Rutherford, New Jersey
Encyclopedia
Rutherford is a borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....

 in Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...

, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

, located 8 miles (13 km) west of Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...

.

Rutherford was formed as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...

 on September 21, 1881, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on the previous day.

Rutherford has been called the "Borough of Trees" and "The First Borough of Bergen County".

Geography

Rutherford is located at 40.828922°N 74.110644°W (40.828922, -74.110644).

According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...

, the borough has a total area of 2.92 square miles (7.6 km²), of which 2.81 square miles (7.3 km²) is land and 0.12 square mile (0.3107985732 km²), or 4.11%, is water.

Rutherford is bounded by the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...

 bordering Clifton
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...

 and Passaic
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...

 to the west, the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...

 bordering East Rutherford
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....

 to the north and east, the Hackensack River
Hackensack River
The Hackensack River is a river, approximately 45 miles long, in the U.S. states of New York and New Jersey, emptying into Newark Bay, a back chamber of New York Harbor. The watershed of the river includes part of the suburban area outside New York City just west of the lower Hudson River,...

 bordering Secaucus
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...

 to the southeast, and Berrys Creek
Berrys Creek
Berrys Creek is a tributary of the Hackensack River in the New Jersey Meadowlands in Bergen County, New Jersey.-Geography:...

, Wall Street West and Rutherford Avenue bordering Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...

 to the south and southwest.

History

The ridge above the New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...

 upon which Rutherford sits was settled by Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...

 Native Americans long before the arrival of Walling Van Winkle
Walling Van Winkle
Walling Jocobse Van Winkle was an early settler of the Northern New Jersey area and the namesake for the town of Wallington, New Jersey, where he had built a home.-Family history:...

 in 1687. Union Avenue, which runs from the Meadowlands to the Passaic River
Passaic River
The Passaic River is a mature surface river, approximately 80 mi long, in northern New Jersey in the United States. The river in its upper course flows in a highly circuitous route, meandering through the swamp lowlands between the ridge hills of rural and suburban northern New Jersey,...

, 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
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...

 Philip Carteret
Philip Carteret
Philip Carteret, Seigneur of Trinity was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in two of the Royal Navy's circumnavigation expeditions in 1764-66 and 1766-69.-Biography:...

 to John Berry.

During the early days of settlement, the land that is now Rutherford was part of New Barbadoes Township, as Berry had lived in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...

, another English colony, before claiming his grant in New Jersey. New Barbadoes was part of Essex County
Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 783,969, ranking it third in the state after Bergen County and Middlesex County; Essex County's population has declined from 786,147 as of the bureau's...

 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
South Hackensack, New Jersey
South Hackensack Township is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 2,378....

). When Hudson County
Hudson County, New Jersey
Hudson County is the smallest county in New Jersey and one of the most densely populated in United States. It takes its name from the Hudson River, which creates part of its eastern border. Part of the New York metropolitan area, its county seat and largest city is Jersey City.- Municipalities...

 was formed in 1840, the area that is today North Arlington
North Arlington, New Jersey
North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 15,392...

, Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...

, Rutherford and East Rutherford
East Rutherford, New Jersey
East Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,913. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....

 became part of Harrison Township
Harrison Township, Hudson County, New Jersey
Harrison Township was created by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 13, 1840, and was part of Hudson County which was created from portions of Bergen County, on February 22, 1840....

 (of which today's remaining portion is Harrison
Harrison, New Jersey
Harrison is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 13,620. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark, New Jersey.-Geography:Harrison is located at ....

 town). However, the area reverted to Bergen County in 1852 and became known as Union Township.

Part of the region was known as Boiling Springs for a powerful and ceaseless spring located in the vicinity. Contrary to some modern beliefs, the spring actually consisted of cold groundwater seeps rather than hot springs.

The Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...

 built its Main Line from Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...

 across the Meadowlands in the 1840s. Daniel Van Winkle
Daniel Van Winkle
Daniel Van Winkle opened a real estate office at Depot Square to sell the land of the Rutherfurd Park Association, and laid out the street grid pattern for the town of Rutherford, New Jersey. Daniel also donated land in 1866 for a train station to be built to service the Rutherford area...

