Linden is a
city
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
in southeastern
Union County, in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. It is part of the
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...
, located about southwest of
Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
and bordering
Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...
, a borough of New York City, across the
Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York, and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It ...
. As of the
2020 United States census, the city's population was 43,738,
[ an increase of 3,239 (+8.0%) from the 2010 census count of 40,499,][ which in turn reflected an increase of 1,105 (+2.8%) from the 39,394 counted in the 2000 census. In 2015, Linden was listed as the most polluted community in New Jersey, based on the volume of toxic chemicals released into the local environment by facilities in the city.
]
History
Linden was originally formed as a township
A township is a form of human settlement or administrative subdivision. Its exact definition varies among countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, this tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Canad ...
on March 4, 1861, from portions of Elizabeth, Rahway and Union Township. Portions of the township were taken to form Cranford (March 14, 1871), Linden Borough (March 30, 1882) and Roselle (December 20, 1894). Linden 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 ...
on January 1, 1925, replacing both Linden Township and Linden Borough, based on the results of a referendum held on November 8, 1923.[Snyder, John P]
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 239. Accessed May 29, 2024. The city's name derives from linden trees
''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Great Britain and Irelan ...
brought from Germany.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city had a total area of 11.42 square miles (29.56 km2), including 10.69 square miles (27.68 km2) of land and 0.73 square miles (1.88 km2) of water (6.37%).
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the city include Bayway, Grasselli, Morses Mill, Tremley, Sunnyside, Vreeland Mills, Warners and Wheatsheaf.
The city borders the municipalities of Clark, Cranford Township, Elizabeth, Rahway, Roselle and Winfield Township in Union County; Carteret and Woodbridge Township in Middlesex County; and Staten Island
Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...
in New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
across the Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York, and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It ...
tidal strait
A tidal strait is a strait through which a tidal current flows. Tidal currents are usually unidirectional but sometimes are bidirectional. Tidal straits, though they are narrow seaways, are technically not rivers. They are frequently of tectonic ...
.
Polish and Polish-American community
Linden is a regional hub of Polish immigration and features a significant number of establishments featuring the food and culture of Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. 13.1% of residents are of Polish origin and 15.6% of its residents five years old and above in the center of the city of Linden primarily speak the Polish language
Polish (, , or simply , ) is a West Slavic languages, West Slavic language of the Lechitic languages, Lechitic subgroup, within the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family, and is written in the Latin script. It is primarily spo ...
at home. The Skulski Art Gallery of the Polish Cultural Foundation of neighboring Clark has exhibited Linden-based artists.
Polish-American
Polish Americans () are Americans who either have total or partial Polish ancestry, or are citizens of the Republic of Poland. There are an estimated 8.81 million self-identified Polish Americans, representing about 2.67% of the U.S. population, ...
grocery specialty shop Pulaski Meats takes up nearly a city block. Polish language services are held at two Roman Catholic churches, including at the heavily Polish parish St. Theresa of the Child Jesus Roman Catholic Church, established in the 1920s.
Linden holds an annual Polish Heritage Day Festival to showcase local Polish cuisine, pottery, dance, traditional fashion and other Polish arts for visitors.
In 2021, the mayor of Linden hosted a state visit by Poland’s president Andrzej Duda
Andrzej Sebastian Duda (born 16 May 1972) is a Polish lawyer and politician who has served as the sixth president of Poland since 2015. Before becoming president, he served as a Member of the Sejm from 2011 to 2014 and before becoming Member of ...
and first lady Agata Kornhauser-Duda
Agata Kornhauser-Duda (born 2 April 1972) is First Lady of Poland since 2015 as the wife of president of Poland, Andrzej Duda.
Background and family
Kornhauser was born in Kraków, the child of Julian Kornhauser, a Polish people, Polish writer, ...
to the Polish community in Linden.
In old pagan Slavic mythology
Slavic paganism, Slavic mythology, or Slavic religion refer to the Religion, religious beliefs, myths, and ritual practices of the Slavs before Christianisation of the Slavs, Christianisation, which occurred at various stages between the 8th and ...
, the tree for which the city is named, the linden tree
''Tilia'' is a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes, native throughout most of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere. The tree is known as linden for the European species, and basswood for North American species. In Great Bri ...
(''lipa'', as called in all Slavic languages
The Slavic languages, also known as the Slavonic languages, are Indo-European languages spoken primarily by the Slavs, Slavic peoples and their descendants. They are thought to descend from a proto-language called Proto-Slavic language, Proto- ...
) was considered a sacred tree
A sacred tree or holy tree is a tree which is considered to be sacred, or worthy of spiritual respect or reverence. Such trees appear throughout world history in various cultures including the ancient Hindu mythology, Greek, Celtic and Germanic m ...
