Rutherford, NJ

OVERVIEW

Our earliest settlers were of Dutch descent, but they arrived after the Dutch surrender of New Netherlands to the English in 1664. New Jersey was divided by Royal Grants. Modern Rutherford covers part of the adjacent lands granted to Major Nathaniel Kingsland on the south and to captain John Berry on the north with Union Avenue serving as the approximate boundary line. The quiet life changed in 1830 when construction began on a railroad from Paterson to Hoboken. New York City tourists came to experience the wonder of "Rapid" transportation and discovered new lands for homes. A few existing large homes on the Passaic river were converted to hotels for the summer vacationers, and land development companies formed to seal lots and build houses for new residents. Although Rutherford today contains 3 1/2 times that many are still enjoying the tree-lined streets and the small parks that were originally planned.