, 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
Rutherford (NJT station)
Rutherford is a New Jersey Transit train station served by the Bergen County Line. It is located in Rutherford, New Jersey at the junction of Park Avenue, Union Avenue, Erie Avenue and Orient Way. The junction is known as Station Square. The rail tracks serve as a border between Rutherford and...

 and taking Union Avenue to the river. Later, the railroad opened a station closer to the river, at Carlton Hill
Carlton Hill (Erie Railroad station)
Carlton Hill Station was a former railroad station for the Erie Railroad in the community of Rutherford, New Jersey, United States. Carlton Hill station was the second station along the Erie's main line and the first station after Rutherford Junction, where the Erie's main line forked from the...

.

At the time, much of the property in Rutherford was farmland owned by the estate of John Rutherfurd
John Rutherfurd
John Rutherfurd was an American politician and land surveyor.John Rutherfurd was born in New York City. His parents were Walter and Mary Rutherfurd. Walter was a veteran of the British Army, and was a hostage of Patriots during the Revolutionary War while John was a teenager. Walter died in 1804...

, a former New Jersey legislator and U.S. Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

, whose homestead was along the Passaic near present-day Rutherford Avenue. Daniel 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 spelling change may have been the result of name recognition of the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

 politician Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford B. Hayes
Rutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...

, who was elected President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....

 in 1876, or could have been because of a clerical error done by the Post Office. The U.S. Post Office
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 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. By then, the community had about 1,000 residents.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

of 2000, there were 18,110 people, 7,055 households, and 4,670 families residing in the borough. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 was 6,451.7 people per square mile (2,488.4/km2). There were 7,214 housing units at an average density of 2,570.0 per square mile (991.2/km2). 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
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...

, and 2.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.59% of the population.

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
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...

 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.

In the borough the population was spread out with 20.8% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 32.6% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 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.

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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...

 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.

Local government

Rutherford is governed under the Borough
Borough (New Jersey)
A borough in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government....

 form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a Mayor and a Borough Council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office and only votes to break a tie. The Borough Council consists of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year.

Council members receive committee assignments by the mayor annually and serve as liaisons during the year between Borough departments and committees and the governing body. 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. These committees provide invaluable assistance through their work and development of recommendations to the governing body to improve the quality of live in the community. Residents are encouraged to participate in this process.

, the Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 of the Borough of Rutherford is John F. Hipp (R
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

, term ends December 31, 2011). Members of the Rutherford Borough Council are Council President Kim Birdsall (D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, 2011), Jack Boyle (D, 2013), Joe DeSalvo (R, 2011), George Fecanin (D, 2013), John Genovesi (R, 2012) and John Parnofiello (D, 2012).

Federal, state and county representation

Rutherford is in the 9th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 36th state legislative district. The legislative district was kept unchanged by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission
New Jersey Apportionment Commission
The New Jersey Apportionment Commission is a constitutionally-created ten-member commission responsible for apportioning the forty districts of the New Jersey Legislature. The commission is convened after each decennial U.S. Census, and the districts are to be in use for the legislative elections...

 based on the results of the 2010 Census.




Politics

As of Election Day, November 4, 2008, there were 10,094 registered voters. Of registered voters, of which 3,429 (34.0% of all registered voters) were registered as Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, 2,181 (21.6%) were registered as Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

 and 4,480 (44.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were four voters registered to other parties.

In the 2008 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...

, Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 received 53.9% of the vote here (4,515 ballots cast), ahead of Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....

, who received 44.4% of the vote (3,724 ballots), with 83.2% of registered voters participating. In the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...

, Democrat John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...

 received 52.2% of the vote in Rutherford (4,539 cast), ahead of Republican George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....

, who received around 46.3% (4,030 votes), with 8,698 ballots cast among the borough's 11,077 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.5%.

Public transportation

Thanks to its easy access to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 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
Public Service Railway
The Public Service Railway, owned by the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey, operated most of the streetcar lines in New Jersey by the early 20th century. Public Service lines stretched from northeast New Jersey to Trenton, and then south to Camden and its suburbs...

 brought trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

 lines into Rutherford around the turn of the century. The lines extended east to Jersey City, south to Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...

, north to Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....

, and west to Passaic
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...

. By the late 1940s, these were replaced by bus service.

After the opening of the Lincoln Tunnel
Lincoln Tunnel
The Lincoln Tunnel is a long tunnel under the Hudson River, connecting Weehawken, New Jersey and the borough of Manhattan in New York City.-History:...

 in 1937, the Inter-City Bus Company began bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

 service direct from Paterson
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...

 to New York City. The line was taken over by New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

 in the early 1980s.

