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Rutherford, New Jersey

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Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 18,834,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 773 (+4.3%) from the 2010 census count of 18,061,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected a decline of 49 (−0.3%) from the 18,110 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

Rutherford was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on September 21, 1881, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 86. Accessed May 30, 2024.</ref> The borough was named for John Rutherfurd, a U.S. Senator who owned land in the area.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 27, 2015.</ref><ref>Gannett, Henry. The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States, p. 268. United States Government Printing Office, 1905. Accessed September 27, 2015.</ref>

Rutherford has been called the "Borough of Trees"<ref>Kvasager, Whitney. "Leaves ablaze with colors of the season", The Record, October 31, 2004. Accessed October 22, 2008. "In the Saturday drizzle, Rutherford - the Borough of Trees - was living up to its title."</ref> and "The First Borough of Bergen County",<ref>Rutherford Borough Template:Webarchive. Accessed November 13, 2008.</ref> and is known as well for its pedestrian-focused downtown area adjacent to the borough's Bergen County Line (New Jersey Transit) railway station.

History

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The ridge above the New Jersey Meadowlands upon which Rutherford sits was settled by Lenape Native Americans long before the arrival of Walling Van Winkle in 1687. Union Avenue, which runs from the Meadowlands to the Passaic River, may have been an Indian trail, but was more likely a property boundary line; it was referenced in the 1668 grant of land by proprietary Governor Philip Carteret to John Berry.

File:Rutherford 1904.jpg
Bird's-eye view of Rutherford in 1904

During the early days of settlement, the land that is now Rutherford was part of New Barbadoes Township, as Berry had lived in Barbados, another English colony, before claiming his grant in New Jersey. New Barbadoes was part of Essex County from 1693 to 1710, when Bergen County was formed. In 1826, the land became part of Lodi Township (of which today's remaining portion is now South Hackensack). When Hudson County was formed in 1840, the area that is today North Arlington, Lyndhurst, Rutherford and East Rutherford became part of Harrison Township (of which today's remaining portion is Harrison town). However, the area reverted to Bergen County in 1852 and became known as Union Township.<ref name=Story/>

Part of the region was known as Boiling Springs for a powerful and ceaseless spring located in the vicinity. Despite its name, the spring actually consisted of cold groundwater seeps rather than hot springs.<ref>J. M. Van Valen. History of Bergen County, New Jersey, New Jersey Publishing and Engraving Company, NY, 1900. See Page 413, Chapter XXVI - Union Township.</ref>

The Erie Railroad built its Main Line from Jersey City across the Meadowlands in the 1840s. Daniel Van Winkle, a descendant of Walling, donated land in 1866 for a train station at Boiling Springs. Several resorts were built along the Passaic, with guests disembarking at Boiling Springs station and taking Union Avenue to the river. Later, the railroad opened a station closer to the river, at Carlton Hill, and a horsecar line (briefly on rails) along Jackson Ave took travelers to the resort area.

At the time, much of the property in Rutherford was farmland owned by the estate of John Rutherfurd, a former New Jersey legislator and U.S. Senator, whose homestead was along the Passaic River, near present-day Rutherford Avenue.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed November 14, 2015.</ref> Van Winkle opened a real estate office at Depot Square (now Station Square) to sell the land of the Rutherfurd Park Association, and began to lay out the area's street grid. The main roads were Orient Way, a wide boulevard heading south-southwest from Station Square, and Park Avenue, which headed west-southwest from Station Square to bring traffic to the new Valley Brook Race Course in what is now Lyndhurst.

In the 1870s, the area began to be called "Rutherford". The definitive reason for the change in spelling of the final syllable from "furd" to "ford" is unknown, though the change may have been the result of name recognition of the Ohio politician Rutherford B. Hayes, who was elected President in 1876, or could have been because of a clerical error by the United States Postal Service.<ref>2007 Master Plan - Final Draft 6.28.07, Borough of Rutherford, p. 47. Accessed February 28, 2013. "In the 1870s, the area came to be known as Rutherford. The spelling change is either a clerical error by the U.S. Post Office or a result of name recognition of the Ohio politician Rutherford B. Hayes who was elected President in 1876."</ref> The Post Office opened a facility called "Rutherford" in 1876. On September 21, 1881, the Borough of Rutherford was formed by formal vote of secession from Union Township.<ref name=Story/> By then, the community had about 1,000 residents.

