Belleville, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Belleville (French: "Belle ville" meaning "beautiful town"<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 27, 2015.</ref><ref>Belleville History: People And Events, Westfield Historical Society. Accessed November 8, 2011. "Belleville, a place carrying the French name for 'beautiful town,' stands on the west bank of the Passaic River in Essex County, New Jersey."</ref>) is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 38,222.<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 2,296 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 35,926,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/>
History
[edit]
Originally known as "Second River" or "Washington", the inhabitants renamed the settlement "Belleville" in 1797.<ref>"Belleville History: People And Events – A Town Gets Its Name", WestfieldNJ.com. Accessed September 14, 2017. "On Saturday, June 24, 1797, inhabitants of the Second River settlement met at John Ryerson's house for the purpose of giving a new name to their home. The minutes of the meeting tell what happened there: 'Resolved, that the name Second River is improper and inconsistent, as it originally applied to the brook and not to the village and therefore that some name applicable be now chosen.... Resolved, that the whole district, commonly known and called by the name of Second River be hereafter known only by the name of Washington.'"</ref> Belleville was originally incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 8, 1839, from portions of Bloomfield. Portions of the township were taken to create Woodside Township (March 24, 1869, now defunct) and Franklin Township (February 18, 1874, now known as Nutley). The independent municipality of Belleville city was created within the township on March 27, 1874, and was dissolved on February 22, 1876. On November 16, 1910, Belleville was reincorporated as a town, based on the results of a referendum held eight days earlier.<ref name=Story>The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968, John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 125.</ref>
In 1870, Belleville became the first city on the East Coast of the United States with a Chinatown. While much of the country (especially the Western states) had strong anti-Chinese sentiment, the town welcomed a group of Chinese workers from the West Coast who had been workers on building the Central Pacific Railroad. This group of people eventually formed the basis for Chinatowns in Newark and New York City.<ref>Xu, April. "The First Chinatown on the East Coast; Several Chinese workers who helped build the Central Pacific Railroad found refuge in Belleville, NJ.", Asian American Writers' Workshop, April 7, 2017. Accessed May 8, 2017. "About 100 people watched as Perrone, the president of the Belleville Historical Society, led the ceremonial digging of the monument's foundation one rainy October morning in Belleville, New Jersey. The monument was meant to honor a group of Chinese who died around 150 years ago. They were Chinese workers who were among those who built the Central Pacific Railroad and came to live and work Belleville in 1870.... This Chinese community across the Hudson River was actually responsible for giving rise to the Newark (NJ) Chinatown and eventually, the Manhattan Chinatown — which later, successively, became the largest Chinese communities in the eastern United States."</ref>
In 1981, the town was one of seven Essex County municipalities to pass a referendum to become a township, joining four municipalities that had already made the change, of what would ultimately be more than a dozen Essex County municipalities to reclassify as townships in order take advantage of federal revenue sharing policies that allocated townships a greater share of government aid to municipalities on a per capita basis.<ref>"Chapter VI: Municipal Names and Municipal Classification", p. 73. New Jersey State Commission on County and Municipal Government, 1992. Accessed September 24, 2015.</ref><ref>"Removing Tiering From The Revenue Sharing Formula Would Eliminate Payment Inequities To Local Governments", Government Accountability Office, April 15, 1982. Accessed September 24, 2015. "In 1978, South Orange Village was the first municipality to change its name to the 'township' of South Orange Village effective beginning in entitlement period 10 (October 1978 to September 1979). The Borough of Fairfield in 1978 changed its designation by a majority vote of the electorate and became the 'Township of Fairfield' effective beginning entitlement period 11 (October 1979 to September 1980).... However, the Revenue Sharing Act was not changed and the actions taken by South Orange and Fairfield prompted the Town of Montclair and West Orange to change their designation by referendum in the November 4, 1980, election. The municipalities of Belleville, Verona, Bloomfield, Nutley, Essex Fells, Caldwell, and West Caldwell have since changed their classification from municipality to a township."</ref><ref>Narvaez, Alfonso A. "New Jersey Journal", The New York Times, December 27, 1981. Accessed September 24, 2015. "Under the Federal system, New Jersey's portion of the revenue sharing funds is disbursed among the 21 counties to create three 'money pools.' One is for county governments, one for 'places' and a third for townships. By making the change, a community can use the 'township advantage' to get away from the category containing areas with low per capita incomes."</ref><ref>Karcher, Alan J. New Jersey's Multiple Municipal Madness, pp. 119–120. Rutgers University Press, 1998. Template:ISBN. Accessed September 24, 2015.</ref>
Frankie Valli and the band The Four Seasons formed in Belleville,<ref>Rotella, Mark. "Straight Out of Newark", The New York Times, October 2, 2005. Accessed March 3, 2012. "You remember the Four Seasons, right? Their sound, the wail of Frankie Valli – "She-e-e-e-e-e-ry baby" – layered over solid three-part harmonies, was the music of the streets of urban New Jersey and New York. It was the sound of the projects of Newark and the poor Italian neighborhoods of Belleville... Sitting in the Waldorf-Astoria in a polo shirt and leather loafers, he was describing his neighborhood in Belleville in the 1950s when he, his brother Nick, and a friend named Nick Massi first formed the Variety Trio, then the Varietones."</ref> as did The Delicates, the late-1950s and early-1960s girl group made up of Denise Ferri, Arleen Lanzotti and Peggy Santiglia.<ref>Clemente, John. Girl Groups: Fabulous Females that Rocked the world, p. 13. Krause Publications, 2000. Accessed June 28, 2022. "The belles from Belleville, The Delicates, 1959, (L-R) Arlene Lanzotti, Peggy Santiglia, Denise Ferri."</ref>
