Little Falls is a township in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. The township was named for a waterfall on the Passaic River at a dam near Beattie Mill.
As of the 2010 census, the township's population was 14,432, reflecting an increase of 3,577 (+33.0%) from the 10,855 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 439 (-3.9%) from the 11,294 counted in the 1990 Census.
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History
Little Falls traces its first settlement to 1711 when seven Bergen Dutch settlers banded together to begin farming. The Speer Homestead dates from circa 1785 (and may have originally been built in 1680).
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, some parts of which are a greenway.
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).
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Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 2.810 square miles (7.277 km2), including 2.735 square miles (7.084 km2) of land and 0.075 square miles (0.193 km2) of water (2.65%).
Singac (with a 2010 Census population of 3,618) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Little Falls Township.
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.
Little Falls is bordered by the municipalities of Clifton, Totowa, Wayne, Woodland Park in Passaic County; and Cedar Grove, Fairfield and Montclair, North Caldwell in Essex County. It is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of New York City.
Demographics
Census 2010
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 14,432 people, 4,740 households, and 2,825 families residing in the township. The population density was 5,276.2 per square mile (2,037.2/km2). There were 4,925 housing units at an average density of 1,800.5 per square mile (695.2/km2). The racial makeup of the township 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.
There were 4,740 households out of which 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.1% of all households 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.
In the township, the population was spread out with 13.7% 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 there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and old there were 78.2 males.
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.
Same-sex couples headed 42 households in 2010, an increase from the 33 counted in 2000.
Census 2000
As of the 2000 United States Census there were 10,855 people, 4,687 households, and 2,873 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,941.8 people per square mile (1,524.1/km2). There were 4,797 housing units at an average density of 1,742.0 per square mile (673.5/km2). 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.
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.
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.
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.
Sports
The New Jersey Jackals of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball (CanAm League) play at Yogi Berra Stadium, located in Little Falls.
Government
Local government
Effective January 1, 2005, the form of government in Little Falls was changed by a public referendum to the Mayor-Council form authorized by the Faulkner Act. Under the new government, the voters directly elect the mayor to a four-year term, 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 years as part of the November general election. For most of its history, 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.
As of 2017, the Mayor of Little Falls is Democrat James Belford Damiano, Esq., whose term of office ends on December 31, 2020. Members of the Township Council are Council President Anthony Sgobba (D, 2020), Maria Martini Cordonnier (D, 2020), William Liess (D, 2018), Christopher Vancheri (D, Unexpired Term ends in 2017) and Marc Benitez (R, Unexpired Term ends in 2017).
Post (who returned to using her maiden name of Conti as of January 2015) 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).
Federal, state and county representation
Little Falls is located in the 11th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 40th state legislative district. Prior to the 2010 Census, Little Falls had been part of the 8th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.
New Jersey's Eleventh Congressional District is represented by Rodney Frelinghuysen (R, Harding Township). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (Paramus, 2019).
For the 2016-2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 40th Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Kristin Corrado (R, Totowa) and in the General Assembly by David C. Russo (R, Ridgewood) and Kevin J. Rooney (R, Wyckoff). Corrado was sworn into office on October 5, 2017, to fill the seat of Kevin J. O'Toole, who had resigned from office on July 1, 2017, to become a commissioner of The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Rooney was sworn into office on December 12, 2016, to fill the seat of Scott Rumana, who had resigned from office on October 20, 2016, to become a judge of the New Jersey Superior Court. The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).
Passaic County is governed by a seven-member Board of Chosen Freeholders, who are elected at-large to staggered three-year terms office on a partisan basis, with two or three seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election in a three-year cycle. At a reorganization meeting held in January, the board selects a Director and Deputy Director from among its members to serve for a one-year term. As of 2017, Passaic County's Freeholders are Director Cassandra "Sandi" Lazzara (D, 2018; Woodland Park), Deputy Director Bruce James (D, 2017; Clifton), Assad R. Akhter (D, 2018 - appointed to serve an unexpired term; Paterson), John W. Bartlett (D, 2018; Wayne), Theodore O. Best Jr. (D, 2017; Paterson), Terry Duffy (D, 2019; West Milford), and Pasquale "Pat" Lepore (D, 2019; Woodland Park). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Kristin M. Corrado (R, 2019; Totowa), Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik (D, 2019; Little Falls) and Surrogate Bernice Toledo (D, 2021; Prospect Park).
Politics
As of March 23, 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 to other parties. 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).
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%. 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). 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).
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%. 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).
Education
For public school, students in kindergarten through eighth grade are educated by the Little Falls Township Public Schools. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district and its three schools had an enrollment of 1,265 students and 25.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 50.2:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Little Falls School #2 with 291 students in kindergarten through second grade, Little Falls School #3 with 174 students in grades three and four and Little Falls School #1 with 415 students in grades five through eight.
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. As of the 2014-15 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 1,355 students and 104.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 12.9:1.
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.
Transportation
Roads and highways
As of May 2010, the township had a total of 37.65 miles (60.59 km) of roadways, of which 24.55 miles (39.51 km) were maintained by the municipality, 10.87 miles (17.49 km) by Passaic County and 2.23 miles (3.59 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Little Falls is criss-crossed 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
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.
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. In September 2012, as part of budget cuts, NJ Transit suspended service to Newark on the 75 line.
Little Falls is approximately 21 miles (34 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport and approximately 27 miles (43 km) from LaGuardia Airport in Flushing, Queens, New York.
Notable people
People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Little Falls include:
- David Blaine (born 1973), illusionist.
- Frank DeCaro (born 1962), author and television personality.
- Bobby Marks (born 1972/73), former National Basketball Association assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets.
- Lloyd B. Marsh (1893-1971), politician who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey and Chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee.
- Kit McClure (born 1951), saxophonist, trombonist and bandleader.
- Leonard Schoonmaker (1882-1950), fencer who competed in the individual foil and épée events at the 1920 Summer Olympics.
- 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.
- Grif Teller (1899-1993), artist known for his paintings for the Pennsylvania Railroad.
- Lois Utz, children's author.
- Vikki Ziegler (born c. 1972, class of 1990), lawyer and author who was the focus of the reality television show Untying the Knot.
In popular culture
- A delicatessen on Main Street in Little Falls was featured in the episode "House Arrest" from the second season of television series The Sopranos.
- The township was well known for the Colonial Inn, a hotel and lounge where comedian Jackie Gleason performed stand-up in the 1930s.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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