.
Demographics
2020 census
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 40,499 people, 14,909 households, and 10,272 families in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 3,793.8 per square mile (1,464.8/km2). There were 15,872 housing units at an average density of 1,486.8 per square mile (574.1/km2). The racial makeup was 59.15% (23,957) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 26.88% (10,888) Black or African American, 0.29% (118) Native American, 2.71% (1,099) Asian, 0.02% (8) Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 7.57% (3,066) from other races, and 3.37% (1,363) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 24.93% (10,095) of the population.[
Of the 14,909 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18; 45.1% were married couples living together; 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present and 31.1% were non-families. Of all households, 26.2% were made up of individuals and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.27.][
21.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.8 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 87.7 males.][
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 ]American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
shows that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income
The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two 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 und ...
was $55,859 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,529) and the median family income was $64,439 (+/− $4,027). Males had a median income of $45,890 (+/− $3,397) versus $39,288 (+/− $2,842) for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year.
In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the borough was $27,011 (+/− $1,161). About 5.9% of families and 7.5% 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 ...
, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census there were 39,394 people, 15,052 households, and 10,084 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 15,567 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 66.08% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 22.80% African American
African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.14% Native American, 2.35% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 4.88% from other races, and 3.71% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 14.40% of the population.[Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Linden city, New Jersey]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed July 23, 2012.[DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Linden city, Union County, New Jersey]
, United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
. Accessed July 23, 2012.
There were 15,052 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.21.[
In the city the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.][
The median income for a household in the city was $46,345, and the median income for a family was $54,903. Males had a median income of $39,457 versus $30,395 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,314. About 5.0% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.][
]
Economy
The east side of Linden is located along the Arthur Kill
The Arthur Kill (sometimes referred to as the Staten Island Sound) is a tidal strait in the New York–New Jersey Harbor Estuary between Staten Island (also known as Richmond County), New York, and Union and Middlesex counties, New Jersey. It ...
, a navigable strait
A strait is a water body connecting two seas or water basins. The surface water is, for the most part, at the same elevation on both sides and flows through the strait in both directions, even though the topography generally constricts the ...
which plays an important role in bulk cargo
Bulk cargo is Product (business), product cargo that is transported packaging, unpackaged in large quantities.
Description
Bulk cargo refers to material in either liquid or granular, particulate (as a mass of relatively small solids) form, ...
transportation in the Port of New York and New Jersey
The Port of New York and New Jersey is the port district of the New York metropolitan area, New York-Newark metropolitan area, encompassing the region within approximately a radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument.
It includes the sy ...
.
Together with Elizabeth, Linden is home to the Bayway Refinery, a Phillips 66
The Phillips 66 Company is an American Multinational corporation, multinational energy company headquartered in Westchase, Houston, Texas. Its name, dating back to 1927 as a trademark of the Phillips Petroleum Company, assisted in establishing ...
refining facility that helps supply petroleum-based products to the New York/New Jersey area, producing approximately , making it the second-largest on the East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the region encompassing the coast, coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean; it has always pla ...
and one of the country's 25 largest facilities.
From 1937 to 2005, Linden was home to Linden Assembly, a General Motors
General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
manufacturing plant that produced Oldsmobile
Oldsmobile (formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors) was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produc ...
, Pontiac, Buick
Buick () is a division (business), division of the Automotive industry in the United States, American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American automobil ...
and other GM automobiles, but also produced planes during World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. By early 2008 most of the plant has been torn down for redevelopment by Duke Realty Corporation, which purchased the site for $76.5 million.
Linden, together with Rahway, is home to Merck & Co., one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. In 2003, the pharmaceutical company celebrated 100 years in Rahway and Linden.
Sunnyside section of Linden and the Jewish community
The residential area of Linden west of St. Georges Avenue is known as Sunnyside, named for the former Sunnyfield Golf Club located in that area. It borders on Clark, Cranford and Winfield on the west and Roselle on the east.
Jewish community of Linden
Like the rest of Linden, Sunnyside is a diverse neighborhood featuring residents of many different backgrounds.[Ginsberg, Johanna R]
"Streimels in suburbia Chasidim build ‘enclave’ in Linden, will the town become the next Lakewood?"
'' New Jersey Jewish News'', April 17, 2019. Accessed February 10, 2022. "'You walk on the street and people say hello, not like in New York,'” said Chani Lissauer, who moved from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in January 2018, one of the first of about 40 chasidic families who recently moved to this diverse town of 42,000 in Union County." Congregation Anshe Chesed is a Modern Orthodox synagogue in the Sunnyside section that was founded in 1914. It has a large modern building on St. Georges Avenue and its former synagogue building on Blancke Street was converted for use for community athletics.
