Plainfield 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 Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."About
City of Plainfield. Accessed December 29, 2021. "Plainfield Is Nicknamed 'The Queen City.'" The city is both a regional hub for

Central New Jersey Central Jersey is the central region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation of Central New Jersey is a distinct administrative toponym. Geographic area and descriptions While the State of New Jersey is often divided into North and ...

and a bedroom suburb of the New York Metropolitan area, located within the core of the Raritan Valley region. Per the 2020 census, the population was 54,586.Plainfield city, New Jersey
United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 19, 2022. The area of present-day Plainfield was originally formed as Plainfield Township, a township that was created on April 5, 1847, from portions of Westfield Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. On March 19, 1857, Plainfield Township became part of the newly created Union County. Plainfield was incorporated as a city by an act of 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 ...

on April 21, 1869, from portions of Plainfield Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. The city and township coexisted until March 6, 1878, when Plainfield Township was dissolved and parts were absorbed by Plainfield city, with the remainder becoming Fanwood Township (now known as Scotch Plains).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 240. Accessed April 10, 2012. The name "Plainfield", also used in both North Plainfield and

South Plainfield South Plainfield is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 23,385, Plainfield was settled in 1684 by Quakers, and incorporated as a city in 1869. Formerly a bedroom suburb in the New York metropolitan area, it has become the urban center of 10 closely allied municipalities, with diversified industries, including printing and the manufacture of chemicals, clothing, electronic equipment, and vehicular parts. Among the several 18th-century buildings remaining are a Friends' meetinghouse (1788), the Martine house (1717), and the

Nathaniel Drake House The Nathaniel Drake House is located at 602 West Front Street in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. The house was built in 1746 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 19, 1973, for its significance in ...

(1746), known as

George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...

's headquarters during the

Battle of Short Hills The Battle of Short Hills (also known as the Battle of Metuchen Meetinghouse and other names) was a conflict between a Continental Army force commanded by Brigadier General William Alexander (American general), William Alexander ("Lord Stirling" ...

in June 1777. Nearby

Washington Rock Washington Rock State Park is a scenic state park on top of the first Watchung Mountain in Green Brook, New Jersey. The park is operated and maintained by the New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry. It is famous for its scenic overlook u ...

is a prominent point of the Watchung Mountains and is reputed to be the vantage point from which Washington watched British troop movements. The "Queen City" moniker arose in the second half of the 19th century. Plainfield had been developing a reputation during this period as featuring a climate that was beneficial for respiratory ailments. In 1886, in an effort to publicize the climate, local newspaper publisher Thomas W. Morrison began to use the slogan "Colorado of the East" to promote Plainfield. As Denver, Colorado, was known as the "Queen City of the Plains," the slogan for Plainfield eventually became abbreviated to "The Queen City." In 1902, the New Jersey Legislature approved measures that would have allowed the borough of North Plainfield to become part of Union County (a measure repealed in 1903) and to allow for a merger of North Plainfield with the City of Plainfield subject to the approval of a referendum by voters in both municipalities. Plainfield is the birthplace of

P-Funk Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...

. George Clinton founded The Parliaments while working in a Plainfield barber shop. Parliament-Funkadelic was inducted in the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...

in 1997. Plainfield has been home to former New Jersey governor

James McGreevey James Edward McGreevey (born August 6, 1957) is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who served as the 52nd governor of New Jersey from 2002 until his resignation in 2004 following the revelation of his extramarital affair w ...

. In sports history, Plainfield is the birthplace and/or home of several current and former athletes, including professionals and well-known amateurs. Included in their number are Milt Campbell, the 1956 Olympic

Decathlon The decathlon is a combined event in Athletics (sport), athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word "decathlon" was formed, in analogy to the word "pentathlon", from Greek language, Greek δέκα (''déka'', meaning "ten") and ...

gold medalist (the first African-American to earn this title), Joe Black, the first African-American pitcher to win a World Series game, Jeff Torborg, former MLB player, coach and manager, former Duke University and Chicago Bull basketball player Jay Williams, and Vic Washington, NFL player. Plainfield's history as a place to call home for the 19th and 20th century wealthy has led to a significant and preserved suburban architectural legacy. An influx of Wall Street money led to the creation of what was called Millionaires' Row after the opening of the railway in the 19th century.Payne, Lauren
"History Lesson: Preserving An Achitectural Treasure in Plainfield A Plainfield couple prove that preserving an architectural treasure—while challenging, time-consuming and, yes, costly—is well worth the effort."
''

New Jersey Monthly ''New Jersey Monthly'' is an American monthly magazine featuring issues of possible interest to residents of New Jersey. The magazine was started in 1976. It is based in Morristown. In addition to articles of general interest, the publication fe ...

'', October 16, 2012. Accessed March 3, 2020. There are numerous sites, including homes, parks, and districts in the city that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While not listed, the

Plainfield Armory The Plainfield Armory in Plainfield, New Jersey is no longer used by the New Jersey Army National Guard. The building had been the object of preservation and re-use efforts by civic organizations and municipal authorities. It was sold in 2013. I ...

, a prominent landmark completed in 1932, was sold by the state in 2013 as surplus property. Plainfield's wealthy northeast corner, known as the "Sleepy Hollow" section of the city, was and still is characterized by its array of finely landscaped streets and neighborhoods with homes defined by a broad array of architectural styles, most built during the first half of the twentieth century. From the tree-lines neighborhoods, it can be seen that the lot sizes vary, but the stateliness and distinction of each house is evident, whether a stately Queen Anne mansion or gingerbread cottage. Most lots are nicely landscaped and semi or fully private. Plainfield was affected by the Plainfield Rebellion in July 1967. This civil disturbance occurred in the wake of the larger

Newark riots The 1967 Newark riots were an episode of violent, armed conflict in the streets of Newark, New Jersey, United States. Taking place over a four-day period (between July 12 and July 17, 1967), the Newark riots resulted in at least 26 deaths and ...

. A Plainfield police officer was killed, about fifty people were injured, and several hundred thousand dollars of property was damaged by looting and arson. The New Jersey National Guard restored order after three days of unrest."Plainfield Burning: Black Rebellion in the Suburban North", Thomas J. Sugrue and Andrew M. Goodman, Journal of Urban History, vol. 33 (May 2007), pp. 368–401. This civil unrest caused a massive white flight, characterized by the percentage of Black residents rising from 40% in 1970 to 60% a decade later. Author and Plainfield native Isaiah Tremaine published ''Insurrection'' in 2017 as a mournful accounting of the Plainfield riots—and subsequent racial tensions at Plainfield High School—from his perspective as a Black teenager living in the city with both white and Black friends at the time. Prior to the rebellion, Plainfield was a regional shopping and entertainment center. Residents of nearby Union, Middlesex and Somerset counties would drive to shop and explore the business districts of Plainfield. Other than during the holidays, peak shopping times Plainfield were Thursday nights and Saturday, when Front Street and the areas around it bustled. Plainfield had several entertainment venues at that time. At the peak, there were four operating movie theaters: the Strand, the Liberty, the Paramount and the Oxford theaters. Manufacturers of heavy goods included Chelsea Fan Corp., Mack Truck and National Starch and Chemical Corp. Plainfield Iron and Metal maintained a large scrapyard in the West End.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 5.97 square miles (15.46 km²), including 5.96 square miles (15.43 km²) of land and 0.01 square miles (0.02 km²) of water (0.15%). Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Netherwood. The city is located in Central Jersey on the southwestern edge of Union County and is bordered by nine municipalities. In Union County are Scotch Plains to the north and east and Fanwood to the northeast. In Middlesex County, are

Dunellen Dunellen () is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located within the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,637, reflecting an increase of 410 (+5.4%) from the 7, ...

to the southwest and

Edison Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These invention ...

to the southeast. In Somerset County, Green Brook Township lies to the northwest, North Plainfield lies to the north and Watchung borders to the northwest. Plainfield is in the

Raritan Valley Central Jersey is the central region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation of Central New Jersey is a distinct administrative division, administrative toponymy, toponym. Geographic area and descriptions While the State of New Jerse ...

