Harrison is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town population was 14,424.

Harrison was originally incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1840, from portions of Lodi Township, shortly after Hudson County was created from portions of Bergen County, on February 22, 1840. Portions of the township were returned to Bergen County on February 19, 1852, to create Union Township. Kearny Township was created from parts of the township on April 8, 1867 Harrison was reincorporated as a town on March 25, 1869.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which, 1.2 square miles (3.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (6.82%) is water.

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,424 people, 5,136 households, and 3,636 families residing in the town. The population density was 11,811.1 people per square mile (4,564.9/km²). There were 5,254 housing units at an average density of 4,302.2/sq mi (1,662.8/km²).

The racial makeup of the town was 66.10% White, 0.98% African American, 0.40% Native American, 11.89% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 15.96% from other races, and 4.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36.97% of the population.

As of the 2000 census, 7.22% of Harrison's residents identified themselves as being of Chinese ancestry. This was the fifth highest percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in any place in New Jersey with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

There were 5,136 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.5% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 36.8% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 104.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,350, and the median income for a family was $48,489. Males had a median income of $33,069 versus $26,858 for females. The per capita income for the town was $18,490. About 10.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Colonial era - 1840's

The area that is now Harrison was a part of a charter granted to Captain William Sandford of Barbados. New Barbadoes Neck as the tract was known, consisted of 30,000 acres (120 km²) and it extended from Newark Bay north to present day Rutherford, between the Passaic and Hackensack Rivers. Sandford sent his nephew, Major Nathanial Kingsland, to enter into an agreement for the purchase the land from the Unami Indians, a branch of the Leni Lenapi Indians, the former inhabitants of the area.

In 1825, the New Jersey Legislature, whose main purpose was to divide territories into townships and counties, changed the name of New Barbadoes Neck to the Township of Lodi, New Jersey, in Bergen County. Since Lodi was part of Bergen County, matters dealing with the county government and courts had to be taken to Hackensack.

In 1840, the inhabitants of the Township of Lodi joined with present day Secaucus, Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken, Weehawken, and Union City and petitioned for the creation of a new county due to the great distance which the petitioners had to travel to reach the county seat in Hackensack. This appeal resulted in the creation of Hudson County and the first mention of Harrison occurs in the law which was passed on February 22, 1840. The Township of Harrison was thereby established.

The first committee meeting of the Township of Harrison was held on April 16, 1840, and it is widely accepted that Harrison was named for President William Henry Harrison, who was elected that year.

1850's - present day

In 1867 General N. N. Halstead succeeded in getting the necessary laws passed in Trenton and in March, Kearny became a separate Township from land that was a part of Harrison, which included East Newark at the time. (East Newark later seceded from Kearny, establishing their own Borough.)

The first steam engine in North America was set up at Schuyler Copper mines, to help drain water from the mines. While campaigning for re-election, President William Howard Taft coined the town's motto, "The Beehive of Industry", which is still used today.

With the town's proximity to rail lines, and a large waterfront, Harrison was favorably situated for trade. Some of the industries which called Harrison home included the Edison Lamp Works, Worthington Pump and Machinery, the RCA Company, the Peter Hauck Brewery, Driver-Harris Company, Crucible Steel Company, Otis Elevator, Hartz Mountain, Remco Industries, Nopco Chemical and Hyatt Roller Bearing.

As the U.S. moved into the 20th century, these facilities played a major role in the development of revolutionary new products for both the private and public sector, peaking during World War II. The small town of about only 14,000 residents had more than 90,000 workers commuting into it on a daily basis.

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