed December 18, 2019. "The ''City by the Bay,'' as Perth Amboy calls itself, has a proud history. Founded in 1683, it was the first city in New Jersey to be chartered by the Crown, in 1718.... The name Perth Amboy comes from the Earl of Perth, one of the proprietors of New Jersey under the royal grant, and the Leni Lenape Indian word 'ompage', meaning 'level ground.'" or "standing or upright". When settled in 1683, the new city was dubbed "New Perth" in honor of James Drummond, Earl of Perth, one of the 12 associates of a company of Scottish proprietors; Drummond has been honored with a statue located outside of city hall.Makin, Bob
"Walking guide to Perth Amboy's Colonial, Revolutionary War history"
''

Courier News The ''Courier News'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Somerville, New Jersey, that serves Somerset County and other areas of Central Jersey. The paper has been owned by Gannett since 1927. Notable employees * John Curley, former pre ...

'', June 28, 2018. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Outside city hall is a statue of James Drummond, 4th Earl of Perth, a Scottish statesmen who partnered with William Penn in the settlement of East Jersey in 1681. In 1683, he and Penn were among the 12 Proprietors who established the city as a port, fishery and trading post. Perth Amboy is named in the Earl’s honor, Amboy being an Anglicizing of the Lenape word for valley, 'ompoge.'" The Algonquian language name persisted, corrupted to Ambo, or Point Amboy, and eventually a combination of the native and colonial names emerged, also appearing in

Works Project Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, in ...

, reprinted by US History Publishers, 2007. . Accessed August 8, 2014.

Scottish colony

Perth Amboy was settled by Scottish colonists around 1683 who had been recruited to inhabit the share of the East Jersey colony owned by Robert Barclay, a Quaker who would later become the absentee governor of the province.

Charter and incorporation

Perth Amboy was formed by

on August 4, 1718, within various townships and again by

on December 21, 1784, within Perth Amboy Township and from part of Woodbridge Township. Perth Amboy Township was formed on October 31, 1693, and was enlarged during the 1720s to encompass Perth Amboy city. Perth Amboy Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships through the

Township Act of 1798 The Township Act of 1798 ("An Act incorporating the Inhabitants of Townships, designating their Powers, and regulating their Meetings", PL 1798, p. 289) is an Act passed by New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798, that formally incorporat ...

on February 21, 1798. The township was replaced by Perth Amboy city on April 8, 1844.Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 172. Accessed May 10, 2013.

Provincial capital

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 ...

(then known as Elizabethtown) was designated in 1668 as the first capital of New Jersey. In 1686, Perth Amboy was designated as the capital of

East Jersey The Province of East Jersey, along with the Province of West Jersey, between 1674 and 1702 in accordance with the Quintipartite Deed, were two distinct political divisions of the Province of New Jersey, which became the U.S. state of New Jersey. ...

, while

Burlington Burlington may refer to: Places Canada Geography * Burlington, Newfoundland and Labrador * Burlington, Nova Scotia * Burlington, Ontario, the most populous city with the name "Burlington" * Burlington, Prince Edward Island * Burlington Bay, no ...

was the capital of

West Jersey West Jersey and East Jersey were two distinct parts of the Province of New Jersey. The political division existed for 28 years, between 1674 and 1702. Determination of an exact location for a border between West Jersey and East Jersey was often ...

. After the two were united as a

royal colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony administered by The Crown within the British Empire. There was usually a Governor, appointed by the British monarch on the advice of the UK Government, with or without the assistance of a local Counci ...

in 1702, the two cities alternated as the capital of the

until November 1790, when Trenton was designated as the unified state capital, chosen based on its location midway between

and

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. A few of the buildings from this early period can still be seen today. Most notably, the

Proprietary House Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States, is the only proprietary governor's mansion of the original Thirteen Colonies still standing. Overseen by architect and builder John Edward Pryor, construction began in 1762 and was com ...

, the home of

William Franklin William Franklin (22 February 1730 – 17 November 1813) was an American-born attorney, soldier, politician, and colonial administrator. He was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin. William Franklin was the last colonial G ...

, the last Royal Governor of New Jersey and estranged son of

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading inte ...

, still stands in the waterfront area of the city. Architect John Edward Pryor was hired in 1761 to design and construct the building, which was completed in September 1764, years late and over budget. Franklin preferred his alternate home in Burlington. Franklin finally moved in 1774 into the Proprietary House. Franklin's father, Ben, tried unsuccessfully to convince his son to support the Colonial cause. William Franklin was arrested and detained at Proprietary House in 1776 until he was tried and convicted of treason.

Perth Amboy City Hall City Hall in Perth Amboy, Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, is a historic building built in the early 18th century, listed on New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. It is now the oldest pub ...

was first built as a court house for Middlesex County in 1714, having been designated as the county seat the previous year. The building was later used as the home of the East Jersey Provincial Assembly. The building was destroyed by a major fire in 1731 and rebuilt in 1745. Another fire was deliberately set in 1764, forcing a rebuilding that was completed in 1767. It is the oldest city hall in continuous use in the United States.The History of Perth Amboy
City of Perth Amboy, backed up by the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

as of July 13, 2011. Accessed December 18, 2019. "Perth Amboy is also home to the oldest City Hall in continuous use in the United States, built during 1714-1717 or 1718, to serve as the County courthouse and jail." On November 20, 1789, City Hall was the site where the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...

met to ratify the

Bill of Rights A bill of rights, sometimes called a declaration of rights or a charter of rights, is a list of the most important rights to the citizens of a country. The purpose is to protect those rights against infringement from public officials and pri ...