Among the parks in the Sunnyside section is Sunnyside Park, at the corner of Summit Terrace and Edgewood Road, dubbed the “ Shabbos park” by the area's Modern Orthodox community as a place where families meet on Saturday afternoons.[
An ]eruv
An ''eruv'' (; , , also transliterated as ''eiruv'' or ''erub'', plural: ''eruvin'' or ''eruvim'') is a ritual ''halakhic'' enclosure made for the purpose of allowing activities which are normally Activities prohibited on Shabbat, prohibited ...
links the Sunnyside section of Linden to Roselle, Warinanco Park, the Jewish Educational Center of Elizabeth, and Hillside. A mikveh
A mikveh or mikvah (, ''mikva'ot'', ''mikvot'', or (Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazic) ''mikves'', lit., "a collection") is a bath used for ritual washing in Judaism#Full-body immersion, ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve Tumah and taharah, ...
was constructed in 2015.
Following the move in 2017 of members of the Koson congregation to the Sunnyside section of Linden, other Hasidic
Hasidism () or Hasidic Judaism is a religious movement within Judaism that arose in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement in contemporary Western Ukraine before spreading rapidly throughout Eastern Europe. Today, most of those aff ...
communities have grown in Linden, including Bobov, Rachmastrivka, Pupa
A pupa (; : pupae) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation between immature and mature stages. Insects that go through a pupal stage are holometabolous: they go through four distinct stages in their life cycle, the stages th ...
, and Satmar
Satmar (; ) is a group in Hasidic Judaism founded in 1905 by Grand Rebbe Joel Teitelbaum (1887–1979), in the city of Szatmárnémeti (also called Szatmár in the 1890s), Kingdom of Hungary, Hungary (now Satu Mare in Romania). The group is a b ...
communities, with 700 families living in the area in 2025.
In addition to rules greatly expanding the minimum lot size for houses of worship, the city enacted zoning restrictions in 2025 limiting use of basements for bedrooms or kitchens and requiring driveways, which would have a disproportionate impact on the growing number of large Haredi
Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...
families in the area.
Local media
Linden media includes:
* ''Union News Daily''. A news outlet covering Union County news, it has a dedicated Linden section. It is part of LocalSource and published by Worrall Community Newspapers of Union.
*''TAPinto
TAPinto is a network of more than 95 independently owned and operated local news and digital marketing platforms in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. Based in New Providence, New Jersey. TAPinto.net is one of the largest online loc ...
Linden'' is a local digital news site covering Linden news exclusively, part of the TAPinto
TAPinto is a network of more than 95 independently owned and operated local news and digital marketing platforms in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Florida. Based in New Providence, New Jersey. TAPinto.net is one of the largest online loc ...
network of news in Central and Northern New Jersey.
* ''Life in Linden'' is published by Renna Media, located on Walnut Street in Cranford, NJ.
*''LindenTV'' is the city's own channel, and is available to cable and Verizon FiOS television subscribers.
* The City of Linden shares news and events via its official website.
* Remaining multi-community newspapers include the ''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 presi ...
'', a daily newspaper based in Bridgewater Township, and ''The Star-Ledger
''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition.
In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...
'' and the ''Suburban News'' based in Newark.
* Linden is the official city of license
In U.S., Canadian, and Mexican broadcasting, a city of license or community of license is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.
In North American broadcast ...
for WNJU
WNJU (channel 47) is a television station licensed to Linden, New Jersey, United States, serving as the Telemundo outlet for the New York City area. It is one of two flagship (broadcasting), flagship stations of the Spanish-language network (th ...
(channel 47), a television station
A television station is a set of equipment managed by a business, organisation or other entity such as an amateur television (ATV) operator, that transmits video content and audio content via radio waves directly from a transmitter on the earth's s ...
serving the New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also called the Tri-State area and sometimes referred to as Greater New York, is the List of cities by GDP, largest metropolitan economy in the world, with a List of U.S. metropolitan areas by GDP, gross metropo ...
as the flagship station
In broadcasting, a flagship (also known as a flagship station or key station) is the broadcast station which originates a television network, or a particular radio or television program that plays a key role in the branding of and consumer loyal ...
of the Spanish-language
Spanish () or Castilian () is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a world language, gl ...
Telemundo
Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast. It provides content ...
network.
