You live in New Jersey, then you know that it’s known as “The Garden State” – but do you know much about the ten largest cities (based on population) around the state? No? Then this is for you! Let’s learn a little about some of the largest cities in this great state!

1. Newark: Newark is the largest city in New Jersey and the third oldest city in the United States. It was settled in 1666 by the Puritans, and due to its location on the Passaic River, it quickly grew to be an important seaport. Nowadays, Newark has a huge international airport, many fine cultural centers and museums, and some great professional sports teams. 
2. Jersey City: Jersey City is another city within the New York metropolitan area. It is situated between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay on its east side and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay on its west side. Jersey City is most famous for being the home to Liberty Island National Park, including the Ellis Island Immigration Station, while The Statue of Liberty is completely surrounded by the City of Jersey City.
3. Paterson: Do you know who founded the city of Paterson? Alexander Hamilton! And he did this in 1792. Paterson soon became known for its silk mills, giving it the nickname of the “Silk City.” Nowadays, Paterson is well-known for the Great Falls of the Passaic River. The 77-foot-high falls are the second largest — with Niagara Falls being the first — in terms of volume and width east of the Mississippi River
4. Elizabeth: If you were to take a guess, who do you think the city of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is named after? While many people think Queen Elizabeth I – that’s just not the case. Elizabeth is actually named after Elizabeth, wife of Sir George Carteret, one of the two original proprietors of the colony of New Jersey. Elizabeth, NJ also has two sister-cities: Ribera, Italy, and Kitami, Japan.
5. Toms River: Toms River may be one of the better-known cities in New Jersey. You may have seen it in shows like Boardwalk Empire and The Jersey Shore. Up until 2006, Toms River was the unofficial name of this city as it was officially known as the Township of Dover. But voters changed that in 2006 – and now Toms River is its official name. 
6. Clifton: Clifton may be best known for its appearances in several movies and television shows. Donnie Brasco and The Sopranos are just two of those shows. And, if you consider yourself to be an adventurous explorer, you may have heard of the “Gates of Hell.” This is an old sewerage system that’s not maintained by the city and where the walls are filled with graffiti.
7. Trenton: Yes, it’s the capital of New Jersey, but it also holds quite an important place in American history. Trenton was the site of the Battle of Trenton, which is considered a turning point in the Revolutionary War, and it was also the first place the Declaration of Independence was read. 
8. Camden: Camden, New Jersey, is a waterfront city that is home to three well-known tourist attractions. Here you can visit the USS New Jersey, the BB&T Pavilion, and the Adventure Aquarium. Camden is also home to Rutgers University, which is the state university of New Jersey.
9. Passaic: Did you know that Passaic is known as “The Birthplace of Television”? In 1931, experimental television station W2XCD began transmitting from DeForest Radio Corporation in Passaic. It has been called the first television station to transmit to the home and was the first such station to broadcast a feature film. 
10. Union City: Union City has two nicknames – the “Embroidery Capital of the United States” and “Little Havana on the Hudson.” It’s also the first location that Mallomars were sold and was home to the first lunch wagon built by Jerry and Daniel O’Mahoney and John Hanf.

What do you know about these ten cities in New Jersey? Did you know these fun facts and bits of information? Maybe after reading this, the next time the Jeopardy category is “New Jersey Trivia,” you’ll be ready to answer all of the questions correctly!