Today, New Jersey Transit
New Jersey Transit
The New Jersey Transit Corporation is a statewide public transportation system serving the United States state of New Jersey, and New York, Orange, and Rockland counties in New York State...

 offers service to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

's Port Authority Bus Terminal
Port Authority Bus Terminal
The Port Authority Bus Terminal is the main gateway for interstate buses into Manhattan in New York City...

 163 (Limited), 190, 191, 192 and 195 routes, while the 76 bus provides service between Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....

 and Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...

. The Bergen County Line
Bergen County Line
The Bergen County Line is a commuter rail line and service owned and operated by New Jersey Transit in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The line loops off the Main Line between the Meadowlands and Glen Rock, with trains continuing in either direction along the Main Line...

 train stops at Rutherford's 1898 depot
Rutherford (NJT station)
Rutherford is a New Jersey Transit train station served by the Bergen County Line. It is located in Rutherford, New Jersey at the junction of Park Avenue, Union Avenue, Erie Avenue and Orient Way. The junction is known as Station Square. The rail tracks serve as a border between Rutherford and...

 en route from Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...

 to Suffern
Suffern, New York
Suffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...

, with connecting service at Secaucus Junction
Secaucus Junction
The Frank R. Lautenberg Secaucus Junction Station is a major commuter rail hub in Secaucus, New Jersey...

 to New York Penn Station
Pennsylvania Station (New York City)
Pennsylvania Station—commonly known as Penn Station—is the major intercity train station and a major commuter rail hub in New York City. It is one of the busiest rail stations in the world, and a hub for inbound and outbound railroad traffic in New York City. The New York City Subway system also...

 in Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...

 and Newark Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport
Newark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...

.

Roads

The original Route 17, in the 1920s, came through downtown Rutherford. Following the 1927 New Jersey State Highway renumbering
1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering
In 1927, New Jersey's state highways were renumbered. The old system, which had been defined in sequence by the legislature, was growing badly, as several routes shared the same number, and many unnumbered state highways had been defined...

, the new NJ 2 (later NJ 17), was built in 1928, skirting the southeast edge of the borough, between the residential area and the New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands
New Jersey Meadowlands, also known as the Hackensack Meadowlands after the primary river flowing through it, is a general name for the large ecosystem of wetlands in northeast New Jersey in the United States. The Meadowlands are known for being the site of large landfills and decades of...

.

In 1948, a new bypass road along the southwest edge of the borough was built to bring traffic from Clifton
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...

 and points west to the Lincoln Tunnel. The construction of the highway spur Route S3 (now NJ 3) caused the demolition or relocation of numerous borough homes. Plans are being made to replace the Route 3 bridge over the Passaic River and to improve the safety of the section of highway that passes through Rutherford. Construction is slated to begin in 2010.

A brief portion of the New Jersey Turnpike Western Spur
New Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...

 (I-95
Interstate 95 in New Jersey
Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway that traverses the full extent of the East Coast of the United States, from Florida to Maine...

) passes through the southern section, but the closest interchange is located in neighboring East Rutherford (Exit 16W).

Police

The Rutherford Police Department (RPD) provides emergency and protective services to the borough of Rutherford. The RPD consists of 43 officers and is headed by a police director. The RPD responds to approximately 11,000 calls per year and conducts criminal investigations through its detective bureau.

The police department was originally organized in June 1879 as the Rutherford Protective and Detective Association.

Fire

The Rutherford Fire Department (RFD) is an all-volunteer fire department
Volunteer fire department
See also the Firefighter article and its respective sections regarding VFDs in other countries.A volunteer fire department is a fire department composed of volunteers who perform fire suppression and other related emergency services for a local jurisdiction.The first organized force of...

. The RFD was organized in May 1871 and consists of one Chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...

, one deputy chief and three assistant chiefs. There are five fire companies in three fire houses
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...

. Each company has a Captain
Fire captain
Captain is a rank in various fire services.In most American and Canadian fire services, a captain ranks above a lieutenant and below a Battalion Chief. This varies, though, between departments – in the Boston Fire Department, the captain is the officer in overall charge of a fire company...

 and a Lieutenant. The department is staffed by 75 fully trained firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...

s. The RFD utilizes three Engines, a Ladder truck, a Heavy Rescue
Heavy rescue vehicle
A heavy rescue vehicle is a type of specialty firefighting or EMS apparatus. They are primarily designed to provide the specialized equipment necessary for technical rescue situations such as auto accidents requiring vehicle extrication, building collapses, confined space rescue, rope rescues and...