, becoming the first state in the nation to do so. Market Square, located across from City Hall, is a park that had been an outdoor marketplace during the Colonial era. Market Square includes a replica of the Liberty Bell, a statue of George Washington and the Bill of Rights Arch, which commemorates the fact that New Jersey was the first state to ratify the Bill of Rights. St. Peter's Church, which held its first service in 1685 and received a royal charter in 1718, has been recognized as the first Episcopal congregation in the state. Its current building, dating from the 1850s, is surrounded by a graveyard of early inhabitants and displays a collection of stained-glass windows with religious scenes as well as early depictions of New Jersey receiving her charter and a meeting between William Franklin and his father, Ben. Perth Amboy was New Jersey's primary inbound port for African slaves. The Kearny Cottage is a remaining example of 18th-century vernacular architecture. Operated as a

historic house museum A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...

and operated by the Kearny Cottage Historical Society. Built in 1781 on High Street, the house was moved to Sadowski Parkway in the 1920s, and was later relocated to its current site at 63 Catalpa Avenue, just inland from the mouth of the Raritan River. During the colonial period and for a significant time thereafter, Perth Amboy was an important way-station for travelers between

and

, as it was the site of a ferry that crossed the

Tottenville, Staten Island Tottenville is a neighborhood on the South Shore of Staten Island, New York City. It is the southernmost settlement in both New York City and New York State. Tottenville is bounded on three sides by water: the south side abuts New York Bight w ...

. The first ferry operated in 1684 and regular service began operating in 1709. This ferry became less important when the

opened in 1928, but continued to operate until 1963. In 1998, the

was restored to its 1904 appearance. A replica of the ticket office has been constructed and is used as a small museum.Perth Amboy Tottenville Ferry Slip HS
Raritan-Millstone Heritage Alliance, backed up by the

as of November 21, 2008. Accessed April 9, 2015. On March 31, 1870,

Thomas Mundy Peterson Thomas Mundy Peterson (October 6, 1824 – February 4, 1904) of Perth Amboy, New Jersey has been claimed to be the first African-American to vote in an election under the just-enacted provisions of the 15th Amendment to the United States Constit ...

became the first African-American in the United States to vote in an election under the recently enacted provisions of the

Fifteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution The Fifteenth Amendment (Amendment XV) to the United States Constitution prohibits the federal government and each state from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote "on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." It was ...

. Peterson voted in an election to update the Perth Amboy city charter.

Industrialization and immigration

PSM V40 D330 Three kilns at the perth amboy terra cotta company

By the middle of the 19th century, immigration and industrialization transformed Perth Amboy. Factories such as A. Hall and Sons Terra Cotta, Guggenheim and Sons and the Copper Works Smelting Company fueled a thriving downtown and employed many area residents. Growth was further stimulated by becoming the tidewater terminal for the

Lehigh Valley Railroad The Lehigh Valley Railroad was a railroad built in the Northeastern United States to haul anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Pennsylvania. The railroad was authorized on April 21, 1846 for freight and transportation of passengers, goods, w ...

and a coal shipping point. Perth Amboy developed tightly-knit and insular ethnic neighborhoods such as Budapest, Dublin, and Chickentown. Immigrants from

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia a ...

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

, and

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

quickly dominated the factory jobs. In 1903, the

Perth Amboy Public Library The Perth Amboy Public Library is the free public library in the city of Perth Amboy, New Jersey, located at 196 Jefferson Street. Circulation Serving a population of 47,000, the collection includes a collection of 177,469 volumes and circulates 1 ...

, one of the first Carnegie libraries in the state, made possible through grants from

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

and donations by local philanthropists, opened to the public.Staff
"Library for Perth Amboy; Mr. Carnegie Given $20,000 -- The City Secures a Site"
''

'', March 14, 1901. Accessed September 8, 2018. In 1914, Perth Amboy hosted a minor league baseball team called the Perth Amboy Pacers, who played as members of the Class D level Atlantic League. The Atlantic League folded after one season. In late August 1923, an estimated 6,000 persons rioted, breaking through police lines after the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to the KKK or the Klan, is an American white supremacist, right-wing terrorist, and hate group whose primary targets are African Americans, Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and ...

attempted to organize a meeting in the city. The city was a resort town in the 19th century and early 20th century, located on the northern edge of the

. Since the early 1990s Perth Amboy has seen redevelopment. Small businesses have started to open up, helped by the city's designation as an Urban Enterprise Zone. The waterfront has also seen a rebirth. The marina has been extended, and there are new promenades, parks, and housing overlooking the bay. The chapter "More Alarms at Night" in humorist

James Thurber James Grover Thurber (December 8, 1894 – November 2, 1961) was an American cartoonist, writer, humorist, journalist and playwright. He was best known for his cartoons and short stories, published mainly in ''The New Yorker'' and collected ...

