Little Falls, New Jersey
Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township was named after a waterfall on the Passaic River at a dam near Beattie Mill.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 3, 2015.</ref><ref>About, Township of Little Falls. Accessed April 14, 2020."Our Township is named for the Passaic River waterfall that formerly spilled downstream from the dam in front of the Beattie Mill."</ref><ref>Our History, The Mill on the River: At Little Falls. Accessed August 15, 2023.</ref> As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 13,360,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> a decrease of 1,072 (−7.4%) from the 2010 census count of 14,432,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 3,577 (+33.0%) from the 10,855 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>
History
[edit]Little Falls traces its first European settlement to 1711, when seven Bergen Dutch settlers banded together to begin farming.<ref>2013 Master Plan Re-examination Report, Little Falls Township. Accessed December 24, 2016. "Little Falls, in Passaic County New Jersey traces its history back to its founding in 1711 when seven Dutch farmers banded together to begin farming in this fertile area of Northern New Jersey, which was then referred to as the Village of Little Falls. One of the old farm houses, the Speer Homestead built in 1680, proudly stands in Little Falls today as one of the oldest homes in New Jersey and a reminder of the towns' agrarian roots."</ref> The Speer Homestead dates from Template:Circa (and may have originally been built in 1680).<ref>Nomination Form for Reynier Speer House, National Park Service. Accessed December 24, 2016.</ref>
The Morris Canal, once an important artery of trade and transportation until 1925 between the Delaware and Hudson rivers, wound its way through the township, and vestiges of it still remain today,<ref>Passaic County Morris Canal Greenway Status Map, ArcGIS, February 18, 2015. Accessed December 24, 2016. "The Morris Canal passed through today's Passaic County towns of Wayne, Little Falls, Woodland Park, Paterson, and Clifton."</ref> some parts of which form a greenway.<ref>Great Falls/S. U. M. Power Canal System, Paterson, Passaic County, NJ - Morris Canal in Passaic County, Library of Congress. Accessed June 7, 2017.</ref><ref>"Spotlight on the Morris Canal in the Township of Little Falls Template:Webarchive, A Journey Along the Towpath, April 2011. Accessed June 7, 2017.</ref>
Little Falls was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 2, 1868, from portions of Acquackanonk Township. On March 25, 1914, portions of the township were taken to form the borough of West Paterson (now Woodland Park).<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. 209. Accessed May 29, 2024.</ref>
Geography
[edit]According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.87 square miles (7.43 km2), including 2.80 square miles (7.24 km2) of land and 0.07 square miles (0.19 km2) of water (2.54%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />
Singac (with a 2010 Census population of 3,618<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Singac CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 13, 2013.</ref>) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Little Falls Township.<ref>GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 12, 2013.</ref><ref>2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 12, 2013.</ref><ref name=CPH232>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed January 12, 2013.</ref>
The township has three main sub-divisions. Great Notch is the easternmost part of Little Falls. The downtown area is frequently referred to as "The Center of Town", mainly by longtime residents, and is usually referred to as simply Little Falls. Singac is in the westernmost portion of the township. Much of Singac borders the Passaic River.<ref>Spiewak, Anna. "One Hometown You Won't Want To Leave". The Record, January 20, 2008. Accessed February 29, 2008. "The township is divided into three sections: Little Falls; Singac, off Route 23; and Great Notch, off Long Hill & Ridge Roads."</ref><ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>
Little Falls is bordered by the municipalities of Clifton, Totowa, Wayne, and Woodland Park in Passaic County, and Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Montclair, and North Caldwell in Essex County.<ref>Areas touching Little Falls, MapIt. Accessed February 25, 2020.</ref><ref>Passaic County Park System, See Passaic County. Accessed February 25, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> It is located about Template:Convert west of New York City.