, a line of cities in central New Jersey, and lies on the east side of the Raritan Valley along with Edison. The Robinson's Branch of the Rahway River additionally flows through Plainfield en route to the

Robinson's Branch Reservoir The Robinson's Branch Reservoir is a decommissioned water reservoir in Clark, New Jersey. It is the largest body of water in Union County. Other names for the reservoir include the "Clark Reservoir" and the "Middlesex Reservoir," after its fo ...

Climate

Plainfield has a humid continental climate, characterized by brisk to cold winters and hot, muggy summers. The lowest temperature ever recorded was on February 9, 1934, and the highest temperature ever recorded was on July 10, 1936, and August 11, 1949.NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Accessed March 2, 2012. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Plainfield 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° ...

, which is abbreviated as "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

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 In economics, nominal value is measured in terms of money, whereas real value is measured against goods or services. A real value is one which has been adjusted for inflation, enabling comparison of quantities as if the prices of goods had not c ...

dollars) median household income was $52,056 (with a margin of error of +/− $3,048) and the median family income was $58,942 (+/− $4,261). Males had a median income of $33,306 (+/− $4,132) versus $37,265 (+/− $3,034) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $23,767 (+/− $1,013). About 12.2% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.5% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.

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 ...

of 2000, there were 47,829 people, 15,137 households, and 10,898 families residing in the city. The population density was 7,921.7 people per square mile (3,057.4/km²). There were 16,180 housing units at an average density of 2,679.8 per square mile (1,034.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 21.45% White, 61.78% African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.93% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 10.78% from other races, and 4.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 25.16% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Plainfield city, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 6, 2012.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Plainfield city, Union County, New Jersey
, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 6, 2012. There were 15,137 households, out of which 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 24.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.49. In the city the population was spread out, with 27.5% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $46,683, and the median income for a family was $50,774. Males had a median income of $33,460 versus $30,408 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,052. About 12.2% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 12.6% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Antique Castle (WT Orville House); Plainfield, NJ

Portions of Plainfield are part of an Urban Enterprise Zone. The city was selected in 1983 as one of the initial group of 10 zones chosen to participate in the program. In addition to other benefits to encourage employment within the Zone, shoppers can take advantage of a reduced 3.3125%

sales tax A sales tax is a tax paid to a governing body for the sales of certain goods and services. Usually laws allow the seller to collect funds for the tax from the consumer at the point of purchase. When a tax on goods or services is paid to a govern ...

rate (half of the % rate charged statewide) at eligible merchants. Established in January 1986, the city's Urban Enterprise Zone status expires in December 2023. The UEZ program in Plainfield and four other original UEZ cities had been allowed to lapse as of January 1, 2017, after Governor Chris Christie, who called the program an "abject failure", vetoed a compromise bill that would have extended the status for two years. In May 2018, Governor Phil Murphy signed a law that reinstated the program in these five cities and extended the expiration date in other zones. Downtown Plainfield has two historic commercial districts: the

North Avenue Commercial District The North Avenue Commercial District is a historic district located in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1984 for its significance in architecture, commerce ...

and the

Plainfield Civic District The Plainfield Civic District is a historic district located in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 17, 1993 for its significance in architecture, politics/governm ...

. Both are on the National Register of Historic Places. * The North Avenue Commercial District features the Downtown train station, post office, and Plainfield National Bank (now PNC Bank). The architecture of the district reflects original exterior 19th and early 20th century façade architecture. * The Plainfield Civic District features architecture reflective of the turn-of-the-century City Beautiful Movement, including the City Hall building, YMCA, City Hall Annex, and World War I monument on Watchung Avenue. Events such as the Christmas Tree Lighting, the Queen City 5k, Fire Safety Fair, and Mayor's Wellness Walk take place in the Downtown each year. Downtown Plainfield Alliance (DPA) is a "nonpolitical, nonprofit grassroots group that supports the improvement of Downtown Plainfield through beautification, volunteerism, economic development, marketing, community development, and activism."

Historic districts

The restoration of large 19th century-era Plainfield estates to their original glory, such as the Craig Marsh home, has been featured in various home design magazine coverage. Residential districts include: 935 Central Avenue, Plainfield, NJ

Van Wyck Brooks Historic District The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District is a historic district located in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. Named after the author and literary critic Van Wyck Brooks, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on ...

, which includes more than 150 properties, was listed in This Old House magazine's 2012 list of "Best Old House Neighborhoods." Roughly bounded by Plainfield Avenue, West Eighth Street, Park Avenue, West Ninth Street and Madison Avenue, and Randolph Road, it was named for literary critic and native son Van Wyck Brooks.Our History
The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District. Accessed April 25, 2021. "Van Wyck Brooks Historic District is the largest of the six residential Historic Districts in Plainfield and encompasses 152 properties.... In 1982 the Van Wyck Brooks Historic District was designated by the City of Plainfield as a Historic District and placed on the National Register in 1986." In addition to the above-mentioned Craig Marsh home, it also contains the largest residence in Plainfield (The Coriell Mansion) and a wide variety of other historically and architecturally notable homes. The Van Wyck Brooks Historic District is the largest of the six residential Historic Districts in Plainfield, its oldest structure the Manning Stelle Farmhouse, parts of which date back to 1803. It has been a designated historic district by the City of Plainfield since 1982, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. * Netherwood Heights Historic District is named for the Netherwood Hotel which stood at what is now the blocks bordered by Denmark Road, Park Terrace, Belvidere Avenue, Berkeley Avenue. This district is located near the Netherwood Train StationDo I live in a Historic District?
, City of Plainfield. Accessed May 13, 2020. *

Crescent Area Historic District The Crescent Area Historic District is a historic district located in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 12, 1980 for its significance in architecture, featuri ...

* Hillside Avenue Historic District *Sleepy Hollow is, as of 2018, a section of stately homes on winding roads on the northeast side of the city. Some have pushed to formalize its boundaries.

The West End

While the more affluent eastern part of the city has been relatively integrated over the decades, with both Black and white upper-middle-class-to-wealthy families, the West End of Plainfield is the historically middle-class and working-class Black district in the city and features a close-knit African-American community. Part of the West End is known to locals as Soulville. Mount Olive Baptist Church has been serving the West End as a community of faith since 1870. It is considered Plainfield's first Black church.Mount Olive Baptist Church
Plainfield Public Library. Accessed March 3, 2020. "Mount Olive Baptist Church was organized in 1870 and groundbreaking for what was to be Plainfield's first Black church occurred on March 1, 1871 at the intersection of Third and Liberty streets." As the Black community grew, other congregations branched off from Mount Olive. Calvary Baptist Church began in 1897 among a group of Black congregants from Mount Olive, and celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2017 with a series of events. Nearby, Shiloh Baptist Church was founded in 1908, also by Mount Olive congregants, and offers many faith-based events to the community, including its Jazz for Jesus program. The West End has been eyed recently for redevelopment. The White Star, a diner in the West End on West Front Street near Green Brook Park, has been an area meeting spot and landmark for over half a century. The West End has grown more Latin in recent years. As of the 2010 census, 40% of all people living in Plainfield were of Hispanic origin. This was up from 25% ten years earlier. In his book ''Insurrection'', Isaiah Tremaine, a Black Plainfield native, credits the influx of Latinos for breathing new life and energy into a city hurting from racism and racial strife in the 1970s. The West End was once home to the Silk Palace, a barbershop at 216 Plainfield Avenue owned in part by funk music legend George Clinton, staffed by various members of Parliament-Funkadelic, and known as the "hangout for all the local singers and musicians" in Plainfield's 1950s and 1960s doo-wop, soul, rock and proto-funk music scene.

