MATAWAN, NJ

Matawan is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. A historic community located near the Raritan Bay in the much larger Raritan Valley region, the borough is a commuter town of New York City within the New York Metropolitan Area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the borough's population was 9,565, reflecting an increase of 755 (8.6%) from the 8,810 counted in the 2010 census, reflecting a decline of 100 (-1.1%) from the 8,910 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 360 (-3.9%) from the 9,270 counted in the 1990 Census.

Matawan is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural beauty of the Raritan Bayshore coastline.

History

The Lenape Native Americans called the area "," which gave rise to the area being called "Matovancons" by Dutch settlers, from which derives the name "Matawan". The name may derive from a Lenape language word meaning "where two rivers come together" or it may originate from the Southern Unami ', "bad riverbank" or "bad hill," a possible reference to bluffs along Raritan Bay which were subject to erosion and collapse prior to the construction of a seawall in the 1970s. Another possible source is ', Northern Unami for "bad fog," which may have referred to fog generated on Raritan Bay. Other possible meanings are "magician", "charmed skin" or "it arrives in a lake".

The community was established by Dutch settlers in the 17th century (Matawan celebrated a tricentennial in the 1980s). Scotch-Irish settlers from New Hampshire later named the town New Aberdeen. Neighboring Matawan Township reused the historic name in the 1970s when it changed its name to Aberdeen Township. It was the formation of Matawan Township in 1857 that shifted this area's name from Middletown Point to Matawan.

Matawan was formed as a borough on June 28, 1895, from portions of Matawan Township (now Aberdeen Township), based on the results of a referendum held that day. Matawan expanded with portions of Matawan Township in 1931 and 1933, and from Madison Township (now Old Bridge Township) in 1939.

Despite being from the Atlantic Ocean, Matawan was the site of three shark attacks on July 12, 1916, in Matawan Creek, causing two deaths. They closely followed an attack in Beach Haven on July 1 and one in Spring Lake on July 6 that were all part of the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916.

Matawan played an important role in aviation navigation history. In 1944, the first operational Visual Aural Range (VAR) was installed at Matawan. Designed in 1937 at the Bureau of Air Commerce's research center, this system operated in the VHF band around 63 mHz and was an incremental improvement over prior aviation navigation systems such as the four-course radio range. VAR was later redeveloped into VOR.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.41 square miles (6.24 km²), including 2.27 square miles (5.87 km²) of land and 0.14 square miles (0.37 km²) of water (5.89%). The borough is at the northwest corner of Monmouth County and is the second-highest part of Monmouth County.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the borough include Freneau and Oak Shades.

The borough borders Aberdeen Township and Marlboro Township in Monmouth County, as well as Old Bridge Township in Middlesex County. Matawan divides Aberdeen Township into two non-contiguous sections, with a small wedge-shaped exclave on the township's southwest corner separated from the rest of the township by a portion of Matawan located on the opposite side of Route 79.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006–10 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $68,375 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,318) and the median family income was $85,677 (+/- $6,353). Males had a median income of $57,376 (+/- $10,034) versus $42,255 (+/- $14,121) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $39,773 (+/- $5,834). About 3.5% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.6% of those under age 18 and 5.4% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States census there were 8,910 people, 3,531 households, and 2,376 families residing in the borough. The population density was 3,909.1 people per square mile (1,508.8/km²). There were 3,640 housing units at an average density of 1,597.0 per square mile (616.4/km²). The racial makeup of the borough was 82.35% White, 6.53% African American, 0.02% Native American, 7.99% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.23% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.45% of the population.

There were 3,531 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the borough the population was spread out, with 22.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 36.4% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $63,594, and the median income for a family was $72,183. Males had a median income of $51,924 versus $37,113 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,320. About 3.8% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

Matawan is the northern terminus of the middle segment of the Henry Hudson Trail, and the western terminus of the eastern section.

Government

Local government

Matawan is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 565) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the Borough Council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The Borough form of government used by Matawan is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the Mayor of Matawan is Democrat Joseph Altomonte whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Matawan Borough Council are Council President John Lazar (D, 2021), Deana Gunn (D, 2023), Stephanie Buckel (D, 2023), Brett Michael Cannon (D, 2022), Brian Livesey (D, 2022), Nicolas Reeve (D, 2021).

In July 2019, Brian Livesey was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2021 that become vacant following the death of David Vergaretti the previous month; Livesey will serve on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office. In the November 2019 general election, Livesey ran and won a full three-year term while John Lazar was elected to serve the balance of Vergaretti's term of office.

Federal, state and county representation

Matawan is located in the 6th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 12th state legislative district. Prior to the 2011 reapportionment following the 2010 Census, Matawan had been in the 13th state legislative district.

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 5,315 registered voters in Matawan, of which 1,355 (25.5%) were registered as Democrats, 1,136 (21.4%) were registered as Republicans and 2,820 (53.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 4 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 52.1% of the vote (1,937 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 46.6% (1,732 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (50 votes), among the 3,753 ballots cast by the borough's 5,667 registered voters (34 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 49.9% of the vote (2,090 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 47.3% (1,983 votes) and other candidates with 1.4% (57 votes), among the 4,188 ballots cast by the borough's 5,604 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.7%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 52.3% of the vote (2,081 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 47.3% (1,880 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (29 votes), among the 3,978 ballots cast by the borough's 5,440 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.1.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 68.2% of the vote (1,638 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 30.3% (727 votes), and other candidates with 1.5% (37 votes), among the 2,432 ballots cast by the borough's 5,678 registered voters (30 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.0% of the vote (1,639 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 32.5% (920 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.5% (213 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (35 votes), among the 2,827 ballots cast by the borough's 5,377 registered voters, yielding a 52.6% turnout.

Education

Matawan is part of the Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District (MARSD), which also serves students from the neighboring community of Aberdeen Township. The district is a comprehensive system comprising seven schools, which includes one preschool, three elementary schools grades K-3, one 4-5 school, one middle school grades 6–8, one high school grades 9-12. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of seven schools, had an enrollment of 3,827 students and 324.1 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.8:1. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are

Cambridge Park Developmental Learning Center (12 students; Preschool),

Cliffwood Elementary School (320; K-3),

Ravine Drive Elementary School (326; K-3 - in Matawan),

Strathmore Elementary School (397; K-3),

Lloyd Road Elementary School (614; 4-5),

Matawan Aberdeen Middle School (888; 6-8) and

Matawan Regional High School (1,112; 9-12 - in Matawan). The MARSD Central Offices are located at 1 Crest Way, in Aberdeen. Seats on the district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three assigned to Matawan.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the borough had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Monmouth County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Matawan is traversed by Route 34, Route 79 and County Route 516. The Garden State Parkway skirts the northern end of the borough (with the southbound lanes only passing through briefly); the nearest exits are exits 118 and 120.

Public transportation

In the late 20th century, Matawan became known for its heavily used train station at Aberdeen-Matawan on NJ Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, which attracts riders from all over western Monmouth County and provides service to New York City's Penn Station, either directly or via Secaucus Junction.

NJ Transit also provides bus service to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 133 and 135 bus lines.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Matawan include:

Community

Matawan was ranked by BusinessWeek magazine at #12 in the nation on their list of "The 50 Best Places to Raise Your Kids" in November 2007.