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) | 11,530 | 9,116 | 79.89% | 68.23% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 549 | 834 | 3.80% | 6.24% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 13 | 4 | 0.09% | 0.03% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 652 | 723 | 4.52% | 5.41% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 | 2 | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 34 | 68 | 0.24% | 0.51% |
| Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) | 225 | 349 | 1.56% | 2.61% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,428 | 2,264 | 9.89% | 16.95% |
| Total | 14,432 | 13,360 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2010 census
[edit]The 2010 United States census counted 14,432 people, 4,740 households, and 2,825 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,925 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 86.68% (12,510) White, 4.11% (593) Black or African American, 0.15% (22) Native American, 4.56% (658) Asian, 0.01% (1) Pacific Islander, 2.38% (344) from other races, and 2.11% (304) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.89% (1,428) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>
Of the 4,740 households, 22.8% had children under the age of 18; 45.8% were married couples living together; 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present and 40.4% were non-families. Of all households, 33.1% were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 3.04.<ref name=Census2010/>
13.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 29.4% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 81.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 78.2 males.<ref name=Census2010/>
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $78,318 (with a margin of error of +/− $8,244) and the median family income was $92,462 (+/− $12,925). Males had a median income of $67,585 (+/− $7,860) versus $42,270 (+/− $3,385) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,505 (+/− $3,336). About 4.7% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Little Falls township, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2012.</ref>
Same-sex couples headed 42 households in 2010, an increase from the 33 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 September 27, 2014.</ref>
2000 census
[edit]As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 10,855 people, 4,687 households, and 2,873 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 4,797 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 92.13% white, 0.65% African American, 0.06% Native American, 4.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.33% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.33% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Little Falls township, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Little Falls township, Passaic County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 27, 2012.</ref>
There were 4,687 households, out of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.99.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
In the township, the population was spread out, with 18.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 32.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.4 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
The median income for a household in the township was $58,857, and the median income for a family was $70,223. Males had a median income of $49,136 versus $37,727 for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,242. About 2.8% of families and 4.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.8% of those under age 18 and 4.9% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>
Economy
[edit]Mountain View Diners Company operated from 1939 to 1957, manufacturing a total of 400 prefabricated diners that were shipped nationwide.<ref>Funk, Richard W. "Building diners was specialty of several companies", Standard-Speaker, December 2, 2001. Accessed July 21, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "New Jersey could be considered the capital of the diner industry.... Mountain View Diners of Singac, N.J., was in business from 1939 to 1957. Hazleton's Blue Comet is a heavily remodeled 1957 model. This firm was known as a very aggressive marketer in the 1950s and its diners were shipped all over the country."</ref>
Parks and recreation
[edit]Montclair State University Ice Arena, is an ice rink which is located on the grounds of Montclair State University and is host to its ice hockey club. The facility also hosts other hockey leagues and teams and other on-ice sports.<ref>About, Montclair State Ice Arena. Accessed January 6, 2024.</ref>
Sports
[edit]The New Jersey Jackals of the Frontier League played at Yogi Berra Stadium, located in Little Falls, on the campus of Montclair State University. For the 2023 season, the team relocated to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson.<ref>"New Jersey Jackals Baseball Team Secures New Home At Landmark Hinchliffe Stadium In Paterson, NJ", Frontier League, September 14, 2022.Accessed April 19, 2023. "The New Jersey Jackals, a member team of the Frontier League, a Professional Baseball League of 16 teams and Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB), today announced the team is relocating from Yogi Berra Stadium in Montclair, NJ to its new, larger home at landmark Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, NJ. The Jackals will kick-off a 96-game season in May of 2023 at Hinchliffe, a 7,000-seat stadium that sits on a dramatic escarpment above Paterson's National Historic Great Falls and surrounded by the city's national historic district – the first planned industrial settlement in the nation in 1792."</ref>
Government
[edit]Local government