, a Special Service Unit and a boat.

Two of Rutherford's firefighters (Edwin L. Ward in 1965 and Thomas E. Dunn in 1994) have died in the line of duty.

Ambulance

The Rutherford First Aid-Ambulance Corps is a volunteer ambulance 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
Basic life support
Basic life support is the level of medical care which is used for patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries until the patient can be given full medical care at a hospital. It can be provided by trained medical personnel, including emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and by...

, and is staffed primarily by certified Emergency Medical Technician
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...

s. CPR-trained drivers are also sometimes on duty. They operate three Type III ambulances.

Education

Public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...

 began in Rutherford prior to 1900, but the oldest school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...

 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.

Today's public schools (with 2009-10 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
The National Center for Education Statistics is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district finance information in the United States...

) are
Lincoln (grades K-3; 352 students),
Washington (K-3; 324),
Pierrepont (4-8; 490),
Union (4-8; 481) and
Rutherford High School (778).

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.

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 was established in Rutherford in the 1890s and opened a school shortly thereafter. St. Mary's offers both a grammar school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...

 and St. Mary High School
St. Mary High School (Rutherford, New Jersey)
St. Mary High School is a four-year Roman Catholic high school located in Rutherford, New Jersey, United States, operating under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark...

, which areoperated under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark
The Archdiocese of Newark is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in northern New Jersey, United States. Its ecclesiastic territory includes all of the Catholic parishes and schools in the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Union, Hudson and Essex .-History:Originally established as the Diocese of...

.

In 1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...

 was founded in Rutherford as a two-year college, anchored by the Iviswold Castle
Iviswold
Iviswold, also known as The Castle is a house originally constructed in 1869 located in what is now Rutherford, New Jersey. It was placed on the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey on November 4, 2004. The house is part of the Rutherford campus of Felician College and currently...

 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
Felician College
Felician College is a private Roman Catholic college with two campuses, located in Lodi and Rutherford, New Jersey.It was founded as the Immaculate Conception Normal School by the Felician Sisters in 1923, and became Immaculate Conception Junior College in 1942. With the authorization of its first...

, an independent private Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...

 institution, which often has cultural and community events.

Culture and recreation

William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams
William Carlos Williams was an American poet closely associated with modernism and Imagism. He was also a pediatrician and general practitioner of medicine, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...

, the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...

-winning poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...

 who died in 1963, was born in Rutherford in 1883. For most of his adult life, he maintained a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...

'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.

The Rivoli Theatre was opened in 1922 as a vaudeville
Vaudeville
Vaudeville was a theatrical genre of variety entertainment in the United States and Canada from the early 1880s until the early 1930s. Each performance was made up of a series of separate, unrelated acts grouped together on a common bill...

 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. 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
William Carlos Williams Center for the Performing Arts
The William Carlos Williams Center is a private, not for profit performing arts and cinema complex located in downtown Rutherford, New Jersey. The center was named after the Pulitzer prize winning poet and physician William Carlos Williams....

 opened in 1981 and contains three movie screens as well as two performance halls. Since 1995, the Williams Center's primary focus has been on concerts, ballet, opera, and theater for children.

The Meadowlands Museum
Meadowlands Museum
The Meadowlands Museum is a museum located in Rutherford, New Jersey. It was established in 1961 as a repository for artifacts relating to the history of Rutherford and the New Jersey Meadowlands region.-History:...

, which began as a project of parents of children in the public schools in 1961 and was originally based in a room at Sylvan School, moved to the Yereance-Berry House
Yereance-Berry house
The Yereance-Berry House is a stone house built in the early 19th century in what is now Rutherford, New Jersey. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983 and is currently home to the Meadowlands Museum....

 at 91 Crane Avenue in 1974. Its focus is on local history.

The Nereid Boat Club occupies a former boat sales building on the Passaic, at the foot of Newell Avenue. The rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

 club, established in Nutley
Nutley, New Jersey
2010 Census Data:*TOTAL: 28,370 or 100%*White: 23,405 *African American: 628 *Asian: 2,824 *American Indian and Alaska Native: 36 *Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 4...

 in 1875, relocated to Rutherford in 1996.

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.