LBGTQ+ community

A sizable and diverse LGBTQ+ community contributes to the long-time perception of Plainfield as a stronghold of gay life and gay community in the suburbs of New Jersey. Plainfield has one of the highest percentage of same-sex householders in the state of New Jersey. The First Unitarian Society of Plainfield, the oldest such congregation in the United States, is certified as LGBTQ welcoming. In 1986, ''The New York Times'' reported on what was termed at the time as the "growing homosexual population in Plainfield" drawn to the stock of aging Victorian, Tudor and colonial homes, and featured interviews with various gay men who lived in Plainfield and worked in Manhattan. One of the Queen City's elected leaders, former Councilwoman Rebecca Williams (who now represents all of Union County as chair of the county commissioners), is openly lesbian. In 2017, as Council President, Williams organized and hosted the city's first-ever Pride flag-raising to honor its LGBTQ community and to commemorate the victims of the Pulse Orlando massacre during Pride Month. Plainfield has also been recently described as part of some newly formed Catholic gay outreach, ministry, and acceptance efforts in New Jersey. In 2015, an openly gay Plainfield Republican ran for state Assemblyman. Plainfield has been home to openly gay former New Jersey governor

and his longtime partner, an Australian-American business executive. Plainfield is also at the center of gay life in Union County, which hosts LGBTQ family events and opened the state's first county-wide office of LGBTQ services in 2018. All Souls Church; Plainfield, New Jersey

All Souls Church; Plainfield, New Jersey

Tëmike Park is an LGBTQ+ welcoming space in Plainfield between Stelle Avenue and Randolph Road. It is named for a

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 ...

-language expression of welcome.

Arts and culture

*The recently inaugurated Queen City Film Festival is held in the city every fall to honor independently produced film. *Plainfield is the birthplace of

Bill Evans William John Evans (August 16, 1929 – September 15, 1980) was an American jazz pianist and composer who worked primarily as the leader of his trio. His use of impressionist harmony, interpretation of traditional jazz repertoire, block ch ...

, the famous jazz piano artist. *Plainfield is the birthplace of

. George Clinton founded The Parliaments while working in a barber shop in Plainfield. Parliament-Funkadelic was inducted in the

in 1997. *Acclaimed soul singer Lee Fields resides with his family in Plainfield and moved to the city as a teen in the 1960s.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
*The Plainfield Symphony performs concerts at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church. The orchestra was founded in 1919, making it one of the oldest continuously operating orchestras in the United States. * 1990s R&B girl group

Total Total may refer to: Mathematics * Total, the summation of a set of numbers * Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs * Total relation, which may also mean ** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...

, of Bad Boy Records fame, is from Plainfield. Total at Legends of Bad Boy 2014

*In October 2010, former Plainfield music teacher and American Idol alum Anwar Robinson and performer Yolanda Adams joined with community residents to try to be recognized by '' Guinness World Records'' for assembling the world's largest gospel chorus. *The duCret School of Art was founded in 1926, making it the oldest art school in New Jersey. Founded by Marjorie Van Emburgh Chargois as the Van Emburgh School of Art, it was purchased in the 1960s by Dudley duCret. A 1933 exhibition of nudes by the school's artists once led to a controversy, according to ''The New York Times''. Plainfield native Onyx Keesha, prior to her relocation to Atlanta, and members of the arts collective and production team M. PoWeR Arts have offered classes in filmmaking, acting, dance, writing and theater to Plainfield citizens at the duCret School of Art. *The Swain Galleries were founded in 1868. The entity is the oldest privately owned art gallery in the state. The galleries are located in a Victorian structure in the Crescent Historic District of Plainfield *Music in the Park is an annual summertime community concert event featuring the Plainfield Idol competition. *The Parish Hall Theater at the Plainfield Cultural Center is a

proscenium theater A proscenium ( grc-gre, προσκήνιον, ) is the metaphorical vertical plane of space in a theatre, usually surrounded on the top and sides by a physical proscenium arch (whether or not truly "arched") and on the bottom by the stage floor ...

that seats approximately 125 people. Available for theatrical productions and musical performances, it features theatrical lighting, a spot light, separate lighting booth, an upright piano and a sound system. *The historic Sanctuary at the Plainfield Cultural Center offers prime acoustics for recordings by bands and vocalists. The Sanctuary seats approximately 140 people. It is available for rehearsals, concerts, recording sessions, spoken word events, recitals and meetings. *The Plainfield Music Store was founded in 1951 and offers a vast archive of sheet music. *The French School of Music offers music lessons and was founded in 1927 by Yvonne Comme, a pupil of

Gabriel Fauré Gabriel Urbain Fauré (; 12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers ...

who performed for Debussy. * Begun in 1980, the annual Crescent Concerts series at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church brings high-end vocal, instrumental, choral and orchestral music performances to the residents of the City of Plainfield and surrounding areas. * The Queen City October Music Festival is an annual music festival that is spearheaded by the Plainfield Arts Council. * The Shiloh Baptist Church, which has been worshiping together as a Plainfield community of faith since 1908, hosts Jazz In The Sanctuary as part of the Queen City October Music Festival as well as its Jazz for Jesus program. *DreamHouse Theater Company is a theater company operated in partnership with the First Unitarian Society of Plainfield (FUSP). DreamHouse performs one-act and original plays, readings, spoken word and musical offerings. *In the teaser trailer for the film, '' A Good Day to Die Hard'', John McClane remarks "the 007 of Plainfield, New Jersey" thus confirming this as his fictional birthplace. * J.M. Benjamin is a Plainfield author and filmmaker whose short film, ''Moves We Make'', was filmed in Plainfield and won the Paul Robeson Award at the Newark Black Film Festival.

Media

Media outlets

Plainfield media includes: * ''TAPinto Plainfield'' is an online news site devoted to Plainfield.Home Page
TAP into Plainfield. Accessed April 18, 2022. *''Union News Daily''. A news outlet covering Union County news, it has a dedicated Plainfield section. It is part of LocalSource and published by Worrall Community Newspapers of Union. *''PCTV''. Plainfield also has its own channel, Plainfield Community Television (PCTV), which is available to Comcast and Verizon FiOS television subscribers on Comcast Cable Channel 96/Verizon FIOS Channel 34.Media PCTV Comcast 96/Verizon34
City of Plainfield. Accessed April 18, 2020. Remaining multi-community newspapers include the '' Courier News'', a daily newspaper based in Bridgewater Township, and '' The Star-Ledger'' based in Newark. The ''Courier News'' is a consolidation of ''The Evening News'' (founded in 1884), the ''Plainfield Daily Press'' (founded in 1887) and the ''Plainfield Courier'' (founded in 1891). The paper was based in the city and called the ''Plainfield Courier News'' until 1972, when it moved westward to Bridgewater.

Other Plainfield coverage

Local civic reporting includes: *''And My Point Is: A Progressive Vision for Union County'' is a countywide civic blog written by elected Union County Commissioner Rebecca Williams, Plainfield resident and English professor at Essex County College. *''Cory Storch for Good Government'' is a local civic blog focused on good government, written by Ward 2 Councilman Cory Storch, CEO of Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, a not-for-profit mental health service organization. *''Plainfield View'' is another hyperlocal blog, published by David Marcus Rutherford. * ''Plainfield Vision'' is a blog dedicated to improving Plainfield, written by Plainfield Democratic City Committee member Sean McKenna. *''Queen City Pride'' is a local news and events blog.

Defunct media

As of 2017, local media in New Jersey has undergone dramatic shrinkage. ''C L I P S'' was a daily online news round-up dedicated to local Plainfield news by the late Dan Damon, former City of Plainfield information officer, who passed in 2020. "Begun in 2003 as an email newsletter to Plainfield city council members. it was later offered to the general public by email and had been available as a blog since 2007." ''Plainfield Today'' was a city opinion blog also published by Damon. Plainfield Plaintalker (2005–2010) and Plaintalker II (2010–2017) were two local blogs published by longtime local reporter Bernice Paglia. From 1961 to 1997, Plainfield was home to WERA at 1590 on the AM dial with studios at 120 West 7th Street.

