Secaucus

Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, that sprawls over flat meadowlands along the Hackensack River, just 5 miles from New York City. The area sits at an elevation of roughly 2 meters above sea level and borders wide wetland zones that shape much of the landscape.

The town became an independent borough in 1900 when the New Jersey Legislature carved it out from parts of North Bergen. Over the following decades, the community shifted from farming and livestock raising to serving as a key transit point for the greater New York metropolitan area.

The town name Secaucus comes from the Lenape language and means "place of the black snakes," a reference to the marshland ecology that once defined this area. Local residents still honor this Native American heritage through place names and community events that celebrate the region's original inhabitants.

The Frank R. Lautenberg rail station at Secaucus Junction links several regional train lines and provides direct access to many destinations across New Jersey and into Manhattan. Travelers will find covered platforms and signage to help them navigate connections quickly.

During the Second World War, the pig population in this town outnumbered people by a factor of sixteen, a testament to the once dominant livestock operations. These farms supplied meat to surrounding cities for decades before gradually disappearing from the landscape.

Location: Hudson County

Inception: March 12, 1900

Elevation above the sea: 2 m

Shares border with: Carlstadt, North Bergen, Jersey City, Kearny, Lyndhurst, Rutherford, East Rutherford

Website: https://secaucusnj.gov

GPS coordinates: 40.78750,-74.06167

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:41