's biography '' My Life and Hard Times'' involves Perth Amboy. One night during his adolescence in Ohio, young Thurber is unable to go to sleep because he cannot remember the name of this New Jersey community. He wakens his father, demanding that he start naming towns in New Jersey. When the startled father names several towns with single-word names, Thurber replies that the name he is seeking is "two words, like helter skelter". This convinces his father that Thurber has become dangerously insane. Thurber also wrote the story later made into the film ''

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1939) is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in ''The New Yorker'' on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book '' My World and Welcome to It'' ( Ha ...

'', about an "inconsequential guy from Perth Amboy, New Jersey".Staff
"Review: 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'"
''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', December 31, 1946. Accessed April 9, 2015. "Thurber's whole conception of Mitty was an inconsequential fellow from Perth Amboy, NJ, to whom nothing – but nothing – ever happened and who, as a result, lived a 'secret life' via his excursions into daydreaming." Perth Amboy's water pumping station is located in Old Bridge Township.

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 city had a total area of 5.93 square miles (15.36 km²), including 4.66 square miles (12.07 km²) of land and 1.27 square miles (3.28 km²) of water (21.37%). Perth Amboy, and

South Amboy South Amboy is a suburban city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 9,411.Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Rar ...

, are collectively referred to as

The Amboys The Amboys are a pair of municipalities in Middlesex County, New Jersey, both of which have the word ''Amboy'' in their name. The two municipalities are the City of Perth Amboy and the City of South Amboy, located across from each other on the R ...

. Signage for Exit 11 on 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 ...

refers to "The Amboys" as a destination. The Amboys are the northern limit of the area informally referred to as the Bayshore. Perth Amboy borders Woodbridge (adjacent by land to the north and west),

Sayreville Sayreville is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Sayreville is within the heart of the Raritan Valley region, located on the south banks of the Raritan River, and also located on the Raritan Bay. As of the 2010 United Sta ...

(to the southwest, across the

Raritan River Raritan River is a major river of New Jersey. Its Drainage basin, watershed drains much of the mountainous area of the central part of the state, emptying into the Raritan Bay on the Atlantic Ocean. History Geologists assert that the lower Rar ...

South Amboy South Amboy is a suburban city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 9,411.Raritan Bay Raritan Bay is a bay located at the southern portion of Lower New York Bay between the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey and is part of the New York Bight. The bay is bounded on the northwest by New York's Staten Island, on the west by P ...

, directly connected only by rail), and the New York City borough of

(east across the

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 ...

, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include

Barber A barber is a person whose occupation is mainly to cut, dress, groom, style and shave men's and boys' hair or beards. A barber's place of work is known as a "barbershop" or a "barber's". Barbershops are also places of social interaction and publi ...

, Eagleswood and Florida Grove. Perth Amboy sits on a geological layer of

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

several hundred feet thick. Consequently, clay mining and factories such as A. Hall and Sons Terra Cotta located in Perth Amboy in the late 19th century. In its September 2005 issue, ''

Golf Magazine ''Golf Magazine'' is a monthly golf magazine. It was started in April 1959 by Universal Publishing and Distributing, who sold it to Times Mirror in 1972. Time Inc. acquired it in 2000. It was acquired by Howard Milstein in 2018. It was the world ...

'' named Perth Amboy the unofficial "Golf Capital of the U.S.", despite the fact that there are no golf courses within the city limits, citing the city's access to 25 of the magazine's Top 100 Golf Courses in the U.S., which can be found within of Perth Amboy. Victorian homes in Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Victorian homes in Perth Amboy, New Jersey

Waterfront

Perth Amboy features a historic waterfront, which has gone through significant revitalization. Local attractions include the

, two small museums, an art gallery, a yacht club, and a marina. Near the marina lies a park with a small bandshell. On Sunday afternoons in the summertime, Perth Amboy hosts the Concerts by the Bay in the park's bandshell. Every Thursday evening in the summer, Perth Amboy hosts the Mayor's Concert Series in Bayview Park. Perth Amboy also hosts an annual Waterfront Arts Festival. The waterfront is also characterized by a redbrick promenade near the water and many stately Victorian homes, some on hills overlooking the bay and tree lined streets with well-manicured lawns. The land rises steeply after two blocks. This hides the rest of the town, making the waterfront look like a quiet fishing village. Points of interest on the waterfront include St. Peter's Episcopal Church, and the Proprietary House, which is now the former governor's mansion and houses a museum and some offices. Kearny Cottage, which also has a museum, is here. This section of Perth Amboy once had a thriving Jewish community with yeshivas, synagogues, kosher butchers and bakers. Today, however, there are only two synagogues left, each with only a few older members. A project called 'The Landings at Harborside' was to have featured 2,100 residential units along with indoor parking, of retail space, a community center, and recreation amenities for the public as well. However, after meeting with

Charles Kushner Charles Kushner (born May 16, 1954) is an American real estate developer, former federal inmate, and disbarred former attorney. He founded Kushner Companies in 1985. In 2005, he was convicted of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, a ...