Places of worship

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, Plainfield, NJ

Houses of worship include: * Saint Mary's Catholic Church Built in the 1870s in what was then a heavily Irish neighborhood by Irish-born architect Jeremiah O'Rourke it is now a heavily Spanish-speaking parish. *

Grace Church Grace Church may refer to: Canada * Grace Church on-the-Hill, Toronto China * Grace Church, Guanghan Poland * Grace Church, Teschen or Jesus Church, a Lutheran basilica in Teschen, Poland United Kingdom United States * Grace Cathedral (disam ...

Founded in 1852, and registered a national historic site, Grace Church is an example of late 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture. A very active parish, with a large community outreach program (''After-School care, Community Garden, E.S.L., Soup Kitchen, 12-Step Programs, a Robust Music Program, Zumba, etc''). * First Park Baptist. * Albaseerah Islamic Center is a mosque in the Sleepy Hollow district. * First Unitarian Society of Plainfield was founded in the 1880s. It is the oldest Unitarian congregation in the country. All Souls Church, which hosts First Unitarian was completed in the early 1890s. Magician and architect

Oscar Teale Oscar Schutte Teale (September 9, 1847 - April 8, 1934) was an American architect, magician and writer. Biography Teale was born in New York City. He worked as an architect by trade and was interested in magic. He was the fourth President of the ...

designed the church in 1892. With a history of involvement in the LGBTQ community and support for Black Lives Matter, it is certified as a Unitarian Universalist LGBTQ Welcoming Congregation. * Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church. A

Gilbert F. Adams Gilbert may refer to: People and fictional characters *Gilbert (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters *Gilbert (surname), including a list of people Places Australia * Gilbert River (Queensland) * Gilbert River (South ...

organ undergirds the church's musical programming. * The Mt. Olive Baptist Church. * Plainfield Friends Quaker Meeting House. * Seventh Day Baptist Church * St. Bernard of Clairvaux & St. Stanislaus Kostka. * Shiloh Baptist Church, established 1908. * The United Presbyterian Church 1825. * New Covenant Church, Pentecostal. * Cross of Life Lutheran Church (ELCA)

Parks and recreation

Shakespeare Garden, Cedar Brook Park, NJ

Green Brook Park Playground; Plainfield, New Jersey

* Tëmike Park opened in June 2022 as an inclusive LGBTQ+ space and playground located at the northern end of Cedar Brook Park in Plainfield. *

Cedar Brook Park Cedar Brook Park is a county park situated mostly in Plainfield, New Jersey, Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, within the U.S. state of New Jersey, with a smaller portion of the park extending into South Plainfield, New Jersey ...

lies on the west side of the city. *

Green Brook Park Green Brook Park is a county park along the Green Brook, a tributary of the Raritan River, in the city of Plainfield in Union County, New Jersey. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 1 ...

offers hiking, sports, and picnicking in the West End. * The

Plainfield Garden Club Plainfield may refer to: Places Canada * Plainfield, Ontario United States * Plainfield, California * Plainfield, Connecticut ** Plainfield Village, Connecticut * Plainfield, Georgia * Plainfield, Illinois * Plainfield, Indiana, a town in He ...

was founded in 1915. It has maintained the Shakespeare Garden in Cedar Brook Park since the garden's inception in 1927. Designed by the Olmsted Brothers firm, it is one of only 23 Shakespeare Gardens in the US. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a part of the state's Women's Heritage trail. * The hiking trails of the

Watchung Reservation Watchung Reservation is the largest nature reserve in Union County, New Jersey, United States. Covering 1,945 acres, it is bounded by the city of Summit, the borough of Mountainside, and the townships of Berkeley Heights, Scotch Plains, and ...

are located close to the city boundaries. * Plainfield Skatepark at Madison Park offers skateboarding and other wheeled activity. In 2017, this state-of-the-art public skateboarding area opened inside Madison Park. It is the first public skatepark in the city. Its modern California-style design was deemed by some skateboarders as a first in New Jersey. * Milt Campbell Field in the East End, named for Plainfield legend and Olympic gold medalist Milt Campbell offers sports and nature walks. * Hannah Atkins Center Pool, Rushmore Playground Pool, and Seidler Field Pool offer swimming, sports and other recreation.

Government

Local government

Plainfield is governed under a Special Charter granted by the

. The city is one of 11 (of the 564) municipalities statewide governed under a special charter. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a seven-member City Council, all of whom serve four-year terms in office. The city is divided into four

wards Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...

, with one ward seat up for election each year. There are three at-large seats: one from the First and Fourth Wards; one from the Second and Third Wards; and one from the city as a whole. The three at-large seats and mayoral seat operate in a four-year cycle, with one seat up for election each year.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 98. , the Mayor of the City of Plainfield is Democrat Adrian O. Mapp, whose term of office ends December 31, 2025.Mayor Adrian O. Mapp
City of Plainfield. Accessed April 18, 2022. Members of the Plainfield City Council are Council President Barry N. Goode (At Large Wards 1 and 4; D, 2023), Council Vice President Charles McRae (Ward 3; D, 2024), Terri Briggs-Jones (Ward 4; D, 2025), Ashley Davis (Ward 1; D, 2022), Steve G. Hockaday (At Large All Wards; D, 2024), Sean McKenna (Ward 2; D, 2023) and Joylette Mills-Ransome (At Large Wards 2 and 3; D, 2022).Elected Officials
Union County, New Jersey. Accessed June 30, 2022.General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results
Union County, New Jersey, updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.General Election November 3, 2020 Official Results
Union County, New Jersey, updated December 14, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.General Election November 5, 2019 Official Results
Union County, New Jersey, updated November 8, 2021. Accessed April 1, 2022.General Election November 6, 2018 Official Results
Union County, New Jersey, updated November 8, 2021. Accessed April 1, 2022. In June 2018, the City Council appointed Elton Armady to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant after Rebecca Williams resigned to take a seat on the Union County Board of chosen freeholders. Armady served on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Plainfield is located in the 12th Congressional DistrictPlan Components Report
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020. and is part of New Jersey's 22nd state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District

New Jersey Department of State The secretary of state of New Jersey oversees the Department of State, which is one of the original state offices. The Secretary is responsible for overseeing artistic, cultural, and historical programs within the U.S. state of New Jersey, as we ...

. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

. Accessed October 30, 2019. Prior to the 2010 Census, Plainfield 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

. Accessed May 22, 2015. Union County is governed by a

Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

, whose nine members are elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis with three seats coming up for election each year, with an appointed County Manager overseeing the day-to-day operations of the county. At an annual reorganization meeting held in the beginning of January, the board selects a Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. , Union County's County Commissioners are Chair Rebecca Williams ( D, Plainfield, term as commissioner and as chair ends December 31, 2022), Vice Chair Christopher Hudak (D, Linden, term as commissioner ends 2023; term as vice chair ends 2022), James E. Baker Jr. (D, Rahway, 2024), Angela R. Garretson (D, Hillside, 2023), Sergio Granados (D, Elizabeth, 2022), Bette Jane Kowalski (D, Cranford, 2022), Lourdes M. Leon (D, Elizabeth, 2023), Alexander Mirabella (D, Fanwood, 2024) and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded (D, Westfield, 2024). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi (D, Union Township, 2025), Sheriff Peter Corvelli (D, Kenilworth, 2023) and Surrogate Susan Dinardo (acting). The County Manager is Edward Oatman.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 20,722 registered voters in Plainfield, of which 12,078 (58.3% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 947 (4.6% vs. 15.3%) were registered as

Republicans Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

and 7,693 (37.1% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary - Union

Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed May 21, 2013. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 41.6% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 56.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide). In the

2012 presidential election This national electoral calendar for 2012 lists the national/federal elections held in 2012 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included. January *3–4 January: E ...