In 1994, Congress passed a resolution recognizing Belleville as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 3.37 square miles (8.71 km2), including 3.30 square miles (8.54 km2) of land and 0.07 square miles (0.18 km2) of water (2.05%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1/>
Silver Lake (2010 total population of 4,243<ref>DP-1 – Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Silver Lake – Essex CDP, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 4, 2012.</ref>) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) defined by the United States Census Bureau as of the 2010 Census that is split between Belleville (with 3,769 of the CDP's residents) and Bloomfield (474 of the total).<ref>New Jersey: 2010 – Population and Housing Unit Counts – 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012, p. III-3. Accessed November 4, 2012. "Silver Lake (formed from parts of deleted whole-township Belleville and Bloomfield CDPs)"</ref>
Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Belwood, Big Tree and Soho.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>
The Second River forms much of the border between Belleville and Newark as it runs through Branch Brook Park.
The township of Belleville has given itself the nickname the Cherry Blossom Capital of America, with an annual display that is larger than the famed Tidal Basin in Washington, D.C., site of the National Cherry Blossom Festival.<ref>A History Of Branch Brook's Cherry Blossoms – Belleville: The Cherry Blossom Capital of America Template:Webarchive, Belleville Public Library and Information Center. Accessed November 8, 2011.</ref><ref>Staff. "Editorial: Give Belleville tourists reason to stay", Belleville Times, April 21, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of October 1, 2013. Accessed September 14, 2017. "Each spring, people flock to Essex County's Cherry Blossom Festival in Branch Brook Park. The county park system has the largest variety of blossoms in the world.... Belleville already promotes itself as a cherry blossom capital, but perhaps more could be done, especially this time of year, when so many people descend on Branch Brook Park. It's one of the few major events attracting people outside the area to Belleville."</ref>
The township borders the municipalities of Bloomfield, Newark and Nutley in Essex County; Lyndhurst and North Arlington in Bergen County; and Kearny in Hudson County.<ref>Areas touching Belleville, MapIt. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>Municipalities, Essex County, New Jersey Register of Deeds and Mortgages. Accessed March 19, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>
Demographics
[edit]2020 census
[edit]| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>Template:Cite web</ref> | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 13,868 | 10,310 | 37.59% | 26.96% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2,794 | 3,092 | 7.57% | 8.08% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 66 | 50 | 0.18% | 0.13% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 4,251 | 4,201 | 11.52% | 10.99% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 5 | 18 | 0.01% | 0.05% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 290 | 517 | 0.79% | 1.35% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 519 | 853 | 1.41% | 2.23% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14,133 | 19,181 | 38.93% | 50.23% |
| Total | 35,926 | 38,222 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 35,926 people, 13,395 households, and 9,001 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 14,327 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 60.55% (21,753) White, 9.12% (3,277) Black or African American, 0.35% (126) Native American, 12.00% (4,312) Asian, 0.05% (18) Pacific Islander, 13.97% (5,018) from other races, and 3.96% (1,422) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39.34% (14,133) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 13,395 households, 30.5% had children under the age of 18; 44.3% were married couples living together; 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.8% were non-families. Of all households, 27.0% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29.<ref name=Census2010/>
21.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 31.1% from 25 to 44, 26.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females, the population had 93.1 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $60,127 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,658) and the median family income was $69,181 (+/− $4,525). Males had a median income of $46,656 (+/− $2,959) versus $42,237 (+/− $2,818) for females. The per capita income for the township was $27,668 (+/− $1,357). About 3.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 6.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Belleville township, Essex County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 3, 2012.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2"/> there were 35,928 people, 13,731 households, and 9,089 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 14,144 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 69.44% White, 5.36% African American, 0.17% Native American, 11.31% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 9.83% from other races, and 3.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.68% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic/Social/Economic/Housing Characteristics for Belleville township, Essex County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed March 3, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Belleville township, Essex County, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 11, 2012.</ref>
As of the 2000 Census, the most common ancestries listed were Italian (30.9%), Irish (9.4%), German (6.9%), Polish (4.5%), United States (2.6%) and English (2.2%).<ref name=Census2000/>
There were 13,731 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.23.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 33.9% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $48,576, and the median income for a family was $55,212. Males had a median income of $38,074 versus $31,729 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,093. About 6.3% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Government