, the developer who spent two years in prison after being convicted of witness tampering, tax evasion and making illegal campaign contributions, Mayor Wilda Diaz endorsed a scaled-back design concept for the development, allowing Section 8 housing rentals instead of owner-occupied units as originally promised. The Raritan Yacht Club is the state's second-oldest and one of the oldest

s in the United States, founded in 1882 from the merger of two older clubs, one founded in 1865 and the other in 1874. Also located on the waterfront and founded in 1917, St. Demetrios was one of the first Greek Orthodox churches in central New Jersey. Established by the Greek immigrants who came to the United States at the turn of the 19th century, this community has stood as a beacon of the Orthodox Faith and Hellenism in Middlesex County.

Downtown Perth Amboy

Perth Amboy was settled by Europeans in 1683 and incorporated as a city in 1718. It was founded by English merchants, Scots seeking religious freedom, and French Protestants, who sought to make use of Perth Amboy's harbor to its full potential. Downtown is the main commercial district, and is centered on Smith Street. It is an Urban Enterprise Zone, and the reduced sales tax rate (half of the statewide rate) funds revitalization of Smith Street with newly planted trees, Victorian streetlights, benches, garbage cans, and redbrick sidewalks.Geographic & Urban Redevelopment Tax Credit Programs
State of

, backed up by the

as of January 3, 2010. Accessed January 24, 2012. Smith Street is a shopping center seven blocks wide, with stores catering to working-class customers. The street is flanked by mainly two- to three-story buildings of varied architecture. It also has a lone bank skyscraper called 'Amboy Towers', 10 stories tall, located at Five Corners, the intersection of Smith Street, New Brunswick Avenue and State Street. Once home to several department stores downtown, the largest today is discount retailer Bargain Man.

Harbortown

Harbortown is a

townhouse A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type of city residence ...

development on the waterfront which continues to be expanded since construction started in 1987. "Section 8" housing along with more affluent homes can be found in Harbortown, an economically and ethnically diverse townhouse development in the city. This area was the Lehigh Valley Railroad marshaling yards where coal was loaded onto barges for shipment to New York City and elsewhere until the LVRR went bankrupt in 1976.

Hall Avenue

Hall Avenue is a neighborhood centered on Hall Avenue east of the

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 ...

train tracks. The street itself, Hall Avenue, is no longer the commercial strip it once was. However, there is a recently built strip mall on the corner of Hall Avenue and State Street called the "Firehouse Plaza". There is also a "Banco Popular" branch of the bank headquartered in Puerto Rico. However, Hall Avenue is now primarily residential. Most of the homes are aging apartments, but there are also some newly constructed homes. Hall Avenue remains a traditional Puerto Rican neighborhood, and it hosts the city's annual Puerto Rican Day Festival, which is held on the same day of the historic Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City. Rudyk Park is north of Route 440 and features the Roberto Clemente Baseball Field and an industrial park.

Southwestern section

The southwestern section is a mainly working-class residential neighborhood with some light industry, once the site of

Eagleswood Military Academy The Eagleswood Military Academy was a private military academy in Perth Amboy, in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which served antebellum educational needs. The Eagleswood Military Academy was started by Rebecca Spring (1812–1911) ...

. The city's largest strip mall is located here. This neighborhood has a large and diversified Hispanic neighborhood with many Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, and recently, South Americans. Much of the city's Mexican population also lives in this section. Previously, this section of Perth Amboy had a large Irish population and was once named "Dublin". Following the Irish came the Eastern Europeans, primarily Polish and Hungarian. Most of the housing consists of small one- or two-family houses. The main commercial strip is Smith Street, west of the

train tracks.

Western section

The western section of the waterfront is west of Kearny Avenue. It is an overwhelmingly blue-collar Hispanic neighborhood. Most of the homes are over 100 years old; many are modest row houses. Sadowski Parkway Park lines through the southern end of the neighborhood and has a walkway with a beach. The park also hosts the Dominican festival and other festivals during the summer.

State Street

State Street is a neighborhood east of the NJ Transit train tracks, north of Fayette Street, and south of Harbortown. Like the southwestern section of Perth Amboy, it is predominantly working-class Hispanic. In addition, this neighborhood had many industries and factories before they moved overseas. The neighborhood is mainly Caribbean Hispanic. This section once had a large Cuban community. The State and Fayette Gardens, an apartment complex in the neighborhood, were called "The Cuban Buildings" at one time. The Landings at Harborside redevelopment project is being constructed in this neighborhood.

Amboy Avenue

Amboy Avenue is a quasi-suburban, working to middle-class neighborhood. It is also referred to as the "Hospital section" or the "High School section" due to the fact that these places are located in the neighborhood. Today most residents are Hispanic; Amboy Avenue once had a strong

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

population.

Maurer

Maurer is a chiefly working to middle-class neighborhood that lies in the northern part of Route 440. It is heavily industrial with many oil refineries and brownfields. Like Amboy Avenue, it is quasi-suburban.

Chickentown

Chickentown is a neighborhood in the western part of Route 35 south of Spa Springs, just south of Route 440. It shares many of the same characteristics of Spa Springs but to a lesser extent. The city's largest park, Washington Park, is located here. It received its name from all the chicken farms (hens and eggs) that were located here before World War II.

Climate

Perth Amboy has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfa'') typical of New Jersey with hot, humid summers and cold, wet winters.