Parks and recreation
* Hawk Rise Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary created by the City of Linden and the New Jersey Audubon Society on the banks of the Rahway River
The Rahway River is a river in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex, Middlesex County, New Jersey, Middlesex, and Union County, New Jersey, Union Counties, New Jersey, United States, The Rahway flows into the Arthur Kill, the tidal channel between ...
at the lower reaches of the Rahway River Parkway.
*John Russell Wheeler Park is home to the Linden Skatepark for skateboarders at Winans Avenue and West Edgar Road near where Morses Creek winds through the park. an spray park opened in 2019, replacing a pool that dated back to 1931.
*Peach Orchard Park sits at Dill Avenue, Hussa Street and Cranford Avenue, behind School #4. It is home to Peach Orchard Brook, a tributary of Morses Creek.
* Warinanco Park's Park Drive entrance connects the park to Linden.
Government
Local government
Linden is governed under the City
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
form of government. The city is one of 15 (of the 564) municipalities statewide that use this traditional form of municipal government. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and an 11-member City Council. The mayor and council president 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 tha ...
to four-year terms of office, while the other 10 members are elected from wards to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either two or four of the ward seats up for election each year in a three-year cycle.[''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', ]Rutgers University
Rutgers University ( ), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a Public university, public land-grant research university consisting of three campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's C ...
Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 94.
, the Mayor of Linden is Democrat Derek Armstead, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.[Mayor Derek Armstead]
City of Linden. Accessed February 20, 2024. Members of the City Council are:[''Union County Elected Officials'']
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county Clerk. Accessed February 20, 2024.[General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results]
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county , updated November 22, 2023. Accessed February 19, 2024.[General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results]
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county , updated November 21, 2022. Accessed February 19, 2024.[General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results]
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county , updated November 15, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.
* Council President – Michele Yamakaitis (D, 2026)
* First Ward – Lisa A. Ormon (D, 2024)
* Second Ward – Barry E. Javick (D, 2025)
* Third Ward – Monique Caldwell (D, 2025)
* Fourth Ward – Alfred Mohammed (D, 2026)
* Fifth Ward – Carlos A. Rivas (D, 2025)
* Sixth Ward – John Francis Roman (D, 2026)
* Seventh Ward – Ralph Strano (D, 2025)
* Eighth Ward – Mark Armstead (D, 2026)
* Ninth Ward – Armando Medina (D, 2024)
* Tenth Ward – Christine Ann Hudak (D, 2026)
In June 2022, Christine Ann Hudak was appointed to fill the 10th Ward seat that had become vacant following the resignation of Gretchen M. Hickey. Hudak served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election when she was elected to serve the remainder of the term of office.[
The 8th Ward seat expiring in December 2020 became vacant in January 2019 when Michele Yamakaitis took office as Council President. The Democratic municipal committee chose Paul Coates to fill the vacancy, but Mayor Derek Armstead sought to keep the seat vacant until the November 2019 general election. After a legal battle waged by the Linden Democratic municipal committee and its chairman Nicholas Scutari, a Superior Court judge ruled in May 2019 that Coates should be immediately seated to the council to serve until the November general election. In the November 2019 voting, Garret Blaine was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.][General Election November 5, 2019 Official Results]
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county , updated December 5, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.
In November 2015, the City Council selected Ralph Strano from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the Seventh Ward seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Mike Minarchenko until his resignation from office the previous month; Strano served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[General Election November 8, 2016 Official Results]
Union County, New Jersey
Union County is a County (United States), county in the northern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, seventh-most-populous county , updated November 14, 2016. Accessed January 30, 2017.
John T. Gregorio, served as mayor of Linden for 30, non-consecutive years until December 31, 2006, and was repeatedly tagged with scandal during his mayoral career, including one felony conviction, later pardoned, which forced him from office for two terms. Gregorio returned as mayor following his conviction.
Rhashonna Cosby-Hurling became the first African American female elected to the City Council when she took office in 2011 to represent the Fifth Ward.
Federal, state, and county representation
Linden is located in the 7th and 10th Congressional Districts[Plan Components Report]
New Jersey Redistricting Commission
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...
, 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 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
. Accessed February 1, 2020.[''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government'']
New Jersey League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...
. Accessed October 30, 2019.
Prior to the 2010 Census, Linden had been split between the , the 10th Congressional District and the , a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission
The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is a constitutional body of the government of New Jersey tasked with redrawing the state's Congressional election districts after each decade's census. Like Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington ...
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. 60, New Jersey League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters (LWV) is a nonpartisan American nonprofit political organization. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include Voter registration, registering voters, providing voter information, boosting voter turnout and adv ...
