The Origin and Meaning of the New Jersey Nicknames The American citizens who live in, or who come from New Jersey, are referred to as New Jerseyites or New Jerseyans. The history, origin and meaning of each of the state's nicknames are as follows: The Garden State The official nickname of the Garden State because of the productive farmland that also ranks high in the production of most garden vegetables together with fruits such as blueberries and cranberries, and the orchards of peach trees. The largest industry is chemicals, but this hardly has the pretty ring of the Garden nickname! The Camden & Amboy The Camden & Amboy nickname dates back to the time of the first railroads in particular the Camden & Amboy railway which was chartered on February 4, 1830 and was the first railroad to operate in the region. The 'John Bull' was the name of the ten ton engine which was shipped from England. The Crossroads of the American Revolution The Crossroads of the American Revolution refers to the 296 conflicts and battles fought in the region during the Revolutionary War of Independence (1775–1783). "Military Capital of the Revolution" was another, similar nickname. The names of the most famous battles fought in New Jersey were the Battles of Fort Lee, Millstone, Bound Brook, Short Hills, Monmouth and the infamous Baylor Massacre. The Clam State The Clam nickname is a reference to the clams from the Atlantic and those caught in the Delaware Bay area. |