Roselle Park

History

The first known settlement within what is now the borough was built by Samuel Williams in 1700. Galloping Hill Road was continually used by revolutionary war scouts, delivering messages to and from General George Washington and Governor Livingston. Galloping Hill Road also believed to be the route traveled by the British columns en route to the Battle of Connecticut Farms, battling the New Jersey militia the entire way. Son of American general William Crane, was bayoneted and killed by the British near what is now Galloping Hill Road and Colonial Road. The formation of Roselle Park in 1901 occurred due to a number of grievances based on a lack of sufficient public services, including; lack of a modern sewage system, poor schools, neglected roads, and minimal public safety measures. In 1907, the first poured concrete building in the world, now the Robert Gordon School, was built in Roselle Park using Edison's revolutionary process. Roselle Park was home to the factory and lab of Marconi Wireless Telegraph, and in late 1921 became the site of WDY, the first radio broadcasting station licensed in the state of New Jersey.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.23 square miles (3.17 km2), all of which was land. The borough is bordered to the northeast by Union Township, to the northwest by Kenilworth, to the east by Elizabeth, to the south by Roselle and to the west by Cranford.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  53,277
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  51,188
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  48,615
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  48,007
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  45,474
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  43,946
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  41,475
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  40,641

Largest nearby schools

• Union High School
  High · UNION · 2,308 students · 13.9:1 ratio
• Plainfield High School
  High · PLAINFIELD · 1,925 students · 14.8:1 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
• Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School
  High · SCOTCH PLAINS · 1,510 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• John E. Dwyer Technology Academy
  High · Elizabeth · 1,443 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• College Achieve Central Charter School
  Other · Plainfield · 1,403 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Admiral William F. Halsey Jr. Health & Public Safety Academy
  High · Elizabeth · 1,299 students · 15.7:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.8 — 2025-08-05
  1 km N of Hillsdale, New Jersey
• M 3 — 2025-08-03
  0 km W of Little Ferry, New Jersey
• M 2.9 — 2024-05-24
  6 km E of Califon, New Jersey
• M 2.6 — 2024-05-01
  1 km NW of Gladstone, New Jersey
• M 2.9 — 2024-04-27
  7 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey
• M 2.6 — 2024-04-10
  5 km WSW of Gladstone, New Jersey