52 Gritty & Weird Facts About New Jersey That Prove It’s Not a Total Dump

Let’s be honest, New Jersey isn’t winning any beauty contests anytime soon. From industrial landscapes to endless traffic, it’s not exactly a paradise. But beneath the gritty exterior lies a state full of quirks, weird trivia, and bizarre facts that can’t be ignored — to say nothing of the most passive-aggressive sign in the world. Whether it’s the countless diners, the infamous Jersey Shore, or the oddball roadside attractions, New Jersey has a lot of… well, something! If you’ve ever wondered what makes this state tick — good, bad, or just plain strange — you’ve come to the third-best place! Continuing our series of facts about all 50 states that includes Alaska and Louisiana and Iowa and Nevada, here are 52 facts about the Garden State that might just explain it.

What is New Jersey known for?

1. Bruce Springsteen! This guy is so New Jersey and his roots are so strong that he transcends the list of famous people from New Jersey and gets his own slot at the top of this article. The embodiment of American songwriting, his music captures the essence of working-class struggles, dreams, and resilience, with lyrics that tell deeply personal stories while resonating with a universal (white) audience. From the anthemic power of “Born to Run” to the haunting reflections in Nebraska, Bruce’s songs are rich narratives of hope, hardship, and humanity. He bridges folk traditions with rock’s energy, making him a voice for the American spirit and arguably the greatest American songwriter in the history of rock-n-roll.

2. Atlantic City! A gambler’s haven, a place where the lure of easy money keeps drawing people back. The bright lights, the constant hum of the casinos, and the promise of hitting it big create an irresistible atmosphere where potential riches are just one pull of the lever away. Even when the odds stack are against you, the allure of one more hand or spin is enough to keep playing until dawn. The city feeds off that desperation and hope of those who believe their fortune is just one game away, making it an endless cycle of risk and reward. Fun times are had by all!

3. The Jersey Shore! This a stretch of coastline in New Jersey that runs along the Atlantic Ocean, known for its beautiful beaches, boardwalks, and vibrant summer culture. Popular towns like Asbury Park, Point Pleasant, Seaside Heights, and Cape May attract visitors for their unique mix of entertainment, family-friendly activities, and nightlife. The Shore is famous for its seafood, amusement parks, and a laid-back, yet lively, atmosphere. Whether it’s sunbathing, fishing, or enjoying the boardwalk, the Jersey Shore offers a quintessential coastal experience.

4. The Sopranos! Merely driving the New Jersey Turnpike in north Jersey evokes images of the great, beautiful, brilliant, and wildly-missed James Gandolfini doing the same in the opening credits of The Sopranos. A decade or two ahead of its time, the show centered on mob boss Tony Soprano as he wrestled with evolving ideas of masculinity and its consequences on his own mental health. The tension between Tony’s mob persona and his struggles with depression and anxiety that he addressed in therapy has ended up being very influential in today’s conversations about gender expectations. As far as the state of New Jersey is concerned, The Sopranos has had quite a cultural and economic impact, boosting local tourism with fans visiting the various locations.

Early history of New Jersey facts

5. The Younger Dryas era was a brief period of time around 12,000 years ago where shit suddenly got cold again during the warming-up period after the last Ice Age. An ice sheet hundreds of feet high covered a lot of New Jersey at this time, making it pretty much unlivable.

6. After all the ice from the Younger Dryas melted away, the Lenape people settled in what is now New Jersey, The remained the dominant inhabitants of the region until the 1600s when the white people starting coming and colonizing.

7. Giovanni da Verrazzano explored the Jersey Shore in 1524. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge that connects Staten Island to Brooklyn is partially named after this dude.

8. Henry Hudson explored the East Coast in 1609, scouting the area of the Dutch East India Company.

9. The New Jersey region was controlled by the Swedes and Dutch in the 17th century until the English seized the land in 1664 and renamed it the Province of New Jersey.

10. In 1776, New Jersey was one of the 13 original colonies to adopt the Declaration of Independence.

11. In 1787, New Jersey was the 3rd state to ratify the constitution, after Delaware and Pennsylvania.

12. New Jersey passed an act in 1804 that called for the gradual — just gradual — abolition of slavery, and it took a couple decades for most — but not all — Blacks in New Jersey to be free.