[edit]Effective January 1, 2005, the form of government in Little Falls was changed (based on the results of a public referendum passed in November 2003) to the Mayor-Council form authorized by the Faulkner Act. The township is one of 71 (of the 564) municipalities 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 the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. Voters directly elect the mayor and the five township council members to four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either three seats or two seats (together with the mayoral seat) up for election in even-numbered years as part of the November general election. For most of its history, until 2003, Little Falls had been governed under the Township form of government by a township committee consisting of five committee members elected by the voters. Under this system, a chairman (mayor) and deputy-chair (deputy mayor) were selected annually by the Township Committee members.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 169.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:As of, the mayor of Little Falls is Democrat James Belford Damiano, whose term of office ends December 31, 2024. Members of the Township Council are Council President Anthony Sgobba (D, 2024), Christine Hablitz (D, 2024), Michael Murphy (R, 2026), Jayna Patel (R, 2026) and Christopher Vancheri (D, 2026).<ref name=Officials>Mayor and Council, Township of Little Falls. Accessed March 24, 2023.</ref><ref>2022 Municipal User Friendly Budget, Township of Little Falls. Accessed April 27, 2022.</ref><ref name=PassaicDirectory>Passaic County 2022 Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed March 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Passaic2022>2022 General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Passaic County Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated December 7, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Passaic2020>November 3, 2020 Summary Report Official Results, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>
In January 2017, Democrat Chris Vancheri was appointed to fill the council seat expiring in December 2018 that was vacated by James Damiano when he took office as mayor. In April 2017, Republican Marc Benitez was appointed to fill a vacant seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Joseph Maceri until he resigned after moving out of the township.<ref>Kelleher, Lindsay. "New councilman wants Little Falls to reach 'true potential'", The Record, April 20, 2017. Accessed April 14, 2020. "Benitez was sworn in this month to an unexpired term, filling the seat vacated by Joseph Maceri, who moved to Cedar Grove and stepped down in February. He is the only Republican serving on the five-seat council."</ref> In the November 2017 general election, Vancheri was elected to serve the balance of Damiano’s term of office and Democrat Tanya Seber defeated Benitez for Maceri’s unexpired seat. When Seber was sworn into office, it marked the first time in township history that all of the township's elected officials were Democrats.<ref>Pappas, Tina. "Vancheri, Seber Swearing In Marks First Ever All Democrat Council", TAP into Passaic Valley, January 5, 2018. Accessed April 14, 2020. "Democrats Chris Vancheri and Tanya Seber were sworn in as members of the Little Falls Township Council during a ceremony on Jan. 1 in town hall council chambers. According to Mayor James Damiano, the swearing in marks the first time that the council is composed of all Democrat members in the history of the Township. A resident of the township since 2004, Vancheri was appointed to take over the council seat vacated by Damiano one year ago when he was elected mayor.... Newcomer Tanya Seber, a Little Falls resident of over 27 years, was also sworn in. Seber ran against Republican Marc Benitez, who was appointed as a Little Falls council member at the April 3, 2017 council meeting."</ref>
Darlene Post (who returned to using her maiden name of Conti as of January 2015<ref>Green, Jeff. "Little Falls reorg seats Democratic bloc, features first jousts", The Record, January 5, 2015. Accessed June 28, 2015. "The Democrats join the council after a year of division within the township GOP, between the all-Republican council and Mayor Darlene Post (who announced Monday she would return to using her maiden name, Conti)."</ref>) won election to a full four-year term as mayor in the 2012 general election, along with all three of her Republican running mates for Township Council; Louis Fontana, Pamela Porter, and Joseph Rento (who won the balance of an unexpired term of office).<ref>Kadosh, Matthew. "Little Falls Republicans secure mayor, council seats", Passaic Valley Today, November 7, 2012. Accessed January 13, 2013. "Republican Mayor Darlene Post kept her position as the township's top official and three Republican candidates won council seats on Tuesday.... Republican Councilwoman Pamela Porter received 2,293 votes, or about 18.5 percent of the electorate. Republican Council President Louis Fontana received 2,206 votes, or about 17.8 percent of the electorate. Republican Councilman Joseph Rento received 2,164 votes, or about 17.5 percent of the electorate."</ref><ref name=Passaic2012>Passaic County Official Results - 2012 General Election November 6, 2012, Passaic County, New Jersey, updated November 27, 2012. Accessed July 28, 2016.</ref>
Federal, state and county representation
[edit]Little Falls is located in the 11th 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 40th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2023>Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed September 1, 2023.</ref>
Template:NJ Congress 11 Template:NJ Senate
Template:NJ Passaic County Commissioners
Politics
[edit]As of March 2011, there were a total of 7,632 registered voters in Little Falls, of which 2,084 (27.3% vs. 31.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,800 (23.6% vs. 18.7%) were registered as Republicans and 3,745 (49.1% vs. 50.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Passaic, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 52.9% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 61.3% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% 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 January 16, 2013.</ref>
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 52.9% of the vote (3,190 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 46.1% (2,780 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (62 votes), among the 6,086 ballots cast by the township's 9,118 registered voters (54 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.7%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,908 votes (49.5% vs. 37.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,734 votes (46.5% vs. 58.8%) and other candidates with 65 votes (1.1% vs. 0.8%), among the 5,879 ballots cast by the township's 7,835 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.0% (vs. 70.4% in Passaic County).<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,994 votes (50.6% vs. 42.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 2,723 votes (46.0% vs. 53.9%) and other candidates with 47 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 5,921 ballots cast by the township's 7,798 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.9% (vs. 69.3% in the whole county).<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref>