. Accessed May 22, 2015.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 21,494 registered voters in Linden, of which 11,831 (55.0% vs. 41.8% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,319 (6.1% vs. 15.3%) were registered as Republicans and 8,339 (38.8% vs. 42.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as Libertarians
Libertarianism (from ; or from ) is a political philosophy that holds freedom, personal sovereignty, and liberty as primary values. Many libertarians believe that the concept of freedom is in accord with the Non-Aggression Principle, according ...
or Greens.[Voter Registration Summary - Union]
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 New Jersey State Council on the Arts, artistic, cultural, and New Jersey Historical Com ...
Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed May 19, 2013. Among the city's 2010 Census population, 53.1% (vs. 53.3% in Union County) were registered to vote, including 67.9% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.6% countywide).[
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat ]Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
received 11,213 votes (73.3% vs. 66.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney
Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
with 3,814 votes (24.9% vs. 32.3%) and other candidates with 135 votes (0.9% vs. 0.8%), among the 15,303 ballots cast by the city's 22,753 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.3% (vs. 68.8% in Union County). In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 10,728 votes (66.5% vs. 63.1% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain
John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
with 5,037 votes (31.2% vs. 35.2%) and other candidates with 162 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 16,142 ballots cast by the city's 22,266 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.5% (vs. 74.7% in Union County). In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as the 68th United States secretary of state from 2013 to 2017 in the Presidency of Barack Obama#Administration, administration of Barac ...
received 9,222 votes (64.0% vs. 58.3% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...
with 4,966 votes (34.4% vs. 40.3%) and other candidates with 116 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 14,419 ballots cast by the city's 20,596 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.0% (vs. 72.3% in the whole county).
In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Democrat Phil Murphy
Philip Dunton Murphy (born August 16, 1957) is an American politician, diplomat, and financier serving as the 56th governor of New Jersey since 2018. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he was elected governor i ...
received 5,665 votes (72.0% vs. 65.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Kim Guadagno
Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018.
Guadagno was the Republican nominee ...
with 2,021 votes (25.7% vs. 32.6%), and other candidates with 180 votes (2.3% vs. 2.1%), among the 8,195 ballots cast by the city's 24,699 registered voters, for a turnout of 33.2%. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Democrat Barbara Buono received 54.6% of the vote (4,255 cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie
Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician and former United States Attorney, federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. A member of the Republican Party (United States) ...
with 43.9% (3,420 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (123 votes), among the 8,158 ballots cast by the city's 22,416 registered voters (360 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.4%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine ( ; born January 1, 1947) is an American financial executive and retired politician who served as a United States Senator from New Jersey from 2001 to 2006, and the 54th governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. Corzine ran f ...
received 5,429 ballots cast (57.8% vs. 50.6% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 3,272 votes (34.8% vs. 41.7%), Independent Chris Daggett with 452 votes (4.8% vs. 5.9%) and other candidates with 98 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 9,390 ballots cast by the city's 21,742 registered voters, yielding a 43.2% turnout (vs. 46.5% in the county).
Education
Public schools
The Linden Public Schools serve students in pre-kindergarten
Pre-kindergarten (also called pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...
through twelfth grade
Twelfth Grade (also known as Grade 12, Senior Year, Standard 12, 12th Standard, 12th Class, or Class 12th or Class 12) is the twelfth and final Educational stage, year of Formal education, formal or compulsory education. It is typically the final ...
. As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of 11 schools, had an enrollment of 6,125 students and 557.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio
The student–teacher ratio or student–faculty ratio refers to the number of students who attend a school or university divided by the number of teachers or staff in the institution. For example, a student–teacher ratio of 10:1 indicates that ...
of 11.0:1.[District information for Linden Public School District]
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
. Accessed February 1, 2024. Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the principal federal agency responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data on education in the United States. Established under , it operates within the Institute of Education S ...
) are
School No. 1 (with 374 students; in grades PreK–5),
School No. 2 (584; PreK–5),
School No. 4 (437; PreK–5),
School No. 5 (290; PreK–5),
School No. 6 (332; PreK–5),
School No. 8 (300; PreK–5),
School No. 9 (324; PreK–5),
School No. 10 (242; PreK–5),
Myles J. McManus Middle School (696; 6–8),
Joseph E. Soehl Middle School (662; 6–8) and
Linden High School (1,801; 9–12). School No. 5 was one of nine schools in New Jersey honored in 2020 by the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
, which recognizes high student achievement.
Private schools
Sinai Christian Academy serves grades Pre-K through 12th grade.
Saints Mary and Elizabeth Academy was a Catholic school
Catholic schools are Parochial school, parochial pre-primary, primary and secondary educational institutions administered in association with the Catholic Church. , the Catholic Church operates the world's largest parochial schools, religious, no ...
serving students in Pre-K through 8th grade that operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark until its closure at the end of the 2013–2014 school year due to declining enrollment.