What famous people are from New Jersey?

13. Many notable baseball players were born in New Jersey, including superstar Mike Trout (Vineland), New York Yankees Hall-of-Fame shortstop Derek Jeter (Pequannock), and MLBPA labor hero Andy Messersmith (Toms River).

14. American actor, director — and friend of Arnold Schwarzenegger — Danny Devito was born in Neptune Township on November 17, 1944. You may be surprised to learn that he directed Throw Momma from the Train, Hoffa, The War of the Roses, Matilda, and Death to Smoochy.

15. Dana Elaine Owens is a musician and actor whose performances have been awarded with a Grammy and an Emmy, in addition to an Oscar nomination. You probably know her as Queen Latifah, and she was born in Newark, New Jersey on March 18, 1970.

16. Is there a better female actor in the history of American cinema than Meryl Streep? She’s been nominated for more than 20 Academy Awards in her storied career, and she was born Mary Louise Streep on June 22, 1949.

17. Judy Blume is the author of such young reader classics like Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. In 2023, Time magazine named her as named one of the 100 most influential people in the world. She was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey in 1938.

18. Garden State may be one of the most famous movies ever made about New Jersey, and it was written and directed by Zach Braff, who was born in South Orange on April 6, 1975.

19. At 7’1″ and over 300 pounds, Shaquille O’Neal is perhaps the most dominant center to ever play in the NBA. The 15x All-Star was born in Newark, New Jersey.

20. Whitney Houston has one of the most celebrated voices in the history of popular music, and her performance of the smash 1992 hit single “I Will Always Love You” may be the greatest vocal performance ever put on a pop record. She was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 9, 1963.

21. Actor, rapper, and singer Lauryn Hill was born in East Orange, New Jersey. Her debut solo album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is considered one of the best records of the decade.

22. Francis Albert Sinatra was arguably the most popular and famous American performer of the mid-20th century. In addition to winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for From Here to Eternity, he has also sold like 150 million records worldwide. The crooner popularly known as “Chairman of the Board” was born in Hoboken, New Jersey on December 12, 1915.

23. Businessperson and television personality Martha Stewart has built an empire publishing and merchandising her brand of hospitality. She was born Martha Helen Kostyra on August 3, 1941 in Jersey City, New Jersey.

What are the state symbols of New Jersey?

24. There are 19 states that have named a kind of trout as a state symbol, including New Jersey, who recognized the brook trout as the state fish in 1992. Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia also have the brook trout as their state fish.

25. New Jersey has an official dance and it’s the square dance. It also happens to be the official dance of a shitload of other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, and Georgia, as well as Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Missouri. And Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Oregon, as well as Tennessee and Texas. And Utah. And Virginia. And also Washington state. It’s also the official folk dance of California and South Carolina. Clearly, America needs to diversify its dance card. Yes, we copy and pasted this from other articles.

26. The official state dog of New Jersey is not a specific breed but the honorable seeing-eye dog, designated in 2020. Those good boys and girls deserve all the treats in the world and a whole lot more.

27. Established as such in 1950, the Northern red oak is the official tree of New Jersey. The following year in 1951, New Jersey designated the dogwood as the official state memorial tree. Please consult someone from New Jersey about the difference between the official tree and the official memorial tree.

28. The horse was named the official mammal of New Jersey in 1977, as it’s a pretty horse-crazy state with a rich history of horse farming that includes the location of the U.S. Equestrian Team headquarters in Gladstone, New Jersey. Sixteen other states have specific breeds as official state horses or animals, but New Jersey doesn’t seem to discriminate in its affection for horses.

29. The official state flower of New Jersey is the violet, formally and officially adopted in 1971. Illinois and Rhode Island have also designated the violet as their state flower, and Wisconsin has the wood violet as theirs.

Topography & geography of New Jersey

30. 250 million years ago, New Jersey actually bordered northern Africa when both were part of the Pangea supercontinent.

31. The capital of New Jersey is Trenton! The Lower Trenton Bridge has arguably the most passive-aggressive slogan of any bridge in the world: “Trenton Makes The World Takes.” While it’s not clear what exact message this sign is meant to convey, it is clear whomever came up with it has issues they need to address.

