Editing Garfield, New Jersey (section)

==History==
Long the home of the [[Lenape]], [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], European settlement in the area that would become Garfield dates back to 1679, when Jacques Cortelyou acquired more than {{convert|5000|acres}} of land surrounding the [[Passaic River]] known as "Acqueyquinonke", that ran from the [[Saddle River (New Jersey)|Saddle River]] to present day [[Glen Rock, New Jersey|Glen Rock]].<ref name=About/>

When the area that is now Garfield was first developed in 1873 with an initial group of seven homes constructed by Gilbert D. Bogart, it was known as East Passaic.<ref name=About>[https://www.garfieldnj.org/pages/about-the-city-of-garfield About], City of Garfield. Accessed June 26, 2022. "Gilbert D. Bogart is often credited as having been the founder of 'modern day' Garfield. When seven houses were constructed in 1873 between Monroe Street and Van Winkle Avenue, the area became known as 'East Passaic'."</ref>

In 1881, the community's name was changed to Garfield in honor of [[President of the United States]] [[James Garfield]].<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. [http://mapmaker.rutgers.edu/356/nj_place_names_origin.pdf#page=14 ''The Origin of New Jersey Place Names''], New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 31, 2015.</ref><ref>[[Henry Gannett|Gannett, Henry]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA198 ''The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States''], p. 198. [[United States Government Printing Office]], 1905. Accessed August 31, 2015.</ref><ref>Herman, Jennifer [https://books.google.com/books?id=Tc4uZ2HBG2oC&pg=PA279 ''New Jersey Encyclopedia''], p. 279. State History Publications, 2008. {{ISBN|9781878592446}}. Accessed August 31, 2015.</ref> There are two explanations given for the circumstances behind the renaming. According to one, shortly after Garfield was elected to the presidency the founder of East Passaic said, "tell everyone...don't speak of East Passaic anymore; call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity." Seven months later, President Garfield was assassinated but his name remained with the community.<ref>Lanza, Howard D. [https://books.google.com/books?id=GgOcX9_mW7AC&pg=PA10 ''Garfield''], p. 10. [[Arcadia Publishing]], 2002. {{ISBN|9780738510507}}. Accessed August 29, 2017. "On the fay following the inauguration of Pres. James A. Garfield, Bogart boasted, "Don't speak of East Passaic anymore, call it 'Garfield' after the man who will lead this great country to prosperity.'"</ref> The second theory holds that after Garfield's death in 1881, a new train station was named in his honor, which in turn led to the surrounding area becoming associated with his name as well.<ref>[http://www.garfieldnj.org/aboutgarfield History of Garfield], City of Garfield. Accessed August 29, 2017. "Gilbert D. Bogart is often credited as having been the founder of "modern day" Garfield. When seven houses were constructed in 1873 between Monroe Street and Van Winkle Avenue, the area became known as 'East Passaic'....In 1881, a railroad shortcut, the Bergen County Railroad, was laid and a station built and called Garfield after President James A. Garfield who died that year."</ref>

Garfield was originally incorporated as a [[borough (New Jersey)|borough]] on March 15, 1898, from portions of [[Saddle River Township, New Jersey|Saddle River Township]] and [[Wallington, New Jersey|Wallington]]. At the time, the [[New Jersey Legislature]] set Garfield's boundaries as they exist today. On April 19, 1917, the borough became the City of Garfield, based on the results of a referendum held two days earlier.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. [https://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/enviroed/oldpubs/bulletin67.pdf ''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968''], Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 78. Accessed October 25, 2012.</ref>