Transportation
Roads and highways
, the city had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Union County, by the New Jersey Department of Transportation
The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transport ...
and by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge Town ...
.
The New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike (NJTP) is a system of controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The turnpike is maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA).The Garden State Parkway, although ma ...
(Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Florida, north to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between Maine and the ...
) passes through the eastern portion of the city, with a few ramps that lead to the nearest exit (Exit 13 for I-278) which is right on the city limits with nearby Elizabeth. The city is also the western terminus of Interstate 278
Interstate 278 (I-278) is an List of auxiliary Interstate Highways, auxiliary Interstate Highway in New Jersey and New York (state), New York in the United States. The road runs from U.S. Route 1/9, US Route 1/9 (US 1/9) i ...
, which travels through all five boroughs
A borough is an administrative division in various English language, English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
...
of New York City. Linden is also served by U.S. Route 1/9 and Route 27. The Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway (GSP) is a Controlled-access highway, controlled-access toll road that stretches the north–south length of eastern New Jersey from the state's southernmost tip near Cape May, New Jersey, Cape May north to the New York ...
passes about west of the city limits.
Public transportation
Bus
Local public transportation is provided by NJ Transit
New Jersey Transit Corporation, branded as NJ Transit or NJTransit and often shortened to NJT, is a state-owned public transportation system that serves the U.S. state of New Jersey and portions of the states of New York and Pennsylvania. I ...
with bus service to Elizabeth, Perth Amboy and Newark. New Jersey Transit routes 112 and 115 provide local service and interstate service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus station, bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving ab ...
in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan, serving as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Building, the ...
, on the 48 to Elizabeth and 94 routes to Newark, and local service on the 56 and 57 routes.
Rail
The Linden train station offers a one-seat ride to Manhattan
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
in 39 minutes via service on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line
The North Jersey Coast Line is a Commuter rail in North America, commuter rail line running from Rahway, New Jersey, Rahway to Bay Head, New Jersey, traversing through the Jersey Shore region. Operated by New Jersey Transit, the line is electr ...
and the Northeast Corridor Line
The Northeast Corridor Line is a commuter rail service operated by NJ Transit between the Trenton Transit Center and New York Penn Station on Amtrak's Northeast Corridor in the United States. The service is the successor to Pennsylvania Railroad ...
. Trains travel northbound to Newark Penn Station, Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction (signed as Secaucus) is an intermodal transit hub served by New Jersey Transit Rail Operations, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) and Metro-North Railroad in Secaucus, New Jersey, Secaucus, New Jersey. It is one of the List of b ...
and New York Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (also known as New York Penn Station or simply Penn Station) is the main intercity railroad station in New York City and the busiest transportation facility in the Western Hemisphere, serving more than 600,000 passengers ...
, and southbound towards the Trenton Transit Center, with connections available at those locations
Airport
Linden Airport is a small general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...
facility and reliever airport located on the eastern side of the city along U.S. Route 1/9. The airport was constructed for the United States Navy in 1942 for use in development and testing of the Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based
A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircra ...
and was taken over by the City of Linden after World War II. The airport served as a road racing course in June 1954 for a race in the then-NASCAR Grand National Division (now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the NASCAR, National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States.
The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, ...
), with Al Keller winning the 50-lap race over a course.
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport is a major international airport serving the New York metropolitan area. The airport straddles the boundary between the cities of Newark, New Jersey, Newark in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County and E ...
is approximately 15 minutes away.
Arts and culture
* Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade is the home of outdoor concerts and other performing arts in Linden. Live bands play R&B, funk and jazz at several live performance venues, and late R&B and jazz vocalist Linda Hayes, who played with the well-known Platters (of which her brother was lead singer) was from Linden.
* Catholic-born artist Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt grew up in poverty in 1950s and 1960s Linden. Openly gay, he recently had a career retrospective on his exploration of "gay sexuality, class struggle, and religion" in his art at MoMA PS1, and is also known for being photographed as a youth at the Stonewall Riots
The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, Stonewall revolution, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of ...
. Lanigan-Schmidt worked as a 1960s Linden youth doing "odd jobs to help support his family and was bullied by high school thugs," moving to New York City as a young man. As a child in 1950s Linden, after Lanigan-Schmidt was assigned to decorate the school bulletin board in his Catholic elementary school, he built a detailed model of a church altar. The impressive model was featured in a local paper while Lanigan-Schmidt was a student at St. Elizabeth School at 170 Hussa Street. The school closed in 2014; it is a part of the campus of St. Elizabeth of Hungary Roman Catholic Church in Linden.
