Middlesex County's New Brunswick

New Brunswick is a city in and the seat of government of Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is a regional commercial hub for central New Jersey, serving as both a college town and a commuter town for residents commuting to New York City. New Brunswick is known as the 'Healthcare City' for its wide array of public and private healthcare services.

New Brunswick is the county seat of Middlesex County

New Brunswick is a vibrant city with a population of over 50,000 residents, a number that triples during the business day with college students, corporate and business employees, hospital and healthcare workers, and visitors. It is a community with richly diverse neighbourhoods, a bustling downtown, and an innovative and popular cultural arts centre.

New Brunswick is also known as the "Healthcare City", with several hospitals and healthcare facilities, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and Saint Peter's University Hospital. It is also the location of Johnson & Johnson's world headquarters.

New Brunswick has a strong arts and culture scene, with three professional theatres and several four-star restaurants. It is also home to Rutgers University, the state's flagship academic institution, and New Brunswick Theological Seminary, the oldest theological school in the United States.

New Brunswick was formed by Royal Charter in 1730

New Brunswick, New Jersey, was formed by Royal Charter on December 30, 1730, within townships in Middlesex and Somerset counties. The name is attributed to the British royal House of Brunswick and the German city of Braunschweig, formerly translated to English as Brunswick. The city was named after Braunschweig, an influential and powerful city in the Hanseatic League and an administrative seat for the Duchy of Hanover.

New Brunswick was first settled in 1681 and was called Prigmore's Swamp from 1681 to 1697, then Inian's Ferry from 1691 to 1714. In 1714, the settlement was given the name New Brunswick.

New Brunswick was reformed by Royal Charter with the same boundaries on February 12, 1763, and was divided into north and south wards. It was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 1, 1784.

New Brunswick is the county seat of Middlesex County and hosts many of the county's government offices and facilities. It is also home to Rutgers University, the state's largest university, and several medical institutions, leading to its nickname, the "Healthcare City."

New Brunswick is known as the 'Healthcare City'

New Brunswick, New Jersey, is known as the "Healthcare City" due to its concentration of medical facilities and institutions. The city is home to several hospitals, including Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Saint Peter's University Hospital, and The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital. It also hosts medical schools, such as the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and medical research facilities like the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey.

New Brunswick has a rich history in healthcare, with Johnson & Johnson, a global pharmaceutical company, choosing it as the location for its world headquarters. The city's prominence in healthcare is further enhanced by Rutgers University, which brings in more federal research dollars for the state of New Jersey than all other colleges and universities combined.

The city's healthcare reputation is also reflected in its educational system, with the New Brunswick Health Sciences Technology High School being the first magnet secondary school program directly affiliated with a teaching hospital and a medical school.

New Brunswick's status as the "Healthcare City" is well-deserved, and it continues to be a hub for medical innovation, research, and education.

New Brunswick is home to Rutgers University

New Brunswick, New Jersey, is home to Rutgers University, the state's largest university. Rutgers University is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. The New Brunswick Campus, located in New Brunswick and adjacent Piscataway, is the largest campus of the university. The university has additional facilities throughout the state, including oceanographic research facilities at the Jersey Shore.

Rutgers University was originally called Queen's College and was affiliated with the Dutch Reformed Church. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States, the second-oldest in New Jersey after Princeton University, and one of nine U.S. colonial colleges that were chartered before the American Revolution. Queen's College was renamed Rutgers College in honour of Colonel Henry Rutgers, whose substantial gift to the school stabilised its finances during a period of uncertainty.

Today, Rutgers University is a coeducational public research university and is the largest university in the state. It offers over 150 undergraduate majors and 100 distinct bachelor, 100 masters, and 80 doctoral and professional degree programs across 175 academic departments, 29 degree-granting schools, and colleges. The university is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and is a member of the Association of American Universities and the Universities Research Association.

Rutgers University is also home to several museums and collections that are open to the public, including the Rutgers University Geology Museum, Rutgers Gardens, and the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, which maintains a collection of over 60,000 works of art.

New Brunswick has a diverse history of ethnic communities

New Brunswick, New Jersey, has a rich and diverse history of ethnic communities. The city is located in Middlesex County and has been a hub for various ethnic groups over the years. Here are some insights into New Brunswick's diverse ethnic history:

Native Americans

The area that is now New Brunswick was first inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans. The Lenape people lived in the region and used the Minisink Trail, which intersected with the Raritan River. This trail later became a route for colonial roads.

European Settlement

The first European settlement in the area occurred in 1681 and was known as Prigmore's Swamp. In 1691, the settlement's name changed to Inian's Ferry, named after John Inian. In the early 1700s, the city was renamed New Brunswick, after the city of Braunschweig in Germany.

African Americans

New Brunswick also has a long history of African American residents, dating back to the 18th century. During that time, racial slavery was prevalent, and African Americans were bought and sold in the city. The African American community in New Brunswick faced various challenges, including segregation and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. However, they also established institutions such as the African Association of New Brunswick and the Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, the first African American church in Middlesex County.

Hungarians

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, New Brunswick became a hub for Hungarian immigrants, who were attracted by employment opportunities at Johnson & Johnson. At one point, the city was described as the "nation's most Hungarian city," with nearly 20% of its population being Hungarian in 1915. The Hungarian community established various institutions, such as churches, schools, and cultural organizations, many of which still exist today.

Hispanics and Latin Americans

Since the 1960s, New Brunswick has seen a significant influx of Hispanic and Latin American residents. People from various countries, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador, and Mexico, have made New Brunswick their home. In the 2010 census, about 50% of the city's population identified as Hispanic.

Asian Americans

New Brunswick has also experienced growth in its Asian American population, particularly around French Street near Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The city's Asian community has become an integral part of the diverse ethnic fabric of the region.

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