, Democrat Barack Obama received 14,640 votes (93.3% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican

Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American politician, businessman, and lawyer serving as the junior United States senator from Utah since January 2019, succeeding Orrin Hatch. He served as the 70th governor of Massachusetts f ...

with 909 votes (5.8% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 46 votes (0.3% vs. 0.8%), among the 15,683 ballots cast by the city's 22,555 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.5% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 15,280 votes (92.3% vs. 63.1% countywide), 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 1,110 votes (6.7% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 56 votes (0.3% vs. 0.9%), among the 16,548 ballots cast by the city's 22,516 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.5% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 11,508 votes (85.4% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 1,773 votes (13.2% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 88 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 13,480 ballots cast by the city's 20,445 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.9% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county). In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 75.9% of the vote (5,757 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 22.7% (1,723 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (104 votes), among the 8,174 ballots cast by the city's 21,996 registered voters (590 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 37.2%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 7,140 ballots cast (81.3% vs. 50.6% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,057 votes (12.0% vs. 41.7%), 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 Env ...

with 355 votes (4.0% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 84 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,786 ballots cast by the city's 21,738 registered voters, yielding a 40.4% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).

Education

Public schools

The

Plainfield Public School District The Plainfield Public School District is a comprehensive community public school district that serves students in kindergarten through twelfth grade from Plainfield, in Union County, New Jersey, United States. The district is one of 31 former ...

serves students in 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 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 13 schools, had an enrollment of 9,363 students and 615.4 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a

student–teacher ratio Student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio is the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that there are 10 students ...

of 15.2:1.District information for Plainfield Public School District

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 DeWitt D. Barlow Elementary School (373 students; in grades K–5), Cedarbrook Elementary School (699; K–8), Clinton Elementary School (380; K–5), Frederic W. Cook Elementary School (367; K–5), Emerson Elementary School (459; K–5), Evergreen Elementary School (531; K–5), Jefferson Elementary School (419; K–5), Charles H. Stillman Elementary School (311; K–5), Washington Community School (576; K–5), Hubbard Middle School (715; 6–8), Maxson Middle School (726; 6–8), Plainfield Academy for the Arts and Advanced Studies (396; 7–12) and Plainfield High School (741; 9–12). The district's main high school was the 318th-ranked public high school in New Jersey out of 339 schools statewide in ''

'' magazine's September 2014 cover story on the state's "Top Public High Schools", using a new ranking methodology. The school had been ranked 280th in the state of 328 schools in 2012, after being ranked 307th in 2010 out of 322 schools listed. The school was removed in 2009 from the list of persistently dangerous schools in New Jersey. Plainfield is also home to New Jersey's first high school focused on

sustainability Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and have varied in the literature and over time. The concept of sustainability can be used to guide decisions at the global, national, and individual levels (e.g. sustainable livi ...

, the Barack Obama Green Charter High School.

Private schools

Established in 1984, Koinonia Academy moved to Plainfield in 1997, where it serves students in Pre-K through twelfth grades and operates under the auspices of the

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark The Archdiocese of Newark is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northeastern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jerse ...

Higher education

Union College, a community college headquartered in nearby Cranford, maintains a campus in downtown Plainfield.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Union County. Plainfield is one of the few large suburban cities in central New Jersey to have no federal highway within it. The only major thoroughfare through Plainfield is

Route 28 Highway 28 may refer to: Australia * Cumberland Highway * Mountain Highway (Victoria) * - NT Canada * Alberta Highway 28 * British Columbia Highway 28 * Nova Scotia Trunk 28 * Ontario Highway 28 * Saskatchewan Highway 28 China Taiwan * Provi ...

, connecting

Somerville Somerville may refer to: *Somerville College, Oxford, a constituent college of the University of Oxford Places *Somerville, Victoria, Australia * Somerville, Western Australia, a suburb of Kalgoorlie, Australia * Somerville, New Zealand, a subur ...

with Elizabeth and New Jersey Route 27. U.S. Route 22, a mecca for highway shopping and dining, is accessible from Plainfield through North Plainfield,

and Fanwood. In the early 1960s, Interstate highways were completed near, but not through Plainfield. Interstate 287 is accessible through

South Plainfield South Plainfield is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. It is located in the heart of the Raritan Valley region. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 23,385,Piscataway, while Interstate 78 is accessible through Watchung / Warren Township and neighboring communities. The busiest connecting thoroughfares are Park Avenue (north-south), traversing from U.S. 22 to and into South Plainfield and

; Front Street (east-west), connecting Scotch Plains with Dunellen; South Avenue and 7th Street, both of which parallel Front Street, connecting Scotch Plains/Fanwood with Piscataway, South Plainfield and the Middlesex County border.

Public transportation

Plainfield has two NJ Transit rail stations on the Raritan Valley Line, formerly the mainline of the Central Railroad of New Jersey. The main Plainfield station is in the downtown and a second, smaller Netherwood station is in the Netherwood section, east of downtown and within a mile of the Fanwood border. A third station, located in the west end of town, was closed long ago. The New Brunswick train station is approximately 15 minutes away. The Central Railroad of New Jersey first offered service to Plainfield in 1839. At the height of popularity, the Plainfield "Jersey Central" train station, with its main station building constructed in 1902, was a hub for commuting to Newark and New York. (The Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal was in

Jersey City Jersey City is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, after Newark.113 and

114 114 may refer to: *114 (number) *AD 114 *114 BC *114 (1st London) Army Engineer Regiment, Royal Engineers, an English military unit *114 (Antrim Artillery) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, a Northern Irish military unit *114 (MBTA bus) *114 (New Je ...

to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildin ...

; the 59, 65 and 66 (Limited) to Newark; and local service on the

819 __NOTOC__ Year 819 (Roman numerals, DCCCXIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – Emperor Louis the Pious, Louis I marries Judith ...

and 822 routes. In years past, Plainfield was serviced by the Somerset Bus Company with service from Union County to Essex and New York City, the Public Service Bus Company with similar service and Plainfield Transit, providing local service.

Newark Liberty International Airport Newark Liberty International Airport , originally Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport straddling the boundary between the cities of Newark in Essex County and Elizabeth in Union Count ...

is approximately 30 minutes away. A proposed PATH train extension to Plainfield in the 1970s, with stops at the airport and at Elizabeth, was canceled in 1976.

Health care

Solaris Health System, the nonprofit company that owns Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center, asked for permission to close the hospital. This request has been opposed by People's Organization for Progress, an advocacy group based in Newark, New Jersey. The closing has been attributed to the large number of uninsured patients served by the hospital. Neighborhood Health Services Corporation (NHSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community health center serving the greater Plainfield and

Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a city and the county seat of Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.New J ...

communities. NHSC has been designated a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service's Bureau of Primary Health. NHSC's

340B Drug Pricing Program The 340B Drug Pricing Program is a US federal government program created in 1992 that requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible health care organizations and covered entities at significantly reduced prices. The intent of ...

, in partnership with Drug Mart Pharmacy of South Plainfield, New Jersey, provides eligible patients access to outpatient drugs at significantly reduced prices. At the height of popularity in the 1950s through the 1970s, Plainfield was a hub for medical practices. Park Avenue was lined with doctors and medical offices and was nicknamed "Doctors Row".

Plainfield Teacher's College hoax

Plainfield Teacher's College Plainfield Teachers College was an imaginary college, created as a hoax, that fooled ''The New York Times'' sports department and college football fans across the country. The hoax In 1941, stockbroker Morris Newburger and radio sales executive Al ...

was a mythical institution created as a hoax by a duo of college football fans in 1941. The phony college's equally nonexistent football team had its scores carried by major newspapers including '' The New York Times'' before the hoax was discovered.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Plainfield include: * Ernest R. Ackerman (1863–1931), represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district from 1919–1931 * John Adams (1772–1863), educator who taught at the Plainfield Academy * Katherine Langhorne Adams (1885–1977), painter and printmaker *

Erika Amato Erika Amato (born December 7, 1969) is an American singer and actress and a founding member of the band Velvet Chain. Early life and education Amato was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Mountainside. She started playing and ...

