Nutley, New Jersey facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nutley, New Jersey
Township
Nutley Memorial Parkway
Seal
Nutley, New Jersey Location in Essex County, New Jersey Show map of Essex County, New Jersey Nutley, New Jersey Location in New Jersey Show map of New Jersey Nutley, New Jersey Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	New Jersey
County	Essex
Incorporated	February 18, 1874, as Franklin Township
Reincorporated	March 5, 1902, as Nutley
Government
• Type	Walsh Act
• Body	Board of Commissioners
Area
• Total	3.42 sq mi (8.86 km2)
• Land	3.37 sq mi (8.74 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.12 km2)  1.37%
Area rank	316th of 565 in state 13th of 22 in county
Elevation	52 ft (16 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	30,143
• Estimate  (2023)	29,538
• Rank	79th of 565 in state 10th of 22 in county
• Density	8,939.2/sq mi (3,451.4/km2)
• Density rank	44th of 565 in state 7th of 22 in county
Time zone	UTC−05:00 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−04:00 (Eastern (EDT))
ZIP Code	07110
Area code(s)	973
FIPS code	3401353680
GNIS feature ID	1729715

Nutley is a township located in Essex County, New Jersey. It's a part of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2020, about 30,143 people lived here. This was an increase from the 28,370 people counted in 2010.

The area that is now Nutley was first called Franklin Township. It became a township on February 18, 1874. Later, on March 5, 1902, it was officially named Nutley. The name "Nutley" comes from a large family estate and an artist's community that used to be in the area.

Nutley's Rich History

Annie Oakley performing at an amateur circus at Nutley in 1894, raising money for the Red Cross.

Nutley grew slowly as the nearby city of Newark developed. The first European settler in this area was Bastian Van Giesen, a Dutch farmer, in 1693. His son built a home in 1751, which is now known as the Vreeland Homestead. This historic building still stands today. Another old building from that time is the Van Riper House. During the American Revolutionary War, General George Washington and his Continental Army marched through what is now Nutley.

Early Industries and Growth

The first major industry in Nutley was brownstone quarrying, which started in the early 1700s. This provided many jobs for Italian and Irish immigrants. Later, mills along the Third River became the town's second big industry. These mills were owned by people like John and Thomas Speer, Joseph Kingsland, and Henry Duncan. Some streets in Nutley are named after these mill owners. Henry Duncan even built a small village called Franklinville, which later became the center of Nutley. One of his buildings is now the town hall. The Kingsland Manor is another important historical site.

An Artists' Community

In the late 1880s, the painter Frank Fowler started an artists' colony in Nutley. It was on a street called The Enclosure, near the Third River. Other famous artists like Frederick Dana Marsh, Reginald Marsh, and Michael Lenson also lived there.

Local History Resources

Nutley has its own town historian, John Demmer, who wrote a book about the town. The Nutley Historical Society helps preserve the town's history. They also run The Nutley Historical Museum, which is in an old schoolhouse. Other local historians have written books about Nutley's past, including books about the Nutley Velodrome. This was a special track used for racing small cars in the 1930s.

Nutley's Location and Surroundings

Nutley covers about 3.42 square miles (8.86 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.

Some smaller communities and places within Nutley include Avondale, Franklin, Glendale, and Yanticaw.

Nutley shares its borders with several other towns. These include Belleville and Bloomfield in Essex County. It also borders Lyndhurst in Bergen County and Clifton in Passaic County.

Population Changes Over Time

Nutley's population has changed quite a bit over the years. In 1880, there were only about 1,617 people. By 1930, the population had grown to over 20,000. In 2020, the population was 30,143.

Who Lives in Nutley?

The 2020 United States census showed that Nutley is a diverse place.

• About 62.58% of the people were White (not Hispanic).
• About 3.08% were Black or African American (not Hispanic).
• About 11.67% were Asian (not Hispanic).
• About 19.43% of the population was Hispanic or Latino (who can be of any race).

In 2010, the average household had 2.50 people, and the average family had 3.10 people. About 20.7% of the population was under 18 years old.

Nutley's Economy

For many years, Nutley was home to the U.S. headquarters of Hoffmann-La Roche, a big pharmaceutical company. Important medicines like Valium and Librium were created here. At its busiest, the company had 10,000 employees in Nutley. However, in 2012, Roche announced they would close their operations in Nutley by 2015.

Parks and Fun Activities

Nutley has many parks where you can play sports and enjoy nature. These include Booth Park, DeMuro Park, and Memorial Park. You can find fields for baseball, football, basketball, lacrosse, roller hockey, and soccer. The town also has a weekly "Market Walk and Talk" where people walk through the scenic parks.

Education in Nutley

The Nutley Public Schools educate students from pre-kindergarten all the way through twelfth grade. In the 2021–22 school year, there were about 4,034 students across seven schools. This means there was about one teacher for every 12 students.

The schools in Nutley are:

• Lincoln School (grades K-6)
• Radcliffe School (grades K-6)
• Spring Garden School (grades PreK-6)
• Washington School (grades K-6)
• Yantacaw School (grades K-6)
• John H. Walker Middle School (grades 7-8)
• Nutley High School (grades 9-12)

Getting Around Nutley

View north along Route 21 in Nutley

Nutley has many roads, including local streets, county roads, and state highways. The Garden State Parkway passes through a small part of the township. Route 7 and Route 21 also run near or along Nutley's borders.

Public Transportation Options

NJ Transit offers bus services in Nutley. You can take a bus to Midtown Manhattan in New York City or to Newark. There are also local bus routes within the town.

In the past, there were train stations in Nutley until 1966. Now, those train tracks are only used for freight trains.

Nutley Helps Others: Operation Nutley Cares

After Hurricane Katrina caused a lot of damage in 2005, Nutley wanted to help. The town created the "Operation Nutley Cares Committee." They decided to become a "sister city" with Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Bay St. Louis was very badly damaged by the hurricane. Nutley still accepts donations to help Bay St. Louis rebuild.

Famous People from Nutley

Many interesting people have lived in Nutley! Here are just a few:

• Alaa Abdelnaby (born 1968), a former NBA basketball player.
• Robert Blake (1933–2023), an actor known for the TV show Baretta.
• Carol Blazejowski (born 1956), a general manager for the WNBA's New York Liberty basketball team.
• Frank Lautenberg (1924–2013), who was a United States Senator.
• Annie Oakley (1860–1926), a famous sharpshooter.
• Martha Stewart (born 1941), a well-known author, businesswoman, and TV personality.
• Frank Vincent (1937–2017), an actor who appeared in the TV series The Sopranos.