[edit]
Local government
[edit]Belleville is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Council-Manager form of New Jersey municipal government. The township is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of a seven-member Township Council, of which the mayor and two members are elected at-large and one each is chosen from four wards, with elections held on a non-partisan basis as part of the May municipal election. Members are elected in even-numbered years to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with the four ward seats up for vote together and the two at-large seats and the mayoral seat up for vote two years later.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 128.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 12. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:As of, the mayor of Belleville is Michael A. Melham, whose term of office ends June 30, 2026. Members of the Belleville Township Council are Deputy Mayor Thomas Graziano (at-large; 2026), Vincent Cozzarelli (Ward 3; 2028), Naomy De Peña (at-large; 2026), Diana Sorice Guardabasco (Ward 4; 2028), Tracy Juanita Muldrow (Ward 1; 2028) and Frank Velez III (Ward 2; 2028).<ref name=Directory>Directory, Township of Belleville. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Township of Belleville. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=EssexDirectory>County Directory, Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2024Municipal>May Municipal Election May 14, 2024 Official Results, Essex County, New Jersey, May 22, 2024. Accessed July 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Essex2022Municipal>Municipal Election May 10, 2022 Official Results, Essex County, New Jersey, updated May 18, 2022. Accessed July 1, 2022.</ref>
The Township Manager is Brian Banda.<ref name=Manager/>
Federal, state, and county representation
[edit]Belleville is located in the 11th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>2022 Redistricting Plan, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 34th state legislative district.<ref>Districts by Number for 2023-2031, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 11 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Essex County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 19,684 registered voters in Belleville, of which 7,241 (36.8%) were registered as Democrats, 2,708 (13.8%) were registered as Republicans and 9,729 (49.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 6 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref>Voter Registration Summary – Essex, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref> Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |} In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 65.8% of the vote (8,031 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 33.3% (4,071 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (109 votes), among the 12,956 ballots cast by the township's 20,621 registered voters (745 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 62.8%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 56.9% of the vote here (7,475 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 41.4% (5,444 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (110 votes), among the 13,135 ballots cast by the township's 19,378 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.8%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Essex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 50.6% of the vote here (6,046 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush with 48.0% (5,728 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (130 votes), among the 11,940 ballots cast by the township's 17,411 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 68.6.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Essex County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 53.1% of the vote (3,170 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 45.8% (2,734 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (67 votes), among the 6,050 ballots cast by the township's 20,904 registered voters (79 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 28.9%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 50.7% of the vote here (3,626 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 42.6% (3,041 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.6% (329 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (72 votes), among the 7,146 ballots cast by the Township's 19,313 registered voters, yielding a 37.0% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Essex County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>
Education
[edit]
The Belleville School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Belleville Board of Education District Policy 0110 – Identification, Belleville School District. Accessed March 19, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-Kindergarten through twelve in the Belleville School District. Composition: The Belleville School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of the Township of Belleville."</ref> As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of 11 schools, had an enrollment of 4,548 students and 361.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.6:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Belleville Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Belleville School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref>) are Hornblower Early Childhood Center<ref>Hornblower Early Childhood Center, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (60 students; in PreK), School 3<ref>School 3, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (322; K-5), School 4<ref>School 4, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (466; PreK-5), School 5<ref>School 5, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (375; K-5), School 7<ref>School 7, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (404; PreK-5), School 8<ref>School 8, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (464; K-5), School 9<ref>School 9, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (124; K-5), School 10<ref>School 10, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (152; K-5), Belleville Middle School<ref>Belleville Middle School, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (736; 6-8) and Belleville High School<ref>Belleville High School, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref> (1,358; 9-12).<ref>District Directory, Belleville School District. Accessed July 6, 2022.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Belleville Public School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 31, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Belleville School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