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref name="2024Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|53.3% 3,450 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|43.6% 2,825 | 3.1% 180 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020<ref name="2020Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.5% 3,340 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|49.1% 3,379 | 2.4% 82 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2016<ref name="2016Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|47.7% 3,039 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|48.9% 3,079 | 3.1% 198 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012<ref name="2012Election">Template:Cite web</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|46.1% 2,780 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|52.9% 3,190 | 1.0% 62 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref name="state.nj.us">2008 Presidential General Election Results: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|49.5% 2,908 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|46.5% 2,734 | 1.1% 65 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">2004 Presidential Election: Passaic County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 11, 2025.</ref> | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.6% 2,994 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|46.0% 2,723 | 0.8% 47 |
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 60.7% of the vote (2,165 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 38.0% (1,355 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (44 votes), among the 3,615 ballots cast by the township's 9,689 registered voters (51 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 37.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,936 votes (51.3% vs. 43.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,577 votes (41.8% vs. 50.8%), Independent Chris Daggett with 183 votes (4.8% vs. 3.8%) and other candidates with 39 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 3,775 ballots cast by the township's 7,552 registered voters, yielding a 50.0% turnout (vs. 42.7% in the county).<ref>2009 Governor: Passaic County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed January 16, 2013.</ref>
Education
[edit]For public school, students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Little Falls Township Public Schools.<ref>Little Falls Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Little Falls Township Public Schools. Accessed June 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 eight in the Little Falls School District. Composition: The Little Falls School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Little Falls."</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of three schools, had an enrollment of 865 students and 94.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 9.1:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Little Falls Township Public School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Little Falls Township Public Schools, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref>) are Little Falls School #2<ref>Little Falls School #2, Little Falls Township Public Schools. Accessed June 4, 2020.</ref> with 301 students in grades Pre-K–2, Little Falls School #3<ref>Little Falls School #3, Little Falls Township Public Schools. Accessed June 4, 2020.</ref> with 184 students in grades 3–4 and Little Falls School #1<ref>Little Falls School #1, Little Falls Township Public Schools. Accessed June 4, 2020.</ref> with 376 students in grades 5–8.<ref>Schools, Little Falls Township School District. Accessed June 4, 2020.</ref><ref>2018-2019 Public School Directory, Passaic County, New Jersey. Accessed June 4, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Little Falls Township Public Schools, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>
For ninth through twelfth grades, students in public school attend Passaic Valley Regional High School, which also serves students from Totowa and Woodland Park. The school facility is located in Little Falls.<ref>District Information Template:Webarchive, Passaic Valley High School. Accessed January 26, 2015. "The regional district which is served by Passaic Valley High School is comprised of the communities of Little Falls, Totowa Borough and Woodland Park."</ref><ref>2016-2017 Student Handbook, Little Falls Township School District. Accessed January 15, 2017. "Little Falls students in grades nine through twelve attended Passaic Valley Regional High School which is located in Little Falls. The high school is under the jurisdiction of the Passaic Valley Regional High School District Board of Education representing the communities of Little Falls, Totowa, and Woodland Park."</ref> As of the 2018–19 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,186 students and 102.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 11.6:1.<ref>School data for Passaic Valley Regional High School, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed April 1, 2020.</ref> Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with three seats each assigned Little Falls, Totowa and Woodland Park.<ref name=Board>About the Board of Education, Passaic Valley Regional High School. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref>
Most of Montclair State University is located in Little Falls. During 2011, the university employed 66 residents on a full or part-time basis, who earned almost $3.5 million in total compensation.<ref>Montclair State in the Community: Little Falls, Montclair State University. Accessed August 5, 2013. "Montclair State can take pride in its rich history of bold educational innovation and vital service to the state, including an array of concrete benefits to its two host counties of Passaic and Essex and its four host communities of Little Falls, Montclair, Clifton, and Bloomfield: economic benefits, educational benefits, and community-service benefits."</ref>
Transportation
[edit]_in_Little_Falls_Township,_Passaic_County,_New_Jersey.jpg){kind=link}
Roads and highways
[edit]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 Passaic County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Passaic County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>
Little Falls is crisscrossed by several major roadways, including U.S. Route 46 and New Jersey Route 23. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80 run near the municipality. There are numerous crossings of the Upper Passaic River in town.