(born 1969), actress, singer and founder of

Velvet Chain Velvet Chain is a bi-coastal alternative rock band whose sound features a mixture of trip hop, rock, and pop, with a jazz/funk flavor. (The band has sometimes been known to refer to their work as "space-jazz" or "moody groove music" - which is al ...

Donald C. Backer Donald C. Backer (November 9, 1943 – July 25, 2010) was an American astrophysicist who primarily worked in radio astronomy. Backer made important contributions to the understanding and study of pulsars (including the discovery of the first mi ...

(1943–2010), radio astronomer and professor at University of California, Berkeley who was discoverer of millisecond pulsars and pioneer in pulsar-based searches for gravitational waves *

Rich Bagger Richard Hartvig Bagger (born March 27, 1960) is an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, and former State Senator who later served as chief of staff to Governor Chris Christie.Westfield, New Jersey *

John Drayton Baker USS ''Baker'' (DE-190) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. She served in the Atlantic Ocean and provided escort service against submarine and air attack for Navy vessels and convoys. She returned home at war's end with ...

(1915–1942), American Naval aviator who was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during World War II * Jeff Barry (born 1938), pop music songwriter, singer and record producer *

Ann Baumgartner Ann G. Baumgartner Carl (August 27, 1918 – March 20, 2008) was an American aviator who became the first American woman to fly a United States Army Air Forces jet aircraft when she flew the Bell YP-59A jet fighter at Wright Field as a test pilot ...

(1918–2008),

aviator An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

who became the first American woman to fly a United States Army Air Forces

jet aircraft A jet aircraft (or simply jet) is an aircraft (nearly always a fixed-wing aircraft) propelled by jet engines. Whereas the engines in propeller-powered aircraft generally achieve their maximum efficiency at much lower speeds and altitudes, je ...

when she flew the Bell YP-59A jet fighter as a test pilot during World War II * James Bell (born 1992), basketball player for Israeli team Hapoel Holon *

G. P. Mellick Belshaw George Phelps Mellick Belshaw (July 14, 1928

(1928–2020), ninth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, serving from 1983 to 1994 * Charlie Bicknell (1928–2013), MLB pitcher who played for the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

in 1948 and 1949 * Joe Black (1924–2002), professional baseball player for the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

and

Cincinnati Reds The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...

Joe Black, baseball pioneer and retired Greyhound Corp. executive, dies - Census - Obituary
, ''

Jet Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to: Aerospace * Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines ** Jet airliner ** Jet engine ** Jet fuel * Jet Airways, an Indian airline * Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline * Journey to Enceladus a ...

'', June 3, 2002, accessed April 26, 2007. "A native of Plainfield, NJ, Black graduated from Morgan State in Baltimore." * Judy Blume (born 1938), author * Jon Bramnick (born 1953), member of the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003 who served on the Plainfield City Council from 1984 to 1991 *

Anthony Branker Anthony Branker (born August 28, 1958) is an American musician and educator of Caribbean descent. He was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and raised in Piscataway and Plainfield, New Jersey. He attended public schools in Piscataway and graduated ...

(born 1958), jazz musician and educator * Jack E. Bronston (1922–2017), lawyer and politician who served in the New York Senate from 1959 to 1978 * Van Wyck Brooks (1886–1963), author * Brock Brower (1931–2014), novelist, magazine journalist and TV writer * Glenwood Brown (born 1967), former professional boxer in the welterweight (147lb) division * Milt Campbell (1933–2012), 1956 Olympic decathlon gold medalist"Field Day in Plainfield"
'' Time'', July 13, 1953, accessed April 26, 2007. "In Helsinki last summer, a big (6 ft. 3 in., 210 lbs.) Negro high-school boy from Plainfield, NJ trudged wearily into a locker room in the Olympic stadium. Worn down by the two-day competition in the Olympics' most demanding test, Decathlon Man Milton Campbell gave World Champion Bob Mathias a congratulatory backslap, then flopped on a cot." *

Pete Carmichael Peter Edwards Carmichael Sr. (March 4, 1941 – January 22, 2016) was an American football coach who has more than 40 years of coaching experience at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. He served as the head football coach a ...

(1941–2016), former football coach *

Leonte Carroo Leonte Carroo (born January 24, 1994) is a former American football wide receiver. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft. He played college football at Rutgers. Early years Carroo attended Don Bosco Pre ...

(born 1994), wide receiver who played in the NFL for the Miami Dolphins *

Linda S. Carter Linda Carter (born April 1963) is an American Democratic Party politician. A resident of Plainfield, she has represented the 22nd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since taking office in 2018 to fill the seat that had be ...

(born 1963), politician who has represented the 22nd Legislative District since 2018 *

Jeremiah E. Cary Jeremiah Eaton Cary (April 30, 1803 – November 9, 1881) was an American lawyer and politician who served one term as a United States representative from New York from 1843 to 1845. Biography Cary was born in Coventry, Rhode Island on Apr ...

(1803–1888), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 21st congressional district *

W. Sterling Cary William Sterling Cary (August 10, 1927 – November 14, 2021) was an American Christian minister. From 1972 to 1975, he was the first Black president of the National Council of Churches (NCC) in its history. Born and raised in Plainfield, New J ...

(1927–2021), president of the National Council of Churches from 1972 to 1975 * James Herbert Case Jr. (1906–1965), 8th president of Washington & Jefferson College *

Diane Chamberlain Diane Chamberlain is an American author of adult fiction. Chamberlain is in the New York Times, USA Today ''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al ...

, author of adult fiction *

DJ Cheese DJ Cheese (born Robert Cheese) is the world title record holder who won the 1986 DMC World Final in London, showcasing the art of scratching in turntablism for the very first time. He also appeared in the 1986 UK tour with Run-DMC. He is known a ...

, first world champion of the DMC World DJ Championships, in 1986 *

John Chironna John F. Chironna (July 4, 1928 – October 15, 2010) was an American football and baseball coach. He served as the head coach of the Rhode Island Rams football team in 1961 and 1962, compiling a record of 4–11–3. Chironna was also head coach ...

(1928–2010), head coach of the Rhode Island Rams football team in 1961 and 1962 * Rohit Chopra (born 1982), member of the

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

* Earl Clark (born 1988), basketball player for the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

, formerly for the University of Louisville Cardinals * George Clinton (born 1941), founder of Parliament-Funkadelic, childhood home *

Manny Collins Manny Collins (born August 2, 1984) is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Rutgers. Early life Collins played high school football at Plain ...

(born 1984) American football cornerback *

Richard Guy Condon Richard Guy "Rick" Condon (January 16, 1952 – September 7, 1995) was an American anthropologist who specialized in the study of Inuit. He was curator of the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum and editor of the international journal, ''Arctic Anthr ...

(1952–1995), anthropologist who specialized in the study of Inuit * Archibald Cox (1912–2004), Watergate special prosecutor * Kathy Cox (born 1964), former superintendent of

public schools Public school may refer to: *State school (known as a public school in many countries), a no-fee school, publicly funded and operated by the government *Public school (United Kingdom), certain elite fee-charging independent schools in England and ...

for the U.S. state of Georgia * Dan Davis (born 1986),

defensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...

who played for the

New York Sentinels New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

of the United Football League * Pat DiNizio (1955–2017), lead singer, songwriter, and founding member of the band The Smithereens *

Charles C. Dodge Charles Cleveland Dodge (September 16, 1841 – November 4, 1910) was a brigadier general in the American Civil War and one of the youngest in history, receiving his commission at the age of twenty-one. He was the son of "Merchant Prince" and C ...