The Belleville Public Library and Information Center had a collection of 98,603 volumes.<ref>Belleville Public Library and Information Center, LibraryTechnology.org. Accessed February 15, 2023. "The collection of the library contains 98,603 volumes. The library circulates 22,756 items per year."</ref>
Transportation
[edit]Roads and highways
[edit]_from_the_overpass_for_the_ramp_from_Main_Street_in_Belleville_Township,_Essex_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Essex County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Essex County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
Route 7,<ref>Route 7 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2015. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> Route 21<ref>Route 21 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> and County Route 506<ref>County Route 506 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref> all pass through Belleville.<ref>Essex County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 15, 2023.</ref>
The Belleville Turnpike Bridge (also known as the Rutgers Street Bridge) crosses the Passaic River, connecting Belleville to North Arlington. The bridge was formally renamed on July 4, 2013, as the "Lance Corporal Osbrany Montes de Oca Memorial Bridge" in memory of a United States Marine Corps soldier killed in February 2012 while serving in Afghanistan.<ref>Hickey, James P. "North Arlington looking for answers on De Oca Bridge sign", South Bergenite, July 25, 2013, backed up by the Internet Archive as of March 7, 2016. Accessed September 14, 2017.</ref><ref>Assembly, No. 2676 State of New Jersey 215th Legislature Template:Webarchive, New Jersey General Assembly, introduced March 8, 2012. Accessed August 21, 2013. "Designates State Highway Route 7 bridge between Township of Belleville and Borough of North Arlington 'Lance Corporal Osbrany Montes de Oca Memorial Bridge.'"</ref>
Public transportation
[edit]The Silver Lake station<ref>Silver Lake station, NJ Transit. Accessed December 1, 2014.</ref> provides service to Newark Penn Station on the Newark Light Rail.<ref>Newark Light Rail System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed December 1, 2014.</ref>
Until 1966, the Newark Branch of the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad provided train service at stations at Belleville and Cleveland Street. The New York and Greenwood Lake Railway, later the Boonton Line, also served the township.<ref>Belleville History: People and Events, Westfield Historical Society. Accessed August 21, 2013. "Fifty years ago trains were a common sight in Belleville. In 1940 two branches of the Erie Railroad served the town. The Paterson-Newark branch ran north and south, with stops at Essex and Cleveland Streets. Each week 122 trains ran on this line. The Greenwood Lake branch extended east and west between Jersey City and Greenwood Lake. On this line, with its stations at Mill Street and Belwood Park (Hewitt Place), passed 199 trains weekly."</ref> The Newark Branch tracks are now used for freight only, operated by Norfolk Southern.<ref>Master Plan for the Township of Nutley, Essex County, NJ, Township of Nutley, December 19, 2012. Accessed August 26, 2018. "Freight rail service is provided along the former Erie-Lackawanna (Newark Branch) passenger line. The line is currently owned by and operated by the Norfolk Southern Corporation."</ref>
NJ Transit bus service is available to and from Newark on the 13, 27, 72, 74, 90, 92, 93 and 94 bus lines.<ref>Essex County Bus/Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed November 8, 2011.</ref><ref>Essex County Bus Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed November 2, 2019.</ref>
Places of interest
[edit]
- Clara Maass Medical Center is a 469-bed teaching hospital that is part of the Barnabas Health system, founded in 1868 as Newark German Hospital, and named for Clara Maass, a nurse who died after volunteering for medical experiments to study yellow fever<ref>About Us, Clara Maass Medical Center. Accessed August 21, 2013.</ref>
- Reformed Dutch Church of Second River – The church's original building was constructed in 1697 and replaced in 1725. A new structure was erected in 1807 after a tornado destroyed the previous church building, and the current church dates to 1853. More than 60 Continental Army soldiers are buried in the cemetery that adjoins the church.<ref>"A Church with a History", The New York Times, August 11, 1895. Accessed August 21, 2013.</ref><ref>Bill Pascrell Jr. 300th Anniversary of the Belleville Reformed Church Template:Webarchive. Congressional Record 105th Congress (1997–1998), page E419. March 10, 1997. Accessed August 21, 2013.</ref>
- Christ Church Cemetery & Mausoleum – This cemetery was originally the first Episcopal Church in the area, established in 1746 by a land grant signed by King George II. The original burial ground still exists today, accompanied by a newer mausoleum.<ref>Christ Church Cemetery & Mausoleum</ref>
Belleville locations in The Sopranos
[edit]- Episode 3 ("Denial, Anger, Acceptance"): Christopher Moltisanti's "mock execution" is on the pier in the Passaic River used by Belleville High School's crew team.
- Episode 28 ("Proshai, Livushka"): Livia Soprano's funeral is held at the Irvine-Cozzarelli Memorial Home, across the street from Belleville Middle School on Washington Avenue.
- Season 4- Even though Furio Giunta's house was stated to be in Nutley, its actual location was Belleville on Essex Street.
- Episode 55 ("Where's Johnny?"): Junior gets lost and tells the policemen who find him that he lives in Belleville.
- Episode 76 ("Cold Stones"): Rosalie Aprile briefly dates a much younger French motorcyclist named Michel, who hails from Belleville, Paris. Ro expresses a particular sense of kinship with Michel given his connection to a town with the same name as the New Jersey town where members of her inner circle live (e.g., Corrado Soprano) and do business (e.g., the Irvine-Cozzarelli Memorial Home).
