The Caldwells facts for kids
The Caldwells are three towns in Essex County, New Jersey. All three towns have "Caldwell" in their names. They are named after a brave leader from the American Revolution, Reverend James Caldwell.
Even though each town has its own government, people often use "The Caldwells" to talk about the whole area. You might even see this name on highway signs! For example, signs on Interstate 80 and Interstate 280 point to "The Caldwells" as a place to go.
Contents
Exploring The Caldwells
The Caldwells are a special group of towns in New Jersey. They share a name and a history. Let's learn more about them.
Who Was James Caldwell?
The towns are named after Reverend James Caldwell. He was a Patriot during the American Revolutionary War. This means he strongly supported the American side.
Reverend Caldwell helped the Continental Army fight for freedom. He is famous for something he did at the Battle of Springfield. During the battle, soldiers ran out of paper to help load their rifles. Reverend Caldwell quickly gave them pages from hymn books to use. This helped the soldiers keep fighting.
The Three Caldwell Towns
There are three towns that make up The Caldwells. Each one is a separate community.
Even though they are independent, they are often grouped together. This is because they all came from the same original area.
How The Towns Were Formed
All three Caldwell towns used to be part of one larger area. This area was known as Caldwell Township. New Jersey officially created Caldwell Township in 1798.
Over time, different parts of the township became their own towns:
- Caldwell became a separate town on February 10, 1892.
- North Caldwell became a separate town on March 31, 1898.
- West Caldwell became a separate town on February 24, 1904.
The rest of Caldwell Township later changed its name. On November 6, 1963, it became Fairfield Township.