Rutherford Memorial Park, in the northwest corner of town along the Passaic, was set aside as parkland by the voters in 1951. Its 30 acres (121,405.8 m²) include two baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 diamonds, five softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...

 diamonds, a Little League Baseball
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...

 field, a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 stadium, five tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...

 courts, two basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...

 courts, and three playground
Playground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...

s. Other active recreation parks include Tamblyn Field, near NJ 3.

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
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...

, and is home to the borough's 9/11 memorial, containing a piece of steel debris recovered from the site of the attacks. 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. Firefighters' Memorial Park is a pocket park
Pocket park
A pocket park, parkette or mini-park is a small park accessible to the general public. In some areas they are called miniparks or vest-pocket parks....

 located at the intersection of Park and Mortimer Avenue.

Lincoln Park has been a 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 been host to the Bergen County Cultural Festival, which is funded and run by the Civil Rights Commission.

Rutherford holds an annual street fair
Street fair
A street fair is a fair that celebrates the character of a neighborhood. As its name suggests, it is usually held on the main street of a neighborhood....

 on Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...

 which is the longest running street fair in New Jersey and usually attracts 20,000 people.

The first annual Rutherford West End Festival was held October 3, 2009, in the West End section of town.

Commerce

Architectural Window Manufacturing Corporation's plant and Boiling Springs Savings Bank's corporate headquarters are located in Rutherford.

Rutherford, together with Lyndhurst
Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 20,554.Lyndhurst was originally formed as Union Township on February 19, 1852 from portions of Harrison Township...

 and North Arlington
North Arlington, New Jersey
North Arlington is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 15,392...

, was the site of the EnCap
EnCap
EnCap was a proposal to build golf courses and homes on remediated landfills in the New Jersey Meadowlands in three communities in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States: Lyndhurst, North Arlington and Rutherford....

 project, an effort to remediate landfills on the 785 acres (3.2 km²) site and construct homes and golf courses on top of the cleaned up site. On May 27, 2008, the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
New Jersey Meadowlands Commission
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is a regional zoning, planning and regulatory agency established by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature in 1969...

 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.

The Highland Cross Development is a proposed project that is to consist of 800 units of housing, including 160 affordable
Affordable housing
Affordable housing is a term used to describe dwelling units whose total housing costs are deemed "affordable" to those that have a median income. Although the term is often applied to rental housing that is within the financial means of those in the lower income ranges of a geographical area, the...

 units, two hotels and a large retail component. Rutherford officials have been working to get approval for the project in the face of opposition from the 14 mayors of the Hackensack Meadowlands Municipal Committee.

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Rutherford include:
  • Alfred Andriola
    Alfred Andriola
    Alfred James Andriola was an American cartoonist best known for the comic strip Kerry Drake, for which he won a Reuben Award in 1970. His work sometimes appeared under the pseudonym Alfred James....

     (1912–83), cartoonist.
  • Maxwell Becton
    Maxwell Becton
    Maxwell W. Becton co-founded Becton Dickinson in 1897 with Fairleigh S. Dickinson.-Biography:Born in Kinston, North Carolina, Becton moved to Rutherford, New Jersey, where his company was based, and died there in his home in 1951.Becton is interred at Hillside Cemetery in Lyndhurst, New...

     (1868–1951), co-founder of Becton Dickinson
    Becton Dickinson
    Becton, Dickinson and Company , is an American medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD does business in nearly 50 countries and has 28,803 employees worldwide. In...

    .
  • Howard Crook
    Howard Crook
    Howard Crook is an American lyric tenor who has lived and worked in the Netherlands and France since the early 1980s.He was born in Rutherford, New Jersey, and educated at Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea, Ohio and then University of Illinois, where he received a master's degree in music,...

     (born 1947), lyric tenor.
  • George Dayton
    George Dayton (senator)
    George Dayton lived in Union Township in what is now Rutherford, New Jersey and represented Bergen County in the New Jersey Senate from 1875 to 1877...

     (1827-?), represented Bergen County in the New Jersey Senate
    New Jersey Senate
    The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

     from 1875-1877.
  • Fairleigh S. Dickinson
    Fairleigh S. Dickinson
    Colonel Fairleigh S. Dickinson was the co-founder of the medical technology company Becton Dickinson and the named benefactor of Fairleigh Dickinson University.-Biography:...