Historic sites

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Rutherford is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic Places:

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.89 square miles (7.49 km2), including 2.78 square miles (7.20 km2) of land and 0.11 square miles (0.29 km2) of water (3.88%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Rutherford is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located Template:Convert west of Midtown Manhattan.<ref>Patterson, Mary Jo. "Real Estate: Rutherford, N.J., Quiet Outpost Beyond the Tunnel", The New York Times, July 29, 2015. Accessed September 19, 2015. "Quiet residential neighborhoods are many in a borough that could be considered the first suburban outpost along the Route 3 corridor from the Lincoln Tunnel."</ref>

The borough is bounded by the Passaic River bordering Clifton and Passaic in Passaic County to the west, the Erie Railroad bordering East Rutherford to the north and east, the Hackensack River bordering Secaucus to the southeast, and Berrys Creek, Wall Street West and Rutherford Avenue bordering Lyndhurst to the south and southwest.<ref>Areas touching Rutherford, MapIt. Accessed March 5, 2020.</ref><ref>Bergen County Map of Municipalities, Bergen County, New Jersey. Accessed March 5, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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As of the 2020 Census, Rutherford borough had a population of 18,834 with 6,835 households.<ref name=Census2020/>

Of that total population, 71.3% was White, 2.3% was Black or African American, 0.2% was American Indian and Alaska Native, 16.2% was Asian, 7.7% was of two or more races, and 22.7% was Hispanic or Latino.<ref name=Census2020/>

Slightly over half (50.6%) of residents were female. There were 455 veterans living in the borough, and 24.5% were foreign born persons.<ref name=Census2020/>

In terms of educational attainment, 95.0% of residents 25 years and older had a high school diploma, and 51.9% had a bachelor's degree or higher. 94.1% of the households had a computer and 89.8% had a broadband internet subscription.<ref name="Census2020" />

Rutherford's had a median household income of $106,817 and per capita income of $48,764, with 5.8% of the local population living below the poverty line.<ref name=Census2020/>

2010 census

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The 2010 United States census counted 18,061 people, 6,949 households, and 4,663 families in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,278 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 77.57% (14,010) White, 2.92% (527) Black or African American, 0.07% (13) Native American, 13.08% (2,362) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 3.68% (664) from other races, and 2.68% (484) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 14.08% (2,543) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 6,949 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 52.8% were married couples living together; 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present and 32.9% were non-families. Of all households, 27.4% 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 2.56 and the average family size was 3.17.<ref name=Census2010/>

21.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.7% was from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.7 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 90.2 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $85,783 (with a margin of error of +/− $4,632) and the median family income was $104,293 (+/− $6,102). Males had a median income of $70,071 (+/− $8,275) versus $55,080 (+/− $4,045) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $41,662 (+/− $3,383). About 3.6% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.5% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Rutherford borough, Bergen County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed February 2, 2012.</ref>

Same-sex couples headed 65 households in 2010, an increase from the 48 counted in 2000.<ref>Lipman, Harvy; and Sheingold, Dave. "North Jersey sees 30% growth in same-sex couples", The Record, August 14, 2011, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 3, 2013. Accessed October 24, 2014.</ref>

2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 18,110 people, 7,055 households, and 4,670 families residing in the borough. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 7,214 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the borough was 81.99% White, 2.70% African American, 0.04% Native American, 11.34% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.86% from other races, and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 8.59% of the population.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

There were 7,055 households, out of which 28.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.16.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the borough 20.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.4% was from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the borough was $63,820, and the median income for a family was $78,120. Males had a median income of $51,376 versus $39,950 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $30,495. About 2.3% of families and 3.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.1% of those under age 18 and 6.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Economy

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Rutherford is the site of Architectural Window Manufacturing Corporation's plant<ref>Why Architectural Window?, Architectural Window. Accessed October 3, 2008.</ref> and Blue Foundry Bank's (formerly Boiling Springs Savings Bank) corporate headquarters.<ref>Welcome to Rutherford, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed September 9, 2008.</ref>