1996 Torch Relay
[edit]On June 18, 1996, the Olympic Torch Relay came through Belleville. The relay entered Belleville from Rutgers, made a left onto Washington Avenue, passing the Belleville Town Hall, a right onto Belleville Avenue and stayed on Belleville into the township of Bloomfield. The torch relay ended at Atlanta, Georgia for the 1996 Summer Olympics.<ref>Neeley, Dequendre; and Rojas, Diana. "Aglow with the spirit of the Olympic Games; New Jerseyans carry flame that will end up in Atlanta", The Record, June 19, 1996. Accessed July 20, 2022, via Newspapers.com.</ref>
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Belleville include:
- Platt Adams (1885–1961), track and field athlete who was winner of gold and silver Olympic medals<ref>Platt Adams, Sports Reference LLC. Accessed September 14, 2017.</ref>
- Russell Baker (1925–2019), Pulitzer Prize-winning writer of Growing Up<ref>Rowe, Jonathan. "The Gap Between Us", the Christian Science Monitor, January 24, 1991. Accessed August 14, 2007. "IN his book Growing Up, Russell Baker; the New York Times columnist, described the kitchen table of his childhood. It was in Belleville, N.J., during the depths of the Depression."</ref>
- Chico Borja (1959–2021), former professional soccer player<ref>Staff. "Results Plus", The New York Times, November 18, 1992. Accessed July 11, 2012. "Jeff Agoos and Chico Borja of Belleville, N.J., scored two goals each as the United States beat Russia, 8–3, last night in its opening match of the FIFA world indoor championship in Hong Kong."</ref><ref name=Borja>Lewis, Michael. "In Memoriam: Former USMNT Midfielder Chico Borja", United States Soccer Federation, February 11, 2021. Accessed February 7, 2025. "The Borja family emigrated to the USA and resided in Belleville, N.J. Borja became the first NJIT player to attain All-American status."</ref>
- Ramiro Borja (born 1961), retired professional soccer player<ref name=Borja/>
- Lonnie G. Bunch III (born 1952), museum director and historian<ref>Lamberti, Mike, May 28, 2019. "Belleville, New Jersey’s own Lonnie Bunch III ascends to the top of his profession, as the new Secretary of the Smithsonian; Bunch is the first African-American in the 173-year history of the Smithsonian to be named its Director."</ref>
- Gilbert Luis R. Centina III (born 1947), Roman Catholic priest and author<ref>Gilbert Luis R. Centina III, Poem Hunter. Accessed September 10, 2019. "Author Gilbert Luis R. Centina III of Belleville, New Jersey is a leading Christian voice in contemporary literature."</ref>
- Ralph R. Caputo (born 1940), member of the New Jersey General Assembly who has represented the 28th Legislative District<ref>Milo, Paul. "Report: Caputo Bidding Adieu to Belleville; Redistricting Compelling Move, Assemblyman Says", Belleville Patch, April 8, 2011. Accessed December 22, 2014. "There's been another development in what is proving to be an eventful week in local politics: Assemblyman Ralph Caputo is leaving Belleville and relocating to Nutley, where he plans to seek re-election from the 28th District, according to a published report."</ref>
- Kacy Catanzaro (born 1990) is a gymnast noted for being the first woman to qualify for the finals of the television sports challenge American Ninja Warrior<ref>Iannetta, Jessica. "'American Ninja' star Kacy Catanzaro of N.J.: 'I didn't realize how many other people would care'", The Star-Ledger, July 18, 2014. Accessed December 22, 2014. "Kacy Catanzaro grew up watching American Ninja Warrior with her dad on the TV in their Belleville, N.J. home."</ref>
- Samuel Cornish (1795–1858), abolitionist and publisher of the first newspaper in the United States owned by African Americans<ref>Di Ionno, Mark. "N.J.'s Lonnie Bunch: History in the making at African-American museum", The Star-Ledger, February 13, 2011. Accessed April 14, 2013. "Not the first, though. Many years later, as a historian, Bunch learned Belleville had been a place where free blacks from New York City bought land for country houses in the 19th century. 'One was Samuel Cornish, owner and publisher of the first black-owned paper in the United States (founded 1832),' Bunch said."</ref>
- Bob Crewe (1930–2014), songwriter, dancer, singer, manager, record producer and fine artist best known for producing, and co-writing together with Bob Gaudio, a string of Top 10 singles for The Four Seasons<ref>Woo, Elaine. "Bob Crewe dies at 83; songwriter behind Frankie Valli, Four Seasons", Los Angeles Times, September 12, 2014. Accessed December 22, 2014. "Crewe was born Nov. 12, 1930, in Newark, N.J., and grew up in nearby Belleville, where a couple of future members of the Four Seasons were born."</ref>