Public transportation
[edit]The Little Falls station and Montclair State University station of NJ Transit both serve Little Falls, offering service on the Montclair-Boonton Line to Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken, or from Montclair State University Station on Midtown Direct trains to New York City's Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan via the Secaucus Junction. The township was formerly served by the Great Notch station until NJ Transit closed it in January 2010 because of low ridership.<ref>Cunningham, Jennifer H. "It's end of the line for Great Notch station", The Record, January 3, 2010. Accessed August 5, 2013. "The 104-year-old Great Notch train station is set to close Jan. 16 because of 'anemic' ridership, NJ Transit officials said."</ref>
NJ Transit bus transportation is offered to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan on the 191, 194 and 195 routes. Newark, New Jersey, is served by routes 11 and 28 (on Saturdays and Sundays). Local routes are the 704 and 705 lines.<ref>Passaic County Bus/Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 27, 2010. Accessed August 27, 2012.</ref><ref>Passaic County System Map, NJ Transit. Accessed August 14, 2015.</ref> In September 2012, as part of budget cuts, NJ Transit suspended service to Newark on the 75 line.<ref>Rouse, Karen. "N.J. Transit bus No. 75, running from Passaic County to Newark, will no longer operate", The Record, August 29, 2012. Accessed August 5, 2015. "Starting Saturday, the NJ Transit No. 75 bus — which runs from Butler through Pompton Lakes, Pequannock, Wayne and Little Falls on its way to Newark — will no longer operate as NJ Transit's plan to save $2.5 million in operating costs takes effect."</ref>
Little Falls is approximately Template:Convert from Newark Liberty International Airport and approximately Template:Convert from LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Notable people
[edit]Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Little Falls include:
- David Blaine (born 1973), illusionist<ref>Staff. "David Blaine Returns to Performing TV Magic for the First Time Since 1999", Jewish Business News, October 6, 2013. Accessed January 26, 2015. "David Blaine was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Little Falls, New Jersey, leaving home in 1990, when he was just seventeen; to live in Manhattan, New York to pursue his career as a musician."</ref>
- Tommy Breen (born 1981), sideshow performer and impresario.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
- Frank DeCaro (born 1962), author and television personality<ref>Sharkey, Joe. "Jersey; Their Son, the Writer, Finally Tells All", The New York Times, June 2, 1996. Accessed August 27, 2012. "As it turned out, you could take the boy out of Little Falls, but you couldn't take Little Falls out of the boy. Now, at 33, Frank DeCaro forgets nothing about growing up gay in Little Falls, and tells all in his first book, A Boy Named Phyllis: A Suburban Memoir (Viking)."</ref>
- Bobby Marks (born 1973), former National Basketball Association assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets<ref>Iannazzone, Al. "Little Falls' Bobby Marks a key to Nets' future", The Record, July 18, 2010. Accessed October 7, 2016. "Armed with a computer, calculator, spreadsheet and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Marks has been the behind-the-scenes backbone of the Nets' basketball department. But the Little Falls native is starting to step to the forefront."</ref>
- Lloyd B. Marsh (1893–1971), politician who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey and Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee<ref>Fitzgerald, Thomas F. Fizgerald's Legislative Manual, State of New Jersey, Volume 194, Part 2; Volume 195, Parts 1-2, p. 317. J.A. Fitzgerald, 1971. "Mr. Marsh was born in Little Falls, New Jersey, July 31, 1893, the son of James and Emma Coon Marsh."</ref>
