We live in New Jersey, but do we even know it?
You’ve probably heard these facts about our beloved Garden State growing up, but you certainly forgot about a lot of them!
Of course, we all know that New Jersey is the Garden State (um, I reminded you about six seconds ago). Do you know, however, what is the official state fruit for New Jersey?
It has to be the peach, right?
No! It’s the beautiful blueberry! (Shout out to our friends in Hammonton!) Cranberry is our state fruit!
What about our state animal?
No, not big foot. No Parkway deer.
It’s the horse!
(By the way, when was the last time you saw a horse, in person?)
Continuing on the animal theme, any idea what our state reptile is?
If you guessed the swamp turtle, you are correct!
(I am 99.9% sure that no guess swamp turtle!)
Here’s another one: What’s the Official Song of New Jersey?
Answer: we don’t have one! (Sorry, Mr. Springsteen.)
Apparently there is an UNOFFICIAL state song: it is “I’m From New Jersey” by Red Mascara, a native of New Jersey. (While Red Mascara sounds like some kind of rapper’s name, I doubt that Red rapped. He died in 2015 at the age of 92).
We all know that Atlantic City had the first boardwalk (built in 1870), but do you know that the first organized baseball game was played in Hoboken? It happened in 1846.
(Wait. So Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, but apparently he couldn’t find 18 guys to give it a try?)
Here’s another Jersey fact: The manned balloon flight in the US It happened in New Jersey. According to NJ.gov, “The first balloon flight in America was made by Jean-Pierre Blanchard. On January 9, 1793, he landed a balloon in Deptford with a letter from George Washington.”
The first airliner flight took place from New York City to Atlantic City in 1919 (it was a trip to the casino. The place was soon replaced by big smelly buses).
If you still have music in your head, let’s drop the official New Jersey state dance – it’s the square dance! (Of course it is.)
One more and we’ll stop drinking and have a drink. The first brewery in America was in New Jersey! According to NJ.com, “America’s first brewery opened in Hoboken in 1642.” At least we had our priorities clear!
SOURCES: NJ.gov and NJ.gov.
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