     (1866–1948), co-founder of Becton Dickinson
    Becton Dickinson
    Becton, Dickinson and Company , is an American medical technology company that manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD does business in nearly 50 countries and has 28,803 employees worldwide. In...

     and the named benefactor of Fairleigh Dickinson University
    Fairleigh Dickinson University
    Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university founded as a junior college in 1942. It now has several campuses located in New Jersey, Canada, and the United Kingdom.-Description:...

    .
  • Fairleigh Dickinson, Jr.
    Fairleigh Dickinson, Jr.
    Fairleigh Stanton Dickinson Jr. was an American Republican Party politician who served as a member of the New Jersey Senate from 1968 to 1971.He was born in Rutherford, New Jersey, the son of Fairleigh S...

     (1920–96), member of the New Jersey Senate
    New Jersey Senate
    The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

     in 1968.
  • Kathleen Donovan
    Kathleen Donovan
    Kathleen A. Donovan is an American Republican Party politician, who is currently serving her first term as County Executive of Bergen County, New Jersey. She previously served as County Clerk for four terms, one term in the New Jersey General Assembly...

     (born 1952), County Executive
    County executive
    A county executive is the head of the executive branch of government in a county. This position is common in the United States.The executive may be an elected or an appointed position...

     of Bergen County, New Jersey
    Bergen County, New Jersey
    Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...

     who had previously been County Clerk and a member of the New Jersey General Assembly
    New Jersey General Assembly
    The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

    .
  • John Dull
    John Dull
    John Dull is a New Jersey folk music artist and folk music promoter. He has been active since the late 1960s. He is a native of Rutherford, New Jersey and a graduate of Duke University where he was a starter on the Duke University Football Team....

    , folk music artist and promoter.
  • William H. J. Ely
    William H. J. Ely
    William Harvey Johnson Ely was an American jurist and Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served as a State Senator and the state administrator for the Works Progress Administration...

     (1891–1942), district judge in New Jersey from 1924–1928 and represented Bergen County in the New Jersey Senate
    New Jersey Senate
    The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

     from 1932-1934.
  • Charles Evered
    Charles Evered
    Charles Evered is an American-born playwright, screenwriter and film director. Born in Passaic, New Jersey, Evered grew up in Rutherford, New Jersey, the fifth child of Marie and Charles J. Evered...

     (born 1964), playwright and director.
  • Beth Fowler
    Beth Fowler
    Beth Fowler is an American actress and singer.Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Fowler was a teacher with a fondness for Broadway theatre when she decided to audition for Gantry in 1970. She was signed for the chorus and as understudy for the lead, but the show unfortunately closed on opening night...

     (born 1940), actress.
  • Louis Frey, Jr.
    Louis Frey, Jr.
    Louis Frey, Jr. is an American+ politician and a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1969 until 1979...

     (born 1934), Republican politician and former member of the US House of Representatives from Florida.
  • Daniel Holsman, represented Bergen County in the New Jersey Senate
    New Jersey Senate
    The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

     from 1863-1865.
  • William Labov
    William Labov
    William Labov born December 4, 1927) is an American linguist, widely regarded as the founder of the discipline of variationist sociolinguistics. He has been described as "an enormously original and influential figure who has created much of the methodology" of sociolinguistics...

     (born 1927), linguist.
  • John Cridland Latham
    John Cridland Latham
    John Cridland Latham was a United States Army soldier who received the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I....

     (1888–1975), Medal of Honor
    Medal of Honor
    The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...

     recipient.
  • Robert Leckie
    Robert Leckie (author)
    Robert Leckie was an American author of popular books on the military history of the United States. As a young man, he served in the Marine Corps with the 1st Marine Division during World War II...

     (1920–2001), author.
  • John Marin
    John Marin
    John Marin was an early American modernist artist. He is known for his abstract landscapes and watercolors.-Biography:...

     (1870–1953), early modernist artist.
  • René A. Morel
    René A. Morel
    René A. Morel was an experienced and influential luthier who was highly regarded by leading international string players, who had been described as "arguably the best violin restorer in the world"...

     (1932-2011), luthier
    Luthier
    A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...

    .
  • Peggy Noonan
    Peggy Noonan
    Peggy Noonan is an American author of seven books on politics, religion, and culture and a weekly columnist for The Wall Street Journal...

