1. In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, a group of British soldiers landed at Elizabethtown Point and attempted to capture a detachment of American troops. However, the Americans were able to defend themselves and drive the British back to their ships.

2. On June 27, 1914, the first official transcontinental telephone line was completed, connecting New York City with San Francisco. The project took over three years to complete and involved thousands of workers, but it helped to revolutionize communication across the United States.

3. In 1927, the first automatic toll collection system in the world was installed on the Newark Bay Bridge in New Jersey. The system used electric eye sensors to detect when cars passed through the toll booths, eliminating the need for toll collectors and reducing traffic congestion.

4. On June 27, 1943, a catastrophic fire broke out at the Raritan Arsenal in Metuchen, New Jersey, destroying several buildings and causing massive explosions that could be heard up to 30 miles away. The cause of the fire was never determined, but it led to stricter safety regulations at military installations across the country.

5. In 1985, a record-breaking heat wave hit New Jersey, with temperatures reaching over 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. The heat caused widespread power outages, disrupted transportation, and led to several deaths. The summer of 1985 remains one of the hottest on record in New Jersey.