* One of the artists from New Jersey hardcore (now LA-based) punk hip-hop group Ho99o9 (pronounced "Horror"), theOGM, has Linden roots.
* 1910 Fruitgum Company, a bubblegum pop band from the 1960s, was formed by five Linden residents.[Voger, Mark]
"1910 Fruitgum Company: From Linden to the Top 10"
NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 28, 2014, updated March 29, 2019. Accessed November 25, 2019. "Jeckell's fellow founding members were Mark Gutkowski (lead vocals, keyboards), Pat Karwan (guitar), Steve Mortkowitz (bass), and Floyd Marcus (drums).... And so five young men from Linden with aspirations to be the next Vanilla Fudge scored a Top 10 hit ... with a bubblegum song."
* De Luxe Records (later DeLuxe Records) was a record company and label formed in 1944 in Linden, New Jersey, and is known for its famed R&B and early rock recordings.
* In the mid-20th century, Linden was the headquarters for the Regal Records, as well as the budget record label Springboard International Records later in the century. Transco, before acquisition by Apollo, made sound recording industry acetate discs (also called acetate blanks, dubplates or lacquers) out of Linden.
* The Linden Cultural and Heritage Committee exists to bring entertainment events to area residents such as craft bazaars, street fairs, concerts, and plays, and the Linden Society for Historic Preservation works to preserve the history of the city.
* Linden was chosen as the primary filming location for Volume 2 of the streetball video series, '' AND1 Mixtapes''.[Palmer, Chris]
''AND1 Streetball: All the ballers, moves, slams and shine''
p. 38.HarperCollins
HarperCollins Publishers LLC is a British–American publishing company that is considered to be one of the "Big Five (publishers), Big Five" English-language publishers, along with Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group USA, Hachette, Macmi ...
, 2004. . Accessed June 16, 2009. One of the original five streetballers to sign with AND1, Waliyy Dixon
Waliyy Dixon (born February 27, 1974), better known by his streetball nickname "Main Event", is an American professional basketball player. He was born and raised in Linden, New Jersey.
Early life
Dixon spent his youth honing his streetball skill ...
, a Linden native who also goes by the nickname "Main Event," helped host a night of basketball at 4th Ward Park that claimed attendance by[ 2,000 spectators.][
* Several scenes from the 2008 ]Mickey Rourke
Philip Andre "Mickey" Rourke Jr. ( ; born September 16, 1952) is an American actor and former professional Boxing, boxer who has appeared primarily as a leading actor, leading man in drama, action, and thriller films. In a Mickey Rourke filmogra ...
film '' The Wrestler'', later nominated for several Academy Award
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...
s, were filmed in Linden.
* Hal Linden, the stage and screen actor, television director and musician best known as the star of the ABC TV series ''Barney Miller
''Barney Miller'' is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th Street in Greenwich Village (Lower Manhattan). The series was broadcast on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from Janu ...
'', chose his stage name
A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
after seeing the word "Linden" on a water tower while heading from Philadelphia to perform in New York City.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Linden include:
* Amelia Brodka
Amelia Brodka (; born 18 August 1989) is a Polish-American professional skateboarder, coach, and president of Exposure Skate Organization. A two-time European Park Skateboarding Champion, she qualified to compete in the inaugural women's park ev ...
(born 1989), Olympic athlete and professional skateboarder
* Deidre Davis Butler (1955–2020), lawyer, disability rights activist and federal official
* Kevin Carolan (born 1968), actor and comedian
* Roger Chanoine (1976–2016), offensive tackle
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive (military), type of military operation
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Fighting words, spoken words which would have a tendency to cause acts of violence by the ...
who played in the NFL between 1998 and 2002, primarily for the Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
* John Charles
William John Charles (27 December 1931 – 21 February 2004) was a Welsh association football, footballer who played as a centre-forward or as a centre-back. Best known for his first stint at Leeds United F.C., Leeds United and Juventus FC, Ju ...
(born 1944), former cornerback and safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League
* Nick Christiani (born 1987), former baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
* Jerome A. Cohen (born 1930), professor of law at New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law (NYU Law) is the law school of New York University, a private research university in New York City.