- Kit McClure (born 1951), saxophonist, trombonist and bandleader<ref>Jackson, Vincent. "Year-End Hoopla / Atlantic City Casinos Offer Wide Variety Of Shows For New Year's Eve", The Press of Atlantic City, December 21, 1997. Accessed August 31, 2011. "Kit McClure, a native of Little Falls, Passaic County, is making her Atlantic City debut with her 12-piece, all-female band inside the Theater."</ref>
- Leonard Schoonmaker (1882–1950), fencer who competed in the individual foil and épée events at the 1920 Summer Olympics<ref>Leonard Schoonmaker Olympic Results, Sports-reference.com. Accessed December 24, 2016.</ref>
- Franklin E. Sigler (1924–1995), U.S. Marine who was the recipient of the congressional Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima<ref>Staff. "To Get Highest Award", The New York Times, October 2, 1945. Accessed March 18, 2011. "Marine Pfc. Franklin E. Sigler, Little Falls, N.J., will receive the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Truman in Washington on Friday."</ref>
- Robert Crooks Stanley (1876–1951), former chairman and president of International Nickel Company, known for discovering the alloy Monel<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Grif Teller (1899–1993), artist known for his paintings for the Pennsylvania Railroad<ref>Simmons, Rose. "Grif Teller, 93; Made His Railway Paintings Into 'A Work Of Art'", The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 10, 1993. Accessed July 9, 2015. "Born in Newark, N.J., Mr. Teller lived most of his life in his home town and in Little Falls, N.J."</ref>
- Lois Utz (1932–1986), children's author<ref>"Lois Utz writes children's books; Three by Little Falls woman just published, due in fall", The Herald-News, May 13, 1972. Accessed June 4, 2020. "Since Lois Utz has always taken an interest in children's literature, she decided to write some of her own.... Mrs. Utz lives with her husband, Donals, and daughter, Heidi, in Little Falls."</ref>
- Vikki Ziegler (born Template:Circa), lawyer and author who was the focus of the reality television show Untying the Knot<ref>Winters, Debra. "Former Wayne, current Little Falls resident helps couples ‘Untie the Knot’ on Bravo", The Record, June 9, 2014, archived at VikkiZiegler.com. Accessed September 30, 2017. "And now Ziegler, who now splits her time living in Little Falls and New York City, says she always finds herself always trying to make sure everyone gets a reasonable deal, she added."</ref>
In popular culture
[edit]- A delicatessen on Main Street in Little Falls was featured in the episode "House Arrest" from the second season of television series The Sopranos.<ref>The Sopranos location guide</ref>
- The township was well known for the Colonial Inn, a hotel and lounge where comedian Jackie Gleason performed stand-up in the 1930s.<ref>Hamill, Pete. "Gleason's Second Honeymoon: Still the Greatest", New York, September 23, 1985. Accessed January 13, 2013. "By 1937, Gleason was moving around... playing for a few weeks at Frank Donato's Colonial Inn in Singac...."</ref>
- The township is also mentioned in the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness (2019). The family moved there in 2005 and the brothers wrote many of the songs included on their first album in their Little Falls home.<ref>Newman, Melinda. "Climbing the Ladder; Jonas Brother Nick heads back to Broadway in How to Succeed.", New Jersey Monthly, December 12, 2011. Accessed June 4, 2020. "When Jonas was 13, the family moved to Little Falls. 'In that house, we basically wrote the first record we released on Hollywood. It has a special place in our hearts,' Jonas says. 'We were living in a three-bedroom home—four boys, our parents and an uncle.'"</ref>
References
[edit]External links
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