East Brunswick is a township in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The suburban bedroom community is part of the New York metropolitan area and is located on the southern shore of the Raritan River, directly adjacent to New Brunswick and located roughly away from New York City. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 49,715,

East Brunswick was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 28, 1860, from portions of both Monroe Township and North Brunswick. Portions of the township were taken to form Washington town within the township (February 23, 1870; became independent as South River on February 28, 1898), Helmetta (March 20, 1888), Milltown (January 29, 1889) and Spotswood (April 15, 1908).

Since the 2000 census, the United States Census Bureau calculated that New Jersey's center of population was located in the township.

History

thumb|left|The L.J. Smith Farmhouse, now the headquarters for the East Brunswick Historical Society

The general area of central New Jersey was originally occupied by the Lenape Native Americans. According to a 1677 bill of sale now in the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, New Jersey, Thomas Lawrence, a New York baker, purchased thousands of acres of land from local Native Americans named Querameck, Kesyacs, Isarick, Metapis, Peckawan, and Turantecas.

In this document, the area is called Piscopeek, which later become known as Lawrence Brook, after its purchaser. Around the late 17th century, settlers began arriving in the northern part of East Brunswick, and by the mid-19th century, a small settlement had formed in the southeastern part, known as the Old Bridge section of the town, an area that was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, the Old Bridge Historic District.

The area today known as East Brunswick was incorporated in 1860 from parts of North Brunswick and Monroe townships, including the community of Old Bridge.

East Brunswick was also the site of the gunfight at Turnpike exit 9 shortly after midnight on May 2, 1973, in which a car being driven by Zayd Malik Shakur (born James F. Costan), with Assata Shakur (formerly JoAnne Chesimard) and Sundiata Acoli (born Clark Squire) as passengers, was stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike State Trooper James Harper, backed up by Trooper Werner Foerster in a second patrol vehicle. After Zayd Shakur was asked to step out of the car to address a discrepancy in his identification, a shootout ensued in which Trooper Foerster was shot twice in the head with his own gun and killed, Zayd Shakur was killed, and both Assata Shakur and Trooper Harper were wounded.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 22.36 square miles (57.91&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>), including 21.78 square miles (56.42&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of land and 0.57 square miles (1.48&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>) of water (2.56%). Route 18 runs through the eastern part of the township, as it serves as a vital route in Central Jersey for access to the Jersey Shore and interior parts of the state. East Brunswick's pristine suburbs and its convenience to major highways for leisure and for work, have contributed to it being a popular place for New York City commuters. and Westons Mill Pond are sections of the Lawrence Brook that have been widened by the presence of man-made dames. The South River, another major tributary of the Raritan River, runs along the eastern border of the township near the historic village of Old Bridge. The Manalapan Brook's watershed (a tributary of the South River) encompasses much of the southern half of the township near Spotswood and Monroe, whereas the aforementioned Lawrence Brook's watershed encompasses much of the northern half of the township near Milltown and the other Brunswicks.

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Brookview, Dunhams Corner, Fairview Knolls, Farrington Lake Heights, Gillilandtown, Halls Corner, Herberts, Herberts Corner, Herbertsville, Jamesburg Park,, Lawrence Brook, Lawrence Brook Manor, Newton Heights, Old Bridge, Orchard Heights, Patricks Corner, Paulas Corner, Tanners Corner, Washington Heights and Westons Mills., Country Lane

The township borders the Middlesex County municipalities of Edison, Helmetta, Milltown, Monroe Township, New Brunswick, North Brunswick, Old Bridge Township, Sayreville, South River, South Brunswick and Spotswood.

Climate

East Brunswick sits at the border between a humid continental climate according to the 0-degree-Celsius isotherm and a humid subtropical climate.

Demographics

thumb|left|Illuminated sign entering into East Brunswick on Route 18