Demographics

The city is one of many U.S. communities with a majority Hispanic population.

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is a demographics survey program conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the decennial census, such as ancestry, citizenship, educati ...

showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

was $47,696 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,644) and the median family income was $53,792 (+/− $2,943). Males had a median income of $38,485 (+/− $2,450) versus $30,078 (+/− $3,452) 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 city was $20,162 (+/− $933). About 16.3% of families and 19.4% 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 28.8% of those under age 18 and 15.2% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 47,303 people, 14,562 households, and 10,761 families residing in the city. The population density was 9,892.0 people per square mile (3,820.9/km²). There were 15,236 housing units at an average density of 3,186.2 per square mile (1,230.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 46.41% White (U.S. Census), White, 10.04% African American (U.S. Census), African American, 0.70% Native American (U.S. Census), Native American, 1.53% Asian (U.S. Census), Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), Pacific Islander, 35.59% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 5.61% from two or more races. Hispanic (U.S. Census), Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census), Latino of any race were 69.83% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Perth Amboy city
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 24, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Perth Amboy city, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 13, 2012. There were 14,562 households, out of which 40.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were Marriage, married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.1% were non-families. 20.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.20 and the average family size was 3.63. In the city the population was spread out, with 28.5% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,608, and the median income for a family was $40,740. Males had a median income of $29,399 versus $21,954 for females. The

for the city was $14,989. About 14.3% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the

, including 24.1% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over. In 2000, 27.79% of Perth Amboy residents identified themselves as being of Puerto Rican ancestry, the fifth highest concentration of Puerto Ricans on the U.S. mainland of those municipalities with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry. In the same census, 18.81% of Perth Amboy residents identified themselves as being of Dominican ancestry, the third highest concentration in the country of Dominican Americans, Dominicans in the United States after Haverstraw, New York and Lawrence, Massachusetts using the same criteria.

Economy

Portions of the city are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ), one of 32 zones covering 37 municipalities statewide. The city was selected in 1994 as one of a group of 10 zones added to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the UEZ, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125% sales tax rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in October 1994, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in October 2025.

Government

Local government

The City of Perth Amboy is governed under the Faulkner Act (mayor–council), Mayor-Council system of municipal government under the Faulkner Act. The city is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the City Council, all of whom are elected at-large on a non-partisan democracy, non-partisan basis. The city council is comprised of five members who are elected to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or three seats coming up for election in alternating even-numbered years. The mayor also serves a four-year term of office, which is up for election the same year that two council seats are up for vote.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 87. In October 2010, the City Council voted to shift the city's non-partisan elections from May to November, with the first balloting held in conjunction with the General Election in November 2012. , the mayor of Perth Amboy is Helmin J. Caba, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Caba defeated former three-term mayor Wilda Diaz who had served 12 years in office from 2008 to 2020.Mayor
City of Perth Amboy. Accessed July 19, 2022. After trailing behind incumbent mayor Wilda Diaz by 33%-30% (a margin of more than 400 votes) in the November 2020 general election, he won the mayoral runoff election against Wilda Diaz on December 15, 2020. Members of the City Council are Rose B. Morales (2024), Joel Pabon Sr. (2022), William A. Petrick (2022), Milady Tejeda (2022) and Bienvenido "BJ" Torres (2024).Election Results 2020
Middlesex County, New Jersey, as certified on November 20, 2020. Accessed January 21, 2021.November 6, 2018 General Election Official Results
Middlesex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2019. In the November 2014 general election, Fernando Gonzalez came in third place, winning the final seat up for election ahead of Sergio Diaz by nine votes. In March 2015, a Superior Court judge ordered a special election between Diaz and Gonzalez after finding that votes had been illegally cast and that there was evidence of fraud in mail voting. In the special election, Gonzalez beat Diaz by a 112-vote margin.

