Matawan, New Jersey

Matawan is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 8,810, reflecting a decline of 100 (-1.1%) from the 8,910 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 360 (-3.9%) from the 9,270 counted in the 1990 Census.

Matawan is part of the Bayshore Regional Strategic Plan, an effort by nine municipalities in northern Monmouth County to reinvigorate the area's economy by emphasizing the traditional downtowns, dense residential neighborhoods, maritime history, and the natural beauty of the Raritan Bayshore coastline.

History

The Lenape Native Americans called the area "Mechananienk", a Lenape language word meaning "where two rivers come together", which gave rise to the area being called "Matovancons" by Dutch settlers, from which derives the name "Matawan". which may derive from a Lenape word meaning "where two rivers come together". It may also originate from the Southern Unami Matawonge, "bad riverbank" or "bad hill", a possible reference to bluffs along Raritan Bay which were subject to erosion and collapse prior to the construction of a seawall in the 1970s. Another possible source is Matawan, Northern Unami for "bad fog", which may have referred to fog generated on Raritan Bay. Other possible meanings are "magician", "charmed skin" or "it arrives in a lake".

Matawan (disambiguation)

Matawan, or the similarly spelled Mattawan, Mattewan, Matteawan, or Matewan may refer to:

Aberdeen-Matawan (NJT station)

Aberdeen-Matawan is a station on New Jersey Transit's North Jersey Coast Line, located in Aberdeen Township and Matawan, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The station is 5 miles east of South Amboy and 2 miles west of Hazlet. This station, convenient to New Jersey State Route 35, is popular with commuters, and the busiest station on the line, between Bay Head and Rahway.

The station is located at grade on Atlantic Avenue, on the border of Aberdeen and Matawan, and has two high side platforms, as well as two abandoned low side platforms, and two tracks. A ticket office is located on the New York bound platform. All trains on the North Jersey Coast Line serve this station. The former Freehold Branch can still be traced in a southeastern parking lot.

History

For many years, the New York and Long Branch Railroad-built station was known as just Matawan, as its stationhouse and main platform were in Matawan, and only an auxiliary platform and large extra parking area were in Aberdeen.