Established in 1835, it was the first law school established in New York City and is the oldest survivin ...
and an expert in Chinese law
* George Thomas Coker (born 1943), United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
navigator who spent over six years as a POW after being shot down over North Vietnam
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; ; VNDCCH), was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, with sovereignty fully recognized in 1954 Geneva Conference, 1954. A member of the communist Eastern Bloc, it o ...
in 1966
* Danny Dias (–2017), activist and reality television personality who starred on season 13 on MTV
MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's Road Rules, '' Road Rules: X-Treme'', in 2004
* Tamecka Dixon (born 1975), professional basketball player who played for 13 seasons in the WNBA
* Waliyy Dixon
Waliyy Dixon (born February 27, 1974), better known by his streetball nickname "Main Event", is an American professional basketball player. He was born and raised in Linden, New Jersey.
Early life
Dixon spent his youth honing his streetball skill ...
(born 1974), a.k.a. "Main Event" on the AND1 Mixtape Tour; one of the original players on the famous AND1-sponsored streetball tours
* Carolyn Dorin-Ballard (born 1964), professional bowler and TV bowling analyst, USBC Hall of Famer
* Cathy Dorin-Lizzi (born 1966), professional bowler and TV bowling analyst, sister of Carolyn
* Calvin Duncan (born 1961), pastor and former professional basketball player who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers, often referred to as the Cavs, are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division (NBA), Central Divis ...
in the second round (30th pick overall) of 1985 NBA draft
The 1985–86 NBA season, 1985 NBA draft took place on June 18, 1985. It was also the first NBA draft of the "NBA draft lottery, lottery" era. It was also around this time where the league decreased the amount of rounds the draft spent, with the ...
* John T. Gregorio (1928−2013), politician who served as mayor of Linden, in 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 f ...
from 1976 to 1978 and in the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is 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 232,225 (2020 figure ...
from 1978 to 1983
* Linda Hayes (1923–1998; nee Bertha Williams), jazz and R&B singer
* George Hudak (1935–1996), politician who represented the 20th Legislative District in 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 f ...
from 1986 to 1994 and was mayor of Linden from 1983 to 1987
* Eddie Kasko (1931–2020), infielder, manager, scout and front office executive in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
* Thomas Lanigan-Schmidt (born 1948), artist and veteran of the Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots (also known as the Stonewall uprising, Stonewall rebellion, Stonewall revolution, or simply Stonewall) were a series of spontaneous riots and demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of ...
* Mike Nardi (born 1985), basketball player who has played for Scavolini Spar Pesaro in the Italian League – Serie A
* Vincent Obsitnik (born 1938), Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Slovak Republic
* Mike Pringley (born 1976), former American football
American football, referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada and also known as gridiron football, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular American football field, field with goalposts at e ...
defensive end
Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football.
This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formation (American football), formations over the years have substantially ...
who played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. The team plays their home game ...
and San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers played in San Diego, California from 1961 until 2016, before relocating back to the Greater Los Angeles area, where the franch ...
* Giovanni Riggi (1925–2015), mobster and member of the DeCavalcante crime family since the 1940s
* Jon Rua (born 1983), actor, singer and choreographer who appeared in the Broadway hit ''Hamilton
Hamilton may refer to:
* Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States
* ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda
** ''Hamilton'' (al ...
''
* Nicholas Scutari (born 1968), politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is 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 232,225 (2020 figure ...
since 2004, where he represents the 22nd Legislative District
* Danny Stiles (1923–2011), radio personality at WNYC, WNSW, WJDM and WPAT in the New York City market
* Troy Stradford (born 1964), former running back
A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive American football plays#Offensive terminology, handoffs from the quarterback to Rush (American football)#Offense ...
who played for six seasons in the NFL
* Joseph Suliga (1958–2005), former member of the New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate is 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 232,225 (2020 figure ...
who was the youngest person ever elected to the Linden Public Schools Board of Education, at the age of 19
* Craig Taylor (born 1966), former running back for the Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team plays its h ...
* Chester A. Weidenburner (1913–1985), lawyer and judge who served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey and as a Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court
The Superior Court is the state court in the U.S. state of New Jersey, with statewide trial and appellate jurisdiction. The New Jersey Constitution of 1947 establishes the power of the New Jersey courts: under Article Six of the State Consti ...
* Muhammad Wilkerson (born 1989), defensive end who has played for the New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The team p ...
* Robert Zarinsky (1940–2008), convicted murderer and suspected serial killer[Russell, Suzanne C]
"Unsolved killings probed"
''Asbury Park Press
The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
'', August 19, 1999. Accessed April 22, 2011. "Law enforcement officials today will resume their search of a Linden home owned by Robert Zarinsky, the man serving a life sentence for the 1969 killing of a 17-year-old Atlantic Highlands girl whose body was never found."
References
External links
Linden website
{{Authority control
1861 establishments in New Jersey
Cities in New Jersey
Cities in Union County, New Jersey
City form of New Jersey government
Populated places established in 1861