Federal, state and county representation

Perth Amboy is located in the 6th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 19th 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, Perth Amboy had been part of the , a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission 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. 63, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed May 22, 2015. Middlesex County is governed by a Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey), 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. , Middlesex County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year, and residence listed in parentheses) are Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios (D, Carteret, New Jersey, Carteret, term as commissioner ends December 31, 2024; term as commissioner director ends 2022), Commissioner Deputy Director Shanti Narra (D, North Brunswick, New Jersey, North Brunswick, term as commissioner ends 2024; term as deputy director ends 2022), Claribel A. "Clary" Azcona-Barber (D, New Brunswick, New Jersey, New Brunswick, 2022), Charles Kenny (D, Woodbridge Township, 2022), Leslie Koppel (D, Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, Monroe Township, 2023), Chanelle Scott McCullum (D, Piscataway, New Jersey, Piscataway, 2024) and Charles E. Tomaro (D, Edison, New Jersey, Edison, 2023). Constitutional officers are County Clerk Nancy Pinkin (D, 2025, East Brunswick, New Jersey, East Brunswick), Sheriff Mildred S. Scott (D, 2022, Piscataway) and Surrogate Claribel Cortes (D, 2026; North Brunswick).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 22,737 registered voters in Perth Amboy, of which 9,212 (40.5%) were registered as Democratic Party (United States), Democrats, 1,022 (4.5%) were registered as Republican Party (United States), Republicans and 12,500 (55.0%) were registered as Unaffiliated (New Jersey), Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to either the Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian Party or the Green Party of the United States, Green Party. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012, 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 87.0% of the vote (11,774 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 12.3% (1,667 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (100 votes), among the 13,869 ballots cast by the city's 24,253 registered voters (328 ballots were Spoilt vote, spoiled), for a turnout of 57.2%. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008, 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 81.6% of the vote (10,999 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 16.8% (2,261 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (91 votes), among the 13,473 ballots cast by the city's 23,248 registered voters, for a turnout of 58.0%. In the United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004, 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 71.0% of the vote (8,677 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 27.5% (3,359 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (79 votes), among the 12,223 ballots cast by the city's 21,686 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 56.4. In the 2013 New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 63.1% of the vote (3,574 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 35.6% (2,014 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (74 votes), among the 5,915 ballots cast by the city's 24,593 registered voters (253 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 24.1%. In the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 69.8% of the vote (4,645 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 24.2% (1,611 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 3.4% (228 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (50 votes), among the 6,654 ballots cast by the city's 22,185 registered voters, yielding a 30.0% turnout.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Middlesex County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The city is crisscrossed by many many major roads and highways. Major roads in the city include New Jersey Route 35, Route 35 New Jersey Route 184, Route 184, Route 440, County Route 501 (New Jersey), CR 501 and List of county routes in Middlesex County, New Jersey#616, CR 616. The

, which opened to traffic on June 29, 1928, is a cantilever bridge over the

that connects Perth Amboy with

. Known locally as the "Outerbridge", it is part of a major route on New York State Route 440, NY-440 / NJ-440 from the south and west to

and Long Island. Despite the assumption that the name is derived from its location as the southernmost bridge in New York State and Staten Island, the Outerbridge Crossing was named in honor of Eugenius Harvey Outerbridge, Eugenius H. Outerbridge, first Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Port Authority. The bridge clears the channel by , providing passage for some of the largest ships entering the Port of New York and New Jersey. Perth Amboy Station

The Victory Bridge (New Jersey), Victory Bridge carries Route 35 over the

, connecting Perth Amboy on the north with

to the south. From the time of its construction in 1926 until the Edison Bridge (New Jersey), Edison Bridge was completed in 1939, all traffic heading across the Raritan River was funneled through the Victory Bridge, whose original single-span swing bridge was replaced under a project completed in 2005 that provides two spans of traffic, including a main span that was the longest precast cantilever segmental construction in the United States at the time of its construction.

Public transportation

The city has

train service at Perth Amboy station. The station provides service on the North Jersey Coast Line to Pennsylvania Station (Newark), Newark Penn Station, Hoboken Terminal, Secaucus Junction, Pennsylvania Station (New York City), New York Penn Station and the Jersey Shore. NJ Transit buses serve the Port Authority Bus Terminal on the 116 (New Jersey bus), 116 route,

on the 48 (New Jersey bus), 48 line, with local service available on the 813 (New Jersey bus), 813, 815 (New Jersey bus), 815, and 817 (New Jersey bus), 817 bus routes.

Bicycle regulation

Since 1939, legal use of a bicycle in Perth Amboy requires a license issued by the Perth Amboy police department. The purchase and sale of used bicycles must be reported to the Perth Amboy police department. Any person operating a business engaged in the sale or purchase of new or used bicycles must file a daily report with the Chief of Police detailing the particulars of all transactions. There is at least one bicycle shop in Perth Amboy.

Education

Public schools in Perth Amboy are operated by Perth Amboy Public Schools, serving students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district is one of 31 former Abbott districts statewide that were established pursuant to the decision by the New Jersey Supreme Court 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. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 12 schools, had an enrollment of 10,786 students and 898.7 classroom teachers (on an full-time equivalent, FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.0:1.District information for Perth Amboy Public School District
National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022. Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Ignacio Cruz Early Childhood Center (667 students; in (Pre-K), Edmund Hmieleski Jr. Early Childhood Center (362; Pre-K), School #7 Early Childhood Center (NA; Pre-K), Anthony V. Ceres Elementary School (581; K–4), James J. Flynn Elementary School (550; K–4), Rose M. Lopez Elementary School (812; K–3), Edward J. Patten Elementary Elementary School (660; K–4), Dr. Herbert N. Richardson 21st Century Elementary School (491; K–4), Robert N. Wilentz Elementary School (637; K–4), Dual Language School (397; 4–8), William C. McGinnis Middle School (1,398; 5–8), Samuel E. Shull Middle School (1,410; 5–8) and Perth Amboy High School (2,547; 9–12). Based on data from the 2013–2017

