Dunellen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 6,823.

Dunellen was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on October 28, 1887, when it broke away from Piscataway Township, based on the results of a referendum held on March 23, 1886. Dunellen's incorporation was confirmed on April 15, 1914.^[1]

Geography

Dunellen is located at (40.589702, -74.466349).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 1.0 square miles (2.7 kmē), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,823 people, 2,451 households, and 1,710 families residing in the borough. The population density was 6,573.9 people per square mile (2,533.1/kmē). There were 2,520 housing units at an average density of 2,428.0/sq mi (935.6/kmē). The racial makeup of the borough was 84.07% White, 3.66% African American, 0.25% Native American, 3.56% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 6.38% from other races, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.80% of the population.

There were 2,451 households out of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.2% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.30.

In the borough the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 36.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 101.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the borough was $59,205, and the median income for a family was $67,188. Males had a median income of $45,000 versus $34,130 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $26,529. About 1.4% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 4.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Dunellen is governed under the Borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.^[2]

As of 2008, the Mayor of Dunellen is Robert Seader; Members of the Borough Council are Council President Frank T. Bieniek (Public Works), Anthony Aversa (Buildings), Kevin Bachorik (Fire), Ken Baudendistel (Police), Kelly Kolkowski (Recreation) and Joseph Patraca (Finance).^[3]

Federal, state and county representation

Dunellen is in the Sixth Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District.^[4]

Education

The Dunellen Public Schools serve students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade. Schools in the district (with 2005-06 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics^[5]) are John P. Faber School (K-5, 625 students), Lincoln Middle School (6-8, 174 students) and Dunellen High School (9-12, 334 students).

Transportation

The Dunellen station offers New Jersey Transit service on the Raritan Valley Line. There is a ticket office open only during morning rush hour and a small waiting area at this stop. There are no automated ticket machines, making it acceptable to board a train in Dunellen ticketless without paying a surcharge. A simple station, there are two tracks with two small side platforms. The station is located on a high embankment.

NJ Transit bus service is provided on the 113 and 114 routes to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.^[6]

History

Dunellen grew from its start in 1867. The growth of Dunellen was directly related to the railroad station which wasn't called Dunellen until 1869. At that time the tracks were level with North Avenue and the railroad was the Elizabethtown and Somerville Railroad. The railroad also brought industry to the area.

The large Art Color factory built in 1925 was Dunellen's principal industry and produced 10 million magazines a month. The W. F. Hall Printing Company of Chicago bought Art Color in 1931, and ran it until 1968, when it closed the plant here.^[7]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Dunellen include:

• Bob Maier (1915-1993), third baseman for the Detroit Tigers during their 1945 World Series championship season, his one year in the majors.^[8]
• Randolph Perkins (1871-1936), represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district from 1921-1936.^[9]
• Walter Stone, head writer for The Honeymooners television show.^[10]

References

External links

• Dunellen Information & Planning Board website
• Dunellen Borough website
• Dunellen Fire Department website
• Dunellen Public Schools
• Data for the Dunellen Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics
• Dunellen Merchants and Professionals Association
• Dunellen Historical Society

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