     (born 1950), author of seven books and was Special Assistant to former President Ronald Reagan
    Ronald Reagan
    Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

    .
  • Thomas R. Pickering
    Thomas R. Pickering
    Thomas Reeve "Tom" Pickering , is a retired United States ambassador. Among his many diplomatic appointments, he served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from 1989 to 1992.-Early life:...

     (born 1931), United States Ambassador to the United Nations
    United States Ambassador to the United Nations
    The United States Ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is more formally known as the "Permanent Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador...

     from 1989 to 1992.
  • John Rutherfurd
    John Rutherfurd
    John Rutherfurd was an American politician and land surveyor.John Rutherfurd was born in New York City. His parents were Walter and Mary Rutherfurd. Walter was a veteran of the British Army, and was a hostage of Patriots during the Revolutionary War while John was a teenager. Walter died in 1804...

     (1760–1840), U. S. Senator.
  • Walter H. Stockmayer
    Walter H. Stockmayer
    Walter Hugo Stockmayer was an internationally known chemist and university teacher. A former member of the National Academy of Sciences, he was recognized as one of the twentieth century pioneers of polymer science...

     (1914–2004), chemist and university teacher.
  • Winant Van Winkle
    Winant Van Winkle
    Winant Van Winkle , born in Rutherford, New Jersey, represented Bergen County, New Jersey in the New Jersey Senate from 1935 to 1940.-References:...

     (1879–1943), represented Bergen County in the New Jersey Senate
    New Jersey Senate
    The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

     from 1935-1940.
  • Walker Whiting Vick
    Walker Whiting Vick
    Walker Whiting Vick was an aid to Woodrow Wilson in 1912 and an officer of the Democratic National Committee.-References:...

     (1878–1926), an aide to Woodrow Wilson
    Woodrow Wilson
    Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...

    .
  • Alexander Russell Webb
    Alexander Russell Webb
    right|thumbnail|250px|Image of Alexander Russel Webb who was the U.S. ambassador to the [[Philippines]] and an early American convert to [[Islam]].right|thumbnail|150px|Gravestone of Alexander Russel Webb in Hillside Cemetery, Lyndhurst NJ...

     (1846–1916), writer and publisher.
  • William Carlos Williams
    William Carlos Williams
    William Carlos Williams was an American poet closely associated with modernism and Imagism. He was also a pediatrician and general practitioner of medicine, having graduated from the University of Pennsylvania...

     (1883–1963), poet.
  • Chris Wragge
    Chris Wragge
    Christian P. "Chris" Wragge is an American news anchor. He is the co-anchor for New York's WCBS-TV News at 6 p.m. weeknights alongside Dana Tyler. He was previously in the station's 5 p.m. and 11 p.m...

     (born 1970), a news anchor
    News presenter
    A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...

     for WCBS-TV
    WCBS-TV
    WCBS-TV, channel 2, is the flagship station of the CBS television network, located in New York City. The station's studios are located within the CBS Broadcast Center and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building, both in Midtown Manhattan....

    .

Professional athletes

  • Jim Garrett
    Jim Garrett
    James W. Garrett was a US football player, coach, and scout. He starred as a fullback and linebacker for Rutherford High School and as a running back playing college football at Utah State University. He had a short-lived pro career as a fullback with the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York...

     (born 1930), college football coach and professional football player.
  • Bill Hands
    Bill Hands
    William Alfred "Bill" Hands, Jr. , is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1965-1975. Hands' best season came in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs, when he won 20 games....

     (born 1940), former professional baseball pitcher who was a 20-game winner for the Chicago Cubs
    Chicago Cubs
    The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

    .
  • Bobby Jones
    Bobby Jones (left-handed pitcher)
    Robert Mitchell Jones is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from -. He made his MLB debut on May 18, 1997, for the Colorado Rockies....

     (born 1972), former pitcher who played for the New York Mets
    New York Mets
    The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...

    .
  • Rodney Leinhardt
    Rodney Leinhardt
    Rodney Leinhardt is an American professional wrestler, better known simply as Rodney from his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation. He is currently working on the independent circuit as RodRageous.-Career:Leinhardt trained under Tom Prichard and debuted in 1998...

     (born 1970), professional wrestler
    Professional wrestling
    Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

    .
  • Vin Mazzaro
    Vin Mazzaro
    Vincent Michael "Vin" Mazzaro is a baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.-Early years:...

     (born 1986), pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
    Kansas City Royals
    The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...