Rutherford, together with Lyndhurst and North Arlington, was the site of the EnCap project, an effort to remediate landfills on the Template:Convert site and construct homes and golf courses on top of the remediated site. On May 27, 2008, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission terminated its agreement with EnCap Golf Holdings, the company that had the contract to redevelop the site, after the company had missed targets to clean up the landfills as part of the project.<ref>Belson, Ken. "Meadowlands Commission Cuts Ties With Developer", The New York Times, May 8, 2008. Accessed February 2, 2012. "The decision comes less than a week after the borough of Rutherford voided its contract with EnCap, which wanted to finance the development partly by issuing bonds based on the tax revenue of the borough."</ref>

The Highland Cross Development is a proposed project to consist of 800 units of housing, including 160 affordable units, two hotels, and a large retail component. Rutherford officials have worked to get approval for the plan, in the face of opposition from the 14 mayors of the Hackensack Meadowlands Municipal Committee.<ref>O'Keefe, Daniel. "Officials meet for mediation over Highland Cross", South Bergenite, February 4, 2010. Accessed August 30, 2011. "Although the Hackensack Meadowlands Municipal Committee, the committee made up of the mayors of the 14 towns in the meadowlands district, has vetoed the Highland Cross development, the developers contend they will continue to work with the town to get the 800 units plus retail built."</ref>

Arts and culture

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William Carlos Williams, the Pulitzer Prize–winning poet who died in 1963, was born in Rutherford in 1883. For most of his adult life, he maintained a physician's office in the house in which he lived, at 9 Ridge Road, at the corner of Park Avenue, even as he continued his artistic endeavors.<ref>DeMasters, Karen. "A House With Poetic Cachet And a Doctor's Office", The New York Times, August 11, 1996. Accessed August 29, 2011. "For Sale: Home of the poet and pediatrician William Carlos Williams. Where: 9 Ridge Road, Rutherford, at the intersection with Park Avenues near the business district."</ref>

The Rivoli Theatre was opened in 1922 as a vaudeville house but was quickly converted into a movie palace. It was known for a large crystal chandelier suspended from the center of the auditorium. On January 9, 1977, the Rivoli was severely damaged in a fire.<ref>Emblen, Frank. "New Jersey Guide", The New York Times, September 18, 1988. Accessed August 29, 2011. "The Rivoli, a vaudeville theater that dates to 1922, had a glorious history until ravaged by a fire in 1977. The Williams Center is a modern performing-arts complex built around and under the scarred theater."</ref> Soon afterward, a plan was developed to restore the Rivoli and turn it into a performing arts center. The William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts opened in 1981 and contains three movie screens as well as two performance halls.<ref>Jailer, Mildred. "Balancing the Old and New in Rutherford; The Talk of Rutherford", The New York Times, November 9, 1980. Accessed August 30, 2011. "The second project is the William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts, which, it is hoped, will open next February or March."</ref> Since 1995, the Williams Center's primary focus has been on concerts, ballet, opera, and theater for children.

File:Yereance-Berry house 1938.jpg
The Yereance-Berry House in 1938. Home of the Meadowlands Museum.

The Meadowlands Museum, which focuses on local history and began as a project of parents of children in the public schools in 1961 and was originally based in a room at Sylvan School,<ref>Home Page, Meadowlands Museum. Accessed August 19, 2013.</ref> moved to the Yereance-Berry House at 91 Crane Avenue in 1974.

The GFWC Woman's Club of Rutherford is a non-profit volunteer organization that was organized in 1889. The club is located in the former Iviswold carriage house.<ref>Rutherford Women's Club Accessed January 6, 2009.</ref>

The Rutherford Community Band was founded in 1941 and performs free concerts at venues throughout the borough, including the Hutzel Memorial Band Shell in Lincoln Park.<ref>Heule, Melissa. "Rutherford Band Carries Tune In Memory Of Longtime Conductor", Rutherford Daily Voice, November 24, 2015. Accessed June 25, 2017. "Monroe's father, Tom 'Doc' Monroe, launched the band in 1941."</ref><ref>Raymond Heller, NJ.com, September 10, 2015. Accessed June 25, 2017.</ref>

Annual cultural events

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Rutherford holds an annual street fair on Labor Day, which is the longest running street fair in New Jersey, and usually attracts 20,000 people.<ref>Rutherford Labor Day Street Fair, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed November 21, 2011. "This high profile event is the largest and longest running street fair in New Jersey - attracting over 20,000 people every year - rain or shine."</ref><ref>Batson, Annette. Rutherford's Mega Street Fair, Baristanet, August 30, 2008, backed bup by the Internet Archive as of September 17, 2008. Accessed May 20, 2022.</ref>

