īy 2022, the Indian population was approaching one-third of the population of Monroe Township in southern Middlesex County, and the nickname Edison-South had developed, in reference to the Little India stature of both townships in Middlesex County. Īs Indian businesses began arriving in the 1990s en masse, the area transformed over time into the "thriving market full of pedestrian traffic on weekends" seen today. The first Navratri festival in the state of New Jersey was held in the area in 1991. Some late-1980s-era economic pioneers to the then-rundown strip experienced racism from the locals, which largely subsided by the early 1990s. In the early 1990s, prior to the arrival of significant Indian investment, Oak Tree Road was a down-on-its-luck strip of biker bars and abandoned buildings. It was a relatively rural area in the early to mid 20th century. This crossroads and surrounding area was the site of the Oak Tree Engagement during the Battle of the Short Hills. It is named for a large oak tree which stood at a crossroads where a market was located during the Revolutionary War era. Oak Tree Road has a long history in commerce. The greater battle occurred overall at points between "Metuchin" and Westfield. History 1777 map of the area where the Oak Tree Engagement took place. In 2023, Tanishq, the luxury Indian jewelry brand, opened its U.S. The actor-comedian Omi Vaidya celebrated the Oak Tree Road scene and South Asian culture in his 2020 song "Oak Tree Road," a parody of Old Town Road. One food and entertainment critic has named the "atmospheric" Little India as one of the "50 Best Reasons to Live in New Jersey". The district is also known as a destination for Indo-Chinese cuisine. Establishments have appeared on food critics' "best of South Asian cuisine" national and regional lists. Over 145 Indian restaurants alone are found in the neighborhood. Indian-American supermarket chain Patel Brothers has a location on the strip. Many come to the area for its traditional gold and Maharashtrian jewelry retailers. Oak Tree Road in Edison and Iselin is home to over 400 South Asian business establishments, including dining, halal grocery, jewelry, apparel and electronics retailing, and entertainment. Culture, cuisine, and commerce Saravana Bhavan restaurant off Oak Tree Road in Edison According to the 2017 American Community Survey, 42.6% of Iselin residents identified themselves as being Asian Indian, the highest for any census-designated place in the United States. This area is the largest and most diverse South Asian ethnic enclave and cultural hub in the United States. county with the highest concentration of Indian Americans. Middlesex, in Central Jersey, is the U.S. Some have lamented the " stroad" status of parts of the western portion of the strip as inhibiting ideal walkability from establishment to establishment, and have advocated for improved sidewalks. The intersection of Wood Avenue and Oak Tree Road is where the two towns meet. The epicenter of Little India retail is traditionally on the two-block stretch of Oak Tree Road between Correja Avenue and Middlesex Avenue in Iselin, an area officially known as India Square there, as of 2017, rents were roughly double over the rest of the strip. Oak Tree Road runs for about one-and-a-half miles through Edison and neighboring Iselin, a section of Woodbridge Township. The district, which has been called "Little India," is set amidst a suburban residential area that is home to many South Asian families. Oak Tree Road is a predominantly South Asian shopping, business, and dining district centered on a road designated County Route 604 in Middlesex County, in Central New Jersey. South Asian shopping district in Edison, New Jersey.
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