Little Falls, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Little Falls, New Jersey
Township
Little Falls Town Hall
Seal
Location of Little Falls in Passaic County highlighted in yellow (left). Inset map: Location of Passaic County in New Jersey highlighted in black (right).
Census Bureau map of Little Falls, New Jersey
Little Falls, New Jersey Location in Passaic County, New Jersey Show map of Passaic County, New Jersey Little Falls, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Little Falls, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Passaic
Incorporated	April 2, 1868
Government
• Type	Faulkner Act (mayor–council)
• Body	Township Council
Area
• Total	2.90 sq mi (7.43 km2)
• Land	2.80 sq mi (7.24 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.19 km2)  2.54%
Area rank	345th of 565 in state 14th of 16 in county
Elevation	157 ft (48 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	13,360
• Estimate  (2023)	14,399
• Rank	193rd of 565 in state 8th of 16 in county
• Density	4,780.0/sq mi (1,845.6/km2)
• Density rank	120th of 565 in state 7th of 16 in county
Economics
• Median income	$119,196 (± $15,166) (2018-2022)
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07424
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3403140620
GNIS feature ID	0882313

Little Falls is a township located in Passaic County, New Jersey. It got its name from a waterfall on the Passaic River. This waterfall is near a dam close to Beattie Mill. In 2020, about 13,360 people lived in Little Falls.

History of Little Falls

Little Falls was first settled by Europeans in 1711. Seven Dutch families from Bergen started farming here. The historic Speer Homestead was built around 1785. Some believe it might have been built even earlier, in 1680.

The Morris Canal used to run through the township. This canal was very important for trade and travel until 1925. It connected the Delaware River and the Hudson River. You can still see parts of the canal today. Some sections are now a greenway, which is a natural path for walking or biking.

Little Falls officially became a township on April 2, 1868. This happened through a law passed by the New Jersey Legislature. It was formed from parts of another area called Acquackanonk Township. Later, in 1914, a part of Little Falls became the borough of West Paterson. This area is now known as Woodland Park.

Geography and Location

Little Falls covers about 2.87 square miles (7.43 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 2.80 square miles (7.24 square kilometers). A small part, 0.07 square miles (0.19 square kilometers), is water.

Parts of Little Falls

The township has three main areas:

• Great Notch is the easternmost part of Little Falls.
• The downtown area is often called "The Center of Town." Many long-time residents simply call it Little Falls.
• Singac is in the western part of the township. Much of Singac is next to the Passaic River. Singac is also a census-designated place (CDP). In 2010, about 3,618 people lived there.

Neighboring Towns

Little Falls is surrounded by several other towns.

• In Passaic County, it borders Clifton, Totowa, Wayne, and Woodland Park.
• In Essex County, it borders Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Montclair, and North Caldwell.

Little Falls is located about 15 miles (24 km) west of New York City.

Population and People

The population of Little Falls has changed over the years.

• In 1870, there were 1,282 people.
• By 1920, the population grew to 5,161.
• In 2010, it reached 14,432 people.
• The 2020 census showed a population of 13,360.
• An estimate for 2023 suggests the population is around 14,399.

Diversity in Little Falls

Little Falls is home to people from many different backgrounds.

• In 2020, about 68.23% of the population was White (not Hispanic).
• About 6.24% were Black or African American (not Hispanic).
• About 5.41% were Asian (not Hispanic).
• About 16.95% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino. This group can be of any race.

Economy and Businesses

The Mountain View Diners Company was a business in Little Falls. From 1939 to 1957, they built about 400 prefabricated diners. These diners were then shipped all over the country.

Parks, Recreation, and Sports

Little Falls has places for sports and fun activities.

Montclair State University Ice Arena

This ice rink is on the campus of Montclair State University. It is home to the university's ice hockey club. Other hockey leagues and teams also use the facility.

Yogi Berra Stadium

The New Jersey Jackals baseball team used to play at Yogi Berra Stadium. This stadium is also on the Montclair State University campus in Little Falls. However, for the 2023 season, the team moved to Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson.

Education in Little Falls

Students in Little Falls attend public schools run by the Little Falls Township Public Schools.

Local Schools

• Students in pre-kindergarten through second grade go to Little Falls School #2.
• Grades 3 and 4 attend Little Falls School #3.
• Students in grades 5 through 8 go to Little Falls School #1.

In the 2018–19 school year, the district had 865 students. There was about one teacher for every nine students.

High School Education

For ninth through twelfth grades, students attend Passaic Valley Regional High School. This high school also serves students from Totowa and Woodland Park. The high school building is located in Little Falls. In 2018–19, about 1,186 students were enrolled there.

Montclair State University

Most of Montclair State University is located in Little Falls. The university is a large employer in the area. In 2011, it employed 66 residents of Little Falls.

Transportation Options

Little Falls has several important roads and public transportation options.

Roads and Highways

Major roads that go through Little Falls include U.S. Route 46 and New Jersey Route 23. The Garden State Parkway and Interstate 80 are also nearby. There are many bridges and crossings over the Upper Passaic River in town.

Public Transportation

U.S. Route 46 westbound in Little Falls

NJ Transit provides train service to Little Falls.

• The Little Falls station and Montclair State University station are on the Montclair-Boonton Line.
• Trains from these stations can take you to Hoboken Terminal in Hoboken.
• From Montclair State University Station, you can also take "Midtown Direct" trains. These go to Pennsylvania Station in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
• The Great Notch station used to serve the township. However, NJ Transit closed it in 2010 due to low ridership.

NJ Transit also offers bus services:

• Buses on routes 191, 194, and 195 go to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.
• Routes 11 and 28 serve Newark on weekends.
• Local bus routes are the 704 and 705 lines.

Airports

Little Falls is about 21 miles (34 km) from Newark Liberty International Airport. It is also about 27 miles (43 km) from LaGuardia Airport in New York.

Famous People from Little Falls

Many interesting people have lived in or are connected to Little Falls.

• David Blaine (born 1973), a famous illusionist.
• Frank DeCaro (born 1962), an author and television personality.
• Bobby Marks (born 1973), a former assistant general manager for the Brooklyn Nets basketball team.
• Lloyd B. Marsh (1893–1971), a politician who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey.
• Kit McClure (born 1951), a talented saxophonist, trombonist, and bandleader.
• Franklin E. Sigler (1924–1995), a U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor. He earned it for his brave actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima.
• Robert Crooks Stanley (1876–1951), a former leader of the International Nickel Company. He is known for discovering the metal alloy called Monel.
• Grif Teller (1899–1993), an artist famous for his paintings for the Pennsylvania Railroad.
• Vikki Ziegler (born around 1972), a lawyer and author. She was featured in the reality TV show Untying the Knot.

See also

In Spanish: Little Falls (Nueva Jersey) para niños