- Jack Cullen (born 1939), pitcher who played for the New York Yankees<ref>Constatntino, Rocco. "Jack Cullen", Ball Nine, April 8, 2022. Accessed January 3, 2025. "Despite the fame that has come from the Essex County town, only one person has ever graduated from Belleville High School and gone on to play Major League Baseball. That man is Jack Cullen, who pitched for the Yankees in the 1960s, and he joins us for this week’s edition of Spitballin'. The street where Cullen grew up, White Oak Terrace, is located just 11 miles from Yankee Stadium in North Jersey."</ref>
- Robert Curvin (1934–2015), researcher and theorist on issues related to urban poverty<ref>Roberts, Sam. "Robert Curvin, Scholar Who Fought Bias and Poverty in Newark, Dies at 81", The New York Times, September 30, 2015. Accessed May 23, 2016. "Robert Curvin was born on Feb. 23, 1934, in Belleville, N.J., a township adjacent to Newark."</ref>
- Michael Devaney (1891–1967), track and field athlete who competed in the 1920 Summer Olympics and in the 1924 Summer Olympics, and was part of the team that won the gold medal in 1920 in the 3000 meter steeplechase competition<ref>Mike Devaney, Sports-Reference.com. Accessed December 22, 2014.</ref>
- Tommy DeVito (1928–2020), musician and singer<ref name=FourSeasons/>
- Dennis Diken (born 1957), drummer with The Smithereens<ref>"You Say It's Your Birthday: The Smithereens' Dennis Diken", MTV News, February 25, 1997. Accessed April 14, 2013. "Today is the birthday of Smithereens drummer Dennis Diken, who was born in 1957 in Belleville, New Jersey."</ref>
- Cornelius Ennis (1813–1899), cotton shipper and railroad executive who served as Mayor of Houston, Texas<ref>Benham, Priscilla Myers. "Ennis, Cornelius (1813–1899)", Handbook of Texas. Accessed December 28, 2020. "Ennis, Cornelius (1813–1899). Cornelius Ennis, mayor of Houston, merchant, Confederate blockade runner, and railroad entrepreneur, was born on September 26, 1813, in Belleville, New Jersey."</ref>
- Connie Francis (born 1938), singer<ref>Bondy, Halley. "Belleville to honor hometown girl, the resilient Connie Francis", The Star-Ledger, October 22, 2009. Accessed January 3, 2011.</ref>
- Dany Garcia (born 1969), businessperson, professional bodybuilder and film/television producer<ref>Strauss, Gerry. "N.J. woman finds winning tag-team partner in 'The Rock'", Inside Jersey, September 18, 2015, updated March 29, 2019. Accessed October 21, 2020. "Growing up in Belleville was 'a great American experience. I loved it,' says Dany Garcia, who, with ex-husband Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, has built a multimillion-dollar film and TV production company."</ref>
- Bob Gaudio (born 1942), singer, songwriter and producer<ref name=FourSeasons/>
- Kay Gardella (1923–2005), reporter, critic and columnist for almost 60 years at the New York Daily News<ref>Staff. "Kay Gardella, 82, Daily News TV Critic, Dies", The New York Times, April 15, 2005. Accessed December 22, 2014. "Ms. Gardella was born in Belleville, N.J., and graduated from the old Upsala College in East Orange."</ref>
- Frances Goodrich (1890–1984), dramatist and screenwriter, best known for her collaborations with her partner and husband Albert Hackett<ref>Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, Jewish Virtual Library. Accessed December 22, 2014. "Goodrich, Frances (1890–1984) and Hackett, Albert (1900–1995), U.S. writers. Born in Belleville, New Jersey, Goodrich attended Passaic High School."</ref>
- Scott Graham (born 1965), Philadelphia Phillies broadcaster<ref>Staff. "Sicklerville's versatile Scott Graham is quickly forging a career in sports announcing", Courier-Post, May 11, 2000. Accessed November 4, 2012. "This summer, the Belleville, Essex County, native will spend most of his on-air time with the Phillies."</ref>
- David Grant (born 1965), former NFL player<ref>via Associated Press. "Seminar stresses school to college-bound athletes", Lawrence Journal-World, June 25, 1983. Accessed January 3, 2011.</ref>
- Phil Grippaldi (born 1946) was an Olympic weightlifter who competed for the United States at the games in 1968, 1972 and 1976<ref>Phil Grippaldi, NJSports.com. Accessed November 23, 2017. "Philip Salvatore Grippaldi was born September 27, 1946 in Newark and grew up in Belleville."</ref><ref>Fremon, Suzanne S. "State Has 13 on Olympic Team", The New York Times, August 13, 1972. Accessed November 22, 2017. "Other New Jerseyans on the various Olympic teams are Phillip GrippaldoTemplate:Sic of Belleville and Frank Capsouras of River Edge, weight lifters; Robert Sparks of Clark and Thomas Hardiman of Trenton, team-handball players, and Reginald Jones of Newark a light-middleweight boxer."</ref>
- Creighton Gubanich (born 1972), catcher who played professionally in 15 games for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and had a grand slam as his first career hit and only career home run<ref>Creighton Gubanich, Baseball-Reference.com. Accessed December 22, 2014.</ref>