32. In terms of area size and square miles, the biggest city in New Jersey is Vineland, which is about 68.4 square miles.

33. If you want to drive all the way from east New Jersey to the west, it’s 70 miles. From north to south, New Jersey is 170 miles.

34. Of all the states, New Jersey is the 4th-smallest, totaling 8,729 square miles.

35. The coastline of New Jersey that shores the Atlantic Ocean is about 130 miles. You should swim the whole length and let us know how that worked out.

36. The highest point in New Jersey is actually called High Point, located in High Point State Park 1,803 feet above sea level. The lowest point is zero feet above sea level at the Atlantic Ocean.

37. The 80-mile Passaic River is the longest river that is located entirely within the borders of New Jersey.

38. New Jersey has about 18,126 miles of streams and rivers flowing throughout the state.

39. New Jersey borders three different states: New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

Where should I visit in New Jersey?

40. At the Newark Museum of Art in Newark, New Jersey, you’ll find priceless works from masters like Georgia O’Keeffe, Edward Hooper, John Singer Sargent, and Frank Stella, among tons of others, as well as a Tibetan art collection that is the envy of most of the world. Established in 1909, the museum was once so modest that it was originally on the 4th floor of the Newark Public Library.

41. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to sit in a living room that is out of doors, then the Stone Living Room in Passaic Country, New Jersey should answer that question for you. This outdoor living room is a bit off the beaten path in this part of the state, and visitors are often amazed at the arrangement of flat stones piled and presented as one big stone couch with a table in the middle.

42. Margate, New Jersey is home to Lucy the Elephant! Who is Lucy, you ask? Why, she is a six-story building that is in the shape of an elephant. Built from wood and tin by this dude from Philadelphia named James V. Lafferty in 1882, you can find Lucy by the beach in Josephine Harron Park.

43. Union, New Jersey boasts the “World’s Tallest Water Sphere” and while it’s pretty fucking tall at 212 feet, it has some competition from structures in North Carolina and Oklahoma, depending on your definition of a water sphere versus a water spheroid. Regardless, this destination is a must-see for all water tower enthusiasts.

44. The Grounds For Sculpture is a museum located in Hamilton Township, New Jersey that was founded by sculpture artist and Johnson & Johnson scion John Seward Johnson II out of a vision to make contemporary art more accessible to the public. The collection features work from some of the biggest and best sculpture artists of their respective generations, including Beverly Pepper, Isaac Witkin, Clement Meadmore, Boaz Vaadia, Kiki Smith, and Magadelna Abakanowicz.

45. The boardwalk on Asbury Park, New Jersey is home to the Silverball Pinball Museum, where the sights and sounds and smells here can contribute to an overdose of nostalgia. You’ll find classic vintage video games titles in addition to pinball machines, some almost a hundred years old. They bill themselves as the coolest place on Earth, and it’s possible they are correct.

Fun, cool, interesting & weird New Jersey facts

46. We’ve all played frustrating and unpleasant rounds of Monopoly before! It’s a game that can turn a friendly competition into hours of cutthroat real estate warfare that ends up being no fun at all. You may have noticed that the locations on the board game are named for real-life locations in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

47. New Jersey is the only state where it is against the law to pump your own gas. You need to have the gas station attendant to do this for you, and lording this task over a minimum-wage employee is an excellent way for insecure people to feel temporarily slightly better about themselves.

48. The Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey is the site of the very first game of baseball ever on June 19, 1846.

49. In 1869, the first college football game ever played occurred between Princeton University (then called the College of New Jersey) and Rutgers University. An American obsession was born, for better and for worse.

50. On June 6, 1933, the very first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey. The concept was invented and honed by this dude Richard Hollingshead, who was allegedly inspired by how uncomfortable his mother was sitting in regular movie theaters.

51. On May 17, 1897, an Irish engineer named John Philip Holland successfully launched his new invention in the Passaic River: the very first submarine.

52. In 1913, Jerry O’Mahony of Bayonne, New Jersey built the first stationary lunch wagon, and the diner was born. Diners are a huge part of the New Jersey culture and landscape, and at its peak, the state had over 500 of them — more than any other state.

Cover Image Credit: via Pixabay

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