The first annual Rutherford West End Festival was held October 3, 2009, in the West End section of town.<ref>Rutherford West End, Accessed October 1, 2009.</ref>

The Rutherford Multicultural Festival is an annual event that provides traditional entertainment and food from around the world.<ref>Rutherford Multicultural Festival Accessed August 20, 2016.</ref>

In 2017, the first annual Rutherford Downhill Derby provided kids and adults with the opportunity to build, design, and race gravity powered race carts.<ref>Grant, Meghan. "Rutherford to hold first Soap Box Derby in spring", South Bergenite, September 2, 2016. Accessed May 4, 2017. "Hoping to start a new community tradition, the Borough of Trees is planning on holding its first Rutherford Soap Box Derby next spring. The derby aims to give Rutherford kids and adults a chance to design, build and race cars."</ref>

In 2018, the Rutherford Pride Alliance was founded.<ref>About Us, Rutherford Pride Alliance. Accessed March 29, 2023.</ref> In June 2019, there was a public raising of the LGBTQ Rainbow flag, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots; the Rutherford council unanimously approved the flag raising, despite opposition from residents who argued that the move was divisive, and special preferences were being granted.<ref>Sobko, Katie; and Shkolnikova, Svetlana. "Rutherford raises its first LGBTQ flag as towns throughout Bergen County mark Pride Month", The Record, June 1, 2019. Accessed March 29, 2023. "The pride flag raising, the borough’s first, was a coming out moment for the nascent Rutherford Pride Alliance. The group grew out of a Facebook conversation about rainbow crosswalks in Maplewood last summer and has since become a force in Rutherford, successfully lobbying the borough council to raise a rainbow flag at Borough Hall. The flag will fly through the month of June to honor Pride Month and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, a tipping point for the gay rights movement in the U.S.... group called Rutherford United created a petition last month opposing the move, arguing that the pride flag’s inclusion at Borough Hall would foster division and give unfair preference to a special interest group."</ref>

Parks and recreation

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Rutherford Memorial Park, in the northwest corner of town along the Passaic, was set aside as parkland by the voters in 1951. Its Template:Convert include two baseball diamonds, five softball diamonds, a Little League Baseball field, a football stadium, six tennis courts, two basketball courts, and three playgrounds. Other active recreation parks include Tamblyn Field, near Route 3.<ref>Parks and Facilities, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed September 28, 2017.</ref>

The borough also has several smaller passive parks, including Lincoln Park across from borough hall, which was renovated in 2004. It includes a band shell and several monuments, including a cannon dating to the Spanish–American War, and is home to the borough's 9/11 memorial, containing a piece of steel debris recovered from the site of the attacks.<ref>O'Keefe, Daniel. "Rutherford to renovate Sept. 11 monument for anniversary", South Bergenite, August 25, 2011. Accessed August 30, 2011. "As the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 quickly approaches, towns are preparing for the memorials that will mark the solemn day. In Rutherford, the council has made plans for the memorial that has marked Lincoln Park since 2004 to be renovated and restored in time for the anniversary."</ref> Sunset Park is located just north of the intersection of Union and Jackson Avenues and is on the western-facing side of a rather steep hill. A plan to redesign the park is currently being developed.<ref>South Bergenite Accessed January 6, 2009.</ref> Firefighters' Memorial Park is a pocket park located at the intersection of Park and Mortimer Avenues.<ref>Firemans' Park, Rutherford Fire Department. Accessed October 1, 2009.</ref>

Lincoln Park has been host to town events, concerts, and memorials for decades. The Rutherford Community Band plays concerts during the summer. Other summer concerts are sponsored by the borough, as well as several movie nights in the park. In the fall, it has hosted the Bergen County Cultural Festival, which is funded and run by the Civil Rights Commission.

The Nereid Boat Club occupies a former boat sales building on the Passaic, at the foot of Newell Avenue. The rowing club, established in Nutley in 1875, relocated to Rutherford in 1996.<ref>About, Nereid Boat Club. Accessed January 6, 2009.</ref>

Government

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Local government

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Rutherford is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<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 mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 154.</ref> The borough form of government used by Rutherford is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 6. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The borough operates with numerous committees to assist the government in carrying out its responsibilities. In addition to statutory bodies such as the planning board and zoning board of adjustment, dozens of volunteers staff other committees appointed annually, providing recommendations to the council.

