1. On July 9, 1778, the British troops under General Henry Clinton captured and burned the town of Burlington, NJ, during the Revolutionary War. This raid caused significant damage to the town and disrupted the local economy, further fueling the conflict between the colonists and the British.

2. July 9, 1955, saw the opening of the Disneyland theme park in Anaheim, California, which was significant in New Jersey history because Walt Disney was a native of Newark, NJ. He grew up in the state and attended McKinley High School in Chicago, where he first became interested in art and animation.

3. On July 9, 1962, the New Jersey Turnpike opened to traffic between exit 11 in Woodbridge and exit 14 in Newark. The turnpike, which stretches from the Delaware Memorial Bridge to the George Washington Bridge, is a major transportation artery in the Northeast and has helped to facilitate economic growth in the state.

4. In 1986, a devastating inferno broke out at the DuPont chemical plant in Deepwater, NJ, killing five workers and injuring many others. The explosion and fire were caused by the release of flammable gas from a reactor vessel, highlighting the dangers of industrial accidents and the importance of workplace safety.

5. July 9, 2021, marked the opening of the long-awaited Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ, after years of planning and construction. The $500 million resort features over 2,000 slot machines, 120 table games, and a 402-room hotel, making it one of the largest and most luxurious casino properties on the East Coast.