(1841–1910), Union Army brigadier general in the American Civil War and one of the youngest in history, receiving his commission at the age of twenty-one. * William Archibald Dunning (1857–1922), historian best known for his work on the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

(1929–1980), jazz pianist * Dionne Farris (born 1969), singer, songwriter, producer and actress * Negley Farson (1890–1960), adventurer, journalist and author *

J. Michael Fay J. Michael Fay (born September 1956, Plainfield, New Jersey) is an American ecologist and conservationist notable for, among other things, the MegaTransect, in which he spent 455 days walking 2,000 miles (3,200 km) across Africa and the MegaFl ...

(born 1956), conservationist * Rashan Gary (born 1997),

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the la ...

for the

Michigan Wolverines football The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its ...

team * Glenn Goins (1954–1978), singer and guitarist for Parliament-Funkadelic *

Gertrude Joy Grimm Gertrude Joy Ferris Grimm (August 16, 1904 – June 2, 1988) was an American businesswoman. During World War II, she was assistant to Mildred McAfee, commander of the WAVES, the women's branch of the United States Navy Reserve. Early life Ge ...

(1904–1988), WAVES officer in World War II *

Jan Groover Jan Groover (April 24, 1943 – January 1, 2012) was an American photographer. She received numerous one-person shows, including at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, which holds some of her work in its permanent collection. Early life Groov ...

(1943–2012), photographer noted for her use of emerging

color photography Color photography is photography that uses media capable of capturing and reproducing colors. By contrast, black-and-white or gray-monochrome photography records only a single channel of luminance (brightness) and uses media capable only of ...

technologies *

Mark Haines Mark Haines (April 19, 1946 – May 24, 2011) was a host on the CNBC television network. Early life and education Haines grew up in Oyster Bay, New York, and resided in Monmouth County, New Jersey. His ''alma mater'' was Denison Univers ...

(1946–2011), former host of the CNBC shows '' Squawk Box'' and '' Squawk on the Street'' * David Hand (1900–1986), American and British-American animator at Out of the Inkwell studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and

Gaumont Film Company The Gaumont Film Company (, ), often shortened to Gaumont, is a French film studio headquartered in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Founded by the engineer-turned-inventor Léon Gaumont (1864–1946) in 1895, it is the oldest extant film company in ...

's British Animation Studio * Bret Harte (1836–1902), author and poet * Eddie Hazel (1950–1992), lead guitarist and founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic * William Hazell (1908–1995), president of the New Jersey Institute of Technology *

Elise B. Heinz Elise Brookfield Heinz (January 14, 1935January 19, 2014) was an American lawyer and politician. She was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1978 to 1981, representing the 23rd district as a Democrat. Early life and education Heinz ...

(1935–2014), lawyer and politician who was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 1978 to 1981 *

Richard X. Heyman Richard X. Heyman (born 1951) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. Heyman is a founding member of the Doughboys. Biography Heyman was born in 1951 and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey. He started banging on things when he was five, ...

, singer-songwriter and musician, who was a founding member of The Doughboys *

Jon Hilliman Jon Hilliman (born November 14, 1995) is an American football running back for the San Antonio Brahmas of the XFL. He played college football at Rutgers, and was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2019. Early years Raised in Pla ...

(born 1995; class of 2014), professional football player for the

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

Byron Hurt Byron Patrick Hurt (born December 31, 1969) is an American activist, lecturer, writer, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. In 2010, he hosted the Emmy-nominated television show, ''Reel Works with Byron Hurt''. His documentary '' Hip-Hop: B ...

(born 1969), documentary filmmaker * Dontae Johnson (born 1991), cornerback who has played in the National Football League for the San Francisco 49ers *

Marion Lee Johnson Marion Lee Johnson is an American mathematician who was crucial or very important to the landing of the Apollo 11 mission. She was a mathematician on the Boeing/NASA team, where she worked in preparing data for the vehicle impact trajectories. Her ...

, African-American mathematician who was crucial to the landing of the Apollo 11 mission * Tyrone Johnson (born 1992), professional basketball player * Betty Jones (born 1930), operatic spinto soprano, who did not begin her career until the age of 41 * Donald Jones (born 1987), former professional wide receiver who played in the NFL with the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

and

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

Robyn Kenney Robyn Kenney (born February 6, 1979 in Plainfield, New Jersey) is a field hockey midfielder from the United States, who earned her first senior career cap vs Russia on May 2, 2002. Kenney attended Boston University. Kenney injured her right arm du ...

(born 1979), field hockey player * Phyllis Kirk (1927–2006), actress * Florence LaRue (born 1944), singer and actress best known as an original member of the 5th Dimension * Geoffrey Lewis (1935–2015),

character actor A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...

who appeared in more than 100 films and television shows, and was principally known for his film roles alongside

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

and

Robert Redford Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the List of awards and nominations received by Robert Redford, recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Awards, Academy Award from four nomi ...

* Peter Liske (born 1942), former professional football player * Robert Lowry (1826–1899), Christian preacher and prolific hymn-writer/musician, whose works include " Shall We Gather At The River?" * Randolph Manning (1804–1864), Michigan Supreme Court justice * Queena Mario (1896–1951), soprano opera singer, newspaper columnist, voice teacher and fiction writer * Donald Martino (1931–2005),

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning composer * Burke Marshall (1922–2003), head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice during the Civil Rights Era *

John Marshall John Marshall (September 24, 1755July 6, 1835) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the fourth Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 until his death in 1835. He remains the longest-serving chief justice and fourth-longes ...

(born 1963), former middle-distance track athlete who specialized in the 800 meters and competed at the

1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...

* Jack Martin (1887–1980), slick-fielding, weak-hitting

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles. ...

in Major League Baseball, playing mainly at shortstop for three different teams between the and seasons * James Edgar Martine (1850–1925), United States Senator from New Jersey * Robert Mason (born 1942), author of '' Chickenhawk'' * Bridget Mary McCormack (born 1966), lawyer, professor, and judge, serving on the Michigan Supreme Court since 2013, and as Chief Justice of Michigan since 2019 * Mary McCormack (born 1969), actress * Will McCormack (born 1974), actor, executive producer, screenwriter and film director, best known for his 2020 short film '' If Anything Happens I Love You'', which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film *

Peter McDonough Peter J. McDonough (August 24, 1925 – August 28, 1998) was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. Biography McDonough was born in Plainfield, where he was a lifelong res ...

(1925–1998), politician who served in both the New Jersey General Assembly and

New Jersey 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, ...

* Jim McGreevey (born 1957), former Governor of New Jersey Kocieniewski, David
"Ex-Governor Is Back in Public, This Time as an Author"
'' The New York Times'', September 20, 2006. Accessed April 26, 2019. "While his resignation forced Mr. McGreevey to move out of Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, his new home in Plainfield has gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, a circular driveway and a housecleaner who arrived on Tuesday driving a white Mercedes-Benz." * Eugene Monroe (born 1987), former professional football player * Dudley Moore (1935–2002), actor who resided there at the time of his death * Nonnie Moore (1922–2009), fashion editor at ''

Mademoiselle Mademoiselle (abbreviated as ''Mlle'' or ''M'') may refer to: * Mademoiselle (title), the French-language equivalent of the title "miss" Film and television * ''Mademoiselle'' (1966 film), a French-British drama directed by Tony Richardson * '' ...

'', ''

Harper's Bazaar ''Harper's Bazaar'' is an American monthly women's fashion magazine. It was first published in New York City on November 2, 1867, as the weekly ''Harper's Bazar''. ''Harper's Bazaar'' is published by Hearst and considers itself to be the st ...

