Rahway, NJ

The railroad that reached Rahway in 1835 still structures this compact Union County city. Developed along the Rahway River between the older settlements of Elizabethtown and Woodbridge, Rahway became a stop on the Philadelphia-New York route and supported 35 carriage-related factories by the mid-1800s. It incorporated in 1858 and later housed manufacturers including Regina, Wheatena, and Merck. Rahway Station is served by both NJ Transit's Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast lines. A few blocks away, the Union County Performing Arts Center operates two different rooms: a Main Stage built as the Rahway Theatre in 1928 and listed on the state and national registers, and the modern Hamilton Stage, completed in 2012.

Their calendars include concerts, comedy, film, and productions by local theater groups. Outdoor community activity follows the river. The Olmsted Brothers designed Rahway River Park in the early 20th century; today the county-managed grounds include a running track, baseball and softball fields, tennis and basketball courts, multipurpose turf, picnic areas, restrooms, and the Walter E. Ulrich Memorial Pool. The city manages smaller parks and playgrounds and runs program registration and a fitness center from the Rahway Recreation Center on East Milton Avenue. Within the same compact street grid, a regional rail station, two-stage arts complex, city recreation center, and county river park each support a different part of community activity.