New Jersey Facts: Little known fun facts about NJ

New Jersey Facts

Fun and Surprising Truths About NJ

Explore fun facts about New Jersey, a state that proves big things can come in a small package. From sports and history to inventions and unique traditions, these interesting facts about New Jersey show why NJ’s influence reaches far beyond its borders.

Surprising Geography and Early History

  • New Jersey boasts over 300 miles of coastline and riverfront, making it a true peninsula.
  • The highest point on the East Coast from Maine to Florida is found in Highlands, NJ.
  • High Point runs up to 1,497 feet above sea level, marking the state’s highest altitude.
  • Covering 7,420 square miles, New Jersey ranks 46th in land size among all U.S. states.
  • Native Americans lived in what is now New Jersey roughly 15,000 years ago, long before European explorers arrived.
  • The nation’s first Native American reservation was established in Evesham Township back in 1758.
  • New Jersey land was once part of New Netherlands (named by Dutch explorers) in the early 1600s before a section became New Sweden in 1638.
  • The state’s name comes from Jersey Island in the UK.
  • Newark, founded in 1666, stands as the third-oldest city in the United States, after New York and Boston.

State Traditions and Pop Culture

  • New Jersey joined the union as the third state on December 18, 1787.
  • Union City, NJ (just one square mile) has a higher Cuban population than Havana itself.
  • NJ is famous for diners, often called the “Diner Capital of the World.”
  • North Jersey has a dense cluster of shopping centers, packing seven major malls within just 25 miles.
  • Lakewood’s zip code (08701) is NJ’s most crowded, home to over 93,000 people, while Rosemount (08556) has only 13 residents.
  • Both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, iconic U.S. landmarks, sit within New Jersey territory.
  • Paterson’s Passaic River hosted the first submarine ride in 1878, thanks to inventor John P. Holland.
  • There are more than 50 resort towns here, including favorites like Asbury Park, Atlantic City, Long Branch, and Cape May.
  • NJ is one of the country’s leading industrial states, especially in chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
  • The Lambert Castle Museum in Paterson features an exhibit of over 5,400 spoons collected from every state and almost every country.
  • The tragic Hindenburg disaster happened in Manchester, NJ in 1937.

Cool Facts About New Jersey Agriculture and Inventions

  • New Jersey, known as the “Garden State,” grows plenty of produce. It’s 5th in the nation for blueberries, 3rd in cranberries, spinach, and bell peppers, and 4th in peaches.
  • Jersey tomatoes stand out for their flavor, often considered the best you’ll find anywhere.
  • America’s first brewery opened in Hoboken in 1642.
  • Vineland, NJ began as a dry town but soon found its land perfect for growing grapes; Thomas Bramwell Welch started Welch’s Grape Juice here with locally sourced fruit.
  • Les Paul invented the first solid-body electric guitar in Mahwah in 1940.
  • The world’s largest kite festival happens every year in Wildwood, NJ.

Revolutionary Roots and American History

  • George Washington led several battles here, earning New Jersey the nickname “Crossroads of the Revolution,” with more than 100 Revolutionary War skirmishes fought on its land.
  • Edison’s Menlo Park studio in NJ saw the birth of the light bulb, motion picture projector, and phonograph.
  • The transistor was created at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, changing the face of technology.
  • Bell Lab engineers in Holmdel detected radiation from the Big Bang, a major moment in science.
  • The first seaplane and airmail flight (starting in Keyport) both began in New Jersey.

Unique Places and Firsts

  • The Jersey Shore took off as a hot spot in the 1920s, at the same time the state led the charge on Prohibition. Stories of gangsters and bootlegging from Boardwalk Empire are based on real NJ history.
  • Monopoly’s famous streets carry actual Atlantic City names.
  • The Atlantic City Boardwalk, at six miles, is both the world’s longest and oldest, built in 1870 to keep sand out of hotels.
  • Saltwater taffy, a classic boardwalk treat, started here in the 1880s.
  • Cape May is the oldest beach resort in the U.S. and has been a National Historic Landmark since 1976.
  • Sandy Hook Lighthouse, built in 1764, is the oldest working lighthouse in the U.S.
  • Union, NJ holds the world record for the tallest water tower.
  • Every county in New Jersey falls within a metropolitan area—the only state where that's true.

More Interesting Facts About New Jersey

  • The nation’s first medical center opened in Jersey City.
  • The Pulaski Skyway, running from Jersey City to Newark, was the first raised highway in the world.
  • New Jersey has five climate regions: Northern, Central, Pine Barrens, Southwest, and Coastal.
  • Over two-fifths of the state is forested, and there are 28 state parks and 11 state forests.
  • The Holland Tunnel was the first underwater tunnel with mechanical ventilation, reaching 93 feet below the Hudson River when it opened in 1927.
  • Hoboken hosted both the first professional baseball game (1846) and America’s first brewery.
  • Rutgers and Princeton played the country’s first college football game in New Brunswick in 1869.
  • The first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden.
  • Camden County saw the construction of the nation’s first traffic circle in 1925.
  • Both New York Giants and New York Jets football teams actually play their games in New Jersey.
  • Paterson launched the world’s first radio broadcast.
  • William Parker Foulke found North America’s first complete dinosaur skeleton in Haddonfield in 1858. The Hadrosaurus Foulkii was the first-ever dinosaur model displayed for the public.

More Cool Facts and Stories

  • The Great Depression hit hard here, prompting the state to hand out begging licenses in 1933.
  • The Pine Barrens Cohansey aquifer holds an incredible 17 trillion gallons of water, enough to cover the entire state ten feet deep.
  • Charles Lindbergh’s infamous kidnapping case happened in Hopewell, NJ.
  • Many well-known people went to Princeton University, including Aaron Burr, Michelle Obama, and Woodrow Wilson.
  • Washington’s Rock, overlooking Lambertville, was used as a lookout by George Washington before crossing the Delaware River on Christmas in 1776.
  • Bradley Beach was first in the U.S. to charge beachgoers an access fee, creating tin badges in 1929.
  • New Jersey played a major part in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape north with help from the Lenape tribe.

Oddities and Local Legends

  • Killcohook, a patch of land in Salem County, NJ, technically belongs to Delaware and remains largely untouched except for the occasional dirt bike or beach party.
  • New Jersey remains the only state where all counties are categorized as metro areas.

These fun facts about New Jersey capture just a few reasons the state stands out. NJ’s long list of interesting claims to fame, cool firsts, and unique spots make it much more than just a small Northeast state. Share your favorite cool facts about New Jersey with friends who love a good story or unique trivia.