Elizabeth

Sister cities

• Ribera
• Ovar
• Kitami

History

Elizabeth, originally called "Elizabethtown" and part of the Elizabethtown Tract, was founded in 1664 by English settlers. The town was not named for Queen Elizabeth I as many people may assume, but rather for Elizabeth, wife of Sir George Carteret, one of the two original Proprietors of the colony of New Jersey. She was the daughter of Philippe de Carteret II, 3rd Seigneur de Sark and Anne Dowse. The town served as the first capital of New Jersey. During the American Revolutionary War, Elizabethtown was continually attacked by British forces based on Manhattan and Staten Island, culminating in the Battle of Springfield which decisively defeated British attempts to gain New Jersey. After independence, it was from Elizabethtown that George Washington embarked by boat to Manhattan for his 1789 inauguration. There are numerous memorials and monuments of the American Revolution in Elizabeth. On March 13, 1855, the City of Elizabeth was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature, combining and replacing both Elizabeth Borough (which dated back to 1740) and Elizabeth Township (which had been formed in 1693), subject to the results of a referendum held on March 27, 1855. On March 19, 1857, the city became part of the newly created Union County. Portions of the city were taken to form Linden Township on March 4, 1861. The first major industry, the Singer Sewing Machine Company came to Elizabeth and employed as many as 2,000 people. In 1895, it saw one of the first car companies, when Electric Carriage and Wagon Company was founded to manufacture the Electrobat, joined soon by another electric car builder, Andrew L. Riker. The Electric Boat Company got its start building submarines for the United States Navy in Elizabeth, beginning with the launch of USS Holland (SS-1)…

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city had a total area of 13.66 square miles (35.37 km2), including 12.32 square miles (31.91 km2) of land and 1.34 square miles (3.46 km2) of water (9.78%). The borders of Elizabeth, Bayonne and Staten Island meet at one point on Shooters Island, of which of the island is owned by Elizabeth, though the island is managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The Elizabeth River is a waterway that courses through the city for and is largely channelized, before draining into the Arthur Kill.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  177,377
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  166,610
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  151,504
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  145,573
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  145,411
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  131,701
• Rock Pigeon

  Columba livia J.F.Gmelin, 1789 · Aves
  129,149
• White-throated Sparrow

  Zonotrichia albicollis (J.F.Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  118,602

Largest nearby schools

• Union High School
  High · UNION · 2,308 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Westfield Senior High School
  High · Westfield · 1,818 students · 12.1:1 ratio
• Linden High School
  High · Linden · 1,801 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
  High · Elizabeth · 1,443 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
  High · Elizabeth · 1,299 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• Elizabeth High School - Frank J Cicarell Academy
  High · ELIZABETH · 1,281 students · 18.8:1 ratio
• Rahway High School
  High · RAHWAY · 1,204 students · 12:1 ratio
• Terence C. Reilly School No 7
  Middle · ELIZABETH · 1,126 students · 14.4:1 ratio