- Llewellyn F. Haskell (1842–1929), United States Army officer and a Union general during the American Civil War<ref>Herringshaw's American Blue-book of Biography, p. 482. American Publishers Association, 1914. Accessed May 27, 2016. "Haskell, Llewellyn Frost, soldier and manufacturer of Belleville, N.J., was born Oct. 8, 1842, in Belleville, N.J."</ref>
- George Hrab (born 1971), drummer, guitarist, composer and podcaster known for performing rock, funk and jazz<ref>Howell, Dave. "George Hrab to perform his 'Broad Street Score' in Bethlehem" Template:Webarchive, The Morning Call, January 21, 2016. Accessed December 3, 2017. "The 44-year-old Hrab (pronounced with a near silent 'h') was born in Belleville, N.J. His parents immigrated to the United States as youngsters. 'I grew up speaking Ukrainian, went to Ukrainian Saturday school, ski and canoe trips, and scouts. You were given demerits if you spoke English,' he says."</ref>
- Frank Iero (born 1981), musician best known as the rhythm guitarist for the band My Chemical Romance, lead vocalist for the band Leathermouth and lead vocalist and guitarist for the band Pencey Prep<ref>Bruder, Jessica. "Loud, Proud and Important", The New York Times, May 29, 2005. Accessed March 28, 2008. "Among some of the station's most ardent fans are the bands that WSOU has boosted. That's all I listen to when I go home, said Frank Iero, a guitarist in My Chemical Romance and a Belleville native."</ref>
- Nick Massi (1935–2000), early member of the Four Seasons<ref name=FourSeasons/>
- Tony Meola (born 1969), soccer goalie<ref>Jersey-kid Meola ready for KC, The Kansas City Star, February 6, 1999, "Born and raised in Belleville, N.J...."</ref>
- Paul Mirabella (born 1954), MLB player for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, and the Milwaukee Brewers<ref>Smith, Red. "Homecoming for a Yankee Fan; Sports of The Times The View from Jersey A Seat in the Bull Pen", The New York Times, March 16, 1979. Accessed June 19, 2009. "He was born in Belleville, N.J., attended high school in Parsippany, now lives in Boonton Manor."</ref>
- Doris Kopsky Muller (1922–1997), cyclist who was the first woman to win a national title in cycling<ref>Doris Kopsky Muller Template:Webarchive, United States Bicycling Hall of Fame. Accessed June 27, 2019. "When the Amateur Bicycle League of America, predecessor to the U.S. Cycling Federation, expanded its national-championship format in 1937―in a program in Buffalo, New York―to introduce the women’s title competition, fifteen-year-old Doris Kopsky of Belleville, New Jersey, won the first women’s national title, officially designated as the girls’ championship."</ref>
- Joe Pesci (born 1943), actor<ref>Colford, Paul D. "Flash! The latest entertainment news and more", Newsday, August 19, 1998. Accessed January 3, 2010. "Pesci, a high school dropout who grew up in Belleville, NJ..."</ref>
- Daniel H. Rucker (1812–1910), U.S. Army brigadier general<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- Diane Ruggiero, That's Life series creator and Veronica Mars writer<ref>Sato, Steven. "CBS' 'That's Life' Is All That: Paul Sorvino, Creator Diane Ruggiero Talk About New Show" Template:Webarchive, WEWS-TV. Accessed July 14, 2008. "Cinderella had nothing on a young woman named Diane Ruggiero. Ruggiero, a native of Belleville, N.J., was working as a waitress and a part-time writer."</ref>
- Roxana Saberi (born 1977), Iranian-American journalist arrested in Iran in February 2009<ref>Stephey, M.J. "Imprisoned Journalist Roxana Saberi", Time, May 7, 2009. Accessed September 14, 2017. "Born April 26, 1977 in Belleville, New Jersey to a Japanese mother and Iranian father. When she was 6 months old, the family moved to Fargo, North Dakota."</ref>
- Ron San Fillipo (1942–2024), athletic director and athletics coach<ref>"Appointed By College", Verona-Cedar Grove Times, September 16, 1971. Accessed May 12, 2025, via Newspapers.com. "Ron San Fillipo has been named assistant director of student personnel assigned to the Jersey City State College's Sip Avenue (Rutgers) campus, it was announced by Julian Robinson, dean of student affairs.... A native of Belleville, he lives at 27 Brookdale Ave., Cedar Grove and is a graduate of Belleville High School and Montclair State College, where he was an outstanding football player."</ref>
- Junior Sanchez (born 1977), DJ, record producer and remixer<ref>Staff. Junior Sanchez Template:Webarchive, The Beat, September 8, 2012. Accessed February 4, 2013. "Originally from suburban Belleville, New Jersey, Junior Sanchez had his DJ beginnings with a jerry rigged DJ set made up of his parents' two stereo systems when he was 11."</ref>