'' and '' GQ'' " * Cordell Mosson (1952–2013), vocalist and bassist for Parliament-Funkadelic * James S. Negley (1826–1901), Civil War General, farmer, railroader, and U.S. Representative from the state of Pennsylvania * Billy Bass Nelson (born 1951), bassist, founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic *

Gail R. O'Day Gail Radcliffe O'Day (2 December 1954 – 22 September 2018) was an American biblical scholar. Early life and education O'Day was born in Muhlenberg, New Jersey, on 2 December 1954, while her father Arthur F. O'Day served in the Korean War. Upon t ...

(1954–2018),

biblical scholar Biblical studies is the academic application of a set of diverse disciplines to the study of the Bible (the Old Testament and New Testament).''Introduction to Biblical Studies, Second Edition'' by Steve Moyise (Oct 27, 2004) pages 11–12 Fo ...

Andrew P. O'Rourke Andrew Patrick O'Rourke (October 26, 1933 – January 3, 2013) was a judge and politician from New York State. A Republican, he served as the County Executive of Westchester County, New York from 1982 to 1997. He was the Republican candidate ...

(1933–2013), former Westchester County Executive * Montell Owens (born 1984), professional football player for the Jacksonville Jaguars *

Irving Penn Irving Penn (June 16, 1917October 7, 2009) was an American photographer known for his fashion photography, portraits, and still lifes. Penn's career included work at ''Vogue'' magazine, and independent advertising work for clients including Is ...

(1917–2009), photographer * Elizabeth Price (born 1996), gymnast * Kasim Reed (born 1969), birthplace, former Mayor of Atlanta * Edward Regan (1930–2014), politician who served for 15 years as New York State Comptroller *

Emma Winner Rogers Emma Winner Rogers (, Winner; January 20, 1855 – March 3, 1922) was an American writer and speaker upon economic and social questions, and on the Arts and Crafts movement. She favored suffrage, and served as an officer of the National American W ...

(1855–1922), writer and speaker on economic and social questions, and on the Arts and Crafts movement *

Erik Rosenmeier Erik Michael Rosenmeier (born May 26, 1965) is a former professional American football center who played for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League in 1987. He grew up in Clark, New Jersey, and graduated from Arthur L. Johnson High Sc ...

(born 1965), former NFL center who played for the

in 1987 *

Jane Rule Jane Vance Rule (28 March 1931 – 27 November 2007) was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed works. Her first novel, ''Desert of the Heart'', appeared in 1964, when gay activity was still a criminal offence. It turned Rule into a reluctant m ...

(1931–2007), author of lesbian-themed novels and non-fiction * William Nelson Runyon (1871–1931), Acting Governor of New Jersey from 1919 to 1920 * Justin Sears (born 1994), basketball player for the Gießen 46ers in Germany * Robert Shapiro (born 1942), lawyer * Garry Shider (1953–2010), musical director of

Henry Soles Jr. Henry Soles Jr. (August 17, 1935 – January 18, 2018) was a minister based out of Wheaton, Illinois, who served as the Senior chaplain for the Chicago Bulls for more than 30 years. His groundbreaking work in DuPage County helped establish more ...

(1935–2018), minister who served as the senior chaplain for the Chicago Bulls for more than 30 years *

Percy Hamilton Stewart Percy Hamilton Stewart (January 10, 1867, Newark, New Jersey – June 30, 1951, Plainfield, New Jersey) was a Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives for o ...

(1867–1951), mayor of Plainfield in 1912 and 1913, represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district from 1931 to 1933 *

Bertram D. Tallamy Bertram Dalley Tallamy (December 1, 1901 – September 14, 1989) was superintendent of the New York State Department of Public Works from 1948 to 1955. On October 12, 1956, he was named by Dwight D. Eisenhower as the Federal Highway Administrato ...

(1901–1989), transportation official who served as Federal Highway Administrator and as superintendent of the New York State Department of Public Works *

Robert W. Tebbs Robert W. Tebbs (1875–1945) was an American photographer professionally active in the early to mid-twentieth century who specialized in architectural photography. Tebbs is most noted for his 1926 historical photo-essay of the plantations of L ...

(1875–1945), architectural photographer * Edward Herbert Thompson (1856–1935), archaeologist and diplomat * Jeff Torborg (born 1941), former professional baseball player and manager *

Janeen Uzzell Janeen Uzzell is an American global technology executive and CEO of the National Society of Black Engineers. Early life and education Uzzell was born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Plainfield, New Jersey, where she attended Mount St. M ...

, Global Technology Executive and former Chief Operating Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation *

Daniel Tompkins Van Buren Daniel Tompkins Van Buren (January 15, 1826 – July 16, 1890) was an American military officer and engineer. He attained the rank of brigadier general by brevet as a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Born in Kingston, New ...

(1826–1890), Union Army officer who attained the rank of brigadier general by

brevet Brevet may refer to: Military * Brevet (military), higher rank that rewards merit or gallantry, but without higher pay * Brevet d'état-major, a military distinction in France and Belgium awarded to officers passing military staff college * Aircre ...

in the American Civil War *

Nancy Van de Vate Nancy Van de Vate (born December 30, 1930) is an American-born composer living in Austria. Life and career Van de Vate was born in Plainfield, New Jersey. She studied piano at Eastman School of Music and music theory at Wellesley College and comp ...

(born 1930), composer * Fred Van Eps (1878–1960), banjoist and early recording artist * George Van Eps (1913–1998),

swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing rid ...

and mainstream jazz guitarist * Rich Vos (born 1957), comedian *

Helen Walulik Helen Walulik iely(May 3, 1929 – March 6, 2012) was a pitcher and an outfield/utility infielder, infield utility who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at , 121 lb, she batted and threw right-handed. ...

(1929–2012),

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

player * David S. Ware (1949–2012), jazz saxophonist * Vic Washington (1946–2008), former professional football player * James West (born 1931), co-inventor of the

foil electret microphone An electret microphone is a type of electrostatic capacitor-based microphone, which eliminates the need for a polarizing power supply by using a permanently charged material. An ''electret'' is a stable dielectric material with a permanently em ...

and member of the National Inventors Hall of Fame * Kevin White (born 1992), former NFL wide receiver,

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...

, New Orleans Saints, and San Francisco 49ers * Harrison A. Williams (1919–2001), U.S. Senator who resigned following the Abscam scandal * Jay Williams (born 1981), former professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls * Malinda Williams (born 1975), actress who played hair stylist Tracy "Bird" Van Adams on the

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...

television drama '' Soul Food'' * Bernie Worrell (1944–2016), keyboardist, founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic, childhood home * Albert Capwell Wyckoff (1903–1953), ordained minister of the

Presbyterian Church (USA) The Presbyterian Church (USA), abbreviated PC(USA), is a mainline Protestant denomination in the United States. It is the largest Presbyterian denomination in the US, and known for its liberal stance on doctrine and its ordaining of women and ...

and author of juvenile fiction, most notably the Mercer Boys series and Mystery Hunter series *

James A. Yorke James A. Yorke (born August 3, 1941) is a Distinguished University Research Professor of Mathematics and Physics and former chair of the Mathematics Department at the University of Maryland, College Park. Born in Plainfield, New Jersey, United ...

(born 1941), chair of the Mathematics Department at the University of Maryland, College Park * Olamide Zaccheaus (born 1997), American football wide receiver for the

Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The Falcons joined th ...

of the National Football League.Santoliquito, Jospe
"The journey of the Wizard of Oz (also known as South Jersey's Olamide Zaccheaus) to Atlanta"
''Philly Voice'', September 12, 2019. August 10, 2022. "The small family originally wound up in Plainfield, New Jersey, where Yimbra worked a part-time job during the day doing data entry at a local college, and at night as a computer operator."

References

External links

Plainfield, New Jersey's HomepageThe Alternative Press in Plainfield
{{authority control 1869 establishments in New Jersey Cities in Union County, New Jersey New Jersey Urban Enterprise Zones Populated places established in 1869 Special Charters in New Jersey