, 14.5% of adults over the age of 25 in Perth Amboy have a bachelor's degree or higher, a percentage significantly below the state average of 38.9% and the 42.7% of those in Middlesex County.QuickFacts for Perth Amboy city, New Jersey; Middlesex County, New Jersey; New Jersey from Population estimates, July 1, 2019, (V2019)
United States Census Bureau. Accessed May 21, 2020. The Academy for Urban Leadership Charter High School is a public high school serving grades 7–12 open since September 2010, operating independently of the Perth Amboy Public Schools under the terms of a charter granted by the New Jersey Department of Education. The school opened with one hundred 9th graders, with plans to add a class of 100 students each year until it reached its goal of 400 students in grades 9–12 by the 2013–2014 school year and has since added grades 7 and 8. As of the 2017–2018 school year, the school had an enrollment of 576 students and 49.0 classroom teachers (on an full-time equivalent, FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. Eighth grade students from all of Middlesex County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Middlesex County Vocational and Technical Schools, a county-wide vocational school district that offers full-time career and technical education at Middlesex County Academy in Edison, New Jersey, Edison, the Middlesex County Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences, Academy for Allied Health and Biomedical Sciences in Woodbridge and at its East Brunswick Technical High School, East Brunswick, Perth Amboy Technical High School, Perth Amboy and Piscataway Technical High School, Piscataway technical high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance. Assumption Catholic School (Pre-K–8) and Perth Amboy Catholic Primary School / Upper School (Pre-K–8) operate under the supervision of Roman Catholic Diocese of Metuchen. In 1903, the

became the first List of Carnegie libraries in New Jersey, Carnegie library in the state, made possible through a grant of $20,000 from

Foundation and donations from local philanthropists, which were supplemented in 1914 by an additional $30,000 in Carnegie grants to pay for two additional reading rooms.Our Story
Perth Amboy Free Public Library. Accessed December 20, 2019. "Our Library was built on its present site on Jefferson Street, in 1901, on land donated by J. C. Mc Coy, of the Raritan Copper Works and constructed with the aid of a $20,000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, a $1,000 donation from Adolph Lewisohn to purchase new books, and an agreement by the City to provide for the Library's upkeep. On December 9, 1903, the building, the first in New Jersey to be the beneficiary of Mr. Carnegie's generosity, was opened to the Public. The growth of the Library from that time was so marked, that in 1914, the Carnegie Corporation donated an additional $30,000 for the creation of two reading rooms." The library reopened in 2015 after a $2 million renovation project that kept the library closed for more than two years.Russell, Suzanne
"Renovations completed at Perth Amboy Public Library"
''

'', October 19, 2015. Accessed December 19, 2019. "More than two years after the Perth Amboy Public Library closed its doors in 2013 for a much-needed $2 million renovation, residents will be welcomed back to the Jefferson Street building Saturday, Oct. 24, to tour the restored 112-year-old structure and sign up for library cards.... 'We're still making repairs. The majority of the work has been done, but it's still a work in progress,' said Diaz, noting a stair tower, to provide handicap accessibility, has yet to be completed on the structure which opened in 1903 with funding from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation."

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Perth Amboy include: * Soren Sorensen Adams (1879–1963), inventor and manufacturer of novelty products, including the joy buzzer * Garth Ancier (born 1957), media executive best known for being one of only two people to have programmed three of the five US broadcast television networks * Solomon Andrews (inventor), Solomon Andrews (1806–1872), creator of the first successful dirigible airship; served three terms as mayor of Perth Amboy * Carolyn Aronson (born 1966), hair care entrepreneur * Mike Baumgartner (bobsleigh), Mike Baumgartner (1922–1991), bobsleigh, bobsledder who competed in the Bobsleigh at the 1964 Winter Olympics – Four-man, Four-man event at the 1964 Winter Olympics * Jay Bellamy (born 1972), safety who played in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints * Jon Bon Jovi (born 1962), singer was born in Perth Amboy * Padi Boyd, astrophysicist who is the head of NASA's Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory * Kelly J. Breen (born 1969), Horse trainer, trainer of thoroughbred racehorses * Malcolm Brenner (writer), Malcolm Brenner (born 1951), author, journalist and zoophile * Miles Browning (1897–1954), officer in the United States Navy in the Atlantic during World War I and in the Pacific during World War II who was a pioneer in the development of aircraft carrier combat operations concepts * Frank Buckiewicz (1930–2017), football player and coach who served as the head football coach at Pacific University from 1965 to 1980 * Johnny Buff (1888–1955), boxer who was world bantamweight champion from 1921 to 1922 * Anne Casale (1930–2002, class of 1948), cookbook author and cooking teacher * Karen A. Cerulo (born 1957), sociologist specializing in the study of culture, communication and cognition * Alan Cheuse (1940–2015), writer * Steve Christiansen (born 1956), rowing (sport), rower who competed in the Rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's eight, men's eight event at the 1976 Summer Olympics * Stanley Norman Cohen (born 1935), co-creator of the first genetically modified organism and the process of recombinant DNA technology * Craig Coughlin (born 1958), politician who has represented the New Jersey's 19th legislative district, 19th Legislative District in the

since 2010 and has served as the Speaker of the General Assembly since 2018 * Flora Parker DeHaven (1883–1950), actress and mother of actress Gloria DeHaven * Thomas J. Deverin (1921–2010), politician who served 11 terms in the

, from 1970 to 1992 * William Dunlap (1766–1839), theater pioneer * Bernard J. Dwyer (1921–1998, class of 1938), politician, who served in the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey from 1981 to 1993 * Walt Flanagan (born 1967), comic book artist and podcaster, creator of One True Three *