    .
  • Shaun O'Hara
    Shaun O'Hara
    Shaun O'Hara is an American football center in the National Football League who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Rutgers University, and has been in the NFL since 2000, having begun his pro career as a free agent with the Cleveland Browns...

     (born 1977), center for the New York Giants
    New York Giants
    The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

    .
  • Pat Pacillo
    Pat Pacillo
    Patrick Michael Pacillo is a former Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 1987 and 1988. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1st round of the 1984 amateur draft out of Seton Hall University and he debuted on May 23, 1987. In his debut he pitched 5 innings and...

     (born 1963), pitcher for Cincinnati Reds
    Cincinnati Reds
    The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....

     who debuted on May 23, 1987.
  • Leo Paquin
    Leo Paquin
    Leo Paquin was an American football player. He played end for Fordham University as part of the 1936 line known as the "Seven Blocks of Granite"...

     (1910–93), former football player.
  • Eddy Rolon (born 1973), a professional mixed martial artist and submission grappler, has lived in Rutherford since 1996. Rolon is one of the first state licensed MMA competitors in New Jersey as well as the 2001 IFC Battleground Heavyweight champion.
  • Michael Strahan
    Michael Strahan
    Michael Anthony Strahan is a former National Football League defensive end who played his entire career for the New York Giants; a career where he set the record for the most sacks in a single season and won a Super Bowl in his final year. He is currently a football analyst on Fox NFL Sunday, and...

     (born 1971), former defensive end for the New York Giants
    New York Giants
    The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

    .
  • Stan Walters
    Stan Walters
    Stanley Peter Walters is a former professional American football player.He was drafted in the 1972 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League and entered their starting line-up midway through his rookie season. In 1975, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he...

     (born 1948), former offensive tackle who played for the Cincinnati Bengals
    Cincinnati Bengals
    The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...

     and the Philadelphia Eagles
    Philadelphia Eagles
    The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

    .
  • Corey Wootton
    Corey Wootton
    Corey A. Wootton is an American football defensive end for the Chicago Bears. He played college football at Northwestern University. As a junior, he garnered first team All-Big Ten Conference honors...

     (born 1987), defensive end for the Chicago Bears
    Chicago Bears
    The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

    .


Rutherford is home to three current professional baseball players.
Name Position Team Name League MLB Affiliation Classification
Jack Egbert
Jack Egbert
Jack Egbert is a Minor League Baseball pitcher for the New York Mets organization.A graduate of Rutgers University, in which he was a starting pitcher for them, he was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 13th round of the Major League Baseball draft.In 1995, Egbert led the Rutherford Little...

Pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...

International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...

Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...

Class AAA
Frank Herrmann Pitcher Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...

American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

MLB
Vin Mazzaro
Vin Mazzaro
Vincent Michael "Vin" Mazzaro is a baseball pitcher in the Kansas City Royals organization.-Early years:...

Pitcher Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...

Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

MLB

Historic sites

Rutherford is home to the following locations on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

:
  • Iviswold
    Iviswold
    Iviswold, also known as The Castle is a house originally constructed in 1869 located in what is now Rutherford, New Jersey. It was placed on the List of Registered Historic Places in New Jersey on November 4, 2004. The house is part of the Rutherford campus of Felician College and currently...

     - 223 Montross Ave. (added 2004)
  • Kip Homestead
    Kip Homestead
    The Kip Homestead, is located in Rutherford, New Jersey. The homestead was built in 1770 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983.- See also :* National Register of Historic Places listings in Bergen County, New Jersey...

     - 12 Meadow Rd. (added 1983)
  • Rutherford Station
    Rutherford (NJT station)
    Rutherford is a New Jersey Transit train station served by the Bergen County Line. It is located in Rutherford, New Jersey at the junction of Park Avenue, Union Avenue, Erie Avenue and Orient Way. The junction is known as Station Square. The rail tracks serve as a border between Rutherford and...

     - Station Sq. (added 1984)
  • William Carlos Williams House
    William Carlos Williams House
    The William Carlos Williams House, is located in Rutherford, New Jersey. The building was built in 1913 and was the home to poet and physician William Carlos Williams for 50 years. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 4, 1973...

     - 9 Ridge Rd. (added 1973)
  • Yereance-Berry House
    Yereance-Berry house
    The Yereance-Berry House is a stone house built in the early 19th century in what is now Rutherford, New Jersey. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983 and is currently home to the Meadowlands Museum....

     - 91 Crane Ave. (added 1983)

External links

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