Plainfield, New Jersey
| Plainfield, New Jersey | |
|---|---|
| City | |
| City of Plainfield | |
Aerial photograph of Plainfield
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| Nickname(s): The Queen City | |
 Map of Plainfield in Union County. Inset: Location of Union County highlighted in the State of New Jersey. |
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 Census Bureau map of Plainfield, New Jersey |
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| Coordinates: 40°36′56″N 74°24′57″W / 40.615444°N 74.415775°WCoordinates: 40°36′56″N 74°24′57″W / 40.615444°N 74.415775°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |
 New Jersey
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| County | Union |
| Incorporated | April 21, 1869 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Special Charter |
| • Body | City Council |
| • Mayor | Adrian Mapp (D, term ends December 31, 2017) (Democrat) |
| • Administrator | Rick Smiley |
| • Clerk | Abubakar Jalloh |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.034 sq mi (15.626 km2) |
| • Land | 6.023 sq mi (15.599 km2) |
| • Water | 0.011 sq mi (0.027 km2) 0.18% |
| Area rank | 256th of 566 in state 8th of 21 in county |
| Elevation | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Population (2010 Census) | |
| • Total | 49,808 |
| • Estimate (2015) | 51,217 |
| • Rank | 35th of 566 in state 3rd of 21 in county |
| • Density | 8,270.1/sq mi (3,193.1/km2) |
| • Density rank | 45th of 566 in state 4th of 21 in county |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | Eastern (EDT) (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 07060-07063 |
| Area code(s) | 732 and 908 |
| FIPS code | 3403959190 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0885355 |
| Website | www |
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States, known by its nickname as "The Queen City". As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to 49,808, its highest ever recorded population in any decennial census, with the population having increased by 1,979 (+4.1%) from the 47,829 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,262 (+2.7%) from the 46,567 counted in the 1990 Census.
The area of present-day Plainfield was originally formed as Plainfield Township, a township that was created on April 5, 1847, from portions of Westfield Township, while the area was still part of Essex County. On March 19, 1857, it became part of the newly created Union County.
Plainfield was incorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 21, 1869, from portions of Plainfield Township, based on the results of a referendum held that same day. The city and township coexisted until March 6, 1878, when Plainfield Township was dissolved and parts were absorbed by Plainfield city, with the remainder becoming Fanwood Township (now known as Scotch Plains).
The name "Plainfield", also used in both North Plainfield and South Plainfield, is derived from a local estate or from its scenic location.
Plainfield was settled in 1684 by Quakers, and incorporated as a city in 1869. Formerly a bedroom suburb in the New York metropolitan area, it has become the urban center of 10 closely allied municipalities, with diversified industries, including printing and the manufacture of chemicals, clothing, electronic equipment, and vehicular parts. Among the several 18th-century buildings remaining are a Friends' meetinghouse (1788), the Martine house (1717), and the Nathaniel Drake House (1746), known as George Washington's headquarters during the Battle of Short Hills in June 1777. Nearby Washington Rock is a prominent point of the Watchung Mountains and is reputed to be the vantage point from which Washington watched British troop movements.
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