Template:As of, the mayor of the Borough of Rutherford is Democrat Frank Nunziato, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023. Members of the Rutherford Borough Council are Council President Stephanie McGowan (D, 2023), Maria Begg-Roberson (D, 2024), Matthew Cokeley (D, 2023), Christie Del Rey-Cone (D, 2025), Raymond L. Guzmán (D, 2024), and Susan E. Quatrone (D, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>Mayor and Council, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed March 15, 2023. "Rutherford was incorporated in 1881 under the Borough form of government, the most common type in New Jersey. With a seven member governing body, the mayor of the Borough is elected every four years and two council members are elected at large each year for 3-year terms."</ref><ref>2022 Municipal Data Sheet, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed May 20, 2022.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>2024 County and Municipal Directory, Bergen County, New Jersey, April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2022>Bergen County November 8, 2022 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Bergen2021>Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results, Bergen County, New Jersey, updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Bergen2020>Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results, Bergen County, New Jersey, December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Bergen2019>Bergen County November 5, 2019 General Election Statement of Vote, Bergen County, New Jersey Clerk, updated December 10, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In November 2019, the borough council selected Raymond Guzman from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to complete the term expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Frank Nunziato until he resigned from his council seat to take office as mayor.<ref>Katzban, Nicholas. "Rutherford Mayor Frank Nunziato's council term will be finished by Ray Guzman", The Record, January 17, 2020. Accessed March 5, 2020. "Democrat Ray Guzman was unanimously appointed to the Borough Council to finish Frank Nunziato's term after he was elected mayor in November. Guzman was one of three nominees put forth by the local Democratic Committee and appointed by council members during last week's meeting."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

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Rutherford is located in the 9th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

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Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 10,609 registered voters in Rutherford, of which 3,436 (32.4% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 2,287 (21.6% vs. 21.1%) were registered as Republicans and 4,875 (46.0% vs. 47.1%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 11 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Bergen, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 58.7% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 74.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref>

In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton received 4.796 votes (54.0% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican Donald Trump with 3.681 votes (41.4% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 405 votes (4.6% vs. 4.6%), among the 8,978 ballots cast by the borough's 11,661 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.0% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County).<ref>Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results - Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, November 8, 2016. Accessed May 24, 2020</ref> In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,771 votes (57.7% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 3,313 votes (40.1% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 111 votes (1.3% vs. 0.9%), among the 8,266 ballots cast by the borough's 11,229 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.6% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).<ref>Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref><ref>Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 4,824 votes (53.7% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican John McCain with 3,973 votes (44.2% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 117 votes (1.3% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,984 ballots cast by the borough's 11,275 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.7% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref><ref name=Results2008>2008 General Election Results for Rutherford, The Record. Accessed August 30, 2011.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 4,539 votes (52.2% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican George W. Bush with 4,030 votes (46.3% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 96 votes (1.1% vs. 0.7%), among the 8,698 ballots cast by the borough's 11,077 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.5% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Bergen County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 56.6% of the vote (2,918 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 42.2% (2,174 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (59 votes), among the 5,299 ballots cast by the borough's 10,653 registered voters (148 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.7%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Democrat Jon Corzine received 2,910 ballots cast (48.0% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 2,642 votes (43.6% vs. 45.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 421 votes (6.9% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 32 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 6,062 ballots cast by the borough's 10,957 registered voters, yielding a 55.3% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Bergen County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref>

Emergency services

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Police

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File:RutherfordPDlogo.jpg

The Rutherford Police Department (RPD) provides emergency and protective services to the borough of Rutherford. The RPD consists of 40 officers. The current chief is John Russo who was appointed on March 26, 2013. The RPD responds to approximately 24,000 calls per year and conducts criminal investigations through its detective bureau.<ref>Rutherford Police Department, Borough of Rutherford. Accessed December 28, 2008.</ref>

The police department was originally organized in June 1879 as the Rutherford Protective and Detective Association.<ref>Neumann, William. Rutherford: A Brief History, The History Press, 2008.</ref>