(1730–1813), last governor of

* Arthur Franz (1920–2006), actor * Thomas Gordon (lawyer), Thomas Gordon (1652–1722), lawyer who served as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and New Jersey Attorney General for the

* Angelina Grimké (1805–1879) and Sarah Grimké (1792–1873), abolitionists * Vida Guerra (born 1974), model, was born in Cuba but was raised in Perth Amboy * Gene Hubka (1924–2017), American football Halfback (American football), tailback who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. * George Inness (1825–1894), landscape painter * Augustus Johnston (1729–1790), Rhode Island Attorney General, Tory sympathizer * Lewis B. Kaden, businessman, attorney, legal scholar, and former political advisor who served as vice chairman of Citigroup from 2005 to 2013 * Lawrence Kearny (1789–1868), the "Sailor Diplomat", who paved the way for an open-door policy with China * Edward L. Kemeys (1843–1907), sculptor in residence at Eagleswood Mansion * Morgan Foster Larson (1882–1961), Governor of New Jersey from 1929 to 1932 * Yvonne Lopez (born 1957), politician who has represented the New Jersey's 19th legislative district, 19th Legislative District in the

since 2018 * Miilkbone (born 1974 as Thomas Wlodarczyk), rapper * Walter Mitty, fictional character from the 1947 film ''

'' * Steve Mizerak (1944–2006), champion pool player * 12465 Perth Amboy, Joseph Montani (PAHS, 1970), astronomer and planetary scientist who named the minor planet "12465 Perth Amboy" after his hometown * John A. Nagy (1946–2016), author of books about espionage and mutinies of the American Revolution * John Nosta, critical thinker with a background in Scientist, science and marketing, most notable for his work in the field of digital health * George Otlowski (1912–2009), politician who served as mayor of the city from 1976 to 1990 * Thomas H. Paterniti (1929–2017), dentist and politician who served as Mayor of Edison, New Jersey, Edison and in both houses of the

* Edward J. Patten (1905–1994), lawyer and politician who represented New Jersey's 15th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1963 until 1981 * Will Pennyfeather (born 1968), former center fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates *

(1824–1904), first African-American to vote under the provisions of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. constitution in 1870 * Joseph J. Sadowski (1917–1944), United States Army soldier awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in World War II * Richie Sambora (born 1959), guitarist for Bon Jovi was born here * Arthur J. Sills (1917–1982), attorney who served as New Jersey Attorney General from 1962 to 1970 * Dave Smigelsky (born 1959), former American football Punter (football), punter who played for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League and Washington Federals of the United States Football League * Joann H. Smith (1934–1998), politician who served in the

from the New Jersey's 13th legislative district, 13th Legislative District from 1986 to 1998 * Marcus Spring (1810–1874), founder of Raritan Bay Union and

* Steve Stanko (1917–1978), heavyweight weightlifter and bodybuilding, bodybuilder who was crowned Mr. America (contest), Mr. America in 1944 and Mr. Universe in 1947 * John Stevens (New Jersey politician), John Stevens (–1792), colonial American landowner, merchant and politician who was a delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey * John Stevens (inventor, born 1749), John Stevens (1749–1838), engineer who developed the multitubular boiler engine and the screw propeller * Alec John Such (1951–2022), musician who was best known as a founding member of the Rock music, rock band Bon Jovi, and as their bass player from 1983 to 1994 * Bruce Taylor (American football), Bruce Taylor (born 1948), former NFL player * Brian Taylor (basketball), Brian Taylor (born 1951), former professional basketball player who played for the New York Nets and three other teams in his 10-year career in the NBA * Harry Tierney (1890–1965), composer * Marc Turtletaub (born 1946), movie producer and former president and CEO of The Money Store (company), The Money Store * John Watson (painter), John Watson (1685–1768), one of the first painters in America and holder of the first gallery of paintings in the country * Ruth White (actress), Ruth White (1914–1969), Emmy Award winning television, stage and motion picture actressCity History
City of Perth Amboy, New Jersey. Accessed August 2, 2022. * Amy Wilentz (born 1954), writer * David T. Wilentz (1894–1988), N.J. Attorney General from 1934 to 1944, who prosecuted Bruno Hauptmann in the Lindbergh kidnapping trial * Robert Wilentz (1927–1996), Chief Justice of New Jersey Supreme Court from 1979 to 1996 * Warren W. Wilentz (1924–2010), attorney and politician * Blenda Wilson (born 1941), university president and education executive who was the first African-American woman to lead a large (over 25,000 students) university in the United States * John Wisniewski (born 1962), politician who served in the

from 1996 to 2018, where he represented the New Jersey's 19th legislative district, 19th Legislative District''Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey, 2000''
p. 268. Fitzgerald's, 2000. . Accessed September 3, 2019. "John S. Wisniewski, Dem., Sayreville - The assemblyman was born June 28, 1962, in Perth Amboy."

Sister cities

* Caldas da Rainha, Portugal * Hillsdale, Michigan, Hillsdale, Michigan

References

External links

* {{authority control Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1683 establishments in New Jersey Cities in Middlesex County, New Jersey Faulkner Act (mayor–council) New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Populated places established in 1683 Port cities and towns in New Jersey Scottish-American history Jersey Shore communities in Middlesex County Hispanic and Latino American culture in New Jersey