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Kearny is known across American soccer as Soccer Town USA. The game arrived with Scottish and Irish workers who came to staff the great thread and linoleum mills here in the late 1800s, and the town went on to produce several players for the U.S. national team. Those roots still show on Kearny Avenue, where shops sell meat pies, sausage rolls and Irish and Scottish groceries.
The town sits on a ridge between the Passaic and Hackensack rivers in Hudson County, just across from Newark and only a few miles from Manhattan. Its center is a tidy main street of brick buildings, churches and the stately town hall, with the leafy West Hudson Park at its northern edge.
East of the ridge, the Kearny Marsh and the wider Meadowlands form a surprising wildlife habitat, while the Passaic River waterfront has a long riverside park. Newark's museums and Red Bull Arena in neighboring Harrison are minutes away, so Kearny makes a convenient, unpretentious stop in North Jersey.
A Hudson County park on Kearny's north side with a pond, wooded paths, ball fields, tennis courts and playgrounds, laid out in the early 1900s. It is the town's favorite spot for a walk or a picnic. The pond area is the prettiest part; come on a weekday morning for quiet and a chance to see waterbirds.
A long park along the Passaic River on the town's western edge, with walking paths, sports fields and benches looking across the water toward Newark's skyline. It is popular with joggers and dog walkers. Visit in the late afternoon for the light on the river and the city towers beyond.
The town's main street runs along the ridge with bakeries, delis, pubs and shops, including stores selling Scottish and Irish foods such as meat pies, black pudding, shortbread and imported tea. It reflects the town's mill-era heritage. Stop for a pie and browse the shops, then walk south to the town hall.
An imposing early 20th century town hall on Kearny Avenue, built of brick and stone with classical details, at the center of local civic life. A war memorial stands nearby. It is not a museum, but the building and its surroundings are worth a look on a walk down the main street, especially when decorated for holidays.
The main library on Kearny Avenue occupies a handsome historic building and holds local history materials about the town's mills and immigrant communities. Visitors can use the reading rooms. Ask the staff about historical photographs of Kearny's past.
A large freshwater wetland in the Meadowlands east of town, home to herons, egrets, ducks and turtles, with the Manhattan skyline on the horizon. Access is limited and mostly from the edges, but paddlers sometimes explore it on guided trips. Bring binoculars and check Meadowlands groups for organized outings.
This town sports complex is a center of Kearny's long soccer tradition, with fields where local leagues and high school teams play through much of the year. Watching a youth or amateur match here is a good way to feel the Soccer Town USA spirit. Check local schedules, as games are most common on weekends.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jim.henderson, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
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Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Hudconja, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