Fire

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The Rutherford Fire Department (RFD) is an all-volunteer fire department. The RFD was organized in May 1871 and consists of one Chief, one deputy chief and three assistant chiefs. There are five fire companies in three fire houses. Each company has a Captain and a Lieutenant. The department is staffed by 75 fully trained firefighters. The RFD utilizes three Engines, a Ladder truck, a Heavy Rescue, a Special Service Unit and two boats.<ref>Rutherford Fire Department Accessed December 28, 2008</ref>

Two of Rutherford's firefighters—Edwin L. Ward in 1965 and Thomas E. Dunn in 1994—have died in the line of duty.<ref>Firefighters' Memorial Park, Rutherford Fire Department. Accessed May 10, 2011.</ref>

Ambulance

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File:RutherfordEMSlogo.gif

The Rutherford First Aid-Ambulance Corps is a volunteer service that was organized in 1949. The corp consists of 40 members that operate under the supervision of the Captain, First Lieutenant and Second Lieutenant. The corps provides basic life support, and is staffed primarily by certified Emergency Medical Technicians. CPR-trained drivers are also sometimes on duty. They operate three Type III ambulances.<ref>Home Page, Rutherford EMS. Accessed December 28, 2008.</ref>

Education

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The Rutherford School District serves the borough's public school students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade.<ref>Rutherford Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Rutherford School District. Accessed May 4, 2020. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Kindergarten through twelve in the Rutherford School District. Composition: The Rutherford School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Rutherford."</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of five schools, had an enrollment of 2,652 students and 208.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.7:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Rutherford School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Public education began in Rutherford prior to 1900, but the oldest school structure that is still standing is the former Park School, built in 1902. It is currently the home of the Rutherford borough hall, on Park Avenue. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Rutherford School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Kindergarten Center<ref>Kindergarten Center, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (opened in 2014), Lincoln School<ref>Lincoln School, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (490 students; in grades Pre-K–3), Washington School<ref>Washington School, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (326; 1–3), Pierrepont School<ref>Pierrepont School, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (595; 4–6), Union School<ref>Union School, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (424; 7–8) and Rutherford High School<ref>Rutherford High School, Rutherford Public Schools. Accessed May 4, 2020.</ref> (762; 9–12), built in 1922.<ref>New Jersey School Directory for Rutherford School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>

Rutherford formerly had three "neighborhood" schools for grades K–5 (Washington, Lincoln, and Sylvan) which fed into two "magnet" schools for 6–8. The magnet schools also served as elementary schools for their neighborhoods. Sylvan School was closed at the end of the 2004–2005 school year and has become a handicapped preschool, as well as office space for the special services department.

Public school students from the borough, and all of Bergen County, are eligible to attend the secondary education programs offered by the Bergen County Technical Schools, which include the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, and the Bergen Tech campus in Teterboro or Paramus. The district offers programs on a shared-time or full-time basis, with admission based on a selective application process and tuition covered by the student's home school district.<ref>About Us Template:Webarchive, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref><ref>Admissions Template:Webarchive, Bergen County Technical Schools. Accessed December 29, 2016.</ref>

File:Iviswold2009.jpg
Iviswold Castle located on the Felician College campus.

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church was established in Rutherford in the 1890s and opened a school shortly thereafter. The parish offers The Academy at Saint Mary for preschool through eighth grade<ref>Bergen County Elementary Schools Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed November 12, 2016.</ref> and St. Mary High School, founded in 1929.<ref>Abouts Us, St. Mary High School. Accessed August 19, 2013.</ref> Both schools are operated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.<ref>Bergen County Catholic High Schools Template:Webarchive, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Accessed November 12, 2016.</ref>

In 1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University was founded in Rutherford as a two-year college, anchored by the Iviswold Castle on Montross Avenue, which was built in the 1880s as a summer home by David B. Ivison. After FDU expanded to a four-year college and then to offering graduate programs, it acquired other, larger campuses, and eventually left Rutherford, offering the campus for sale due to financial difficulties. In the fall of 1997, the Rutherford campus was purchased by Felician College, an independent private Roman Catholic institution, which often has cultural and community events.<ref>Winters, Jaimie Julia. "Iviswold restorer bringing back the bling", South Bergenite, July 28, 2011. Accessed August 30, 2011. "In 1942, Peter Sammartino bought the property and opened Fairleigh Dickinson College with the castle as its heart. Fairleigh Dickinson University closed the Rutherford campus in 1994 due to lack of space. The facilities and the castle were locked and unoccupied for three years until 1997 when Felician College purchased the entire 10.5-acre campus and acquired the castle."</ref>