- Peggy Santiglia (born 1944), singer, songwriter and lead singer The Angels<ref>Childs, Marti Smiley; and March, Jeff. "Then and Now: Peggy Santiglis", Echoes of the Sixties, p. 85, Billboard Books, 1999. Template:ISBN. Accessed May 15, 2011. "Raised in Belleville, New Jersey, Peggy grew up in a musical household."</ref>
- Fred Schneider (born 1951), singer, songwriter, arranger and musician, best known as the frontman of the rock band the B-52's, of which he is a founding member<ref>Lustig, Jay. "'Rock Lobster,' The B-52's', NJArts.net, August 2, 2015. Accessed June 24, 2019. "The B-52's formed in Athens, Ga., in 1976, but its two most high-profile band members have Jersey roots: Fred Schneider was born in Newark and grew up in Belleville and then Long Branch; Kate Pierson was born in Weehawken and grew up in Rutherford."</ref>
- Andrew E. Svenson (1910–1975), children's author, publisher, and partner in the Stratemeyer Syndicate, who authored or coauthored more than 70 books for children, including books in the Hardy Boys and Bobbsey Twins series<ref>"Andrew E. Svenson Aka Jerry West - The Author Of The Happy Hollisters Book Series", The Happy Hollisters. Accessed February 6, 2022. "Andrew Svenson was born in Belleville, NJ, in 1910, and his interest in writing started early."</ref>
- Frankie Valli (born 1934), lead singer of the musical group The Four Seasons<ref name=FourSeasons>Glassberg, Lauren. "A Sneak Peek At Broadway's 'Jersey Boys'", WABC-TV, December 5, 2005. Accessed September 25, 2007. "The music is contagious and the story about four guys from Belleville, New Jersey is more intriguing than you may have expected. It's Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.... Here's a bit of trivia: Joe Pesci the actor introduced Tommy Devito, Nick Massi, Frankie Valli and Bob Gaudio in 1959."</ref>
- Sharon Van Etten (born 1981), singer-songwriter<ref>Kaplan, Ilana. "Sharon Van Etten Is Right There", Interview, May 27, 2014. Accessed June 29, 2018. "Sharon Van Etten: Oh, nice! I can’t let go of it. I was born in Belleville. Then I grew up in Nutley and in the sixth grade we moved to Clinton."</ref>
- James Wallwork (1930–2024), Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature<ref>Romano, Jay. "Campaigning With Jim Wallwork", The New York Times, May 16, 1993. Accessed December 1, 2024. "James L. Wallwork, 62 years old, was born in Belleville, where he lived until he was 8 and his family moved to Montclair."</ref>
- Gerard Way (born 1977), musician, singer-songwriter, and comic book writer best known as the lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance and writer of the comic series The Umbrella Academy<ref name=NYT2004>LaGorce, Tammy. "Bellowing Like Iron Maiden, but Very, Very Sensitive", The New York Times, November 7, 2004. Accessed August 26, 2018. "Wait too long, and the cartoonish geek punk who leads My Chemical Romance – the guy dipped in the requisite all black, with thick mascara and smudges of orange shadow beneath both eyes before a recent show at Irving Plaza in Manhattan – overtakes the boyish 27-year-old from Belleville given to explaining the band's progression through stories about his grandma and his Dungeons and Dragons addiction."</ref>
- Mikey Way (born 1980), musician best known as the bassist for the band My Chemical Romance<ref>Michel, Sia. "Fresh From the Garden State, in Black Leather and Eyeliner", The New York Times, October 22, 2006. Accessed July 11, 2012. "Perhaps the key to understanding the band's macabre nature is a dim basement apartment with low ceilings. It was there that Gerard and Mikey Way, the band's singer and bassist, grew up, in the belly of a two-family home in Belleville, N.J., a blue-collar town about 10 miles from Manhattan."</ref>
- Gus Wickie (1885–1947), German-born American bass singer, stage actor and voice of Bluto in the Fleischer Studios' Popeye cartoons from 1935 until 1938<ref>Gerstein, David. [1] "Out of the Vaults: From Binko to Bluto”, November 30, 2013. Accessed March 22, 2022. "Gus Wicke, 61, for 12 years member of the quartet at Bill Hardey's Gay Nineties, New York nitery, died Jan. 3 in Belleville, N. J. Wicke, who had once been with the Shanley trio, is survived by two sisters."</ref>
- Leonard R. Willette (1921–1944), Tuskegee Airman pilot killed in action in World War II flying over Germany while protecting a group of American bombers<ref>Kadosh, Matt. "Belleville Tuskegee Airman soars in history", The Record, February 21, 2018. Accessed March 3, 2018. "Willette, of the Tuskegee Airmen's 99th Fighter Squadron, had died in the crash while escorting B-17 bombers over Germany in 1944. The 1939 Belleville High School graduate was one of 66 black Tuskegee Airmen killed in World War II combat."</ref>
References
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