Transportation

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Roads and highways

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File:17 and 3 interchange Rutherford.jpg
Intersection of Route 3 and Route 17 in Rutherford

Template:As of, the borough had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Bergen County, Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.<ref>Bergen County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref>

File:2018-07-20 18 30 59 View north along Interstate 95W (New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur) south of Exit 16W in Rutherford, Bergen County, New Jersey.jpg
The New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur (Interstate 95) northbound in Rutherford

In the 1920s, the original Route 17 came through downtown Rutherford. Following the 1927 New Jersey State Highway renumbering, the new New Jersey Route 2 (later Route 17) was built in 1928, skirting the southeast edge of the borough, between the residential area and the New Jersey Meadowlands.

In 1948, a new bypass road along the southwest edge of the borough was built to bring traffic from Clifton and points west to the Lincoln Tunnel. The construction of the highway spur Route S3 (now Route 3) caused the demolition or relocation of numerous borough homes. In 2013, the Route 3 bridge over the Passaic River was replaced, and further improvements were made to the Rutherford section of the highway. The swing span of the Union Avenue Bridge over the Passaic was replaced in June 2002 as part of a $9.5 million project.<ref>Union Avenue bridge over Passaic River to open to traffic tonight, New Jersey Department of Transportation, June 28, 2002. Accessed June 25, 2017. "The $9.5 million federally funded project replaces the old swing span moveable bridge linking Passaic and Rutherford with a new fixed span structure."</ref>

A short portion of the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur (Interstate 95) passes through the southern section of Rutherford, but the closest interchange is located in neighboring East Rutherford at exit 16W.<ref>Interstate 95 / New Jersey Turnpike-West Alignment Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated August 2014. Accessed February 2, 2023.</ref>

Public transportation

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File:Rutherford NJT train station 2.jpg
Rutherford Train Station

Thanks to its easy access to New York City by rail, Rutherford became an early bedroom community. Following the initial wave of settlement in the late 19th century, an additional building boom occurred in the 1920s, when the majority of the borough's current housing stock was constructed.

Public Service Railway brought trolley lines into Rutherford around the start of the 20th century. The lines extended east to Jersey City, south to Newark, north to Hackensack, and west to Passaic. By the late 1940s, the trolleys were replaced by bus service.

After the opening of the Lincoln Tunnel in 1937, the Inter-City Bus Company began bus service direct from Paterson to New York City. The line was taken over by NJ Transit in the early 1980s.

Today, NJ Transit offers service to and from New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on several routes. The 163 offers rush hour service only, as Rutherford is not typically along its route. The 190 offers local service along Union Avenue and Orient Way. The 191, 192 and 195 routes all serve the portion of Rutherford that is adjacent to Route 3, as well as the portion of Route 17 that goes through Rutherford. The 76 bus provides service between Hackensack and Newark.<ref>Bergen County Bus/Rail Connection(s), NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of May 22, 2009. Accessed August 25, 2011.</ref><ref>Bergen County System Map Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed September 14, 2016.</ref>

Rutherford's train station, which was built by the Erie Railroad in 1898, serves passengers on NJ Transit's Bergen County Line.<ref>Rutherford station Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref> Service is available to Suffern and various stations along Metro-North Railroad's Port Jervis Line, as well as all other Bergen County Line stations as Rutherford is the last stop before Secaucus Junction. Service is also provided to Hoboken Terminal with connections to Hudson–Bergen Light Rail, PATH, and NY Waterway service, and customers can connect at Secaucus for trains to New York Penn Station, Newark Liberty International Airport, and points west and south along the Morris & Essex Lines, North Jersey Coast Line, Northeast Corridor Line, and Montclair-Boonton Line. Access to the Raritan Valley Line is available at either Hoboken or at Newark Penn Station via Secaucus.<ref>Main/Bergen-Port Jervis Line Template:Webarchive, NJ Transit. Accessed December 16, 2013.</ref>

Notable people

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References

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Sources

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